2014 Hyosung Aquila 250 Review
Bike Tested: 2014 Hyosung Aquila 250
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 3,10,850/-
The Hyosung Aquila 250 is the most attractive cruiser bike, south side of Rs. 5 lakhs.
If you are a cruiser fan, you will immediately agree with me if I tell you the options are quite few in the low-end of the spectrum. While companies like Harley-Davidson, Triumph and Indian have brought out a plethora of cruiser offerings for people with big wallets, the mass market has had to be content with fewer options, that too from Royal Enfield alone (add the Bajaj Avenger to the list as well). Clearly people looking at cruiser motorcycles have been far ignored but now things are set to change. Among a slew of upcoming launches in the cruiser segment, the latest to arrive is the Hyosung Aquila 250, a rich looking quarter-litre cruiser which is positioned right between Royal Enfield’s most expensive offering and Harley-Davidson’s cheapest. But does this Aquila really have the goods to deliver?
Motor Quest: This is not the first time the Hyosung Aquila 250 is being launched in the Indian market. More than a decade back (2003 to be precise), Hyosung launched the Aquila in partnership with Kinetic, the market wasn’t mature and the model failed to sell.
The Hyosung Aquila 250 is an appealing looking cruiser motorcycle with good attention to detail all around
Styling – Hyosung already has a bigger Aquila, the GV650 and the Aquila 250 is its younger sibling but don’t be misled by the names as the Aquila 250 doesn’t take styling inspiration from the Aquila 650, so it’s not really a watered down version of the middle-weight Hyosung cruiser. Instead, Hyosung has drawn inspiration for the Aquila 250 from the ST7, something clearly visible when you see both bikes in person. Not that it’s a bad thing as the Aquila 250 is a head turner on the road and many people came to us asking about the motorcycle, even knowing its name thanks to this being the second coming of this quarter-litre cruiser.
Plenty of chrome used on the Aquila 250 for that premium appearance
At the front, you get a round headlight (all the indicators are round too) which is surrounded by chrome, a material used in abundance on the bike for that premium appearance. There is chrome all over, right from the front forks, engine, exhaust, handlebar, mirrors to the rear suspension, rear indicator holder, half chain case and instrument cluster. The number plate is held right above the rear tail light (which too has chrome around it) and this is identical to the ST7. The attention to detail is worth appreciating like the red stitching on the seats, unique plate wheels (similar to what we find on a Rolls-Royce), long mudguards, big air intakes in four places and a large tank which looks bigger than it actually is. In white colour, the Aquila 250 looks quite the cruiser and this colour is exclusive to India, you can also opt for red or black which are equally attractive on such a classic cruiser design.
Clean instrument cluster with large dials is backlit and looks gorgeous at night
Instrument Cluster and Switch Gear – Unlike the other two cruisers offering by Hyosung, the Aquila 250 gets a tachometer. The instrument cluster consists of three pods, two large analogue ones (a speedometer and tachometer each) with a smaller digital readout which displays the time, twin tripmeters, odometer and fuel meter (which blinks when the bike goes in reserve). All the pods have a thick chrome ring surrounding them and the tell tale lights (there are solitary indicator lights) are placed on either side of the key. The FI light is in the tachometer pod. The pods are backlit at all times and the white and red colours used on the speedometer are very tastefully done, they look really gorgeous at night. The switchgear has good quality but the buttons require some effort to operate (like when cancelling an indicator). There is a pass-by switch as well but even though there is a parking light, there is no separate button to operate it, either the lights are off or on low/high beam.
Comfortable seats make long distance a breeze on the Aquila 250
Ergonomics – The Hyosung Aquila 250 is a cruiser and thus its ergonomics are very much like one. You sit upright, holding on to a wide handlebar with the footpegs being extremely front set but the wide tank hinders comfort to the legs. The seat is on the softer side for adequate cushioning on long rides. It is also quite wide to accommodate riders of all sizes with the pillion seat having equally good cushioning, along with a strap at the front of the seat for holding on to and a grab rail on the left, below the chrome bar (not on the right as the exhaust gives out a lot of heat). The pillion seat is a bit stepped up and thus the front portion acts as a bit of back support for the rider.
249cc, V-Twin engine produces 26.21 BHP horses with a wide power band
Performance and Gearbox – Powering the Hyosung Aquila 250 is a 249cc, V-Twin motor which is borrowed from the Hyosung GT250R full faired bike. Now both these bikes are very different in character and aimed at different segment of buyers but the powerplant isn’t vastly re-tuned for application in the cruiser, it does produce power a wee bit earlier but when have you heard of a cruiser bike revving all the way to 10,500 RPM? The tachometer shows the redline at 11,500 RPM but this mill ceases to rev till the marked redline, the rev-limiter kicking in a little shy of 11,000 RPM (around 10,800 RPM). Start the motor and it fires up idling with uneasiness with the revs at around 1200 RPM. The motor sounds throaty in the mid-range (4500-7500 RPM) with the 2×1 exhaust making good sound. In essence, the Aquila 250 is powered by an engine with a very wide powerband, too wide for a cruiser motorcycle, after all the engine is from a sports bike.
0-100 km/hr comes up in 11.32 seconds but progress slows down post 110 km/hr
With 26.2 BHP and 21.37 Nm on tap, you would expect the Aquila 250 to sprint effortlessly but it doesn’t as the powerplant isn’t smooth throughout. The problem with the Aquila 250’s engine is the fuelling, which is a bit snatchy and although the low end has some pep, there isn’t any particular part of the powerband you can call as the strong point of the quarter-litre motor. Performance is linear and being a V-Twin, vibrations are aplenty once past 7000 RPM, being felt at the handlebar, seat and footpegs. 0-60 km/hr is done in 4.29 seconds while 0-100 km/hr takes 11.32 seconds as per our VBOX runs which makes it quite quick for a cruiser of this displacement. In fact, Royal Enfield’s most powerful bike, the Continental GT has twice the displacement along with double the torque but takes 12.2 seconds to do the ton. The Aquila’s tall gearing and lighter weigh help it become a quick bike.
Engine feels best in mid-range with low-end fuelling being iffy and top-end having vibes
The gearbox isn’t smooth shifting and requires some effort to change cogs, more so from first to second as you do end up with false neutrals (the clutch is on the heavier side). First gear is good enough for 49 km/hr, second for 77 km/hr while you breach past 100 km/hr in third gear (106 km/hr) and fourth will take you to 122 km/hr while the top speed is 129 km/hr. The bike returns a mileage of 25-30 km/l and you can cruise at 100 km/hr with the RPM needle ticking in at 6500 RPM in top gear. Anything above that and the motor does tends to loose its calm with vibes creeping in. Reaching 120 km/hr doesn’t require much on an effort but it takes an awfully long 23.84 seconds as the bike runs out of steam past the 110 km/hr mark. Overall the performance is good enough for cruising at moderate speeds on the highways. You can have some fun too as a typical cruiser rider is used to a short powerband and upshifts early but the Hyosung revs freely and has some reserve on tap.
The low weight of the Aquila 250 makes it easy to pilot, handling is good
Riding Dynamics – The Hyosung Aquila 250 is a relatively easy bike to ride (by cruiser standards). Once you are used to the extremely forward set footpegs and the perceived weight of this machine (it doesn’t weigh much but appears heavy), riding in both city and on the highway is a breeze, mainly thanks to the light steering. In fact the handlebar is so light that you can take quick u-turns in the city, a feat for such a category of a bike. The Shinko tyres offer decent grip and cornering ability is good too, letting the rider carry speeds as the bike does inspire sure-footedness through long sweepers. However the Aquila 250 doesn’t feel as stable once past the ton and wind does tend to affect it. A front windshield visor would definitely help sustain high speeds.
Ride quality is on the stiffer side and is bumpy at speed, it’s not very compliant
A cruiser motorcycle is expected to have excellent ride quality for making it effortless to embark on long journeys, the Aquila 250 doesn’t really meet that criteria. The suspension is stiffly sprung and you do end up feeling quite a bit of the road, both at low and high speeds, where the bike tends to become a bit bouncy at the rear. On good roads, the Aquila 250 rides well though but in our country, how many good roads are there? Braking performance is good (seldom do the tyres lock up even on hard braking) and the feel at the levers is positive too but at this price point, a rear disc brake is mandatory and ABS is expected.
Shinko tyres offer good grip, chrome exhaust becomes very hot after a ride
Miscellaneous – There is no separate handlebar lock like seen in many cruisers which makes it convenient for parking and moving quickly as you just need to turn the key completely to the left to lock the handle. The pillion seat doesn’t open but the rider’s seat opens up and has some space, enough to keep the bike’s documents, tool kit and first aid kit. The single horn is placed right next to the rear brake lever and is very audible. The headlights offer very good illumination at night. The mirrors are large and offer excellent view of what’s behind.
The Hyosung Aquila 250 offers a good cruiser experience while looking the part
Verdict – The Hyosung Aquila 250 isn’t a perfect machine and the flaws are apparent at certain places, the engine should have been more refined and the fuelling should be improved at the low-end to provide a smoother riding experience. However when it comes to the requirements of cruiser buyers, the Aquila 250 checks all the right boxes. It looks appealing, has decent performance and is well put-together. Riding this bike isn’t a task but ride quality should have been better. At Rs. 3.10 lakhs, the Aquila 250 treads right between other cruiser offerings, making it a compelling alternative to lower priced British badged cruisers which don’t have the same level of quality and visual appeal.
The Hyosung Aquila 250 is an extremely eye-catchy motorcycle with decent performance. Brought in via the CKD route, it might be on the expensive side but is worth the premium over the single-cylinder cruisers which aren’t as reliable.
In spite of being a cruiser, the Hyosung Aquila 250 is at home in the city
What’s Cool
* Stunning looking motorcycle
* Attention to detail
* Easy to ride in the city
What’s Not So Cool
* Engine lacks top-end refinement
* Stiff ride quality
DSK Motowheels has brought the Aquila 250 via the CKD route and thus the high price
2014 Hyosung Aquila 250 Specifications
* Engine: 249cc, V-Twin, DOHC, 8-valve, air/oil-cooled
* Power: 26.21 BHP @ 9000 RPM
* Torque: 21.37 Nm @ 7000 RPM
* Transmission: 5-speed
* 0 – 100 km/hr: 11.32 seconds
* Top Speed: 129 km/hr
* Fuel Consumption: 25-30 km/l
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Frame: Steel double cradle
* Suspension: 41 mm telescopic forks (Front), Dual shock (Rear)
* Tyres: 110/90/16 (Front), 150/80/15 (Rear)
* Brakes: 275 mm disc (Front), Drum (Rear)
2014 Hyosung Aquila 250 Dimensions
* Length x Width x Height: 2282 mm x 875 mm x 1096 mm
* Wheelbase: 1515 mm
* Ground Clearance: 150 mm
* Seat Height: 710 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 14-litres
* Kerb weight: 167 kgs (dry)
Pictures – Om Vaikul