Buying a SV 1000/650

**HenryDorsetCase** · 13th November 2007, 16:59

I bought a brand new SV650 (04 I think: it was silver and injected) and sold it to buy my present bike: Heres why:

compromise.

The issue with them is once you get doing a few K's on them you become aware of the shit tastic fork action, and terrible terrible shock. Made even worse by the lack of adjustability and the fact its sprung for Mercans (220kg Supersized )not real people. Plus the mentioned bits and pieces (timing retarder) Heavy and strangly pipes and grossly uncomfortable seat.

By the time you

rebuild front suspension ($1200)
new rear shock (1200-1600)
PC3 and dyno setup say $1000
pipes say $1000 (also bear in mind its not just bolton, you have to cut the pipe on a 650..... )
braided lines say $300
decent tyres (not really fair to include them as a wear item but the stock ones are SHIT $500)

all of a sudden you've spent a buttload on the thing which you wont get back. All that stuff listed above is make it go better, doesnt address the seat or the fact it looks like every other SV650 ever made.... and its a 650.

Sure. you can make the same argument about every bike (and my streetbike needed all the above doing) but for me it made no sense to do it to my 650.

Having said that if I can swing it (i.e. money available) I will be buying a SV650 as a trackday bike next year with a view to F3/Protwins... cheapish way to go racing seems to me.

my 2c

**HungusMaximist** · 13th November 2007, 18:53

^ might as well as buy a street/race bike that's already decked out....

Yea I fully get you aye, there's a bottomless pit of upgrades you can do but it doesn't nescessarily gives extra VALUE to the bike. Like me and my mate were talking about how the dude spent a good 2 k of extras on the 650 but the upgrades doesn't actually make the bike more extreme or ten folds better. It's just a little nicer here and there but having a new Yoshi pipe cannot justify a price increase of 1000 bucks.

Then again it's down to personal preferences, if you think tinted bubble screen, TRE, led idcators, tail tidy adds another 1000 bucks then you gotta be joking in my books. Keeping the bike well mantained is the best value you can give your bike.

Blowing money away on bike bits is frikkin easy... I guess you make gotta compromises to fuel the bike addiction... (alcohol, new clothes, gifts, women...)

**SVboy** · 14th November 2007, 07:18

I agree-best money spent on a 650 is on the suspention....

**imdying** · 14th November 2007, 08:15

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

By the time you

rebuild front suspension ($1200)
new rear shock (1200-1600)
PC3 and dyno setup say $1000
pipes say $1000 (also bear in mind its not just bolton, you have to cut the pipe on a 650..... )
braided lines say $300
decent tyres (not really fair to include them as a wear item but the stock ones are SHIT $500)

Heh, let you in on a secret... the guys with 600s and thous... they often do all that too

**imdying** · 14th November 2007, 09:05

Originally Posted by HungusMaximist

iamdying, is there a reason I can't PM you? ? ?

Originally Posted by jrandom

Yup. He hates you. Build a bridge.

To be fair Dan, I hate all people equally.

You're welcome to ask questions in the thread HM, I'm sure there will be others looking in that want to know the same stuff, but yes, you can send me PMs now.

**Pumba** · 14th November 2007, 11:30

Originally Posted by imdying

Heh, let you in on a secret... the guys with 600s and thous... they often do all that too

Or want to really bad just cant cause the bank account is empty

**lewis_walker** · 14th November 2007, 13:15

I just bought an SV1000S. Absolutely love it. 05's up have all wrinkles ironed out I think. In the end, ride one and go with your heart.

Biking is so subjective. I've ridden heaps of bikes and I'm completely smitten. People can quote stats and specifications all they like, you want a bike that blows the wind up YOUR skirt(!). For me that's the SV thou..

**HungusMaximist** · 14th November 2007, 13:52

Did you buy a brand spanking new one?

I am in need of a new commuter/fun bike, as the asking price is quite resonable on the 03 SV1000 that's why I am actually considering it, otherwise I'd sitck to the 650 or even the TRX850. I know it will be pretty shocking riding around town but when you bring her out on the open road it really goes aye.

**imdying** · 14th November 2007, 13:55

Big pussy cat round town... not very heavy, lots of torque... hell of a lot more relaxed than my RGV

(no surprise there though!)

**HenryDorsetCase** · 14th November 2007, 14:32

Originally Posted by HungusMaximist

^ might as well as buy a street/race bike that's already decked out....

Thats my plan

**Pumba** · 15th November 2007, 07:01

Originally Posted by HungusMaximist

I know it will be pretty shocking riding around town but when you bring her out on the open road it really goes aye.

Mate get that out of your head!

They are a little thirsty around town but certinaly not uncomfortable, contary to what I number of people think you do not have to use the entire rev range or all the gears all the time.

I beleave it is called self control, and yes it has taken me the last year to learn it on this bike (but I dont always use it

)

**SVboy** · 15th November 2007, 07:15

I have to say it, I find my GSXR a lot easier and more comfortable to ride in town....I found the sv 1000 very difficult to keep at 50kms in town-just lacked Pumbas self control......."shuffles off to the post box with another speed camera donation ready to be sent......."

**rocketman1** · 16th November 2007, 20:00

Have owned my brand new SV1000S for a couple of months great road bike,
and that is what I bought it for. Just love the sound , feel & everything about it. Economical too if you can keep it below 5500 rpm, got over 50 mpg on 3 occassions while running it in, But I would not buy one for around town commuter, they are too long legged, I have too run mine at least 62 km/hr in town, or else it just blogs along, between gear shifts. I have not ridden a SV 650 but they are probably better suited to commuting. I dont think you can beat a inline four for commuting. horses for courses!!
Ducati's apparently are terrible to ride around town as well, but on the open road, like the SV these big V twins are pure magic, ( they bring to truth, the saying "its not about getting there, its the journey)
NB. V-Twin sport riders seem too have smiles on their faces, when you meet them, there is just about the bikes you love.
The big In-line 4's don't quite give you the same buzz.

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 16th November 2007, 20:12

Originally Posted by rocketman1

NB. V-Twin sport riders seem too have smiles on their faces, when you meet them, there is just about the bikes you love.
The big In-line 4's don't quite give you the same buzz.

I would agree with that