Mods and Ends

We motorcyclists like the idea of bolt-on performance. If replacing a couple of stock parts with a few easily available (and not hugely expensive) aftermarket items gives us a bit more horsepower and a few more km/h, we’re all for it. And hence, this month, my Hyosung Comet GT250 has been at the receiving end of two transplants – the stock air-filter has been replaced with a K&N unit, and the standard, super-quiet (and very heavy!) exhaust can has been replaced with a much lighter, free-flow, stainless steel aftermarket can. And while I agree it’s morally reprehensible, the very restrictive catalytic converter has also been assigned to the dustbin. The shock has been cranked up to max preload setting in order to put a bit more weight on the front wheel and to make it steer a bit more quickly. It works!

We haven’t yet had a chance to pit the bike against our V-Box test equipment, but what I can tell you at this time is that with the K&N filter fitted, the bike definitely does feel like it’s breathing more easily, and the engine is revving more freely now. Fitting the filter took a fair amount of work – fiddling, drilling and fettling – but it’s finally working perfectly now. We haven’t re-jetted the bike yet, but once I log a few hundred kilometers, we’ll see if that’s needed.

With the new free-flow exhaust can, the Comet finally sounds like a proper V-twin motorcycle rather than an electric sewing machine. With the cat-con dumped, and this free-flow system in place, the bike is revving all the way to redline and easily going up to an indicated 145km/h. It’s also noticeably more responsive at lower rpm, and an earlier low-rev flatspot seems to have been eliminated completely. Perfect! Now all that remains is to pit the bike against our V-Box and see how it fares against a stock bike...