Give me the owners view of the svs1000.

[Juju]

I returned to biking last october, buying a work collegues svs650. My only real previous experience was riding (and putting about 60k) on a gpz500s over 4 years or so of ownership.

I must admit, I quite like the sv. It suits me well, that its low, light, not too complicated, and a bit of a do it all. I can commute on it, I can also crack open the throttle on a decent bit of a road, and still bear a bit of motorway up to see my dad or the Villa.

My view of the SV is that its a decent enough handling bike, more assured in the wet than my gpz was, bigger lean angles, although go too slow round a roundabout and the steering does flap a bit, which took a bit of getting used to after 5 years off a bike.

However, whilst it;s nice, docile, flexible, and easy to ride, the power does come in in a somewhat linear fashion, I don't get a big boot up the **** like the lower power gpz did, and tbh, despite the 10 bhp difference, I couldn't say the sv felt as if it had an extra 150 cc. (and 11/12 bhp).

How similar is the 1000cc? I dont want to lose the all rounder style and simple easy handling of the 650, but would just like a bit more oomph and a slightly little more "assured" handling.

Am I right in thinking thesv1000 will deliver what I want, or is it getting a bit heavy/hairy/cumbersome?

I don't know much about bikes, I don't od a lot of reading of the mags ect. I dont want a big expensive tourer or a sports bike, just an all rounder. I only got into biking as I had a lovely alfa 75 3l which did 22 to the gallon, and bought a 125cc to mitigate my fuel costs, and then realised a 125 was all a bit of a waste of time with its light weight, so not a "biker" in the trad sense.

Am I looking at the right thing, or should I just stick with what I have?

I won't say anything about life with an SV1000, because I've not got one. But all i do know is, and what seems to be a cold, hard fact, is the fuel consumption is considerably higher. What might get you 120 miles on a 650, would get you perhaps 100 miles on the thou'...this tends to be a recurring problem of big, high performance V-twins

[yorkie_chris]

There is way more than 10bhp in it between the GPZ and the SV.

[Juju]

GPz500 with its 4v head (it's essentially half a gpz1000, reworked to a parallel twin) is supposed to be about 58 bhp, (10 more than most 500's including the er5, really the same engine but detuned further) I believed the sv was about 68. However, given the waythe gpz delivers,with a very big, noticible power band at about 8k, that the sv lacks (i find it's delivery much more "linear",) and that on the sv you tend to ride on the torque, that actually, without direct reference to the speedo, the GPZ actually "felt" faster.

My issue is that everyhting I do on the sv, like overtaking, accellerating up to speed, allfeels a little "ho hum" (And I am in no way what so ever a racer or a speeder, or even a competent rider,really...)

I'd just like a bit more of what the sv delivers. In every other way,its perfect for me.

[yorkie_chris]

I've got a GPZ500S and an Sv650K1 sat in the garage right now.
The SV is faster, better everywhere. It goes round corners, it stops where you tell it to, it accelerates.

Real world acceleration round town and stuff like 20>90 the SV absolutely trounces it, lifting the front wheel and making you grin where the GPZ is wheezing its way up the revs.

Tune the SV, or rev it more...

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by Alpinestarhero

What might get you 120 miles on a 650, would get you perhaps 100 miles on the thou'...this tends to be a recurring problem of big, high performance V-twins

Thats not necessarily true. Yes perhaps if you are 'about town' on small journeys, they eat fuel like YC eats a packet of Hobnobs but on a big trip, I know with certain 1000cc Vtwins its surprising how much you can get out of them. Depends on how much you fancy testing the water with one.

This was found out on a trip to Bordeaux when riding the same roads, same speeds, same fuel stops, same distance, between an SV650S curvy, an FZ6 and a VRaptor 1000. We were all surprised at how well it was comparing to my little SV with long legs, we were expecting to have to carry a jerry can for the side of the road, when it finished gulping!, but it didn't.


As for the OPs question about living with the SV1000, can't comment.

[fastdruid]

If you want the same low down stomp as the SV but with a top end rush buy a 750/4.

My wife said of being on the back it "was just like the SV, except at the point I thought you were going to change up it accelerated harder".

Druid

I upgraded from a 650S curvy to a 2007 naked thou over Xmas, poor weather means
I haven't been on it as much as I'd like. Differences i've noticed so far:

Suspension more firm (better)
More surefooted
Engine shakes more under power
Lots more power, just keeps pulling an pulling
Gearing much taller, which can be an issue round small islands in the wet (runs away in 2nd, need to be v. carefull in 1st!)
Little heavier but not that noticeable.

Need some dry miles to get a better feel for the cornering ability but looks good so far.

[Stu]

Juju, is there the slightest chance that your SV is restricted?

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

I've got a GPZ500S and an Sv650K1 sat in the garage right now.
The SV is faster, better everywhere. It goes round corners, it stops where you tell it to, it accelerates.

Real world acceleration round town and stuff like 20>90 the SV absolutely trounces it, lifting the front wheel and making you grin where the GPZ is wheezing its way up the revs.

Tune the SV, or rev it more...

If your GPZ wheezes, there's something wrong with it, I've had a couple and they both went like stink over 7500rpm, easily quicker than a GS500.

The SV has more grunt and is better handling, but doen't have the big feeling of coming onto the cam like the GPZ. They're really an excellent bike.

They guy I bought my SV off bought the 1000, he says the 650 is a sweeter bike.