Brakes: CBR600RR Vs SV650

Can someone just confirm that the SV brakes/suspension, especially the front end, are utter poo compared to the RR? I had a go on the RR last week and I'm now convinced there's something wrong with the brakes on the SV due to the diving/lack of bite. They all do that, don't they?

From what ive heard.... yes. Tho ive never tried anything else so dont know myself.

[timwilky]

your making an unfair comparison, the CBR brakes and suspension are far superior to those on the SV, but for a budget bike there is nothing wrong with the SVs. It is however disconcerting when you change between them and forget they don't have the same characteristics.

No two bikes makes/modelsl handle and steer the same but after a few miles you have the feeling.

The brakes are budget for a budget machine with budget suspension.

'nuff said.

Not just the CBR600RR. My 2 year old Hornets 600 brakes and suspension are 10 times better than the SV650 I bought from new in March. Yes, in my humble opinion the SV's brakes and general suspension out of the box are utter crap. But then it's a cheap bike.

Sv brakes are poor, period... Sticking some good pads (carbon lorraines or ebc hh) some decent brake lines and bleeding them will help...

but they are no comparison to the rr.. those are superb,

but the sv is built to a budget so is never going to compare

Changing from a SV650S to a CBR600F, I have to say the brakes on the CBR are amazing but its not really fair to do a direct comparison as you are talking completely different levels of bikes. You get what you pay for and the SV is cheaper than a CBR.

[lukemillar]

Originally Posted by sv_dan

Not just the CBR600RR. My 2 year old Hornets 600 brakes and suspension are 10 times better than the SV650 I bought from new in March. Yes, in my humble opinion the SV's brakes and general suspension out of the box are utter crap. But then it's a cheap bike.

Dan - Are you getting somekind of kick back frtom Honda!? All your posts seem to be banging the Hornet drum! Well all except the one about the SV being a better looking bike than the Hornet!! No leg to stand on there! :

[northwind]

Hornet brakes aren't that much better... Honda started fitting higher grade pads in, was it 2002? 2003? The last revision before the USD front anyway. Which is cheating The OEM pads in teh SV were selected to stop beginners killing themselves, IMO, loads fo space for upgrades. Spend £30 on a set of EBC HH or similiar and the SV is a little better than the Hornet is stock. I think teh Hornet does have a better master cylinder, from memory, but the last one I rode had a Brembo fitted.

But the new Hornet front end is way, way better- that and the finish are the main reason it costs more than the SV despite having a steel frame and the engine that Jesus had in his bike

SVs, as standard, have a dynamite combination of reasonably powerful but unsophisticated brakes combined with an undersprung, underdamped front end. Also, those calipers need looking after.It's the divey front end that causes the most problems IMO- upgrading the front end gives big stopping improvements too. In fact, putting powerful calipers on a standard SV front end would be a mistake, it'd just make for even more dive- putting even basic upgrades like new springs and oil into the forks will slow you faster than GSXR calipers on standard springs, I'm sure.

Originally Posted by lukemillar

Dan - Are you getting somekind of kick back frtom Honda!? All your posts seem to be banging the Hornet drum! Well all except the one about the SV being a better looking bike than the Hornet!! No leg to stand on there! :

Hehe, no I'm just amazed at how much of a better bike it is overall than my new SV was. Like you say though the SV is a much cheaper machine. I think the SV does look rather good, but I am loving the look of the Hornet too. Has a really aggresive look to it. Can't beat the SV on engine sound though, V twins always win!

But just the difference in braking is astounding. So much more bite to them, the SV's lacked any kind of feel and just felt spongy all the time. And on a brand new 06 plate SV, that isn't just dodgy pads!