Four stroke, 90° V twin, DOHC,
4 valve per cylinder.
Capacity
647 cc / 39.4 cu-in
Bore x Stroke
81.5 x 62 mm
Cooling
Liquid cooled
Compression Ratio
11.4:1
Lubrication
Wet sump
Engine Oil
Semi-Synthetic, 10W/40
Induction
2x 38 mm Carburettor
Ignition
Digital CDI
Spark Plug
NGK, CR8E
Starting
Electric
Max Power
72.1 hp / 52.4 kW @ 9000 rpm
Max Torque
61.2 Nm / 6.28 kgf-m @ 7500 rpm
Clutch
Wet, multiple discs, cable operated
Transmission
6 Speed
Final Drive
Belt
Frame
Steel,doublepipe
Front Suspension
41mm upside down forks.
Rear Suspension
Dual shocks
Front Brakes
2x 300mm discs
Rear Brakes
Single 230mm disc
Front Tyre
110/70-17 54H
Rear Tyre
180/55-17 69H
Dimensions
Length 2040 mm / 80.3 in
Width 840 mm / 33 in
Height 1155 mm / 45.2 in
Wheelbase
1665
mm / 65.5 in
Ground Clearance
160 mm / 6.2 in
Seat Height
675 mm / 26.5 in
Dry Weight
218 kg / 480 lbs
Fuel Capacity
15 Litres
Consumption Average
21.6 km/lit
Standing
¼ Mile
13.6 sec
Top Speed
190.6 km/h
The first thing that will strike you about the
Hyosung GV 650 Aquila, before you sit on it, before you fire it up, is the look.
The styling is tautly fluid like a droplet shaped by surface tension with
flowing curves. It instantly invokes thoughts of a "V-Rod light", but with a
hint of Yamaha Warrior thrown into a design ethos rooted in a profusion of deep
and sweeping chrome. The look is stunning, modern and classic all at once, and
while inspired by other brands, is much more original than the mobs of Harley-esque
clones swamping the Sunday roads. Thumbing the starter the GV 650 comes to life,
and after the choke has been sorted the engine note is a portent of further good
things to come.
The track is an odd place to test a cruiser, but then the GV 650 is not a
standard issue offering and that's because normally in cruiser land there is a
high price of style; under the weight of chrome and leather, performance is
quickly and thoroughly crushed. The recipe for a cruiser is a tried and true
one, a torque laden v-twin engine, a relaxed foot forward chassis, comfortable
all day ergonomics, and style. Hyosung has done up a proper cruiser in all these
respects, and then they went on to mix it up a bit, like a modern martini versus
a classic dry offering. The end result extends the class and amuses the rider's
pallet a lot more than the tried, tired and true cruiser mix.
The key ingredient to this potion is the engine. Twist the throttle and the fuel
flows through the twin 39-mm Mikumi carbs with a smooth linear feeling, and
pickup that leaves one with a heady sensation. While testing the Honda Shadow
Aero last year, I was left wanting when it came to the passes - with the GV 650
that will not be the case. The 647cc 90-degree twin spins up quickly, and feels
best between 5000 and 7000rpm. Right there, those RPM figures tell you
everything you need to know about the cocktail being served up; an engine that
feels strong where many other cruisers are slamming against the redline.
Smooth motivation is provided by a moderately detuned version of Hyosung�s
650cc plant, putting out approximately 70 hp, and a suitably flat torque curve
mustering a peak 6.28kgf-m at 7500rpm. Those figures aren't power cruiser
territory, until you factor in that the Aquila is light, 220kg (claimed dry).
Honda's Shadow 750, comes in at 221kg, but only lays claim to a mere 43 hp.
Suddenly the GV 650's output seems like a good amount of poke, and if this were
a game of alcoholic content, the Hyosung's a shooter to the rest of the
entry-level cruiser pack's "bland-name" beer.
The Aquila's sporting aspirations shun the regular cruiser disappointment of
twisting the loud handle and having more noise issue from a supra-litre lump and
little to show for it. This small wonder may offer a pleasant blend of both the
cruiser and sport worlds. The top speed is a claimed 200kph, and there's no
reason to think that the GV 650 won't push into that neighborhood. The trade-off
is you won't be idling around town in the top gear (5th), but that's a small
concern. As soon as you open the throttle the Aquila reveals itself in a wash of
acceleration and a rich low-key engine note for what it is; a proper free
revving sport-cruiser.
The sparkling engine is mixed with a lighter cleaner flavor, the Aquila's
sprightly handling. Despite the Aquila's stretched out disposition, the steering
is light and precise. The leverage offered by the comfortable bar position is
excellent. The ride quality rendered by the Korean made 41mm Shin Woo upside
forks, complemented by the twin rear shocks is good, coping with the moderate
bumps and wallows the St-Eustache course offers with aplomb. Still, real world
testing will reveal more about the suspension's nature than any track, given
that BC's roads in no way approach manicured or periodically even maintained. At
a mid-way adjustment of both front and back suspenders, the GV 650 felt solid
and planted and that let us do something we don't often attempt with a cruiser.
"Lean" isn't normally part of the cruiser recipe; it's akin to throwing a
habanero pepper into vodka and calling it drinkable. Floorboards scrape and
grind, chrome shreds away but this is a Sport-Cruiser so proper lean angles need
to be attempted if the Aquila is to rise to its station.
There are a couple things that do get in the way of it dominating that
sport-cruiser niche, namely the bits that grind first in the bends. The legs
forward position ensures your heel contacts well before any of the less
expendable hard bits start to touch - an early warning system of sorts. Beyond
that on the right side the exhaust flange takes the first abuse, on the left the
side-stand. This should not be a concern under regular road riding conditions,
and the grinding sound serves plenty of warning before any loss of traction
occurs. Only the foolhardy would not attend to it. The Bridgestone BT-054s seem
good match for this cruiser, letting one handily reach the bike's limits. The
turn in is helped by the narrow 120/60 tire up front, and a 180/55 out back -
narrow in power cruiser terms. One suspects that a StreetRod inspired sport-kit
hiking the GV 650's skirts a little higher would be a valuable offering.
A few small splashes of bitter marring the Aquila�s flavour in a small way.
The stylish dash, with it�s green LCD, is hard to read in direct sunlight, a
cruiser's natural environment, as is the Neutral indicator. An oversight also
made on other higher end offerings such as Honda's nigh-illegible ST1300
display. The brakes, unlike the footpegs, lack lever adjustment and are by no
means eye-ball-popping. A firm squeeze is required to press the somewhat numb
feeling double pistons to bite down on the twin 300mm stainless-steel disks. But
this is a cruiser, and by the standards of the genre the braking doesn�t need
to be world stopping. Shifting is slick and smooth, but not exceptionally
affirmative, and finding neutral on our preproduction tester proved a bit
elusive. These items are a slight after-taste rather that outright flaws, and
given the price, at $8,795 a few niggles are to be expected.
The final and more standard part of the cruiser equation is comfort, and even
here Hyosung has gone one better than the competition. The Aquila is short, with
a 705mm (27.7 in) seat-height, making it easy for riders of all sizes to manage,
but it doesn't fit small. That is the result of the 2-position pegs that do an
admirable job of accommodating riders of all statures. I compared the fit of the
Aquila with that of the Honda Shadow Aero, and the Aero came out worse for the
attempt on my 6"2' frame, it felt cramped, whereas at full adjustment the Aquila
simply say's lets go for a ride - a long one. Also speaking to that end is the
seat; well padded and complete with supportive bum-pad it just says "all day
ride".
What serves as a gently curved straight stretch sees the speedo reading 100kph,
the same as on Hyosung's sportier offerings. Pushing into the corners of the
oncoming chicane my heal drags, giving plenty of warning and I back off the
throttle, dab the rear brake, shift my shoulders some more, then power out of
the corners to keep from scraping. The belt drive delivers power smoothly and
provides a low maintenance dream in comparison to chain drive for those seeking
the longer open roads. The past 5 turns of the course my mind�s been far away
- snaking down the Pacific Coast Highway dispatching unsuspecting Harleys and
Camper vans. Often enough I come away from a cruiser wondering, why spend so
much on a bike with massive displacement and so little go. The Aquila is
different though, it has taken the cruiser recipe and made it stirring, not
shaken.
The Hyosung GV 650 Aquila , like champagne and red-bull, starts tentatively
until the heady effervescence and energy of the martini for the masses
concoction takes you by surprise. The cruiser recipe has been tweaked and
freshened by Hyosung creating the mark's signature "original" offering - the
Aquila . The effervescence of a sporting free-revving engine grafted into a
stylish cruiser chassis imbued with light and responsive handling, makes the
Aquila a consummate sport-cruiser and leaves other offerings in the niche
feeling heavy, cumbersome and expensive. Hyosung has raised the cruiser bar with
the Aquila, a bike that should attract a crossover audience, now it's up to the
rest of the manufacturers to follow.