Hyosung GT650 vs Suzuki SV650

How do they both stack up?
Is the Suzuki sv650 ...any/much/no... better than the Hyosung?
Informed comments from experienced riders of
both bikes would be very helpful. TIA
James

 

not having ridden them girls bikes

ive seen a guy with a 2fiddy hyosung that is just over 1 year old and it
had all sorts of surface rust on the frame

worth having a close look at the build quality of the newer versions if
you are planning a new one

from what I have heard that the 650 is available in learner legal (NSW+ACT?)
and its just a case of
$50 worth of carb parts to make it a full power version , something worth
thinking
about if you plan on selling in the future as you have a captive learner
market as apart
from that the resale would be poor but they are cheaper to begin with

been for a ride yourself as yet ??

 

No I've not ridden either of them, just noticed the Hyosung looks very
much like the Suzuki and is one to two thou cheaper.

That's very interesting. Learners can make their 30hp bike run at 70hp
when they have their full ticket huh. Just a small carb modification. Does
the Suzuki have that option?
James

 

Going out on a limb here, doubt anybody here would admit to owning either

FZ6 Yamaha is what you need and want

CDIHL


would be very helpful. TIA

 

The sv comes as is with only the full power option.

 

Agreed but..........you don't have to own one of either bike, just
please....please tell me whether they are comparable or not. Thanks
guys. (& girlz)

A young dutch mechanic once told me and a few
mates that his gokart with an old 98cc villiers two stroke engine in it,
would outrace our yamaha kt100 karts, then proceeded to prove
his point. Muchly reddened faces, (ours) when his kart beat the
shit out of ours. He later described the mods he had made to his
old villiers engine. Just about remade the fskng thing. Of course we
decided to disqualify him for over modification making his engine
non standard. heheh
James

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 15 Aug 2004 08:21:45 +1000

I doubt it, as that would make it ineligible for LAMS. Has to be more
to it than that, or the RTA would ban it from the list as they've done
to some other bikes.

Zebee

 

Look here Zebee,
http://bikepoint.ninemsn.com.au/por...760/BikeArticleID__119224/DesktopDefault.aspx

Looks like it's true, but dunno how they do it.
James

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 15 Aug 2004 14:51:03 +1200

No, what's true is there is more than one version. See also Ducati
Monster.

That article doesn't appear to say anything about "a few carb parts".

When the RTA approved the original list, they knocked back bikes that
could easily be uprated. Although they might not be the brightest bulbs
in the box, the RTA *are* smart enough to ask the manufacturer "you have
a learner and a full power version, how easy is it to get from one to
the other?"

If someone publishes from first hand knowledge how the restriction is
done and how they defeated it, I'll believe it, as it's in the
"extreme claims require extreme proof" basket.

Zebee

 

James,


I seem to recall reading an article which made mention of Hyosung actually
making some parts for the earlier sv650 at the request of Suzuki but when
they started to make larger capacity bikes themselves Suzuki got the sh*ts
and pulled the pin.

Now apparently according to this article Cagiva are going to use the Hyosung
motor in the Cagiva Raptor 650 and possibly the 1000 depending on when the
Hyosung 1000 is ready.

I do not have either bike and have ridden only one, the sv650 so will not
proffer any real opinion buit will say that you should ride them and compare
for yourself. Also, search for any Australian reports on these bikes as it
will be more relevant to your market and from memory Two Wheels (I think)
have tested the Hyosung.

I recall some of the article made mention of 'wooden' brakes but it was on a
pre-production model and the writer did feel that the Hyosung motor was more
powerful. I cannot recall his verdict but it did mention a number of factory
parts that will be available in the range (ie. exhausts etc).

Hopefully, this will help in some small way.


Garry

 

Thankyou for that info Garry.
I believe Korean and Chinese made bikes are about
to take over from the rest. Most of their current models are of excellent
quality and their prices are considerably lower than the others.
The problem at the moment is with sour grapes stories denegrating
these machines in an obvious effort to slow sales of bikes they will
never be able to compete with honestly. Remember (if you are old enough)
how in the late 50's many said the Japanese bikes would never survive
against the british. The truth is now history. Time now for the Korean and
Chinese made bikes huh?
James

 

hold your breath, you might just go blue and drop dead

we are still waiting for likes of Hyundai and the others to take over
Toyota, Honda and Nissan

mh

 

Hi Marty, Who is *we* or are *you* just more comfortable talking from
within a group perspective, where your misinformation can be spread
and blamed, on others with their heads in the same sand pit?

I don't know about Hyundai, but if you believe you have genuine information
contrary to my expressed opinions, I'd like to debate the matter logically.
Who knows we might both learn something, and our fellow bikers might
be better informed about the future of our sport. (or whatever you like to
call it) Even the most prolific knockers who post here will be affected
if my predictions are correct.
James

 

The pommie Bike magazine recently did a write up on the Hyosung, and
it copped a caning when compared to the SV. In particular Bike wasn't
impressed with the high speed handling, saying "The front end feels
loose and detached at any speed, a trait shared with both smaller
comets... Maybe it's caused by the geometry. A 25.5 degree rake angle
is nothing special - almost identical to the SV in fact - but the 85mm
trail is a substantial 15 mm shorter. This could go some way to
explain its quicker steering and occasional instability." The pillion
pad and lack of grab rail similarly compared poorly.

Bike reported regarding the comparitive dry weights, "One area where
the Hyosung clearly loses out is the weight. At 196 kg dry, the
Comet's a hefty 31 kg heavier than the unfaired SV650 and stepping off
my own SV onto the Comet the difference is obvious. This alone will be
enough to give the Suzuki the edge in the performance stakes." (The
claimed horse power ratings were 78 hp for the Hyosung, and 70 hp for
a 2003 SV). In summary Bike thought that the price saving (UK 850
pound) was not enough when considering the weight difference, high
speed weaving (around 160 kph), better instruments on the SV, better
pillion accomodation on the SV, and ultimately the sales and service
backup from Suzuki.

cheers, Bill

Bill_H
'01 Sprint ST
*** replace the *deadspam* bit of the email addy with optusnet.com.au
Some days it's just not worth the bother chewing through the restraints

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 15 Aug 2004 17:46:26 +1200

There is a massive difference in the two situations.

By the mid 60s, which is when the Japanese started to make inroads, the
Brit industry hadn't done any innovation for some years.

Their bikes were the same, in some cases, as their pre-war models,
just with telescopic forks. You had to pay extra for just about
everything - speedo, indicators, centrestand.

And unless you paid top dollar, what you got was old and slow. There was
a massive aftermarket for a reason! The Brits got complacent because
they were selling all they could make in the 50s, and the booking 60s
caught them on the hop. They had no idea what to do about the scooter
boom, they were only just catching onto the 250 learner limit, they were
saddled with old factories and machinery and blinkered boards who thought
the punters would buy heavy singles and twins till the end of time.

Then along came the Japanese...

You could buy a 125 Suzuki Stinger, with a 5 (6?) speed box, that would
beat the fastest Brit 250 in both top speed and quartermile, had all the
extras like indicators and tacho and speedo, *and* was cheaper.

The Japs had horsepower and smart new designs.

Sure, in the early 70s their motors had well outstripped their chassis,
but those who reckon a mid 70s Bonneville was a better bike than a mnid
70s Honda or Kawasaki 4 probably haven't ridden one... The Europeans
had faster better handling bikes, but they cost the earth[1]

The Japanese did have design and quality control problems in the
beginning. They were working most of it out from scratch after all.
But their innovative engineers, their willingness to use new materials
and new designs, and crucially their new factories and manufacturing
methods[2] meant they could produce amazing machines quickly and cheaply.

There's no comparison to now. THen the Brits were using old designs,
old factories, and were utterly unable to change. Now the Japanese are
at the top in damn near everything, still innovating, still making fast,
cheap, top quality gear that the punters are buying heaps of.

THe Koreans have a much much harder row to hoe. THey are now where
the Japs where when the Japs were making copies of BSAs and Triumphs.
Pure copying while they learn what to do. But their rivals aren't a
moribund industry handicapped by clueless boards[3] and ancient factories
and work practices.

They will be a threat to the Japanese in the low to middle market, the
place they aimed at with things like the small Hyundais. The price
concious consumer who isn't all that interested in paying a premium
for tech or top speed, but wants a cheaper bike that will do prettty
well for those who aren't super fast riders. That looks quite nice,
does the job more or less.

But you can't say they'll *really* threaten the Japs till they are
bringing out not SV650 copies but GSXR750 beaters.

Cos it won't be till then that they can make a decent profit margin and
be seen as good in their own right, not just a cheap bike that's mostly
OK.

Zebee


[1] as an example, the V7 sport was faster and a better handler than
pretty well anything made by the Japanese... but not that much faster,
although considerably better handling. And in 1972 it cost A$2200, the
Honda 4 cost *half* that.

[2] the Brits were still hearth brazing frames...

[3] the story of the Vetter Triumph is instructive....

 

Have they (RTA) sorted out the big (-ish) chookies that can be so easy
to tweak into being illegal?

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Hmmm, that'd leave the rear-end sticking-up, I guess ) more hmmmm...

Big IF, ....looking at commercial realities and the track-record in the
car-game.
Kia is owned by....
Daewoo is owned by...
For the Chinese...bloody long way to go yet...and then they'll be owned
by...??
Could'nt sell a Hyosung second-hand in Europe for a hand-o-bananas (where
they've been around for
a few years in the small-class, mostly rideable with car-license), again,
long way to go....
O/S friend of mine had a 125cc Hyo-Harley, bought it 2.hand, 6 mths old,
1200km, "cheaaap, maaaate", then got $300 as a trade-in 1 year later, and it
was in immaculate nick then. The Kwaka-dealer still had it 8 mths
later...with a $600 sticker on it.

.....and then they'll be owned by...??

pete

 

In aus.motorcycles on Sun, 15 Aug 2004 18:45:09 +1000

Dunno. My understanding is that there are a couple of bikes that are so
damn borderline it's not funny, but I'm not sure about the road-legal
(as in no illegally loud pipes) that are required to make them very
illegal. On the 32 to 70HP range being quoted

Zebee

 

Experienced riders are not going to admit to riding learner legal girls bikes
like these, so you're unlikely to get much informed comment here. HTH.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

AND.....the very first Honda 50cc stepthrough scooters were
NZ 115 pounds in 1959, and they were mainly owned and funded by
an american I believe. BUT...who owns them now?
James