What did you get after your SV and why?

[Viney]

I still have my SV. Its does what i aks of it on a daily basis. I do wish it was a little bigger for the longer runs, but as a commute scoot, its fabby. What would i get next, a Tiger1050.

I have had my SV since Dec 2nd 2000.

[Jayneflakes]

I went backwards and bought a Honda CG125. I love my little CG, but I had him because I failed my DAS and needed a bike to learn on.

Once I pass my test, my hope is to get back on the SV, now restricted, to carry on my learning and improve my riding. The joy of living with an ex instructor is that I am always worried that she will think I ride badly or dangerously.

Having spent time with Carol, if I sold the SV I think I would like a classic Kwaka Z1, because I promised her that if she had one, we would get married (well civil partnership if you want to be technical) on it.

Back on track though, I have been told that the SV is a great first big bike, which I am looking forwards to.

I just added. Got an old Dullsville for commuting. Then got a Yamaha YZF750. Had one years and years ago and always wished I hadn't sold it (circumstances dictated otherwise). The YZF is my pride and joy complete with retro paint job of the period when these bikes hit the market. Dullsville went to a better person than I. I have a Kwak baby Ninja 250R which needs rebuilding. This is going to be my commuting bike for the summer months. The YZF is my weekend play toy.

[JamesMio]

Originally Posted by L3nny

The 954 Fireblade appeals to me but I am worried it will be too powerful and I'll never use full throttle.

I dithered about replying to this thread (for a somewhat obvious reason!) but decided to in the end!

I'll not lie to you - there is a big jump between what happens when I open the throttle on the Blade compared to the SV - massive jump in fact.

You'll probably find yourself giving it full bore in 2nd and 3rd, but to be honest, you don't need to in order to get a real shift on.

The rev-range below the power band (which kicks in at around 6-7000 revs) is roughly about the same as when my SV was pulling at full beans (8,9000 ish revs).

Once it hits 6,500+ revs the Blade goes absolutely berserk (red line is 10,500) - it's normally at this point that start to giggle a bit!

But, that said - I've done about 7,500 miles on mine since I got it, and there's only been 2 occasions where I've given myself a fright.

1st time was the GMII run last year, the day after I picked the bike up, and it was actually the brakes that caught me out, not the speed - I overtook a line of bikes, spotted a gap in traffic that Quiff had very kindly opened up for me, dabbed the brakes to pull in and had the back end up waggling in the air at about 60mph. They're quite a bit sharper than I had previously been used to!

2nd time was when I pulled out to overtake a car, gave it some beans to get past just as I went over a bump in the road - the front end came up (6" tops), shook it's head a wee bit and went back down again.

In an act of what is probably stupidity, (given that I'm actively trying to sell mine!), here's a list of what I personally, do & don't like about the bike.

It's not that easy to fit a tail pack to because the rear seat comes up on a hinge, rather than lifts off like the SV does. That said, the hinge does make it much less of a faff to get under the pillion seat to stash gloves/helmet etc, and the under seat storage is bigger than my SV was.

The engine, brakes, suspension, handling and comfort are all far better on the blade than my SV was. The seat's not brilliant for doing big distances (£10 pair of cycling shorts has cured this for me) but I did a week long tour of Scotland on it last summer and was absolutely fine by the end of it - I almost had to be lifted off my SV when I came back from the first Glencoe run!

It's done (10k) more miles than my SV had done when I sold it, yet it's still almost like new - the difference in build quality is like chalk & cheese.

Originally Posted by JamesMio

the difference in build quality is like chalk & cheese.

Yadda yadda yadda, typical bloody Honda owner

[JamesMio]

Originally Posted by PoRk ChOp

Yadda yadda yadda, typical bloody Honda owner

Haha! I know, I know, sorry!!

To be honest, it's not the Blade that's impressed me so much, it's the 18 year old Pan European I bought last year to go touring on, which is still in awesome condition that takes that prize!

52,000 on the clock and the finish is nearly like new - pretty good going really.

LW--Alright I give you that one,perhaps I should have said
"The same question with the same answers as been asked many many times before"

I do like to be picked up when I fall

[fastdruid]

1989 VFR750FJ[1]; wanted something a bit wobbly and more practical to slow me down.
Didn't work, much quicker in a straight line, handling isn't bad at at all and it ignores the kind of sh*tty road surface that we get so much in this country that has (for example) the RVF400 tied in knots. Gets scary wobbly in fast corners though.

Druid

[1] Late registered just in case anyone spots that a VFR750FJ should be a '88 bike.

Originally Posted by fastdruid

[1] Late registered just in case anyone spots that a VFR750FJ should be a '88 bike.

Its ok, not even I, a junior "vfr anorak", will flag that up on an SV forum

[STRAMASHER]

To replace the SV on commuting duties/occasional forays into the sticks and Ecosse Poss runs I fancy either a Versys or XT660Z.

I never like getting the same type of bike. And I don't change bikes very often. Looks/tank range/ease of maintenance/cheap to run/fun.