SV650 opinions?

Blondie here looked at SV650 and 650S yesterday, both '99 models. I know
a few posters and lurkers have had them. Opinions please?

I'm minded to recommend the unfaired version if anything. The "S" had
rather low bars and the fairing is mainly cosmetic. A small screen on
the basic model would offer more protection and it's a lot cheaper when
it falls of the stand.

 

I had one and loved it. Ben Sales and Ginge have also had them, IIRC.

It was the S model, which has slightly taller gearing. They are geared
well to make the most out of the performance, and are wonderfully
confidence insipiring.

Highlights were the 150ish miles to a tank, or 110 if you took it on a
trackday, BT010s were the tyre of choice (BT020s lasted about 9,000
miles, Avon 45/46 lasted longer than I kept it, but neither were quite
as good at the 010s). Easy enough to service (with a helpful mate).

Prone to carb-icing in the nastiest bits of winter. There is a carb
heater fitted, but the temp switch is mounted above the engine, so not
terribly helpful. Later models were FI.

www.sv650.org used to be a great site for info, and I'm sure a service
manual could be arranged from a helpful source.

 

When helping my ma shop for a bike a few months back, we tried one of these
(she's 5ft 6' and about 10 stone at most) and she preffered the seating
position of the CBF 600 Hornet we ended up buying (£3200, 05 plate, 2k miles
minus £1000 for SOXLR). Also, the Hornet was apparently prettier.

Just my 2p. Is she a new time biker? This was mother's (and indeed mine as
I've managed to wangle my way onto the insurance) first big bike after the
XLR 125, and it's plenty fast enough - I'm pretty sure she's never taken it
over 5krpm...

 

Hornets are over the budget

 

Wot 'e sed.

The S model has the lower clip-on bars, and higher pegs giving it a
more sporty riding position. Personally, I think it looks much better
than the unfaired which looks half-finished.

Apparently it got a comfortable pillion seat.

Can't really think of anything bad about it really.

 

I liked my naked SV.

I pitched mine down the road twice and the worse to the bike was a
broken mirror (I did have frame sliders). I had a small Givi screen,
A260 or summat.

 

*waves*

 

sister in law has one - loves it.

and its not a Honda.

 

Yeah, you've never been the social kind, have you.

What, they're slow and lumpy? That's what I'd expect from a 650 twin.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing)
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

Yellow one from Frasers?

 

You mean they have something relatively modern now?

Last 2 loaners I had from them were an ancient KLR650 with a vicious clutch
and a GPZ500S held together by parcel tape.

 

Couple of years ago, this was. Yellow SV, Trixie, GSX750 with a big dent in
the tank. I managed to sling the GSX750 down the road...

 

I've had her.

 

Well, I was thinking of somewhere slightly closer to home, but always
good to have a backup.

 

It's a .pdf actually.

 

Oh FFS. Woosh of the year award.

<gives up>

 

What am I missing here?

 

Ok ok ok.

 

Well she did it today finally after looking at an immaculate 600
Thundercat (so clean I wanted it), a minted Hornet (I wanted that too)
and both red and black SV650S's.

The slightly less clean SV won the day.
# It just seemed to ride better.
# it is the One True Colour

It only needs a stainless bolt kit and a left side fairing panel
(average quality re-spray job) to be just so. 1999 with 17k.

It's quite surprising what can be had for 1 to 2 grand just now. The red
one had Macadams fitted, fairly new but I suspect they alone are
responsible for making the red one feel poor, no wet grip either.

 

Hog says...

Fairing sides are cheaper to replace then respray. I got one for a
friend's and it cost her 125 quid.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
GSF600SW (broked)
'I do not object to people looking at their watches when I am speaking.
But I strongly object when they start shaking them to make certain they
are still going.' William Norman Birkett, 1st Baron Birkett, Oct 1960.