SV650 - where now little twin?

Originally Posted by plowsie

Couldn't have put it better myself Matthew

Every now and then, I post a post that cannot be said more clearly. On these days, I Rule The .Org

Matt

Originally Posted by SV650S_DUB

Would anyone here, in all honesty, with roughly five grand to spend and a twin cylinder bike in mind actually buy a new SV?

No, but then I had four grand to spend not five - big, big difference in the budget bike market - and I came away with a fiver change!

I'd love an F800 but it's out of reach and naked* doesn't do it for me so the Ducati is a complete non starter. The SV it is then, hooray!







* - bikes we're talking about...

[Lissa]

The GSR600 and Monster are naked bikes, so no thanks

The Bandit is still significantly heavier than the SV, so no thanks

The BMW is fugly, and wouldn't fit through the front door, so no thanks

Looks like we're sticking with the SV then

[northwind]

Give it a couple of years til those bikes come on the used market... The trouble is, the SV is too used to ruling its tiny market segment, now it's frankly getting hammered, second worst in class (only outdone by the Hyosang) if you ask me. And Suzuki don't seem all that bothered, but sales are apparently down like you wouldn't believe. I honestly don't think it's really cheap enough to compete on price, and it's absolutely not good enough to compete on quality. I honestly reckon it's adapt or die, now. Or at least, wither, Suzuki seem to be doing what they did for years with the Bandit 6, just forget it exists.

Northy personally I think they'll ditch it. They should have gone for a restyle next year without a doubt, with there now being so much competition in the middleweight market. Its now 4 year old technology going into 5 which is a long time for any bike or car for that matter.

[northwind]

Yup. And if they let it get any more stagnant, then even if they come out with an incredible new version tomorrow it'll be lumbered with the SV rep, which used to be fantastic and now, isn't. It is a damn shame, especially when substantial improvements would be so simple to do.

The thing is, 3 years ago, all the mags were saying it was between the Hornet & SV for their best middleweight. The SV had the edge on the Hornet in terms of fun but the Hornet had it on reliability and quality of finish. Now the Hornet is all new but we're still stuck with the same ol SV. I still think mines great, but I havent been on any of the new middleweights as I dont want to feel inadequate!

The zook aren't daft, they're surely working on a new midrange wunderbike to take over. The japanese are style copiers not innovators, they'll watch what all the Europeans do and then re-engineer it cheaper and better.

We need an SV800.

I would actually be interested.

But then its always going to be a budget bike. Which is a shame. Would be nice to see Suzuki put a bit of effort into something that isn't an IL4 GSXR model. Otherwise, we've got to go it all ourselves.

A nice litte Ducati 848 competitor would be nice. Even if the ride/quality/power isn't as high, I still think theres a market there.

I love my twins over IL4. Just don't like IL4 power delivery really. Triples n twins are where its at

[northwind]

Originally Posted by arenalife

The zook aren't daft, they're surely working on a new midrange wunderbike to take over.

They were, it was the GSR600 But yep, that's my ideal, next year they suddenly deliver an SV700 or 750 (not significantly more powerful, I'd expect 80bhp as an absolute max but probably less) just lazily tuned for emissions reasons) with GSR suspension or similiar on it (cheaper than a GSXR front, and still very effective, the Hornet and Street Triple show the way), and it's back in the game. Makeover needed too, to please the masses.

Maybe they will, who knows. Maybe they've forgotten they make it, and the SV production line is like those guys still fighting ww2 on deserted attols in the pacific.