Going to buy an SV650 and would appreciate some advice

[Statters42]

Hi

I've just found your great web site. My wife wants to get back into riding again after a layoff of a few years and she wanted me to test ride an SV650 before she buys one. I was really looking forward to riding one as I've heard great things about them. I rode a 2004 bike at the weekend with Fuel Injection and only 4000 miles on the clock and in most respects it was as I had hoped. There was one thing that was not so good though, I am pretty heavy and the rear shock still seemed to be massively oversprung and a bit underdamped to the point where if you hit some uneven road it was wiggling and trying to pogo eveywhich way. I think my wife who is a lot lighter than me would find it a real handful. My question is this: is this normal and if so I guess the cure is another shock so what is the way to go?

Thanks in advance

Statters42

[instigator]

Hi statters

Search function brings up lots of information about what can be fitted. And yes, you can change the shock with different, more adjustable units from other bikes.

Can pick one up very cheap, 2nd hand off ebay.

Someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.

[fizzwheel]

I'm guessing that you already have a bike and are comparing the SV to that ? If so what bike do you currently ride ? Remember that the SV only has budget front and rear suspension...

I've never really had a problem with my curvey or the newer pointy bikes. Things can get a little pogo stick like on bumpy roads. But its nothing that cant be sorted by slowing down a little. Also has the previous owner of that bike fiddled about with the rear preload and made things worse not better. See if you can find out if anythings been done and get the bike returned to standard settings front and rear and then take another test ride and see if it feels any different.

My girlfriend has a K5 shes never mentioned the rear shock being a problem. The front yes but not the rear.

Why don't you get your wife ride it and see what she thinks, after all if its going to be her bike then surely it would be better for her to make her own mind up about whether she can handle the bike or not ?

[Statters42]

Thanks guys

Yes I do have my own bike - an '89 VFR750 with an Ohlins shock and Pirelli Diablos, and I 've been ridng for over 25 years including some racing old GSXR's and Katana's and the like. My wife doesn't have a lot of riding confidence at the moment, so it's not the time for her to be finding out about handling characteristics. In my experience not many have crashed through not enough power or a poor carburation but there have been lots of crashes due to poor handling - especially on bumpy B roads. If a bike has a tendancy to "white line" then it can be difficult to steer accurately. I'm curious about a GSXR shock - I'll research it some more - which year and model's shocks fit?

Cheers

statters42