SV650 v's The Rest

Hi All,

Probably a similar question(s) has been asked a thousand times before so I do apologise if some of you have to go over old ground.

I am new to the whole biking thing, but as mentioned in a recent post am very keen to get a SV650 K3 (or later). I have always liked the look of the bike and am genuinely impressed at the reviews/support/fan base that the bikes get. Plus it seems to be a very good bike to "start off" with.

However, I am the last of 8 friends to get a bike and they all have either Sports 600's, or 1000 Tourers (Fazers etc) and they say that I will be "p*ssed off" that I will not be able to "open it up" (obviously on the private bits of road/runways that we ride down) and I will be left a little behind. They all agree the SV is a great bike, but think that something like a CBR600 or YZF Thundercat would be a better option.

Having only ridden lower spec bikes (125s, ER500's) and never ridden the SV (neither have any of my mates to be fair) or any Sports 600 on an open road I cannot believe that there will be that much difference in acceleration/mid range/etc on a SV to a Sports 600? Or is there?

As I haven't yet bought a bike, this is the question that is stopping me from doing anything.

Discuss?

See if you can get a test ride..... Taz do them sometimes

You won't be able to keep up with them when it goes to silly speeds on straight roads but you'll be doing them quite often on the twisties... altho having lived in peterborough before its all straight roads and roadabouts

Plus yours will sound better if you put a fruity can on it. Basically the only way they are gonna leave you behind is if there is lots of 100mph+ riding

Yours will be a lot cheaper than theirs...

[Sid Squid]

Believe me, a H*nda is never a better option.

Thanks mate..

Actually (all bar 1) my mates live in Leicester...so it will be the mighty A47 and then back roads round Market Harborough (the famous B6047) to Melton, etc...so not that many straights. But like I said (on the prviate road/runways) they do open them up.

Whats the top end like on the SV's? Surely with good torque is should be able to get there pretty quick from say 50/60??

For me at the minute, any bike seems fast...but thought I would ask people in the know. Plenty fast enough by the sounds of it?

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Iansv

See if you can get a test ride..... Taz do them sometimes

You won't be able to keep up with them when it goes to silly speeds on straight roads but you'll be doing them quite often on the twisties... altho having lived in peterborough before its all straight roads and roadabouts

Plus yours will sound better if you put a fruity can on it. Basically the only way they are gonna leave you behind is if there is lots of 100mph+ riding

I have friends with faster bikes that I ride out with and can totally agree with what Ian says above....

Plus when one of them had a go on mine, he loved it!

CJ Ball Suzuki in Hales near Norwich have SVs that you can test ride... bit of a way from you but not that far...

HTH

Skip

[Skip]

Originally Posted by aimhamilton

Whats the top end like on the SV's? Surely with good torque is should be able to get there pretty quick from say 50/60??

Up to 100 and a bit they are plenty quick enough, well, for me anyway!

My naked had nearly had enough at 120, but if you are going to go those speeds then I would find some slower friends for a couple of years!

It will be slower than a sports 600 but to give you some idea have a look at the BMCRC racing site and look at the two different classes.

22 racers finished the rookie 600 class. So let's say the average rider was 11th and he had a fastest lap time of 57.61

The mini-twins race had 34 finishers. So let's say 17th ws average and his fastest lap was 57.67.

This was the first round at Brands for the first race of 2004. Not much difference...

Not sure what mods are allowed on the 600's but for the mini-twins no engine mods are allowed just exhaust and suspension really.

Originally Posted by Skip

My naked had nearly had enough at 120, but if you are going to go those speeds then I would find some slower friends for a couple of years!

I agree, but to be fair to the lads they very rarely do silly speed. Cause as we all know, riding fast over long distance is bloody hard work. But like I said, it just when they (and I) want to open it up and give it a little. Watching that speedo climb....

I assume the faired SV's have a slightly better top end that the nakeds?

Originally Posted by aimhamilton

... I cannot believe that there will be that much difference in acceleration/mid range/etc on a SV to a Sports 600? Or is there?...

Not on the road there isn't. If you learn to ride well (which will probably be easier to do on the SV) then you'll be faster. I'm sure I'm not the only one on here that's been held up by people on sports 600s. Heh, I expect rictus has been held up by sports 1000s

...actualy no, he'd have gotten passed and sailed off into the distance