I constantly hear people that say they need a bigger, faster bike. Their 110hp 600 is just not fast enough to keep up with their friends. Well, I’m here to tell you…that you are WRONG!
To prove that point, we took the mighty Hyosung GT650 up to Utah on a yearly ride for SinCity Sportbikes. It was a mixed group, with everything from Hayabusas and ZX10s to a few 600s and even an SV650.
The majority of the ride was above 7000 feet elevation with the highest point being 11,500ft. This high altitude will zap the power from any vehicle, especially carbureted ones like the Hyosung. The more power you have in reserve, the better off you are.
So how can we take this Korean 650 twin with only 65hp (sea level) and manage to keep up at altitude? First, we added the most important upgrade you can do to a motorcycle. We upgraded the suspension. You heard me right, the suspension.
The Hyosung was treated to proper Race Tech springs and G2R Gold Valves up front and a custom G3-S shock out back. This was a HUGE improvement over stock! The only engine mods were a slip on pipe and re-jetting.
I handed the bike over to former racer and world renowned motorcycle instructor Lee Parks. He actually wrote the book on performance riding. It’s true, it’s called Total Control, go get a copy.
Leading the ride is former racer Josh Marshall. Let’s be upfront, Josh is fast, but safe. He is generally 15 minutes into a nap before everyone else catches up to him. He also knows these roads very well. He is riding Kawasaki ZX10.
Josh likes to have fun, but is smart. He does not pin the throttle on the straights to see how fast his bike will go, he already knows that. He does keep a very brisk pace through the twisties though.
What you are seeing in the video is how a very underpowered bike with a well setup suspension can keep up with a much faster bike in the corners. Remember, Lee is on a HYOSUNG!
So next time you think you need to step up to a 160hp liter bike to keep up…think again. Improve your riding skills and get your suspension working it’s best. Oh, and do your real high speed stuff at a track day. Remember, these guys are professionals.
P.S. Everyone asks about the wobbly gauges. The gauges were on a temporary, mock up, mount. Not only did we change the mount, we changed the gauges. Check out the track footage of the Hyosung at my You tube site to see more. www.youtube.com/cyclesportstv
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