View Full Version : Goodbye SV. Hello Crossrunner.
It's been two amazing years with my beloved SV and I had the most wonderful time and lots of fun riding it. Being new to biking I didn't really know what I wanted but the SV seem a very good bike to start. I kept adapting it to suit my developing style and ended up with a bike which was pretty close to my requirements but not quite everything was perfect.
I could do with a bit more power, seats could be a bit more comfortable - especially the pillion one, riding position was great with comfort kit but could still be improved, brakes were pretty good but I started to wish for ABS and a few other small things.
I started to look at alternative so I tried a few BMWs which did not impress apart form the R1200GS which was over my budget and it's looks did not appeal to me.
I loved the Versys 650 but did not solve the power wish. The Kawasaki Z1000SX lacked the comfort improvement and was a bit too sporty for my style. Triumphs have great reviews and seem the perfect choice but for some odd reason, they don't appeal to me as a maker.
So ended up at Honda's. After a weird mixture of intense joy and disappointment while testing the VFR800 the dealer insisted for me to try the new http://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/_assets/images/galleries/CROSSRUNNER/685x514/CROSSRUNNER-10.jpg
VFR800X Crossrunner
It was instant love, I felt perfectly comfortable form the moment I sat on it and it ticked all the boxes. It felt so light and manoeuvrable yet very stable and powerful. Riding it was a joy in every scenario be it busy town filtering, fast A roads, twisties or narrow country lanes. One hour later I was still smiling in my helmet trying to think of reasons not to get it ...
They had an ex-demo 11 plate in White with a generous £2000 discount and they thrown in a full set of luggage which is now being prepared for collection.
So, it's been a great adventure and I feel rather sad for letting the SV go but I look forward to even more fun with my new toy.
I have a few SV bits for sale if interested here: http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=173338
littleoldman2
08-12-11, 01:20 PM
Very nice, pushers all the right buttons for me too as they can do a fair few miles in a day, bit on the heavy side for me at 240Kg, not ridden one yet so cannot comment. Must try one out when the weather picks up a bit.
bit on the heavy side for me at 240Kg, not ridden one yet so cannot comment.
It is very well balanced and felt lighter than the SV to be honest so definitely worth trying one.
STRAMASHER
09-12-11, 08:04 AM
Perfect bike for you and yours to feck off somewhere for 2 weeks.
Love the integrated luggage on the new Hondas, no scaffolding is a big plus for me. Some folk say they are too small but they probably pack too much **** in the first place!
These 90deg v4's really need to be heard:smt060, so you seen any cool cans for it?
nice bike also the lowest seat height in the current test in fast bikes betweeen v strom, cross runner and multistrada.
The luggage is indeed on the small side. I think it's the same they used on the VFR1200. I was a bit disappointed that my Multitec XL helmet won't fit in any of the bags but only just. I presume a normal full face lid without BT gadgets on it will get in there nicely. But they are a great match to the bike and has lots of space to store stuff otherwise.
Good on you for even daring to be different! I think I'm finally realising that 99% of the time sportsbikes are wasted on me, apart from the trackbike SV of course.
Do keep us informed on how you get on with it.
instigator
12-12-11, 10:20 PM
I always wondered if they sold any of those things!
I always wondered if they sold any of those things!
Oh yeah, of course they do... usually the demonstrators at a huge discount with luggage thrown into the deal.
As Lozzo said, they started selling now as the ex-demos became available with significant discounts. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have paid £10,500 for it with luggage and extras but with £3,200 total savings compared to new, is an incredible bike to own.
The other thread confirmed that changing a bike is incredibly personal, especially after you tried the SV which offers a lot for what is costs. But if this bike ticks your boxes on paper, it certainly won't disappoint on the road. Other than the top box size, there isn't anything really that I wish it was different.
£10,500 is £500+ more than a Z1000SX Tourer with ABS costs, who in their right mind* would pay that much for a Crossrunner? Honda and Yamaha really have screwed up with pricing, which probably why they are dropping sales left right and centre
* Aside from those sad people who won't buy anything unless it has a Honda badge on it.
yorkie_chris
14-12-11, 06:55 PM
How much is the bandit 1200 tourer version?
How much is the bandit 1200 tourer version?
£8375, but it's really budget end of the market when you look at it closely and incredibly dated and top heavy (as well as being about 20kg overweight).
Btw, it's got the 1250 watercooled engine now.
yorkie_chris
14-12-11, 07:00 PM
There wasn't much wrong with that engine in first place, not too familiar with water one.
I had a brief go on one, did not find it top heavy. To save 2 grand I think being budget end of market is pretty reasonable. Not like the kawasaki isn't going to fall in bits the first time it sees rain is it?
maviczap
14-12-11, 07:11 PM
Review of the Crossrunner in this months FAST Bikes, plus the new 650 V Strom in the same test.
I can't make my mind up about the Crossrunner, I'd rather have a VFR800, if it were me.
Pictures of the new Versys 1000 in Fast Bikes too, but I was puzzled why Kwak didn't stick the 750 IL4 lump in it and have that in the range as well? Too close to the 650 Versys in engine size?
There wasn't much wrong with that engine in first place, not too familiar with water one.
I had a brief go on one, did not find it top heavy. To save 2 grand I think being budget end of market is pretty reasonable. Not like the kawasaki isn't going to fall in bits the first time it sees rain is it?
My Versys is just about to enter its third winter on the road, surprisingly little corrosion anywhere once I'd started washing it and actually doing something about protecting it and the nuts and bolts still shine up well.
Suzuki build quality is shockingly bad though, I've never seen bikes corrode so badly. Yamaha's isn't great, Kawasaki's isn't quite as good as Japanese built Honda's* but nothing beats Triumph in my opinion. They use stainless fixings where possible and the quality of their frame and wheel paint is amazing. You don't see many scabby looking corroded Triumphs.
* Unfortunately, Honda build a hell of a lot of bikes in places other than Japan, and their build quality suffers because of that.
Honda's accessories are a rip-off unfortunately. £230 for a set of heated grips :O ... I'll have Oxfords for £39.95 thanks. BUT accessories aside, the bike is £1,000 cheaper than the VFR800 and having tested them both I have to say the CR is a better bike IMO.
There may be people out of their minds purchasing them, but these people will make them affordable later. I mean, who in their right mind would pay £5000 for a SV650?
The VFR800 was amazing on the open roads it put a big smile on my face but only until I hit city traffic where the joy started to fade. With the CR I had the same if not more fun but everything was better from comfort to engine smoothness to vision etc. In traffic it felt so light and manoeuvrable I couldn't believe it is possible with a bike that I spent so little time with. At the end of the test ride I was thinking of reasons not to get it ... and I wasn't really shopping for a new bike.
After riding the CR, the SV felt just wrong.
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