AUGUST 1999

COMMENTS AND INFO

I am one of the lucky people who lives within commuting distance to M&P accessories in South Wales, today I paid them a visit. While I wanted a slip on Carbon Fibre race can ( we all love the noise !!), none was available from stock other than a high level MIG ( with corresponding High Price ). I didnt buy one !

I did however buy a powerbronze Bellypan and Hugger in yellow (about £50.00 each), the colour match is not perfect but it is close enough to look good.

The bargain has to be the Novo Mini Max screen in a dark tint which sets the naked bike off very well and gives it a mean streetfighter stance and look at about £25.00.

I'm sorry the pics are taken in my garage in the dark, I will take some on location soon but I'm sure the site regulars will appreciate an early showing.

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Keep up the good work (OK, I will.....after the 6th September!)

Please excuse my typing as I have only just leant to type with one finger. (so have I...)

Splashed out on a new zorst at the weekend, ads about 10 mph to the top end but not only that it lifts the front wheel in the first 3 gears. My son was so impressed he went out and and did the same to his SV.  He has the one with the fairing.

The end can is made by Scorpion, it fits well and sounds like a Ducati, the neighbours love it// (I bet they do..)

If you get a 1 inch drill and weld a foot of half inch rod on it and pass that down the standard pipe you can get much the same efect + you get to keep £100 in your back pocket. But the Scopion is a lot lighter and has a nice sticker on it [worth every penny].   Also you get a piece of pipe which allows you to fit your standard pipe back on for the yearly test.

congratulations for this nice site. (thanks) Did you know that here in Italy there's a SV650S trophy ? Here's the link:

http://www.motocorse.com/calendari/suzuki99.html

Sorry but it's in italian, ask me if you want some translation. (I just look at the pictures anyway!!)

Here is an address for a company that makes some accessories for the SV. Thought you might be interested.

http://www.freestylemotodesign.com/

They offer: Under Tail & Hugger, Lower Fairing, Full Kit

Here finally is a picture of my custom made cans. Not attached but if you want too see them go to http://www.swona.dabsol.co.uk my bike is the only sv650s with such unusual pipes, if you want more info email me.

You don't know me, but I have been lurking around your page for a while, researching, because I wanted to buy a bike. I was between a Bandit, a SV650S, and others. After hours of searching, I finally found a decent page, where people spoke, if not the truth, what they wanted to. (I hope so..)

Anyway, I loved it, and believe it or not, it helped me a lot to make my decision. That's the reason I'm writing. I would like to tell you all that I just got my baby today! And it is Beautiful. Now I'm waiting anxiously for tomorrow to go out for a ride, to be able to share with you all, what you all already know. Once again, great page, thank you,
and keep the good work up.

If anyone has any tricks or tips that I should know about, before I start, please e-mail me, thanks. Muaahahahahahahahhaaahahaa! SV650s.....hehe, I'm dribbling... : )

PS: I'm originally from Brazil, but have recently moved to the UK, and I'm now living in the Leamington Spa area. I hope to cross your paths someday : ) See you around...

I've just picked up a black 2000 model SV650SY, Its got the new dark grey/black wheels which look quite cool.

I've done 250 miles in two days and have a few gripes about the bike.

Firstly the seat is too hard, after about 50 miles your bum goes numb and also I've got false neutrals changing gear at least five times which is a problem as I've been running it at 5,000rpm for the first 500 miles and it revs out to 10,000rpm when it hits the false neutral. Is this a common problem or is it still running in? I do 10,000 miles a year and have never experienced this on my Honda Bros (yeah...but that *is* a Honda...).

I first thought the seat was too hard but now don't have a problem even on long trips. By the time I want to get off I need petrol anyway.

The false neutrals are common and will disappear after the running in period is over....mine did as did most others.

Enough moaning, have to say the styling in black is quite special and the noise just like a Ducati (ok not quite), I've taken the ugly heavy grab rail but now have two holes to collect water. Anyway enjoy and thanks for all the comments on aftermarket products, now where's that credit card! When you find it please give me the number ;- )

I have just passed my test, and prior to yesterday I was firmly set on a used CBR600. However while out and about a Suzuki dealer had the SV650s in and am absolutely smitten by its looks - this is the first time I've seen one 'in the flesh' as my local dealer doesn't have a demo bike in. Also the price at £4.5k seems keen and is just about within my price range.

The recent review in 'RIDE' was positive but rated the Fazer (which in my opinion should be given the award for ugliest bike) much higher. There were comments that the power at 69bhp was just not enough, although the power delivery and torque makes up for it?

How does the SV compare with other similar bikes for ordinary mortals like me, and not some nutter road tester.

Is reliabilty good? Yes, so far it's not been recalled (every other new bike seems to have been!!), there were some questions raised about engine noise and a 'thump' heard in the front when you hit road holes etc. Also a couple I know of have leaked water or oil. Usuall teething troubles for a new model and nothing major.

Is the 'box slick? As long as your chain adjustments are done it's good I'd say.

Is it comfy for 2-up? I don't know but others reckon it's not bad if the pillion is pretty light, once they weigh heavy then the handling starts to go and you need to give it more stick.

Does anyone know of a dealer in the UK doing reasonable deals? Not me...if you do please let Simon know..

Also, is a lower half fairing available in the UK? This is the only part of the bike that could, as far as I'm concerned, be improved.  See posting on 12/08/99 from Nick.

All comments (biased or otherwise) greatly appreciated.

My name is Tom and I actually own a CBR600F4. I really am considering selling it for one of these 650 V-twins. I like the TL1000S but am only 5'5" with a 30" inseam which makes the TL too much of a stretch. Heck; even my F4 is a reach and it sits an inch lower.

I'm not a beginner, I've been to a few track schools and have owned numerous bikes; from YSR50 to 5 FZR1000's, 4 ZX900 A(Ninja 900) a few FZR and CBR600, even a GSF400 Bandit and quite a few more.. So my dilema..

I love to do wheelies and I know that V-twins are alot of fun. I've just never owned one. I know all about the more torque means less shifting, easier to ride,blah blah blah... My REAL question is will it still impress me? Does it have enough "oomph?" and I do love bikes  with fairings so that is a big deal to me. Image ain't everything but it accounts for more than 1/4 of my desire to keep something.

So if you raced a few types of motorcycles does an SV650 have "balls" or does it wimp out quickly. Does it have a top end kick associated with its low end wallop?

Living in the U.S. there are no SV's available at the moment and I'm having a hard time locating a street fairing kit. I even work at a Suzuki Dealership and haven't found one ( but I just started looking today).

Sport Rider magazine conducted a test of 12 full exhaust systems in the October 99 issue. All systems were conducted using a fuel-injected GSX-R750 as the test mule. The tests measured noise (three measurements), peak power, and 40 - 130 mph roll on times. Weight was also measured, but due to the variance of materials (from titanium to mild steel), I don't think the results are terribly interesting (is a Two Brothers Racing mild steel system any different in power characteristics from a TBR stainless steel system?).

Anyway, here are the contestants: Akrapovic (SS header, Ti canister), Arrow (SS header, carbon fiber canister), Hindle (SS header, carbon fiber race canister), Kerker (SS header, carbon fiber canister), Leo Vinci (Indigo: SS header, Ti canister), M4 (SS header, aluminum canister), Micron (SS header, carbon fiber canister), Muzzy (Ti header, carbon fiber race canister), Sudco (SS header, aluminum canister), Two Brothers Racing (Chromed steel header, carbon fiber canister), Vance & Hines (SS2-R: Chromed steel header, aluminum canister), Yoshimura (SS header, Ti canister (tri-oval rather than RS-3)).

... and the results ...

Whether any of this is germaine to the SV650 is debatable, but there you have it anyway.

Thanks very much for this detailed information. As with the whole site, the data is here and it's up to the individual to make of it what they will.

I'm going to buy an SV650S (yellow), and I'm already planning some changes.

I don't like too much the tail section, and I would like to remove the passenger seat & handle and have a tail like the one used on GSXRs. Do you have any info about where to get such a special part ?

See below for information on rear seat cowls and panels.

I would like to have some more power also, and maybe changing the silencer into a better one can be a first step. Did anyone of you try a different silencer than the stock one ?

Yeah....quite a few...read down through the messages, look in the archives section and on the Message Forum and you'll find comments and suggestions.

Thanx and congratulations for the great & useful site!

You should get a commision fro Suzuki.

I wish....if anyone can arrange this don't let me stop you!!

I first saw the SV when I went to buy a Honda Nighthawk. I was interested in it enough to research it on the internet and by the time I had read your first page I was ready to buy it. Now 2 months and 2,000 miles later I am very happy with it.

I just made a small modification to my SV650x that produced a desirable result.I changed the front sprocket from 15 teeth to 14 teeth. While this bike was always quick, it is now quick enough to wheelie with only a quick turn of the throttle. No clutching or pulling needed. Top end has not been effected as it wouldn't pull to the red line anyway and highway rpm's are still reasonable.

The sprocket cost about 35 U.S. dollars and is easy to change, but you will need a 32MM sockett.

Thanks for your time and effort in making this a great site for all of us. No problems....

I would like to commend you on your website. I am due to pick up my SV 650 tomorrow and am anxious to take it for a spin here in the Texas Hill Country. I was fortunate enough to take a trip through the Alps with Beach's Motorcycle Tours recently and saw the usual assortment of sportbikes, tons of Ducatis and even several Harley's. The SV 650 was pointed out to me and I heard good things about it, particularly its handling abilities on the Alpine roads. Since then I have heard consistent praise about it and am looking forward to riding. Of course here in the US we only get the unfaired version and will anxiously return to this site to see what modifications may work for me. Anyway this is the most informative and helpful bike site I have come across. Thanks!

After a lot of thinking i have to sell my suzuki sv650s, this is due to a large mortgage and having 2 very expensive kids!!!...i was wordering if you would be kind enough to add the bike sell to your homepage??...

i am looking to sell the bike for £3,999...it has had its first service and at pressent has 2100 miles on the clock...it has been fitted with a full high level M4 exhaust system and has also been dyno jetted...i have also fitted a tinted flip screen within the last few weeks...if any body is interested they can view the bike on my homepage:-

http://www.btinternet.com/~andy.southard

i can also be emailed at:- andy.southard@talk21.com

i live in exminster in devon (UK) so if anybody is local or would like a trip down to devon to view the bike they are more than welcome...

After looking at many bikes ( especially the Ducati Monster 600 ), I have decided to get the Suzuki SV650s. Every review I have read about the Sazook makes it sound like this bike was made for me. I have been waiting ages for a decent Jap V-Twin café racer styled bike to be made. I once had a Honda GB500 (CB500?) that I enjoyed ridding, but it just didn’t have the power.

It’s going to be two months before I get one :-( , but I can’t wait for the day I pick it up. I sometimes go down to the Suzuki shop to drool.

In anticipation of having one I’ve already added a SV650 section to my web site with some high-resolution pictures and links to six SV650 reviews.

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~spankme/

Well its good news for all you UK owners isn't it!!!!! you get the full bloody range of the sv series unlike any where else in the world and now to top it off the first cowl design originates in the UK TOO!!!!!

In my never ending quest for info on this incredibly sexy bike I stumbled across another sv650 forum...i wont publish the name...but e-mail me if you like.

Iain......what's the URL...I want to look never mind everyone else!!!

Anyhow heres the pics 'borrowed' from said page and the developers web-address. In my opinion its an ok looking cowl..nothing like the TL's so I hope others are made. In the meantime. ENJOY!

Cowl made by Pyramid Plastics ?

The Fenda Extenda is from Pyramid Plastics (£13.99 if I remember rightly) and is fitted using double sided tape a two self tapping screws. As self tappers usually rust and look horrible I bought some stainless nuts and bolts (M2 size I think) and used them instead.

I know I asked the question about the seat cowl but Pyramid Plastics say they will make one but have no details yet - priced around 60 UK pounds.

In answer to Carolyns question posted on the 18th, Ermax make a range of "Tail tidy" panels that replace the area she is talking about. I rang M & P who sell them (£55) but they do not have one for the SV650 yet - too new. Maybe if they have lots of enqueries they will make one soon.

Kevin, I believe you said you had fitted a double bubble screen to your bike, does this reduce turbulance or do you know if a normal screen with a "flip" is better? I am only 5'6" but at 85/90 mph I am severly buffeted from the shoulders up. It is very off-putting and I miss the big fairing of my Daytona. As I do more than half of my daily journey at those speeds any help would be appreciated.

I did fit a double-bubble screen, you can see it here...front and back. Overall I am a little disappointed it wasn't taller. At lower speeds it's actually worse than the standard offering for me because I now get an air blast straight at my throat area (I didn't before) but at higher speeds over 65-70mph it does reduce the turbulance if i tuck down a little. I think you may have more success than me being less tall. The screen was easy to fit (had to fiddle a little with four rubber gromets which fit into the fairing and house the thread for the screws to locate into).

The September issue of MotorCyclist magazine has an article about the 2000 Kawasaki ZR-7, a naked, more upright-sitting version of their sport bikes. Sound a bit familiar? It did to the author of the article, who said it is "clearly inspired by the success of models like Suzuki's SV650..."

Well, as they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The thing looks nearly identical to the SV650 (unfaired, of course) except where it counts: the engine and its frame.

No aluminum truss, no loping V-twin (bland inline 4 instead)... in short, no character. And it's a bit heavier than our beloved SV.

The SV650 has been quite a sales phenomena in the U.S., and other manufacturers are now trying to follow its lead. While the non-U.S. SV650S is most like a smaller TL1000S, the SV650 here is forging a new category of motorcycles, the "standard-sport." So add this title to the growing list of the its accolades: pioneer.

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Okay, just a couple of comments;
1. The idea to increase the idle by a couple hundred RPM, in my opinion, was brilliant. My whole ride is smoother, rolling on the throttle while coming out of corners is ever so smooth, and I no longer experience the low range surge to the degree that I was previously. I set my idle at 1400 RPM on a WARM bike.

2. I removed the tube from my airfilter and noticed an immediate improvement in throttle response and yes, the bike even sounds cooler. Good Idea!

3. Last, but definitely not least, I just rolled in from a 140MPH run!!! (Is there a 140MPH SV club yet?)

Now I know there is some controversy as to the accuracy of the speedometer on these bikes, but I was pulled over last month for doing 70 MHP in a 40MPH zone. My speedo showed exactly 70 when the cop hit me with Radar, he showed me the gun during the stop and It showed exactly 70... So the big question is; Is the speedo accurate all the way through the range? It took a while to get up too that speed and I will admit I was headed slightly downhill, but my god is that f!*#ing fast or what?!

Here is the final (hopefully) mail regarding the cosmetic bits to my bike.

The Belly Pan has arrived !!! at last. It is made from ABS with carbon effect and looks great. It is attached to the bike with four metal brackets that are each different lengths with a nut set in one end and a hole in the other. The brackets are painted black and look better than the hugger bracket. The four brackets are attached to the engine by removing existing bolts and then bolting the brackets on - the exact bolts are shown in drawings sent with the Belly Pan. The belly pan is then assembled with
a "front grill" that faces the wheel - more about that later. Then simply bolt the belly pan to the brackets through the rubber grommets and that's it!

I think it looks really good, it makes the bike look more aggressive and looses the empty area at the front of the bike.

The grill sent with mine was the wrong one and the replacement looks terrible. The top edge is flat and about an inch below the exhaust, I think it should be much taller and be cut out around the exhaust. I have asked Powerbronze to send me a bit of the ABS material so that I can make my own grill.

Following on to the questions about the Winter especially the points about the wet getting into the front plug. - I have now fitted the belly pan and a front fenda extenda and combined they reduce the area that water is thrown into by a huge amount. By this I mean if you put a ruler against the front tyre and the standard mudguard water can be thrown up from the ground to that "line". With the two parts fitted above the ruler line is much lower down (water not thrown as high) and the belly pan protects the bottom of the engine - oil filter, starter (is that silver cylinder the starter?) and higher. If I add a small piece of rubber (old inner tube) hanging down from  the front fenda extenda 2 - 3 ", I believe I will completely eliminate the throw from the front wheel. This may not look "cool" but as I ride 400 miles a week in all weathers it will hopefully keep the engine looking good and avoid water problems with the front cylinder.

Kevin - what 'extenda' did you use? Where did you get it and do you have to drill the existing mudguard to fit it?

I have contacted the UK distributor for the Two Brothers slip on cans and was alarmed at their prices. In the States one of the options is $399.98 and the UK distributor wants £689 !!!! A rough exchange rate (1.6 $ to the £) is about £250!! I know there are shipping costs and profits to be made but they should buy in the parts at less than the $399.98 so is this correct or a complete rip off? - beware. Trouble is the high level slip on looks really cool, I fancy the high level oval carbon can.

Has anyone fitted a cowl instead of the rear seat? Is it flat or pointed ? and where and how much is it? (Mark below asks the same questions....)

I just came back from my first race in Colorado (MRA) with the SV650 in the Supertwins GTU class, which is made up of Hawks, Buells, 900SS, 944s, 750 Ducs,
EX500 etc.

The race was in the beautiful (and tight) Pikes Peak International Raceway facility and the SV650 had it's first registered win in Colorado.
Here are some info on the bike:

M4, Dynojet kit, GSXR600 rear shock, racetech front end, Torco 10W40 racing oil (silky motor - mid range), Michelin Pilots (170/60 fits great - no offrounded edges), EBC HH pads.

Bike runs great but still has a rich top-end (130 main jets). Anybody out there with high altitude jetting knowledge regarding needle and main jet size. How many
miles can you go after the fuel light is on solid?

I have a red SV650S with 750 miles on it now. At it's first service I got a new end can, G-Force, braided hoses and the best mod of all, 20cc extra
fork oil in each fork. The handling is now even more brilliant. The dealer didn't even charge for that bit. Their mechanic who sets up the bikes for
racing checked it, he took it for a ride, put in 10ccs and then out again and another 10 and reckons that is about optimum without spending mega
bucks. The exhaust is loud, but awesome. In hindsight the hoses were probably over the top, but thats what it is all about.

Hey,i looked at the back of my lovelly yello sv650s the other day, and decided, that great mutha of a mud guard sort of spoils the great curvy lines of an otherwise beutifall bike,dont you think?,its really where the indicators stick out so far, i tripped over a pedestrian yesterday,not really,but does anyone know of a different arrangment around?, its probably such a minor detail for some but what a difference it would make.

What else,oh yeh,im getting an M4 pipe on thursday if the boats not late,Team Jays Racing 01543 277998 are the middle men for me.

My last bike was a cagiva Mito which compared to the Sv the little Mito had a lot more feel through the turns, in a way it felt more alive,if a little testing on my nerves, soaking up bumps were not its strong point unlike the Sv,oh yeh, and it had no power,to qoute Martin Child...seven speeds of slow.....

So i really enjoy the Sv's handling but compared to an out and out road racing set up like the mito or a gsxr it feels to me a bit soft and lacking in feel but i'm only comparing the Sv's handling to these sort of bikes because its right up there with them, but can anyone tell me any stories of Sv verses super sports track action because i'm interested in the Sv's corner speed against bikes like R6's and the rest.

I'm not sure where you're located (in the UK?) but BIKE magazine or doing a feature on handling between the R6 , SV and RSV250 next month.

Also,ive noticed my front tyre has less space left that is untouched,where as my rear tyre has a noticable amount that hasnt touched the road yet,(wearing unevenly) is this normal my friends?

i better add that most of my low angle leaning has been done on the same streches of road near my home.

Ive had the little beuty for 2 months (2000 miles) now ,its given me zero problems so far ,but i have noticed that misfire that someone else mentioned before ,it usually happens just after deaceleration,hasnt happened in a while so maybe its ok after major running in.

So if anyone can help with the rear indicator setup i mentioned I'd be really greatfull.

Ok then ,thanks alot,its a great site Keven keep it going,keep your eyes open .. (oh...OK, i will...)

Do you know of any cowl available to cover or replace the passenger seat on the SV650?

No but if anyone else does my usual plea still stands i.e. let me know!!

Greetings from sunny South-Africa, home of some of the world's best biking blacktop and weather.

Just spent a very productive couple of hours (my boss would disagree) perusing your truly excellent site. It's probably the most informative bike site I've been to in a long while - the international forum is a great idea.

I've been looking at a new medium sized V-twin bike and have almost made up my mind to get the SV650S. I just need to arrange a test-ride with a dealer sometime...

It seems to have everything I want in a do-it-all bike: good looks, good power and torque, narrow and light (for whitelining), and of course that V-twin powerplant..

You might be interested to know that I'm gonna sell my current GSXR750 (rebored to 900 with flowed head, degreed cams etc.) to buy the SV, before I kill myself. I've eventually realised I got to buy a bike to suit my lifestyle and not change my lifestyle to suit the bike..

Luckily the SV650S is freely available here in SA (seems the locals haven't cottoned on to it yet), and lists for about R45000 or about BP4600 (British pounds - I don't have a pound sign on my keyboard, hehe)

Please keep up the good work on the site.

Thanks for the comments and information....I'll try...

Can someone help me to get information about the Susuki SV650S ROCKET that is shown in the pictures.

Bart, have you tried calling/emailing them? If anyone else can help dig up some information such as availability, price and fitting then please do so and let me know.

Angela from Berks.

What a great idea this site is. I'll be logging in regularly.

I'm having a fantastic time, could say even better than sex!.

I'm sorry, I know the SV is a great bike (why else would i have this site) and I know motorcycling is about as good as it gets but better than sex? Ummmm.....the SV's good but not *that* good !!! :- )

After years of wishing, I finally took the test and passed on 23rd July. Did loads of research on the Bandit Class and was in no doubt about the SV650, my bike (black) was delivered to my training school, I did the induction and now can't keep off it.

Hi! I'm Davide from Roma, Italia (of course). Your site is really wonderfull. Well done.

I've find in it everithing i need. Only one think. Your counter seems to work in a bad way. I reload several times the home page but the number still remain the same.

Seems to work OK although it doesn't increment once you've hit the page first time...something to do with your browsers cache?

Last thing:

I want to buy an SV but i don't now if it's better the sv650 or the SV650S. Any suggestions about it?

It depends.....whats your riding style, what will you use the bike for mainly, do you wish to save some money on the cheaper unfaired version, perhaps the riding position of the unfaired bike is more suited to you.....can you get a faired bike? It all depends on what you want. Apart from slightly faster acceleration, a fairing (of course) and a different seating position on the unfaired bike both are the same.

I beg your pardon for my english and I hope that you will understand me. Thank you

No problem.

My name is Johan.I'm from Belgium, Europe.

I have my sv650x for 6 weeks now. It's a great bike. I bought an DEVIL SB2 silencer. It has a great sound but it's to loud for the street. It's all most the same sound like you have no silencer at all. So i got an street legal model.

Laser has an oval model with db-killer that can be removed. What you really should do is modify the stock air filter ! In the filter element is a plastic tube, remove it completly (i used an old soldering iron and melted it away). This gives a great racy sound of the air intake, and improves the response.

We had a posting regarding modifying the air filter ages ago so I know others have done it. If you have please let me know how it's going...any problems?

I'll be needing new tires. I want to buy the Pirelli evo, they should be good.

Tyres...not much been said on this front. Some say Dunlop 207's, some say the Pirelli's.......if you are running non-Metz tyres on the road please write in and say how they are performing...would buy them again or change next time??

I'll have my webpage soon with pictures and all the other stuff i can find for the sv. (that's what I said ages ago!!)

This may be an answer to a post from Nick in Holland (see Nicks posting of 12/08/99 below).

A company called TCP makes fairings for a variety of motorcycles.  Their Holland/Belgium distributor is Tech-Line B.V. Adding two and two, I've come up with TCP Tech-Line.

I've e-mailed them an inquiry (just now) and will send an update when I receive a reply.

Their web site is http://www.tcpsa.com (no SV info as yet).

Great site!

I passed my test on Wednesday and had to wait until today to pick up my shiny new yellow SV650S.

77 miles and one small drop (f*ck!) later: may I ask you guys a silly question? (We're good at silly questions)

How do I open the pillion seat to retrieve the manual? I suppose it's explained in the manual but...

Insert key into key hole on left side of rear quarter of the bike, this unlocks the seat. Lift and pull towards the front of bike. That's it. To replace push narrow end in first and then push down thick end until a satisfying 'clunk' is heard. Try to pull the seat upwards...it's shouldn't move. I guess you found all this out by now though..

Just got my S model last Monday. After waiting almost a month and a half, it feels good to finally have it in my hands. Now I just need to take care of registration and everything will be set.

The bike is almost perfect, except for the soft front end and the quiet exhaust. I would like to remove the annoying warning stickers on the fairing and the frame. Does anyone know the best way to do this? 

UPDATE !!!!!!

18/06/99 This update from Sebastien (slevesque@vif.com)...

All you have to do is to take the sticker off with your nails. After that use some lighter fuel to take the glue off. It is the best way to remove those sticker and that won't hurt the paint, not even slightly.

You'll also need lot of patience as some of those sticker are really hard to remove. Took me an hour remove one of them. I finally used a knife and scratch my paint. Whatever you do, don't use a knife;-)

As a further update, the url for tigcraft is www.tigcraft.com. They have some scant information about the SV650, but they can be emailed. Hope this helps someone.

On the subject of top speeds. I have seen my naked Sv650 hit an alleged 140mph on the speedo. Even if the speedo is wrong it still must be somewhere around an actual 130mph.

My bike does have a dynojet kit and a M4 full system. Top speed runs on the naked model require dirt track style "tucking in". I hit (an alleged)140mph trying to keep up with a blackbird, triumph daytona and ducati 900ss. I lost. But, on the twisties, they lose.

OK....has anyone seen more than an indicated 140mph?

After a few days in the Isle of Man during TT week i found i could anoy almost every one with the sv.

On the lower part of the circuit the bike was brilliant compaired with even some of the much faster bikes i was passing. It would change direction so fast, even locking it up going into some of the slower parts became the norm, and at the goose neck i even recieved a standing ovation going in so fast and pulling a wheelie on the way out.

On the climb up the mountain i was a bit down on speed and started to get taken but what the heck it,s only a 650 any way.

Off to the Manx Grand Prix next month I will let you know how well it performs

I've just got back into motorcycling after a two year layoff and found this great bike made by Suzuki. Its an SV650S......(blue of course).

Only reason why I have got time to type into the site is its pissing down outside, not good for running in a bike. After the run in period I'll be fitting a Lazer can. Currently only got 70km under the wheels.   We have the same problem in Oz as everywhere else, there just ain't enough to go around.

Great site, keep up the good work

Thanks....hope it stops raining soon....

I purchased a new SV650S in Melbourne Australia in April of 99 and have never regretted the decision once. It is certainly the new kid on the block getting all the looks.

My problem is that one Sunday morning I went to start the bike, after not riding it for about 2 weeks due to bad weather, and it gave an all mighty bang on startup then stalled. I opened the choke about three quarters of the way and the back fire was deafening. I took the bike out for a ride and felt a noticeable reduction in power and an ongoing noise while riding.

If you could give any advice or the other riders have any ideas as to the reason for the backfire and loss of power it would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work,

Does anyone have any knowledge as to the best way to do a bit of touching up paintwork? I lost a few little spots due to panniers and  don't want it to get worse or (gasp!!! rust). Any advice would be gratefully received!

Also, are there other owners out there (Uk especially!) who are starting to dread the fact that winter is coming???

(ps kevin - site is as wonderful as ever! thanks for all your hard work)  

( your cheque is in the post! ;- )  )

My name is Marc, and I live in Avenel, New Jersey, USA.

I purchased a new sv-650 in Feb. 99. I now have close to 5000 miles on the clock. Every time I ride this bike I like it more. I rode RD-400 Yams in the 70's, and I loved their speed rush and great handling. The SV is everything they were plus a hell-uv-a-lot more.

Two items keep recurring in the e-mail, seats, and fairings!

Suzuki makes a direct replacement jell seat for the SV that looks good and works well. I found that it extended my range considerably! The second item---the fairing.

A company in California called MAIER, makes a bikini universal sport fairing, model #501 that adapts quite readily to the SV! Their included mounting hardware is worthless for SV mounting. I reccommend going to the hardware store and purchasing appropriate threaded stock, nuts, bolts, washers (steel and nylon), and galvanized steel pipe strap. The kind about 1" wide with holes in it. I have mounted many fairings this way. The fairing comes painted high gloss black with a smoked screen. It looks good on the bike and provides a small amount of non-turbulence in the chest area ending at my neck. I'm 5'7".

The net address for MAIER is www.maier-mfg.com

I hope other SV owners will find this info useful, and I really enjoy having this site to read. I have already picked up some useful mods from the e-mail (Good!!)

I got the shop to ring up Givi and say "Where's that rack, then?".

They said that the design problems had been sorted out and that they were sorting out the manufacturing, and that the new racks would would be available "around September time", but they wouldn't be drawn as to when in September.

I'll keep you posted.

please take a look on :

http://pascal.blejean.free.fr  or  http://garage.le-village.com/moto  or   http://www.ifrance.com/pb-pages

three copies of my (little) site to make the choice of provider. (speed, quality, ...)

it's my little site, with :
- my SV650 (with some mods...) (to be continued...),
- some friends on ducati cup in france,
- my suzuki dealer,
- ...
excuse me, for my english !

I own one. Apparently Suzuki have run out of '99 'S' models and are now shipping the Y2K versions. My dealer reckons he can now get hold of the Y2K SV650S in yellow but not black.

My own theory on this is the people like me who wanted yellow but were told it was unavailable, changed their order to black, hence the swap in availability now the Y2Ks
are out.

If you'd like to speak to the bloke who sorted it all out for me, I'm sure he could tell you more.

Rob May,
Carnell
220-222 Old Kent Road
London
SE1 5UB

0171 703 7268

It didn't occur to me the SV could be a great street bike too! I got the first one that came to my dealer in the beginning of February. That left me just enough time to get the lights, stand, bars, gauges, cannister, and other street junk off and lockwire it for Daytona. The motor was broken in on the high banks. I think my warrantee is void. I sawzalled that 20lb. muffler off, and put on a Hindle slip on. Great sound! Got a Sharkskins TL1000 comp. fairing and a Graves motorsports stay that bolted on in fifteen
minutes.

A Zero Gravity double bubble shield finished it off nicely. On the Dyno it showed 68 ponies, and went better on pump gas than race gas. With that great torque, it shot off the line in every race and led, at least for a while.

Finished top 5 in 3 of the races. I had the only one this year at Daytona, and couldn't wait to race on my home track at Loudon. Well when I got on the grid, there were 9 other guys with the same idea. Suzuki pays $250 for a win in Lt.Wt. Supersport so they came out of the woodwork. I'm still top 5, but really have to work for it. The M4 pipe seems very popular, with a Dynojet kit. Adds about 10hp in the midrange.

The Penske shock is a must if you're racing, and a set of Michelin 'Pilots'. I used to race a Honda Hawk, and had to put a ton of money in it to get where this bike is stock. What a bargain.

Don't tell Suzuki! ...... Streetbike huh? What a great idea!

Have you got some images you could send Rick?

Somebody please show me how to get the fairing the frenchman (Pascal?) has on his ride, I really like the look and I can't seem to find anything that compares
here in the States.
Love my SV, can't get enough!

Hi, I've had my SVS for just over a week now and running it in is murder! I know Suzuki recomend keeping it <5000rpm for 500 miles but that's almost impossible.

Has anyone opened theirs up from day 1 and come across major problems? 65mph top speed for 500 miles....nooooooooo!!!!!!

I live in Canada.....could you tell me would be a good price to pay for a new sv650S..

99 new is 7,700 or 7,800    -    what would be a good price to agree to with a dealer.

also if you know....please tell me the factory price of the bike..

Can any Canadian readers please let Raph know the answers.....I can't help? Thanks.

UPDATE !!!!!

13/08/99 Thanks for this Sebastien (slevesque@vif.com).....

Raph, I bought my Red SV650S 3 weeks ago. I live in Montreal and I paid it 7000$. I didn't deal that much since I bought my bike over the phone. The guy started at 7150$. I asked for a tank bag and other minor stuff, and he told me right away 7000$ wiht no equipment.

I didn't even try to go lower since 7000$ seemes a good price to me. Some other dealer wouldn't go below 7400$ or even 7600$.

I think you can get one for below 7000$.(Equivalent to approx 4700 USD)

See attached pics of my new windscreen. Sorry, I didn't realize that the camera cut off the top of the windscreen in the 2 photos, but I think you can still get a good idea.

The windscreen is from National Cycle and is called the Deflector Screen LX model. I mentioned this model in a previous e-mail.

The windscreen works fairly well to keep the wind off my chest even though I am 6'4.

Image 1

Image 2

Hi, Kev it's Nick again from Holland about 6000 kms on clock and still going wild. No problems and let's keep it that way.

I just read a dealers magazine (Safe motors in Holland) and see what they publish. There seems to be a company (called TCP Tech-Line) that makes underfairings, mudguards and sprayguards for our SV's.

It looks guite cool and are affordable

The underfairing costs Dfl 799,- (about 270 UK pounds or 400 US dollars)
The Mudguard costs Dfl 495,- (about 170 UK pounds or 250 US dollars) (Not to see in picture)
The spray guard costs Dfl 359,- (about 120 UK pounds or 18 US dollars)

Al the bodyparts are sprayed in Suzuki's original colours So i think its quite cheap

I don't have any info about the company itself, but will let you know once found out.   (Maybe some of the readers of this site can help out)
Maybe the interrested can call Safe Motors Veenendaal Holland for more info Tel. 0318-524466

Image 1

If anyone knows anymore about this subject please let me know.

UPDATE !!!!!

See Kirks posting of 16/08/99 above..

Just thought I would share this information with you...since one of the biggest questions about the SV650 is fairing availablity (no Brian...the biggest!). This is from a reply to a letter that I sent to Targa.

Thank you for your interest in TARGA products. We have finished the plug on a fairing for the SV650 and it will go to tooling for mold amaking now. A fiinished part could be available about the first of October. Part number is 24-358R for red or 24-358BL for the blue one. Anticipated cost is about $299.95 complete. We are also doing a rear
seat cowl . No pricing or delivery date yet on this item.

Having a blast on my new SV650.

The site just keeps getting better! Just an update on my SV650S after 4 months and 3000km:

Still seems a bit rattly for my liking. Suzuki claim the plastic sidecovers are supposed to reduce noise. Fuel consumption is proportional to throttle opening.

I would still prefer higher bars. I'm considering sticking 1" spacers in the forks, raising the forks about 1" through the triple clamp and clamping the bars above the triple clamp. Apart from the clearance problems between the bars and the fairing, has anyone tried raising the forks up through the triple clamp? Would the front mudguard hit anything? Steve's photos of his conversion from X to S are interesting.

The clutch still does a strange squeal if I slip it excessively from the lights. It sounds like a high frequency judder but it seems to lose drive when it does it. Any theories? I haven't spoken to the dealer yet. I tried to force myself to ride slowly the other day (for preservation of life and licence) and found it to be very nice indeed, but quickly
reverted to my nasty habits of flat-out-in-second-gear wheelstands! It's just toooo tempting.

I want a centre stand! (Yes, I have a race stand, but it doesn't compare).

The paint finish is a bit feeble. I investigated getting it clear coated, but was told there would be problems getting the paint to stick on the decals. Has anyone tried clear coating? I'm itching for more of an exhaust note, but have enough trouble keeping up repayments!

The good throttle response off idle makes the transition from closed to open around corners a bit snatchy. I normally trail brake (ie. drag the back brake while I open the throttle) around corners but still find it tricky. Is there any way of softening this transition? This isn't helped by the strong engine braking - I'm keen to try the 1500rpm idle technique, although mine already idles at about 1300rpm.

I'm Stephen Spiteri from the island of Malta (it's spot in the middle of the medit. right under Sicily) and my new bike has just arrived. It's a blue SV650. It's my first bike and I'm still shaking in excitement from the first ride; and that was yesterday!

Great site! But I thought of making a suggestion. Why not introduce a catalogue section where different manufacturers can put in their own stuff, say for instance if there is a section for fairings you could see different types of fairings from different manufacturers all in the same area. In this way it would be very easy to see what is available for our machine.

Thanks for your comments but at the moment I've little time for keeping the site going as it is....sorting out the different manufactures and different parts etc is a bit difficult at the moment...of course, if anyone wants to list this stuff I'll obviously post it but at the moment I don't have enough spare time.....thanks for the comments though..

Just an update about the Hugger and Belly Pan I had ordered.

The Hugger has arrived and is on. It uses a metal bracket (average quality, no rustproofing so I painted it) that bolts on the swing arm using the brake pipe bolt on the brake side. This is a bit fiddley but works well. This bracket has two nuts set into it that are roughly opposite to original chainguard holes on the other side. The Hugger has four holes to which rubber grommets are fitted , the hugger is then slipped into place and bolted on with allen bolts.

My initial impression is that the hugger sits slightly off centre with the chain side being closer to the wheel than the brake side. The actual hugger is quite flexible (flimsy???). The finish is Carbon Fibre effect and a bit disappointing. It is basically loads of little rectangles printed onto the plastic when flat and once the Hugger is pressed into shape the rectangles stretch with the contours of the Hugger. The bike now has four Carbon effect bits and they are all different - The Dash (Suzuki), Tank Guard (Pyramid Plastics), Front mudguard extender (Pyramid Plastics) and the Hugger (Powerbronze).

The Belly Pan from Powerbronze has still not turned up yet after 6 weeks but hopefully the Carbon effect will match the Hugger when it does arrive.

As far as luggage is concerned I use the Supa bike bag from MPS (£22.99 delivered) as recommended by RIDE magazine. It is very secure using bungees through the bottom of the bag. I use the bag on the rear seat (can be used as a tank bag but I wouldn't) attached to the lugs under the bodywork. Great bag, showerproof with a quality plastic storm cover and holds my work clothes (not tried a jacket yet) plus my laptop PC.

Anyway I have done enough cosmetic bits - time for an exhaust I think. Can the guy who wrote about the British supplied Stealth pipe let me have an address/phone number in English - the link is to a Danish company in Danish.

Keep up the great (and improving) site.

Thanks...I'll try.

i`ve heard that Renegade Exhausts are trying to build a two into two system. One of the guys there has just brought an sv and they are gonna use it as a guinea pig
( rather him than me ) the phone number (in the UK) is 01474 852255....good riding

Hi folks great site. I have been studying this Bike for some time as I am thinking about going back to biking I have to take my test first. do you think the sv would make a good first bike? As it does sound quite forgiving and I just love the look of it. OK keep this Great site going and i hope to contribute to it in the near future.

Gary - take a look in the Forum section, there's been postings regarding this subject recently (not sure if it was you who posted them - I haven't checked!)

Regarding a lower fairing for the S model that was seen on one bike recently......it seems to attach underneath the existing upper fairing making the bike, looks like it has a full fairing. It is in two halves one for each side.....does anyone have anymore information?

Also have another question, how accurate is the speedometer and Tacho? as I have had the bike reading 137mph at about 10,250rpm and I reckon I could have got the bike to 10,500rpm. I realize that the speedometer is probably reading higher than the actual bike is going but allot of magazines quote the top speed on the sv650s at around 121mph (what really pisses me off) which is got to be crap as if I am doing 120mph and then nail it gets well over 130mph in no time.

You get 137mph!!! I could have squeezed about 130mph out of mine max. Is yours a standard bike? I would suggest the standard is nearer my readings but speedo's are famous for never reading correctly anyway. Why is this? Why can't the manufacturer (be it bike or car) make speedo's that are accurate? I wouldn't have thought it would be too difficult.

Ive been checking out options for this. Genmar? no. Heli-bars? not according to their website and they wont email me back. Perhaps someone in the US could ring them and post their answer?

Had one more idea. Heli-bars does have raised bars for the TL-1000 S and R. Maybe these would fit the SV? Who has access to both bikes to find out?

Do you know if there are any clubs in the south of the UK (ie Bournemouth, Poole, Southampton etc) for SV650 riders. I'm bored of acting the fool on my own as none of my mates have got bikes.

Please reply ASAP to  mike.pearman@tesco.net as there is not much of summer left.

Great pages !!! My contribution to the SV-family : beware of the IXIL   "street legal" slip-on muffler - total waste of money (DM 829,-- equals US$ 436 or GBP 300) !!! It's quiter than the original can and weighs a bit more.

More down's than up's (looks cute in Carbon style). I just re-mounted the original muffler, but still looking for a good (=loud) and light carbon can. My SV-S has just passed the 6000 km service. Has anybody so far experienced misadjusted carburetors ? I think / feel that they need a synchronisation, engine runs a little rough. Will check this tomorrow ....

Could this be anything to do with the flatspot mentioned below??

I have a yellow sv650s which has done 2500 miles. I rise out on sundays with my wife on a gpz500s and a friend on a vfr800. we travel about 200 miles per journey.
After 60 or so miles my bum starts to get sore and my wrists start to ache. after 150 miles it is so sore that I try to stand onthe pegs or sit on the pillion seat to relieve the pain. Anyone else got these problems or is it just me?

Anyone interested in a run out on sundays around edinburgh/newcastle (UK) area doing about 70-80mph please email me and lets go.

I would like to put a can on my exhaust but am wary because a friend said that it would invalidate my insurance if I had an accident. any thoughts?

You must declare any major mod to your bike (what ever major means?). If you fit a performace enhancing mod (as your can would probably be) then again you should declare it. The can may, or may not, increase your premium but whats for sure is that, should you make a claim, then the insurance company may refuse to pay out if they find the undeclared mod. It's up to you but I would rather pay more insurance and have my bike covered than save a few pounds but risk losing the whole bike should I write it off etc.

Thanks for such a good website and greetings to fellow SV owners.

I have done 2000 happy miles including I.A.M.test since March.Does anyone else suffer similar feeling of a "flatspot"in carburation at around 4500 revs,though it does tend to correct itself after a good run.Bandit clutch lever the same.Suzuki price around £20,decent patern less than £4.

Does anyone know what is the best exhaust to make the best use of the nice V-twin noise of the sv650. Does any company do a pipe up each side?

The Two-Bros system delivers great sounds (in fact all of the cans/systems mentioned in these pages have improved upon the standard fitting) but it's a single can, I've not seen anyone doing a twin exhaust system for the SV. Wouldn't the extra cost and weight outweigh any advantages in fitting a twin system?

My wife has a SV650s thats done about 1200 miles and i cannot hear any strange noises coming from anywhere. Maybe its the oil that your dealer is using, i dont know. Over here in the UK the dealers use SHELL ADVANCE semi-synthetic oil at every service.

I`ve heard other riders in the US having problems with strange noises on the SV`s and GSXR`s like I ride but as far as I know no one in the UK has had any problems.

I hope this has been some help and good riding to you all

UPDATE !!!!!

04/08/99 Some more from Phil (phil.sheff@virgin.net)....

One other thing, the sv has a lot of plastic in the make up of the engine casings as aposed to the cast metal ones we are used to. Maybe that is why you can here more engine noise than on bikes you have had in the past, but I still think its down to the oil. Talking to the head of SHELL lub`s at Brands Hatch (UK) at the weekend, he is sure that Shell Advance is avalible in the US.

Can anyone suggest some good tyres for the sv as the MEZ4`s that are fitted from new seem to drift and slide more than i like tyres to do. Is there anyone in Montgomery Alabama who owns a SV as my brother is thinking of getting one and he lives there?

I've heard Dunlop D207's have performed well although I have not tried them.

Kevin, this is still an amazing site, and getting better each day. I've recently recommended it to two local dealers, as well as my father (a fellow traveler.) thanks very much :-)

No quesitons this time, just two bits of info that might be helpful.

First, about that ever present noise. The Suzuki shoppe that I am dealing with is aware of this noise in the SV. They contacted Suzuki and were given a remedy if the customer wanted it. Apparently,  it is part of the SV's engine design, and not a problem with the bike. Granted, it is irritating, but not harmful. Has anyone else heard
this? Do you know what the remedy was??

I am currently having the Two Brothers Racing clip-ons installed by the dealer. The bracketing for the turn signals and the headlight on the un-faired SV are quite good, but need to be moved for the clip-on brackets. The down side (which is why the dealer is doing this) is that the brackets need to be cut, moved and welded in place to
maintain the rigidity of the front end. Not a big deal, but someting I thought I would pass on to everyone.

Is anyone interested in a 4 1/2 foot by 4 1/2 foot two sided (same image on both sides) poster of a red standard sv650? If so please see my email address below.

it's a pretty heavy stock poster, i just don't have any use for it right now. i've also got a smaller version of the same poster(one sided) that's standard poster size. i'd
probably be willing to go the ebay route with taking a money order and having the buyer pay for shipping and handling.

i've also got access to a digital camera and would be willing to send pictures to anyone interested. i'm sure i can find someone to buy it, but since you all seem to be really passionate about this machine, i thought i'd give you guys/gals the first shot at it.

If you're interested please contact Matt at  : hondasarge@yahoo.com

I have had my new SV650 for about a month now and have experienced most of the noises everyone is writing about. I learned a great way to “Zero” in on exactly where these noises are coming from. I was listening to Car Talk last Saturday, and they had suggested this method with a car. I tried it with my bike and it worked great. Take about 2 feet of automotive heater hose or fuel hose.

Stick one end up to your ear and with the other end probe around various areas of your engine. This hose acts as a stethescope. As the hose gets closer to the source of noise the sound naturally gets louder. I can tell you from my test, that the tapping, or clattering noise most definetly was coming from the right side of the crankcase cover. Is this where the magneto is located? It's near the right footpeg. Try this method for any other noises and keep us posted!

Plastics:

1999 Canadian European SV650S plastics, gauges, lights. I remove the two bolts on the bracket holding everything on (and the four other small brackets which attach the plastic to the frame) and send it to you, any US SV650 owners can now own a sportier bike, the S model is quite rare in the states. Should be available next week when a new windscreen and BRG racing fairing bracket arrive. $750 obo plus trade on gauges.

Tires:

120/60-17 front, 160/60-17 rear, Metzeler MEZ4 OEM tires for the SV650. Good stick, good life, approximately 500 break in miles. $95 obo for the pair.

Leathers:

Beat up AGV Silver and Black "Splash" leathers, been crashed on a few times in a few seasons of racing, but all seams are intact and no holes exist. These would work well for someone who enjoys sport riding and is possibly interested in a track school, yet is unable to make the financial commitment to purchasing a new set of top of the line leathers. Size 44/54, they fit me at 5'8" 180 pounds. Originally bought in 1994 for $500. $175 obo

http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/show/8560/agv1.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/show/8560/agv2.jpg

Email Mike at revvin907@yahoo.com if interested. Prefer local sales, but willing to ship. Located in SF Bay area.

Please contact Mike and not myself - thanks.

Hi all, attached are some pictures of my X model bike with the S model fairing on it, along with a picture showing the differences between the X and S model top clamps. (Sorry about the size of the pics, don't know how to compress them) Here's some more differences I've found between the models.

Both the upper and lower triple clamps are different on these models, but they will interchange. I believe the differences in the lowers are in the steering stops, with the X having slightly more travel. Also I have been told that the radiators are different between the models, which would explain why I couldn't find the fairing brackets in that area. (It's not really needed there because the radiator guards tension it just fine).

The X models have longer brake lines (I think) and longer throttle and choke cables as well. All the controls will interchange just fine.

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

I have a 99 suzuki sv650 us model. i am trying to find the fairing and clip on handle bar kit to make my bike look like the sv650s. my bike is red and i have not been able to find a kit. i am also looking for the rear kit to clean up the lines of the turn signals and the license plate holder. if u know of any links to find these, or cost or anything of the matter, please let me know. thanx.

PS....are we allowed to have email addresses like that on these pages?!! ;- )

Great Site!!!

The biggest problem that we have in the States is that we can't buy the SV!!!  I have been on two dealers waiting lists for four months for a blue SV, and it looks like it will be 2000 before I land one.

Thanks to your site, I may very well have the aftermarket parts ready for the bike before it arrives.

Greg was wondering about a 750cc kit. The only one I've heard about is supposed to be in development by Tigcraft. I have heard of these people, but don't really know anything about them, except, I believe they specialize in singles and twins. I believe they are a British company, maybe Kevin can shed some light (only that I think someone said they engineer parts for F1 racing cars and are located in central England around the Northampton / Silverstone area, I've not been able to find a number for them..)

There was a guy on another list who punched his out to 700cc with just a bore and custom made pistons. You can go to www.sport-twin.com and click on sv650 email list. I believe you can find it in the archives (been a week or so since he posted).