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Welcome!

This site was created to provide an "unoffical" source of information regarding Suzuki SV650 and SV650S motorcycles. My primary objective is to make available views, comments and findings from actual, and potential, owners.

Please feel free to contribute any information, images or personal views you have.

With your input this site will continue to evolve and provide a source of non-bias information. I would hope that as the bike is made available and begins to hit the road (not literally!!) that the value of this web will increase correspondingly. 

Please send all email to:     sv650@hotmail.com

** I will endeavour to reply to, or post, all emails but please be patient **

Info about me


Home Information Help Required Images Links Email

COMMENTS AND INFO

17/03/99 Update to requests for information posted to Help Required here
17/03/99 Thank you Mark (jeepster1220@hotmail.com) for your comments, what distance does the manual recommend for movement in chain at mid-point?

"My initial impressions are that the bike is really comfortable, the mirrors are vibration free, the left one has a clear view, and the right has a hell of a view of my shoulder! That's OK though. There seems to be a little slop in the driveline but it might just be at matter of getting used to the feel of it.

I can sense the power waiting to be used but I can't wind her up for 500 miles and it's killing me. I had it up to 70 (which is about the limit staying under 5000 rpm) and it was very smooth. It only felt like I was doing around 50. I rode a friend's 1982 Suzuki gs550 and just doing 60 felt way to fast. He's giving me some grief because he's now a Harley man, but I'm very happy with what I bought.

The blue is fantastic. It has some metallic in the paint, which looks very nice. The red is just solid. I'll update you when I get some more riding time under my belt".

17/03/99 Jock (jock.addison@dial.pipex.com) is again querying the tyres, especially when cold. Anyone else found them to be less than grippy? If you've changed tyres already let us know to what and how they are performing...

"I managed to get out on mine on a WARM DRY day for a change, I suppose that was summer! I've Just increased the preload on the back end as I found it was pogoing when I was right over in 70ish corners,
this is probably down to the lump of lard on top rather than any problem with the bike!

The engine is still improving and the top-end (RPM) tightness is starting to go now it has done 1200 miles.

The tyres are the only real complaint I have - I don't know if anyone else has changed theirs for something sticker - if they have found something that suits the bike it would be good to know".

15/03/99 Anyone confirm Mikes ( MFAVILLE01@aol.com ) comments regarding the difference between USA and Canadian/Euro models? Thanks Mike for this..

"I have sold my VTR1000 to get started into road racing. I have purchased a Yellow Canadian model SV650SX from a dealer in Ontario, Canada. I friend from Buffalo,NY USA will be road racing a US model and we began to talk. He works at a Suzuki dealer and the technicians have just come back from training on the SV and were told the US model has a higher output engine than the Canadian model. I wonder if there is some truth to this rumor?? I would have thought the motors were identical. I have heard the Canadian SX model will have a
close ratio gearbox also. The obvious Canadian model differences from the US model are:

1) TL1000 style front fairing
2) Clip-on handlebars
3) Gauge panel similar to TL1000
4) Higher rearset peg height (about 3/4" to 1")

He has found several compatible parts from late model GSXR600s. We will probably approach Penske or Ohlins for rear shocks. If any one knows more about the differences in Canadian models to US models, put up on the site.

Thanks,
Mike Faville"

15/03/99 Thanks to Tony (ynotfix@wgn.ne) for his initial views.......

"Put 250 miles on the SV today.

The fuel milage averaged 41+ MPG, with equal amounts of city and canyon riding. The brakes have bedded in and work superbly. The motor is freeing up a little but is still tight and it will be awhile before it's ready to run hard. This bike handles! I'm able to carry a lot of corner speed without feeling like I am pushing the chassis.

All in all I'm very happy with my SV".

12/03/99 Some interesting info from James (jaymz@cheshdatasys.co.uk) on the fuel range and light...

"Just thought I'd let everyone know that the fuel light appears to be quite acurate. I ran mine from a full tank and after doing about 155 miles the light came on solid, I filled up and it took just over 14.5 litres to fill up. So that means that it had just under 1.5 litres left.

I don't think 48mpg is too bad."

James - you got 155 miles before the light came on, I take it this is running in milage because I wouldn't have thought you'd get that many miles during 'normal' riding once past the run-in period? Let me know if you can...thanks.

12/03/99 An update on her SV650 from Sharon (Sharon_Kerick@tivoli.com) - Thanks, keep 'em coming..

"I was just checking your site for updates. Saw some of the questions (here) and thought I'd answer a few:
(questions from Chris)

The gearbox is wonderful. I've had a Bandit 1200 and it was nice, but this one is smooth, does that nice snick-into-gear that Suzuki has a good reputation for. As for finding neutral at lights instead of first, I
haven't had any more problems than I did on the B12 or on the Seca that I had before it.

Is it any good for women? I'm 5'6", with a 33" inseam, my husband is about an inch taller and has about a 31" inseam. I can flat-foot it, he can't.
I'd say any woman over 5'4" should be able to handle it readily, but for women under 5'4" and guys under 5'6", it's a comfort zone thing. Chris, your wife will love this bike. It's great, easy to handle. One reason
that I got it to replace the B12 is because the B12 required WORK at times. This bike is easy and very confidence-inspiring. Buy one for each of you.

What we've been doing with my bike:

Current Status: It's past break-in (over 700 miles). It is nice at 6000rpm, but at 7000 it starts to really pull and just floats along. It really does practically steer itself, not to mention that it loves to go over at a wonderful angle into turns. And that V-twin is a girl's best friend from 7000 to redline.

I've ridden it the last few Saturdays. On the 27th, we rode 160 miles. At about 40 miles, my butt said "what is this hard seat thing??", but it went away after about 10 miles. It was wonderful, I kept it above 6000 most of
the time. I've had it over pretty well before that, but I got the tires over quite respectably during this ride. LOTS of bugs became a semi-permanent part of my jacket and helmet during the trip.

On March 6, we rode over 100 miles, harder than the week before because Martyn didn't have a passenger on the Guzzi. Lovely bike. BUT...it was a very very windy day. Whenever we went through a break in the trees where there was a crosswind, the bike scooted from the light weight and the wind.
The tires weren't phased by the wind, but it rattled me at first. Same issue with the seat at about 40 miles, but it went away again. I definitely need a fairing, tho, bracing against the wind made my arms sore
for a couple hours afterward (went away that night).

We're going to the Blue Ridge's in April, I should be doing at least one good-length ride a weekend until then, and whenever else I get a chance to ride.

Also:

The Suzuki-brand SV Tank Bra is in. I've got one. It's cut so the "Suzuki" on the tank is not covered, and looks pretty good. It was an easy fit, too. It's black, with an embossed SV on it.

Sharon"

12/03/99 Thanks to Michael (michael.killingback@virgin.net) for these snippets from the March issue of Top Gear magazine:

"It may not have the groin-grabbing get-up-and-go of the four-cylinder multis, but it wins hands down when it comes to handling and looks"

"While the SV is not as fast as the Fazer or Hornet, its turn of speed is still more than adequate on the road and the 90-degree Vee's low-rev thud is an enticing alternative"

"The Suzuki's handling scores high marks. It turns and tracks through corners with the agility of a race replica...On the twisting roads of Tenerife, where the SV was launched, it was light and flickable"

He also said there is a hint of vibration through the seat at top speed(125mph) but hey, it's good for your circulation.

I wouldn't be too bothered about vibration at 125mph - concentrating on not hitting anything would be higher up my list of priorities!!

10/03/99 New link added here
09/03/99 Update to requests for information posted to Help Required here
09/03/99 Mark (jeepster1220@hotmail.com) has kindly sent these snippets from the April issue of Motorcyclist magazine...

"I just picked up the newest (April) issue of Motorcyclist magazine and they did a small review of the SV650. I'll give you a couple of quotes the writer had on the bike. Basically, in a test ride, the author (Gregory V.   Mcquide) said

"I flicked Suzuki's new for 99 v-twin SV650 up a tight mountain road and watched its big brother- a TL 1000R - fall farther and farther behind in my mirrors. Where the big bike tiptoed cautiously, the sv650 screamed away at 10,000 rpm and never looked back".

As far as the mirrors go, the author thought they were slightly cheesy looking but well placed and buzz free.

Overall, the magazine review had nothing but good to say about the bike. In another paragraph the author states,

"Midrange is not this v-twin's strong point; cracking the throttle open below 7000 rpm produces usable but less than exciting acceleration. Keep it spinning between 7000 and the 10,500 rpm red-limiter, however, and the SV leaps forward like a rabid terrier, snapping up cars, cruisers, and bits of road like ratty rubber chew toys"

Cool... I'll keep you posted when I pick mine up.

Mark"

Thanks for that Mark.

08/03/99 More requests for information posted to Request & Help here
08/03/99 Jock (jock.addison@dial.pipex.com) has supplied another update...thanks very much! This is the 'real world' information that we all want to know....o

"Hi Kev,

Managed to make the trip (528 miles there and back) on Thursday / Friday - still chipping off the ice!!!!

The bike went well on the Thursday cruising at 80 (ish) into a strong headwind with no problems. I fitted a Scottoiler just before I set off - I couldn't find anywhere decent to put it as I was a bit pushed for time so it has ended up under the pillion seat, if anyone knows a better place to put it (keep it clean!) then let me know.

The trip back on the Friday was a bit of a nightmare as it rained, snowed or hailed for the first 170 odd miles and managed to freeze bits I didn't know I had! The SV had it's first problem with carb-icing (or at least I think it was that - it may have been salt/crap & water in the electric's) after about 100 miles of grief. This wasn't a
problem if you kept it above 3000 rpm but made starting difficult and it would lose a cylinder if you dropped it below that making the slow speed stuff difficult.

The symptoms disappeared once it had dried out / warmed up a bit. The fairing was a godsend as once above 75 it manages to keep the wind off your hands and at least some of the worst of the wet stuff away from the rest of you (feet excluded). The radiator pipe is also a good hand warmer!

Running in is now out of the way and the engine seems to have enough go in it for loads of laughs once things dry out. I have only managed to get out on it a couple of times when it's been dry and it certainly goes round the twisties with no trouble. The finish on the rest of the bike is holding up at the moment although
the road salt and the tank bag have managed to scuff the paintwork (BUM) so I will have to do something about that.

Jock."

08/03/99 Received this email from Nick....take a look at his idea for an underseat exhaust system..I want one, it looks great!!!     (In fact I'd like a bike to put it on first....I'm still waiting...aarrgghh)

"My name is Nick Walther from Holland and just started riding my new motorcycle
Ive stopped riding 6 years ago cose family planning and bought a house, so no room or
finances to keep riding. But now when everything is stabilised, i bought me a SV 650 S
in the color blue, i really like the looks of and and it drives great.
I'm still breaking it in and have about 350 kms on the clock, due to bad weather i'm not riding as much as i would.

I'm thinking of some small modifications on the bike, like a race muffler (hope i don't get trouble with my neighbours), a cover on the duo seat, placing smaller turnlights and removing the grabend.

I would like to ask if anyone knows if there exist a muffler for under the seat (Ducati like)
cose i would like that really much, if it is technicaly possible of course.

A digital design I've made will i send with this mail, hope you like it, but i will understand that some people
hate it

Please forgive me for the bad grammar and spelling, my english isn't that much.
Great site, keep on doing the good work and i will send you some photo's when I've made some.
Nice to see other SV owners over the world who enjoy this great machine."

See that design here (177K)!!

04/03/99 Can anyone answer Stians questions about removing the fairing from an Norwegian S model? See the requests page for further details.
04/03/99 SV650S spares prices (pounds sterling) figures taken from MotorCycle News, 24 February 1999:

 

FUEL TANK:

LOWER FAIRING (right hand):

FRONT INDICATOR (right hand):

FRONT BRAKE LEVER:

MIROR (right hand):

SILENCER:

£237.09

£92.94

£24.71

£30.34

£41.21

£543.26

04/03/99 SV650S performance figures taken from MotorCycle News, 24 February 1999:

 

TOP SPEED:

STANDING 1/4 MILE:

FUEL CONSUMPTION - AVERAGE:

FUEL CONSUMPTION - BEST:

FUEL CONSUMPTION - RIDDEN HARD:

TANK RANGE:

125mph

13.2s @ 109mph

38mpg

44mpg

32mpg

133miles

04/03/99 Can anyone answer Dwaynes questions about importing from Canada into the USA and valve adjustment periods? See the requests page for more info.
01/03/99 Two new links to riders homepages have been added here.
23/02/99 Jock is keeping the updates coming as he puts on the miles. Has anyone else experienced these problems yet? Let us know.....

"Just thought I would let you have my latest findings:

The MEZ4's are completely useless when cold! I have dropped 3psi out of the front tyre in the hope that the extra movement would generate extra heat and it has helped a bit but you have to be VERY careful with them until they are warm as they don't give much feedback. I will probably change the front for a MEZ3 shortly (unless the weather improves!) as the 4 is more a sports touring tyre than a sports and I don't think the SV has enough weight to work it hard when the ambient temp is low. The back is fine as it does manage to get some heat during normal running.

The general finish is fine but a couple of areas are suffering on mine:

The starter motor case,
the rear wheel adjustment plates.

The finish on these is very thin and seems to disappear in about 30 secs! I have covered them in grease for now but will look around for a better solution.

The engine is just getting better and better as the miles add up and the gearchange problems have almost gone altogether, this only happens now when the engine is hot (i.e. if you have to wait at roadwork's etc.) and as soon as it is back to normal it is fine.

I am planning on doing a 600 mile trip next Thursday so I'll let you know how it goes (that should finish off the running in - HOOORAAAAAAAY!!!!) and how comfy it is over longish trips.

Cheers"

22/02/99 NOTICE TO ALL  --   My ISP has moved this web space to a "Resource Limited Server" as it is now serving more than 25Mb per day. What this means in practice is that you may see a degredation of response times. Demon Internet quote:

"It is necessary for the site to generate less than 25Mbytes of data transfer to non-Demon hosts every day during the last 7 days of a calendar month. If your site was moved during the last 7 days of this month, then next month will be used for this calculation. When your usage does drop in this way, your site will be automatically moved back on the first day of the next month".

I do not pay for dedicated web space with Demon and can not offord to do so. I will try to resolve this situation and will keep you updated.

I also plan to redesign the web when I have some spare time so that it appears more professional and slightly less "home-brew" (which it is!!). If you have any ideas or suggestions for the revised web please let me know.

Thanks,

Kevin.

22/02/99 Thanks to ML (mikaline@netcom.com) for this. Why Suzuki can not  just simply offer the faired model in the USA is still not clear to me....

"I complained to Suzuki that we ain't got the SV650 in California ...
their reply was delay is always occasioned by having to fit California
specified EPA components to the "SV650X"

You may want to include this new designation in your searches

I think they're deliberately confusing the issue because there's been a humongous outcry, "Why can't we have the fairing in the USA"?

They do say "Most Suzuki dealers across the United States have already received the allocated shipments of the SV650X," so the X is not just California, or they're really SNAFU'd.

I think I'll wait a year myself"

22/02/99 Peter (peten@pacpac.com) has supplied more information regarding import of Canadian SV's into the USA:

"Here is some more info that I have been sending out to interested parties:

The bike is great! And there was almost no trouble getting it into the US.
All that is needed is a letter from Suzuki Canada stating that it meets
all DOT and EPA regs, which it does. The letter must state the VIN # of
the particular bike. Just have the dealer pre-arrange it.

The Canadian models are the SV650S, with the fairing, clip-ons, rear-sets,
and remote master cylinder. The paper work allows licensing the bike in
the US but, you will have to pay sales tax when you do. However, there is
no duty on bikes below 700cc!

The bike is very smooth and feels powerful, though I haven't revved it much
yet. It handles great and the seat is very comfortable. I just heard that
one dynoed at 69hp at the rear wheel! I would hurry though, the dealer
said they were already sold out through March.

Best regards"

22/02/99 Thanks to Maarten (maarten@hekkelman.com) for this update on his new bike:

"You asked several questions about the sv650s on your website. Here is some
more info.

- running in period is: stay below 5000rpm for the first 800km then stay
under 8000rpm for the next 800km. First service at 1000km and then each
6000km.

- seat is reasonably comfortable. I've been riding for six hours today and
that was ok. You can change position and that helps a lot.

- The bike is rather small and feels a bit like a toy bike. But it has lots
of power and is very easy to handle. Lots of fun to ride.

- mirrors are large but not very useful since they are too close to the
center of the bike. I cannot see the cars right behind me and that worries
me a bit.

- For now fuel consumption is about 5 litres per 100km. But that's for the
first 650 km so that hardly counts.

- There is no gas valve/gauge/whateveryoucallit. You have to trust the
yellow light that starts flasing when you have 3.5 litres left and stays
lit when there is only 1.5 litre left.

- I've got an alarm build in in the storage compartment. That leaves only
room for the manual (paperback size) and the toolkit. Not much.

- Side stand is no problem, bike won't start when sidestand is out.

- Last remark, the bike really looks gorgeous and has a beautiful sound.
Everyone loves it.



-Maarten"

It's a pity to hear the mirrors are not much use. I'm 6' 1" and have trouble with my CB500S mirrors at the moment, seems like I can expect worse to come.....

22/02/99 Thanks to RRoman111@aol.com for this information:

"Thanks for your site. It helped me quite a bit with my decision to buy an
SV650. I have had mine for about two weeks. It is red and appears to be a
great bike. This is my first real bike and fits my 5'4" frame like a glove. It
handles really well and looks awesome. Haven't gone fast due to break-in
period but I can sense power just waiting to be unleashed. For those
interested this is the break-in schedule for the bike:


Initial 800 km (500 miles) Below 5000 r/min
Up to 1600 km (1000 miles) Below 8000 r/min
Over 1600 km (1000 miles) Below 10500 r/min

Thanks"

18/02/99 Request for information posted to Request & Help here
17/02/99 I have a new email account, please use sv650@hotmail.com in future - thanks.
17/02/99 Request for information posted to Request & Help here
17/02/99 Here's a few comments from readers giving initial reactions and other information.

Thanks to 'Jock' for this...

" I hope your dealer manages to get hold of one for you soon, it drove me
up the wall waiting for mine! Definately worth the wait though.

I have only managed to clock up a hundred or so miles since I picked it up - skidding
around on snow and ice is not the best of ideas on a new bike with shiney
tyres! The standard Mez's don't seem to pick up any heat in this weather so
it's taking a long time to take the edge of them.

The bike starts fine in cold weather and doesn't seem to ice the carbs (seems to be a normal first recall job to fit heaters on most new designs of bike!) but the firing
protection seems fairly minimal.

If you do manage to get the tyres even slightly warm then you can certainly
chuck it around with no problems (it's not too happy pottering about around
bends - it certainly feels much better if you power through them) and is
very stable even in quite strong cross-winds.

I'll let you know more after I have managed to bed it in a bit.

Regards".


Thanks to 'Maarten' for this...

"Picked up my SV650S today, and I must say this bike is awesome. Great
handling, good engine (with the nice V-Twin sound, but not very loud),
wonderful.

Cannot push it too far yet since for the first 600 km I've got to stay
under 5000rpm. But I can already feel the promise of lots of power.

Great brakes.

Cons: mirrors (can't see behind me), sometimes a problem to get it into 1st
gear from neutral".

15/02/99 It seems that quite a few of you are now taking delivery of your new machines (even if in the UK they won't be registered until March 1st).

An email describing what you think of the bike after spending your hard earned cash would be welcomed. Does it meet your expectations? Does it meet other peoples? What about those 'little' things that matter i.e. do the mirrors work, is the side-stand easy to use, could you fit more than a box of matches in the storage compartment? You know the sorts of things......

Also, what's the official line with regard to running-in period (& max revs) and service intervals?

Thanks

NB..All emails received will be liable for posting on this page unless specifically stated otherwise.

15/02/99 New link to SV650 registry located here. This could be a useful source of contacts and data if enough people record their details. I've not used this facility before although it appears to be free for the SV650. So far there's only one entry recorded.
10/02/99 New images located at page START here
10/02/99 SUPERBIKE (MARCH issue) magazine.

The reviews are coming thick and fast now. The main points from the Superbike review are posted below:

".......But let's introduce something that isn't awful: Suzuki's little SV650. Its a bang-up-for-it toylike middleweight which (like it's Bandit cousin) makes more sense in its naked guides than with a fairing. This is because Suzuki have stuck an extra tooth on the rear sprocket of the nudie version so the bike feels more alert and alive everywhere across it's 9,500prm rev range, and although the spex say the half-dress version only carries 4kg more, it feels a good deal greater than that".

"Handling on the SV is excellent for a budget superbike (superbike??), very freindly and forgiving with no surprises anywhere".

"It's dead stable on the lean and you can scrape the pegs away through the Metzeler MEZ4 tyres with absolute confidence".

Of the suspension...."Front and rear are competely unadjustable save for rear preload, which is a bit of a swine since the forks (under heavy braking and - probably - track action) are pretty soft, although the trade-off for this is that it takes a bump the size of Mt Vesuvius to upset the steering midlean".

Riding the twisty roads of Tenerife....."showed the SV650S up to be really neutral and where you needed to just chuck it in that extra 5 degree's to make the turn, she'd do it. This is an inherently good trait for a bike which will - after all - be bought and ridden by birds and newcomers in equal measure".

Of the engine...."Suzuki have achieved an excellent balance between lumpy V-twin throttle response and overrev, so while the SV is most happy lugging things around between 5-7000rpm it'll also keep spinning all the way to the top if you're in hurtle mode. You can pop her down three through the gearbox and really make it howl or hold a gear for longer through a corner. Useable, useable. As with the chassis, so with the motor".

In conclusion...."...and certainly the Monster 600 - which is the SV's immediate competitor - is dead in the water next to the Suzuki. Although having said that, it is a Ducati and you can never underestimate the power of Italian Lust over prospective buyers. The SV is ever such a friendly bike which will be a huge part of its appeal with the people who are its intended market.

With a top speed of around 130mph it's also got enough performance for those very same riders when they start winding it on. Cheap, good looking, loadsa colour schemes and faired or maked versions. So long as you're not expecting a smaller version of the firey TL1000S, you can't go too wrong. Go for the naked version and work on your wheelies, that's my advice".

The article also confirmed that Suzuki have a one make race series for the SV650S running in France and Italy for 1999.

09/02/99 'Rob' is the first I've heard of in the UK to get hold of an SV:

"I had my SV650S delivered on Friday (5th), another yellow one.
It's not legal until 1st March, so it's stuck in my garage for now :("

I wish!

08/02/99 Thanks to 'Bill' for this snippet - I'm not up on mechanics so I'm not going to argue..

"You quoted the following from BIKER magazine, February 1999:
"The 90 degree V-twin engine is small enough to run smoothly without a balance shaft, enabling Suzuki to keep the engine light and compact. It also means no horsepower loss to a balance shaft".

May I submit that the SV650 should run smoothly because a 90-degree V-twin with a single crank pin exhibits perfect primary balance. There would be no need for balance shafts in this design. Look at the TL1000, the Honda Superhawk and the Ducatis.

I'm enjoying your web site for the SV650 and I'm looking forward to seeing
one at the dealers".

So am I Bill.

08/02/99 Thanks to 'Peter Neilson' for the information posted in the Request & Help section here - is Peter the first to get hold of an SV?
08/02/99 Thanks to 'Mark', 'Robert' and 'Mani' for the link to the 2WF review here (although why is the bike called a SV650X - anyone know?)
08/02/99 Thanks to 'S E Young' for the link to exhaust and end can info here
04/02/99 New section added for Request & Help here
03/02/99 New images located at page end here
03/02/99 BIKER (FEB issue) magazine.

I spotted this 4 page review in the UK 'Biker' magazine. The article was quite technical and talked on engine and frame specifications but it also had comments worth mentioning below. The main points and quotes from the article, are:

"The 90 degree V-twin engine is small enough to run smoothly without a balance shaft, enabling Suzuki to keep the engine light and compact. It also means no horsepower loss to a balance shaft".

"The engine is too small to provide that thumping V-twin feel, it's more of a buzz than a series of big bangs. there is no vibration to speak of".

With regard to the gearbox the tester had written in his notes "just one word - sweet".

Riding position - "The S, or sport model, has a sportier feel when first climbing aboard. The riding position is halfway between sportsbike and standard, with clip-on bars just like any modern sports bike but with footpegs set in a more conservative 'standard' position. The result is a good balance between sporty and comfortable, with enough weight on the bars to feel what's going on at the front end without folding the rider into a crouch. The half fairing provides a surprising degree of protection from wind-blast".

While the article stated that the bars on the unfaired model have a "classic curve, much like an old UK spec Bonneville" and provided extra leverage around the twisty Tenerife roads the S model "feels just that little bit more secure at the front, especially when hard on the brakes downhill".

Commenting on the SV650 the tester rider claims "My last ride, on the unfaired model, was a 50 mile up and down a very tight hair-pin strewn mountain road. By the time I had ridden up and down the road I had a grin so wide it barely fitted inside my Suomi helmet".

The test rider also claimed that only one other test rider at the launch complained of brake fade during the test but that "even after reapeated downhill runs where the brakes worked hard they didn't let me down for a minute".

Comments regarding the overall finish were encouraging -  "the finished article is very pleasing to the eye, in any of the four colourways we were shown - black, red, blue or yellow. The bike looks compact but stylish, it also looks well put together   - it doesn't have a budget feel about it that afflicts some other 'budget' bikes.

To sum up - "The SV is the correct displacement, the right physical size and looks just right for the market it's aimed at. It's no hyper-sprts-bike but who needs it when they have limited 'flying' time under their belt? Instead it provides usable performance combined with user-freindly handling".

"It would be unfair to look at it as merely a stepping stone to better things, a transitional stage in a riders career. Many riders might find they enjoy the bike so much that they won't feel the need to make that step up to a bigger bike".

"I think Suzuki are onto a winner; the March registration figures will confirm this".

21/01/99 RiDE (FEB issue) magazine.

RiDE this months gives over 5 pages to the lanch of the SV. The main points and quotes from the article, are:

The engine is "whisper-quiet without a hint of the famous V-twin boom to be found in the outpourings of Italian equivalents". This is a pity, hopefully some after market end cans and systems may appear on the market. I read last week that Suzuki Italy are preparing a race version of the 650S - interesting.

The power delivery is "more of a purr than a growl, but aside from some very low-speed lumpiness, it revs cleanly right through to the redline - not bad for a carburated V-twin".

The power starts at 4000rpm, kicks in at 6000rpm and carries on until 11,500rpm. You don't have to cane the bike to get the best from it. "There's enough midrange to cruise happily and it seldon needs more than a single downchange for brisk overtaking". Top speed is 125mph and it will cruise at 90mph. "The SV650 doesn't ride a massive torque wave like the TL1000S but it's no puny weakling either".

The chassis is good enough to leave a Bandit for dead down a twisty road and the alloy frame is "beautifully made".

Again, comments are made about the very good handling and the ease of cornering. Ground clearance is good with nothing touching down, even around the twisty Tenerife roads.

Brakes. The brakes "may look basic but work well, pulling the bike up pretty sharpish and without fuss. There isn't tons of feel but at this price you can't have everything"

The SV650S's steering lock "makes U-turns a minor nightmare, especially as sub-2000rpm the power delivery is lumpy".

When a pillion is carried the handling "goes to pot".

"Finish isn't bad for a budget bike. The exhaust is stainless steel, most of the chassis is alloy and only some cheap-looking fasteners and a rough finish on the inside of the fairing let it down". On the question of the unprotected engine it was said that although most of the cooling pipes had been hidden within the engine casing there were still bits of wiring dangling in the way of flying crud. I'm sure there was dangling wiring from the starter motor on the bike they had to sit on at the NEC bike show last November.

VERDICT: "Excellent budget performance. Let's hope the finish will survive winter".

20/01/99 New link added - see below
15/01/99 Another new image here
15/01/99 One more new image here
13/01/99 New images here
12/01/99 BIKE (FEB issue) magazine.

A 4 page review (2 pages of photo's) of the SV performed at the bike launch in Tenerife last month. BIKE rate the SV highly and give an overall summing up as, "plus points for braking, weight and looks (faired)", while assigning minus points for "power and looks (unfaired)".

It is strange that BIKE say the brakes are "excellent for a bike of this type, too. They are plenty powerful without an initial bite that could catch out a novice or panic braker. These are the brakes I reckon Honda were aiming for with the Hornet, but missed. Use them hard and the back will skip into corners as the v-twin engine braking unsettles the rear, but otherwise it's as composed as the Hornet". Compare this with the slating the brakes got by the test rider of MCN - odd.

The SV stands for Suzuki Vee whereas TL, as in TL1000, stands for Suzuki L-shape v-twin (or so they say).

The articles does state that the SV will not be in the same power league as the in-line fours but then again it is 30kg lighter than a Bandit so the power comparisons don't reveal all at first glance. Keep the engine in the 8000 - 9000rpm range and apparently it makes decent progress but "would not satisfy a craving for arm-stretching surge". Praise was directed towards the way the SV pulls strongly from low in the rev range, making relaxed riding easy.

Cornering is a doddle and all articles I have read so far agree that the handling is very good with the unfaired model being slightly better at tipping in and accelerating slighty faster due to an extra tooth on the rear sprocket.

Suzuki wil be introducing an initial batch of 180 bikes in the UK, many of which were ordered at the NEC show in November 1998 so getting hold of an early bike may prove difficult (guess who's going to call his friendly dealer in the morning?? I placed an order before Christmas but wouldn't be surprised if I have to wait - not too long I hope).

In summary the bikes cost £4274 (unfaired) and £4574 (faired), they weigh in at 164kg and 169kg and push out 70bhp @ 9000rpm, equalling torque of 45lb-ft @ 7400rpm.

Kevin.

05/01/99 FASTBIKES magazine

"The redline`s marked at 13,000rpm but no chance of getting there as the limiter cuts in at 11,500rpm. Major service intervals every 15,000 miles, Insurance in the CB500 bracket and a unique bike thats fun to ride, easy to use and incredibly competently built". Thanks to Nelly for this info.

30/12/98 Motor Cycle News

MCN featured the first road test of the SV650/S and the main points reported by them were:

  • Engine = 3 out of 5
  • Handling = 4 out of 5
  • Braking = 3 out of 5
  • Rider Comfort = 4 out of 5
  • Pillion Comfort = 4 out of 5
  • Value = 4 out of 5

The report concluded that the handling was very good but that the engine lacked power and the brakes were lacking. In my experience MCN reporting leaves a lot to be desired and often I find that they will review a bike at one point in time and then later on report about it with almost completely differing views.

I await test reports from BIKE and RIDE magazines for a more balanced review.


Visit these sites for other SV650 related information:
http://www.suzuki.is/1999/images/sv650pictures.htm
http://chappell.ca/sv650 Rob Chappells slick site

http://userdata.acd.net/stratten/sv650.html

The Stratten site

http://surf.to/cycleholics                                                               

(SV racing)

http://www.micapeak.com/reg/bikes/SV650/                                     

(SV650 registry)

http://www.2wf.com/html/bikes/latesttest/SV650/sv650.shtml             
http://www.twobros.com/sv650/sv650.html                                      

(Exhaust & end cans)

http://userdata.acd.net/stratten/sv650.html                                         
http://www.jsb.co.jp/suzuki/99munich/SV650SX/
http://www.suzukicycles.com/sr_99/sportstreet/crsv650.htm
http://www.suzuki.is/1999/sv650.htm


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