Would you buy a SV650R?

I take it no one has pointed out that in the 600 steetbike/commuter range suzuki have already got a bike suitable for it in the GSR600 and the bandit so the SV really is a bit of an odity.

I cant think of a single other manufacturewr that has got 2 bikes that effectivel;y are in competition with each other let alone 3.

And also if you look at the 2008 range from suzuki you will note that the Sv is no longer avaliabe half faired only fully faired or unfaired.

Thats quite interesting... mainly because imo the full fairing that comes on the sport version looks pretty terrable... better with either half or bellypan. But thats my opinion of course.

IMO the SV and bandit dont quite directly compete. Not for me, i never even looked at the bandit. Its ugly with a weight problem.


Im guessing i might be in a minority thinking this but, who on here would choose a bandit over a SV, and who considered it?

[northwind]

Honda have the CBF600 and the Hornet... And I suppose you could say there's the Z750, ER6N and Versys, though they're a bit more different. But that's just Suzuki, they've always been in a tight market-share war with their hated enemies Suzuki.

Suzuki still have the S on the website btw, can't see that it'd make much sense to drop it unless they have thousands of lower fairings blocking up the garage... But I imagine there's going to be backlogs of this year's model since the SV's getting it's **** kicked these days.

The SV sales are down? Hmmm maybe they should add some less budget parts

[northwind]

Yep, I think so. How many group tests would the SV have won with better suspension, I wonder, the number of times it's been second or third with a wee sigh in the review is just nuts. Lets say they fitted every SV with emulators- Mr Suzuki phones up Paul Thede one day and says "Send us 50,000 emulator kits, can we have a discount?" The RRP for those bits is only about £120 if memory serves, call it £100 on the price of every SV. And lets have a load of .77 or thereabouts springs at the same time, which would be very cheap, just reinventory costs.

But I think it's fair to say they're not all that interested in the SV just now. Instead you get the GSR, which seemingly nobody at all wants, and the Bandit 650's heroic attempt to recreate a 1995 bike using 2007 technology

Indeed they seem to have dropped a spanner in the works somewhere!

TBH it might be easier than even that Northy. They phone up the Gixxer line and say produce some more Gixxer 600 forks and brakes and send em over. How much would they cost to produce? I cant imagine they would be much more expensive than what these they make now are!

Maybe people are wanting to kill off the Vee twin Its a conspiricy i tell ya!

[northwind]

Well yeah, that was just an example, since that's the most common upgrade we do. But aye, they could just put in the call to Showa or Kayaba and get some slightly longer, simplified GSXR-style forks made up, just like Honda did with the Hornet, "Make us some CBR600 forks, but cut some corners"

Main reason i mention the USD's is for asthestics, they just look teh BEST!

Even if they are similar to the Street triple in that like you mention they are fairly budget items. On the Triumph they have been setup for the bike, and they have produced a brilliant bike due to this! No reason IMO they couldnt do this to sv...

lol said that few times now

I dont see why Suzuki wouldnt come out with a new twin somewhere between the thou and 650.

There are lots of reasons to do it:

• With the reduction in Moto GP CC I think the market are naturally accepting the bigger isnt best which is opening up this middle of the road option.
• The success of the relaunched GSXR 750 in 2006 has shown that there is a middle road. 600 - to small / 1000 - to big. 750 - just right.
• They are loosing sales from ex-SV owners moving upto bigger and better performance bikes from the 650, where as a lot just want bigger and better performance.
• As a first bike SV owners are loyal to the brand and model - why not play on this and keep them loyal by giving them their next model.
• Aprilia Shiver, Triumph 675, Ducati 848, SV850??
• For a large majority of the market the sound of a V-twin is what keeps us loyal. Their are very no affordable Vtwins in that middle ground.
• Its got to be a bigger market than the B-King

I am sure we could come up with another 50 or so...

But what I really want is Honda to build one - then we will get real quality as well as affordability

Originally Posted by ThEGr33k

Main reason i mention the USD's is for asthestics, they just look teh BEST!

I prefer the look of conventional forks on the curvy model, Its keeps it inline with the ethic of the bike...a cheap, cheerful, fun bike. Thats why, sometime in the future (when I have a second bike to use) I'll bolt on some GSXR600 SRAD forks. Firmer, adjustable, and still retain the "im a budget bike but I'll gladly have a go at making you giggle like a little girl" image

Matt