HYOSUNG GT650 COMET (2004 - on) Review

If the budget 600cc class is your thing then the Hyosung GT650 Comet is worth considering, but as it costs about £4000, it's not as cheap as you might expect. On paper the Hyosung GT650 Comet has more power than the Suzuki SV650, but in reality, it’s still a little bit crude and outdate, compared to the later SV650 or even the Ducati Monster 620, Aprilia Pegaso 650, BMW F650GS, Kawasaki ER6 etc.

For a low cost commuter/leisure bike, the Hyosung GT650 Comet is a decent handling bike, with multi-adjustable front forks. But the monoshock on the Hyosung GT650 Comet only has preload adjustment and so the overall ride isn't quite as good as it might be, plus the brakes are Korean made items which lack the feel and sheer stopping power of the SV650 Suzuki brakes.

You can't say Hyosung haven't tried hard with the GT650 Comet, squeezing a claimed 79bhp from the V-twin motor, which uses old school carbs rather than fuel injection. As the Hyosung GT650 Comet is closely based on the Suziki SV650 there shouldn't be too many question marks over reliability either, but riders with big feet might find that the gear lever is abit short on the GT650 Comet.  

The Hyosung GT650 Comet looks like a machine that's well designed to do the job of commuting, with some occasional fun riding at the weekend, but you have to wonder if it will prove as durable in the long term as the Suzuki SV650, which can handle being caned all day in Mini Twins road racing events. Hyosung are one of the better Far Eastern brands as regards UK importer and dealer network however.

The Hyosung GT650 Comet with a sporty full fairing, different headlight and mirrors, retails for about the same money as the naked GT650 Comet, and is argubaly better value. It just looks more motorcycle for the money. But either model is likely to suffer more rapid depreciation than mainstream Japanese of European brand entry level bikes. The saving on the new price of Hyosung GT650 Comet's isn't enough to offset that depreciation loss. Find a Hyosung GT650 Comet for sale.

Basic clocks, mirrors, grab handles at the back of the motorcycle and an average set of brakes are about what most people expect on entry level bikes, but it would be nice if the Hyosung GT650 Comet had some little extras to justify its four grand price ticket. There is a bit of underseat storage on the Hyosung GT650 Comet however, which is an increasingly rare commodity on many motorcycles these days.