Info wanted on buying a 2nd hand SV650S

Hi


Please excuse any errors here but this is my first thread (I only registered about 20 mins ago).


I am doing my DA next week (test on Thursday) and as long as I pass, I am looking to buy an SV650 in the next couple of weeks or so. I have spent ages looking around the web and chatting to a fellow riders that I know (including 2 friends who ride a GSF1200 and a GSXR750) and have decided as a mature beginner that the SV650 is the bike for me. It has had some excellent reviews regarding rideability, fun and price plus I also love the look of the 650.


However, what I require prior to parting with my very hard earned cash is some impartial, expert advice about what to look for when buying. I am looking for a 2nd hand bike, probably from '99 to '02/03 ish and am looking to spend between £1500 and £2500.


One of my main reasons for joining this forum is to ask if anyone can give me some advice as to what to look for when buying the bike, any tell-tale signs of abuse, excessive wheelies, oil consumption and what sort of kit I should look for on the bike (tyres/suspension etc). I am not massively mechanically minded and I admit to being a clueless when it comes to bikes, but despite my ignorance, I still dont want to get ripped off buy a cowboy dealer or a street wise youngster.


ANY comments will be gratefully received, along with links to any good websites that may also give me some help. Thanks in advance for your help. I'm looking forward to contributing more in the future.


Safe riding.


Stradders.

the sv is a top all round bike many have been owned by people who have just passed there tests so there are alot of unthrashed examples around. You realy need to know what your looking for realy or buy of someone you trust.
There are quite alot of one owner svs around so take your time and pick a genuine one thats been looked after and has got plenty of history.

I bought myself a nice 2000 SV650S for £1200 at the end of March this year....it's a great bike, so easy to ride but a lot of fun. An SV would be a good choice for you. They are a cheap bike and it shows in the suspension, not that you'd notice straight away, but it's easy and cheap to fix.

You could ask someone on this forum to have a look at a bike for you, if it's local for them.

Look for a standard bike(huggers, fender extanders etc are fine in fact are a plus), with a service history. Forks will be crusty at the bottom. Get a feel for the owner is he a boy racer type. Have a look at as many Sv's as you can so you can compare a good one to a bad. Check the chain and sprocket for wear and signs of abuse, check fork seals, check discs for wear and scoring (there will always be some) Look at the tyres, do they look round across the profile, how big are the chicken strips, do they look abused. The finish on an SV is not that good, so if a bike is well looked after it will show. Use any negative features to negotiate the price down.

If you have £1500-£2500 I'd say don't spend any more than £2000, you'd get a nice late curvy for that. Use the rest of your cash for servicing, tools, a fork rebuild with better spring and oil is a wise investment, about £70 in parts and will transform the handling. Perhaps some advanded rider training and better riding gear.

Saw this in my local rag - Suzuki SV650S 2002. Blue, long tax and Mot, very low milage, alarm immobiliser. Genuine reason for sale £2000.

Pm me and I'll give you the contact number.

Colour picture looks fine, bike looks standard. I'd be happy to look at it first for you. It's in Norfolk, near King's Lynn about 90minutes from Kings Cross on the train (About £35 cheap weekend return) I would be happy to meet you and take you to see it.




Good luck.

[mister c]

Ridden loads of bikes in my time & had always wanted an SV when they first came out, but couldnt afford one.
Bought mine in March a 99 T reg, I ride it every day whatever the weather and it is a real hoot
I paid a little over the odds for mine, but, looking round it was in the nicest condition (there are some real sheds out there) so didn't mind paying more.
I would say the same as everyone else on here, check for corrosion, service history and if the owner looks as though he/she has looked after it.
I don't think you could go far wrong looking through the "forsale" part of the forum.

Best advice I can think of is take someone with you & don't be afraid to walk away (although I've only ever walked away once!) - I also now tend to avoid bikes that have been off the road a long time (couple of years) but that's just me getting lazy....

Lots of good advice above.

NOW listent to someone who has made most of the mistakes above (bought a bike with bent forks, mismatched fairing and therefore of questionable value)...

Follow the advice above!

I did note the forks and fairing mismatch but explained them away in my head. I wanted a bike and was attracted by the price ('55 pointy 4k £2500).

In my case I'd say the ending has so far been relatively happy. I have done 4000 miles and love the bike. I will need to spend out perhaps £250 to sort the forks and had I added that to my initial budget I could have bought a straight example in the first place. However my priorities were that it was as new as possible and yet as cheap as possible.

If you want a Curvey (as the 99-02 bikes are referred to as) then good for you. Personally I wanted as new a bike as possible so that hopefully wear etc would be minimised. For £2500 I think you could pick up a 2003, 2004 maybe 2005 bike (Pointy) if you wanted.

[BoltonSte]

If you're happy with a curvy, I would give PBx a PM. His Bro in law is selling his and it is imaculate, been well looked after, low miles and dealer seviced. If I could I'd have it off him as a second bike like a shot.

Ste

Guys

Thanks for all the great gen. Much appreciated. I have looked at lots of bikes on the I'net but I guess there is no substitute foro actually getting out there and looking at them face to face.

BigBaddad. Thanx for the offer of helping looking at the bike, but as I live in the north of Scotland, its a bit more than a £35 train ride. I will take your advice though and use some of the extra cash in my budget to get it looked at. We have a small family run dealership up here who comes highly recommended so I may get them to have a look at the bike when I get it. I have not seen too many private SVs for sale up here and so I may have to bite the bullet and go for a dealer, although I hope that they may be able to give me more advice on the quality of the bike. I'll keep looking though.

Mister C. Thanks for the info on the for sale site. I've seen 1 bike in Dundee that I have already taken the details of. Not much else this far north though.

Sosha. Got a good mate who has already volunteered to help me look. Unfortunately he is away at the moment but I may pick his brains and see if he has any advice. Thanks.

2mths. Nice bike. Have looked at both curvys and pointys and think I prefer the curvey, although there is not much in it. They still look great, whatever the shape.

Svste. Thanks for the gen on PBx. I may try and pm him and get some details.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Safe Riding

Stradders.

Stradders You have a PM .
Cheers Joe.

Joe

Have PM'd you back. Thanks for the message.

Stradders