SuperBike Used Test

[squirrel_hunter]

I was reading SuperBikes SV650 used test last night and a few parts of the article through up some questions and observations that I would like to get your thoughts on...


Firstly on the subject of front forks...

the ultimate solution is to have them resprung and revalved

... I thought the ultimate solution was a GSXR conversion?

Later model regulators/rectifiers and ECU can be retro-fitted to earlier bikes with slight modifications

... now I know first hand that the standard reg/rec ain't great and from what I remember Mr Squid saying the best solution is to fit something from a Honda. So have SuperBike stumbled across something we (I) don't know?


On the subject of the cam chain tensioners,

Fitting a tensioner from the K3 model solves the problem

I know of the exhaust cam swaps front to back, K3 front to front etc but again not heard of retro-fitting cam chain tensioners before.


The carb icing problem can apparently be solved by changing the position of the censor

from between the the cylinders to a more exposed place on the bike to be effective

now this can be interesting, where would you suggest I mount the sensor?


Generally the article is quite positive towards the SV reiterating all of the things we already know about the bike and the reasons why we own one. However I think I won't be shopping at DK Motorcycles who's SV they were testing; it is on sale for £2699 where the price guide in the article would value it at just £1325 - 2225

Finally and perhaps most importantly in the list of experts there is one glaring omission... us!

Discuss.

[Stu]

First 2 points - would this suggest that bike mags generally don't advise you to stray too far i.e mixing and matching parts from different makes & models of bikes?
It might be considered quite radical with unforeseen consequences that they don't want to be on the hook for?

[northwind]

Hmm. You can't revalve SV forks, as they have no valves But they're sort of right, you can do a lot with stock forks, it's more cost and (daft as it sounds) ease that makes the GSXR fronts such a good option- it costs an awful lot to make stock forks better than out the box GSXR parts.

ECU? Well, you definately can't fit a carbed model ECU into a pointy without massive work- you'd need an aftermarket ECU or similiar as well Other way round might, possibly,work but I doubt it. But you can swap rectifiers,then it'd be a late model rectifier that'd fail instead of an old one Can't see a lot of point to it as both bikes have the same problems.

Yep, you can fit K3 and K4 cam chain tensioners into a curvy, I remember Mike1234 mentioned once that they don't always fit, but I had no problems. More recent ones have an oil feed, and so aren't so easy.

Moving the sensor for the carb heaters doesn't cure carb icing, it just makes sure the ineffectual heaters are on. Could make a bit of a difference, but it's not a cure.