Good news for restricted riders

[Mark_h]

Today I took a quick test ride on a friends SV650s which had a 33hp restriction. My first observation was how much smaller the S felt than the naked bike. Not sure why, but it felt tiny. More importantly I was amazed at how completely lacking in power it was.

I had a 2001 SV650 and although it was never going to set the world alight it had plenty of poke. With the restirction it felt more like and old-school 250.

So for those of you with a restriction wanting to know how different it'll be with the restrictor off I think it's fair to say you'll be pleasently suprised. I think it'd be like going from one of those horrible 3 cylinder 1 litre corsas to a golf GTI.

You get a slightly less impressive but equally pleasing jump in power if/when you go from an SV650 to an SV1000 too.

[shonadoll]

Wow, great stuff. Thought I'd notice no change.

[maultin]

i didnt think would notice a difference either.
the previous bike i had was a Honda Bros 400, which had 33hp (supposedly), but when i got the SV650 with a restrictor i noticed a massive boost from what i was used to.

cant wait now for my 'little' licence to grow up

[the_lone_wolf]

unrestricting gives almost double the bhp, if you don't feel that you need your head testing;)

[Stoneyginger]

my boss is still trying to pass his test would the restrictor allow him to ride it with L plates till he passes his full test? and where would he get one?

[yorkie_chris]

No chance.

L plates allow you to ride a 12bhp 125cc bike, a 650cc with 33bhp is way over.

(is it 12 or 14bhp? its something like that anyway...)

[the_lone_wolf]

(is it 12 or 14bhp? its something like that anyway...)

computer says 11kW, which is 14.6hp

[Stoneyginger]

So why do many people restrict it to this power? sorry if im asking a stupid question im just new to this.

[Sean_C]

I'd imagine that if you weren't putting 33bhp through its paces you might not sense much of a difference. That's not the case for me :)

[Sean_C]

So why do many people restrict it to this power? sorry if im asking a stupid question im just new to this.

For most people its because they pass their test under 21. They have to be restricted to 33bhp for either 2 years or until they're 21, whichever comes first. HTH

[Stoneyginger]

Aaaaaah thank you for clearing that up for me :)

[orose]

I thought the 33 bhp rule was 2 years regardless of age, but over 21s could waive it by passing an additional test (accelerated access?)

[Sean_C]

I thought the 33 bhp rule was 2 years regardless of age, but over 21s could waive it by passing an additional test (accelerated access?)

No, if you are over 21 you can take the direct access course and provided you pass, ride a bike of any power. However, i believe over 21s can opt to take the A2 test and be restricted for 2 years if they choose.

[jambo]

For most people its because they pass their test under 21. They have to be restricted to 33bhp for either 2 years or until they're 21, whichever comes first. HTH
Not quite....

If you are under 21 you HAVE to take the restricted test on a 125cc bike. This lets you ride a bike of up to 33bhp for 2 years until your licence becomes a full, unrestriced one.

If you are 21 or over you can take the above test on a 125, or you can do your Direct Access on a bike of at least 49BHP (I think) and ride anything straight away.

However, if you take your restricted test at 20 for example, it will remain restricted for the 2 years till you're 22, it won't automatically upgrade when you get to 21. You could choose to take the DAS test after your 21st birthday though. This would mean you'd taken your bike test twice but could now ride any bike.

Clear as mud? Excellent


Jambo

[21QUEST]

unrestricting gives almost double the bhp, if you don't feel that you need your head testing;)
:smt046 :winner:

....always expect the unexpected eh :rolleyes: ;)


Ben

[Dangerous Dave]

The SV feels a lot different restricted, most noticable it runs out of puff early in the rev range!

[shonadoll]

unrestricting gives almost double the bhp, if you don't feel that you need your head testing;)

Well if you don't have any experience of a bigger bike, it's difficult to know, especially since I've been told that a v twin doesn't suffer too much from being restricted. I thought it would make more of a difference to the top end perfomance to be honest.

[plowsie]

You lot moaning about a restricted SV, try a restricted CBR!

[Dangerous Dave]

I thought it would make more of a difference to the top end perfomance to be honest.
If you can ride a restricted and unrestricted back to back, the difference is quite noticable!

I do not want to put anybody off a restricted SV, they are by far one of the best bikes to have restricted!

[plowsie]

Oh yeah, also, dissapointed with this thread, i saw the title and thought it would be a new rule starting tomorrow that restriction was no more lol. Oh well!

[Dangerous Dave]

Oh yeah, also, dissapointed with this thread, i saw the title and thought it would be a new rule starting tomorrow that restriction was no more lol. Oh well!
I'm sure a lot of restricted licence holders are think that too, it makes sense though this restricted rule. Shame it isn't used with cars as well!

[plowsie]

It is in Spain.

[chris8886]

Not quite....

If you are under 21 you HAVE to take the restricted test on a 125cc bike. This lets you ride a bike of up to 33bhp for 2 years until your licence becomes a full, unrestriced one.

If you are 21 or over you can take the above test on a 125, or you can do your Direct Access on a bike of at least 49BHP (I think) and ride anything straight away.

However, if you take your restricted test at 20 for example, it will remain restricted for the 2 years till you're 22, it won't automatically upgrade when you get to 21. You could choose to take the DAS test after your 21st birthday though. This would mean you'd taken your bike test twice but could now ride any bike.

Clear as mud? Excellent


Jambo

correct. that is the exact boat i am in. now being 21.


Oh yeah, also, dissapointed with this thread, i saw the title and thought it would be a new rule starting tomorrow that restriction was no more lol. Oh well!


ditto. i got very excited:hackedoff:

[Spikenipple]

The difference between 33bhp and full power (on a pointy anyway) seems to be negligible between idle and 7k rpm. Restricted, the bike runs out of puff between 7-8k rpm, but without the restrictor it takes off after 7.5-8k.
The good thing about a restricted SV of course is that most of your everyday riding on it will be below 6k rpm, where you'll find 'go' by the bucket load.

[clodge]

Well I must be getting more used to my bike as when I go out on it I keep thinking I've only got until next August (09!) until the restrictor comes off and I can't wait!! :smt041

[Stu]

Stuff.
I would be very interested to know what kind of bike this was & how it was restricted.
I would more say the situation is opposite. i.e. don't worry about being restricted on an SV, because they are still very good. Spikenipple describes it excellently :thumbsup:

[yorkie_chris]

I'm sure a lot of restricted licence holders are think that too, it makes sense though this restricted rule. Shame it isn't used with cars as well!

Dunno about that, I'm pretty sure I could do myself a serious mischief with 33bhp. And I'm not convinced the discriminating by age is good either. Or that doing your test on a weedy 500 shows any greater skill at all. Especially when pretty much the entire test is done around town where the extra power makes no difference!

[ScottishRawker]

i like the restriction rule, iv got till beginning of feb next year till mine ends.

i still have great fun on my sv, go in 4th at 40ish and open the throttle and look down and your above 80 really quickly.

don't get me wrong i can't wait for the ecu to get swapped back but 33bhp is still a good amount to play with!

my dad is 51 and he did his A2 a few months after me as he felt it would be good to get experience on something less powerful first, and i agree and think if young people need to do this then so should all people sitting bike tests, and a car equivilent should be used.

[yorkie_chris]

Seems a pretty daft idea to do your A2 ... if you do DAS then you're not held by law to buy something powerful :-P

IMO the people most likely to need to be restricted, derestrict them anyway!

Misguided law taking away personal choice.

[ThEGr33k]

It felt massive when I lost my restriction. Felt like someone had put a rocket up my ****. After a week it was like. Oh.

Same with the Falco. At first it was ok 7Krpm think ill change gear now. Now it feels normal using all the power. Though I think since I put the exhausts on I might have lost some power and it might be running a little lean. Im going to try and get it on a rolling road to see what its making and how the engine is running now... heh off subject^^ :S

[Stu]

I always thought about putting the restricted ECU back on my bike to save petrol & my license whilst commuting. Never got round to it though & now it's sold.

[gettin2dizzy]

So we've established that doubling the power of your SV makes it quicker? Great ;)

[Alpinestarhero]

My restriction ends on the 12th of july. The restrictors will be coming out on that day.

I'll be at boxhill or even the ace cafe on the 13th, a sunday, smiling like an idiot :D

Matt