Just a few questions...

Eyup you lot, got a few questions if you are willing to answer.

I want to get a new bike soon, upgrade from my ER-5 to something with abit more power. I have a shortlist of a curvy SV650s or a sports 400, now I know what you are thinking, and I'm not just another 17 year old that has been riding for two minutes and think that 400s are the best thing sliced bread, I like them and have been riding for quite a while. Anyway, back to the point.

The SV650 to me is a very nice bike, I like the looks, and I also like the reliability and the fact that they are quite new. Though I have a few qualms I thought the collective minds on this forum may be able to quash or at least ease.

What do they sound like with a debaffled race can? I want a bike that sounds nice because it plays a big part in why I buy a bike, with my ER-5 it didn't matter because I came up from a 50 so anything that is not 2 stroke sounded ace. Any videos or sound clips of nice ones at differing stages of the rev range?

What sort of mpg do you get from a tank and how much is it to fill up?

What are they like in corners, you can totally throw 400s into corners but can you with SV650s? Do they hold the grip well throughout, I know they are kneedownable because I have seen the pillion kneedown vid Saint Matt did (Don't know if he posts here).

Are they comfortable on long distances? Easy to wheelie? What are they like with pillion? What am I looking at spending on a nice curvy SV650s?

I would like your general opinion of the bike compared to 400s, the SV has brought back lower quotes for me than 400s which is a bonus because it's about 60 quid difference with the preliminary quotes alone, quite surprising (I got £475 tpft on the SV and £540 tpft on a ZXR400). Though the SV is generally more expensive to buy because they are more modern, I have seen a bargain on BikeTrader.

Any information you can give is really appreciated because I like to be informed before I put the money down.

Cheers.

They sound awsome with a race can
About 120 av miles to a tank (all depends on how hard you ride)
They corner like there on rails
Depends on how fat your **** is
easy to wheelie
Not bad with a pillion
£1800



Hope this helped your descision

A SV650 may be more expensive to buy but you will get a much newer bike for the money. 400s go for silly expensive money.

[northwind]

With race can... Quite nice You can get a lot of variety, I was told at the trackday I was at on saturday that mine was nicer than the DUkes and Aprilias with open cans Then, I have hotter cams which change the sound too.

My MPG's not representative, but I used to get about 45mpg. Now, I get probably about 35, typically.

In corners, they're pretty good... The suspension is budget and it does show, they don't track particularily well on bumpy roads- they take some input to keep on line. But kneedown? No problem. Good amount of ground clearance too. The stock tyres aren't great, but with anything better they'll lean like a good 'un (I have raised footpegs, and a raised tail, and still got my toe down on track- and no, i don't ride on my heels)

Comfortable? Fairly. Not tourer-comfy, more like soft sportsbike comfy. Reasonably easy to wheelie, but don't expect to do 50mph power wheelies. I've never carried a pillion, and you cna spend pretty much whatever you want- you cna find a ratty one for around a grand if you're lucky, or a lovely one for 3. Dealer prices seem to be grossly inflated.

I really wanted an RVF400, but finding a good one at a sane price just beat me- the SV ticks some of the same boxes. The SV won me over because of the ease of maintainance and the availability. I still want an RVF though...

I was weighing up a 400 and SV when i bought mine.

The problem with 400's is finding a good one, lots have been raced, crashed or just show their age. Also has Northwind said any decent one's are usually a stupid price.

With an SV you get a very decent bike that handles good, gets a lovely sound if you put a good can such as a renegade and corners very well.

As for comfort i never had a problem with mine and the mrs was always fine on the back

I've just changed mine to a kwak zxr and i really miss the v-twin sound from my renegade, my wife used to flick the kettle on long before i got into the road

They sound awsome with a race can
About 120 av miles to a tank (all depends on how hard you ride)
They corner like there on rails
Depends on how fat your @rse is
easy to wheelie
Not bad with a pillion
£1800

Cheers for that, will mean I have some saving to do, the bargain I saw is a red one with 10k on the clocks and it looks mint, £1700. I want it but don't have the funds at the moment.

I will be using it every single day of the year, so I need something that will last. As it's a Suzuki I will have to use alot of WD40 to stop it turning into a pile of dust :P

Not wanting to do 50mph wheelies, just a quick up and down after rolling about 10 metres will do me as I'm abit of a tart and like that sort of thing :P I was most concerned about the sound, I've heard they sound great midrange and low down in the revs because they are a V twin, and I suppose that's the only real time it matters, I would be spending abit on the can because I will be keeping the bike until my restriction ends, at least until then, so I want something that will teach me to ride very fast in a straight line and fast through corners too. The ER-5 is a great bike but isn't very confidence inspiring through the corners.

Originally Posted by northwind

In corners, they're pretty good... The suspension is budget and it does show, they don't track particularily well on bumpy roads- they take some input to keep on line. But kneedown? No problem. Good amount of ground clearance too. The stock tyres aren't great, but with anything better they'll lean like a good 'un (I have raised footpegs, and a raised tail, and still got my toe down on track- and no, i don't ride on my heels)

That all sounds good, I was talking to my friend and he confirms the standard suspension is pants on the front, and the forks need stiffening but after that it's like a whole new bike. That sounds great to me. With it being a long time (Or at least longer time than the ER-5) I will invest in good rubber and keep her well maintained.

Originally Posted by northwind

With race can... Quite nice You can get a lot of variety, I was told at the trackday I was at on saturday that mine was nicer than the DUkes and Aprilias with open cans Then, I have hotter cams which change the sound too.

I like the sound of Dukes so it must sound good, any sound clips available at all? By the way, I love what you have done with the tape I might have to do that myself, the white really goes well with the green. That probably sounded a little camp, so read it again in a manly booming voice for my sake please :P

How much is a tank to fill to the brim, or rather how much does a tank hold? 45 mpg sounds very nice to me. Do the SVs hold their value well or will they depreciate like a biatch?

Originally Posted by northwind

I really wanted an RVF400, but finding a good one at a sane price just beat me- the SV ticks some of the same boxes. The SV won me over because of the ease of maintainance and the availability. I still want an RVF though...

They are indeed lovely bikes, that hold their value almost too well.

Originally Posted by nickj

I've just changed mine to a kwak zxr and i really miss the v-twin sound from my renegade, my wife used to flick the kettle on long before i got into the road

That's exactly what I'm after

Thankyou to everybody who has replied, it's much obliged.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Phantomtek

I will be using it every single day of the year, so I need something that will last. As it's a Suzuki I will have to use alot of WD40 to stop it turning into a pile of dust :P

I like the sound of Dukes so it must sound good, any sound clips available at all? By the way, I love what you have done with the tape I might have to do that myself, the white really goes well with the green. That probably sounded a little camp, so read it again in a manly booming voice for my sake please :P

I use mine daily all year, it's still pretty tidy. I'd say get a tin of ACF50, it's great stuff. As effective as spraying with heavy oil, but it lasts for ages.

No sound unfortunately. It doesn't sound like a duke, it's a softer, heavier sound. i like it But you can do a lot with it- Scorpions are raspy, CCC are rough as hell, there's Termis available... Lot of options.

The stripes are in paint by the way

Pretty sure the tanks are 16ltr on the 2004 and below and 17ltr on the 2005 / 2006 but i may be wrong about the models.

It's 16ltr on the curvey too!!!!!!!!!!

that would fall into the 2004 and below