SV most reliable bike???

[Anonymous]

The background to this post...
Ok the R1200GS is a complex product and had a lot of teething problems. Fortunately BMW are very agreeable on warranty claims (one chap is about to get his third new bike....) But there seems to be a fair share of problems on R1150GS's as well, although some of these do do big miles.

Anyway, on ukgser.com the question of reliable bikes came up, something I was thinking about the other day. Specifically I was thinking how few problems get reported here and how few bikes seem to have to have work done under warranty. Certainly my SV had 6.5k entirely trouble free no quibble miles in its first year. (although thats not much of a test).

So I posted this:
"The Suzuki rep for low quality bits and pieces seems to only have a cosmetic effect as certainly the SV seems to be an incredibly reliable bike. I think the GSX series are similar.
Was only thinking about how few problems get reported on sv650.org compared with here the other day.
However I understand the V-Strom thou isnt as reliable as the SV based 650.
But you know I wouldnt mind proposeing Suzuki as the most reliable bike manufacturer."

I reckon the SV must be one of the most reliable bikes, and Suzuki one of the most reliable manufacturers. What do you guys think?

[jonboy]

I think anything Japanese is likely to be extremely reliable. Maybe one of the SV's reasons for reliability is it's simplicity.

I too have read numerous posts on UKGSers about the GS12's problems and am somewhat worried that the idea of a BMW being utterly reliable is now complete tosh. A great bike yes, but some of the things that have gone wrong with it are outright dangerous. I'm unlikely to buy one at present until they sort things out but this is also thankfully compounded by a distinct lack of big cash :wink: .



.

[Jabba]

Well................ front cylinders conking out in the rain aside..... :wink:




On the other hand, Hondas are supposed to be reliable and the Hornet has probably the most reliable engine Honda have ever made...... :lol:



Being serious, I suspect that an average japanese bike will beat an average BMW for reliability over a reasonable period of time. There's a reason that the coppers switched from BMWs to Pan Euros and reliability was it.

[Anonymous]

Well................ front cylinders conking out in the rain aside..... :wink:


Of course, but thats a clearly defined outside cause with a quick fix. Suzuki were probably a little silly there.

I guess it could be simplicity. For example Hornet vs VFR.

[Valman]

.. am somewhat worried that the idea of a BMW being utterly reliable is now complete tosh.

.

One of my mate's dad delivers and collects BMW cars for a major dealer and he says he would never buy a BMW at the moment because of the problems he's seeing with them, they're far from reliable.

[Anonymous]

They are no more reliable than any other car. Why do you see few Mercedes, Porches etc being recovered? Because they do so in covered lorries :wink: (or so I'm told).

Anyway its quite clear BMW arent the most reliable bike , so what is :roll: :wink: ?

[Valman]

They are no more reliable than any other car. Why do you see few Mercedes, Porches etc being recovered? Because they do so in covered lorries :wink: (or so I'm told).

Yep, he's a truck driver and so they're usually covered up when he brings them back. Having said that I've seen more than a few Porsches on the back of a recovery truck at the Porsche centre between Stratford and Bow, so maybe not true for all manufacturers.

[Ceri JC]

Aside from the front cylinder and "damp electrics", there don't appear to be any common problems. Both the above are most noticeable in the wet, so if you live somewhere dry, maybe the SV is one of the most reliable bikes ;-)

I know everyone sings hondas praises, but their bikes have problems too (VTEC VFRs for example).

[Carsick]

Aside from the front cylinder and "damp electrics", there don't appear to be any common problems. Both the above are most noticeable in the wet, so if you live somewhere dry, maybe the SV is one of the most reliable bikes ;-)

I know everyone sings hondas praises, but their bikes have problems too (VTEC VFRs for example).
I haven't had either of the wet weather problems you mentioned, so they're cerainly not an absolute. Oh and just as a side note, when I changed my plugs the front one was fine, no sign of rust at all.
No fender extender and my rubber flap went missing as well.

The problem with the VTEC on the VFRs is supposedly down to two plugs being connected wrong when it's being built.

[454697819]

Not ccm #-o

Err possibly suzuki, minor niggles asside.

Alex

[Anonymous]

A
I know everyone sings hondas praises, but their bikes have problems too (VTEC VFRs for example).

And some cam chain thingy...or is that Yamaha!

[Anonymous]

Not ccm #-o

Err possibly suzuki, minor niggles asside.

Alex

I was told by my friendly dealer every CCM out came back like a boomerang :shock:

[diamond]

and my rubber flap went missing as well.


Nasty business carsick. :shock:

[Carsick]

and my rubber flap went missing as well.
Nasty business carsick. :shock:
I didn't think that one could pass by unnoticed.

[Ken McCulloch]

The problem with the VTEC on the VFRs is supposedly down to two plugs being connected wrong when it's being built.

Err not exactly, the problem that has recently been identified on VTEC bikes IS to do with some sensors being connected wrongly and consequent fuelling problems. It's nothing to do with the VTEC system itself.

The pre-VTEC VFR engines seem to be pretty bulletproof, with lots achieving very high mileages without any problems.

[Carsick]

The problem with the VTEC on the VFRs is supposedly down to two plugs being connected wrong when it's being built.

Err not exactly, the problem that has recently been identified on VTEC bikes IS to do with some sensors being connected wrongly and consequent fuelling problems. It's nothing to do with the VTEC system itself.

The pre-VTEC VFR engines seem to be pretty bulletproof, with lots achieving very high mileages without any problems.
I knew that, I just worded my post badly. I read about it in Ride, I think.

[454697819]

Not ccm #-o

Err possibly suzuki, minor niggles asside.

Alex

I was told by my friendly dealer every CCM out came back like a boomerang :shock:


Wouldnt supprise me at all, nice bikes, the fact mine doesn idlel is concerning!!

A boomerang is a goon analrgy as tits unlikely u can ride them back lol :lol: :lol:

[Anonymous]

Not ccm #-o

Err possibly suzuki, minor niggles asside.

Alex

I was told by my friendly dealer every CCM out came back like a boomerang :shock:


Wouldnt supprise me at all, nice bikes, the fact mine doesn idlel is concerning!!

A boomerang is a goon analrgy as t*ts unlikely u can ride them back lol :lol: :lol:

Sorry that sounded like a dig. I must say that I love CCMs and I think its one of those bikes you still go for even knowing that life may be slightly less straightforward. The price to pay, sometimes.

[454697819]

8)

Never even consiedered it a dig!!

Its a very valid point, the CCM is a blast to ride, and is addictve sort off,
however, the niggles i think are supposed to be "charactor",

Problems so far are,

Doesnt kick start
Doesnt iddle,
Runs lumby

Noisy as a metalica on coke
vibes so much my hands hurt

etc etc etc,

gettin git all sorted slowly!!

lol!

Alex

[Peter Henry]

Well one or two of you have no doubt noted what I am lusting after at the moment! :lol: But after speaking to a dealer today that mentioned lots of recall probs on the 2004 problem over ECU not retaining tune settings and far more worryingly about a guy who's clutch failed to work without warning which led to an unceremonious get off!
Not the kind of thing you expect to get after parting with a reasonable wedge now is it?
Only prob I have had with the SV,(and unfortunately warranty does not cover this!) is that due to big grin miles she keeps needing a top up of go go juice! Cracking bike for the cash. 8)

[BURNER]

Every manufacturer has produced it's dodgy bikes. I'd say for reliability you can't go far wrong with something air/oil cooled and 2-4 cylinders.
Yamaha XS650, Suzuki GS-GSX-GSXR, Kawasaki GT series.
Honda really screwed the pooch on the first V4 engine, the VF 750, they ate their cams very quickly. A real sign of an under developed engine being launched on the public. They sold the first VFR cheap to woo back the buyers.

[Benji]

I reckon the SV must be one of the most reliable bikes, and Suzuki one of the most reliable manufacturers. What do you guys think?

What do I think? What do I think?!? :evil:

I think I am just going to get a new bike. Its going to be easier and now that Joe (with a blatent disregard to my wallet) has shown me the ways of the GSXR600 K4 its a certainty :twisted:

Benji

[embee]

Just for interest, in my former life in car design/development I was involved a lot in "reliability" engineering. We used a highly technical system :wink: using a measure called "Things Gone Wrong" (TGW), which was exactly what it says.

Most reliability issues are not "breakdowns", as in the car/bike stops or breaks, it's just "things going wrong" like squeaks, rattles, leaks, sticky switches, doors not shutting properly, bulbs blowing etc etc. These are the things that annoy owners, mainly because it involves a trip to the Dealer (something no-one likes) and frequently the problem doesn't get fixed anyway. :roll:

As far as cars are concerned, there's a close link between reliability and customer satisfaction (there's sometimes a "pleasure in ownership" factor involved, like with Ferrari etc, where the owner forgives it just because they love it).

Cars - top come Honda, Toyota/Lexus, Subaru, Skoda. Way down the list come GM, quite a few French & Italian marques, and recently Mercedes (big quality issues, well documented).

BMW bikes are certainly not the most reliable by all accounts.

[snoopy]

My bloody brakes have now seized. SV reliablility my ****!

[Flamin_Squirrel]

My bloody brakes have now seized. SV reliablility my @rse!

Yes yes, but you don't count :wink: