What if Suzuki made a SV800...?

Originally Posted by 2mths

Threads of this nature seem to start up every couple of weeks. It seems as soon as one slips off the front couple of pages a new one appears.

If you start making it much quicker\better then you've got a different bike, different market & different price tag.

+1

If you want a cheap (comparatively) SV with a bigger engine, and currently have a 650, buy the thou.

Personally, I'm still looking towards the GSXR-750.

[quote=Baph;1223278]+1

If you want a cheap (comparatively) SV with a bigger engine, and currently have a 650, buy the thou.

But there are numerous stories of the 1000 being a very different beast to
the 650, more touring biased than 'sporty' I think Kwak will agree to some extent.

There definitely seems to be a gap in the market for a slightly sportier, smaller V Twin.
At the moment, you have the SV and then the 749.....quite a big gap imo.

[Viney]

Maybe an SV750 will be the replacemnt for the 650. as well know, they K7 stock isnt really that, but the old 05/06 stock getting shifted for the euro 4 emissions stuff, or so i have been lead to believe.

[CSpronken]

I read somewhere that the Aprilia Shiver is just the first bike of a whole family of bikes. So quite possibly we might see more sporty stuff from them as well.

About the SV, I think Suzuki struck gold in 1999, but they haven't really been able/willing to fully exploit that design wise and model wise. We'll probably see there next move pretty soon.

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by 2mths

Threads of this nature seem to start up every couple of weeks. It seems as soon as one slips off the front couple of pages a new one appears.

If you start making it much quicker\better then you've got a different bike, different market & different price tag.

Originally Posted by Baph

+1

If you want a cheap (comparatively) SV with a bigger engine, and currently have a 650, buy the thou.

+2

As things stand Suzuki already sell loads of SVs, making the bike that you suggest, (as attractive to you and I as it may sound), would cost lots of development money to nick sales from bikes in their own range.

The SV fills it's place in Suzuki's range perfectly - don't expect Suzuki to change the purpose, price point and appeal any time soon.

Originally Posted by CSpronken

I read somewhere that the Aprilia Shiver is just the first bike of a whole family of bikes. So quite possibly we might see more sporty stuff from them as well.

That's interesting, I've always wondered why they haven't done a 750cc version of the Mille. Could steal them quite a few sales from people who normally go for SS600s.

Actually aside from the economic production factors of reality I think I'd argue against changing the SV.

Personally I dont think I'd know good suspension if it walked up and bit me. So I wouldn't want to pay for it.

I was looking for a cheap to buy, cheap to run (I'd argue the SV isn't the 2nd) bike CB500, Divvy 600 being the sort of thing I expected to get. But I'd hankered after an SV since the days of CBR. V-twin power delivery sounded so me. So when I decided to let myself buy a bike I let myself be talked up to an SV by Jar. The extra 20 bhp over a CB500 adds a bit of ease to my natural speed of riding (up to about 90kph) and if I'm honest I think I wanted those rear lights too.

I didn't much like my SS600, maybe they've got better since 2001 and I'd like a modern one, but I doubt it.

If I were to change anything on the SV it would be the riding position. I'd pull it away from being so sports to something a little more comfy. I belive the N is better but the protection and style of a half fairing with screen also attracts me.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by 2mths

If I were to change anything on the SV it would be the riding position. I'd pull it away from being so sports to something a little more comfy.

But thats why I wanted an SV, I wanted clipons and a fairing but I didnt want a GSXR or something like that. I didnt want a Fazer, bandit or hornet either.

IMHO the SV sits in the same gap that an NC35 or other 400 does.

Like I said before, IMHO Ducati has the middleweight V twin performance end of the market sewn up with the 748 / 749. I cant see Suzuki wanting to compete in that market.

Remember Suzuki dont just make the SV650 for the Uk market. Its aimed at a worldwide marketplace which is one that has differing criteria to meet. Hence some markets get Suzuki bikes that we dont.

To Suzuki the SV is a huge sales success and still is. Its an easily marketable bike for Suzuki and one that has topped the UK sports touring market for many years.

The main aim for the bike in the UK is a cheap entry level bike that is easily insurable for new or younger riders but has sporty looks.

I am sure Suzuki are more than aware that the bike can be a real flyer when spec'd up but if they started chucking out 750cc and upwards, sports suspension..it could push the bike up and over the £5k mark and possibly make the bike less insurable for new and young riders. Plus Suzuki is all about numbers. Ok the Shiver looks cool but how many will this bike sell?. A very small amount maybe compared to what Suzuki want to achieve.

Maybe we will see a different kind of bike within the next year or so (i am sure the design is already done and dusted and signed off in Japan).

But is there and were is the gap?. Do new owners of the SV650 think there is a gap?...or do owners that maybe have come upon the time to move on think there is a gap?.

Personally id like to see a slightly higher spec SV650. Keep it as 650cc's though but with styling along the lines of the Italian bikes we are now seeing enter this market...

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

But thats why I wanted an SV, I wanted clipons and a fairing but I didnt want a GSXR or something like that. I didnt want a Fazer, bandit or hornet either.

I think I'm probably in a minority and you're probably in the majority. I said what as said to illustrate that the only thing I'd change is something small.