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David Harrington recently interviewed Philip McCaleb about what Genuine has planned for 2010. Besides some great insight about today’s scooter industry within our economy, Philip discussed the upcoming 4-stroke Stella scooter and the Blur SS 220i. Philip’s latest interview with JustGottaScoot is Episode 115 and can be found here.

Later this week at 2pm EDT, David is interviewing Pete McIntosh from SYM.

It’s a JustGottaScoot double header for MPG Motors!

Mike Frankovich of NoHo Scooters (Northern Hollywood, CA) has really helped out this industry with his very visible support in the TV and Film space when they need scooters for their projects. He’s been doing this for a while and he’s quite good at it. Mike and I are in the same 20Group and I’ll be seeing him this weekend in LA for our latest meeting. Mike is also what I affectionately call a “gearhead”. He likes everything with a motor. Me too! Little motors, big motors, high-revving motors, tractor motors, airplane motors – I like them all!

Another guy that apparently likes most motors and, unlike me, has the billfold to buy them is Jay Leno. Jay with Mike Frankovich and the Genuine Buddy Blackjack are the stars of this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage. Check it out here!

When you are passionate about your ride this is always an exciting time of year – new product time! Here’s the latest and greatest for 2010.

All of the Hyosung motorcycles are fuel-injected (FI) for 2010. This is where we start to see S&T flex their technical muscle. The MS3-250 scooter was always fuel-injected which was earlier by a year or more than other vendors. This exciting change comes from Hyosung’s parent company, S&T (Science & Technology) in S. Korea. Also new on the technology front, the 650’s also receive new S&T developed FI units.

What is Fuel-Injection and why do you care? The fuel-injection unit replaces the carburetor and the manual choke on some of our bikes and scooters and is much smarter than the scooters with automatic chokes on their carburetors. It *knows* it’s cold and adjusts, It *thinks” where a carburetor won’t. It’s a little more expensive because it’s got more sensors and a computer to know what to do with the extra data. It’s probably what you have on your car if you have a car. It’s a step forward and one I embrace.

The 250’s have received significant attention for 2010. Based on customer feedback, the GV250 has a new seat, footpegs that are better positioned and, of course, no manual choke – just hit the button and go!

The GT250 and GT250R get a newly designed tail section and triple-clamp which really helps out with the bikes’ appearance. Don’t forget how well the GT250R did in the Motorcycle.com 250cc shootout here.

Finally, Hyosung pulled the trigger on the ST7, the Avitar derived classic cruiser we told you about in our November newsletter. Look for it in late spring and let us know early if you are interested. I think this one will be tough to find at first and quantities will be limited.

The Genuine Scooter Company (GSC) has made a major change this year for the classic Stella. The motor for this year will be a 4-stroke and will eliminate the two-stroke smell and smoke.

I know, I know. Some of you will miss that!

Well, the 2T Stella is still available new so let me know if you need an instant classic, we’re here to help! Along with the Stella, the good people at GSC added a white Buddy 50 for the folks that were waiting just for that. The Buddy 50, 125 and International models continue as before – when you’re America’s Favorite Scooter why mess with success?

But the real excitement in 2010 from Genuine is the Blur SS220i. SS, to me, always stands for Super Sport. The i in 220i means, you guessed it, a fuel-injected 220cc motor.

I think Super Sport is gonna work just fine for the SS220i.

The SS220i is an updated version of the GSC Blur. A few years ago, the Blur was One Quick Sport Scooter. The Blur had a 150cc motor. This scooter is going to walk away from some others in its class. This will be a Genuine scooter that you’ll be able to use on “the big roads”. Dean (my GSC rep) said it’s a pistol. The SS220i should be a very interesting scooter. It’s coming in gunmetal and white.

Details are still sketchy from SYM on the rumored RV200 and RV300i. Apparently the RV300i is not just a drop-in FI motor from the capable CityCom 300i but will be optimized for the RV250’s scooter’s step-up into the larger luxo-scooter class. We’ve had great success with the RV250 but more power and fuel-injection will be welcome for expanding the performance and capability envelope of the SYM’s.

But wait, there’s more! All three companies are offering either discounts or accessory packages. GSC extended their Dressed For The Holidays until Valentine’s Day, SYM has a similar deal for some of their scooters. Hyosung has a plethora of discounts – cash money – that are too numerous to list here. But unless you are wealthy, you should look at them here!

The 2010 Hyosung 250’s are available now. The other new products are coming later in the spring. Let me know what you have your eye on and I’ll keep you up on delivery dates.

Initial allocation of some of these in the past have gone quickly leaving you waiting until the next shipment arrives from Taiwan/Korea.

Makes you cranky. We like you happy, not cranky.

MPG Motors sells both 250 and 650cc bikes from Hyosung. When you survey the 600cc class new sportbike market, I believe these bikes offer the most “bang for the buck” in the sportbike world! Across the industry, you can’t find a new naked or sportbike for less than the Hyosungs. The Hyosung’s also have two year warranties, double the usual manufacturer’s warranties. For the price and what they deliver, they are terrific, honest bikes at a time when ” what you get for what you spend” is in everyone’s mind. The GT250 and the GT250R are the naked and fully-faired competition for the Ninja 250 and we find that they work much better than the Ninja for larger riders. Plus the GT250 offers a price point well below the Ninja 250.

Here’s a quick background again on Hyosung.

Hyosung has been in the powersports business for over thirty years. They make motorcycles, scooters and ATV’s. Suzuki and Hyosung established a “technical cooperation agreement” in 1978. Hyosung has been in the bike business for some time, but not in the US until around 2001 when their bikes were imported by a company called Alphasports. Hyosung Motors America was established late in 2005 and MPG Motors became a Hyosung dealer in early 2006. We have about 100+ of their bikes out on the road. Hyosung is imported in over 40 countries throughout the world. Finally, being from South Korea, they have seen the success of a longer warranty in calming a new buyer’s concerns. Hyosung sport bikes carry a 2 year 12,000 mile limited non-transferable Fender to Fender warranty. This warranty covers parts and labor for the first year and parts only for the second year. Like many South Korean products, Hyosung positions to have the best warranty in their class.

Hyosung makes naked and fully-faired sportbikes in 650cc and 250cc sizes. The fully faired bikes are available in two-tones for $300 more. The 250cc and 650cc bikes are the same size and geometry. The 250’s share frames and motors as do all the 650 sportbikes.

GT650R – 650cc 90 degree V-Twin, 6 speed, full-fairing

GT650 – 650cc 90 degree V-Twin, 6 speed, naked

GT250R – 250cc V-Twin, 5 speed, full-fairing

GT250 – 250cc V-Twin, 5 speed, naked

In the US, we get 250 and 650cc motors. The 650’s are 90 degree, liquid-cooled, DOHC, six-speed, v-twins. The 250cc motors are also V’s. The 650’s claim 79 horsepower with comparable-to-the-competition torque and the 250’s claim the high 20’s. They have real-life dyno’ed near 70 and 25 respectively. Inline-4’s make more horsepower and have higher top speeds but at a much higher cost. This year the 650’s get fuel-injection which adds more ponies and loses the choke. They are both four-valve cylinders with double-overhead cams. The 250 has dual carbs.

How are they to ride? On the 650s, they are comfortable and easy to get underway. The V-Twin gives you good usable torque across a broad powerband from down low and builds steadily up through about 9,000 rpm. The redline is 10,500 but your power peak is before that. Although the peak r’s are less than inline fours you are getting these revs with only half the cylinders. The pistons are moving in there. It’s a yin and yang thing. It will not sound like a 4-screamer but it’s not going to sound like a Harley either – not until Harley builds a 10K rpm motor.

The addition of fuel-injection on 2009’s 650’s means you just hit the button and go – no choke. The motors don’t sound like an inline-4, naturally. The frame is quite stiff and is very approachable. They cut well and have few surprises. They are very good and inexpensive track day bikes with enough of everything to keep it interesting and develop your skillset.

In daily use, they work out quite well in a short or long-daily commute role. They average 45-50 mpg with a 4.5 gallon tank with fuel gauge and clock on the digital dash.

The naked GT250 is a very, very presentable naked bike. It really doesn’t have any competition. It’s inexpensive, honest and cheap to keep. The GT250R has the same physical size of the GT650R. Like I mentioned earlier, if you have trouble fitting on a Ninja 250, the GT250R will probably work better for you. The GT250’s have a top speed around 100mph. You will concentrate on keeping momentum with these bikes at the track. Here is a GT250R on the Sepang, MY F-1 track. Looks like fun to me! Note the speedometer is in km/hr, not mph.

The Hyosung sport bikes are the least expensive 600cc class sportbikes with the best warranty in the industry. They represent a tremendous value and they are plenty of bike for most. We’re getting more and more accessories (Two Brothers, Puig, Leo Vince, EBC, lowering links…). We have sold a number of them and all of them are still out there working and playing hard for their owners.

This bike is the best-kept secret in the 400cc 250cc class.

That’s the bottom line. This is a 250cc bike that acts like the 400cc bikes from the 80’s. We’ve sold a number of Honda CM400 from the early eighties. These bikes were the Swiss Army knife bikes – used for fun, for work, light touring – whatever you needed them to do.

250cc bikes, however, are normally reserved for the “starter bike” category. Calling something a starter bike is normally a kiss of death. Sure, it’s not bad for a STARTER BIKE.

Funny thing about the Aquila tho’, people don’t usually feel the need to upgrade later. We’ve sold about 20 of them, we haven’t traded any of them in and I can’t think of anyone that sold theirs either. Why?

Well, this article give a lot of the reasons why:

Canadian Biker – Light Duty

Aquila’s are bigger and faster because they make more power by revving higher than the competition. They weigh a bit more – most people think they are larger than 250’s. I don’t fib about stuff like that – you can if you want ;^). The GV250 presents as a much larger bike. Think of it like a 400, it’s ok, I do.

GV250’s also have the Hyosung two year warranty – Wonderful! This is the bike that taught me about Hyosung warranty support. One of my good customers bought a GV250 and came in after a month or so. He showed me that if you pushed your hand from the front of the seat to the back, you could feel a slight increase in the foam. I said, weeellll, it’s a small ridge but when I presented it to Hyosung they said, “SEND IT IN!” So when we got the new seat, my customer asked me for the old one. Nope, I’m keepin’ it! (we have to on warranty claims…) Hyosung really supports their bikes!

Back to the motor… Note that the Aquila has almost 10 horsepower more than the Honda Rebel. It weighs a bit more but in this category, that is almost not a bad thing as bikes in this class are particularly light. End result, you can maintain legal + speeds even out on the big roads with the big dogs.

Here is the hard data. This picture shows a trip I took up the Northeast Extension. The speeds were captured by GPS and then converted by GPS Visualizer. Note that the vast majority of the trip is dark blue. The speed limit there is 65MPH and the dark blue coloring shows I was going at least 66.1MPH everywhere it’s blue. This bike will sustain turnpike speeds and then some more. Top speed of the GV250 is around 95MPH.

What about the rest? Well, looks are always subjective but people generally really like the looks of the GV250. It comes in a number of nice color combinations. Here is a link to a MS Powerpoint slideset of GV250 colors here

It’s got a very low seat height. Actually my only concern when a customer asks about a GV250 is how long their legs are. I do have trouble fitting someone with a very long inseam to this bike. I wish it was even longer than it is or had a flatter seat cause I have almost never found anyone that can’t flat foot the GV250 as delivered.

In gas mileage, my customers average 65-70 MPG in daily use. A lot of folks use these for their second (or third) cars. They drive the bikes when they can and the cars/trucks when they have to. They are cheap to keep – first, because of the warranty, the list price of $3499 and the insurance costs on a 250cc bike have to be quoted to be appreciated.

Yep, the GV250 is a great bike! And it’s way more than a starter bike!

Customers sometimes ask to hear my “pitch”. So I’m starting tonight with the Hyosung GV650 Avitar.

The GV650 Avitar - A truly unique bike in the marketplace! Hyosung used the 90 degree, liquid cooled, V-Twin motor with an 11,000 rpm redline that is often dyno-tested between about 65-68 hp at the back wheel – IN A 500 lb bike! The unique part is the result  - a ‘performance cruiser’. A performance cruiser is almost an oxymoron in the 650cc size. You combine a motor that makes terrific power in the cruiser class for it’s size in a relatively light frame and you get a bike that Motorcyclist magazine clocked in the quarter mile at 12.75s and 99.50mph. Top speed is reported to be 120mph+.

Motorcyclist tested the Victory Hammer S and the HD Night Rod the following month. The Avitar’s 1/4 mile time beat the Hammer’s and was within a 1/2 sec of the 12.26 put up by the NightRod. I drove one 700 miles last summer and averaged right around 50mpg. Oh, there is a lot of bang for the buck in this cruiser at $6,299. Since it’s a 650, insurance costs are low as well. Last, you get a lot of looks when sitting on the Avitar!

All Hyosung motorcycles and scooters have a two-year warranty. Hyosung bikes carry a 2 year 12,000 mile limited non-transferable Fender to Fender warranty. This warranty covers parts and labor for the first year and parts only for the second year. It doesn’t cover wearable components - you smoke the back tire off (and it can smoke it) – it’s on you.

I can fit the Avitar to almost anyone. Usually I ask people to pick up the bike off the side stand. It feels so light you usually hear, “Wow” or “expletive deleted”. You can stretch your legs with the adjustable footpegs in the forward position or fit a shorter inseam with the pegs about 2″ back in the rear position. It takes about 45 mins to move the pegs. You get everything you need, stock, to adjust them yourself.

It handles as well. The Avitar has Bridgestone Battlax sport bike tires, triple-disc brakes and a low maintenance belt drive. Within the limits of ground clearance it’s a fun, yes I said fun, bike to ride. It is also an easy bike to ride. The clutch is light and it’s geared relatively low making it an easy bike to move off the line. I do recommend the Avitar to new riders – the clutch, light feeling, good brakes and low seat height all add up to a great first bike.

The bike has a bit of an attitude compared with, say, a Honda Shadow. You can plug it along as well but twist it and it goes. The liquid cooling works great in traffic, I sat on Rt. 309 at a standstill for 45 mins and just let it idle. Then the temp guage went halfway between cold and hot, fan comes on then, temp guage goes down, repeat.

It doesn’t feel like it has a lot of flywheel playing through a 5 speed transmission. It’s got a digital dash, a CLOCK – very nice, two trip odometers and an adjustable front suspension for both rebound and compression. The rear shocks are adjustable for preload. The Avitar revs quickly and goes quickly.

You go out, throw your leg over this one, thumb the button and take off. I predict you will do this often, I do. If you want to make a fast bike you can put in a strong motor or make it light. With the Avitar, Hyosung did both and they got it right. Want to hear it from someone else? Look at Chrissa Pedersen’s post when she took her Avitar down the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Then let’s go for a ride!