You are Chief Suzuki SV Design Boss - What would you improve

stainless bolts and especially brake pad pins!!!! Decent front brakes, decent suspension...more durable speedo sensor. All this is what I'd look for...more power really is secondary to actually just raising the build quality in general. Great little bikes but not fit for the purpose designed for because of cost cutting short cuts in build quality. Ride an sv in the wet or winter and it literally falls apart in days!!!

[northwind]

Originally Posted by chutz

Great little bikes but not fit for the purpose designed for because of coat cutting short cuts in build quality. Ride an sv in the wet or winter and it literally falls apart in days!!!

Hah, he's just saying that because he's just got a Honda But this is such an exaggeration, I run mine daily in all seasoins and only the engine casing paint and some fasteners have suffered. I changed the fasteners since it's cheap, and the engine paint's trivial. Other than that, it's been absolutely fine. All it needs is a small amount of regular TLC, like most bikes.

Originally Posted by northwind

Hah, he's just saying that because he's just got a Honda But this is such an exaggeration, I run mine daily in all seasoins and only the engine casing paint and some fasteners have suffered. I changed the fasteners since it's cheap, and the engine paint's trivial. Other than that, it's been absolutely fine. All it needs is a small amount of regular TLC, like most bikes.

not so young Northy. I ride mine in the winter, and wash the salt off every day. Unfortunately when I ride to work I have to leave it outside for 11 hours...the rot is alreay happening by the time I get back on it. Are you forgetting the forks rotting before your eyes!!! My front brake pad change needed Tim's old damaged callipers, a hacksaw and the help of Billyc as the pins had fused to the pads and there was no way of getting them out. This is not acceptable on a bike sold to be ridden in the uk. I do way above average mileage so they should have worn out before they became impossible to remove!!!!I love sv's but there are some things that make me never want to buy a suzuki again, and build quality is the main one.

training wheels

maybe its just me that needs them

[21QUEST]

First thing I'll say is we all know 'you don't get something for nothing'

The SV is a good value budget bike and does most of what it says on the tin(as do most bike).

My first SV was bought as a despatching but I enjoyed it so much that after about a couple of weeks or so I sold my ZX7R and bought a Honda Bros for that. It was not even close to my ZX7R all told but there was just something about it and I knew the ZX7R would not get much riding.

Although funny enough I've gone back to using another one for despatching.

Why would Suzuki want to stick in GSXR brakes forks etc. They want you to buy that GSXR at some point so why shoot them selves in the foot.

Another thing is insurance would have to go up which again would mean reduce sales for Suzuki.

Want something better? 'step up' when you feel you have served your time on the SV. I love mine as it is .

Oh , to answer the question nothing really apart from reverting to the original and best frame .

Cheers
Ben

i can not understand why yo can only get the gixxer colours in teh tho model....... surley the parts are the same.... why not offer it to the 650 guys...

i would say maybe a race rep version sorta gixxer colours..
get rid of the friggin tail
make a exhaust that you dont have to chop when upgrading too

Well I'd say...

Stronger springs at the front to compensate for us porky westerners. Or maybe an option - some with the current biro springs for the lighter among us, some with bigger ones.
Some better damping would be good, but to be honest for road use it ain't that bad especially considering the price point the bike is aimed at.
A shock that can be rebuilt?
Redesigned cam chain tensioners that actually tension rather than rattle.
A truly beautiful redesign of bodywork - At the moment the SV is still a looker, I prefer the curvy one though - NOT down the road of the "unfinished" motorcycle craze we seem to be going down at the moment. Something really individual and sexy. I may be in a minority of 1 on this...
Better quality fastners (big surprise there)
Bigger colour choice - Burgundy or deep purple please maybe some two tone goodness (centre stripe).
Repositioned rearsets on the S - back a bit possibly so those of us with long legs are a bit more comfortable.
Frame redesign so you can actually get to most of the bits without tools that go round corners. Cos mine don't.
Longer front mudguard with bits that go down the forks.
Stainless steel brake pins.

To be honest there isn't that much wrong with it - the fact that it still won the group test against the Z750/Fazer/Bandit this month in Bike gives a good indication. It really doesn't need more power, if you want more buy a 1000 or something more sporty. As long as they keep the "special" feeling about it (more than the sum of its parts) I'll be happy.

MT

Originally Posted by northwind

Hah, he's just saying that because he's just got a Honda But this is such an exaggeration, I run mine daily in all seasoins and only the engine casing paint and some fasteners have suffered. I changed the fasteners since it's cheap, and the engine paint's trivial. Other than that, it's been absolutely fine. All it needs is a small amount of regular TLC, like most bikes.

Northy, you couldn't have put it better me arl mucka!

My SV gets battered along the M4, i've ridden in some ****e weather and she gets garaged of a night, sweet as a nut!

The only problem I did have was when I went on hol for a week and she was parked up for all of that. When I came to get back on her, she coughed a bit, but I guess that's crappy cheapo petrol.

As for things to be added.

Most definately, a more comfy seat! my **** is sore after about 120 miles.
Don't find the ride on the current shocks too bad, but could be improved.
Never knew about the speedo, and it's "Have a guess what speed"?
The chocolate bolts -are a must to be changed!!
A standard Double bubble - would cost them pennies to add
Some proper tyres - from when you first pick the bike up - especially being a new rider - those Dunlops are not the best! but cheap option again!
oh! and a lovely Tri oval can, like the one on the new GSXR..
as IanSV used to say..."Yummy"

That's it

Originally Posted by trick

stick a TL engine in it and sort out the kinks (more power basically)

Definately USD forks
four pots, wave discs
BETTER PAINT
a speedo that shows the right speed
harder rear shock

TRICK

Basically you want an SV1000 .


.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by chutz

not so young Northy. I ride mine in the winter, and wash the salt off every day. Unfortunately when I ride to work I have to leave it outside for 11 hours...the rot is alreay happening by the time I get back on it. Are you forgetting the forks rotting before your eyes!!! My front brake pad change needed Tim's old damaged callipers, a hacksaw and the help of Billyc as the pins had fused to the pads and there was no way of getting them out.

The fork lowers? Happens on loads of bikes, especially cheaper ones... And it's purely cosmetic too.

Do you wash it then just let it dry and not use any sort of protection? Even through the worst of the winter mine gets washed once a week tops, but I spray it up with Scottoiler FS365 of ACF50 (Scottoiler last year, ACF now) after to give it some lasting protection. Takes no time at all and it's really effective. Mine lives in the street while I'm working too, and our roads are liberally salted from about the end of september onwards so it probably sees more c*** than most bikes...