SV650 - where now little twin?
 

Afternoon all.
With the arrival of the Monster 696 the intro. semi-sporting twin market now has two 80bhp + bikes for a around £5200, BMW's F800S being 'tother, where does this lave the SV650 as it's only £600 less. I know they're list prices and people say they never pay full whack, but you've got to baseline costs somewhere so list it is.
Aside from these twin rivals there's the in house competition from the Bandit 650 and GSR600 to contend with, again both at very similar money to the SV and also circa 80bhp bracket.
Where does all this leave the SV650? It still looks okay, still goes and handles okay, but frankly okay is not gonna cut it against the other twins not a mind anything else for £5k.
Would anyone here, in all honesty, with roughly five grand to spend and a twin cylinder bike in mind actually buy a new SV? Much as I love my curvy I'd have to say it's past it. In terms of show room appeal there's nowt to make you ooh and ahh, just old hat tech and in many places tat tech on offer.
If the SV doesn't get a major boost in specs; power up to match the F800/M696, brake upgrade, maybe some basic USD's for visual appeal at least and a way more stylish swing arm then it's a deader duck then the dead duck it now appears.

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

What SV is that you have posted a pic of, The swing arm on it is a shocking piece of kit :confused:

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

The swing arm is from Suzukis own answer to nonone's question the GSR600. Whole pic was a quick lash up of Suzuki parts to try and see what might be roughly possible, stylist I am certainly not!

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

Dunno if that's fair; I'd never pay over £4K for a new SV, whereas I think you'd be hard pressed to get much of a discount on the F800S. Personally, I'd be far more concerned (if I were a suzuki dealership) by the £5300 street triple...

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

Its the fact that they use that horrifying pointy model, back to the curvey shape and now we're talking ;)

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

SV's are cheap to buy, and whats more, they are cheap to insure, and run. I expect insurance, TPFT (what i have) for the rivals would be a considerable amount more. And if i drop the rival bikes mentioed, they would be more expensive to repair

The SV is still a great introduction to motorcycling. Granted, it could do with some better brakes and better suspension (Maybe suzuki can see if they have some forks off the GSXR600 SRAD knocking about and stick them on, brakes to match), but suzuki are trying to provide a bike that dosnt break the bank, and yet still hustle with the best of them.

Which it does

Matt

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

Couldn't have put it better myself Matthew :kiss:

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

Insurance costs were the final factor for me too. As for £5k? as if; £4k dead on for a k7.
I looked at the F800 but prices were nearer £6500- that's a lot of fuel you could buy with the saving

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

Thats a europe trip your saving really :)

Re: SV650 - where now little twin?
 

+1

£365 on the SV for the year of £580 for pretty much anything else available.