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Great bike at a great price!

I purchased my 2006 Avitar about a month and a half ago. It had about 2,000 miles on it at that time, and I paid $3,000 for it. I had read some reviews about reliability that gave me some concern, but with the price, power, and presence of this bike pushing to buy, I went for it. As yet, I have n...ot been disappointed.

The bike is absolutely beautiful to look at. It is chromed out to the max, though much of that is plastic. Long and low, it definitely has a muscle bike presence about it. The tubular frame is reminiscent of a Harley V-Rod. The three-spoke wheels are attractive and hint at the sporting nature of this cruiser. Instrumentation is digital and easy to read (even in direct sunlight, despite some contrary reviews I have read elsewhere). The absence of a tach is notable, though not much to gripe about in a bike of this price. Beware the fuel gauge--empty means empty and there is no reserve. Controls are intuitive and simple, being pulled straight off of Suzuki's low-end cruiser line.

Whether looking at the bike in the driveway or watching someone ride it, the Avitar looks big. It's wheelbase and length will accommodate larger riders. Yet, weighing it at around 500 pounds, the bike is easy to manage for the beginner or a smaller rider. I am 5'9" with a 30" inseam, and I can flat foot the bike with some bend in the knee. But it is never cramped and feels just about perfect on the road. The footpegs are adjustable up to 2", though I have not adjusted mine as yet. The handlebars have a nice swept back angle making for comfortable, upright cruising. The gas tank narrows at the base, making it easy on the inner thighs. The seat is a thing of beauty, and is great for short rides and easily adequate for longer ones. Not too firm and not too spongy. The passenger seat should only be used for short trips as it provides no real support.

On start up, the bike feels cold and grumpy. I have the 2006 model with the carb (the 2009 is fuel injected), and the bike really needs to be choked on start up, no matter what the temperature. Off the line, you have to keep the throttle way up to get any acceleration. Even in first gear, speeds of less than 15 mph threaten to kill the engine unless the clutch is held. But after that, this beast comes alive. In 0-60 runs, a Ninja 500 will beat the Avitar by a full second. By the end of the quarter-mile, they are dead even. Beyond that, the Avitar pulls away with authority. Going from 60 to 100 on the highway happens in a blink. All of this is courtesy of the 90-degree V-twin, which makes 70 bhp. Most 1100 bikes, like a Honda Shadow, simply cannot compete with this 650. The bike is just plain powerful, especially at the top end of the rpm range. The bark doesn't really match the bite. Exhaust note is... subtle, a bit on the muted side. Downshifting at speed creates a nice snarl, but that's the best you'll get. Larry Cook makes a beautiful aftermarket exhaust that should be given serious consideration. Check it out on youtube, or on Larry's website.

Shifting the 5-speed transmission is smooth and easy, though downshifts are occasionally clunky. It's a little too easy to get stuck in neutral on the 1-2 shift under acceleration, but practice makes perfect. The friction zone on the clutch is effective, if a bit on the short side.

Handling is magnificent thanks to sport oriented tires and inverted front forks. Downshifting and braking through corners does not create the nasty side-effects you get on a sport bike. This thing really makes you want to carve the corners, and it is so remarkably well-balanced that you are rewarded with every turn. At least every turn but the ones to the right. Unfortunately, leaning hard right introduces you to a protruding bolt on the underside of the exhaust that touches down just prior to the footpeg. And bolts don't swing back like footpegs, meaning that your rear tire will leave the ground before that bolt gives way. That's a rather nasty surprise on such an enjoyable corner, so watch it. The left side has no such complications.

The ride is pleasant and uneventful. Bumps are admirably soaked up, especially with a little throttle roll. Not much unsettles this bike. There is very little vibration through the handle bars or seat, making long distance cruising a joy rather than a chore. I rode it 240 miles and would have had no problem going further.

Braking comes from twin discs up front and a single disc in the rear, unheard of in a bike at this price. However, the front brakes seem remarkably ineffective, and brake feel is cushy and vague. Applying the rear brakes creates substantially reduced braking distances, more so than on other bikes. Working them together is easy, and you really have to be inattentive to lock these brakes. Using the front brake only, however, will almost always result in overshooting your target.

Overall, I would rank this a 4.5 out of 5, with the qualification that I do not have sufficient time with it to measure long term reliability. But a definite recommend, especially for the ridiculously low price. Happy riding, and keep those wheels to the pavement! Read Full Review

gv650 aquila

what a brilliant bike, forget the badge snobery ,and take a test ride . im a motorcycle instructor & have been riding for 30yrs plus. handling ,looks and enough power to keep even the most dedicated cruiser rider happy . 80 bhp confirmed on the dyno says it all un modified to boot .turns heads w...hereever we go . dealer back up is fantastic ,no probs at all . only niggle is the cleaning required to keep in good order . must keep up the cleaning to keep the chrome in good nick ,belive me theirs loads of it .puts standard cruisers in the shade .best mod is change the horible standard exhaust .change to scorpion they sound awsome,true v twin sound .recomend gel seat for long distance work. pics of my past bikes included Read Full Review

paul doesn't know what he is talking about

i work at a shop that sells hyosung and i have 4 friends that own them. We have had no problems getting parts for them and have hardly needed to do so. I am purchasing one this spring and will vouch for the brand any day of the week. The manufacturer fully backs up the 2 year warranty. Read Full Review

i want it because i love it

hey i just got one my friend was in a crash he went into a R1 and the R1 was fucked the hyosung650GV there was nothing wrong with it just the tank front light and front brake i love this bike i did 245 on it and i fucked a R6 with the 650GV so wat u saying about it u should go get one and see wat it... can do jack ass Read Full Review

JUNK

These bikes are pure junk. The warranty is worthless because the repair shops cannot get parts to fix them in a reasonable amount of time. STAY AWAY!!



Don't be like me and pay for a bike that has been sitting in a shop for two months waiting on a fuel tank replacement. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE LI...ES AND IS NOT HONEST ABOUT PARTS AVAILABILITY!

Do yourself a favor and buy a name brand bike for your own safety. It is not worth the few hundred you will save. Read Full Review