next v-twin after the sv

[Paul the 6th]

alot of sv'ers seem to say they love vtwins and find most other engine layouts boring (inline 4 "where's the engine braking!" or "wheres the torque?") so what would be a good step up as a bigger/slightly quicker v-twin?

Obviously there's some of the ducati (if not all of them with a v-twin layout?), a VTR, aprillia's RS-V, suzuki SV1000 and slight variations, maybe some of the triump triples like the daytona 675 or sprint st with it's 1050?

basically I was thinking about what I'd upgrade to in about 4/5 years and am totally against an inline 4 pocket rocket like the rest of the country. I fancy something with a bit of character suggestions

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Paul the 6th

alot of sv'ers seem to say they love vtwins and find most other engine layouts boring (inline 4 "where's the engine braking!" or "wheres the torque?")

Possibly, but they'd be wrong.

There are plenty of good and bad examples of all engine layouts, v-twin included, it's ridiculous to say any variety is 'better' than any other.

Oh, and 'boring' fours make plenty of torque - often more than similar sized twins.

[yorkie_chris]

Yup that is true, but a twin making xNM at 5krpm is going to feel like it has more torque than an IL4 making the same at 10krpm.

Can't argue with the sound either

TLS?

[Paul the 6th]

hmmm heard tls' are a bit mental if you don't tame them? still

yeah i think the whole thing with the v-twin layout is that the torque is at half the revs where an equivalent inline 4's peak would be. For day to day riding such as commuting or when you're not thrashing it, torque at lower revs is so much more useable in my opinion. I can see the whole mental rush of an inline 4 being really appealing but I think I'll always look for engines with "character" having gotten use to the SV now.

my friend had bikes all his life and said he "could never get used to the power delivery" on his vtr. "it pulls like feck but then runs out of steam"... needless to say he stuck with inline 4's until his last bike a 2007 sprint st (the 1050 triple layout) which he said had the massive torquey pull through the revs but never seemed to run out of power towards the top...

another guy I know has had a gsxr thou, a kwak ninka special edition etc, and went to test drive a ducati 1098 - he said the same thing "the power delivery is too wierd"... made me think about just how good the torque feels low down

I have one thing to say to that, Buell!

Originally Posted by shifter

I have one thing to say to that, Buell!

+1

[fizzwheel]

If your hoping up from an SV, two bikes I recommend you try.

My own GSXR-750, engine braking and low down ( relatively ) torque, pulls from 4000rpm well all the way up to the limiter.

Ducati 749 or maybe 848 if you like twins, plenty of power, loads of torque, but rev hungry like a IL4, but hugely superior chassis, supension brakes compared to an SV.

I learnt to ride on a two stroke so I have never relied on engine braking to slow me, brakes are for slowing, engine is for going.

Y'see, I've never understood this 'IL4 have no engine braking' thing... I use it all the time on the BlueBlade.
But then I could ride like a freak for all I know - really must get on a group ride sometime to find out.

[STRAMASHER]

1000cc twins (TL's/SV/VTR/SP1&2/RSV/SL etc.) are not slightly quicker than our 650's. They are MUCH quicker! Instant get up and go.

Its night and day!

Originally Posted by K

Y'see, I've never understood this 'IL4 have no engine braking' thing... I use it all the time on the BlueBlade.

All the IL4's I have had (750 +) have had plenty of engine braking available. Maybe less brutal than a V Twin, but perfectly useable.