SV650 do they all ride like sh*t, also what alternatives?

[Condi]

fred bloggs said:

Its not a black art. unless you have a suspension 'set up ' business.

It's a black art to me, but the batteries have gone in my flashlight.

[towser44]

Had a couple of SV650s and was a member on the SV650.org forum for years. Nearly everyone on there, including me, upgraded forks (cost me about £100 including fitting, but this was years ago) and a common mod was a GSXR rear shock (can't recall which model/year). I had the pointy SV650, so post 2003 models.

[KTMsm]

trickywoo said:

You know you can buy a brand new one which is much the same as the original and nobody has a bad word to say about them.

Yes

I don't really care what others say - I don't like them, I've had four, I've currently got one in stock, I haven't enjoyed riding any of them

I enjoy riding their competition, MT07, ER6 etc

As others have mentioned, it's an old bike, it just needs the suspension sorted etc so it's not a great bike out of the box according to others too

[Krikkit]

KTMsm said:

As others have mentioned, it's an old bike, it just needs the suspension sorted etc so it's not a great bike out of the box according to others too

For the price they're very good bikes, although personal preference always comes into it.

The MT07 or ER6 are both more expensive and need mods too

[KTMsm]

Krikkit said:

For the price they're very good bikes, although personal preference always comes into it.

The MT07 or ER6 are both more expensive and need mods too

I don't really see that price comes into it, I could buy any of the three for £4k

The SV would be later than the other two and still inferior to me

If everyone agreed that they were great bikes they'd be worth more

I'm not saying they are st but that many of us don't like them

[Krikkit]

KTMsm said:

I don't really see that price comes into it, I could buy any of the three for £4k

The SV would be later than the other two and still inferior to me

If everyone agreed that they were great bikes they'd be worth more

I'm not saying they are st but that many of us don't like them

I meant as-new, but your point stands otherwise

[Jakey123]

I had a T reg one, really liked it.
Thought it was quite a fun bike and cheap, the V twin was characterful and with a different pipe sounded quite fruity.
Yeah, suspension and brakes weren't top tier but they are cheap bikes....

[Mattsv]

I bought a brand new SV650S in 2000. Left the suspension as standard but fitted twin high level carbon cans, modded the airbox etc - sounded ace. However, I never fully trusted the front end - always felt like it would tuck when 'pressing on'. Also a member of SV650.Org - lots of the members on there used to go for a GSXR front end swap which apparantly works well.

I improved mine further by changing it for a SV1000s after 4 years...

[Yazza54]

Why have you set the rear rebound soft as possible?

[Fastdruid]

Yazza54 said:

Why have you set the rear rebound soft as possible?

Stock SV suspension doesn't even *have* rebound adjustment! Preload only.

[Yazza54]

Fastdruid said:

Yazza54 said:

Why have you set the rear rebound soft as possible?

Stock SV suspension doesn't even *have* rebound adjustment! Preload only.

Haha ok so I'm even more intregued now

[Hugo Stiglitz]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Here's my first ever bike. To be honest at 3k. It was 'great'. If I was say 5ft8 I'd be very happy to have another but I'm not and it's definitely a budget bike.