SV 650 or Bandit?

[NickWilde123]

hi guys im new here and interested in getting an SV 650 or a GSF Bandit. these are the main two of my options due to insurance ( tpft being the cheapest at £660) and im just wondering which would be better for daily commuting in all weathers and frequant rides just for fun. my commute might be dramatically increasing in the summer to cross country so would it be able to handle that? and also what kind of milage can they get up to because i would have to buy second hand.

cheers

Nick

[BigFootIsBlurry]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you and I'm sure they are many people on here that are qualified to give you the pros and cons of both but I've decided on an SV because I think they look better. I havnt actually got it yet so I cant offer any other advice but who are you ringing about insurance? I've only rang one company (Churchill, because they insure my car) and they quoted me £310 tpft on an sv. Thats with about 5 minutes riding experience and no eligible NCB.

[NickWilde123]

it was on confused.com cos when i was going through all this for my 125 in march i found them to be the best at getting a cheap quote. but iv been riding since june 07 on scooters for a while and then 125cc bikes and now im wanting to go up again. but being 17 at the moment doesnt help things...

[BigFootIsBlurry]

Ah, it'll be your age screwing you then I'd imagine. I'm only 22 but it does make a difference. Its $hit but you'll just have to put up with it for a while, its taken 5 years for driving for my car insurance to be anything better than laughable and from what I can see bikes arent much better

[NickWilde123]

yep and if i manage to get my dream job they will screw me even more. apparently if your in the RAF your bike is at risk of being bombed?!?!?!? you would think with it being in a sealed off area with armed guards would make it safer wouldnt you?

[zsv650]

hi i'd have to say although it sound's like a crap answer have a go there both good bike's that'll do what you ask of em(though personally i'd say the sv's more fun) both cheap to insure just depends which one suit's you best.

[joshmac]

it was on confused.com cos when i was going through all this for my 125 in march i found them to be the best at getting a cheap quote. but iv been riding since june 07 on scooters for a while and then 125cc bikes and now im wanting to go up again. but being 17 at the moment doesnt help things...
Hi Nick,
Welcome to the .org :thumbsup:
I'm 17 as well. I'm assuming you're going to get it restricted (correct me if I'm wrong here), in which case I'd say get the SV as they take the restriction a lot better as they still keep the torque they have low down in the rev range.

As for insurance, have you got a years no claims from your scooter?
I found that the comparison sites like confused.com were rubbish for finding a decent quote.
Get some quotes from the insurance companies direct, first on the internet and then call them and get them to beat it.
MCE gave me really good quotes that no-one else could compete with. Also try Carol Nash.
Whatever you do, don't settle for the first quote you get. Each insurance company is competing against each other to get your money, so use that to your advantage by getting a quote from someone (for arguements sake say £500). Knock off about £40-50 and tell the other insurance company that so and so offered me this, can you beat it?

Hope that helps,
Josh

[ArtyLady]

yep and if i manage to get my dream job they will screw me even more. apparently if your in the RAF your bike is at risk of being bombed?!?!?!? you would think with it being in a sealed off area with armed guards would make it safer wouldnt you?

My insurer of approx 4 years would no longer quote for me because I am an artist (painter), I said WTF!:confused: the broker said something along the lines of it's because they think you might hang around with....get this...."certain types of people"???!!!! I LMAO and said yeah right, of course!...Im 49....I sit in a spare room at home painting horses, dogs, and cats from photos, Im tee-total, dont smoke......Im a real WILD CHILD me hahahaha!!! :mrgreen:

[sv-robo]

SV all the way......looks better,more fun factor,more torquey.......does everything the blandit does & most things better.....HTH.

[Dangerous Dave]

None of us can answer this question for you, only a test ride will determine which bike suits you and your needs best. A bike is a personal preference, what may suit you may not suit me.

From what you have listed in your original post both bikes will fit into that category perfectly. Bear in mind this is an SV forum the majority are bound to say the SV, also bear in mind that not many people have actually ridden both.

[joshmac]

Suspension's apparently better on the blandit, but I've never really noticed TBH, apart from some crazy road :lol:

[Dappa D]

ive had both, well....my gsf was a 400 but similar id imagine.

its down to personal preference really, have you ridden them both?, the engines are different so it would probably come down to which one feels "right" for you, the lovely v twin sv650 or the inline 4 gsf, as well as the riding position etc.

personally (as with most on here probably as its an sv site!) id say the sv650 every time, but i think you really need to test ride both, as they are both good bikes and as said will do what you ask of them.

but on a weekend jolly, and everyday commuting, the sv wins for me every time.

[joshmac]

None of us can answer this question for you, only a test ride will determine which bike suits you and your needs best. A bike is a personal preference, what may suit you may not suit me.

From what you have listed in your original post both bikes will fit into that category perfectly.
Could be hard getting a test ride of either at 17 though, no?

[Dappa D]

Could be hard getting a test ride of either at 17 though, no?

can have a pop on mine if he wants! :)

but yea could be difficult

[Dangerous Dave]

Could be hard getting a test ride of either at 17 though, no?
Aye, it would. Personally I would post the same question up on a Bandit forum to get as much info as possiblym, the opinions on here are going to biased just as much as on any Bandit forum.

Now at 17 you are obviously going to be on a restricted licence, from this point of view I would say the SV650 is the better one to go for as the bhp is only restricted and not the torque (which is a V-twins best assest). The SV is also lighter, another benefit for a newbie, but the Bandit is more rugged, will come out better after a few drops, and will also be cheaper to repair.

[heros]

Both great bikes (i had a sv650 naked before some bint wrote it off) and now have a naked bandit 650. I find it very good and tbh not as boring as people seem to make them out. I find the bandit more comfortable for my 50 mile daily commute to work and much more manageable on big open roads than the sv. The bandit is alot heavier than the sv tho just to warn you :) Bro seems to be of the same opinion (still has his sv but seems to like the bandit more now hes had a go) all really depends on what kind of riding your looking to do.

[joshmac]

can have a pop on mine if he wants! :)

but yea could be difficult
220 miles just for a test ride?
Hmmm :p;)

[TazDaz]

These are the main two of my options due to insurance ( tpft being the cheapest at £660)

Firstly, welcome to the .Org.

Secondly, this may sound stupid but have you tried a fully comp quote at the cheapest place? I only had to pay an extra £40 to go fully comp on my machine...it's crazy!

[NickWilde123]

i have been told by friends i have that had Bandits that they are very front heavy due to the inline 4 and the V twin seems a good answer to that problem. what is the performance of the bike like when restricted??

fully comp at my age!! if i was dreaming maybe it would be at the very least £1000 and to get that i would be lucky

[joshmac]

i have been told by friends i have that had Bandits that they are very front heavy due to the inline 4 and the V twin seems a good answer to that problem. what is the performance of the bike like when restricted??
I can only speak of a restricted SV, but that'll still get to 60 in ~6secs, top end will be around 100mph. Coming up from scooters, that'll seem fast a fook initially. I would assume that a 33bhp SV will be quicker off the line than a 33bhp blandit due to the torque...

Flickable, torquey and growls with an aftermarket can :p What more could you want ;)

[NickWilde123]

not to bad. the bike iv got now is something like 13bhp and i once managed to get it to 80mph and that seemed damned fast

[joshmac]

not to bad. the bike iv got now is something like 13bhp and i once managed to get it to 80mph and that seemed damned fast
80mph on a 125 will seem faster than 80mph on a 'big' bike, as IMO bigger bikes are much more stable. TBH top speed isn't really a problem... it'll still do 90 round the right corner ;) (not that I'd condone this of course ociffer :smt083) My point is that, unless you spend all day on motorways, it'll have more than enough power to keep you grinning :smt040 comme ça

[NickWilde123]

alrite cheers. what about reliability, iv heard bad things from people about suzuki's saying they fall apart if you ride them all year

[joshmac]

Nah, there are plenty of people on here who ride all year round. Pitting on the front forks is common on the SV, though this can be sorted with some autosol and a fair bit of elbow grease ;)
Coat it in ACF-50 and clean it regularly and it'll be fine, or do it yorkie_chris style... Build up a protective layer of dirt :lol:

[NickWilde123]

lol ok fair enough well hopefully when i get a bigger bike in march most of the salt should have washed away. cheers

[NickWilde123]

one more quick question ... what year of bike should i be aiming for?? and coupled with that what kind of milage and price???

[joshmac]

lol ok fair enough well hopefully when i get a bigger bike in march most of the salt should have washed away. cheers
Awesome, you'll love it :D

Pop into Idle Banter (http://forums.sv650.org/forumdisplay.php?f=116) and say hello, and make sure you put some pics up in March of your new toy :p:cool: (even if it is a Bandit)

[NickWilde123]

sure thing, also does anyone else ride a 125? just wondering what they would think if i turned up to a ride lol, but im now pretty good with country lane's as i live in the yorkshire dales and am frequantly up there, but on the straights it wouldnt be funny.....

[ArtyLady]

also bear in mind that not many people have actually ridden both.

I have and yes I am biased - hated the bandit love the SV :mrgreen:

[joshmac]

I think there are a couple on 125s on here, but I'm sure people wouldn't mind if you were on a 125.
Might be worth popping into the Pennine Massive (http://forums.sv650.org/forumdisplay.php?f=123)section if you're from yorkshire. Ask there, but I'd be shocked if they said you couldn't go on the rideouts :lol:
It just won't happen :)

[NickWilde123]

cheersss

[joshmac]

one more quick question ... what year of bike should i be aiming for?? and coupled with that what kind of milage and price???
Missed that..
All depends on your budget and which style of SV you prefer Curvy ('99-02, Carbs) on the left or Pointy ('03 onwards, Fuel Injection) on the right

http://forums.sv650.org/images/misc/SV650Banner5_3.jpg
There'll always be banter between owners (as that pic suggests)

Then decide if you prefer the S version (clip ons and bikini fairing at least) or the naked (more upright riding position and no fairing)

Have a look at different bikes, don't buy the first one you see without looking at others. Should be able to pick up a decent curvy for about £1600, pointy will be more (being newer an' all that), nice one probably starting at ~£2200

Look for tasteful mods such as an aftermarket can and tail tidies etc, as they don't add any resale value, but you'll probably end up doing them if you buy a completely standard bike
Have a look on eBay and the For Sale (http://forums.sv650.org/forumdisplay.php?f=113) section on here. You get the occasional crazy bargain on here. IIRC a K6 recently was sold for £1800!

[Dangerous Dave]

I would assume that a 33bhp SV will be quicker off the line than a 33bhp blandit due to the torque...
Aye it will, the SV's low down torque is not restricted and the fact it is also a little lighter than the Bandit will give it an extra boost.

[NickWilde123]

i preffer the pointy one but iv only ever riden a faired bike once or twice that were my mates, my bike at the moment is a yamaha YBR so im used to naked bikes, but still the pointy looks awsome!!

[joshmac]

Go for a naked pointy then ;)

[NickWilde123]

i see your logic! lol but im not counting the faired version out yet, guna have a look at the local garages so what they have, does the fairing increase the turning circle? and is the fairing any good at keeping the wind off?

[joshmac]

i see your logic! lol but im not counting the faired version out yet, guna have a look at the local garages so what they have, does the fairing increase the turning circle? and is the fairing any good at keeping the wind off?
It'll certainly help with the wind blast and in theory on a fully faired bike you'll stay drier as you can get your knees in.
Not sure about the turning cicle, but I'm sure someone will be along to answer that for you.

Are you considering all the pointies? (Naked, Half-Faired and Fully-Faired)

[NickWilde123]

im thinkin about the naked and half faired, but not so much the fully faired, but i wud put a front and read hugger on it anyway

[Dave20046]

Only advice I can give you(sv,sv,sv) is take anything confused.com give you with a pinch of salt. They (sv,sv,sv) once quoted me £12k to insure a mini whereas it was £1k elsewhere. Most of the people on here (get a bloody sv) will be too biased to give you a fair pros and cons of sv vs bandit. My mates had quite a few bandits though and he road my sv for the first time and was really impressed with it and now wants one.

[joshmac]

Only advice I can give you(sv,sv,sv) is take anything confused.com give you with a pinch of salt. They (sv,sv,sv) once quoted me £12k to insure a mini whereas it was £1k elsewhere. Most of the people on here (get a bloody sv) will be too biased to give you a fair pros and cons of sv vs bandit. My mates had quite a few bandits though and he road my sv for the first time and was really impressed with it and now wants one.
Dave why do you want him to get a Bandit?! :p :lol:

[NickWilde123]

Im sensing a hidden message here...... lol:p

[joshmac]

:lol: Really? Far too subtle for me ;)

[NickWilde123]

wait no i lost it again... damn

[joshmac]

:lol: Sorry about that :razz:

[NickWilde123]

back to the point though what kind of milage is good for a used bike?

i will have to reply later, work calls

see ya later

[Dave20046]

Dave why do you want him to get a Bandit?! :p :lol:
:smt072

[joshmac]

:smt072
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eo3nPKRksY8

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ______________

Anyway back on topic!

The SV engines are bulletproof if they're looked after. IIRC someone on here had 130,000 on the clock and it was still going strong.

So don't be put off but what you might think is "high". I bought mine with ~26k on the clock.

Look for service history when you're buying second hand, and also if they have a garage, have a quick scout when they're getting the bike out.. can you see paddock stands, any decent tools? etc

[Jase22]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=121661

;)

[joshmac]

Looks curvy to me... ;)

[Dave20046]

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=121661

;)
nice, I quite like your sv tripple too jase. any more pics?

[Daimo]

Had both the SV and now have a 650 bandit.

Overall, sorry to say but I prefer the bandit.

For commuting, riding positions better, soft ride, ok brakes, big fuel tank (50-60 miles more per tankfull to the SV).

Thats not taking anything away from the SV, love the noise, low down torque (bandit needs some winding up, but its not bad). Great little bikes, but for commuting, the bandits better.

Its slightly (and i do mean slightly) quicker than the SV is. Can be thrown about well, but not as much as the sv.

There was a post about this recently, do a search for Bandit, and the SV vs Bandit discussion is long.

[joshmac]

Had both the SV and now have a 650 bandit.

Overall, sorry to say but I prefer the bandit.

For commuting, riding positions better, soft ride, ok brakes, big fuel tank (50-60 miles more per tankfull to the SV).

Thats not taking anything away from the SV, love the noise, low down torque (bandit needs some winding up, but its not bad). Great little bikes, but for commuting, the bandits better.

Its slightly (and i do mean slightly) quicker than the SV is. Can be thrown about well, but not as much as the sv.

There was a post about this recently, do a search for Bandit, and the SV vs Bandit discussion is long.
Which would suggest the restriction would choke it just as it's getting into the power band...

All other points are interesting.
Just out of interest Daimo, did you have an S or a naked SV?

[Dangerous Dave]

For commuting, riding positions better, soft ride, ok brakes, big fuel tank (50-60 miles more per tankfull to the SV).
I agree, this is what tops the Bandit above the SV.

Which would suggest the restriction would choke it just as it's getting into the power band...
Yes it does, the Bandit 600 and 650 need revving (unlike there bigger brother) and when you restrict an IL4 you are taking away its top end.

[Jase22]

nice, I quite like your sv tripple too jase. any more pics?

It's actually a Triumph Speed Four. I'm getting a new camera at some point in the near future so I might upload a few snaps when I'm "trying it out". I'll refrain from de-railing now though :)

[Alpinestarhero]

SV650 or bandit

hmmm

neither.

RC45 :cheers:


I'll get me coat....

(btw, whatever bike you can get that is ideally suited to the riding you will mostly be doing. SV650 it is then, does everything equally well...except off-roading)

[Daimo]

I had a curvey S, but had a few plays with my friend who did have a pointy. Got an S bandit.

Its ok, it pulls well from 3-4k odd, but starts pulling more around 6-7k. It dies off a good 1000+rpm from the redline though.

Extra weight also means going through front pads a bit quicker, but ABS has helped on slippery roads in the city centre.

Bandits good for trips to europe, but SV would be better round the bends.

For a restricted engine, the SV will probably be the better engine to have fun with, but the bandit is a more practical commuter that fun can be had on. Same service intervals too.

[-Ralph-]

I rode both when I bought the SV. When the dealer asked me which one I preferred, I said the Bandit was lovely to ride, but it lacked the grunt of the SV, had little excitement, and I'd maybe come back and buy a bandit when I was 55 with a sore back (and when they took a cylinder or two away :mrgreen:).

If your going to be doing high mileage the bandit will be a more suitable bike because it'll be more comfortable with less vibration, but it's as dull as dishwater.

If you are restricting it get the SV without a doubt, a restricted 4 cylinder will be frustratingly slow.

[Dave20046]

It's actually a Triumph Speed Four. I'm getting a new camera at some point in the near future so I might upload a few snaps when I'm "trying it out". I'll refrain from de-railing now though :)
oops thought it was a fairly heavily modified SV! On closer inspecion I can see the number of downpipes.

[Frank]

time to own up...I have a Bandit.



and yes I love it.



I find it much quicker to steer around traffic ,smoother to ride and better two up.































and before Widepants and Hovis can jump in....Im not old or slow

[joshmac]

Yeh but you're old and slow

(Ha didn't say joshmac :smt019) :lol:

[Frank]

Yeh but you're old and slow

(Ha didn't say joshmac :smt019) :lol:
WP had a go last time he was here .
Should have seen the smile on his face.(wud u like a go)

[joshmac]

WP had a go last time he was here .
Should have seen the smile on his face.(wud u like a go)
I'm alright, unless you bring it to me

[Ch00]

I have been looking at the 1250 GT looks nice.

Ch00

[vardypeeps]

I'm 23 had a Naked Bandit 600 (98) and now have a SV 650 (99) fully faired.

What a bike this SV is very easy to ride in town and loves it when you open it up to have a giggle.

That;s all I can say really. I don't think I would go back to a Bandit but would consider a Naked SV

[NickWilde123]

does the sv have a fuel gauage??

[Dangerous Dave]

does the sv have a fuel gauage??
No, it only has a fuel light.

[NickWilde123]

that sucks, does it have a reserve?

[Dangerous Dave]

Yes, but not on a tap like older bikes had. When the light first comes one you are starting on the reserve, like virtually all modern bikes now.

[NickWilde123]

ok how far can you get out of it? and how far can you get out of the tank if you drive sensibly??

[Dangerous Dave]

All depends how you ride and how the bike is tuned; take a look at the thread below about tank capacity and range.

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=108175&highlight=fuel+range

[NickWilde123]

cheers

[Frank]

does the sv have a fuel gauage??
my bandit has a fuel gauage and a reserve

[NickWilde123]

hmmm im still struggling to make up my mind... they both have their excellent points, i think a ride is in order!

[Alpinestarhero]

With regards to SV and fuel gauge; the light comes on (at least, on the curvy) when there are 4 litres left. I can get about 10 miles per litre (slightly less around london commuting, alot more when I'm doing longer rides around sussex etc). Just reset your trip at each fuel stop, and know that you might need to fill up as early as 120 miles, or as late as 150 miles (if you go by filling up when the light starts to flash)

[NickWilde123]

ok, can you get panniers for them or topbox type stuf aswell?

[joshmac]

ok, can you get panniers for them or topbox type stuf aswell?
Yeah you can get loads of options for carrying luggage.. top box, paniers, tailpacks etc...

Have a look at some of the pictures from the AR08 section. That'll give you an idea :)

I don't really see the need for a fuel guage.. just use the trip and fuel light

[Frank]

I don't really see the need for a fuel guage.. just use the trip and fuel light
Jelous boy

[joshmac]

Jelous boy
There's AT LEAST (that means more than one, just in case you didn't understand) one thing that I am most certainly NOT jealous (no not your atrocious spelling :rolleyes:) but I think it'd be inappropriate to disclose on a U-Rated forum :p:smt043 :laughat:

[NickWilde123]

ok what ever is going on here is way to subtle this time...

[joshmac]

:lol:
Gid can tell you when he feels comfotable :), but if he does, I'd bank on it being via PM :mrgreen:

[NickWilde123]

wowowowow i barely know they guy i dnt want him coming out to me...

just a shot in the dark but worth it :P lol

[joshmac]

:lol: No. Take a look at the usual chat in the megathread between Gid, Girth and Wideboy. If you were right about it being that, which I don't think it is(although I could be completely wrong here :)...), then it wouldn't arrive via PM

Anyway.. Back on topic (yes I know; rich coming from me :smt019) :razz:

[NickWilde123]

ok im still confused, so i need to go read another thread to figure out whats going on here?? this is way to complex for this time of nite...

what is it with 17 yr olds being online at this time of nite??

[joshmac]

:lol: I wouldn't bother... it's only Gid we're talking about after all... save yourself the trouble! :razz:

Not a lot else to do

[NickWilde123]

ye iv spent the nite watchin south park, nd on here:) good times. and is it something to do with an avitar he has got???

rite im off see ya later

[joshmac]

Gotta' love south park :D

Hasta la vista

Oh and no, it's nothing to do with his avitar...

[Daimo]

:rolleyes:ok how far can you get out of it? and how far can you get out of the tank if you drive sensibly??

My curvey - 110-120 miles hard. Or about 150 tops when mildly ridden,
My bandit - 160 miles if pushed hard, usually about 200 miles, but have seen 223 miles with some juice still left in the tank.

If your doing 50 miles per day travelling, thats the difference between a fillup every 1.5 days, or every 2 days.

Put that over a month, you end up spending half your time in the petrol station. Bigger tank makes life much easier.

[krhall]

Go for an SV and make sure it is the Pointy version......

[Dave20046]

:rolleyes:

My curvey - 110-120 miles hard. Or about 150 tops when mildly ridden,
My bandit - 160 miles if pushed hard, usually about 200 miles, but have seen 223 miles with some juice still left in the tank.

If your doing 50 miles per day travelling, thats the difference between a fillup every 1.5 days, or every 2 days.

Put that over a month, you end up spending half your time in the petrol station. Bigger tank makes life much easier.
Which was more economical daimo?

[Daimo]

Both roughly ran about 50mpg in mixed town/motorway riding I think. Tank was smaller on the the SV, but the fuel economy was very similar.

For me it meant the difference between filling up ever 2.5, or every 4 days, even though the costs were the same overall.

[Dangerous Dave]

i think a ride is in order!
Might be a bit tricky with a 33bhp licence.

ok, can you get panniers for them or topbox type stuf aswell?
Yes, have a look at the hard luggage manufacturers websites as they list all the bikes they make luggage for. Try Givi (http://www.givi.co.uk/), they also make the Suzuki ones too.

what is it with 17 yr olds being online at this time of nite??
No friends? ;)

Which was more economical
The Bandit is supposed to be a little more economical, all depends on how you ride though.

[joshmac]

Might be a bit tricky with a 33bhp licence.
+1



No friends? ;)

:smt072:smt067:smt065:smt075
:smt019 :lol:

[Dangerous Dave]

:smt044

[Daimo]

If you want hard luggage then again i'd suggest the Bandit.

Mine came as an edition with suzuki framework and givi (re-named suzuki) top box, and for the 1250cc Bandit it comes with matching side boxes too.

Well overkill, and I hardly use my TB anymore, but if your wanting a long ride into europe, its spot on.

Top box on the SV looks pretty lame, but not-so bad on the bandit. Still unsure how the IL4 engine would be on a 33bhp limit though, but honestly I can't see it being any worse than an SV, just a different powerband range. SV will be low to med revs, bandit will be med to high revs.

Day it was picked up...

http://images14.fotki.com/v388/photos/4/48802/2247191/collectinghisnewbike_3_2_07011-vi.jpg

[Dangerous Dave]

Still unsure how the IL4 engine would be on a 33bhp limit though, but honestly I can't see it being any worse than an SV, just a different powerband range. SV will be low to med revs, bandit will be med to high revs.
The restrictors mainly restricted the upper rev range, this is where the Bandit is stronger than the SV, and the SV's V-twin is a far better engine to have restricted. Although the Bandit should be better restricted than a SS600 has it does have more low down power and less revs to play with.

Both are excellent bikes for the price and offer the same things, its a personal preference to which one suits you best.

The Givi luggage that comes with the Bandit GT (also available for any other Bandit model as an accessory) is great, my old man has a Bandit 1250GT and loves the amount of luggage he can carry.

[Dave20046]

Might be a bit tricky with a 33bhp licence.
.
SOrry to deviate a bit but how do 33bhp bikes compare with full power things. I met an ex racer tonight and agreed to go out with a ride when my bikes on the road....he has a '06 zx6-r (643cc) :rolleyes: Am I actually going to be on a ride with him? What are the ninjas about 110 bhp?

[fizzwheel]

depends how the full power bike is ridden. I've done a few rides now with restricted SV's and TBH if you are sticking to legalish speeds, you'll have no problems keeping up. If you're mate is courteous he wont disappear off into the distance or if he does he'll wait for you at junctions etc.

My advice would be to just ride for yourself and dont worry about keeping up or riding faster than you want to.

[Dave20046]

depends how the full power bike is ridden. I've done a few rides now with restricted SV's and TBH if you are sticking to legalish speeds, you'll have no problems keeping up. If you're mate is courteous he wont disappear off into the distance or if he does he'll wait for you at junctions etc.

My advice would be to just ride for yourself and dont worry about keeping up or riding faster than you want to.
Cool, he said he'll be courteous infact he said he was worried about me being faster than him as he's 'old and slow'. But you're bang on fizzwheel.

[Dangerous Dave]

My advice would be to just ride for yourself and dont worry about keeping up or riding faster than you want to.
+ 1, always ride at a pace that is comfortable for you and don't feel obliged to push pass that just to catch someone up.

As for restricted versus full power, well that depends on the bike. With the SV650 it isn't that noticeable in the lower rev range, a full power SV has a bit more midrange but also has the power in the upper rev range. Bikes like the Bandit aren't to bad, not a match on the SV but with there midrange grunt and low rev limit. The worst bikes to restricted are IL4's, especially the grey 400cc and the 600cc super sport bikes, as they make most of there power in the upper rev range and this area is sacrificed heavily with a 33bhp kit.

[NickWilde123]

[quote=Dangerous Dave;1732977]+ 1, always ride at a pace that is comfortable for you and don't feel obliged to push pass that just to catch someone up.

deffinatly, used to ride with a guy with an de-restricted yamaha tzr tuned to about 35bhp and he just ragged the bike so hard it one day just seized whilst he was driving. everyone is slightly safer now.

from those who have ridden them both which is the most enjoyable??

and yes i preffer the pointy.... no hate mail please :)