Brakes: CBR600RR Vs SV650

I guess it depends on what experience you've had with other bikes. Sorry to harp on about it............but the Hornet is also a beginner bike and I don't feel that the brakes are too extreme. They are just much more responsive and feel as if they stop you a lot quicker even with two finger braking. For example I had to make a few emergency stops on the SV while I owned it and it always felt as if I wasn't going to stop in time. It did stop but it was the feeling. Also the suspension should be better on teh SV. I know it's a cheap bike but I expected much more from it. In a straight line the suspension on the SV was fine but when riding fast it showed it's weaknesses. Personally I think a redesign if the SV is long overdue. I hope they address these problems then. Still, great little bike despite it flaws.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by sv_dan

Personally I think a redesign if the SV is long overdue. I hope they address these problems then. Still, great little bike despite it flaws.

Absolutely... Even the model redesign completely ignored the biggest flaws- but hey, we got an oil cooler

Still, where the SV does score is that the things your stuck with- the frame and the engine, really- are well worth upgrading around, and not so hard to do either, so if you actually want an SV with CBR quality brakes and forks, it's well within your grasp (and would still cost less than a Hornet- in fact, if you shop and sell carefully it'd cost less than an SV!)

[fizzwheel]

Umh...

I can compare the GSXR with the SV.

The brakes on the SV arent actually that bad. But you have to look after them other wise they become pants and expensive to put right.

On any bike theres only so hard you can brake before you either lock up the front wheel or pick the back wheel up in the air. The trick is to find that point. Now for me this is where the GSXR really scores. The suspension gives so so much more feedback as to what is going on.

As for the suspenion the SV is soft but its not that bad. The GSXR is reasonably soft to. On the same piece of road I'll stay in the seat on the GSXR and far higher speeds than I would on the SV.

The SV is a budget bike you have to remember that. Its unreasonably IMHO to expect it to peform as a SS600 or above would. It doesnt mean its a bad bike. It just means its limits are lower. It doesnt mean that a good rider cant explore the limits of the SV and keep up with bigger bikes though.

Personally I'd say the GSXR is a better bike for daily use than the SV, but this is my personal opinion. It stops and turns better. It has more power and the power delivery is just as linear as the SV and it doesnt run out of puff ever. Also the K5 I have is taller and I have long legs so its less cramped. Also the seat is more comfy.

However if I hadnt spent two years on the SV I dont think I'd be able to get as much fun out of the GSXR as I do. The SV taught me an awful lot about riding.

There is alot of guff written by SV riders who have no experience of what a SS bike is like to ride IMHO of course.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Personally I'd say the GSXR is a better bike for daily use than the SV, but this is my personal opinion. It stops and turns better. It has more power and the power delivery is just as linear as the SV and it doesnt run out of puff ever. Also the K5 I have is taller and I have long legs so its less cramped. Also the seat is more comfy.

Now that is quite surprising. The only gixxer I ever rode was a 2000 750cc one and I was rather impressed but never thought it would be a good commuter. MyZX7R used to be way more comfy than my SV for my 60 mile round trip but then was a lot more to insure and run as well. At last now I seem to have found that bike that seems to be pretty good at most things that I need it to do. Things I do miss about my SV are the instant torque, engine braking and the noise! But my back is so much better!

[northwind]

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

As for the suspenion the SV is soft but its not that bad. The GSXR is reasonably soft to. On the same piece of road I'll stay in the seat on the GSXR and far higher speeds than I would on the SV.

Yup... The big difference is the cartridges being able to give varying responses to varying speeds of input, whereas the SV's door-closers can't. So brake, and it doesn't dive so much, but hit a pothole and the high-speed damping will soak the impact. On the SV as stock, it has to be either soft for both or hard for both.

[fizzwheel]

I only have a 4 mile round trip commute. I find it easier to ride and manouever ( sp ) at slow speeds. Also the clutch is lighter and it doesnt make my hands ache in town. The mirrors are just as rubbish as the SV ones are though

I did 1000 miles in one weekend recently and was fine. I was tired a a bit achey but no worse than I would have been on the SV IMHO.

I just prefer it to ride than the SV. But life would be boring if everybody was the same.

But surely there is some reason why the SV is STILL Bike magazines 'best of the best' winner for budget middleweights, and has been for over a year. The competition in this category included the Z750, FZ6 and of course the Hornet.
From someone who has ridden a 600 Hornet, the SV is soo much more involving than the Honda imo.

The SV isn't a bad bike - it's hard to call most any modern bike "bad" - the rr (and I presume most other 600-1000cc SuperSport bikes) just has other benefits that really make it shine since I'm used to what the SV has the offer. I had a go on a GSXR600 last year but not for that long, and it was within a few weeks of a bad bike accident so I wasn't pushing too hard then. I can definitely see me going for a SS as the next bike. It was the whole package - the suspension and braking as well as the comfort, performance and the looks. Couple that with engine response and engine braking pretty close to the SV when kept in the lower gears. I like!

The rear suspension on my bike is rubbishly hard I know but the front does give you a smoother ride despite being harder than the SV's. So I echo what others have said.

I prefer my SS600 for my 20 mile round commute. The steering lock is rubbish but then the SV's wasn't that special compared to my old Bandit. It is as comfortable as the SV (once I had strengthened my wrists), corners and stops in a different league, doesn't feel that it lacks low down power (because the gears are smaller) and you never find it wanting for power or revs.

The SV was good but going from that to an SS600 was like having one of those dreams where you can fly! Almost limitless power, cornering and braking ability. Costs double to insure and a thousand more to buy though so the dream does have a rude awakening! Going back to steering lock, there is a nasty double back on yourself uphill T junction on one of my leisure routes that I could take on the SV but have never and will never try on my SS600!

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Steve H

But surely there is some reason why the SV is STILL Bike magazines 'best of the best' winner for budget middleweights,

Yep because for the money its a f*cking ace bike. Its definatly great than the sum of its parts and it is great fun to ride. You really can fling it around have some fun on it and it'll pretty much do anything.

I agree I've ridden a hornet and I found it not as an involving ride. Ditto for the bandit as well.