Anyone ridden a SP1/SP2 - SV650.org

09-12-05, 03:59 PM

Thinking about upgrading to a bigger V-Twin later next year, as I should be a able to get some decent quotes with another years NCB behind me. tried a few online quotes about £600 fully comp. (not cheap but not bad for that type of bike).

I've always fancied an SP1 but they don't get the greatest reviews, anyone owned/ridden one.

What are they like? Also a lot of people say they are really thirsty on the juice.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Cheers.

BoltonSte · 09-12-05, 04:29 PM

A friend of a friend had one and he liked it, the only problem is that it cost more in tyres than petrol to drive to Devils bridge and back.

best thing is try to get a long test ride, plan your route so you can do a bit of everything you'd want to do on it, town/country/fast/slow.

Not much help.

ste

Viney · 09-12-05, 04:46 PM

Great bike, very focused, maybe too so for the road. Hard on the wrists, hard seat, poor fuel economy (I got 88 miles from a tank on a test ride

)

However, its a fantastic bike and if i could afford one, id buy one.

How about a 'prilla Milie?

09-12-05, 06:32 PM

I was on a ride with some mates and we all decided to swap bikes a couple time so got a ride on an SP1 and a Mille.

The SP1 has to be the smoothest, best handling bike I have ridden. The torque curve is absolutely flat and it pulls from nothing low down. I was waiting for the top end buzz that I get from my Ninja and was very disappointed that I kept running out of revs and hitting the rev limiter until I looked down and noticed that I was going a lot faster than I normally would on those particular twisties (past Knockhill). It did have Ohlins all round, and had been set up by someone who knew what he was doing, but it did demonsatrate to me how good a bike could be.

The Mille was a bit of a handful for two reasons-
1. It revs like an IL4 which means that with so much torque it just wants to wheelie everywhere.
2. The handling is very 'sensitive' and you have to ride with a lot of precision. My Ninja doesn't need wrestling to get it to go round corners but found that the Mille was getting twichy and going too far all the time to the point where I was worried about crashing it. Maybe it just needed setting up for me and my style of riding.

If I was going to get a big V-Twin sportsbike, it would be the Honda. Unless you put a Tuono into the equation which is a mad Bar steward of a bike...

09-12-05, 07:07 PM

Mickster..If you like the Honda and your budget will allow...go for the SP2.There were subtle upgrades to an already sensational bike. I was very close to opting for an SP2 before I got the Ducati and it was just edging out the Mille.

northwind · 09-12-05, 07:38 PM

I took a wee 2-hour testride on one a while back... First hour was absolutely fantastic, the next half hour was less good, and the last half hour riding back to teh shop in heavy traffic with my entire upper body feeling like it was about to burst, was totally miserable. Plus, left the shop with a full tank and had to fill it up so I could make it back.

Lovely bikes, and phenomenal at what they do best, but I'd never buy one unless it was to be a toy.

09-12-05, 08:28 PM

Big twins are thirsty, the SP1 & 2 even more so. A great Sunday bike, but not the sort of thing I'd want to take over to Europe for a few days... And could you imagine riding one through France on a Sunday, when no petrol stations are open ?? That would be silly...

Lovely looking machine though.

.

09-12-05, 08:54 PM

I would wager that the SP1/2 were the most exotic and attractive of the Japanese mass produced kit. Now that's worth buying one alone.
R7? RC45? ZX-7R? ZXR750? The SP2 is nicer.

09-12-05, 10:46 PM

There is a review in the November issue of Performance Bikes. From what I've read I agree with the posts above, best use for a toy or Sundays but If I could afford it I'd have one.

10-12-05, 04:40 PM

The general concensus from the people that I have spoken too that have ridden the SP1 is that it is a fantastic bike that works incredibly well when you are on a mission to get from A to B.

But they all have also said that normal day to day riding is bloody hard work.

I can't give you my own opinion as I have never ridden one.

09-12-05, 03:59 PM	#1
TheMickster Guest Posts: n/a	Anyone ridden a SP1/SP2 Thinking about upgrading to a bigger V-Twin later next year, as I should be a able to get some decent quotes with another years NCB behind me. tried a few online quotes about £600 fully comp. (not cheap but not bad for that type of bike). I've always fancied an SP1 but they don't get the greatest reviews, anyone owned/ridden one. What are they like? Also a lot of people say they are really thirsty on the juice. Any comments would be appreciated. Cheers.

09-12-05, 04:29 PM	#2
BoltonSte Member Mega Poster Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Back in Bolton Posts: 1,010	A friend of a friend had one and he liked it, the only problem is that it cost more in tyres than petrol to drive to Devils bridge and back. best thing is try to get a long test ride, plan your route so you can do a bit of everything you'd want to do on it, town/country/fast/slow. Not much help. ste __________________ Had an SV or three. Street triple R - gone but not forgotten. Now trying the lunacy that is KTM with a Superduke GT. for the pillion capability of course.

09-12-05, 07:38 PM	#6
northwind Moderator Mega Poster Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In the garage where I belong Posts: 17,083	I took a wee 2-hour testride on one a while back... First hour was absolutely fantastic, the next half hour was less good, and the last half hour riding back to teh shop in heavy traffic with my entire upper body feeling like it was about to burst, was totally miserable. Plus, left the shop with a full tank and had to fill it up so I could make it back. Lovely bikes, and phenomenal at what they do best, but I'd never buy one unless it was to be a toy. __________________ "We are the angry mob, we read the papers every day We like what we like, we hate what we hate But we're oh so easily swayed"

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09-12-05, 04:46 PM	#3
Viney Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: In the shadows to the left Posts: 7,700	Great bike, very focused, maybe too so for the road. Hard on the wrists, hard seat, poor fuel economy (I got 88 miles from a tank on a test ride ) However, its a fantastic bike and if i could afford one, id buy one. How about a 'prilla Milie?

09-12-05, 06:32 PM	#4
Scooby Drew Guest Posts: n/a	I was on a ride with some mates and we all decided to swap bikes a couple time so got a ride on an SP1 and a Mille. The SP1 has to be the smoothest, best handling bike I have ridden. The torque curve is absolutely flat and it pulls from nothing low down. I was waiting for the top end buzz that I get from my Ninja and was very disappointed that I kept running out of revs and hitting the rev limiter until I looked down and noticed that I was going a lot faster than I normally would on those particular twisties (past Knockhill). It did have Ohlins all round, and had been set up by someone who knew what he was doing, but it did demonsatrate to me how good a bike could be. The Mille was a bit of a handful for two reasons- 1. It revs like an IL4 which means that with so much torque it just wants to wheelie everywhere. 2. The handling is very 'sensitive' and you have to ride with a lot of precision. My Ninja doesn't need wrestling to get it to go round corners but found that the Mille was getting twichy and going too far all the time to the point where I was worried about crashing it. Maybe it just needed setting up for me and my style of riding. If I was going to get a big V-Twin sportsbike, it would be the Honda. Unless you put a Tuono into the equation which is a mad Bar steward of a bike...

09-12-05, 07:07 PM	#5
Peter Henry Guest Posts: n/a	Mickster..If you like the Honda and your budget will allow...go for the SP2.There were subtle upgrades to an already sensational bike. I was very close to opting for an SP2 before I got the Ducati and it was just edging out the Mille.

09-12-05, 08:28 PM	#7
Jelster Guest Posts: n/a	Big twins are thirsty, the SP1 & 2 even more so. A great Sunday bike, but not the sort of thing I'd want to take over to Europe for a few days... And could you imagine riding one through France on a Sunday, when no petrol stations are open ?? That would be silly... Lovely looking machine though. .

09-12-05, 08:54 PM	#8
The Basket Guest Posts: n/a	I would wager that the SP1/2 were the most exotic and attractive of the Japanese mass produced kit. Now that's worth buying one alone. R7? RC45? ZX-7R? ZXR750? The SP2 is nicer.

09-12-05, 10:46 PM	#9
Bonart Guest Posts: n/a	There is a review in the November issue of Performance Bikes. From what I've read I agree with the posts above, best use for a toy or Sundays but If I could afford it I'd have one.

10-12-05, 04:40 PM	#10
Stig Guest Posts: n/a	The general concensus from the people that I have spoken too that have ridden the SP1 is that it is a fantastic bike that works incredibly well when you are on a mission to get from A to B. But they all have also said that normal day to day riding is bloody hard work. I can't give you my own opinion as I have never ridden one.