- Joined
- Oct 17, 2015
- Messages
- 1,962
- Location
- near Harrow, Ontario, Canada
- Bike
- '83 BMW R100RS
- STOC #
- 8870
INTRODUCTION
As I mentioned elsewhere, I have bought a new (2017) Suzuki SV650 to give me something a little lighter to ride and commute on. I looked at A LOT of other models but kept coming to the conclusion, as have many others, that the SV650 provides a good deal of bang-for-the-buck in the mid-sized bike market - and so after a test ride to check the ergonomics last spring, I began scheming about how I could get one. I looked high and low for a used bike but all I could find were ex-racers that had been dumped a few times or bikes that had obviously been neglected by some hipster idiot with access to his daddy's credit card. Soooo, after a fair bit of arithmetic, I figured that I could justify a new bike - especially given that it came with a $400 discount and a 5 year warranty plus a $500 gas card.
Besides, I am an engineer and we have a saying: "if you torture the numbers long enough, they will confess to anything".
BACKGROUND & HISTORY
The SV650 has or has had several related models in the Suzuki line-up. There was big displacement sport bike with a 1000cc engine (I think it was called the TL1000), a 1000cc version of the SV street-only bike like mine (cleverly called the SV1000) and the V-Strom adventure bikes which also come in 650 and 1000cc variants. Oddly, the SV1000 was never a really big seller - despite having no fundamental technical problems (as far as a I know) and the TL1000S and 1000R were only on the market for 3-5 years in the period 1998-2003 or so.
On the other hand, the SV650 has been a huge seller and continues to do well in markets everywhere since 1999 with more than 400,000 units sold to date. All of the SV650 models and V-Strom 650 use the same 6-speed tranny and 645cc, 90 degree liquid-cooled, fuel injected, DOHC, 8-valve v-twin engine. Interestingly, the more recent SV650 engine has two spark plugs/cylinder - and it makes around 75 HP on just about the same displacement that the Yamaha XS650s use to achieve 48-52 HP (depending on which magazine test you read). I have searched the web and found no serious difficulties with the SV650 except some early models had alternator issues and that is about it. My bike is the ABS version - but apparently, in some markets, the SV650 can be had without ABS (although I cannot understand why someone would choose to do without this important safety feature).
All-in-all, I guess those wacky engineers
know their stuff because modern bikes are pretty darned good ya' know!
There have been fully-faired and half-faired SV650 models (known as the "S" variants) and the SFV650 Gladius as well the naked version that I bought. The downside of the faired "S" models is that they have low-set clip-on bars and a pretty cramped riding position which I simply cannot do with my knee issues. Oh well, the naked SV650 feels just a wee bit more cramped that the Yamaha XS650 Standard - but still OK for me. I think that several ST Owners Forum members have either SVs or the related V-Strom model.
FIRST RIDE REPORT - SV650
From my brief (about 35 km) ride this morning, it seems clear that I am going have A LOT of fun on this thing. The bike was delivered to me from the dealer in London a couple of weeks ago and it has sat in the cold garage with no battery tender ever since. It started on the first poke this morning and idled like a perfect little lady. At that point, she had about 0.2km on her (i.e. 200 meters or around 700 feet) which I guess is the rolling around in various parking lots to get her to me. This bike is actually the second SV650 I have bought. My original SV650 was destroyed in a warehouse fire at the dealer in London, ON on Dec. 27, 2017 - juuuustt before I made the final payment on it. Thankfully, they were able to find me another blue one - but that is a 2-beer story.
This morning, I togged-up and set off at about 8:30 AM to the breakfast diner in LaSalle, Ontario for my vintage bike club Sunday breakfast meeting. I kept everything pretty sedate because she isn't broken in yet, but I did do "The Ton" (metric version ) - but didn't push it beyond that. Also - the temperature was a "fresh" +2C or around 37 deg. F - so I was keeping a close eye on the road for patches of black ice. I got to my destination safely and found that my Suzuki along with a little 1972 Lambretta scooter were the only bikes out this morning out of around 12 attendees. That Lambretta is the 150cc version and began life as a parking meter maid scooter in a city in neighbouring Michigan. It is fully restored mechanically and was cute as a bug's ear. It ran like a top and re-started on the first kick after being shut down for over an hour during breakfast.
The ride after the meals was bracing - but quite pleasant and the SV ran great and handles like a feather. It feels like it has a good deal more power than my 1970's vintage Yamaha XS650s <surprise> - and yet, it is light, nimble, has great brakes and is steady as a rock in the very strong winds that were coming off the Detroit River and Lake Erie. I went for a brief boot around Essex County alone after breakfast to try everything out - and it all works as advertised. She now has about 37.3 km on her and I just went on-line and ordered a new license sticker for two years ($84 Cdn) - since mine expires on my birthday in mid-April. BTW - that doesn't include any insurance - which is mandatory here - but entirely separate from the license plate validation sticker fee.
At least those vultures in Toronto haven't found a way to require an exhaust emissions test on motorcycles - yet.
This bike will not replace either of the old XS650s or the ST1300 - rather it will be used as a commuter and for short boots here and there to hold down the mileage on the older bikes (they are only insured for 3000 km/year each) and on the big Honda which I use for long trips.
Anyhow - here is a photo of me this morning shot by the wife of another CVMG member.
Cheers,
Pete
As I mentioned elsewhere, I have bought a new (2017) Suzuki SV650 to give me something a little lighter to ride and commute on. I looked at A LOT of other models but kept coming to the conclusion, as have many others, that the SV650 provides a good deal of bang-for-the-buck in the mid-sized bike market - and so after a test ride to check the ergonomics last spring, I began scheming about how I could get one. I looked high and low for a used bike but all I could find were ex-racers that had been dumped a few times or bikes that had obviously been neglected by some hipster idiot with access to his daddy's credit card. Soooo, after a fair bit of arithmetic, I figured that I could justify a new bike - especially given that it came with a $400 discount and a 5 year warranty plus a $500 gas card.
Besides, I am an engineer and we have a saying: "if you torture the numbers long enough, they will confess to anything".
BACKGROUND & HISTORY
The SV650 has or has had several related models in the Suzuki line-up. There was big displacement sport bike with a 1000cc engine (I think it was called the TL1000), a 1000cc version of the SV street-only bike like mine (cleverly called the SV1000) and the V-Strom adventure bikes which also come in 650 and 1000cc variants. Oddly, the SV1000 was never a really big seller - despite having no fundamental technical problems (as far as a I know) and the TL1000S and 1000R were only on the market for 3-5 years in the period 1998-2003 or so.
On the other hand, the SV650 has been a huge seller and continues to do well in markets everywhere since 1999 with more than 400,000 units sold to date. All of the SV650 models and V-Strom 650 use the same 6-speed tranny and 645cc, 90 degree liquid-cooled, fuel injected, DOHC, 8-valve v-twin engine. Interestingly, the more recent SV650 engine has two spark plugs/cylinder - and it makes around 75 HP on just about the same displacement that the Yamaha XS650s use to achieve 48-52 HP (depending on which magazine test you read). I have searched the web and found no serious difficulties with the SV650 except some early models had alternator issues and that is about it. My bike is the ABS version - but apparently, in some markets, the SV650 can be had without ABS (although I cannot understand why someone would choose to do without this important safety feature).
All-in-all, I guess those wacky engineers
know their stuff because modern bikes are pretty darned good ya' know! There have been fully-faired and half-faired SV650 models (known as the "S" variants) and the SFV650 Gladius as well the naked version that I bought. The downside of the faired "S" models is that they have low-set clip-on bars and a pretty cramped riding position which I simply cannot do with my knee issues. Oh well, the naked SV650 feels just a wee bit more cramped that the Yamaha XS650 Standard - but still OK for me. I think that several ST Owners Forum members have either SVs or the related V-Strom model.
FIRST RIDE REPORT - SV650
From my brief (about 35 km) ride this morning, it seems clear that I am going have A LOT of fun on this thing. The bike was delivered to me from the dealer in London a couple of weeks ago and it has sat in the cold garage with no battery tender ever since. It started on the first poke this morning and idled like a perfect little lady. At that point, she had about 0.2km on her (i.e. 200 meters or around 700 feet) which I guess is the rolling around in various parking lots to get her to me. This bike is actually the second SV650 I have bought. My original SV650 was destroyed in a warehouse fire at the dealer in London, ON on Dec. 27, 2017 - juuuustt before I made the final payment on it. Thankfully, they were able to find me another blue one - but that is a 2-beer story.
This morning, I togged-up and set off at about 8:30 AM to the breakfast diner in LaSalle, Ontario for my vintage bike club Sunday breakfast meeting. I kept everything pretty sedate because she isn't broken in yet, but I did do "The Ton" (metric version
) - but didn't push it beyond that. Also - the temperature was a "fresh" +2C or around 37 deg. F - so I was keeping a close eye on the road for patches of black ice. I got to my destination safely and found that my Suzuki along with a little 1972 Lambretta scooter were the only bikes out this morning out of around 12 attendees. That Lambretta is the 150cc version and began life as a parking meter maid scooter in a city in neighbouring Michigan. It is fully restored mechanically and was cute as a bug's ear. It ran like a top and re-started on the first kick after being shut down for over an hour during breakfast. The ride after the meals was bracing - but quite pleasant and the SV ran great and handles like a feather. It feels like it has a good deal more power than my 1970's vintage Yamaha XS650s <surprise> - and yet, it is light, nimble, has great brakes and is steady as a rock in the very strong winds that were coming off the Detroit River and Lake Erie. I went for a brief boot around Essex County alone after breakfast to try everything out - and it all works as advertised. She now has about 37.3 km on her and I just went on-line and ordered a new license sticker for two years ($84 Cdn) - since mine expires on my birthday in mid-April. BTW - that doesn't include any insurance - which is mandatory here - but entirely separate from the license plate validation sticker fee.
At least those vultures in Toronto haven't found a way to require an exhaust emissions test on motorcycles - yet.
This bike will not replace either of the old XS650s or the ST1300 - rather it will be used as a commuter and for short boots here and there to hold down the mileage on the older bikes (they are only insured for 3000 km/year each) and on the big Honda which I use for long trips.
Anyhow - here is a photo of me this morning shot by the wife of another CVMG member.
Cheers,
Pete
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