Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Hi folks:

My first post here. I bought my SV650S in 2000. Since then, I've racked up 108,500 odd miles on it.

Anyone with similar of higher miles on theirs? The shop I have it serviced at (for those bits my Mk1 brain can't cope with) are running an unofficial book on how far it'll continue to go on original cam chains, tensioners and the like.

There, that's the kiss of death...new lump in a couple of weeks...


Best regards

Steve

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV...
 

I bought my naked K7 in Oct 07 and I'm doing approx 250 miles per week at the moment and it's just gone past 17,000 miles so there racking up quite quick, have you any problems other than the usual service items in that milage ?

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV...
 

BB junior has a 90something thousand mile curvy.Put a newer engine in at about 90000 because it was cheap and available(bit like me:cool:)but the old lump was OK apart from a bit of squeal on taking up the clutch and a clunk from the starter gear. Still got the original in the shed.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV...
 

Hi:

The r/h caliper seized so solidly at 32,600 miles it had to be replaced. A more stringent maintenance schedule has since solved that.

Clutches have lasted circa 50,000 miles each (I'm part way into No3 at the minute). The clutch safety switch, cable, springs, bearing and worm drive were swopped out at 53,300 miles.

The voltage regulator gave up at circa 80,000 miles and was replaced with the unit from an SV1000.

Front wheel bearings were replaced at 89,000.

A master cylinder overhaul kit was fitted for the front brake at 95,000 miles, together with the clutch cut-out switch on the clutch lever.

Another clutch cable was needed at 97,500 miles.

The inlet valves are still within tolerance from new - the exhaust valves were all re-shimmed at 108,400 miles.

Other than the usual consumables, that's it. The motor appears to use no oil (never gets down to the minimum level) and has no unusual noises. I pulled up alongside a 21,000 mile SV650S, circa 2005, that sounded like a bag of rusty nails...he nearly toppled off the thing when he asked how many miles I had up on mine...


Best regards

Steve

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV...
 

Thanks for this - I'm not expecting too many in advance of mine. I had a Transalp previously, that I clocked up 110,000 on, so not far to go before I'm in uncharted territory...lol.

Take it easy.

Best regards

Steve

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV...
 

Depends how you ride I suppose, some guy in US had 150k on one or something mental like that, but he didn't use it hard.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Engine-wise the highest mileage untouched SV I know has 106,000 on it now, by untouched I really mean it, apart from oil, filter, coolant and shims the engine is completely as it came from Suzuki in '99.
Brake calipers were replaced at about 85,000, hydraulically they were fine but the sliding pins had worn the bodies at the front, and the rear had tramlines from the pads, (both common problems).
The only other bits replaced were due to a crash - can't blame Suzuki for the fairing wearing out!

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

My God , there is me worrying about doing 1000 commuting miles a month ... I was gonna go for having the highest mileage Pointy record but seems I am a long way off with only a mere 30k of untouched engine work so far apart from the usual filter and oil changes .

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV...
 

Hi:

You're right - cane it and it'll obviously suffer. I don't (and haven't thrashed mine)...but just cruise at 70mph on the motorway and keep comfortably ahead at the traffic light grand prix (the tin boxes that is) around town.

Best regards

Steve

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Nah I bray mine as much as I think I can get away with, 40 odd thousand so far. If it gets to 60k I'll swap it for a lower miles one.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Our own RandyO on SVRider ran over 130K miles with nothing outside of dealer maintanance, tires and chain/sprockets. he is riding a weestrom now.
He did quite a bit of off pavement riding as well, says the SV is better on trails than the VStrom.
And he is a big guy, according to his posts; not a 150 pounder.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

SPannerman has a 900 diversion with 170,000 miles on it. Its had the usual servicing (been very well looked after actually) and the only major engine part to be replaced was the cam chain (and I think the tensioners too). Sounds really sweet, dosn't use any oil (at least, it dosnt burn any oil) and isnt smokey on a cold start or anything like that.

Keep a bike regularly serviced and treat it with some mechanical sympathy, and it'll last for ages...this is how I'm treating my SV, i'm hoping it'll go onto 120,000 miles without too much fussing

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

This post has certainly reassured me that my SV will be well up to my 1k a month commuting grind for a while to come!
Mostly country roads on my commute ( I dislike M-ways) and regular oil changes, hopefully it will carry on saving me over £3+ grand a year for many more years!

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

If it's saving you 3 grand a year then even if the engines blew up every 12k you'd be fine!

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Thanks for that Paul:

There's a kind of mythology among many motorcyclists that bikes are tipping over the edge into scrap from about 30,000 miles. As some of the folks here have indicated, keep the oil clean and suchlike and the far side of 100,000 is well within reach.

Have a great Sunday.


Steve

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

I'll keep it all crossed for you mate. Now all we have to crack is how to make you and I top the 100+ mark too...;)

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Because most motorcyclists are sunday power rangers who can't get their head around the fact that some people do more than 4 miles a week!

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

i have a 2000 curvy too! mine has 17-18K on it i only got it in march with about 10K on, sorry i cant get the mileage as high as you can.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

thats about twice as many miles as I've done since march I think!

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

hehe, true - National Express East Anglia would like over 3500 per year on their train service - I'm just under 30 miles north of London so I feel that a bike is fully justified.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

I'm hoping to get a VFR750 sometime next year. I've slowly adjusted to the fact that 30,000 miles isnt high milage. Many 750's that I see advertised are over 30k but under 40k...I wouldnt be so worried about the engine (providing its been regularly serviced) but I will be having the chassis stripped, cleaned, greased and put back together.

As northwind told me when my bike hit 30k....its just about run in :D

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Swop bikes and I can fix that for you in short order mate...;)

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

High mileage VFR750? Oooh, suit you sir. No problems on a VFR
http://www.fastdruid.co.uk/albums/VF...80DSC04910.JPG
http://www.fastdruid.co.uk/albums/VF...80DSC04906.JPG
(it's actually got 74k on it now), swapped the engine at 67k because it was cheaper/easier to than to drill and helicoil the exhaust studs and engine mounts after the (original, 19 year old) downpipes died, the exhaust studs snapped and I had to cut the engine mount bolts off as they'd seized solid.

Moral of this story, get one where the owner has already replaced the downpipes with stainless!

Druid

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

About 4 years ago I gave away a 1983 CB250RS that had a genuine documented 192,000 miles under its wheels. I replaced the engine with one that cost me 20 quid at 165,000 because a hole in the original's crankcase allowed the oil to leak away and cause a seizure at 80mph on the M25 one morning. Prior to that it had run perfectly and was in service as a 100 mile a day commuter when I was living in Bedford and commuting to Slough in all weathers. A good mate had given it to me with 115,000 miles on the clock, the rest were put on it over the next 3 years.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

You just gotta love a faithful engine like that

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

My curvy has consistently given about 165 miles range before the yellow fuel light pops up. More recently the tight exhaust valves had that tumbling into the 128 mile mark but now they're re-set a tank full is taking it out to 180 miles before the warning light - not bad for a nearly 109,000 mile motor.

How far are other SV650s here going before fuel warning (I know - it depends on riding style and the like; just curious though)?

Best regards

Steve

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Mine is a Pointy and always pings up a light at 120 miles , If I hoon it then it drops to about 113 , worst was 99 . I think I drained my tank at around 155 miles range once but that was hard riding . 120 is my average and never seems to vary .... it`s a K3 as well with 31k on it .

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Thanks for that - a mate of mine has a naked curvy of similar age that also never gets above 120 miles and can't understand how I get out to 160-180 before the fuel light as we don't seem to ride differently.

Steve

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Some people state 150 miles before a light on the Pointy , quite a few state 120 same as myself . I am a big feller though at 6ft 2 and built like a brick outhouse so I thought that was the main problem for me . on rideouts that theory was disproven as people a lot smaller than myself and some the rode slower had all returend around the 120 mark as well ......................... meh !!!!!

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

1999 Curvy with 22222 miles (I noticed that one the other day. I was excited for a minute, tho that quickly faded when I realised how sad I was). Mine always manages about 170 miles, sitting at (realistic) motorway speeds. I know because I used to ride Nottingham to Newcastle and vice versa quite regularly. I would fill up at the start of the journey, and the fuel light would just appear as I arrived at the destination.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

I have a 70000 miler. Currently off road due to a car, tarmac, intereface. Engine is pretty stock. Other than a few issues witht he clutch its fine. I have got a spare lump that needs sorting, but i think im just going to have the casings off it for powder coating.

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

I once picked up a bike from DK in Newcastle under Lyme and while I was putting all the paperwork away, a big guy was paying for a service on his ZZR1100. The guy behind the counter then said "same time next month ?" Don't know what the intervals on those are, but monthly services = big mileage = respect (and big bills too probably !!!).

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

Was probably booking it in for something else in reality .

Re: Going 'High Miles' on my SV.
 

A mate of mine had a ZZR11 that had over 140k on the clock and was still going strong until a 7.5 tonner squashed it while it was parked up!