Handling.

Right. I've done some hard evaluation miles on this SV, and I've come to the conclusion that if I try and ride it the way I'd like to I'm going to become a hedge ornament, unless I sort the handling. It doesn't tankslap...that's the only saving grace it has.

On hard acceleration the front floats about, like it's suspended from the sky on a bungee. The bars go extremely light and it starts to wander. It's not wheelying, but the front isn't attached to tarmac in any way shape or form that I like. I know the obvious answer is "don't accelerate hard", but I want to, and I want it to feel a bit more planted. Preload is set to 1 1/2 turns out from hard.

Secondly, the rear shock spring is possibly only surpassed in its softness by the spring in my knackered old Parker biro. Zebedee has nothing on this thing, it bounces like a pikey's cheques. Damping feels ok, static sag is set at 20mm measured vertical from the rear wheel spindle, but it's a little bit boingy.

Thirdly, at speed it wanders across the motorway lane you originally chose, and if there's a gust of wind it wanders across the one you didn't choose too. A gentle weave sets in which isn't helped by crawling under the tank's paintwork, that just makes it more pronounced and worrying. Sort of semi-sitting upright with bum right back on the seat and head a bit forward seems to keep it in check, but again the front doesn't feel planted at all.

Now suspension is not my thing, I'm an engines man. Where do I start?

Come on, you know the SV suspension is shockingly poor ... you've been a member of the forum more than 5 mins, so also know the cures as they are posted up every other day!!!

Stick a gixer shock in it (or if you have the money a race shock) and do the cartridge replacement in the front. Job done!

You reckon that's all?

This thing is tying itself in knots when I enter bends and feels like it has a suspension made from blancmange.

I was planning on doing the shock replacement anyway, and sorting something with the forks, but are they all this bad to start with? Maybe I'm expecting too much of it after having owned some fine handling bikes in the past. I'd heard they weren't perfect, but this is worse than the shagged ER-5 I borrowed from a mate in the South of France

Originally Posted by Lozzo

You reckon that's all?

This thing is tying itself in knots when I enter bends and feels like it has a suspension made from blancmange.

I was planning on doing the shock replacement anyway, and sorting something with the forks, but are they all this bad to start with? Maybe I'm expecting too much of it after having owned some fine handling bikes in the past. I'd heard they weren't perfect, but this is worse than the shagged ER-5 I borrowed from a mate in the South of France

Sort the forks out, you might find the shock is OK and what you think is poor rear end is just the front transpiring in the rear

"If it feels like the front is shagged, it's the rear that's at fault"

I've heard that before, but maybe the 26K miles it's done has something to do with it. I realise I'm expecting far too much of it, the rear shock will be absolutely fubarred by now - I hadn't taken that into account.

Winter suspension rebuild coming up, better start saving for an Ohlins or similar and cartridge emulators.

Originally Posted by Lozzo

You reckon that's all?

This thing is tying itself in knots when I enter bends and feels like it has a suspension made from blancmange.

I was planning on doing the shock replacement anyway, and sorting something with the forks, but are they all this bad to start with? Maybe I'm expecting too much of it after having owned some fine handling bikes in the past. I'd heard they weren't perfect, but this is worse than the shagged ER-5 I borrowed from a mate in the South of France

The suspension on the SV is quite adequate for a newbie rider. It's even quite adequate for someone that does not want to ride particularly fast. However, for someone such as yourself that has ridden some rather better quality machinery and have substantial miles under the belt. The your going to find the one major weakness of the SV. The suspension. For a budget bike you get budget bouncy bits.

I changed the fork springs and oil for the front and put a GSXR shock in the rear. The resulting change to the handling of the bike is quite remarkable. No more pogo suspension. No more high speed weave and far less dive on heavy braking.

Originally Posted by BigApe

The suspension on the SV is quite adequate for a newbie rider. It's even quite adequate for someone that does not want to ride particularly fast. However, for someone such as yourself that has ridden some rather better quality machinery and have substantial miles under the belt. The your going to find the one major weakness of the SV. The suspension. For a budget bike you get budget bouncy bits.

I changed the fork springs and oil for the front and put a GSXR shock in the rear. The resulting change to the handling of the bike is quite remarkable. No more pogo suspension. No more high speed weave and far less dive on heavy braking.

Thanks Simon, This is what I need to hear. I needed to know that mine wasn't a completely shagged out shed, and that they are all "this" bad when you really start to push on a bit.

I'll still throw some wonga at ithe suspension cos I love the engine, brakes aint that bad either, I've had worse on more expensove bikes <looks at Triumph>.

got my springs done today and noticed a big difference-no more spongy cornering-wish i'd done them ages ago-big difference from stock.

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

Preload is set to 1 1/2 turns out from hard.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggghhhhh!

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggghhhhh!

OK ok, it's 1 1/2 turns out from highest then. Preload doesn't change the spring rate, it just loads it up a bit. I know.