Any advice useful!

[JimmySV]

Hi all, great site.
I shall be purchasing my first SV in the next few weeks. The advice I require, is that I shall be using it most days to commute to London and back, a round trip of approx 100 miles and probably approx 24k miles per year. Having never owned a 'proper' bike before, is the SV something that will be able to cope with this mileage? I intend doing my own servicing to keep costs down, but is it like a car where the motorway miles are less of a strain on the bike and therefore service intervals can be extended?
Also, any advice as to curvy or pointy? i am thinking pointy mainly due to the fuel injection and thus eliminating carb icing (although i am not even sure what this is!!).
Any advice from any one else racking up the miles and general cost would be appreciated.

[SpankyHam]

Go for a curvy one. They are cheap as chips. You should be able to pick one up for around £1500 @15000 miles on the clock.

I do the servicing myself as well. But I only do 300 miles a week.

I always buy the Hein Gericke Service Deal. Oil (5L) Oil filter + air filter. £25.

Very Good price.

As for tyres.

Continental Road Attacks. Mine where £150 fitted at the time ( 5000 miles ago). Front one looks brand new. rear one still has 3mm thread left to the marker.

Hope this helps.

[Khewett]

Plenty of cared SV for sale in the for sale section.

I work in London also and use the bike on the odd summer day insted of the train for my 50 mike commute and its OK, but I hate London city riding prefer a nice twisty contry road devoid of Black cabs!

If your doing it every day I'd imagine a unfaird bike is better round town but not as good on the motorway parts! And buy some crash bungs for going round London!

Motorway miles will be easier on the bike, and Im sure if you do some extra oil changes etc, you can extend service intervals.

[JakeRS]

a round trip of approx 100 miles and probably approx 24k miles per year. Having never owned a 'proper' bike before, is the SV something that will be able to cope with this mileage? .

The SV is probably one of your better options for that kinda mileage I would like to think.

[mattSV]

If you will be doing year round commuting essentials are crash bungs (just in case) and a fender extender - many people have suffered with water affecting the front plug in heavy rain - fitting a fender extender usually solves it. A loud can (or two :wink: ) is also very useful in traffic.

Pointies do not suffer with carb icing in the winter, and have a slightly better finish (still crap though) - which ever you go for, they both benefit from a regular clean and covering with protection as they do not like salt at all - especially the forks, brakes and all the bolts.

There are a few people here with SVs with millenium falcon mileage who have very few problems.