Are 02 SV650's more prone to problems compared to the 03+
 

I've been looking locally for a used SV650. I thought I had found a 03 in my price range but it turned out there were more problems with actually buying the bike. The bike was in excellent condition but I won't go into details since it isn't relevant.

Tomorrow I am driving about 4 hours to a dealership that has 5 used SV650's all 2002 or older and according to their website they just sold the last 03+. I'll be using this daily when weather permits to travel back and forth to work. It isnt long distances but maybe 10 miles total to work and 20 miles total to school. I like the 02 looks a little better but it isn't my main concern. Will a low-miles 02 SV650 be a reliable bike for 1-2 years? I'm looking to put maybe 15,000 miles or more on it before I sell it. Everything this shop has is low-mileage, usually under 1000.

Oh yea, I start work at 4am so I can't rev up the engine loudly every morning to warm it up. A low idle is the most I can do. Will a 2002 SV650 fit me well?

the sv would suit you well sir :wink: either model.

Would the fuel injection on the 2003 models do better on cold mornings?

I guess I just let me original post get long winded and I should have just asked if I should wait it out in hopes of finding a 2003 in my price range.

Carb icing is a b*stard. Using good quality fuel like Optimax helps. Also you can get fuel additives that will sort it out to. Dont let that put you off a curvey though.

From what I have seen low milleage curveys go for silly money in dealers. How much money do you have to spend ?

Bear in mind that a new SV wont be much more money than a decent 2nd hand one.

Dont let milleage put you off. A bike that has been ridden and maintained properly is sometimes better than a bike that has been sat for 2 years not being used.

Thats good to hear.. Ive put 15,000+ miles on mine in the last 10 months... :lol: which means its in excellent condition :lol:

I have about $4000 to spend on the bike and I should be able to get this one for a little under that in mint condition with 4k miles on it. I've looked locally and the pickings are slim. They are either bashed pretty bad or out of my price range so I'm taking a road trip to hopefully pick one up tomorrow.

I'll be riding this daily, weather permitting, to find easier parking and for better gas so I want a rock solid bike that is comfortable and still looks good. The last stipulation knocked the Ninja 500 off my list :o

:shock: That may be old but the Ninja 500 is a fine bike. I rather liked the styling. If you just want a commuter then the 500 is a perfect bike. Rots quickly, mind.

i picked up a used '02 last summer with barely 3000mi on it. great deal. i put about 5500mi since then and i've had no problems at all...warming it up on a cold morning hasn't been as troublesome as i thought...just even 15" with choke on usually is enough...good luck.

Curvy's look better obviously, i would be a little dubious of the lack of miles, :-k

I used to leave the house for work at 5am on my curvy it does take a bit choke in the winter. (Dont know what the FI models are like) If noise is a concern i'd opt for a standard can, :wink: i had an Akropovic full system on mine and had to push it over the road to a layby to start it :)

P.S. If you can push it somewhere remote then it's worth getting a decent can so as to fully embrace the joys of V-Twin living

Yeah, that's very low miles for a 4-year-old bike, plenty of time for things to go wrong if it wasn't stored right...

Carb icing, if you get cold damp mornings, could be an issue- US premium fuels ('m presuming you're US, $4000CAD or AUS wouldn't buy you a pushbike :) ) don't contain the same additives that ours do so buying premium probably wouldn't help. But, Silkolene FST Pro is like voodoo, does a fantastic job.

Myself, I wouldn't worry too much about which version to get. They both have more or less the same issues and advantages. Injected model has slightly worse paint I think, and tends to look older faster in my experience, but not drastically. The FI's pretty solid, usually FI means complications but you don't hear of many issues with the system on the SV- perhaps because it's so basic.