SV most reliable bike???

The background to this post...
Ok the R1200GS is a complex product and had a lot of teething problems. Fortunately BMW are very agreeable on warranty claims (one chap is about to get his third new bike....) But there seems to be a fair share of problems on R1150GS's as well, although some of these do do big miles.

Anyway, on ukgser.com the question of reliable bikes came up, something I was thinking about the other day. Specifically I was thinking how few problems get reported here and how few bikes seem to have to have work done under warranty. Certainly my SV had 6.5k entirely trouble free no quibble miles in its first year. (although thats not much of a test).

So I posted this:
"The Suzuki rep for low quality bits and pieces seems to only have a cosmetic effect as certainly the SV seems to be an incredibly reliable bike. I think the GSX series are similar.
Was only thinking about how few problems get reported on sv650.org compared with here the other day.
However I understand the V-Strom thou isnt as reliable as the SV based 650.
But you know I wouldnt mind proposeing Suzuki as the most reliable bike manufacturer."

I reckon the SV must be one of the most reliable bikes, and Suzuki one of the most reliable manufacturers. What do you guys think?

I think anything Japanese is likely to be extremely reliable. Maybe one of the SV's reasons for reliability is it's simplicity.

I too have read numerous posts on UKGSers about the GS12's problems and am somewhat worried that the idea of a BMW being utterly reliable is now complete tosh. A great bike yes, but some of the things that have gone wrong with it are outright dangerous. I'm unlikely to buy one at present until they sort things out but this is also thankfully compounded by a distinct lack of big cash .



.

Well................ front cylinders conking out in the rain aside.....




On the other hand, Hondas are supposed to be reliable and the Hornet has probably the most reliable engine Honda have ever made......



Being serious, I suspect that an average japanese bike will beat an average BMW for reliability over a reasonable period of time. There's a reason that the coppers switched from BMWs to Pan Euros and reliability was it.

Originally Posted by Jabba-the-Hutt

Well................ front cylinders conking out in the rain aside.....

Of course, but thats a clearly defined outside cause with a quick fix. Suzuki were probably a little silly there.

I guess it could be simplicity. For example Hornet vs VFR.

Originally Posted by jonboy

.. am somewhat worried that the idea of a BMW being utterly reliable is now complete tosh.

.

One of my mate's dad delivers and collects BMW cars for a major dealer and he says he would never buy a BMW at the moment because of the problems he's seeing with them, they're far from reliable.

They are no more reliable than any other car. Why do you see few Mercedes, Porches etc being recovered? Because they do so in covered lorries (or so I'm told).

Anyway its quite clear BMW arent the most reliable bike , so what is ?

Originally Posted by Dr Rich

They are no more reliable than any other car. Why do you see few Mercedes, Porches etc being recovered? Because they do so in covered lorries (or so I'm told).

Yep, he's a truck driver and so they're usually covered up when he brings them back. Having said that I've seen more than a few Porsches on the back of a recovery truck at the Porsche centre between Stratford and Bow, so maybe not true for all manufacturers.

Aside from the front cylinder and "damp electrics", there don't appear to be any common problems. Both the above are most noticeable in the wet, so if you live somewhere dry, maybe the SV is one of the most reliable bikes

I know everyone sings hondas praises, but their bikes have problems too (VTEC VFRs for example).

Originally Posted by Ceri JC

Aside from the front cylinder and "damp electrics", there don't appear to be any common problems. Both the above are most noticeable in the wet, so if you live somewhere dry, maybe the SV is one of the most reliable bikes

I know everyone sings hondas praises, but their bikes have problems too (VTEC VFRs for example).

I haven't had either of the wet weather problems you mentioned, so they're cerainly not an absolute. Oh and just as a side note, when I changed my plugs the front one was fine, no sign of rust at all.
No fender extender and my rubber flap went missing as well.

The problem with the VTEC on the VFRs is supposedly down to two plugs being connected wrong when it's being built.

Not ccm

Err possibly suzuki, minor niggles asside.

Alex