SV650S vs....?
 

What are the SV650S's direct competitors, and why did you choose the SV over them? Just a general wondering really! :)

Suppose the new ER-6 is the best competetor. But at the time i think it was the fazer, bandit hornet etc. And i chose the sv cos im not a fan of il4's, no character and i love the styling. U?

ER6 and Hornet are the 2 big ones I think. The ER6 is a direct attack, and a very good one too- though the build quality is typically variable, kwak style, and they do seem to have a habit of snapping their frames. You have to include the Hyosang GT650 as well, it's basically an SV only slightly worse in every way... But also cheaper.

And the Hornet... Well, what's to say? It's a fantastic bike, as close to an IL4 SV as there is. They're very different to ride, of course, but massively more than the sum of their parts. Very nearly got one of these...

Ducati 695 Monster? Cagiva Raptor 650, of course, if they still make them. BMW 650s, I suppose.

I don't personally see the Fazer and Bandit as direct competition- sure, they're all in the "beginner bike" and "middleweight" brackets, but that's a huge market section, and also includes things like Africa Twins, GS500Es, etc. You've really got to narrow it down from there.

I chose the SV because I couldn't afford a tidy VFR400. It came down to Hornet or Fazer, and as a result I got the SV ;) While I was looking for a nice Fazer or a cheap Hornet, I was taking the bus every day. On the way to work, a yellow curvy went down the road, and on the way home a bronze pointy went up, every day, and the tail light of the pointy and the exhaust of the curvy got me interested.

There are very few cheap small v-twins to choose from so the SV has few real competitors.

The Hyosang is the only other cheap v-twin.

Monster and Raptor are both fairly cheap... And the ER, though a parellel, is pretty close.

IIRC the raptor uses the same engine as the SV

Pete

Yup, that it does.

i was so so tempted by the monster 695, but was wooed in by suzuki finance. Would have fancied a f800s too, but for £2000 more- i think not!

Always liked the look of SV but was finally swayed by its weight (I am pretty weedy). It is a very light bike. And cheap, especially with 0% finance. Also fancied a Monster but read that a service was £400.

I was actually looking at 400cc sportsbike before someone mentioned the SV being a good bike for just passed DAS'ers and also cause everyone was talking about the magic 600 figure.

and the insurance was cheaper!