A Stunning New Entry-Level Cruiser Proves Bigger Is Not Always Better

A brand you’ve probably never heard of has us craving forbidden fruit in the form of this approachable, affordable moto.

Olive green motorcycle fuel tank with black frame and engine, with a person wearing a black leather jacket and brown gloves.

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By Steve Mazzucchi

Published May 4, 2026

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Updated May 4, 2026

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Longtime riders may remember an upstart Korean brand called Hyosung rolling out some wallet-friendly V-Twins a couple of decades ago, then seemingly receding.

Though its US presence dropped off, the brand never truly disappeared, and it has our attention once again with a seemingly pitch-perfect small-displacement cruiser.

Person wearing a black helmet, black leather jacket, and gloves sitting on a green and black motorcycle. — This cruiser boasts a key trait I look for in smaller-displacement offerings: the look and feel of a big boy bike.

With its muscular silhouette, high approachability and low price, the new GV250X Roadster looks like something that could do gangbusters on our shores.

Of course, it would have to reach them first.

Small (is big) in Japan

Due to ownership changes and distribution issues, Hyosung has never been huge even in its home country of Korea or Southeast Asia.

That’s a real shame because they make some beautiful bikes, with the Roadster serving as a shining example.

Matte green and black cruiser motorcycle with dual exhaust pipes and round headlight. — From the bar-end mirrors to the chopped pipes, the GV250X nicely blends modern and throwback styling.

It’s getting a strategic launch next month in Japan, which, as RideApart points out, has a tiered licensing set-up that makes it an attractive market for bikes of its size.

That’s because a 250cc moto neatly shoots the gap of being big enough for the highway without requiring you to jump through the hoops needed to graduate to 400cc or bigger.

Black and silver Hyosung motorcycle with dual exhaust pipes and round mirrors on a white background. — In addition to the greenish Iron Gray colorway shown above, the bike also comes in a badass Black.

Hyosung clearly has high expectations for the bike on that testing ground, leaving the rest of us to hope that if it can make it there, it can make it anywhere.

The GV250X just might, for several reasons, including its liquid-cooled 60-degree 248.4cc V-twin engine, which makes 25.3 horsepower at 9,500 rpm and 14.75 ft-lbs of torque at 7,000 rpm.

Close-up of a silver Hyosung Grand Voyage motorcycle engine with black and metallic components. — This V-twin engine may not be big, but it is beautiful.

With so many bikes in this class being singles and parallel twins, the V-twin style definitely pops, bringing an old-school rumble complemented by angular lines and a number of neo-retro aesthetic touches.

These include the round headlight, instrument cluster, bar-end mirrors, chopped front fender and gleaming twin exhaust pipes.

Close-up of a black textured plastic panel with a USB port and a black cable coiled around a silver metal part. — The handy little USB port hides in a geometrically patterned housing under the fuel tank.

The bike also boasts reassuring modern features, including upside-down forks, traction control, ABS, LED lighting, a hybrid LCD/analog display, a USB port and a belt final drive, which cuts down on maintenance and noise.

In line with the size of the engine, key dimensions welcome newer riders: the seat height is an approachable 29.1 inches, while the curb weight is a manageable 397 pounds.

Person wearing a black helmet, leather jacket, and brown boots riding a green and black motorcycle on a road. — The seat height and weight empower every rider to crank the throttle and lean into curves (just not at the same time).

Last but not least is the base price of 731,500 yen, which roughly translates to $4,650 USD, even cheaper than Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350, which these days starts at $5,099.

Quite a long shot, but were it to come close to that number stateside, I’d be first in line to give it a test ride.

Availability and pricing

The 2026 Hyosung GV250X is expected to hit the Japanese market next month, starting at 731,500 yen (roughly $4,650 USD). A US release is something we can only dream of at this point.

Black Hyosung cruiser motorcycle with silver engine and exhaust pipes on a white background.

2026 Hyosung GV250X Roadster

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About the Author:

Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.

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