SV650 Trackbike

Hi,

Firstly an introduction as I'm a newbie here. I'm Steve from Whitby, North Yorkshire. I've been riding for the past 12 years and have completed a few track days on hired bikes.

I'm in the process of buying a 2004 SV650s to run as a track bike in 2010. First off though, I'm going to take it to the Isle of Man TT in June so it will need to stay road legal until then.

I've identified the following needs and would welcome comment from those who have been down this path before. It is just possible that I may try for my ACU license in 2011 and so I'd like to keep the bike eligible for minitwins racing.

1. Rear shock. Stock unit seems pretty crap and underdamped. What have folk changed this for? Is it necessary to go the full monty with an Ohlins or Penscke new shock or is it possible to change for something like a GSXR stock shock?

2. Forks. New springs, damping emulators and thicker fork oil. All advice gratefully etc......

3. Race bodywork. Any recommendations for a 2004 'pointy'. BB plastics? ARD?

4. Tyre choice for trackdays?

5. 520 chain conversion. ? drop one tooth on front sprocket?

6. Rearsets. Who recommends what?

7. The bike has an aftermarket can but I guess I'll be looking at K&N filter and PC3 before too long but I'm a great believer in sorting out the handling before looking for more horses.

8. Once the bike is track/race setup, any recommendations on trailers (as I don't think a van is on the cards)?

Sorry to post such a list and I'm sure much has been posted in the past on the forum but thanks for any advice and Happy Christmas!


Steve

[fastdruid]

1) Depends on budget, GSXR shock is better than std but not a patch on a proper shock.
2) If not racing it then sell the original frontend and buy a USD frontend, do it right and it'll cost you nothing. If you have any plans to race it ever then go for emulators.
3) GSXR bodywork can be made to fit, cheap and easy to get hold of, downside is to get it to really fit needs some work[1].
4) Personal preference but I like D209 Qualifier RR's
5) Yes go for the 520 but actual gearing depends on track, I have mine (~80bhp@rw) geared down so it hits 10k in top down park.
6) Depends on if you're planning on going racing, I have OSF ones but just for racing simple cheap ones are better (plus mine don't have the rounded ends required).
7) Pass but even with 72hp the SV is plenty fun.
Pass, we have a two bike trailer.

Other things are weight, weight and weight, lose the steel subframes and heavy junk the bike comes with as std. Run a battery pack rather than a battery and you'll lose even more. I'd advise *not* to go total loss, just more to go wrong and with EFI you need it for the pump etc.

Get some decent crash bungs, dunno about the pointy but the tank touches down on the curvy without crash bungs... I'd also advise fork and swingarm bobbins, with the right fork ones you can prevent the rims touching.

Then go out and have fun!



Druid

[1] I took about 4 inches out of the belly pan!

The shock is too soft for track use. Nitron are good alternative and obviously a
ohlins.

Forks wise steve Jordan does an awesome setup so worth pm'ng his wife sv650racer on here. Or ask them re options on gsxr front ends as they have done lots including big piston conversions!!

Pc don't bother remap the stock ecu. Steve did mine bang on minitwin bhp limit and saved me lots from buying a pc. They use that on all thier champ winning sv bikes

bodywork contact rich at pro fibre. Google them making sure you get the uk based compAny. Very reliable and top quality.

Trailor bike ones Are expensive. Look at horse trailors as are covered and just about the same cost. Van is better though.

HAve fun! Sorry about spelling these iPhones are a nightmare!

Thanks for all the tips and hints above.

Steve

Hi Steve, check out the link to the thread showing the SV Racing Parts, Rear Sets, These work very well, and do exactly what they are intended to do for you,

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=143523

The price is excellent, and you can set them up for street or track,

Let me know whenever I can help you out by emailing me directly at b.layton@svracingparts.com

Enjoy the ride, and best regards,
Blair

[yorkie_chris]

1. shock, stock is useless. depending on how much you weigh a 750SRAd one can work well. The ohlins for the SV has some issues. I'd go penske.

2. Best bet is to sell the stock door closers and buy a GSXR front end. Preferably the showas from 600/750. That way you can easily revalve. You also get far better brakes thrown into the bargain. K4/K5 is what I'd be looking at.

3. Bodywork? Pah.

4. race takeoffs wherever you can find them

5. yes you can get hold of them easily enough. B and C express should be able to sort you out all the parts you need.

6. I'd go for some GBmotos or something like that, for the price they're spot on and the come with roller bearings in the levers rather than bushings.

7. Bore out throttle bodies, full system, velocity stacks, porting, valve job, busa pistons, deck heads. This sounding expensive yet?

Forks - yes to get the bike handling as it should and to get the best from the superb chassis that the SV has it is very beneficial to sort the suspension.

We fit Ohlins springs, Racetec emmulators and then spacers/air gap with oil to suit. Its a very simple upgrade that doesnt over complicate the fork and has won many races, championships and lap records.

If you dont have to keep the SV in minitwin spec then fitting a GSXR front end works very well for a few reasons. :

1. The GSXR front end is lighter than the stock SV front end and also stiffer which on its own compliments the chassis very well.

2. The GSXR forks take some crashing to bend!..the SV forks are very prone to bending even in a light off, same with the yokes.

3. With the GSXR front end you get the radial brakes (if you go for a radial brake model!) which work awesome on the SV.

4. You can get away with running them on the stock settings (barring a service and a change of oil if they are over 2 years old).

Shock wise the stock shock isnt upto the job. Im not an advocate of using gsxr shocks either as the damping rates etc arent even close to what the SV should be running due to linkage ratios, swingarm length etc etc.

Nitron do a very good range of shocks that work very well on the SV and obviously Ohlins also do.

Fueling wise dont waste your cash on a PC. Direct mapping to the ECU works very well on the SV650 and this is the system we have used on all our race bikes barring the full tuned motors which now run the Dynapro Interceptor fueling boxes to optimise the fueling.

Bodywork wise, Race Products and Pro Fibre do very good quality fairing sets. Barring that look out for some good second hand kits.

The SV is a stonking bike enjoy!

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by SV650Racer

Nitron do a very good range of shocks that work very well on the SV and obviously Ohlins also do.

What do your lot do with the ohlins? Do you leave them valved as they come?

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

What do your lot do with the ohlins? Do you leave them valved as they come?

Majority have them as they come although for those with a little more budget will run a few mods that we do to make the shock/geometry better.

[yorkie_chris]

Few mods like rebound stack to match spring and longer bottom clevis?

Have you perchance got a dyno chart handy of ohlins as it comes?