Do some searches. They don't have an awesome reputation but I can't say it would ever leave you stranded. I've never heard real horror stories about them.

I would steer clear simply for the reason that you would probably have a horrible time trying to sell it down the road. I bought a similar brand bike several years ago and wound up giving it to my buddy. I never could sell it outright even though it was a fine bike.

You looking at the 650?

 

My only worry with buying an off brand is service 'after the sale'. Parts, warranty (if new), finding someone to work on it (unless that be you).
There are two VERY reputable car makers from Korea, with outstanding service and quality, that's a start I guess.

 

We service one of those Chinese/knockoff Bike shops and there are 50 bikes in ft for sale and 2000 of them in the back torn apart and being used for parts as thats all they are worth.They do sell some cool motorcycle trailers there and Caskets also.What a Combo of stuff to sell

 

Saw a few video reviews on YouTube. They seemed mostly favorable, but a recurring theme was the chrome started to rust in a few months.

Of their sport types there are some videos of some guys who were running a 650 that was modified at some track days. The rider gets to cranking and passing quite a few folks.

Buy it, expect to keep it though, as noted above.

 

Expect to keep it.

 

Forever.

 

I know the local Hyosung Dealer here in Halifax and am very familiar with the GV250 Aquila 250 cruiser and GV650 Aquila 650 power cruiser.

They have sold about 50 250's and about 15-20 650's in the past 3 seasons, so my thoughts are based on a fairly large sample size. I have talked with several of the owners and observed the bikes being sold both new and used.

Both are really good bikes.

The 250 cruiser is a strong alternative to other "beginner" bikes because it has a larger chassis, wheels, tires, etc compared to other "beginner" bikes.

A full-sized person can ride one comfortably, and two adults can ride two-up on the GV250 all day long at highway speeds without effort or being scrunched up.

They are priced well, especially used.

I am not aware of ANY problems with them...they have a great warranty which is transferable, but it is very rare for the GV250 to have a problem.

It's a lot like a Honda that way.

The only known "weakness" in the GV250 is they use a cheap battery and because Hyosungs sit longer in showrooms before being bought than many other brands, the battery sometimes arrives weak....but a crappy battery is a minor issue.

The 650 goes like stink, has floating rotors, alloy wheels, a fork brace and a whole bunch of "quality" features you don't often see on bikes in their price point.

Also, because Hyosung builds motors for Suzuki under contract, the 650 is VERY similar to the Suzuki 650 v-twin, though not a flat out clone.

The ONLY issue I'm aware of with the GV650 is the kickstand starter interrupt switch goes bad due to road grime quicker than other similar switches...this is an issue also familiar to Suzuki 650 twin riders in my observation and is easy to replace yourself, or under Warranty or just bypass the danged thing.

As a used bike, Hyosungs are usually a great deal because the Name doesn't have much traction in the market yet.

Carb Hyosungs (the newer ones are EFI) have no issues with the carbs.

Some early versions of the electronic LCD gage pods are prone to kakking out at a young age, moreso on the 650 than 250. The pod was replaced a couple of years ago with more conventional looking gages.

Parts are often slower to get than with bigger brands, mostly because the dealer network consists more of dealers that are starting out or small compared to bigger money businesspeople who run other dealerships.

Hyosung in Korea is run by the guy who grew HJC Helmets from nowhere to recognition in a few short years, so it's a well-run company, about 40 years old and their bikes are very well-thought-of in southeast asia.

Nothing wrong with a Hyosung, decent bikes...but if the North American Market doesn't warm up to them, you could get caught with an orphan, so best to buy one used and for a low price.

 

...their bikes are very well-thought-of in southeast asia.

Funny that you mention this because I'm from southeast Asia and when they were first introduced in Nepal, they were being sold like bottles of water on a hot summer day in TX. The drastic design as opposed to their indian counterparts was a huge bonus to them. Then came the reliability issues, shortage of parts, expensive repairs and terrible gas mileage. Now things might have changed a lot since, I'm sure it has. Still, I can only suggest buying used since people who are trying to sell them, ARE really desparate to sell them so a good deal can be easily had. GL.

 

Sadly the weather has prevented my excursion to go look at one but thanks for the info. I am more interested than before in getting out there. Only one used in my area and the guy apparently has not heard about the low resale with what he's asking. And it is the 650 cruiser I'm looking at. Very unique looking bike. The st7 is a little bigger but nothing about it really stands out.

 

May I ask what you plan on spending for the 650? My local dealer is selling the ST7 for about 5.5-6K.

I considered Hyosung when shopping for bikes and just couldn't pull the trigger. The bikes are very impressive new because they are generally larger "feeling" bikes and come with many features not offered on price-point bikes. I was certainly tempted but I ultimately purchased a < 1 year old honda and I am certain this was the best decision for me. I outgrew the 750 quickly and I'm convinced I would have lost my shirt had I needed to resell the Hyosung.

Many folks have suggested that you look at used Hyosungs. I'm not sure I agree with this because you may lose the benefit of a warranty which can give you piece of mind when you are buying a wild card like Hyosung.

For the money, and the size engine you are considering I would be hard pressed to purchase a new or used Hyosung vs a Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, etc.

This is merely my observation having 2 test rides and sitting on new bikes in a showroom about a dozen times.

 

Local honda dealer had some a year or so ago. Basically refused to discuss selling one to me. Said they weren't worth the trouble.

You know they are bad when the dealer walks away from a sale.

That said ive been driving my kia suv for 8 years now. Decent car. Just so you know im not concerned where the bike comes from just that its worth the money.

 

Sometimes it’s about the value for your money . I remember buying a car with more bells and whistles than the big brands and it ended up being a great car for the money. It took awhile for Subaru to build a name for itself but eventually they did. Now they are overpriced like the others but for a young guy with minimal resources it was a godsend at the time. Do your research but if it’s half the price of other metrics with more bells and whistles why not.

 

I saw one for sale a couple years ago. It was an awesome looking bike from a distance.
As I got closer it started to not look so good.

The guy had a $1200 sign on it. He tried to get me to buy it for $600. I passed.
As I was walking away he yelled out, HELL, JUST MAKE ME AN OFFER!

I still didn't buy it.

 

My wife has a hyosung 250, it's a pretty decent bike, even if it sounds like a sewing machine at 70mph. I rode it from Redding to Vallejo in CA on I5 at 75 or 80 the entire way and it did pretty well.

 

There was a review in one of the major mags about a year ago on a couple of thier cruisers, I believe it was a 750. To summarize the article, they ride and handle well, and you get a lot of bang for the buck, but the materials and finish look kind of cheap. I saw a lot of them in China a few years back. The ones there looked a lot like Honda CB250 knock offs and it was not uncommon to see a family of 4 on one.

 

Just get yourself a Honda! While I never plan on selling a bike when I buy it, I always take into consideration how hard it will be to sell if I ever need to. I have only seen a half dozen Hyosung motorcycles in the 5 years I have been riding now, which doesn't sit well with me for resale possibilities.

Plus, Hondas are just so dang reliable, I can't imagine trying save a few bucks knowing I would be sacrificing the legendary Honda reliability! I got my wife a Suzuki GS500 for her first bike, and while it wasn't a "bad" bike, I always wished that Honda had built it instead.

 

iv got one of those asian clone bikes as well as my shadow it is a great bike its a UM renagade my first onroad ride picked it up for $500 now i will use it to teach the wife how to ride

 

I can remember when Honda was the new name on the street and people said the same thing.

Japanese Junk. Made by the J.A. Pan & Company. Rice Burner. etc etc.

Wasn't so long ago the Victory bikes were also considered to be junk made by a snowmobile company...those 92SC's for example had transmissions that could kill you and the motors looked like air compressors.

People in this thread who have actually owned or ridden Hyosungs have all said they're good bang for the buck...and they are.

I wouldn't buy one, but they're decent bikes.

 

Do what's best for you, you know your situation, your likes, your style. I did the research and although they looked like they would be good I went a Honda Shadow. I felt it was the better value in the end.

 

If it was not for Toad's Cycle Works in Westphal, Nova Scotia, I would never have heard of Hyosung. They had their work cut out for them trying to educate and sell the product to my home province. Never have seen one in use, did see them on the showroom floor, and several used for sale on an online classified site in NS. Probably a great product, just people in NS would rather purchase a throw away Chinese clone from Canadian Tire on their credit card.