Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

Love commuting on mine - when I'm not in the car - but it's a great commute (16 mile round trip, largely rural).

Also the last owner added some great mods - Nitron shock / Renthal bars / Delkevic Carbon end can, so haven't actually ridden a stock AL.

What are you trading yours for T.H. ?

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

Xmax 300

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

At a guess your commute has more of an urban flavour - horses for courses.

My 390 Duke was fab in town, untill it ****ed it's coolant everywhere :(

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

Nope its on A roads, 12 miles rural 60mph with two short village speed restrictions, one 30mph, second one 40mph, then 11 miles 70mph dual carriageway then 3 miles city.
A 300 scooter will happily sit above the national speed limit.
When I last had one I used it far more often than I've used the SV, purely through practicality.
If you take a simple task like nipping to the shops, on the scooter you can put your helmet under the seat when you go in the shop, on a bike you have to carry the helmet as well as a basket, when you return to scooter with bag of groceries you put them under the seat.
It makes commuting easier because I can store my work gear inside the scooter on the way to work and at work my riding gear goes under the seat.
Its just a far better transport solution, cheaper too, burns much less fuel and tyres are less than £50 each.
When it gets dirty it takes ten minutes to clean, the SV takes me around two hours to do properly.
And it doesn't have a chain final drive. :cool:

As you say, horses for courses. :)

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

Would definitely agree that :

Chain maintenance
Carrying Stuff
Cleaning

Can all be a massive P.I.T.A. on a regular motorcycle, but IMHO a decent chain oiler and topbox can go a fair way towards addressing the first two - I also hate carrying a lid around - and as for the last one - it'll get a proper clean about once a year :)

(always gets a healthy squirt of cheapo WD40 substitute after a wet ride though)

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

Agree about chain oilers, first thing I bought for the SV was a Tutoro auto, done about 10,500 miles since fitting, chain was last checked at service 7000ish miles ago, its never been looked at again.
Canny stand topboxes, what's the point of designing a good looking bike and then sticking ugly boxes on it?
I bought the very neat looking official Suzuki rack to carry a bag on, but you need to cut holes in the bodywork to fit it. So never did.
I live by the sea, with a motorbike I can't be so cavalier with the cleaning regime because it would turn to shyte in no time flat.
Have to keep on top of it at all times so if there's going to be rain I haven't been riding it.
Scooter is much easier to keep on top of in that respect, they don't get as dirty because of proper mudguards and are easier to clean.
SV definitely been a fun bike, but let down by, what are for me at least, niggly wee annoyances.
I'm easy annoyed :D

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

I couldn't stand topboxes either until about 20 years ago, but then I bought a BMW R1100GS that came with one.....

Like every other 1100cc + GS, the BM was so huge and unusual looking, the Topbox simply wasn't an issue, so I came to love the convenience.

Would never have dreamed of putting one on my KTM 640 Supermoto or Fireblade :smt042 but they're a bit more acceptable on an all rounder (had one on my little KTM 390). Plus at least you can quick detach them these days :)

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

I think you have some valid points and have every right to be annoyed, we live in a damp climate, for a good portion of the year if it's not drizzling/raining then the roads are wet from condensation, we should have decent mudguards.

I agree, but it's a subjective point.

Reports of that stopped me buying one. The Givi rack system 3111FZ doesn't require cutting so it can be done.


Now that I've finalised my Worlds-Largest-Mudflap™ design for the front I need to figure out why my massive RedFox hugger isn't keeping my rear end clean (so to speak).

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

I looked at topboxes but it would have meant drilling into the bike's frame. Then I discovered the two tabs under the pillion seat that are for hanging a helmet (or two) on. Just release the seat, hang the helmet by its strap and replace the seat. Quick and simple. I stuff my gloves inside the helmet so I don't have to carry them either.

Re: Wrong Choice. New '18 SV650.
 

That helmet tab came in handy when I had to push it 10 miles.