Hyosung GT250R Review
Bike tested: 2012 Hyosung GT250R
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 3.15 lakhs (est.)
While motorcycle makers have a good line-up of 600cc plus bikes in their stable, it really is the 250cc segment where the real action lies. Kawasaki started it with the Ninja 250R almost 4 years back, only to be joined by Honda’s CBR250R last year. The KTM Duke 200 came earlier this year and now Hyosung is re-entering the segment with the GT250R, this time with Garware Motors. Popularly known as the Comet R, the Hyosung GT250R is very different from other offerings in this segment, but is it enough to put the sales chart on fire? We take the Hyosung GT250R for an outing to find out.
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The GT250R is the best looking 250cc bike in India today.
Styling – At first glance you will notice the Hyosung GT250R is very similar to its big brother, the GT650R in many ways. The six spoke alloy wheels with the massive 300 mm twin floating disc brakes, the upside down forks at the front is the very same. The Hyosung GT250R is projected as a compact design, but it isn’t. The vertically stacked headlights, the two intake vents at the front are very Ducati-ish. The huge visor has its own appeal. The 17-litre fuel tank is very well sculpted. The front fairing with exposed bolts look huge and has cuts and slashes, which are very well executed. The edgy wing mirrors blend in perfectly. The raised rear seat with LED tail lights, split grab rails and a very well designed mudguard makes it very appealing from the rear. The long exhaust, the exposed chain and the massive 150 section tires add to the distinctive look.
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Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – Turn on the ignition of the Hyosung GT250R and the tachometer does the traditional spin. The bike features digital speedometer which displays ample amount of information such as dual trip meter, fuel level, time and engine temperature. It also also has turn indicator lights, high beam, pass-by, along with Neutral and FI malfunction indicators on top of the instrument cluster. There are two buttons, one for resetting the trip meters and the other for the odometer and trip meter reading. The Hyosung GT250R also features adjustable foot-pegs but the position hampers the easy deployment of the side stand.
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Performance and Gearbox – So the Hyosung GT250R is bigger than your normal 250cc motorcycle but how does it perform is the question which everybody wants to know. The GT250R is powered by a 249cc, 75-degree, V-twin, DOHC engine which uses 8-valves and air/oil-cooling. This twin-cylinder powerplant produces a peak power output of 27.6 BHP at 10,000 RPM and peak torque output of 22.07 Nm at 8000 RPM. One would expect the Hyosung GT250R to give intense performance but the bike fails to impress in this regard. The GT250R does climb revvs very quickly but power delivery is nothing close to what you would expect from a V-twin machine. The engine also feels rough at certain points of the power band and more so at the top.
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Take the Hyosung GT250R past 8000 RPM and it starts to feel uneasy. This is very surprising considering peak power is produced at 10,000 RPM. Hyosung engineers have put a revv limiter at 11,500 RPM and the GT250R reaches it’s redline very quickly. I managed to hit 96 km/h in second gear before the revv-limiter cut in. But the Hyosung GT250R doesn’t feel fast enough nor does it accelerate as quickly as the rev counter suggests. As the revvs start to rise, so does the vibrations on the fairing and foot pegs. Mind you the GT250R is fun but just not fast enough as I expected. The gearbox is just about average and our test bike did not shift as smoothly (probably since it was being ridden hard day-in and day-out). The 5-speed transmission is well spaced out and one doesn’t need to work the gearbox too often to get going in any condition.
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Ride, Handling and Braking – The Hyosung GT250R not only replicates its elder sibling in styling, it also does it in terms of other bits and pieces. The front uses 110/70/17 tyres, while the rear features 150/70/17 tyres. The tyres are made by Shinko and do the job very well, offering very good grip levels. The GT250R uses a pressed steel frame but weighs close to 180 kgs. The weight along with the long wheelbase does blunt handling but not to a great extent. The front feels slightly heavy and changing direction quickly needs some effort. The Hyosung GT250R does not feel agile enough and riding in the city can get difficult at times. But one must not forget that the GT250R is a bigger bike in dimension than any other 250cc machine and thus offers the big bike feel. It feels extremely composed at triple digit speeds, firmly planted to the road.
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The turning radius is extremely large (as you can see me take a U-turn above) and the riding position is too sporty for city commute. The clip-on handle bars are positioned lower, putting more weight on the riders wrists. The GT250R is very sporty and the ergonomics can get uncomfortable for those not used to riding such a machine. But once you get used to the GT250R, you will feel at home riding bigger motorcycles. Ride quality is good and the GT250R absorbs most of the bumps comfortably, without creating any uneasiness for the rider. Braking performance is good but the 300mm twin discs at the front don’t really give it any better stopping power. The brake lever is adjustable just like it is on the GT650R.
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Conclusion – The Hyosung GT250R is a mixed bag. While it has the goodies on paper (in terms of performance), it lacks many features one would expect at that price. There is no liquid-cooling or 6-speed gearbox and buyers would expect ABS as standard. The GT250R doesn’t offer the twin-cylinder punch in its performance but it’s gorgeous looks make up for it. The big bike looks and feel of the GT250R are the strong points going for it, with the only hindrance in its path to success is its pricing. Grapevine suggests something close to the Ninja 250R, which would be hard to justify for the Korean automaker.
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Whats Cool
* Stunning looks
* Engine sound
* Twin projector headlights
Whats Not So Cool
* Performance
* Pricing
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2012 Hyosung GT250R Specifications : –
* Engine: 249 cc, air/oil cooled, 75° V-twin 8-valves, DOHC engine
* Power: 27.6 BHP @ 10,000 RPM
* Torque: 22.07 Nm @ 8000 RPM
* Transmission: 5-speed manual
* Top Speed: 140 km/h
* 0-100kmph: 9.50 seconds
* Fuel Consumption: 24-25 kmpl (City), 28-29 kmpl (highway)
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Suspension: 41mm inverted forks (Front), Gas filled monoshock (Rear)
* Tires: 110/70/17 (Front), 150/70/17 (Rear)
* Brakes: 300 mm Twin Discs (Front), Disc ( Rear)
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 17 liters
* Kerb Weight: 177 kgs
