Learn me...sv650s

[CycleCam303]

I'm just testing the waters here. I like the idea of a very well rounded street bike. One day I would actually like to two up...sorry no confidence with the 250. I would like a bit more power and I lean very much towards the sport side of riding. Hence interest in a full faired, clip on clad sv. Plus it sounds cool.

I'm looking for direct comparisons to the ninja 250. What will I like, what will I hate?

...or would it be wiser to keep the 250 as the street squid killa and get r6? Without the crash part.

Maybe just coughing up the change to have "1kbeetr" on my license plate will make me feel better.

[Lychee]

more power, less flickable, more tire choice, you get to post in ex-ninjetter's lair. Based on your previous posts you will like.

[Dano]

Originally Posted by CycleCam303

I'm just testing the waters here. I like the idea of a very well rounded street bike. One day I would actually like to two up...sorry no confidence with the 250. I would like a bit more power and I lean very much towards the sport side of riding. Hence interest in a full faired, clip on clad sv. Plus it sounds cool.

I'm looking for direct comparisons to the ninja 250. What will I like, what will I hate?

...or would it be wiser to keep the 250 as the street squid killa and get r6? Without the crash part.

Maybe just coughing up the change to have "1kbeetr" on my license plate will make me feel better.

I have owned both a SV and Ninjette(current scoot 09') and They differ widely, I am planning on getting another SV when I sell the ninjette in the spring.

SV:
Bigger and heavier
More expensive for tires/insurance
Easier maintence (spin on oil filter easier access to engine
Huge aftermarket like ninjette
Same budget suspension problems as ninjette, aftermarket shocks and alot of people put GSXR forks on them or revalve.
Different riding style, does not need to be revved up to go fast, I used to ride in the 5-6k range all the time on the ninjette I am in 8-10 k range. Much more torque and power.


If you got any specific questions PM me for email addy

[Panda]

If you can keep 2 bikes I'd keep the 250 and buy a 600 super sport. It's great fun to blast around the twisties on the 600 and it's great fun to blast around Manhattan on the 250. It's also great fun to be able to redline it in every gear up to 4th and look down and only be doing 80mph.

[alex.s]

from my very small amount of sv650 experience i would say...

burnouts easier. wheelies harder to control. launching is hard. its fat. it's really torquey but not as grabby up top. its windier. taller and the weight is higher up. the seat is more comfortable, along with the tank, but tucking on the sv is kinda awkward. looks great. repairs great. crashes on par with the 250, maybe a little easier to **** up than the 250 but still a great crasher. service is effortless. higher marks for service from what i've seen than the 250 for internals.

sv650 is like my 3rd or 4th favorite bike. fz8 and duc SF 848 and the 300 beat the sv. but i think the sv might beat the ninja 250

if you haven't ridden the fz8 or the duc streetfighter, i think you would enjoy them better than the sv650.

[CycleCam303]

Thanks guys. Sounds like I'll have to steal a test ride on one. As cool as the 848 sf I'm more interested in the sv as a do it all bike. Go to the track with friends on Saturday, pose at Starbucks Sunday. That's why Id be more interested in the faired version.

I'm still high risk insurance age wise but State Farm lowers moto insurance decently after one year. An sv would only be $200 more a year than what I'm paying now for the neenjer. Everyone talks about them being a great all rounder. Not only that but they are cheap, like I can pick a good one up for a wee bit less than a used 300

[Sirref]

for the price you can't beat it, but alex is right about the fz8 being a great bike. I wouldn't know about the 848 but the fz8 is more comfortable than the sv among other advantages. but for the price you really can't go wrong with an sv650 it's a wonderful bike for 3-4 grand and the aftermarket is amazing.

[alex.s]

fz8 is tied with the SF848 for #1 spot in my bike list. it's like an fz6, but with the right amount of power. good for use in pretty much any environment, its just as cozy jumping curbs as it is dragging hard parts. the fz6 just does not have enough power or suspension damping options IMO. SV650 has good low end power but not enough top end IMO. fz8 does everything i want it to do, very well. and its not as heavy as the beasty fz1k.

but the new triple fz09 is ****ing damn sexy. can't wait to try one of the fz09's out.

[alex.s]

look at this sexy bitch:
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/649/16...irst-Look.aspx

[CycleCam303]

When you say lacks top end its more like a lack of overall power attached to shortish gearing right?

I like a motor that rewards me for revving it out. The specs say the motor is pretty over square. I still like riding a slower bike fast if you will.

[ChrisMKV]

If ya like revs, I don't think the SV would be your thing. I rode a coworkers SV650S for a short trip, and it's quite different from the Ninjette with the Power delivery.

Once you're underway, the bike is very happy at 5k, changing speed just needs a slight twist of the wrist and you're good. A lot less shifting required, and power is just everywhere on the rpm band. I found the ride a lot less ...hectic, if you will, not having to shift and watch rpm so often, trying to stay where the power is.

Riding position on the S Model is more aggressive than the Ninja, but less than a ss. For me at 5'11 the bike fit perfectly, no tiptoe and great reach on the bars. Wind protection is very good too.

Bike handles well, maybe abut less agile or nervous than the Ninja, but I felt confident immediately in corners, very stable and planted.

I didn't like the dashboard (seriously that speedo is impossible to read with a glance). Sound is subjective, I prefer 3 or 4 cyl tbh.

[CycleCam303]

Thanks Chris. What I mean by power delivery is that it doesn't taper off big time before redline. I short shift the stock 250 at 11 or 11.5k because the power completely falls off up to redline. It's the worst of both worlds. The sv reminds me of a ninja 250 just with a higher performance envelope.

I like broad doses power and torque. Don't get me wrong. But a fun motor to me wants me to take it to redline. Not run out of breath.

[KawiKid860]

If you want a revvy bike, you should get a 600 IMO. They'll have you revving to redline and enjoying every bit of it, but they have plenty of low end usable power too despite what some people seem to think. If you want a really well rounded street bike, either get an older, midrange friendly 600 and upgrade the suspension and what not (then you still get the satisfaction of destroying newer bikes on an older one) or get a 636.

An SV650 will have more low end than a 600I4 supersport but once you get to 6-7k rpms the SV's short lived glory comes to a very abrupt end. The 600 just starts coming alive and isn't even half way through it's rev range, the SV is over half way and will need to shift a lot earlier, a lot more often.

An older 600 will still have a better suspension than a stock SV as well, so you might be fine with the stock kit or even if you do decide to upgrade it it's something you'd have to do on an SV anyways.

[ninjarouge]

I sold my ninja 250r last earlier this week and last night i picked up an ER-6n, which I believe is similar to the sv650. I am loving it already, no regrets. Compared to the 250 it is very very torquey and has a lot more power lol. Its way faster too. I feel a little safer now knowing that I have the ability to pass or accelerate easily on the highway if need be. From riding it I've noticed there is more room and the seat is more comfortable. It definitely sits quite a bit higher and is heavier than the 250r. As far as maneuvering, I think I can flick the ER-6n as easy as I could on the ninja. Handling is great. A couple of blocks after leaving the dealership, I felt like I had been riding the bike for years. It's also a tad more windy riding, but I dont really mind it.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by alex.s

look at this sexy bitch:
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/649/16...irst-Look.aspx

Lalalalalala I can't hear you, Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, Tiger ... there, I feel better again.

Man, if they offer that in an "adventure" model with a little bit of fairing and windscreen and a ton of suspension ...

[choneofakind]

lol Murphey, I'm pretty sure Cam knows what a 600 or bigger bike feels like when it opens up.

He's a little faster than both of us.

[alex.s]

lacks top end like how the stock ninja 250 lacks topend. instead of good power up to redline, it turns ****** and is pointless to continue beyond a certain point. i don't know. dont think sv650 is like its just geared lower. its like how a harley sucks after 4krpm. the stock engine just is made for gas saving or some ****. i'm sure most any bike can be made to have good rev range though. the ninja 250 is killer just with an exhaust and jets. just like a tuned sv650, great all around. but stock bikes can sometimes receive the ugly stick treatment for gas savings and the power takes the beatings. the fz8 had ample power all around the rev range. similarly the duc 848 engine was pretty happy to pop wheelies whenever i felt like it. why not look at a bike based on how much things like major services cost, how readily available spare parts are and how much they cost... whats the aftermarket selection? if you look at it from that perspective you might be better off getting something like an r6, or some cheap high power cruiser that you modify.

[alex.s]

but i will say, we two up on the 250 all the time, it aint no issue.

[PHL]

I went from a second-gen 250r, to a 2001 Honda F4i, to my current 2008 SV650 naked. That torque off the line is quite nice, and I drive much faster than I ever did with the F4i, as I was well aware of what that thing could do when opened up. That low-end power makes one ride a bit like a hooligan, fast off the line then throttle down before things get too illegal. I ride almost exclusively in the city (a real urban area, not the sprawl of the Western cities), and it's perfect for the urban commute.

That said, gas mileage sucks. Seriously sucks. I got the same mileage as I did with the F4i, and I have two less cylinders. Plus, the exhaust note is nothing like an inline four. I miss that sound. I REALLY miss that sound...

[CycleCam303]

@alex.s ok so what I'm gathering is that its a big ninja 250 in every possible way. Although dont you think it's a bit harsh to say it has the engine characteristics of a harley? I spent all day at the San Mateo inter moto show testing Hardley ablesons. The 103cu in. motor feels like it won't make it to redline. I imagine the dyno graph looks like niagra falls after just 3.5k rpms.

@KawiKid860 I'll have to snag a ride on another 600. Here's the thing. I like the idea of getting a 600 as a weekend bike and something I can bring to the occasional trackday with friends. And actually have something cool to show off at bike nights. Keeping the 250 and getting a second bike truly would be ideal. I don't have the means or really the commitment to get a track only bike. Something I would use less than 10 times a year is pretty wasteful IMO. Says the guy who rode his dirt bike in the dirt twice this year. People claim the sv is a great all rounder. My friends all suggested I buy one and everyone was shocked that I bought a ninja 250.

I figured the sv would be tame enough to wring it out a bit on the street. But what I'm getting is that its really in essence a bargain bike (nothing wrong with that) not unlike the ninjette. That was the info I was looking for. Apparently State Farm only cares about displacement. Maybe adding a 600 could work.

[adouglas]

The SV was probably going to be my next bike but I got a great deal on my GSXR750. Having never owned or ridden an SV I can't speak from personal experience, but here's my rationale for why it's a great street bike -- better than a 600 supersport.

Look up the dyno charts for an SV650, a 600 supersport and the GSXR750.

You'll find that at REAL WORLD speeds, the SV makes more power and more torque than a 600 supersport. It is actually very similar to the GSXR 750 in terms of power delivery, up until about 7k rpm. After that, of course, things change.

On the street, do you really use all that power a supersport makes up top? As I approach 3k miles and six months of riding on my GSXR, I'd say the answer is no, 99 percent of the time. To get a 600 to really pull you need to rev it up… and when you do, you're more than likely going too fast for the street.

I reset my shift light to 8k just to see how much I use the upper end of the power band. In all the time I've owned the bike it's flashed maybe three times… and then only when accelerating on the freeway. Why don't I rev it to get access to all that power? Simple. Taking it up to peak torque at about 10-11k rpm breaks the speed limit. On the highway. IN FIRST GEAR.

So I'm basically riding a bike with the same kind of power and torque delivery as an SV650 where it matters, at real-world speeds. It's VERY rider-friendly because of all that torque. On a Ninjette or other bike that needs to be wound up to make power, being in the right gear is critical. On a torquey bike like mine -- or an SV -- it matters far less.

For rides in the twisties at speeds high enough to get a big fat ticket (say, 20-25 over the limit), basically you put the bike in third gear and just twist the throttle. On the freeway at 90 or so I'm still only doing 7k-ish (hard to tell because the speedo on the GSXR is even more hopelessly optimistic than the one on the Ninjette).

So, bottom line: Having big power on tap is fun, but it's not that useful out here in the real world. The SV makes its power where it counts, which makes it a fantastic street bike.

I like the fact that it's got clip-ons. The styling of the fully faired version is a bit bland by today's standards but I think it's still attractive. Only real downsides are crude suspension and lack of a gear indicator (minor nit but it sure is nice to have).

PS: LOL @alex.s for rating bikes on how well they crash.

[Broc]

Well if you are mentioning the SV650 and FZ8 we might as well bring up another bike.....

CB1000R.

Best road bike I have ever rode. I have ridden the other two bikes and they just can't hold a flame. The CB can do just about everything and has more real world usable power than the SV650 and FZ8. The suspension and chassis are also head and shoulders above either of these two bikes. Hand built in Italy using very good parts, superior fit and finish, SSA, liter bike power, extremely small, and the best part.....Dirt bike bars. The CB has torque everywhere, power never stops building, and the motor loves to rev. You get all of this while being comfortable. I could go on for days.......

I even take mine off road frequently due to it's small size, leverage, and mass centralization. It rides like a beast of a dirt bike. If you grew up on a dirt bike this bike is for you.

[ChrisMKV]

Insurance might like to have a say on that lol

What about a street triple? Reviewers all seem to praise the real-world power contained in a sporty package, if you get the R you'll have adjustabe suspension and all the shizzles of a sportbike. No fairing though.

[Chicagobob]

There's a helpful used bike review of the SV650 in this month's Motorcyclist magazine.

[KawiKid860]

I'd recommend a 600 that's not an R6, something where you start to feel the power at 6-8k not 10k. Dunno what 600s you've ridden I just recall seeing you've ridden an R6 lol.

For street use the low end power would be great, but I don't have a problem with my 600 around the city in 3rd or 4th gear though I usually keep it in 3rd for a little extra get up and go. 4th just sounds better :P

But if you hit up the twisties a lot, and ride at illegal speeds (I'm guessing you do based off reading your account of riding a Ducati 996....) then accessing the high strung power of a 600 won't be so out of the question for you when you aren't at the track.

I did a little dyno chart research comparing the SV to the F4i out of curiosity and I found that the SV makes more power all the way to 9,000 rpms where it peaks, then the F4i surpasses it and in the next 3,500 RPMS produces about 25 more ponies to peak at 12,500. That being said I've also compared the F4i to modern 600s (08+) and it makes more power up until 10,000 rpms than all of them that aren't greater than 600cc, then they run even in the mid 90s where the F4i peaks, then the newer 600s peak about 2,000 rpms and about 10 horsepower higher.

I think I'm just babbling at this point but maybe this info will be of some use to you. I was just curious how my bike stacked up against newer ones when I first purchased it.

[CycleCam303]

Originally Posted by KawiKid860

I'd recommend a 600 that's not an R6, something where you start to feel the power at 6-8k not 10k. Dunno what 600s you've ridden I just recall seeing you've ridden an R6 lol.

For street use the low end power would be great, but I don't have a problem with my 600 around the city in 3rd or 4th gear though I usually keep it in 3rd for a little extra get up and go. 4th just sounds better :P

But if you hit up the twisties a lot, and ride at illegal speeds (I'm guessing you do based off reading your account of riding a Ducati 996....) then accessing the high strung power of a 600 won't be so out of the question for you when you aren't at the track.

I'm not really sure how to say this without it coming out sounding bad so here goes. There are only a couple of groups and areas that I really could use an extra 20 hp on top of what the ninjette makes. To be blunt most groups that I've ridden with the 250 is more than enough. That has very little to do with power and all to do with how slow the average street rider is in all aspects of riding. Sure 100+ hp is great for multiple car passes out in the canyons. But I've learned to be patient.

This is a whole other thread topic though.

The R6 is really too tall to be a comfortable street bike anyway. At the track I don't have to worry about stopping on an incline or real world stuff that really does suck for us short people. With that said, the power was perfect. The split personality was fine for the street. I find it humorous that everyone is talking about powerbands and more torque this and that.

Jiggles said it best. How often are you 10k+ wot on the streets on anything other than a 250?

Slightly off topic I know but you all notice that even the "torqueless" wonder r6 makes way more power than a ninja 250 does at what 5k? I don't even need full throttle redline shifts in most spirited street riding situations on the 250.

That's just preaching to the choir here. Like I said whole new thread.

I don't want an overkill bike for the street.

[KawiKid860]

OOOHHHHH that makes sense. So you basically want something you can wind out on the streets, like the 250, but marginally more powerful? Well I'd say the SV fits that pretty close, but it still has 70 hp so it's going to be quite a bit quicker, but the power will be accessible. good all around bike, naked or faired pick your flavor, huge aftermarket, tire choices, etc. It's not popular as a street bike AND a race bike without reason.

You're a far better rider than I am and have ridden more bikes so I'm trying to say this stuff without seeming like I'm talking down to you or know better lol.