Hyosung GT650R

Quick Review by Maxabout Team

Midsize sports bikes are getting pace in India and Hyosung GT650R is also one of them. This bike has been specially crafted by Hyosung to take on Kawasaki Ninja 650R in our Indian bike market. Let’s get in to the detailing of this bike to know about its exclusive features.

Design and Style

Hyosung GT650R has twin projector lamps at its front which gels up well with its neatly designed front cowl. Hyosung have elegantly played with its front fairing which flaunts eye catching lines on it. The transparent visor also enhances the visual appeal of this bike and makes it look V-shaped when seen from the front. The black colored rear view mirrors are mounted on its fairing which also carries the clear lens side indicators. The bike has a fatty front tyre and fender which makes its presence prominent. The side fairing of this bike is partly black in color and comes with a small integrated under cowl. It has an elegantly designed fuel tank which looks similar to most its siblings. The sporty decals on its side fairing and rear cowl adds sporty feel to this bike. The split seats and split grab rail also enhance the beauty of this bike. Its full size up-swept partly black colored silencer goes well with the overall styling of this bike. The bike looks best when seen from the back; it has a broad rear tyre which gives it a naked look with extended fender and small LED tail light.

Instrument Console

The bike is stuffed with a combined analogue digital meter console. A round shaped pod houses its analogue tachometer while it features a LCD for its digital speedometer, odometer, 2-trip meter and Fuel gauge. You can also adjust the brightness of this LCD. All the essential LED indicators are placed around this LCD.

Engine and Gearbox

Hyosung GT650R is powered by a V-twin, 647 cc, two-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid cooled, eight-valve, DOHC engine and mated to a six-speed transmission. The maximum power produced by this motor is 72.68 bhp at 9000 rpm and peak torque is 60.9 Nm at 7500 rpm. The fuel tank capacity of Hyosung GT650R is 17 litres. This 8 valve engine is mated with a six speed manual gearbox with one gear down and five gears up-shift pattern.

Acceleration and Performance

This V-twin engine is stuffed with enough power and its six speed gearbox effectively uses this power. The engine uses most of the power at low rpms which means great pick up and instant throttle response. The gear ratios are very short so that you never wait for the power delivery. The bike does 0-100km/hr in less than 8 seconds and has the potential to go pass the speed of 175km/hr. The engine remains really calm and impressive at high rpms. There is negligible harshness in this engine when you rev this bike hard. Usually, short gear ratios means frequent gear shifting but thanks to its ample amount of torque the bike manages to keep the momentum at slow speeds in big gears. It performs best between 3000-8000rpm. The power tapers off as soon as 8000rpm and after that there is nothing much left in this engine. The bike feels best for city usage where you can move quickly through the traffic. It’s also good on highways but the bike can’t stand the high end performance of Ninja 650R. The gear transitions are very smooth and the gear ratios also feel well matched. The only problem arises while overtaking where you need strong high speed grunt which is missing in this bike.

Mileage

Don’t expect this bike return more than 20km/ltr on highways while figures are even worse in city conditions.

Comfort while Driving

Hyosung have made sure that you get maximum comfort while driving. They have well-padded the split seat and the rider never gets disturbed by the pillion at the back. GT650R sports rear set foot-pegs which help you to get a sporty riding posture which boosts your confidence around corners. It offers a firm grip which helps you to steer it accurately at high speeds. Its macho fuel tank gives you nice hold of this bike by letting your knees stick around it properly.

Storage Space and Safety features

You look for safety features rather than storage space in sports bikes. GT650R has powerful projector headlights which gives you clear vision at night and features full time floating brake callipers at front for safe braking.

Suspension and Brakes

Hyosung GT650R has high class suspension system which features adjustable telescopic forks at its front and swing arm with hydraulic mono shock absorber at its back. Both wheels of GT650R are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes. The front wheel sports twin discs of 300mm while it has a single disc of 230mm at its back.

Ride and Handling

The bike has been designed to be stable and comfortable in terms of ride and handling. The bike has a long wheelbase of 1445mm which sheds the actual weight of this bike by making it tremendously stable at high speeds and sharp corners. Its ground clearance of 130mm makes it quite stable on highways and it’s quite evident while shifting lanes frequently. Its adjustable suspension also confirms that bike never goes out of control and also manages to digest most of the bumps easily. The hydraulic brakes work accurately and provide precise braking. The bike handles really fast in city traffic and never loose contact with road thanks to its fatty tyres which also hold it really well at uneven surfaces.

Shades

Hyosung GT650R is available in three shades: Titanium White, Titanium Black and Titanium Red.

Verdict

Hyosung GT650R will cost you around INR 4.79 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi (approx., may vary)). This bike is cheaper than its only competitor by a good margin. It looks good, offers impressive performance and comes with incredible ride and handling. We think it’s a value for money bike but one can easily challenge its worthiness as it resembles a lot to its younger sibling which is far cheaper than it and displays poor high end performance which might keep serious racers away from it.

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