The SV

[Bike27]

Best Bike I've owned?

BMW R1100GS (virtually identical to the 1150 version that followed it but better, because Ewan & Charley never rode one )

However, I just don't want a bike that huge anymore, so best bike I've owned for what I now want:

KTM 390 Duke

Fit a power commander (to boost mid range torque) and unless you need to take a pillion, or cruise at 85mph+ it's as good an all rounder as the SV, but simply more fun more of the time on account of being about 40Kgs lighter, it has almost bicycle like manouevrability in town and a very grin inducing rate of turn out of it.

So yes I would definitely agree the SV is not that lightweight, my 2018 SV feels like a complete lardbucket after a 390 Duke !

I lost interest in my SV once the new bike novelty had worn off, as despite
it handling nicely and having a lovely motor I missed the fun of the KTM. However it is partly my own fault for adding about 8kgs worth of weight at the bike extremities (rear rack and crash bars). So I'm now putting the SV on a bit of a diet and hopefully I'll like it again.

Worst bike I've ever owned?

Well that's ALSO the KTM 390 Duke (It blew it's head gasket at 6000 miles)

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by Bike27

Best Bike I've owned?

BMW R1100GS (virtually identical to the 1150 version that followed it but better, because Ewan & Charley never rode one )

However, I just don't want a bike that huge anymore, so best bike I've owned for what I now want:

KTM 390 Duke

Fit a power commander (to boost mid range torque) and unless you need to take a pillion, or cruise at 85mph+ it's as good an all rounder as the SV, but simply more fun more of the time on account of being about 40Kgs lighter, it has almost bicycle like manouevrability in town and a very grin inducing rate of turn out of it.

So yes I would definitely agree the SV is not that lightweight, my 2018 SV feels like a complete lardbucket after a 390 Duke !

I lost interest in my SV once the new bike novelty had worn off, as despite
it handling nicely and having a lovely motor I missed the fun of the KTM. However it is partly my own fault for adding about 8kgs worth of weight at the bike extremities (rear rack and crash bars). So I'm now putting the SV on a bit of a diet and hopefully I'll like it again.

Worst bike I've ever owned?

Well that's ALSO the KTM 390 Duke (It blew it's head gasket at 6000 miles)

Interesting post, I'd heard the same about the RC 390 a couple of times but I don't trust KTM reliability... your last line made me laugh.

[SV650rules]

The bike I had before the SV was a Suzuki DRZ400-SM it had pretty much the same power as the KTM 390 but only weighed 135Kg, it was a fun bike and handled really well ( the Super Motard has 17" road tyres ). Problem for me was the 37" seat height as I am only 5' 8" - and I could only ever get one tippy-toe down, that bike was a hoot to ride - but on the roads the SV is much better and you don't have to thrash it to keep up with faster traffic, and the lower gearing on the naked SV AL7 means it is like a rat up a drainpipe to 60mph...

[gadget]

Originally Posted by Dave20046

It shines in being lightweight and very quick to turn. The low down torque makes exitting corners great fun. It's also a very reliable engine.

I personally wouldn't describe it as 'lightweight' tbh, well balanced maybe but defo not lightweight.
But as said above, it does lots of things very well and with a bit of expenditure in the right places it can quickly turn into the bike it should have been from the start. Having said that ... mine's defo a keeper, I've had 54 bikes over many years ranging from 50cc up to Busa's and loved riding/modding/improving them in all sorts of ways but my sv650s gives me a bigger kick out of doing any of those three.

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by gadget

I personally wouldn't describe it as 'lightweight' tbh, well balanced maybe but defo not lightweight.
But as said above, it does lots of things very well and with a bit of expenditure in the right places it can quickly turn into the bike it should have been from the start. Having said that ... mine's defo a keeper, I've had 54 bikes over many years ranging from 50cc up to Busa's and loved riding/modding/improving them in all sorts of ways but my sv650s gives me a bigger kick out of doing any of those three.

Maybe I don't ride enough modern bikes. I remember going from the SV to an SRAD and thinking wtf is this hippo I'm muscling round corners. My 1200 is about 100kg heavier too which probably tainted my point of view. I think if you compare it to similar tourers or powered bikes it would come up light though - bandit 600? Monster 900?

[Dave20046]

I've just googled it it's only 8kilo heavier than a Sportsbike (k5 GSXR)

[gadget]

I can't really think of a single bike I've owned that comes close to the SV for all round fun, 90% of all my previous bikes have all been a bit of a 'one trick pony', great at what they did in one way or another, the SV imo..seems to have more bases covered ... if that makes any sense!

[Adam Ef]

The fun to £ ratio is hard to beat. I had mine for longer than I've had any other bike too, which if you know me and how fickle I am with bikes is pretty good going.

[gadget]

Originally Posted by Adam Ef

The fun to £ ratio is hard to beat. I had mine for longer than I've had any other bike too, which if you know me and how fickle I am with bikes is pretty good going.

Exactly that .... bang for buck ... pretty much unbeatable.
Fickle ! Would be a mild way of describing me with bikes, I'm more of a total tart! My SV probably weighs 5LB more in carnuba wax alone.

[garynortheast]

Originally Posted by Adam Ef

The fun to £ ratio is hard to beat. I had mine for longer than I've had any other bike too, which if you know me and how fickle I am with bikes is pretty good going.

About two weeks then Adam?