Korean Job Discussion Forums

[earthbound14]

Some advice for buying a new bike
a 250cc bike is a good all round bike for both country and city. Good on gas, freeway legal (in the US but not here.....nothin is free way legal, but being freeway legal in the US means its capable of riding at 100km/h comfortably) and cheap enough to buy and maintain. The 125cc bikes are great but they lack power (especially in fast traffic which is not good) andthey sound like your riding a blender when you're on the highway (no fun). They are super cheap on gas and maintenance. I own a 125 Daelim VS Cruise and I love ripping around town on it, very light, cheap and fun. I own a Honda CB400 also, and as someone said earlier its been hard on my wallet. Everything on the bike is subject to 20-30% import tax......and the mechanics seem slow to fix it leading to complications down the road. My Honda, while being a great bike, has been ridden hard by the previous rider and has not been fixed well enough by the mechanics (even while I've had it...I have to wave money at them and beg them before they do anything). The CB 400 is a great bike, but I'm not sure Korea is the place to buy it. I've had four friends with Japanese bikes (a CBR600rr, A Virago, a Honda Steed and another Honda CB400) here and 3 of them have had head gaskets or valves go (blown engine). In all cases the mechanics seemed to be completely blind to the problem until oil literaly came out of the engine. They seem to have very poor diagnostic skills. I actually had to pull the plugs out myself and show the mechanic that they had oil all over them, even then he seemed reluctant to fix it. I don't really see the logic of allowing a bike to become a useless hunk of metal, but that seems to be what happens. This was the Honda shop in Seooul. Usually a mechanic says one thing to me...."Bery Bery Old Bikeu). My Unlce in Canada rides an 85 Honda and thinks my 97 is new. I'm thinking of buying a Hyosung (despite the poor quality of the bike) just because no one I know hates their Hyosung here (In the US and the UK that's a whole other story.....the bikes always break down). The Koreans seem to be able to fix their own bikes. My little Daelim (a shit kicked 1997 125cc bike covered in green duct tape) runs really well and always starts....fewer problems than my Honda. I love the little thing, I just wish it was good enough to take touring.
A used Hyosung 250 should run between 1 and 2.5 million. I would try to buy a 2004, 2005 or 2006 for about 1.5-2.2mil. You should be able to ride it for a year and sell it for roughly 300-500,000 less than you bought it for with regular maintenance (bikes do require alot more maintenance than a car...keep on top of it). The Hyosungs get old pretty fast (rust and mechanical problems...every Korean mechanic will tell you the same). Of course if your willing to drop a big chunk of change on a new import you might get away with no problems at all for the year and be able to sell it with very little loss the next year. My 1997 Honda has been shit, and every other bike that has been this old or older that my friends have bought usually has a shit load of problems (Korea has changed alot over the years and a bike that old has seen some leaner meaner less educated times......).

Importing bikes from Japan is another route, but its a real hassle and with the 30% tarif, the inspection, the shipping it is not really all that worth while (I haven't found a way to do it without over paying...but it might be worth it if you luck out with a well maintained bike....I figure the Japanese take better care of their bikes, cheaper parts and all...almost half price sometimes).

Any one else have any stories?

[captain kirk]

There's a 2004 Gt650 Hyosung on www.passo.co.kr right now, yellow, really laid forward hot looking, racy, 3mil.


Earthbound is a champion motorcycle commentator. I have three pms where he pops mental wheelies, grinds cerebral corners, and zips across the mental finish line helping me out re; finding a sportbike type. I think he might be the Dalai Lama of motorcyledom (ok, how about the head Shriner).

[IlIlNine]

I agree somewhat there earthbound...

There are a couple honda shops in Seoul -- and both do what I tell them to do! The one in Twaegyero is too busy though - so I usually don't bother going there. The one in Gangnam is pretty chill - I like it!

It's true that the japanese bikes cost more to service than the korean bikes -- but -- Honda parts and labour here are still much cheaper than the US! I just ordered a speed sensor for my bike -- 61,000 -- back home the same part is over 80,000.

When it comes to the machanics here though - never trust them. Inisist. If you know something is wrong, don't let them talk you into leaving it alone! Yes -- this actually involves learning how your bike works - but it's all good knowledge in the end.

Buying a bike used here is also tricky. Especially 'courier' bikes like the CB400. Koreans aren't really great at maintaining their bikes, I've found. It really is a bit of a crap shoot. If you buy a used bike, make sure you change all the replacables right away (spark plugs, oil, air filter, brake fluid, cooling fluid, brake pads, etc.) Yes, it'll cost you a bit -- but you'll bet much better off for it - because not only will you have all that stuff new - but your mechanic will learn and tell you about your new bike.

... which brings me to my last point. Critical for a happy time biking here! Get to know your bike mechanic! Buy him something cold to drinkk on a hot day! It really will pay dividends. He'll give you tips on good bikes to buy, he'll fix your bike well, etc. don't ignore the people factor!

[Richard Krainium]

Good points earthbound. This is Korea. If you wanna go cheap, you gotta go Hyosung or Daelim. Just read the other day Hyosung is coming out with a 400cc Supermoto along with a 1000cc engine for the GT and GV bikes.

captain kirk-3 mil for a used GT650 is a good price. Are you thinking about getting it? No way my wife is gonna let me have two bikes.

I'd shy away from anything in the 400cc range, just because, more than likely, it was a courier bike with less than desirable maintenance.

[captain kirk]

[pkang0202]

I can't turn right.

I've advanced in my motorcycle training to practicing shifting and doing large serpentines. I can lean my body to the left no problem. My issue is going right. When i start to lean my body to the right its like my body is afraid that if I lean right on the bike I'll fall over.

Is this a normal thing?

[dogshed]

[pkang0202]

Let me clarify, its not that my body feels scared, its more like it just feel "unnatural" to lean my to the right when I turn. Maybe its because I've been riding on the motorcycle on a track going clockwise so I only had to turn left.

Or maybe its because I rollerblade around a circular track and everyone goes clockwise so I'm always leaning left there too. I don't know. I'll have to practice it some more. Its just weird how I can easily lean to the left to go left, but when I start to shift my body to the right I just feel insecure.

[captain kirk]

Pkang, I just practised going 'round a middle schoolyard early mornings(until the janitor swore swinging a broom), then drove in the country to learn.

I was looking up specs and reviews about the Hyosung Comet GT650 anyway;

Bikez specs;
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/hyosung_gt_650_2005.php

Here is a selection of 12 reviews by bike owners;
www.powersportsnetwork.com/enthusiasts/review_list_vehicle.asp?veh=25997

It's 'like' the Suzuki SV650, people say, and a couple of hundred cheaper.
It's made "entirely of steel, even the rims" says one owner. The top speed is listed as 87mph/140kph which is Granny's day out . Hp is 76, torque 68, and a V2. 210kg. Lots of people like it because they can get it, new, fairly cheap compared to bigger name bikes.

[Richard Krainium]

Wow! I checked that link and I can't believe the top speed of the GT650 is that low. My friend's Comet GT250, pretty much did that. I know for sure the GT650R can do close to 200kph, cause I had one pass me when I was doing 185!

[IlIlNine]

140kph can't be right. The GV650 can also clear 200kph with the same engine!

[unplugged_boy]

FINALLY! some one had some sense to create an offical motorcycle thread. I think this should be in the general forum as it is a "forum for general discussion on issues related to *living* in South Korea."

STICKY THIS!

[Richard Krainium]

[ABCDAVE]

Hey guys,

I just bought a 2007 Daelim Roadwin VJF-i (125cc) today. Any thoughts on this type of bike? While researching which bike I wanted to buy, I focused more on the Hyosung bikes, rather than Daelim. However, because of where I live I didn't have as many options as I would have liked. So... I purchased a Daelim instead. I'm pretty Korean-bike illiterate, so whatever foresight you guys might be able to share would be great.

The store owners said that since the bike is new I will need to change the oil for the first time once I hit 200km. After that, every 500km. Naturally, I will need to keep the RPMs low for a while, however, I don't know for how long. Any ideas?

My first time on the bike will be tomorrow when I go to pick it up. I will have about an hour's drive home to get used to it providing that the rain stops.

[Richard Krainium]