HYOSUNG GT250 COMET (2004 - on) Review

Version: Naked

Year: 2011

Annual servicing cost: £150

Came to the Hyosung after many years on bigger V Twins, the easy handling and enjoyment far out way the lack of power

Buying experience: Private deal involving Hyosung and VTR

Year: 2011

Annual servicing cost: £75

Quality of some metal lets it down

Learned to ride on a GT250 Comet. Was a great little commuter/tourer and weekend back road blaster. Kept it for 3 and a half years I enjoyed it so much. In NZ we even have a dedicated race series to get people into racing based on the GT250/r. Pro: Very efficient, easy to work on, comfortable riding position and handled pretty well considering its weight and power combination. If you feel the need to race it up parts are easily swapped between the GT250 and GT250R as they are almost exactly the same. Con: For a while mine tried to give itself a greater power to weight ratio by dropping off bits of trim and nuts. Though I suspect this was from poor maintenance by the previous owner/shop. FUEL GAUGE!! For some reason they never read accurately, would read DEAD EMPTY or less and I'd still have a good 3L left in the tank. They don't respond well to being stored outside and tend to start corroding in the welds if not looked after with kid gloves. The OE tyres (in my case Shinko's) were awful in the wet and didnt respond well until warmed up so were not very learner friendly. With a bit of love and regular maintenance they are great little bikes. A set of decent tyres like Michelin Pilot Road (enter # here),and slightly heavier than OE fork oil completely transforms the handling too. The only issues with mine were mostly caused by poor maintenance by a dodgy workshop prior to my taking ownership. We race them here and there has only been one mechanical failure in 3 full seasons of racing caused by the owner not checking it had sufficient oil. Overall a nice sturdy entry level bike.

It pulls over 100kg of me and my baggage around and does around 80mpg. It is reliable and contrary to many opinions typified by non engineering press hacks and other trafic light GP officials, is properly put together. It is cheap and so it uses cheap materials.I did hear that this company had been making components for other motorcycle companies for several years; whether it is true , I dont know but I wouldnt be surprised if that were the case. This isnt a mini fireblade or one of BMWs major competitors but it does everything it should do every day and I have no complaints.

Long list of problems (07 GT125 well looked after), very expensive. Sticky Carb, Poor gearbox, forks have think chrome so short life to corrosion very pricey due to over priced spares e.g. rear shock cost £250 vs Honda CG £80. Looks cool handles great due to fat tyres, comfortable at speed, VERY COOL to look at. I suffered from Heart over head and bugger me did it hurt my wallet! Avoid at all costs CG + YBR look borin but do you care if your on your 'big bike' in months. I'm a year in and have been held back by money issues with it. I hate to be negative to such a pretty thing; its like hating a hot chick very hard and given the chance you 'would', but its not worth the heart ache.

I have had the bike for the last two months and I can't fault it.Good handling,strong engine for a 250 and it goes like a dream.Good fuel consumption and starts first time.Can't complain at all.

I have a 2006 GT250 naked and have clocked 94000km. Never had any trouble with it apart from the cdi and rear shock were replaced at 9900km and the shock has been replaced again at 66000km. I use it mainly for commuting but do take it on rides - longest one so far is 2650km in three days.

if any one has one 207 onwards 126 contact ur dealer cam chain tensioners all need to be replaced my front cylinder blew but bike got me home on 1 at 20 mph lol

had the 125 version bike 18 months now and although it doesnt have the top end speed of other 125s it keeps up till 50 ive ridden alot of 125s and personaly the handling is way better than any other even rs125 n nsr the engine is good bit lumpy at low rpm and that dam cam chain tensioner which is realy the only problem good mpg copes ok with a pillion. i think it was a good move to buy this as a 1st bike it builds confidence and is a tough bike as my girlfreind mum ran reversed over it in a mitsubish shugun only a broken mirror n brake leaver o and if u hav to get hit by a taxi thats coming the wrong way dont a one way well the taxi was much worse than the bike

Bought this bike a few weeks back, four months old with around 3000 miles on the clock. I've just past my CBT, theory and booked to complete my test beginning of Feb 09. I wanted a bike that didn't look small and had visual appeal. The GT125 has it in bucketloads. The previous owner had fitted a Scorpian can, and this adds to the visual looks, as well as the sound and performance. After having riden it for almost 300 miles, I can honestly say I'm very happy with it. The only problem I have had is the choke won't open. It appears to be jammed and I don't want to force it. No amount of WD40 of other lubrication will appear to free the mechanism on the carbs. Fortunately I live in a part of the UK where frost's are rare and I can still get my bike started without choke, although it needs a few minutes longer before I can pull away. I'm hoping that I can get this sorted under warranty, but will have to check with the dealer after the Christmas/New Year holidays. As I'm doing the A2 test I won't be able to upgrade to a big bike for another couple of years but, based on this bike, I'll quite happily make do with a GT250R for the next couple of years.

If it helps to appreciate this review, my last bike(92)was a Suzuki GSX750(shaft). Bought this bike in August, main use being for work though the route does take me along a fast main road and the bike handles well at 60.For the first 600 mile's one is recommenbed to use half throttle, this still purpells you along at an easy 70mph at 7500 revs. Just had the first sevice so now according to Hyosung I can take the bike upto 3/4 throttle, did so last sunday and reached 85mph at 8500revs no proplem, though there is noticeable vibration between 5/6000revs. I like the ride,though at 52 and 6'2 after an hour I might make a footrest further back along the frame for cruising.Will update this review after each service, next being around March 09, unless something major happens! So far I am happy that I dismissed the same old "badge" prejudice I heard way back in 72 when I bought my first bike, a Suzuki GT250 by wierd coincidence!

Would like to share my opinion about the Hyosung Comet GT250R (rebadged as Naza Blade 250R here in Malaysia) though I don't think I am the right person to review much about the bike since I don't consider myself as a real biker, just not yet. It was my first bike after a 10 year hiatus from riding. I got my Comet 250R late June last year. I think I was among the first to own it after it was launched June here in Malaysia. For a start, the 250R is a big bike (in terms size). And that's among the main reason why I bought it. Being 6 feet tall, the rest of the other 250 cc available in the market does not suit my height well. Onboard a Kawa ZXR250, I feel like I'm squatting. The Comet 250R wheel base is a whopping 1,435 mm. Thats 75mm longer than ZXR 250. So is the seat higher by 45 mm comparatively. In fact the 250R might look as big some other higher capacity bikes. The bike is also quite heavy at 175 kg. With the long wheelbase and its weight, it has good straight line stability. But trying to flip it for corners takes quite an effort.. From what I read, Hyosung may have initially designed the chassis to accommodate both their 250 cc and 650 cc bike. But then they decided to design different frame for the 650. That's why the GT250R is so big and feels like being on one too. Handling is pretty decent. The upside down telescopic front forks is good enough for normal riding, soaking up the common humps and bumps of Malaysian road, and those occasional shallow pot-hole (though please avoid it if you can). Once I hit a deep port-hole at 100++ km/h, deep enough to slightly bend the front rim, but the forks took the impact very well so not to send me and my bike kissing the road. On the track though, its feel a tad soft. The rear suspension is even softer. Most 250R owners complain stems from this soft rear suspension. The easiest way to overcome this problem is to replace the rear shock with the Comet 650R rear shock unit. Some of the current 250 owners did just that and came out happier during corners. The Comet 250R stops by way of double 300 mm twin disc up front with 2 pot calipers each side and a single 230 mm rear disc. However the stock brake pads could be better. 110/70-17 front and 150/70-17 Shinko tires provides the rubber down on the road. The Shinkos is just good enough for mild knee-scrapping cornering when properly warmed up on a blistering hot tarmac under the searing noon sun. But push-it a lil bit harder and you are asking for trouble. I know, after kissing the gravel 3 times at Sepang circuit on those Shinkos. If the Shinko is decent on hot dry road, its notoriously slippery on wet road especially during rain. Unless you are an experienced speedway bike rider, able to go power sliding side ways cornering on your bike, you might one to ditch them Shinkos for a better set of rubbers.. And now here's the part most normally ask. Performance, top speed, acceleration. The 250R has a V-twin 249 cc engine, 4 valves per cylinder and DOHC. Sounds great but if you are looking for G-force acceleration and supersonic top speed, you might as well go for the Kawa ZXR250. Better still, go for the Aprillia RS250. When the Hyosung first came out with its 250 cc, the Comet GT 250, it was design as a naked street bike. The sports version, hence the R tag is mainly cosmetic. Fairings, race handle, twin front disc etc but the engine is the same. But there still some debate if the 250R has a better gear ratio or CDI system for it to accelerate better and has higher top then the naked street version 250. I put it down to wind drag coz the 250R has fairings. The tachometer puts maximum RPM at 13,000 with redline starting from 10,500 RPM. Other reviews I read so far put dyno-tested power at around 24 HP at rear wheel (28/41HP MFRC engine power at 10,500 RPM) and 21.6 Nm torque at 7,500 RPM. Compare that to 40HP@15,500 RPM power and 22 Nm@11,000RPM torque of the ZXR250. Bad? Actually no. The 250R V-twin engine does what it is designed for, normal street riding. And as I use my bike to commute daily to work (and almost every where else), I can agree to it. With the torque coming in as early as 7,300 RPM, you don't have to change gear that often to maintain usable power, which I feels coming in above 6,000 RPM. The bike only comes with 5-speed gear box. That's kinda odd when most bikes nowadays has 6 speed. I'm pretty sure there a reason for it. Maybe the weight of the bike with its small cc didn't make sense for 6 speed gear-box. My own bike had been fitted with a used Yoshimura Zyclone can in June this year,and with some carb re-jet work I did myself, the bike managed to get around 26.92 HP rear wheel power at 10,200 RPM, dyno tested. With its less-then-stellar engine power, yesteryear 5-speed gearbox and the weight, the 250R still manages a credible 174 km/h, personally tested by me with onboard video prove. But you don't want to be riding at that speed all the time on this bike, the engine bike might scream its pistons out. The Comet 250R is at its happiest cruising at the street legal 110 kmh up to 140 kmh. And this is where I believe, it has another quality hard to be match by any other bike. Fuel consumption. This bike sips fuel, not hosing it down like a thirsty camel. And when you save fuel. you help the environment. I'll save the details on pollution, green-house effect, ozone thingy things to Al-Gore to elaborate. I normally get between 340 to 360 km on 15 liters of gas. And mind you, I get that riding the bike to and from work, with the traffic jam and the occasional 10,000RPM-throttle-hold-for-1km-so-you-know-I-have-loud-bike. I got 400 km on a long distance trip before I decided to fuel up. And I was sure I can go another 30-40 km until the tank runs dry. The Comet GT250R may not be up there with the likes of Honda, Kawasaki or Yamaha, but its worth the money. Good enough for daily use with those occasional weekend ride or even out on the track.

i bought my hyosung gt125r a few weeks ago and trust me its the best 125 it may not be a rocket ship but does the job of commuting me to and from work everyday without a problem.

OK this is a review for a Kinetic GF170. This is an Indian development of the Hyosung GF125, with 165cc and improved riding position plus a balancer on the crank. This cost me $NZ1,995, or sweet FA in UK cash. About the price of a pair of forks. This is half the cost of the Indonesian made Yamaha equivalent, and about a quarter the price of a Honda CBF250. But it's a real bike, it can go at our motorway speed of 100kph (just, at 8k revs)and it still gets 120 mpg. Power is fine around town, a bit of a struggle at high speeds. Riding position is easy chair comfy, handling is sharp but steady, suspension avoids the backache scooters give me, and there is a nice growly exhaust in the background. I have a fuel gauge and fully enclosed chain guard (think about it), centre and side stands, electric start and modern switches. It was cheaper than nearly all second hand bikes I looked at, and more economical by far. My only bitch is the gearbox when warm, especially in heavy traffic - the gearbox will not give neutral, no way, no how, at the lights, to the point that the clutch begins fading after 7 or 8 lights. Typical small single, maybe it will improve with more kms (hah! Never believe this when they tell you this at the dealers). It is fairly smooth at top speed, but nowhere near as steady as a bigger bike, which if I had any money, I'd have. I put it on my credit card, and I'm STILL saving money!! Cheap ride.