durability on the sv 650 motor

[Afronamasaki]

Planning on getting an sv650 was wondering how long the motors usually last before total teardown

[Dan]

Planning on getting an sv650 was wondering how long the motors usually last before total teardown

Depends. Were you planning on riding it? They'll last much longer if you don't. ;)

[toonyank]

My '02 has over 23,500 miles and so far so good. Besides they're cheap, sorry "inexpensive" bikes in the first place so if mine goes before I move on to a grown up bike I'll just send it out to pasture or just break it.

[Lissa]

We sold our first curvy with over 47,000 miles on the clock and it was still going like a train. It hadn't had an easy life either:D

[ThEGr33k]

Ive heard of 150,000 miles on them with some tlc.

My k5 is on just over 21,000 at the moment and it hasnt gone wrong at all.

[squirrel_hunter]

They go well. Provided you put oil in them...

[Pedro68]

oooh ouch ... that hurt :(
mine is currently "off road" due to me forgetting to put any oil in :oops:
V. EXPENSIVE LESSON ... oil < £20 (and takes oooh wot? 2 minutes!) ... engine rebuild = £750 (approximately) and they'll have had the bike 2 MONTHS come Thursday :(

Otherwise, nothing else wrong with my SV (except for a few replaced parts due to offs :oops:)

[squirrel_hunter]

oooh ouch ... that hurt :(
mine is currently "off road" due to me forgetting to put any oil in :oops:
V. EXPENSIVE LESSON ... oil < £20 (and takes oooh wot? 2 minutes!) ... engine rebuild = £750 (approximately) and they'll have had the bike 2 MONTHS come Thursday :(

Otherwise, nothing else wrong with my SV (except for a few replaced parts due to offs :oops:)

It hurt more than once :oops:

Though I find its cheaper to replace the engine rather than rebuild it. But I do have to say 2 months is some time to take.

[Alpinestarhero]

Oh, about 20 miles if you rag it to the redline from new

Otherwise, forever. Its a suzuki, their engines are bullet proof!

Matt

[Dan]

Oh, about 20 miles if you rag it to the redline from new

Don't buy that at all. Plenty of engines get run like that and have a decent life. Most hire bikes, hire cars, company cars, for instance.

[Biker Biggles]

My lad has just changed his engine(K1)at 85000 miles.The old one didn't blow up but we got hold of a 10000 mile one cheap so put it in.
It was using a bit of oil,maybe a litre every 5-700 miles,more so in town traffic,and the starter motor engaged with a distinct clunk,and the clutch would sometimes growl as it engaged(warped plate?)but the engine was otherwise sound at that mileage.These engines are bulletproof as long as you look after basic stuff like oil.Check the level every week at least and change it every 4000 miles at most.

[Sid Squid]

No shortage of high miles SVs, they'll last a long time if you're nice to them.

I know of several high miles SVs that are remarkably original, very little other than routine servicing having ever been done, the highest mile SV I know personally has about 110,000 on it now and even wears it's original clutch.

[northwind]

Yup... Like most bikes, it'll last at least 4 times longer than you're likely to need, in this strange world where 4000 miles a year is considered "high mileage"

[Sid Squid]

Yup... Like most bikes, it'll last at least 4 times longer than you're likely to need, in this strange world where 4000 miles a year is considered "high mileage"
Correct, even more reason not to waste money on fully synthetic oil, the great majority of modern bikes will be in the breakers long before the motor is goosed.

[Spanner Man]

Morning all.
The highest mileage that I've seen one do was a little over 100k, it was still going well, until it met a Transit van going the wrong way down a one way street.....Maintain it well, use fully synthetic oil (handbag down Sid), & don't thrash the beast, especially when cold.

Cheers.

[Pedro68]

Though I find its cheaper to replace the engine rather than rebuild it. But I do have to say 2 months is some time to take.
Yeah, in hindsight, if I'd known they were gonna take this long I'd have definitely opted for engine replacement. Mototech on here told me as much too and he's worked in dealers garages before. He couldn't understand why they were opting for a rebuild.

Maybe it gives one of their "junior" technicians a chance to learn something - which I'm all for, but just not at the expense of having my bike off the road for 2 months :(

Replacing the engine would have cost slightly less, and would have been done within a week or two (even as they had technicians off sick - which is one of the reasons for the delay).

Pete

[Dan]

Correct, even more reason not to waste money on fully synthetic oil, the great majority of modern bikes will be in the breakers long before the motor is goosed.

Cue RhythmJunkie ;)

[rictus01]

Engine swap on the SV takes a couple of hours, perhaps an afternoon if you stop for fag breaks ;)

the best I've had is 78,000 out of a lump on the SV although I did keep forgetting and killing them on track* (about twenty minutes on max revs will do it :D).

Never bothered with the fully synthetic oil myself even in the T5 triumphs and 5 of thoughs went over the 100k barrier without problem, still if it gives peace of mind and you've got the money :smt102

* A413

Cheers Mark.

[TSM]

My SV is still alive.

[Afronamasaki]

take it you guys like these bikes and should pick one up promptly, found a 2003 with 4000 miles on it heard they have a goofy hesitation with the fuel injection in 2003 but I think everything should be alright.

[Grinch]

Mines a 1999 plate and its now on 54,000 with me having put 26,000 of those mines in about a year and 6 months.

[RhythmJunkie]

>Otherwise, forever. Its a suzuki, their engines are bullet proof!<

>These engines are bulletproof as long as you look after basic stuff like oil.<

Has anyone ever shot a Suzuki engine to test this hypothesis? :)

>Originally Posted by Sid Squid
Correct, even more reason not to waste money on fully synthetic oil, the great majority of modern bikes will be in the breakers long before the motor is goosed.

Cue RhythmJunkie<

Yeah but no but....

If synth oil can mean longer service intervals then you save money on servicing.
If synth oil means less wear from cold then thats a good thing, benefits include less oil consumption (money saved), plus engine keeps its efficiency therefore uses less "expensive" petrol (lots of money saved).

So although I totally agree that most engines will outlive their owners Sid ;) an engine running sweet at 50k is better than a noisey, poor starting one which is 10mpg down on what it should be!

Just think if you commute 20 miles a day, 100 miles a week, 5k a year and your bike loses only 5mpg due to wear (this is proven by people saying they top up their oil between services), then over that year you are throwing away:

5000 miles - 5% = 250 miles

50mpg seems a general average consumption for most commuting SV riders so,

5 uk gallons at 94.9 per litre = £21.54
...and thats only a 5% difference...
This equates to a difference of only 2.5mpg at 50mpg so you would be getting 47.5mpg instead of 50mpg on the old worn engine.

My argument is....what is the point in throwing that £21 away every year.
The extra money spent on buying synthetic is cancelled by having longer service intervals. Don't worry, I've thought long and hard about this and it seems to make a lot of sense to me! ;)

Just paying more money for synthetic then changing it every 3k is daft because it has been proven to last much longer. You are throwing away perfectly good oil. Good for oil company....bad for consumer!

[tomjones2]

My last engine lasted 19k before the gearbox expired. See what happens with the second hand replacement. Engine swaps are easy when you have done them a few times, I found using some straps was a great way to get the engine out/in if your on own doing the swap.

[Afronamasaki]

I'm not sure if you guys across the pond use the same standards as we here in the U.S. but usually most motorcycle oil is sg rated and contains zinc. as with synthetics they may have better resiliance with heat, but You still have to replace it every 3000 miles synthetic or not.

[Viney]

Around every 4000 miles here.

Mine changes itself every 4k anyway.

[RhythmJunkie]

You still have to replace it every 3000 miles synthetic or not.

](*,)](*,)](*,)](*,)](*,)](*,):smt101:smt022

[squirrel_hunter]

Mine changes itself every 4k anyway.

Have you got one of the rare special edition two stroke SV650's as well?