Some Thoughts Concerning the SV650S - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

wookie · 05-19-2009, 01:19 AM

While taking my SV for a little cruise on the freeway yesterday afternoon, I just suddenly thought, what a wonderful bike it is.

As I've posted before, I consider the SV a jack of all trades, track day (in the semi-naked form or full-fairing), canyon runs, commuting, touring (tank bag), iron-butting (tank bag plus saddle bags), etc. You name it, it can do it. Very little maintenance required. Just change the oil, air and oil filters, spark plugs, tires, lube the chains, tighten the bolts and it runs forever (already over 30,000 miles). And I have for the longest time regarded the money I paid for the SV the best $6,000 I've ever spent on any bike.

Recently, I've not been riding my SV as much because I've been spending time breaking-in my 1198. Then jumping back on the SV yesterday for the first time in about 3 weeks, I just realized how welcoming, inviting and comforting that little yellow bike is.

Compared with either the gixxer or the 1198, the SV is infinitely more comfortable and relaxed, especially when riding on the freeway (the words "punishing" and "torturing" don't even start to describe the feeling of riding the 1198 or the gixxer on the freeway, especially since I had the suspensions on these two set for track use). Range-wise, I can get easily 200+ miles on a tank of fuel for the SV vs 120 miles on the gixxer and 90 miles on the 1198. And I can carry 3 times as much stuff on the SV compared with the gixxer thou (tank bag only, as the saddlebag won't fit) and infinitely as many on the 1198 (tank bag won't even work because the gas tank is not metallic).

When splitting traffic, it's even got hazard lights to warn the cagers (not even an option on the 1198 ). And in that once-in-a-million time when I felt like an idiot, I even out-dragraced a late-model Porsche 911 turbo getting on a freeway ramp.

I had thought about trading in my SV for a cruiser, but I just can't imagine a cruiser being as much versatile and fun. So it looks like I will keep my SV for a long while.

Here are a couple pics, after the 3rd wash in the 3+ years I've owned this bike.