SV650 vs GSXR600

[hongman]

Well, not a straight VS as that would be silly.

I'm yet to even pass Mod2 (2 days) but over the time I have been on this forum, it seems to me quite a lot of people go from SV to GSXR (or similar) as the next logical step.

So I'm thinking, would it be sensible to just get one from the start?

Or would it really not be wise as a new biker?

Probably getting ahead of myself here, but my mates all say knowing me I'd be bored of the SV within 6-9 months anyway. Of course, the first few months are going to be a thrill to ride anything whilst I am getting accustomed to a bigger bike.

I'd rather buy something I'm going to keep for a while you know?

[rictus01]

IL4's don't take the restriction to well, as opposed to the SV where in makes little difference sub 80mph, the GSXR is also a bit sharper brake,throttle and handling wise, so will be less forgiving as you learn, of course you could get GSXR from the off, nothing to stop you, if you have the extra money for insurance and repair costs (it's likely you'll drop it at some point) and that's what you want, then by all means go for it, personally I think the SV is a much better learning tool.

Cheers Mark.

[hongman]

It wont be restricted.

Insurance costs for me are around £200 for the SV and £500 for the GSXR. Both affordable, but obviously the SV trumps all day long on that front.

Its mainly not being able to "handle" the power that I'm concerned about, and of course the obligatory dropping the bike phase.

I'm probably just getting ahead of myself.

Reckon a dealer would let me test ride a Gsxr?

[rictus01]

how old are you ?

[hongman]

Assume you are asking about age due to insurance:

25 years old, 5 years car ncb
TPFT
Social and Commuting
Parked at night on Road (at home)

confused.com

[lukemillar]

It wont be restricted.

Insurance costs for me are around £200 for the SV and £500 for the GSXR. Both affordable, but obviously the SV trumps all day long on that front.

Its mainly not being able to "handle" the power that I'm concerned about, and of course the obligatory dropping the bike phase.

I'm probably just getting ahead of myself.

Reckon a dealer would let me test ride a Gsxr?

Dropping the bike isn't obligatory; I never dropped mine! And the whole concept of "handling the power" is rubbish as well. You can ride any bike like a Granny if you are so inclined.

If you want a gsxr, go buy one. If you want an SV, buy one of those! I don't really subscribe to the "buying something for a year before trading up to what you really want" - doesn't make financial sense to me

I bought an SV initially because at the time, there was no other bike that I liked the look of as much :)

[rictus01]

Na not really, test rides are generally at the retailers discretion, if you look old enough they won't question it, if you look young they will come out with some excuse or another.

[Lucas]

I had my SV for 3.5 years and still having a lot of fun on it, it does everything from commuting, touring and trackdays; oh and it sounds best :D

[hongman]

Dropping the bike isn't obligatory; I never dropped mine! And the whole concept of "handling the power" is rubbish as well. You can ride any bike like a Granny if you are so inclined.

If you want a gsxr, go buy one. If you want an SV, buy one of those! I don't really subscribe to the "buying something for a year before trading up to what you really want" - doesn't make financial sense to me

I bought an SV initially because at the time, there was no other bike that I liked the look of as much :)

Well, teh financial side is what is appealing to me as well, getting something that is gonna keep me happy for a long time.

Its all speculation with me right now though, feel a bit stupid as I dont even have a license yet.

One thing is for sure, if I had a fully faired bike like the gixer I'd be very careful. Mind you that doesnt count for much really, if Im gonna drop it, I'm gonna drop it!

When I say "handle" I mean more like...It'll be almost too easy to push it beyond my limits, which could end badly ;)

BUT I am rather sensible I think, ooh eer....

Na not really, test rides are generally at the retailers discretion, if you look old enough they won't question it, if you look young they will come out with some excuse or another.

Ah right, see your point.

I also have this funny notion that if I get a bike I know is less forgiving to mistakes, I'll force myself to be that much more careful while I know I am still new to 2 wheels.

Or maybe I'm just making up excuses of why I should get a Gixer. :rolleyes:

[simesb]

Dropping the bike isn't obligatory; I never dropped mine! And the whole concept of "handling the power" is rubbish as well. You can ride any bike like a Granny if you are so inclined.

If you want a gsxr, go buy one. If you want an SV, buy one of those! I don't really subscribe to the "buying something for a year before trading up to what you really want" - doesn't make financial sense to me

+1 - throttle goes both ways.

The SV and GXSR are very different bikes, but they both do the same thing at the end of the day, just in different ways. Many folk have bought an SV as a cheap and forgiving bike to build experience on; of course most end up wanting more at some point (or in some cases moved back from their hooligan days).

I'd buy the one you heart tells you to (all other things being equal)

[hongman]

Heart right now says Gixer in all honesty. This is based on looks, and from the impression I get from reading about them. Without having ridden either (I've sat on both! lol) I'd be foolish to base my descision without first test riding both.

[simesb]

I'd be foolish to base my descision without first test riding both.

As a rider just getting off a school bike, I'd be very surprised if you didn't come away with a more favourable impression of the GSXR than the SV. There is noticeably more power, and the suspension feels better too.

Whichever one you get you will love.

[thulfi]

but my mates all say knowing me I'd be bored of the SV within 6-9 months anyway. Of course, the first few months are going to be a thrill to ride anything whilst I am getting accustomed to a bigger bike.

Your mates bikers?

Unless you're gonna be on a track 24/7 pushing it to the edge, I don't reckon your ability will be such that you'll find the SV boring after 6-9months. At the end of the day it's the equivalent of a damn fast sports car (acceleration wise anyway). You'll find the SV can do a lot more than you think it can, and you probably won't find this out within a year of riding.

Aaand, although dropping a bike is not a certainty, it is likely to happen.

Like others said though, your choice and all that. My first ever bike was an SV and it was more than plenty. Now I ride an er6 which is basically like an SV in category terms.

I can't wait til I come round to buying a new bike, R6/zx6r/gixxer, who knows. Knowing I have those to look forward to is a nice feeling, so no rush diving straight into the deep end.

[Bibio]

just going to throw another bike into the equation.

how about an SV1000? silly cheep but a grown up SV650, by that i mean better suspension from the off and more power to play with. insurance will prob be somewhere between the sv650 and gsxr600 quotes. spare parts are cheep as chips just like the sv650. the biggest let down on the SV650 is the stock suspension coz in all honestly its utter crap in stock guise.

[Milky Bar Kid]

Having just gone from an SV650 to SS600 (CBR600RR) I can confirm what people say about the difference in handling and suspension and the like. It is a lot sharper. HOWEVER, that said, I had the SV for just under two years and it really helped me build my confidence after I had a drop with a bandit.

I think that it comes down to what you want but an SV is a great bike to jump on when you have just passed.

[timwilky]

Dropping a bike is bollox, so is too much power. Friend got an R1 as her first bike. It never went down and she never killed herself.

Get what you want and can afford.

The SV is a good bike, but not a great bike. It is budget, the suspension is pits, the brakes are poor, any better though and the suspension shortcomings would be exaggerated. The engine is rock solid, but lacks power. But will get you to licence loosing speeds and go all day if treated to a fresh tank every 100 miles.

The GSXR has it all, The handling is sweet, so much faster in the turn when it gets a bit nasty on the road. Brakes that work. suspension that can be tuned and an engine that begs to be let loose.

Both make me come home with a smile on my face, but with the gixxer there is also some relief that the adrenaline rush is over. You have to make it work, it is not a lazy bike like the SV that simply sticks to the road and powers through bends. With the GSXR you have to be a lot more throttle/gear concious.

It isn't going to spit you off. But it has the capacity to if you don't treat it with respect.

[maxinc]

The SV is a great and cheap all-rounder and I think it will be a good idea to start your biking experience with it. As your riding style will develop and change in the first years, so your preferences for bikes.

Getting a GSXR not does not guarantee that you will keep it for 3 years. You might as well decide at some point that comfort is more important than top performance, and get something more appropriate for that. As a beginner, with the SV you have best of both worlds. A friendlier and easy to ride bike with some of the sport's bike thrills.

They keep their value pretty well and considering the difference in the insurance, I wouldn't let the "I don't want to change bikes too often" thing get in my way. The more you explore, the better are the chances of finding what you truly want.

[hongman]

Thanks everyone, definately food for thought.

Very mixed opinions.

Appreciate them all!

[Ed]

...and here's another.

I'm glad I didn't get my 675 (or its predecessor Daytona 650) as a first bike, it would have intimidated me and put me off.

[andrewsmith]

my mate got a ss600 (r6, 1999) as his first bike.
Wishes he got a naked hornet or bandit instead, still loves it tho.

he is fancying a 675 daytona next as is getting sick of thrashing it everywhere

[Paul the 6th]

"It only goes as fast as you make it" - sales manager at york suzuki when I said "No body needs a 1000 though, how often do you do 160mph?"

I ended up buying an sv1000 :)

Big heavy bike in comparison to the 650 - I had to learn to muscle it around a fair bit, but then I recently switched to my gsxr 750 srad (not sure if I mentioned it on here? :razz:) and I've fallen so far in love with it. From having to muscle the sv1000 through corners, the srad just does it without looking bothered.

If I hadn't come to the gsxr with the whole 'I've gotta muscle it round corners' background, I would have learned to corner gsxr style, but because of that very learning experience, it has influenced how I ride on other bikes.

That's my experience of going from sv to gsxr, but its your money - if you can afford it, can learn to jog before you sprint and you want to go for a gsxr, then go for it mate. Just be aware that the speed can go to your head and you can do silly things to the brakes if you get into a situation where you're panicking. If you've got a reasonable amount of self control and are will to take your time learning what the throttle and brakes will do in straight lines and mid corner, then it'll be a very rewarding experience and I'd happily do it myself. The sv will be a bit more forgiving with things like panic braking etc.

[andreis]

Ok, I think there's one point that's being missed. The financial aspect is not that bad.
If you buy a sv or a gsxr first, they will both depreciate.

Say you buy a sv first, sell it, then get a gsxr. You will loose the depreciation on the sv during the time you've had it(given that you don't drop it too hard).. and let's presume that you hold on to the sv for an year. Then you get a gsxr for 2 years and sell it. And also loose the depreciation on the gsxr.

Now say you just get a gsxr for 3 years. When you sell it, you still loose the depreciation for 3 years of ownership.

Soooo, the financial difference is the difference in the depreciation of a sv and that of a gsxr for 1 year ownership. Now go look on a traders site and see what that is. You might be surprised and find out that it's actually cheaper to first get the sv...

As for getting bored, that's utter b*llocks. You don't get to ride it even close to its edge in 1 year, let alone 6 months (that is, without having some proper scares). Yes, the brakes are not on the brilliant side, suspenders need replacing for utter smoothness, BUT you won't get to the point of feeling the bad side of these. The brakes are more than capable of providing the stopping power you need, and the poor suspension is something you live with for 1-2 months (when it doesn't matter), then replace springs & oil for 100 pounds and you've got yourself decent ones.
The engine has PLENTY of go for 1up, and the fact that is has a wide enough torque distribution will help you concentrate on other important things for curve attacks...

Oh, and whichever you decide to buy first, you should get a used one, financialy wise. If you buy new, you instantly loose 20% when they hand you the keys.

[Paul the 6th]

oh and as for the 'keeping a bike for X amount of time" - every bike I've ever bought, I've stood there and said "Yeah I'll keep it for about 2 - 3 years" but then moved on within a year. CBF600 for 6 months, sv650 for 18 months, sv1000 for a year, gsxr for 5 months and I'm already flirting with a thunderace if I can find a test ride.

When you get bored or start lusting after something else, don't be afraid to ring the finance company for a settlement figure/go for test rides/advertise the bike for sale etc.. just get stuck in there and enjoy as many different bikes as possible. Eventually you'll find one you love & will keep forever.

Much like women really :)

disclaimer: some people do have more than one woman at a time. The same applies to bikes

[chasey]

TPFT


I wouldn't get a GSXR third party fire theft but I would (and did) my SV

:albino:

[Sosha]

I wouldn't get a GSXR third party fire theft but I would (and did) my SV

:albino:

Would depend how new either of them were for me. Most everything I've had has been TPFT.

Get the bike you actually want. Saves time.

[Owenski]

So I'm thinking, would it be sensible to just get one from the start?

Depends if you're thinking with your brains or your bollox.

if yours thinking gsxr "cos its cooler" then more reason to go for the SV, I'd recon that kind of thinking with your junk is the same kind that will have you winding the throttle on every now and then when the situation might not call for it.

On the other hand if your thinking with you brain then and its all about the long term finance of getting 2 bikes in 2 years rather than 1 bike for 2 years then. You've prob got enough sense to think "i cant see the tunnel exit so best not open it up just yet".

Personally on the road, I've never got to the stage on the SV where I've thought c'mon NEED MORE POWER! Motorway slip roads etc put a big enough grin on your face riding the SV just feeling the power feed its way through the range (until the top where it dips admitantly)
The SV is perfectly capable, and as has been said its more forgiving should you have a little panic and be tempted to react rather than think.

But... I've never ridden a GSXR for more than a couple miles, so what do I know? :)

Also if your mates say you'll be bored in 6-9 months, wont that still apply with the gsxr? so in 6-9months your just buying a 750 or a 1000 instead.

[hardhat_harry]

Well personally I think a slower bike makes you a better rider. Anyone can go fast in a straight line. The amount of 1000cc bikes on trackdays makes me laugh flying past you on the straights and wobbling round the corners (and in my way).

[hongman]

Hmm.

My heart tells me GSXR but my brain tells me SV.

Although the more I read the more I think I am just getting way ahead of myself and that the minute I jump on the SV I'll have a grin from ear to ear for months anyway, if not longer. New rider and all that.

If I do get bored of it sooner rather than later I can sell it, they're popular enough right.

[timwilky]

I knew a new rider who got a brand new SV650S, hated it.

After 18 months and 900 miles he traded it in against a blandit650 which he loves.


So I would say don't commit to any bike, until you have had the opportunity to fully test

[fizzwheel]

Tricky one to give advice on. I went from a 125 to an SV, which I kept for nearly two years and then to a GSXR-750.

Both bikes are fast enough to get you into serious trouble, the only difference is that the GSXR gets you to silly speeds faster than the SV does. So get it wrong on the GSXR and you may well be going faster than you would be on the SV which may well mean you have a bigger accident. Conversley get it wrong the SV you may be going slower and therefore have more time to get yourself out of the mess you got yourself into. But then again the better Suspension and brakes on the GSXR may well also allow you to get out of a mess.

I would echo the above, the SV is much more forgiving and you can get away with alot of stupid mistakes that on a bike with a little more power will bite you in the bum. But if you keep the GSXR away from the zone on the rev counter where it makes its power i.e. below 6000rpm its very very docile indeed, more so than the SV is.

Personally I think if I had a GSXR either a 600 or my own 750 as a first bike, I woudlnt be typing this thread out now. I would more than likely have binned it, damaged it or damaged myself or worse.

My two years on the SV taught me an awful lot about riding and that knowledge transfered over to the GSXR which in turn then allowed me to get alot of enjoyment from it because I was confident in my own abilities and also I knew where my limit was, having learnt that on the SV. I could have learnt all that on the GSXR if I had it from new, but when you pass your test its an awful steep learning curve and I wander if i would have knocked my confidence on a GSXR where I felt the SV nutured me a little more.

There's noting wrong with getting a Sportsbike for a first bike, many people do and your arguement of getting what you want straight away is one I have some sympathy with. I Never got bored of my SV in the two years I had it, I just always wanted a sportsbike and for me the SV was a sensible stepping stone to get what I wanted and left me time to build up my riding skills and my insurance NCB in order for me to afford comfortably to run and maintain it.

At the end of the day nobody can make these decisions for you so its one you are going to have to work out for yourself. Theres nothing wrong with the SV, for its price bracket it is a great bike.

[hongman]

Thanks Fizz.

I think I am getting ahead if myself, and I think I will be sensible - like many others, using the SV as a stepping stone.

With all these recent threads fon going from SV to SS600+ and the "Wow its so much better" just got me thinking...then I couldnt stop thinking...why not just get one from the word go.

Need to come back down to earth a little heh :)

[andreis]

With all these recent threads fon going from SV to SS600+ and the "Wow its so much better" just got me thinking...then I couldnt stop thinking...why not just get one from the word go.


..maybe learning on the SV got them in a position to know/feel what was so much better on the ss600+ ;)

[jacksuzukisv650]

get the gsxr i just traded in my sk6 sv for a k4 gsxr and dnt get me wrong the sv is a tool but you can still tour on a gsxr .. nick sanders goes round the world on a r1 for christ sake bmw owners ..lol gsxr is quite confotable seat is more confutable than the cheap sv one..good luck

[nik_nunez]

i had a sv for a year and did get a bit bored of it and switched to a gsxr 750, but i learnt alot on the sv did 8000+ miles and rode come rain, shine and snow. The sv def helped me get to grips with riding and put me in good stead for the gsxr which i love. i would not use the getting bored argument at all as if you got a gsxr600 in 6-9 months a nice 750 would pass you can catch your eye, so any bike for me has its self life until you reach a certain limit. i have had the gsxr almost a year and cant see my switching any time soon as its just an amazing bike.

why not get a fairly old 9cheap) sv or similar bike ride it for 6 months and then sell it on with little loss then get a bike you want, instead of risking alot of £'s and hating the bike you get.