New Sv for 2008?

[northwind]

Originally Posted by stuartyboy

Not according to Cupar M/C's they're not. The gist of it was that.....Been a bad year for SV sales all over. They have surplus stock which isn't shifting and a glut of SV trade ins. These new models with full kit has devalued the 2nd hand market considerably. They're seeing buyers go in with a view to the new SV but most are buying gixxers. The 0% finance & free insurance on the Gixxers has made matters worse for SV sales.

Cupar's are used to selling millions of SVs though... The sales figures are about 25% down I think, which is way less of a fall than I'd expected considering that there's some direct competition, and some total SV-beaters now out there... The SV's still Suzuki's best selling geared bike other than the GSXRs worldwide, I think, though that could be total rubbish to be fair

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Gmonsta

Dont the states have an odd year system though. 08 bikes are our 07 models ???

Not this year. The US got ABS in '07 before us (as posted by doxidog)

It would be a shame for it to get Gixxrd up too much. As I think that part of the appeal of the SV is that it is different from the IL4's 'sport' bike.
Cosmetically changing it could be a good idea though, looking at the style of the Kwakker er6n goes to show that you can get some curves back into Bike design, compared to all these STEALTH FIGHTER ANGLES!
But then again I'm biased!!
lol
An engine overhaul or complete change? Hmm what to that will appeal to the "New to Riding" crowd. I for one, being new to the two wheel lovin gang, specifially looked for the Sv to be one of the bikes to test ride. I did try the sv1000s, and also a CB900 Hornet, just to get a little taste of different styles.

Right thats my 2 penneth worth.
MAYBE we could do some photoshop stuf and post on here what we would like the new bike to look like?!?!

I'm sure I remember seeing the thou on the inside back page of Ride too, in their last rites section (1999 - 2005, iirc).

For Suzuki though, the 600+ "first big bike" range is a bit crowded - their website has the GS500, Bandit 650, the SV and V-Strom, and the GSR650 as well. I wouldn't be suprised if one disappeared the next time they shook it up, and the Bandit and GSR have just had a new engine developed for them.

[northwind]

I thought the GSR was based on the GSXR 6? It doesn't seem to have done very well... Well, I say that, I don't actually have a clue but I've never actually seen one on the road, and I'm pretty sure that my local dealer is still sitting on the one they got in for the launch. I get the feeling that now that the Bandit's no longer rubbish, the Hornet's got better still, and the Fazer does the same job but better, the GSR's for the chop

Originally Posted by northwind

I thought the GSR was based on the GSXR 6? It doesn't seem to have done very well... Well, I say that, I don't actually have a clue but I've never actually seen one on the road, and I'm pretty sure that my local dealer is still sitting on the one they got in for the launch. I get the feeling that now that the Bandit's no longer rubbish, the Hornet's got better still, and the Fazer does the same job but better, the GSR's for the chop

I thought the GSR was a third rate b-king, just with a neutered GSX-R600 engine? I remember all the press about the GSR saying it was the 600 based model in preparation for the real 'busa engine based b-king(odd, I know, it looks nothing like the b-king).

The papers:
MCN seem a bit blasé about the B-King. Good road bike but from what I've seen the sussies seem very soft more like a tourer set up.
Aggressive looking tourer with zero weather protection anyone?
Doomed to fail?

The Spec:
I would still prefer a little more power than the SV650 supplies especially 2-up!
An 800 version with 80hp but still relatively good fuel economy would be perfect for me.
V4 sounds good (literally) but adds complexity which is not what the SV is about!
Thinking about it though, V4 800cc gear driven for around £6k........yes please. Come on Suzuki....you can do it!

Worry:
I wouldn't worry about sales, poor sales only benefit the buyer.

Sales:
The SV has sold very well over the years and the only direction from the top is down.

Originally Posted by northwind

I thought the GSR was based on the GSXR 6? It doesn't seem to have done very well... Well, I say that, I don't actually have a clue but I've never actually seen one on the road [...] the GSR's for the chop

I don't know if its based on the current GSXR6, but it might be a replacement for the GSXF 6. You don't see too many of them about either, but I believe they were based on an old version of the GSXR motor, which would struggle to pass Euro3 emissions. My suspicion is that the GSR will end up being renamed as a bandit sport (like the full faired SV), and therefore only disappear in name.

I must admit though, I'd like to see a VFR competitor - lose the potentially expensive stuff like the VTEC, and theres almost certainly a market for it.

If Suzuki came up with something as good an allrounder as the VFR then I'd probably buy it. keeping away from the Vtec stuff too. From reports and reviews and from people I know who have ridden both non Vtec and Vtec engined VFR's they all seem to like the NON Vtec. Brother has a lovely 750 VFR, think it was the model before the big revamp and he loved it. His missus said the pillion seat was very comfy. They went for an FJR1300 afterwards, and she thinks the seat on the VFR was better. He also feels that the VFR was probably a better bike at touring even though the FJR supposedly has better weather protection etc. and had a larger engine ...
Horses for courses I suppose. BUT, diverting back on path. Do you honestly think they could manufacture a V4 and fit it into something like the SV frame and make it newbie friendly?

Originally Posted by therealvw

Do you honestly think they could manufacture a V4 and fit it into something like the SV frame and make it newbie friendly?

I think they've got two out of three there with the 800 MotoGP bike - just need to make it cheap and newbie friendly . Its not as if the technology isn't there though.