Would like to share my opinion about the Hyosung Comet GT250R (rebadged as Naza Blade 250R here in Malaysia) though I don't think I am the right person to review much about the bike since I don't consider myself as a real biker, just not yet.
It was my first bike after a 10 year hiatus from riding. I got my Comet 250R late June last year. I think I was among the first to own it after it was launched June here in Malaysia.
For a start, the 250R is a big bike (in terms size). And that's among the main reason why I bought it. Being 6 feet tall, the rest of the other 250 cc available in the market does not suit my height well. Onboard a Kawa ZXR250, I feel like I'm squatting. The Comet 250R wheel base is a whopping 1,435 mm. Thats 75mm longer than ZXR 250. So is the seat higher by 45 mm comparatively. In fact the 250R might look as big some other higher capacity bikes. The bike is also quite heavy at 175 kg. With the long wheelbase and its weight, it has good straight line stability. But trying to flip it for corners takes quite an effort.. From what I read, Hyosung may have initially designed the chassis to accommodate both their 250 cc and 650 cc bike. But then they decided to design different frame for the 650. That's why the GT250R is so big and feels like being on one too.
Handling is pretty decent. The upside down telescopic front forks is good enough for normal riding, soaking up the common humps and bumps of Malaysian road, and those occasional shallow pot-hole (though please avoid it if you can). Once I hit a deep port-hole at 100++ km/h, deep enough to slightly bend the front rim, but the forks took the impact very well so not to send me and my bike kissing the road. On the track though, its feel a tad soft. The rear suspension is even softer. Most 250R owners complain stems from this soft rear suspension. The easiest way to overcome this problem is to replace the rear shock with the Comet 650R rear shock unit. Some of the current 250 owners did just that and came out happier during corners.
The Comet 250R stops by way of double 300 mm twin disc up front with 2 pot calipers each side and a single 230 mm rear disc. However the stock brake pads could be better. 110/70-17 front and 150/70-17 Shinko tires provides the rubber down on the road. The Shinkos is just good enough for mild knee-scrapping cornering when properly warmed up on a blistering hot tarmac under the searing noon sun. But push-it a lil bit harder and you are asking for trouble. I know, after kissing the gravel 3 times at Sepang circuit on those Shinkos. If the Shinko is decent on hot dry road, its notoriously slippery on wet road especially during rain. Unless you are an experienced speedway bike rider, able to go power sliding side ways cornering on your bike, you might one to ditch them Shinkos for a better set of rubbers..
And now here's the part most normally ask. Performance, top speed, acceleration. The 250R has a V-twin 249 cc engine, 4 valves per cylinder and DOHC. Sounds great but if you are looking for G-force acceleration and supersonic top speed, you might as well go for the Kawa ZXR250. Better still, go for the Aprillia RS250. When the Hyosung first came out with its 250 cc, the Comet GT 250, it was design as a naked street bike. The sports version, hence the R tag is mainly cosmetic. Fairings, race handle, twin front disc etc but the engine is the same. But there still some debate if the 250R has a better gear ratio or CDI system for it to accelerate better and has higher top then the naked street version 250. I put it down to wind drag coz the 250R has fairings. The tachometer puts maximum RPM at 13,000 with redline starting from 10,500 RPM. Other reviews I read so far put dyno-tested power at around 24 HP at rear wheel (28/41HP MFRC engine power at 10,500 RPM) and 21.6 Nm torque at 7,500 RPM. Compare that to 40HP@15,500 RPM power and 22 Nm@11,000RPM torque of the ZXR250. Bad? Actually no. The 250R V-twin engine does what it is designed for, normal street riding. And as I use my bike to commute daily to work (and almost every where else), I can agree to it. With the torque coming in as early as 7,300 RPM, you don't have to change gear that often to maintain usable power, which I feels coming in above 6,000 RPM. The bike only comes with 5-speed gear box. That's kinda odd when most bikes nowadays has 6 speed. I'm pretty sure there a reason for it. Maybe the weight of the bike with its small cc didn't make sense for 6 speed gear-box. My own bike had been fitted with a used Yoshimura Zyclone can in June this year,and with some carb re-jet work I did myself, the bike managed to get around 26.92 HP rear wheel power at 10,200 RPM, dyno tested.
With its less-then-stellar engine power, yesteryear 5-speed gearbox and the weight, the 250R still manages a credible 174 km/h, personally tested by me with onboard video prove. But you don't want to be riding at that speed all the time on this bike, the engine bike might scream its pistons out. The Comet 250R is at its happiest cruising at the street legal 110 kmh up to 140 kmh. And this is where I believe, it has another quality hard to be match by any other bike. Fuel consumption. This bike sips fuel, not hosing it down like a thirsty camel. And when you save fuel. you help the environment. I'll save the details on pollution, green-house effect, ozone thingy things to Al-Gore to elaborate. I normally get between 340 to 360 km on 15 liters of gas. And mind you, I get that riding the bike to and from work, with the traffic jam and the occasional 10,000RPM-throttle-hold-for-1km-so-you-know-I-have-loud-bike. I got 400 km on a long distance trip before I decided to fuel up. And I was sure I can go another 30-40 km until the tank runs dry.
The Comet GT250R may not be up there with the likes of Honda, Kawasaki or Yamaha, but its worth the money. Good enough for daily use with those occasional weekend ride or even out on the track.
