Track bike: zxr400 vs sv650?

[fence post]

hi guys,

this is the story...
i had a ZXR400H for a year and a half with 4 trackdays at taupo.then i bought a K4 GSXR750 and sold the ZXR. 4 months later im riding back to auckland from the wet taupo suzuki trackday on 9 dec 07.a guy falls asleep in a car and pulls straight into me head on,me 100kmph and him doing the same.i survive and get to keep my right arm and leg due to alpinestar suit,and backprotector.$4000 worth of kit all wasted!!and every penny was worth it!!!!
30 days in hospital.now full of 3 rods and 19 screws and one skin graft and 40% feeling from right shin down to toes from nerve damage.now i can walk and am thinking of riding again.
my girlfriend doesnt want me back on road bike but compromised a track bike.
which leads me to my question:
i want a track bike only for the mo,but which one???

=i loved my zxr400 on track and want another one,but the age is putting me off.i did do alot of work on my old one incld engine swap and the like.

=i like the idea of a sv650 but am afaid that it will chew thru the tyres faster.also i dont know much about them

so what i wont to know is which would be cheaper to run over the course of say 1 year @ say 5 track days at say taupo?im in no rush to buy yet as im not fit to ride yet.my main factors are chewed tyres vs engine problems.

thanks for any help guys!!! at the moment im just following my mates to trackdays :( like the anzac day taupo one which was a great day!

[westie]

That is a tough call. Either way a good move. I supose the 650 would cost more in tyres etc. But might be more fun with the extra power.

[roadracingoldfart]

The ZXR will give you alot more choice of class if you want to finally do some rounds of a race series. Lets face it , open days are just a natural path to a series aye !!
If you get a pre 89 bike you can do F3 , Post Classics , and if your fast enough F2.
Value for money is my reason for the 400.
An SV650 will get you into F2 and F3 / Protwins.

Mind you , heres a question , why not get a Honda and then you will have a real bike :rolleyes:

Paul.

[codgyoleracer]

Good to hear of your recovery.
If its purley for track days only , then the 400 will be cheaper to purchase - but much the same to run. Tyres might be a little bit dearer on the SV (but bugger all), gas, entry, travel, food , time etc etc will all be much the same.
The advantage of the SV is that its modern & is likely to be fairly bullet proof to run for many years. If you feel like having a bit of a race now & then , then the SV will be genuinly competitive in the new Protwins class & moderatly to quite competitve in F3.
The SV is easier to learn on & has a more forgiving nature generally on the track.
Whatever machine you end up with , tap me on the shoulder if we end up at the same track on the same day if you need any help.
Glen Williams

[moT]

yeah sv would be the way to go for f3 and pro twins that is if you wanna win but the 400 is good for learning and for fun you will still be reasonably compeditive in postclassics tho

[skidMark]

As much as i love kawasakis, go the sv.

All the top guys are using them now, ie glen williams.

I would say yeah maybe it will munch the tyres a bit more, but taupo is a smooth track and is generally kind to tyres, well so i hear, mine did not show much wear on the 250, only melted up edges :devil2: see below lol.

Where asi hear manfield etc ripsv tyres to hell, well on smaller bikes, i'm sure the racers on here could enlighten you further, codgy knows his stuff.

Well done with surviving though mate, not many make it through that.

Better buying 4k of gear and writing it off, coffins for loved ones to buy cost more.

EDIT: new ad campaign idea. gotta think how to word the above better, some advertiser is welcome to develop on a slogan of some kind for bikers wearing gear.

[steveyb]

Must agree with Glen.
The Suzuki SV 650 is one of the best designed and manufactured motorcycles ever built. It is a good price, is wonderfully balanced, is new (after all) and quite understressed and the build quality seems second to none.

Overall, a very good motorcycle for easy riding and more than capable of hard riding.

400's are great too, but sort of not really in the same league as the new 650 family of machines any more, mainly due to the nearly 20 years of development they have not had.

Enjoy

Steve

[quallman1234]

Hey mate, i saw you at the two trackdays, good on you for getting back on the bike! Good luck :).

I was the guy on the RG150

SV650 for the win, The 400's are getting a fair bit old these days, not sure if your buying a lemon or not either way they have at least been thrashed most of there lifes. SV's are bullet proof! In the long run a SV will probabaly be cheaper.

[koba]

I was the guy with him that was yacking to ya. Red NC21 VFR.

SV would also have better resale when you are done with it, you may loose a wee bit more on it But it should be EASIER to sell.

[Str8 Jacket]

I was the guy on the RG150


I was the guy with him that was yacking to ya. Red NC21 VFR.


I was that bitch with the RG with those 2...... Sorry, I could'nt resist......

[FROSTY]

Raced and trackdayed both. Dude tyre wear difference is insignificant --say 20-25% more wear.
I gotta say the SV is a better bike for reliability simply because its newer and more power.
BUT the factory suspension sucks. If it hasn't had the suspension done a SV will need about $1000-$2000 of suspension work to handle well.
Can I suggest a couple of alternatives. Kawasaki ER6 and Honda RVF400
The ER6 becuase it's diddly less powerfull than a SV but the factory Suspenders are in the OK to use department.
The RVF because they are a few K cheaper than ER6 and SV but have great suspension and darn good power delivery. AND they seem pretty darn bullet proof--not frajile like the Kwakka 400

[skidMark]

Raced and trackdayed both. Dude tyre wear difference is insignificant --say 20-25% more wear.
I gotta say the SV is a better bike for reliability simply because its newer and more power.
BUT the factory suspension sucks. If it hasn't had the suspension done a SV will need about $1000-$2000 of suspension work to handle well.
Can I suggest a couple of alternatives. Kawasaki ER6 and Honda RVF400
The ER6 becuase it's diddly less powerfull than a SV but the factory Suspenders are in the OK to use department.
The RVF because they are a few K cheaper than ER6 and SV but have great suspension and darn good power delivery. AND they seem pretty darn bullet proof--not frajile like the Kwakka 400


The RVF done sort of have the same issue as the RVF though, even the rvf is still 12 years old...and being quire rare they arn't easy to get bits for, where as the sv's seem to be a bit more plentiful.

From what i have observed alot of the racers now are going to the sv's but the er6 is a good alternative, but could he not find a cheaper sv650....(they have been around alot longer than er6 havn't they?)

Then whack good suspension it it for around the same cost as a slightly newer er6?

Hell if sv650 is good enough for glen williams...in kawasaki leathers even, must have been something that changed his loyalties over.

;)

I still say sv even if it need suspension.

Just my 10 cents.

[koba]

The RVF because they are a few K cheaper than ER6 and SV but have great suspension and darn good power delivery. AND they seem pretty darn bullet proof--not frajile like the Kwakka 400

You forgot slow :weep:

A hyosung650 could also be a good value for money option.





Slow for the money compared to an sv or similar that is..

[FROSTY]

7k for a second hand ER6 at Corsa wreckers. Vs 7 grand for a carbed SV650 or maybee a cosmeticly buggered injected.
having been lucky enough to ride carbied,injeccted 03 and an ER6 Id still say ER6
The ER's fueling is a bit less light switch than the 7k SV's and puts out more power than the carbed.
If you wanna go and wn the nationals in pro twins then the couple of ponies might make a difference. If you wanna track day bike thats good for the odd race meeting then buy an ER

Mind you I've heard from a little freind of mine that for maybee a tadd over $8000 you can grab a 2006 GSXR600 with a freshened up engine from a little gremlin :devil2:
The idea being you grab the six hundy and buy up the ex nationals tyres around the traps. But then what would I know

[skidMark]

7k for a second hand ER6 at Corsa wreckers. Vs 7 grand for a carbed SV650 or maybee a cosmeticly buggered injected.
having been lucky enough to ride carbied,injeccted 03 and an ER6 Id still say ER6
The ER's fueling is a bit less light switch than the 7k SV's and puts out more power than the carbed.
If you wanna go and wn the nationals in pro twins then the couple of ponies might make a difference. If you wanna track day bike thats good for the odd race meeting then buy an ER

Mind you I've heard from a little freind of mine that for maybee a tadd over $8000 you can grab a 2006 GSXR600 with a freshened up engine from a little gremlin :devil2:
The idea being you grab the six hundy and buy up the ex nationals tyres around the traps. But then what would I know

OOOOOO yer,that er6 at corsa is nice, everytime i go in i drool over it's sexy tail, thought he wanted more for it.

[slopster]

Surely the main issue is whether you like a smooth inline 4 with top end power or a rough v twin with lots of torque. The SV will probably be faster though and more reliable at the end of the day. I really wanted to buy an sv650 at one stage but took one for a test ride and found I didn't like the power delivery. Lots of others swear by them so its really just personal preferance.

[svr]

Get an sv! svr has done 32k with about 6k at redline on the track, still wins club races and goes everytime you push the button. They're also (nearly) uncrashable and is easy as pie to ride - just what you need right now aye? (er me too...) Little harder on rears than 400s but easier on fronts so it works out.

[Toast]

I'd go the SV. I love screaming fours, but crash the SV and you just go to eBay and get the parts you need relatively cheaply. Finding engine covers, a dash or front fairing stay (or spare wheels if you want to race later) for a 20 year old 400 would be a mission.

As for riding on the road: I don't do it but would rather be on a bike when some dick crosses the line than in my van. Much better chance to evade the car if you're on a bike. A head on 200kmh impact in my van and I would be goneberger.

[fence post]

cheers guys for all the info!!!
im hoping to be fit to ride by january,so im in no hurry to buy but do want to keep an eye out for a deal..
i was waiting for someone like you frosty.someone who has riden both bikes on track.SV650 sounds the way to go!
one more question..
ive seen USD forks on a few sv's.what bike/s do the forks come off and are they a straight swap and go? or is a little work needed like triple clamps, head bearings etc.

[Clivoris]

I race a 400 and love it. The crunch for me was the initial cost. $3k vs. $8k for a bike with comparitive spares and preparation. If I had more money I would have an SV or ER. No question. The modern bikes will require less mechanical intervention once set up, and are more future proof as far as rider and bike development are concerned.
There are some good SV's out there that have most of the race prep done, for sale between $7k-$10k.
Sounds like you've been a lucky bastard already so you might still have a bit of luck left and pick up a good one.

[fence post]

what year does the sv change to fuel injected?

[koba]

what year does the sv change to fuel injected?

dunno but you can tell by looking at them, carby one has rounded blobby fairing and injected ones are the angular looking ones, they also have twin plugs.

[Clivoris]

what year does the sv change to fuel injected?

03 me thinks.

[SVboy]

K3=injection from memory,but I think there was some overlap. I guess the advantage of the injection would be easier setup with new can/airfilter and power commander.

[feral1]

Hey Fence Post,

Glad to hear you made it thro that horrendous crash. Not nice. Good luck with your re-hab.

I race a ZXR rather than a SV. Have never had a go on a SV, but have had a few finish races well ahead of me, so they must be Ok... :) lol

If you're a bigger guy, and a bit cut up from your accident (pins and screws in legs etc) the bigger riding position of the SV may suit you better.

The only advantage of a H model ZXR is that you'd get more chance at various classes, clubman, and Pre-89 (which is big up north) as well as F3.

I personally like the ability to work on my own race bike. But if you don't like fetteling to keep them running; then a simple plug and play SV may be the way to go.

Jill Clendon had her 2008 Nationals machine for sale. Full wets, GSXR front end conversion, nice pipe, tuned engine. Would be an ideal buy.

If you do want a ZXR, our team has a cool H Model, prepped and ready to go. Drop us a line.

Eric

[svr]

i was waiting for someone like you frosty.someone who has riden both bikes on track.SV650 sounds the way to go!
one more question..
ive seen USD forks on a few sv's.what bike/s do the forks come off and are they a straight swap and go? or is a little work needed like triple clamps, head bearings etc.

I remember riding the first zxr400 in nz - a nice black kawasaki nz demo bike ($10k retail back in 88!!) - Mike Webb raced it in F3 that year. They always seem a bit frantic on the track - a lot of revs for not much return, and a bit hard on the nerves waiting for a valve retainer to fail...
The usd conversion on svr is from a gsxr1000k2 - $1500 from Stormin' Norman imports. Pretty easy, use the standard axle, wheel, disks, stem, bearings, everything else is gsxr incl bars. Make two new axle spacers, machine down the radial calliper mounts 10mm for the smaller disks, and away you go.
Its no longer a competive protwins bike of course but just another average f3 bike...

[FROSTY]

ive seen USD forks on a few sv's.what bike/s do the forks come off and are they a straight swap and go? or is a little work needed like triple clamps, head bearings etc.
Short version mate-DONT DO IT.
For the new--read injected SV's you can bolt a Gixxer 600,750,1000 front end right on in. For the older -carbed Sv's you need a Head bearing kit its about $100 NZ
But bang for buck it aint worth it. First ya gotta find a front end that aint damaged. Thats gonna cost ya $700-1000
then you need to get it set up to suit a bike it isn;t desighned for etc etc.
My honest advice. Keep your options open By retaining the factory front end and sending it to Young master Tailor to revalve etc. Tat way ya can race pro twins and F3 if Pro twins takes off