Hyosung GV 300 S Bobber 2021 — Specifications

Finding an accessible custom motorcycle under the A2 license without ending up with a cheap imitation from nowhere is a puzzle for many young licensees attracted by low lines and teardrop-shaped fuel tanks. The Hyosung GV 300 S Bobber arrives in 2021 with a clear proposition: the look of large American motorcycles, the displacement for the A2 code, and a price that leaves enough to pay for insurance the first year.

The first merit of this Korean machine is its visual honesty. Nothing immediately betrays the 296 cc under the crankcase. The 12.5-liter fuel tank is sculpted, the seat stretches to the rear fender like on a show bike, the air filter box proudly displays itself on the right side in the manner of Milwaukee customs. Hyosung chose all-black matte finish, which avoids color compromises and reinforces the consistency of the style. It’s a stylistic choice; some will regret the lack of variants, but on a bobber, black is not a weakness, it’s a statement. The instrumentation follows this logic: no color touchscreen, just an analog tachometer and a sober LCD display with gauge, temperature, and gear indicator. A USB socket completes the picture. It’s sufficient. You don’t buy a bobber to geek out on navigation menus.

Under the visuals, the most serious technical argument is the engine. A 60-degree V-twin, 4 valves per cylinder, liquid-cooled, 296 cc of beautiful regular design. Hyosung could have opted for an economical parallel twin to produce. The choice of V-Twin is expensive in development but just on the identity plan. We obtain 29 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 26.5 Nm of torque available from 6,000 rpm, with an architecture that favors intermediate revs. The 6-speed gearbox does the job, but the chain transmission leaves a bitter taste. A belt would have consolidated the Americanizing character of the motorcycle and reduced maintenance constraints. Small detail, big missed consistency. The top speed announced at 135 km/h places this Hyosung off the highway, which is perfectly suited to its natural use: departmental roads, suburban areas, relaxed riding.

The steel double cradle chassis receives a 35 mm fork with 136 mm of travel, and two rear shock absorbers limited to 94 mm of stroke. The suspensions are the assumed weak point of this type of machine. They are suitable for clean tarmac, they suffer on broken road surfaces. The wheelbase of 1,428 mm remains compact, close to roadsters, which facilitates maneuvers in town despite the atypical profile wheels, 16 inches front, 15 rear. Braking relies on two discs with series ABS, 270 mm at the front gripped by a 4-piston caliper, 250 mm at the rear. Serious for the category. The seat at 710 mm in height and the 172 kg on the scale give real accessibility, even for average builds.

At 4,990 euros, the GV 300 S Bobber plays in a yard where the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 exists at a slightly lower price. But the Meteor, however friendly it may be, does not offer bobber aesthetics built with this level of care. The comparison with the Harley-Davidson Iron 883 stops at style, the price of the latter being three times higher. What Hyosung is selling here is a gateway to custom culture, without the premium of the American brand and without the fragility of Chinese copies without history. The Korean brand has existed since the 2000s on the European market, which is not insignificant when signing. For a young licensee who wants to ride stylishly without going broke and without fighting with an engine that is too heavy or too powerful, the proposition is consistent from beginning to end.