New owner - some questions.

Hi everyone,

I've just bought an SV650S K4 and have a few questions. It was an impulse buy because I loved the way it looks but now I'm starting to ask questions. I haven't passed the DAS yet (booked in 2 weeks) but will admit I've taken it on a little test ride on the A57 (Snake pass). I know its wrong but I couldn't resist it, its definitely garaged now until the DAS though.

I've attached some pictures below that show the bike, i know its got alot of mods on it but I'm unsure off all of them so I'm wondering if you guys can tell me what mods it has on it for insurance purposes. These are what i know off:

Scorpion Titanium Exhaust (is this performance enhancing and it is really loud, how do i check if the baffles have been removed because I'm told its illegal)
Seat Cowel
Full fairings (is this standard on the SV650S K4?)
Tinted Screen
Decals (do i need to declare these?)
Tail tidy (Not to sure what this is)

I've heard of different filters (K&N) how do I check if this has been modified?

I've insured it 3rd party fire and theft while its garaged and told them I only have a provisional, its cost 295. For fully comp the cheapest I got was CIA (who i have it 3rd party with) for 526. I can afford that but do you think it is worth it, I paid 2000 for the bike.

I've also noticed the front brakes sqweek a little bit when they are first/very lightly applied,could this be a problem?

Another thing i've noticed is a tiny tiny tiny rattling sound when accelerating. Should i get it checked out.

It recently had a full service and passed with flying colours and has got a new rear wheel, its got 18000 miles on it.

Anyway any help is much appreciated, i'm a little embarrassed that i've outed myself as a total bike newbie here but i want to learn.

Here are the pics:

think i can answer a few of them, while we wait for the cleaver people
doesn't look like the baffles are in the exhaust, i think this makes it illegal, but unless its really loud your unlikely to get pulled over. Unless its a full system them isn't normally a power increase.
A tail tidy removes the big flappy (technical terms ) mudguard from the back, its a piece of metal that hold the number plate and indicators
i listed all the mods on my bike, it was only another £10 so thought i might as well
you can find out what air filter by proping up the tank (see a haynes manual) and taking a look
and the rattle is probably nothing to worry about, most of the SVs seem to do it

HTH
rob

edit: here's a SV without the tail tidy http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgur...w=1512&bih=772

no need to declare decals, you have the rear hugger fitted as well ( rear mud guard) The only thing you need to declare imo, is the exhaust can.

il answer to the best of my knowledge...

the end can wont really add any power ( less than a couple Bhp ). If the baffle is out then it will most probably be Illegal because of noise levels, if theres not one in ( and from the picture i cant see one in the end) you can buy a universal one fairly cheap and just fit it with a self tapping screw.

i wouldnt declare decals,

tail tidy : if you look at a totally stock sv650 they have a big black plastic thing that holds the number plate and also acts as a mud guard. most think theyr super ugly. so replace them with a tail tidy.
its a bit of metal that holds the number plate and indy basically.

i wouldnt declare the seat cowl or the screen.

i would definately declare the lowwer fairings, some come with them standard some did not. ( im not sure what exact models/years). mainly just to be safe as they are fairly pricey, and hard to find in that yellow i would imagine.


you also have a rear hugger on that badboy which doesnt come as standard (the colour coded back tyre mud guard)

and i wouldnt reccomend getting it insured fully comp if you're not riding it. since all you need to protect it against now is theft...or fire?

when you do pass youl have to cancell and take out a new insurance policy to make sure you get the best price. and possibly to actually make the insurance valid..

thats about as much help as i can be im afraid.

congrats on getting the bike though! very nice!!

and good luck with the test!

[Shawthing]

The Baffle is another metal tube about 6" long that slides inside the hole a the end of the exhaust , usualy held in by a steel bolt through the short end tube.
The SK4 did not have lower fairings as standard, so are addons but could be suzuki or aftermarket e.g Ermax (look for any sticky labels inside lower fairing to tell which).

A baffle looks like this...



They usually come tacked onto a new exhaust which, luck would have it, can be removed. However if it's loud, you'll need to screw it back on during MOT time.

Seat cowl:-



No pillion passenger is gonna wanna sit on that! :P

As for insurance, how old are you? I'm 29 and paid £400 for my insurance on a bike worth £2.2K. Considering how many bikes crash, how many get stolen etc you're gonna struggle to get it much lower I imagine.

Thanks for the replies everyone, much appreciated.

I'm 26 Stenno, looks like I'm gonna have to buy a baffle for the MOT next year. Any info on where i can get that Universal one from Rich88.

So the bike has

Scorpion Titanium Exhaust (no baffe, not performance enhancing)
Seat Cowl
Tail Tidy
Rear Hugger
Crash Bungs (forgot to mention)
Full Fairings
Screen (is this a double bubble?)
Decals (wont declare)

Any info on the small rattle, ImplodedHamster says it pretty standard, i hope it is lol.

The insurance is gonna stay 3rd party F+F whilst it garaged, but do you think its worth going fully comp when i get it on the road?

Cheers again guys for the replies.

Also Shawthing, i see your based in manchester. Do you ever go out on any rides as I'm hoping to get in on some soon.

I live just south of manchester (knutsford) If you fancy a ride at some point!

I would go fully comp when on the road if can afford it, bound have a little slide or such at some point and fairings are bloody expensive!