sv650 vs sv650s beginner bike?

im a complete newb to biking and this particular forum..im not a complete newb to the internet....

anways my question is..i know im beating a dead horse with a stick ..but is the sv650 a good beginner bike?..

i really want to get into biking... ive been researching on the net..and they say the sv650 is a good beginner bike..and others say its not a good beginner bike..some say the sv650 is an awesome first bike.

also...should i go with the sv650 ,sv650s , should i even worry about the ABS version...any input would help .. thanks!!

[Biker Biggles]

Welcome to the madhouse.
Yes is the answer to your question,and when you are no longer a beginner it remains a good rider's bike.In sunny Florida I'd go for an unfaired one.

perfect bike for all people.

[KnightRider]

I got my license 3 weeks ago via a 5 day DAS and picked up a brand new SV650s today as my first ever bike. Although I was pretty nervous when pulling out of the dealership the SV put my mind completely at rest and was an absolute joy to ride. After a days riding (including central London) I am positive that I made the right choice. The bike is nimble, easy to manouver and has a lot of low down torque - exactly what you need as a beginner!

Welcome to the forums by the way!

Its my first bike, before my SV i had only ridden as big as the training schools 125cc machine. The SV is a perfect first bike - mine is the faired "s" version and I find it really agile and easy to ride, even in town.

Matt

go for the s version, mine is also my first big bike going from an ar50 many years ago to the sv, top bike

[northwind]

I don't think it's a great beginner's bike- something like a DT125 or an SR, or maybe a 4-stroke 250 like the wee Ninja. Something just a bit lighter, easier to pick up Also more forgiving, not got the engine braking which can cause noobs problems. Especially for the states when the standard of rider training available is so poor- do your MSF, for sure. But, well, for comparison MSF is a lower standard than the first half of the CBT training all UK riders have to do before they're ever allowed on the road- before we get on an SV most riders will have had 3-5 days constant training so it's a much better springboard.

So do bear that in mind folks, the US approach is typically "Just jump on and ride". Our idea of beginner is slightly different.

But, it's a great learner bike. Not good enough to coddle you, not bad enough to drastically hold you back. Possibly the 400cc race reps are better, though, but they're also becoming rarer for a good one, and expensive to fix too.

[dyzio]

it's ok for a first bike. I know this because it's my first
Like Northwind said, be careful with engine breaking and with the rear brake, the rear locks up easily.
If you'll go for the "N", you'll have less to replace if you drop it
I went for the "S" 4 months ago and I think I'll love it for many years

Welcome aboard fellow Floridian. To answer your question: If the SV650 fits you physically, (Try it on for size...if you feel all cramped up on it then look for something different) Beyond that, It's a great bike for both beginners and more advanced riding.

We can even strip it down and send you out on the racetrack on it. I would put it up against my old CBR600F and VFR750 on the track...they are different in feel, but bottom line is that they are all stable, predictable, rides with pleasant maners.

Now as to which flavor...it's a personal choice. The S model doesn't do anything differently from the normal nekkid SV650...the upper fairing is small and doesn't really offer much protection from the bugs and wind..it more of a style choice.

The ABS model is a different story...waste of money in my personal opinion. The SV650 light weight and simplicity are it's strong suits...no sense adding extra useless tech to it. Take the money you would spend on the ABS gear and go attend a few MSF courses. You'll come away from the classes with a better feel for how much braking force you have on tap in that front wheel. You don't need any automatic gizmo to keep you from locking up the wheels..the bike will tell you where the edge is all by itself, you just need to learn the signs.

Last, hang out on this list. There's a lot of good tech stuff here. The TPS adjustment is probably the first one your should carry out. Stiffening up the front forks is probably number two on the list of improving the stock SV650 and making a quicker, tighter ride.

[northwind]

Disagree on the ABS... In every test, even top racers stop ABS bikes faster than standard bikes, in the damp or wet at least, and the numbers are very close even in the dry- a matter of feet. Last one I saw was Jamie Whitham, so unless you're better on the brakes than him...

And that's in totally controlled circumstances- emergency stops by definition are unexpected so you'll almost never use the bike's whole braking potential from start to finish. ABS avoids the risk of the panic lock, and likely crash (for the noob at least) and even if you save a locked front (not actually that hard) you'll still take much longer to stop than if you'd not locked it) Maybe more importantly it takes away the risk of underbraking- even an experienced rider rarely uses all of the available brakes, never mind in the wet, at the end of a 400 mile ride, in winter... On track, or for a weekend toy, sure it's not such a big deal though.

If I could magic ABS onto my bike today, I would- though I'd want an offswitch for trackdays. I totally understand the argument about becoming dependant on technology, but I don't think it stands up, and the technology's getting better all the time. And for a beginner, saying "Just learn the signs" isn't all that useful- far too many people learn about the front brake by crashing, either from using too much or too little.