Hyosung COMET 650 2006 — Specifications

When Hyosung arrived in Europe with this Comet 650, the question everyone was asking was simple: why buy Korean when Suzuki has offered the SV650 since 1999? The answer lies in one figure: 5,890 euros, approximately 700 euros less than the Japanese model. In a segment where every bill counts, the argument is brutal.

The comparison with the SV is not insignificant; it almost amounts to assumed plagiarism. Tubular frame of the same inspiration, 90-degree V-twin engine, unadorned roadster silhouette: Hyosung clearly studied its model before copying the exam. The notable difference is at the front, where the Korean brand installed an inverted 41 mm fork with 120 mm of travel, a surprising choice for a machine at this price and one that frankly exceeds what the SV offered at its launch. The swingarm, however, seems less convincing for absorbing the announced 80 horsepower at 9,000 rpm. The torque of 67.7 Nm arrives at 7,500 rpm, honest values for 650 cc, but the rear chassis gives the impression of having been sized for a less powerful version.

In the saddle, a few details betray the budgetary choices. The dashboard evokes the Bandits of the 1990s: an analog speedometer, a single daily totalizer, zero digital. Some will appreciate the immediate readability, others will note the gap with modern instruments. The riding position leans forward, the handlebar pulling the torso into an engaged posture that suits sporty journeys without martyrizing the back over time. The seat proves accessible, placed approximately 20 mm lower than that of the SV, a detail that counts for average builds. The mounted Pirelli Diablo tires are a pleasant surprise; on a machine of this price, generic rubber was expected.

On the road, the Comet reveals its true character. The V-twin lacks a bit of bite in the intermediate revs, but it frankly wakes up beyond the midpoint and pushes without bogging down to a top speed announced at 210 km/h. Trajectories are linked with reassuring stability, the machine even proving more predictable than the SV in corners taken at sustained speed. The braking, a disc at the front and one at the rear, is powerful and modulable. The reservations are concentrated on the steering, a little heavy at low speed, and on the six-speed gearbox, the shifts lacking the crispness that riders accustomed to Japanese mechanics are used to. Nothing prohibitive, but the precision delta is perceptible.

This roadster clearly addresses riders looking for a versatile machine without straining their budget, beginners who already have their A license for a few years or riders who want a second vehicle without breaking the bank. The standard equipment is serious, the finish without apparent defects, and the engine promising if Hyosung keeps its commitments over time. It is precisely there that lies the unknown. The Korean brand does not yet have the reliability history that reassures a buyer at the time of signing. If the Comet 650 keeps its mechanical promises in the long term, 700 euros of difference compared to the SV becomes an argument difficult to ignore.