Why do you not ride a twin?

i feel safer on the gixer too because it handles so well, it corners so much better than me LOL, sometimes i think the bike actually gets me out of trouble with ease where as id be in the hedge again on the sv.

[maviczap]

No I love my Sv, I've always loved v twins, even my CX500 & my Guzzi Spada

But I've had plenty of IL4's and even a Beemer (yuk)

But I still keep coming back to them. It's the off beat exhaust noise that I seem to enjoy.

I rode a Hornet not so long ago and it was like riding a sewing machine, no soul.

The Sv ain't perfect, but it'll do, it's fast enough for me at my time of life. I can't afford a Ducati or an Aprillia - one day

four's are for wimp's.

Sound andtorque is what I love about twins. I wouldn't mind anything else though!

[skeetly]

Triples. Simples.

[G]

Originally Posted by Mark_h

but seems to have more power in the zone you're riding in 90%+ of the time.

They may have more power than the zone you're riding in but everyone has a different riding style, and everyone enjoys a different type of riding.

Originally Posted by Mark_h

So given many of the forum members no longer have a SV I was wondering why you've gone down the IL4 route.
- Do you feel you are in it's sweet-spot often enough to make it worthwhile? Yes, All the time
- Do you crave the silky smooth power delivery? Not really
- Do you go to a few track days? Yes
- Are you often chased by machine gun wielding baddies? It has been known
- Did you just fancy a change?
- Will your next one be another IL4? No idea, my 600rr will probably be unsellable by the time I have finished, mileage etc so probably both 600rr for trackdays and fancy a older ducati for the road. Miles off though.
- Did you try a bigger twin before going down the IL4 route? No because no manufacturer really offered what I was after, reliable, affordable, fast, cheap to maintain and fix

[rictus01]

Hmmmmmm, interesting, currently having a single (CCM 404ds), V twin (KTM superduke), Triple (Triumph S3) and a IL4 (Triumph S4), I'm kind of spoilt for choice, of all the configurations; I've found the big triple to be the best, to the point I've had 7 over the years, it does the big twin thing very well, ride the torque and all that, but unlike the twins it's still able to give a top end rush like the fours, it's not perfect, but as close as I've found, however as it's housed in a fairly heavy bike it's now beyond my abilities to ride much.

Enter the KTM Superduke, this is what I'd call one of the new generation of big V twins, fairly short stroke, and revs up & down quickly; giving the engine a "light" feel you don't normally get on the big engines, I've compared between an SV1000N (04)/ ApriliaTUONO (0/ Honda SP1 (03) and the Superduke(0, all do the big "lumps" of power and torque thing very well, but even the SP1 feels dated and slightly heavy in comparison to the superduke,so time has evolved the big V into a more "nimble" feeling package and the gap is closing on my ideal (the triple lump)to an extent.

Cheers Mark.

Originally Posted by Warthog

Sound andtorque is what I love about twins. I wouldn't mind anything else though!

SV has less peak torque than a number of IL4s, including the Kwak.

Originally Posted by simesb

SV has less peak torque than a number of IL4s, including the Kwak.

Low down torque

[Mark_h]

Originally Posted by Warthog

Low down torque

Just dug out my dynojet read-out. Not sure what a modern bike chucks out but mine measured 60 lb/ft at 4000rpm peaking at 67.4 over a flatish hump between 6000-9000.

Power basically dead straight from 3k (35hp) - 9k(112) where it then flattens out a bit.

We all know power delivery varies between engine configurations and different bikes and serves a very different purpose but my more relaxed riding (old bloke) style seems to suit the bucket of torque that a big twin delivers.

Didn't really want this to turn into a "mine's better than yours" thread but was more interested in why folks went for what they went for and weather they regretted it or feel IL4 is the way to go.

I must admit I was well taken with the speed triple but only when giving it some. Test ride 1 following dealer, not impressed. Test ride 2 on mate's bike from Petersfield to Fleet (decent roads) well impressed apart from a total inability to see anything behind you.

Glad this has stayed fairly friendly so-far and a good exchange of views. Amazing how far afield the TVSF readership seems to extend.