This is an interview with Martin Hayles, the first Hyosung GV650 Avitar Owner in New Zealand conducted by Aquila_The_Hun (former Admin @PIWYR.com). Martin paints a vivid picture of what it is like to own the GV650 and the in's and out's of the bike itself.
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Aquila_The_Hun Thank you Martin for taking the time to talk to the readers and myself. Firstly, a little about yourself. How long have you been riding and what types of bikes?
Martin: I first started riding bikes when I was about 14 or so, (20 years ago now!) we used to call them fizzies, little 50cc moped I think because the original type was called a F15ie. I rode without a licence in those days, the local police were not that worried I grew up in a very small town on an Island off the south coast of the UK. By 16 I had my first sports bike, took my test and was away. By the age of 18 I had a full unlimited bike licence and an instructor's certificate.
I have owned, I think, 12 or 13 bikes now but I guess I have ridden more like 60 different types, I love to ride different bikes and I find buying a new bike a very long drawn out process. All of the bikes I have owned have been sports bikes, starting mainly with Yamaha and Suzuki TZR125+250 / RD350 /RG500, up until more modern bikes like Yzf750r / 900 fireblade / R6+R1. The Gv650 was an impulse buy and the only custom bike apart from a V-max I have ever owned!
Aquila_The_Hun What was the appeal of the sports side of riding?
Martin: Sports bikes, well I guess the speed, the colours of the bikes, the group of friends, and the riding gear. Sports bikes are in a way like custom bikes, they are a culture. I also liked all the accessories and the Sport of riding (GP500 and Super-Bike series). I think some of us when we are young (and some carry this on to older years) like the thrill and the danger of speed what will be around the next bend at 110 miles an hour, the adrenaline and invincibility, which of course some of us find out we don't have.
Aquila_The_Hun How did you first find out about the GV650? And what made you re-evaluate your riding preference to cruisers?
Martin: I was looking for a new bike, something cool to go to work on each day I was looking around at the second hand market and dealers for a good sports bike package, I quite liked the idea of a naked streetfighter with power, I stumbled across a local dealer TSS motorcycles in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. I was looking at a Kawasaki Z1, when the dealer "Ferg" approached me and we started talking about bikes in general I have to say after visiting all the other bike shops and then talking to him and finding out about their service, I wanted to buy a bike from them, not because of the range of bikes more the attitude towards customers and being mad bikers themselves, no suits in that shop!
I asked Ferg to help me make a decision, I looked at all the main types and makes, but unlike other shops I was asked what I wanted from the bike, after much consultation he showed me a couple of bikes and then the GV, my mouth dropped open and he offered me a test ride on a demo. The ride made the decision for me; it's as simple as that really, a relaxed riding position, cornering like on rails, more torque than a steam train all this in a hunk of metal that was as pleasing to my eye as a Beautiful woman.
Aquila_The_Hun I understand you test rode a number of other cruisers including the Harley Davidson V-Rod. What impressions do you have of these cruisers (particularly as you were a sports bike rider), and how did these compare to the GV650 overall?
Martin: I guess I test rode about 14 bikes that I can remember, the first 6-7 of these being sports or naked bikes. After riding the GV I went away to think about over the weekend, I was kind of shocked, we have a saying where I come from "as stunned as a mullet". That's how it felt, all these years of searching for the ultimate bike, and I now regarded this "sports Cruiser", with a name I could barely get my tongue around, from a country I didn't know about, was ranking as that bike..yep stunned.
I went away feeling maybe I had been missing this "cruiser" culture and needed to check other similar bikes out. So I did the best I could over the next week, trawled the internet and visited many bike shops and test rode all the latest models. I would have say that the only other bike that gave me a hint of delight was the Harley, and it was only a hint.
I rode the Suzy, Kaw, and Honda pretenders in their various different guises, and lastly the V-rod. The V-rod has the style, the name and the sound, but the power, handling, finish and slickness of use fell far short of my expectations after the GV650. I did like riding the dream, but I have to say it was more similar to riding a piece of farmyard machinery than a dream bike, but you have to admit it does have a certain flair and presence about it. But overall it costs in New Zealand 3 times the OTR cost as the GV and doesn't feel or handle nearly as well.
I have heard a lot about straight line or quarter mile acceleration figures and BHP per Tonne numbers on the forums and web sites, but at the end of the day stats will only tell you want they want to, get the bike on the road and ride it how you will every day or weekend depending on your usage, and then make a decision. I ride to work every day, I park in a public area, I negotiate traffic, take the bike away at weekends, worry about the cost of parts, servicing and fuel. All these components have an impact on the perfect bike for you, and for me and many other people they will find the GV will astound and surprise a new generation of bikers around the world, that is a certainty.
Aquila_The_Hun I must note at this point, that I am in the presence of a celebrity! How did you find out you were the first person to have acquired a GV650 outside of Asia? Did you receive a plaque or some other memento?
Martin: Yeah right, I do get a lot of emails and questionsthat's nice, but a plaque, no, a few nice emails for Hyosung to a question I have had but that's it.
I checked with my dealer who told me none had been sold in NZ yet (main dealer in country), and so I looked to Australia etc and found the bikes had not been released anywhere in the world yet only very limited number in Korea, I was surprised, excited and then very worried all at the same time.
I do feel I have forged a path it's a difficult decision to make to be the first, but if nobody takes the risk, or is first, we would never get anywhere in life would we?
To anybody out there who is worried about re-sale value, the fact the name is unknown etc. remember at one point nobody knew Ferrari, Honda, or Ducati either you all do now! The proof is in the riding, just try it and you will understand. I have clocked up over 2,000k's now and I still get a huge grin everyday.
Aquila_The_Hun One aspect of motorcycling is of course, the visual appeal, how does this bike rate, by your aesthetics, and by the person on the street?
Martin: Well I am glad you asked that one, how many of the readers of this can say that every time they park their bike up they get a little crowd around it?
How many can say they have had people leave notes on their bike requesting info on it? How many people have been stopped at traffic lights and junctions by other motorists to tell you how beautiful the bike is?
How many of you can say they have been pulled over by police, not for a ticket but to ask about the bike?? All this in the first 2 weeks of riding it - It is a stunning bike in person and turns heads all the time, I always wear shades now so people cant catch my eye to ask questions, it's a total crowd puller, I parked next to a V-rod and a hard tail the other day outside a bike shop, when I came out, it was around my bike 3 blokes were standing marvelling at its graceful form. If you are not happy to answer questions and want to be anonymous, don't buy this bike.
Aquila_The_Hun Another aspect of motorcycling is of course the aural appeal (one cannot forget Harley's attempt at trade marking their engine sound!) Having seen a review describing the exhaust of the GV650 as akin to a "small missile", what kind of sound is produced?
Martin: Well it's not as rough as a Harley, more refined and booming, it doesn't pop so loudly people take cover, it more burbles and vibrates. Then of course you open the throttle up and the scream from the exhaust is similar to a racing car leaving the grid everyone turns to see the rasping cough and then increasing "missile launching" sound as you grin you way down the road at mach 1.
Like most sounds its difficult to describe, to me it sounds similar to a Suzy TL1000, also a twin, but a bit smoother and not as sporty.
I did hear one the other day at another dealership with an aftermarket scorpion can on it, that sounded incredible, it had lost its looks a bit, but once you remove the missile shaped catalytic converter the exhaust sounded like a tiger tank on steroids, I would think if you change over you risk not only the polices' wrath but also the military!!
Aquila_The_Hun I've also read that one can adjust the exhaust (via an end cap) for "style variations". Have you tried this? Are the aural differences noticeable?
Martin: I have changed mine to turn in one point around from the standard position, you can do this by using an Allen key to undo each bolt and manoeuvre the tail piece to any position around the bolt hole alignment. There is no change in exhaust note or resonance, this is purely a cosmetic change but it allows for personal preference and does give a drastic change in look for just a small piece of metal.
Aquila_The_Hun What are the reactions when people find out that the bike is South Korean? Do you proudly proclaim the bike's origin?
Martin: Yes, I always tell them its proud heritage If you read the companies background they should be proud, especially taking on the world with such a stunning piece of engineering. They are inextricably linked to Suzuki's heritage also, so I do point out that they have been making bikes for many years and are not just a "new" Bike manufacturer. Mostly I would say people think it is either Asian bike (the build quality gives it away) or I have had a few think it has European origin, mostly Italian believe it or not I guess it's the flair, imagination and bold elegance?
Aquila_The_Hun There seems to be quite a break (or perhaps at least a reinterpretation) of the cruiser with the GV650. Though some may say the Harley V-Rod was the first to do this, one will note that the V-Rod engine is still a narrow angle v-twin (albeit a 60 degree splay instead of the traditional 45), whereas the GV650 has gone for a 90 degree "L"-twin that is sports bike inspired. The only other company that I can think of which does this is Moto Guzzi.
Martin: And therein I rest my case for a new classification "Sports Cruiser" it's the only real bike in modern times to do this, I grant the Moto-Guzzi has been on the fringe of this for a while but nobody has made a v-rod type muscle cruiser with sports suspension, disk brakes and power of a twin to match. It neither fits in to the cruiser category (comparing it to Harley or Japanese makes) and it doesn't fit the sports group either, its kind of a hybrid bike with a muscle cruiser attitude. I guess though we all will interpret it our own way that's just my view of the world.
Aquila_The_Hun Now given your sports bike background, I'm quite sure you are aware of smaller more efficient engines producing greater horsepower and torque, whereas in the tradition of the cruiser, "bigger is better". Once the GV650 is truly well known, do you think this will change the cruiser conception of "bigger is better"?
Martin: I think it has to, with an increasing shortage of fuel and its inevitable rise in cost, with the drive to have greener vehicles - like cars the day of the large block gas guzzlers is on the way out. I love the sound of a big engine Harley just like everyone else, but I also like the smooth torque delivery I get from smaller more efficient modern engine.
The GV650 to me shows the way the design teams of modern motorbike companies are looking. Traditionally the cruisers were all large engine, heavy beasts that handled very badly. This is now changing and as with the sports bikes, people want the same power from lighter more agile fuel efficient machines that will give them the cruising ability as well as some serious grunt when needed.
Aquila_The_Hun On the same note, do you think that this bike will attract those from the more sporting side?
Martin: Well look at me! I was an out and out sports rider and I changed.
Ferg and Richard at my local dealers keep raving about the bike and they are also both sports fanatics.even opting to take the GV650 home each night that says a lot about the Kudos this bike has, enough said.
Aquila_The_Hun Every time I look at the GV650, I feel that an Autobot symbol on the fender or some other part of the bike would not look out of place to me it's that futuristic and elegant. Indeed, the components do mirror this, for example, the digital display. What can you tell me about this? All I know is that it's not LCD.
Martin: I believed it to be a multi coloured LCD display, it may be just an LED display, and I can't say I have looked at it that closely. It comprises of trip meter, fuel tank level indicator, temperature gauge and digital speed readout. I have not found any difficulties in reading the screen in sun or any other climactic condition, maybe these reviewers should take their sunglasses off and have their cataracts looked at? The readout works very well and unlike analogue dials it show information grammatically, how hot / cold and how full / empty it is, I am a fan.
Aquila_The_Hun It takes a gutsy (and not to mentions self-assured) person to purchase the first generation of a new bike, more so given the rather youthful nature of Korean motorcycling. Is the GV650 that good?
Martin: I guess you have to try before you buy then you will understand.
It's not just the way the bike handles, how good the engine and mechanics are, it's about the whole riding package. The looks from other riders, the beauty and elegance concealing the muscle power, the low and comfortable seating position, the way it corners and sounds. Most of these things you cannot ascertain from a magazine or internet article, and yet look at how much interest there is in this bike, despite never seeing it in person and it coming from a lesser known stable all this without sitting on it!!
How about the many dealerships in the States, Europe and Australia who pre-sold most of their first stock to people who had never heard it run or ever sat on it that my friend is a revolution of a new type of bike.
I was first, only because New Zealand had the bikes first, why, maybe a testing ground I don't know, so I was the first guy to fall in love with the first demo bike on a forecourt in the first country that they were sold in, maybe I am mad.
I trust my gut instinct, my senses and my dealer. He is honest and open that probably says more about how clever my dealer was to sign up for the new bike than it says for me, he is the brave one as he has to support it no matter what happens.
Aquila_The_Hun Hyosung seems very amenable to change, indeed, on the Comet series of bikes, they were not afraid to make changes with the next batch given feedback from dealers and customers. What aspects (both positive and negative) would you like Hyosung to know about this bike particularly as it is first generation?
Martin: I guess the most annoying issues are standard with most new bikes.
Clunky "difficult to find neutral gearbox", this eases and smoothes out after 5-600k's. Hard brakes seem lifeless for the first 5-600k's need to be run in well before inspiring confidence. Seat is not padded enough (that covers all manufacturers) could do with a bigger pillion seat also. Mirrors are plastic and poor quality they scrimped here.
Possibly rear air shocks, they put in great "upside downies" on the front that are incredible, the basic shocks on the back are a bit of a let down although they handle superbly anyway. A must for all new 21st century bike manufactures is to have a forum website to allow free discussion and a portal to contact them easier, what a help that would be.
Aquila_The_Hun On that note, thank you again Martin for taking the time out I better let you get back to riding!
Martin: Will do, I have clocked up 2,200ks now and it really does get better the more I ride it cant wait to see what she is like at 5,000?
Apart from the fact he appears to be the first person to buy a GV650 here in NZ who is he????
I think you answered your own question Greg, although its not just NZ - once again you guys were "first" in the world (at least outside Korea) with Oz a close runner-up.
Ferg was the sales guy at TSS Motorcycles in Lower Hutt referred to by him in the interview. He also happens to be the guy I dealt with when I bought "the yellow one"
Yes I think I heard that to. I know that Ferg left here and went to Melbourne -Ozland and then went back to the UK (he was from there originally) but he has come back here now so............
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