Which first big [restricted] bike?

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

As most know, I'm looking to be on the road by the end of this month and for that, obviously, I'll need a bike! Whilst training, my instructor suggested that I look at the bandit and Yamaha fazer aswell as the SV, though she doesn't know much about the SV. I said I'd have a look as the most I've lost is a bit of time.

I'll be buying the bike new (by the way) and am really looking for a naked bike so the fazer is not my first choice. On top of that, it's quite pricey in comparison, so at the moment it's a toss-up between the SV and the Bandit.

I know I'm on an SV site so you're likely to be SV bias but I'm ready:viking:!!

From what I've read the SV is about 40KG lighter than the bandit. There's a difference in power but I will only be using 33bhp of it for the first two years so that's not a big issue. Oh, and the SV has nicer rear lights. That's about as far as I've looked into it!

Could anyone give me any more information please? Also, if anyone has any other bike suggestions, feel free to tell me!

Thanks

Alex

[xXBADGERXx]

You can`t go wrong with either Squirrel , but be warned , the finish is ok`ish on an SV if looked after , bandits can dissolve in front of your eyes too so if your one of those people that doesn`t bother cleaning a bike because they don`t get any dirtier after a year ..... be warned . On that subject Scottoiler FS365 is recommended and also ACF50 for protecting things during our Suzuki hating winters .

[yorkie_chris]

though she doesn't know much about the SV.

You can tell, restricted IL4's are completely naff.

Ask plowsie, since he's had both.

[Wayluya]

I would base my choice on Engine - IMO an IL4 is a waste of time on 33hp.....fair enuf for 2 weeks or 2 months, but 2 years is a long time.

I would go for a twin or even a big single amd base my choice on that.....

Just been doing some daydreaming and see that Honda have a simple "Big Single" again....£3,900 ex delivery.......and full power is only 37hp (seems a bit low from my recollections for a big single, but memory is old!)...so at 33hp won't be a big difference om power delivery.

http://www.honda.co.uk/mcStatic/en/picture/product/FMX650/full06.jpg

I was actually looking at Blackbirds - but only 1 (sh#te) colour scheme this year helps me be sensible. :)

I must confess I would love to have a V Twin on a trail (style) bike - shame Honda have stopped with the Africa Twin.......

Not a great deal of help for you I know :rolleyes:

[yorkie_chris]

There's quite a few bikes that claim high 30's bhp but you'll never actually see that at the wheel so you don't need them restricted.

[scottjames]

ive recently gone from my RS50 to the SV650. mines 33bhp and its fine. in fact its more than enough power at the moment. i didnt want to have to change bikes after two years least with the sv i can get it derestricted an its almost like a new bike. I would go straight with the SV, (SV bia aside) and as said before you can literally see bandits fall apart infront of you.

[evertheoptimist]

The thing is if you go for an equivalent yamaha or Honda be prepared to pay approx. thousand pound more, if you got plenty of money it dont matter but if your on a budget go for a suzuki they are the best VFM.

[ThEGr33k]

SV simply because of the ease of restriction and de restriction. there is a brilliant site here as im sure you know so any issues will be easy to research and it sounds the bollox with a decent slip on. :D

bandits are ok but extra weight and same power = poorer ride at a guess.

[yorkie_chris]

bandits are ok but extra weight and same power = poorer ride at a guess.

It's the power delivery...

SV's are making their very useable low rev grunt at less than 33bhp, a bandit doesn't really get up onto the cam untill much higher up where it's strangled by the restrictors.

Same reason why a pointy SV isn't quite as good to restrict as the curvy, the pointies slightly hotter cams aren't suited.

In fact if you could get hold of some "towing" cams for the SV i.e very mild ones you could give it even more low-end

[ThEGr33k]

indeed. But tbh with 33BHP im sure you not going to be too worried about the slight increases in usability as they are all pretty bad :(

[yorkie_chris]

Yeah it's the balls chopped off the bike whatever it is. It's a really nasty law!

[neio79]

can i make a sugestion, and yes i am being serious, what about the new Ninja 250?? full 33BHP parallel twin from day one. Looks good, probably goes well as well being so light and a twin.

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

can i make a sugestion, and yes i am being serious, what about the new Ninja 250?? full 33BHP parallel twin from day one. Looks good, probably goes well as well being so light and a twin.

I did have a very brief look at that and decided it wasn't quite right. I'd prefer to have a naked bike as there's no fairing to crack/scratch/damage etc. Suzuki are offering a lot at the moment with the £400 off plus free restrictor and they're both the same insurance goup! Also, when the restriction ends I can have it removed and then gain some power where as I wouldn't have that option with the ninja.

Whilst £1000 is a bit more money to spend I think it will be worth it in the long run. Appreciate the suggestion, though :)

Alex

[Mogs]

Alex, The Hornet is a nice bike, ask Jabba, but it too may be robbed of its power like the bandit.

If your planning on doing lots of longer trips then you will appreciate the fairing, your not a small bloke and you will take a battering at speed.

Whatever you choose remember your welcome at any Taffia meet and rideout. However we reserve the right relentlessly take the mickey if you dont get an SV.

[Alpinestarhero]

IL4 might be a bit less usale than V-twin. I know of a lad who had a GSXR600 restricted, and he hated it.

saying that, my freind has a bandit restricted, and loves it! If you dont ride anything else, you'll never know how much power isnt there I guess.

I like my restricted SV, it pulls well from low down up to 7500 rpm. It'll cruise at over 90mph easy (gotta get there first though!)

IMO go for the SV. I made the choice for an SV based purley on the theory that a V-twin will be better for low down usable power.

Of course, you can get a suzkuki DR-Z400, thats 33 bhp

Matt

[muffles]

Sounds like you thought the Fazer only comes in a faired version - it also comes in a naked version.

However, get an SV. If/when you're ready to upgrade from a [full power] SV, you won't be looking to upgrade to either of the others (in ~600cc form anyway).

Thus, the Fazer, SV, Bandit are all parallel routes into biking and not at 'different levels' - you don't gain anything by buying one thinking that it will "last you longer, won't have to pay to upgrade" etc etc. And with the SV, you have a more enjoyable 2 years when the restriction is in force.

[Dangerous Dave]

Between the SV650 and the Bandit 600 I'd say the SV, a restricted IL4 engine is just horrible and a V-twin engine whilst obviously feeling restricted is far more compliant!

[neio79]

IL4 might be a bit less usale than V-twin. I know of a lad who had a GSXR600 restricted, and he hated it.

Matt


not surprised, cant imagine anything worse than having a high reving SS bike on 33BHP.

just as it starts to get some powere its strangled. Ill have a look at my dyno to see where 33BHP is produced in the rev range.

[ThEGr33k]

Put your Dyno up be interesting to see.

I know some people on here have restricted SV 1000 to 33BHP man thats produced at like 2500RPM... LOL

[AndyW]

I'd prefer to have a naked bike as there's no fairing to crack/scratch/damage etc.

Before choosing make sure to try a faired bike.
I commute to work from Blackpool to Preston and along the Prom, so it gets fairly windy. I found with the naked 125 I used for a year, at 50+ I felt like I was being pushed off the back of the bike and had to ride with visor closed as wind streamed into the helmet making my eyes water.
On the faired SV650S, I can sit upright at 70 on the m-ways and I _always_ ride with visor cracked for fresh air, and don't get a wind blasted face.

Probably hard to notice when using around town / less than 50, but at higher speeds I bless my fairing.

[Corf]

i had a choice between bandit and sv last week and walked out with the sv - its so much lighter which is ideal when starting out (and later on when you start cornering with confidence). but i didn't have restrictor on either so couldn't say what they would be like in comparison.

btw alex you will see i few SVs around cardiff (mine being one of them)

[Wayluya]

Probably hard to notice when using around town / less than 50, but at higher speeds I bless my fairing.

IMO any sort of fairing makes a big difference - just way more pleasant in deflecting wind and rain around you.

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

Thanks guys. Looks like I'm definitely getting the SV. I'll have a look at the faired and unfaired version before buying though - which I wouldn't have really done before. Any ideas what I can do about a test ride as it has to be restricted? I don't think I'm going to get a feel for the bike just sitting on it in a showroom!!

Alex

[hovis]

dont get a bandito............ gid has one and he is an idiot.


theres not a lot of differance between a restricted SV and a normal one

[neio79]

dont get a bandito............ gid has one and he is an idiot.


theres not a lot of differance between a restricted SV and a normal one


appart from less than half the power :rolleyes:

[muffles]

I _always_ ride with visor cracked for fresh air, and don't get a wind blasted face.
:confused:
Do you look down a lot?? The flow of the air means if the visor is slightly open the air goes into it, unless you angle your head so that air flowing off the edge of the visor is angled well away from the open area on the helmet...

[hovis]

appart from less than half the power :rolleyes:

yeah but......... errrr

what i ment was it should keep up ok

[scottjames]

Unless you know any one with a rstricted Sv and is willing to let you have a go then i doubt theres much chance of you getting a test ride. most dealers say you have to be 21 or some thing like that. i know when i went to look at mine they wouldnt let me ride it even tho i had my full licence. in the end my dad rode it and gave it the ok so i brought it.

to be honest if its first or second bike your going to be amazed with it and you wont want to leave it alone for 5 minutes. You wont be dissapointed. ;)

scott

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

I hadn't thought of that. The guy said he would let me take it round the car park a few times. It's not ideal but it's something!

Alex

[yorkie_chris]

:confused:
Do you look down a lot?? The flow of the air means if the visor is slightly open the air goes into it, unless you angle your head so that air flowing off the edge of the visor is angled well away from the open area on the helmet...

Aerodynamics is never that simple, some lids will jetblast you in the face, others won't.

I can ride with the visor on my caberg open about 1/4 of the way and just get a gentle cooling effect, but with the sunvisor down the airflow goes right into my eyes.

[Wayluya]

I hadn't thought of that. The guy said he would let me take it round the car park a few times. It's not ideal but it's something!

Alex

Have a chat with the dealer - may let you have a run on a s/h one - or if he thinks you are serious and can ride a bike already maybe give you a test ride - albeit if he has a 21 requirement it is probably an insurance thing.......or if not maybe go and do some "Time wasting" via the Classifieds :)

[muffles]

Aerodynamics is never that simple, some lids will jetblast you in the face, others won't.

I can ride with the visor on my caberg open about 1/4 of the way and just get a gentle cooling effect, but with the sunvisor down the airflow goes right into my eyes.

Fair point. My experience is solely with a Shoei XR-1000, if the visor is open even a tad the air just flows right up into the helmet. Looking at the side profile I thought it'd be similar with most helmets - I expect it depends on the angle of the visor & the shape of the chin bar?

[yorkie_chris]

Air has got to have somewhere to go before it will flow, depends on the venting at the rear, the padding, your hairstyle...

Everything has an effect.

[muffles]

Air has got to have somewhere to go before it will flow, depends on the venting at the rear, the padding, your hairstyle...

Everything has an effect.

Indeed - I think I need to go try a few helmets to see ;)