Why the focus on performance riding?

so far the insurer's i have contacted want a maximum of £50 more a year

[kaivalagi]

Originally Posted by barwel1992

so far the insurer's i have contacted want a maximum of £50 more a year

Good to know, thanks

Also the nice USD GSXR forks look prettier.....

Glad to see an enthusiastic response - I do accept that it is each to their own but looking at the current cost of GXR parts on ebay I still wonder how it is realistically cost effective - just how many people are looking for original parts when there is so much opinion for going for the GSX fork exchange. Once again I am just expressing an opinion as does everybody on the forum. I still suggest it is not so much not what you ride but how you ride - basically for most people if you ride within your own and the bike's and the road's limitations then only minor adjustments are really necessary over stock. I am not saying don't do it, but just is it really necessary. Your bike, your money. Please don't take this personally - just accept it as an observation - and I truly welcome comments. Again, ride safely and enjoy it, whatever your views. If this thread generates interest and helps people make informed decisions for safe and enjoyable ROAD riding, then so be it.

Originally Posted by martin15s

I've been riding since 1964, and over 18 years of that time were as a police motorcyclist - been away from bikes for about 15 years but now have a 200 SV650S for my son and I.

Thoroughly enjoy the forum, but I do find extraordinary focus on street riding performance - uprated forks, shocks, brakes and so on. I have always enjoyed "spirited" riding and feel reasonably qualified to comment after having ridden overloaded police motorcycles (radio, panniers = bricks, and other equipment) where steering and suspension settings were non adjustable and no choice of tyres and pressures. For me it's not WHAT you ride but HOW you ride it.

I really believe that too much emphasis is given to trying to achieve track performance on our roads. Whilst the SV650 is clearly a compromise with price and performance I see little point in changing the front end over a change of springs/oil for road use. I love the feel of this beautiful v twin and enjoy riding it.

Our bike is mainly for my 18 year old son but I am quite happy to ride it completely standard and take it through the twisties or motorway blasts. We live in Spain and although mainly dry, many roads simply do not give good adhesion. My main concern is over tyre choice.

I've ridden/owned Yamaha Yr5 350, all Suzuki triples, BMW r100S, ZX10, Laverda RGS100, XJ650 and several police bikes.....

I am not an old f*rt or killjoy and only wish to express an opinion - to one and all, safe and happy riding.

The biggest reason why we do it... Because we can.

Stock SVs are limited in their appeal, mainly because they are limited in their suspension. The SV650 is a budget bike - it comes from Japan with budget tyres, budget brakes, budget suspension and a budget price tag. A modified SV with a decent quality shock absorber and uprated or GSXR forks is a much nicer bike to ride in all circumstances and is a class above the budget bike it started life as.

I've owned both, a stock naked bike and a faired one with uprated forks and a GSXR600 K5 shock absorber. Of the two the modified one handled all road surfaces in a more controlled manner, and when a quick change of direction was needed the modified bike did it safer - by safer I mean the abrupt changes in suspension/steering geometry didn't upset the stability.

The modified bike showed better road manners under braking as well, particularly heavy braking in those "Oh ****, he's pulled out" moments. A stock bike's forks are a bit too bouncy even for my lithe and svelte physique (ok ladies, you can stop laughing now) and the rebound damping is all but non-existent, modifying them with better springs and a change of oil viscosity or cartridge emulators makes them more controlled and you can set them up to suit a rider's weight and riding style far easier.

For a new rider bimbling around learning their biking skills the stock SV is fine, but as a rider's skills progress so does their desire for something a bit more refined and able to teach them more advanced riding techniques in a safe way. A lot of SV owners are at an age where insurance on a bike with better suspension is prohibitive, so they set about making the bike they have into the bike they'd like to own at a fraction of the price of changing to the latest sports 600 and the insurance costs to go with it.

Looking at the list of bikes you've owned, and knowing what Police bikes carry, it took a lot of skill to manhandle some of those old sheds about without launching yourself into the scenery, but if you've never ridden anything with multi-adjustable top notch suspension you'll never know why we do it.

Having said that, I've left the suspenders on my road going Versys as they left the factory, I haven't even checked them to see if they suit my weight, or whether the static sag is right because I can ride it as hard as I want to as it is. My CBR600's suspension is a different matter, that has had double what the bike initially cost me thrown at a new Maxton shock absorber and MCT modified forks to suit track use.

fantastic Lozzo, a good explanation to be fair. Its not often on a bike specific forum that the downfalls are so well described!

I didnt know (or maybe think) that the insurance was such a factor and certainly didnt expect the hike for mods to be so low!

Can we have a comparison by someone of a modded sv vs a gsxr6 of the same age for insurance quotes?

For a new rider bimbling around learning their biking skills the stock SV is fine, but as a rider's skills progress so does their desire for something a bit more refined and able to teach them more advanced riding techniques in a safe way. A lot of SV owners are at an age where insurance on a bike with better suspension is prohibitive, so they set about making the bike they have into the bike they'd like to own at a fraction of the price of changing to the latest sports 600 and the insurance costs to go with it.

this I can relate to most.

Although lozzo hit the nail on the head... Most do it just becuase they can.

Take for example a slipon can. Adds zero real benefit, yet it is one of the most popular mods for any bike and costs which can reach several hundred quid. Looks nicer, sounds nicer.

Now take suspension on the sv which can be upgraded for similar or even lower cost, which also has a tangible benefit. Not so surprising then, IMO.

Originally Posted by Villers

fantastic Lozzo, a good explanation to be fair. Its not often on a bike specific forum that the downfalls are so well described!

I didnt know (or maybe think) that the insurance was such a factor and certainly didnt expect the hike for mods to be so low!

Can we have a comparison by someone of a modded sv vs a gsxr6 of the same age for insurance quotes?

My SV with mods cost me £280, although I havnt done my suspension.

For a gixer6, stock, it's triple that!

Triple? Bloody hell! Whats the details on that, age etc? I always thought any mods would kill the insurance premium! Im 28 and it was 220 for my Hayabusa but 350 for my much less powerful RSV!

Originally Posted by martin15s

Glad to see an enthusiastic response - I do accept that it is each to their own but looking at the current cost of GXR parts on ebay I still wonder how it is realistically cost effective - just how many people are looking for original parts when there is so much opinion for going for the GSX fork exchange.

Minitwinners! We have to run standard forks with uprated internals. The stanchions are made of cheese and I have seen SV forks go for more on eBay than GIXXER ones.

It is a good point you make but there is a high demand for stock SV front ends. The forks as mentioned above, the wheels and discs for a racers wet set for example and the calipers, yokes, mudguards and clip ons are also handy to have in your race spares pack up.