Cruisin' Korean-Style

CRUISIN' KOREAN-STYLE

IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T BEEN paying attention to ongoing trends in the motorcycle market, America isn’t the only country enamored of cruisers. The Big Four Japanese manufacturers, England’s Triumph, Italy’s Moto Guzzi and Germany’s BMW have all followed Harley-Davidson’s lead in the cruiser category. And now comes Hyosung Motors & Machinery Inc., a Korean company that with aid from Suzuki Japan builds more than a dozen small-displacement motorcycle and scooter models for its home market.

Styled to emulate America’s finest boulevardeers, Hyosung’s GA300 is powered by a liquid-cooled, 298cc dohc, 16-valve Four that exhales through a chromed 4-into-2 exhaust system. Twin rear shocks and a chrome-shrouded fork handle bump-absorbing duties, while braking is carried out by a lone disc grasped by a single-piston caliper up front,

and a drum in the rear.

Although the lightweight GA is the largest of Hyosung’s motorcycles, it is not the only cruiser. With styling reminiscent of Suzuki’s GN125, the Cruise 125 is powered by an oil-cooled, 124cc sohc Single that pumps out 14 horsepower. Two versions are available:

the two-valve Cruise I and the four-valve Cruise II.

Boasting “Legitimate American Styling,” Hyosung’s cruisers try hard to live up to their billing. Their stretchedout riding positions, teardrop fuel tanks, stepped saddles and pullback handlebars are all standard cruiser fare.

Even Hyosung’s advertisements (reproduced here) have a decidedly American look. Korean cheesecake, anyone?

Wendy F. Black