Hyosung TE450 Rapier
July 13, 2007
Hyosung Motors has shown just how much confidence it has in its product development team by breaking into the ATV market with a full-blown 450cc sports quad.
Retailing at less than R50k, this four-wheeler is set to give you bags of thrills for your rands.
The fact that the price of R49 995 is comparable to lower-powered utility quads from other manufacturers ensures that the Korean four-wheeler is likely to become a favourite with sports riders who enjoy a full-power performance machine on a limited budget.
The TE450 Rapier weighs in at just 172kg, and uses a 38,5kW engine for impressive performance.
So just how good is the new Korean offering? According to KMSA who imports the TE450, its rugged but powerful liquid-cooled DOHC four-valve single-cylinder engine's 38,5kW places it right up at the head of the class in terms of performance. The quad's 172 kg dry mass also enables it to deliver deft handling.
Convenience, safety and comfort features include an electric start, a reverse gear tucked away alongside the five forward ratios in the transmission, powerful linked front and rear disc brakes, a mechanical parking brake, a vibration-eliminating engine counter-balance shaft, and a stainless-steel exhaust system.
The quad comes with a detune kit installed to limit power to 15 kW for beginners, but this can be easily removed to provide experienced riders with a full-power ride.
Instrumentation includes a speedometer, odometer, trip meter, clock, and indicator warning light, while darkness can be held at bay by the vertical dual headlights and high-luminance LED tail-light.
The Rapier TE450 utilises a strong double-cradle steel two-part frame mated to a lightweight aluminium swing arm, with sporty alloy wheels providing strength while reducing unsprung weight.
Suspension up front consists of an independent double A-Arm set-up delivering 118mm of travel, with fully adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping, while the rear linkage-type remote-reservoir suspension is fully adjustable over 75mm of travel.
High performance quads are often ridden extremely hard across difficult terrain, and regular maintenance is thus essential to ensure longevity.
Hyosung's engineers have gone to great pains to ensure that their machine can be easily repaired and serviced by the rider/owner.
The two-part frame separates the front from the rear for easy access to the engine when necessary, and the clutch cover and oil filter are readily accessible for routine maintenance.
About the company: Hyosung, one of the largest and most respected companies in South Korea, was established in 1952, and flourished in the chemical, industrial, construction and IT fields. The motorcycle division, Hyosung Motors, was founded in 1978, and originally built small Suzukis under licence for the Korean market.
The R&D centre was established in 1986 to develop machines for export, and within a year Hyosung was selling motorcycles of its own design in Japan as well as other Asian countries.
In 1988 the 500 000th Hyosung motorcycle rolled from the factory, twenty years after production commenced, but the next half million came up in just eight more years, in 1996, with the second million following less than five years later.
The Hyosung TE450 Rapier is available at your nearest Kawasaki dealer in red or black, for R49 995.
Article Reference: Hotshot Hyosung-quad a bargain: Bikes & Quads: New Models: Wheels24
Hyosung Motors has shown just how much confidence it has in its product development team by breaking into the ATV market with a full-blown 450cc sports quad.
Retailing at less than R50k, this four-wheeler is set to give you bags of thrills for your rands.
The fact that the price of R49 995 is comparable to lower-powered utility quads from other manufacturers ensures that the Korean four-wheeler is likely to become a favourite with sports riders who enjoy a full-power performance machine on a limited budget.
The TE450 Rapier weighs in at just 172kg, and uses a 38,5kW engine for impressive performance.
So just how good is the new Korean offering? According to KMSA who imports the TE450, its rugged but powerful liquid-cooled DOHC four-valve single-cylinder engine's 38,5kW places it right up at the head of the class in terms of performance. The quad's 172 kg dry mass also enables it to deliver deft handling.
Convenience, safety and comfort features include an electric start, a reverse gear tucked away alongside the five forward ratios in the transmission, powerful linked front and rear disc brakes, a mechanical parking brake, a vibration-eliminating engine counter-balance shaft, and a stainless-steel exhaust system.
The quad comes with a detune kit installed to limit power to 15 kW for beginners, but this can be easily removed to provide experienced riders with a full-power ride.
Instrumentation includes a speedometer, odometer, trip meter, clock, and indicator warning light, while darkness can be held at bay by the vertical dual headlights and high-luminance LED tail-light.
The Rapier TE450 utilises a strong double-cradle steel two-part frame mated to a lightweight aluminium swing arm, with sporty alloy wheels providing strength while reducing unsprung weight.
Suspension up front consists of an independent double A-Arm set-up delivering 118mm of travel, with fully adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping, while the rear linkage-type remote-reservoir suspension is fully adjustable over 75mm of travel.
High performance quads are often ridden extremely hard across difficult terrain, and regular maintenance is thus essential to ensure longevity.
Hyosung's engineers have gone to great pains to ensure that their machine can be easily repaired and serviced by the rider/owner.
The two-part frame separates the front from the rear for easy access to the engine when necessary, and the clutch cover and oil filter are readily accessible for routine maintenance.
About the company: Hyosung, one of the largest and most respected companies in South Korea, was established in 1952, and flourished in the chemical, industrial, construction and IT fields. The motorcycle division, Hyosung Motors, was founded in 1978, and originally built small Suzukis under licence for the Korean market.
The R&D centre was established in 1986 to develop machines for export, and within a year Hyosung was selling motorcycles of its own design in Japan as well as other Asian countries.
In 1988 the 500 000th Hyosung motorcycle rolled from the factory, twenty years after production commenced, but the next half million came up in just eight more years, in 1996, with the second million following less than five years later.
The Hyosung TE450 Rapier is available at your nearest Kawasaki dealer in red or black, for R49 995.
Article Reference: Hotshot Hyosung-quad a bargain: Bikes & Quads: New Models: Wheels24
