Powered by a Vee-twin motor throwing heaps of torque at the rear wheel, does the new Hyosung GT250R from Korea pack in enough punch to challenge the might of its existing well-heeled 250cc rivals? We look for answers

Pumping out 27PS of horses at 10,000rpm and 22Nm of torque available lowdown at 8,000rpm, the GT250R is a sufficient match for its rivals with regard to figures on paper but the manner in which the 27 horses are delivered by this Korean machine is far too different than how it is on the CBR or the Ninja. The gruff Vee-twin motor is rev-happy and provides a solid grunt throughout the rev range – though at the higher end of the rev range the motor feels a bit rough giving out a throaty groan.

But one major positive change on the GT250R in contrast to the larger GT650R is the vibe-free nature of the motorcycle even at high rpm. Even when the rev counter needle bounces off the redline at 10,500rpm, the engine is free of vibrations and there are no rattles coming through from the body panels but just a rowdy non-stop throw of power thrusting forth the GT250R with piles of energy.

As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, the sparkling nature of the GT250R’s motor is evident in its performance with a 0-100km/h time of 8.33 seconds. Now that’s quick for a 250cc motorcycle weighing 188kg! Equalling its brisk acceleration, the GT250R also posted an impressive top speed of 149km/h, during which she showed remarkable vigour. The 5-speed gearbox employed on the GT250R does a fine job at speed but at lower speeds within the city it tends to be a little notchy and clunky during shifts but the shifts happen with surety and there is no false neutral nor missed gear. We wish that the potent engine was mated to a six-speed transmission for better top end as well as eradicating the stressed feel from the motor at high revs when shown the stick.

The stopping duties on the GT250R are looked after by two large 300mm hydraulic disc rotors with dual two-piston calipers on the front and a single 230mm hydraulic disc with a single two-piston caliper looking after the rear. While the brakes have sufficient bite, the feel coming to the levers is weak and it requires a lot of travel on the lever before the brakes actually start working.

And the delay in the actuation of brakes as well as the additional mass of the motorcycle impair the GT250R’s braking performance with the motorcycle taking 44.80 metres and 3.90 seconds to come to a halt from 80km/h. Despite being better equipped with twice the braking power that of its rivals, the weight as well as the choice of Shinko tyres is responsible for the lack of braking performance on the GT250R. We are certain that even with just better tyres the Hyosung will be far more proficient at stopping.

The tubeless Shinko tyres are not lousy or incompetent for high speed riding but they certainly lack accurate feedback from the road. They offer plenty of traction at all times but the confidence inspiring feel and surety is missing when you really need it, like when taking the energetic GT250R through a set of sweeping fast corners. These rather tiny yet significant matters are the ones that collectively complete the riding experience. The Hyosung GT250R does not have too many of these glitches and it does exceedingly well when it comes to rewarding the rider with jollies, especially those who are looking for a 250cc no-nonsense super-sports, race-focused machine.

This Korean quarter-litre machine is quick, agile and downright spirited with its power delivery. Replicating its elder sibling, the GT650R’s sprinting genes, the GT250R too does excel when it comes to outright performance and race bike-like handling. Couple that to the competitive pricing that the Garware-Hyosung tie-up will bring, around Rs 2.5 lakh (on-road, Pune) and the Hyosung GT250R makes a strong case as a value-for-money multi-cylinder sport motorcycle that offers excellent big bike feel and unrivalled street -presence for a small price.

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