New SV650

Hello all,

Ive just bought a brand spanking new SV (picking it up on tuesday) and I just wondered if anyone had any tips or things I should know that they don't tell you in the manual as this is my first big bike. Running in...etc?

Hello.

For the first 400 Miles or so add a little bid of CO2 to your fuel.

at the risk of sounding like a complete noob....CO2??

[fizzwheel]

Just ride it. It'll be OK.

You can exceed your running in RPM limit by a thousand or so RPM. I was told this by the dealer when I picked up my new bike and Liz was told the same when she picked up hers.

Remember that you need to run in the gearbox, so make sure you change up and down the gearbox, also dont hold the revs at a contstant RPM make sure you use all the rev range you have when running in. Remember to that you have to bed the brakes in and also scrub the tyres in so take it steady.

Welcome to the site enjoy your bike

I was in the same boat as you not long ago, only having bought the SV650S, first big bike, newly passed my test, didn't have much road experience. She's now going for the 600mile service tomorrow.

Most of the tips are covered in the manual. But it's extremely important that you follow the breaking in procedure. Especially the part about varying the engine speed. It's not a case of venture above 5,500 & you'll blow up & die horribly, you can safely go up to 6,500 (during first 500miles). I admit to straying up to around 9k rpm occasionaly, but that was only under acceleration avoiding cars etc.

As I'm sure you've been told, no hard accelleration/braking for 100miles for the tyres, and the brakes will feel a lot better after the first 150miles. Also, never, never ride away before the temp reading tells you something, doesn't matter what it is, just don't move until it talks.

Ride steady for the first few miles to warm tyres & build oil pressure.

One thing I found, being a novice, was that going around corners it felt like the bike was going to fall over. Looking at my back tyre, it's got about an inch either side that hasn't seen what tarmac looks like, but that's not bad going for a novice IMHO. The tip about cornering, even if you're going slow, move around on the bike. If you're taking a right hander, sit so your left bum cheek is on the seat, your right isn't. Vice-versa for lefts. This has the effect that you now feel like you have to push the bike up, and it doesn't feel like it's going to fall over. Also, use counter-steering, when I'm riding fast & the few times I've not particularly tried to counter-steer, it feels like the front end is all over the place. Be positive with it.

Also, make sure you're positive with gear changes, I've been known to miss a few here & there.

I've also found that slow manovers with only a little bit of fuel, feels really different to when you've got a lot of fuel. The bike feels so much lighter with less fuel.

I recently lost my pillion virginity too, and that's a whole different ball game. The bike feels completely different due to the extra weight. I felt like the back end was sliding around mid corner until I got used to it. Very scary at first.

Well, that's all I can think of, if I think of anything else I'll post again, and welcome to the site

[jambo]

You'll be fine. Everyone's riding style is different, I almost never move around on the bike unless I'm going very quick, other people do it when they're looking for a space at Tescos

Follow the running in procedure and you'll be fine

Originally Posted by jambo

other people do it when they're looking for a space at Tescos

space? at Tescos? I always find there's a parking space right next to the front doors (enough distance away so as not to get hit by blind trolley drivers). Also helps in preventing theft, can't really steal a bike with 400 people a second walking past it.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Baph

space? at Tescos? I always find there's a parking space right next to the front doors (enough distance away so as not to get hit by blind trolley drivers). Also helps in preventing theft, can't really steal a bike with 400 people a second walking past it.

Mate if you've got to Tescos, park anywhere the cattle aren't likley to smash into it and join the 20 minute queue to pay for the pint of milk you went in there for

Originally Posted by jambo

Mate if you've got to Tescos, park anywhere the cattle aren't likley to smash into it and join the 20 minute queue to pay for the pint of milk you went in there for

aye, Tesco is cheaper for milk than my 'local shop for local people,' but then, I'm not Welsh, so the local shop prolly charges me triple (I have a 45L rugsack for the times I need to take the bike shopping - amazing how much you can fit in them).

Anyway, I think we've managed to de-rail this thread Apologies

Set the bike up to fit, adjust the gear lever etc.