SV650 / 1000's

[wari]

These bikes have been a success story (in NZ at least) for Suzuki ... plus there are quite a few members now who own one of these bikes.

Anyone out there prepared to give an owner review?

Might turn this into a poll acshually ... whatdya think about haveing a thread dedicated to bike reviews written by KBers only ? None of that cut and paste wordy shit.

[jrandom]

A review forum sounds like an excellent idea.

For that matter I'd like to hear from a KBer about the SV650 (SpankMe...?) Don't think I'll be affording an SV thou for the next bike but I can probably stump up for the 650, particularly if I can find the nekkid older carbed model going cheap - the big question is whether it'll keep me happy until it wears out, me being a chunky (read: fat) bastard and wanting something that won't wheeze under the strain and that I won't have to ditch in another couple years time, or whether I should find a secondhand Bindit 12, or buy me mate's XJR... ahhhh... so many hard choices. The SV650 does have a bit of a reputation overseas as chickwheels.

And I don't like the look of the old SV 'S' fairings, and I don't particularly like the new ones either. The naked models in both generations have been dead sexy, though.

[Andrew]

That would be cool.
Maybe I can escape Rosco and get a proper job riding/reviewing bikes for Kiwi Biker?!

[boris]

I have an SV650S,it goes ok, sour wrists after too long in the saddle,poor turning circle,rear shock not up to NZ roads, (near wear i live), not good on gravel roads , .It's the 1st bike after ten plus years off bikes.Had a GB500tt before (still have it but it is stuffed)i wanted an BMW GS650 or Yamaha SZR660 but the SV was $5000 cheaper than the BMW and the Yamaha wasn't imported into NZ.I didn't want a four pot bike it had to a single or a twin.

[bluninja]

I have a 2001 SV650 and it's a real fun bike, dead easy to ride and unthreatening. It's also a breeze for those vertically challenged riders. Bad side is I'm the wrong side of 110 kgs so the suspension takes a hammering and high speed cornering used to have the pegs straight down.

I got the front resprung and race tech vlavle emulators to improve the damping. At the rear I got an ohlins fully adjustable shock. I also advanced the ignition 4 degrees which improved the torque and gave a few more horsepower. On the road it's dead easy to ride and lots of fun, but the bum goes numb pretty soon.

On the racetrack it's also fun, very flickable, and reasonable stopping power. The torque is fantastic and really shoots you out of the corner.

It's also pretty robust and doesn't take much damage in a slide with or without crahsbungs. Only things that go are levers, bars, and the exhaust gets a good scrape.

If anyone is after a race/road bike then the SV will probably up for sale after this weekend.

TTFN

[Firefight]

That would be cool.
Maybe I can escape Rosco and get a proper job riding/reviewing bikes for Kiwi Biker?!

You may as well start now, its obvious that you arn't doing any bloody study.

Just remember the Study are watching.

Firefight

[Jackrat]

Yeah top idea,I would like to see a few owner impressions rather than magizine tests,A bit of REAL life info' for a change.

[Yamahamaman]

These bikes have been a success story (in NZ at least) for Suzuki ... plus there are quite a few members now who own one of these bikes.

Is that "one each" or do they own one on a cummunal type arrangement

[Draco]

A review from Kiwi riders with first hand experience of different bikes sounds like a great idea. Magazine write ups are all very well but we know that our crap roads here present a challenge for bikes suspension/tyres etc. I was seriously looking at an SV before i bought the CBR (as i am vertically challenged) and still might consider it next so this kind of feedback is really helpful. As for it being a chickbike??? I'd like to see you tell the guys i know with them that they're riding a chickbike. Ouch, could be messy!! Less of the sexism thanx M8!

[marty]

that won't wheeze under the strain and that I won't have to ditch in another couple years time, or whether I should find a secondhand Bindit 12, or buy me mate's XJR... ahhhh... so many hard choices. The SV650 does have a bit of a reputation overseas as chickwheels.

on saturday morning i rode a brand new remus piped sv1000 immediatley followed by a new bandit 1200 with kerker pipe. the sv thumped me in the back of the head with sound and torque, and felt like a much smaller bike to ride thru the twisties than it obviously was - coming off the RS i was impressed.

the bandit on the other hand felt like a bus. plenty of front wheel pulling power, but vague as a vague thing through the same corners. sitting way to upright for me, a bit like a vfr800 really.

for the same money, i'm getting an SV

[SpankMe]

i'm getting an SV

Well done that man.

[marty]

cheers spankme. if you can put a new topic under the general forums tag - 'Bike Reviews', then people can start a thread about their bike and model, and it can be added to with time, from them or anyone else. i found it really useful to read reviews searched on google (found the SV forum site the best -even though they're all biased) but there is nothing in TLOTLWC like that yet.

[Jackrat]

That chick bike thing is a bit of humor to be sure.
I read an article in a pommy bike mag resently were the owner of an SV650 was told he was riding a girls bike,The poor buggers doing the put downs were at a track day,So this guys jumps on his girls bike an whips all their butts.
As the ex owner of a sportster I used to get that from big block riders all the time.Until that is, We hit the twistys,Yeeeeehaaaa.Better a chicks bike than a tractor I reckon.I defie the average rider of a 1000 to stay with a good rider on a SV650, I know were I would put my money.
Girls bike,Only a real wanker would come up with that

[marty]

That chick bike thing is a bit of humor to be sure.
I read an article in a pommy bike mag resently were the owner of an SV650 was told he was riding a girls bike,The poor buggers doing the put downs were at a track day,So this guys jumps on his girls bike an whips all their butts.
As the ex owner of a sportster I used to get that from big block riders all the time.Until that is, We hit the twistys,Yeeeeehaaaa.Better a chicks bike than a tractor I reckon.I defie the average rider of a 1000 to stay with a good rider on a SV650, I know were I would put my money.
Girls bike,Only a real wanker would come up with that

i saw a ducati 400ss at one of the Hn bike shops this week. my first though was 'great bike for a girl', but a smaller guy would be great. i rode a gsxr400, and i'm 6'1, and no-one ever accused THAT of being a girls bike

[wkid_one]

I have always said the bike mags have it wrong. They hire ex-racers/aspiring racers/or just plain racers to test bikes that the jo-average plublic ride. They then fang a bike around roads and tracks at 11/10th's and then complain that this bike pushes a bit in the front, and that bike trams a little in the corner. However - what they don't say is that they were pulling 100mph around a corner - scraping the leading edge of the pipe and the pegs - a corner which no one but a racer could ever carry that speed.

I think more people would actually listen to, and respect the reviews if bike mags hired NORMAL riders. Ie: those that actually buy and ride the bike from a retail store......

I am all for 'rider reviews'...........hell, if I listened to everyone I would have never had bought the R1 (twitchy, flighty, wheel happy, too aggressive) - however it was simply a dream to ride. Nice rider position, wicked fuel injection mapping, flickable etc etc.

I rode nearly ALL the large bore bikes before I bought it - and too be honest - there is next to no difference between them in my opinion - the 954, R1, GSXR, Mille, 999, MV, SP2, SV1K, etc etc - it just comes down to personal preference (looks, experience, brand preference). The fact is - I could never ride the bikes to the point at which their failings become evident (or an issue), so to me, they are all great bikes. I bought the R1 because it was the sexiest looking bike (IMHO) and the right price. As for the SV1K - well - if I was going to stay twin - that was the one.....

It is a shit load of bike for the price.......in fact - I think it is the best 'bang for your buck' if you are buying new hands down.