Anybody know anything about SV650's? My buddy is looking at one as a first bike. Its an 01 with 45k on the clock. Gonna go look at it tonight with him and just want to know if there's anything out of the ordinary to look for.
They make me kind of throw up in my mouth a little :-X
Sorry that's not real constructive, that's all I got...
They are great bikes and VERY popular track bikes.
Provided all the scheduled services have been done, it should be a great first bike.
Quote from: pompetta on January 19, 2009, 04:22:15 PM
....Provided all the scheduled services have been done..........
45k isn't out of the ordinary for a bike that old if someone actually rides it, but do make sure they took good care of it first. Check for records of maintenance from a dealer if they got em.
Before I bought my Duc I was looking at some "older" SV's and it seems that there were some that had frames that cracked where the shock attached to the frame. Something worth looking into.
I had an '04 sv650 for 2 yrs and 20k miles. Never had a single problem with it. It should be a great 1st bike.
I think SV650s are fantastic bikes; I'm partial to the first-gen ones like the one your friend is looking at. Even with the low-buck brakes and suspension, I still think they are a lot of fun. I'm working on an '02 this winter that I'll use on the track next year.
sv's are great 1st bikes. It should keep him happy for a long time.You can mod the snot out of them as well. send on over to www.svrider.com (http://www.svrider.com)
I had an 02 sv650s, great bike. Never had a problem with it.
Never owned one but have friends that have and a buddy who is in sales at a local Suzuki/Kawasaki has raced one successfully for years in CMRA and he can't sing their praises enough. Just one of those gems that bike makers produce occasionally. That's high mileage so like other's have suggested I would make d#@n sure to look at the service records if they are available. Nice thing about buying bikes is that it's usually pretty easy to see if a bike has been thrashed. If it's owned by a thrasher/stunter/abuser it's pretty obvious. If the bike has that kind of mileage and it looks really good (just normal wear) it could be a great first scooter. [thumbsup] [moto] Good bikes for sure.
They're great bikes.
Honestly the mileage could be something/nothing depending on the overall condition/health.
But as long as it runs it wouldn't take much to make it perfect. And they make an excellent first bike.
There's no real issues with them to "look out for". Sure, shit can happen but you gotta beat the living snot outta them for a while before it gets ugly.
Those bikes are like Timex watches "they take a licking and keep on ticking..." When I got mine it didn't run, had a lot of water in the tank and the valves were tight. Big whooop! I spent last winter making it into a great track day tool and It runs great now.
I've got a first gen modded to hell (http://www.no1special.com/SV650/working-on/mySV.html) and my girlfriend has a second gen and we use them for track days.
They're generally inexpensive too.
Best of luck with that bike and get sliders
Ive heard some stories of water getting into the vertical cylinder during rain riding. Apparently has something to do with the angle of the spark plug and the way it's mounted... Two people for sure, both with the same year SV.
It was a consideration of mine as well, i like the bike alot. It just turned out that the insurance difference between the SV650 and the S2R800 made the monster worth the small amount of extra cash... SV650 = Suzuki = Rice Rocket = Double Insurance Rates (for me anyway).
It's a good bike, and it has a large support community (svrider.com)
I had an '01 for 3 years and she was good to me. Never had a problem. When I bought it, she was running on one cylinder. Got her working quickly and she never complained again. Throw some upgraded tires on her and a newby rider will never notice the suspension's shortcomings. Get the first gen, they're easier on the eyes. [thumbsup]
I rode one when I was learning to ride and damn I hated when you roll with your clutch engaged and if you let it go at slow speeds the engine will die and you will have good chances falling on your face, other than that nice :)
Power-wise IIRC they're around the the power of a M695. Good non-intimidating bike. As others have said, make sure the PO has done the service needed and thoroughly inspect any wear areas ~
JM
Thanks for everyones help on this. I've heard that they are great bikes and fairly bullet proof, just not sure what breaks on these bikes and their downfalls. I've been to the SV forums but am looking for some non-biased advise. Besides, this is a better forum to begin with. [moto]
There's lots of upgrades available when your friend wants to upgrade. GSXR shocks/forks can be worked in and things like that for better handling later on ~
JM
He probably won't keep it past summer. He would love to have a bike that rattles like mine. There's a monster 750 for sale local too but he would rather get the SV and then upgrade to something like my M900 after he is comfortable riding.
By way of endorsement, I put about 500 miles on my friend's SV - it is a good bike with more top end than the monster, so it was a fun couple months. I have not ridden another, so I don't have a comparison, but the suspension on this one was absolute sh1t. Dunno if this was a former wheelie practice bike, but the front nose-dived to a disconcerting degree. If I was in the market, I would pay extra for an SV with a GSXR suspension.
Quote from: 2001cromo on January 19, 2009, 08:00:00 PM
snip.
Those bikes are like Timex watches "they take a licking and keep on ticking..." When I got mine it didn't run, had a lot of water in the tank and the valves were tight. Big whooop! I spent last winter making it into a great track day tool and It runs great now.
I've got a first gen modded to hell (http://www.no1special.com/SV650/working-on/mySV.html) and my girlfriend has a second gen and we use them for track days.
Nice write up - and nice track toy [thumbsup]
I hate to ask, but do you have a feeling for what you spent, versus buying one like you ended up with?
Quote from: bozcoRob on January 20, 2009, 08:28:30 AM
Nice write up - and nice track toy [thumbsup]
I hate to ask, but do you have a feeling for what you spent, versus buying one like you ended up with?
Thanks
You/someone could pick up a great SV track toy that's already been well setup for about 3 or 4k. Check the wera forums there are always a few. You'll always find better deals at the end of the season.
You'll always spend more to do it yourself...
Sorry for the threadjack and I hope that helps.
We ended up getting him the bike. It looks like its in great shape and has been well taken care of. I was able to ride it before we commited to it and it rode good. Its no duc but it will make a good first bike for him. Thanks for everyones help.
Quote from: semyhr on January 20, 2009, 06:53:26 AM
I rode one when I was learning to ride and damn I hated when you roll with your clutch engaged and if you let it go at slow speeds the engine will die and you will have good chances falling on your face, other than that nice :)
I had one for about six months (2001) that I bought for a song, rode the tires off of it, then sold it for more than I bought it for with worn out tires. Never had an issue with the clutching, but yet again I know how to use a clutch. You evidently did not, hence your trouble, so you shouldn't cite your faulty clutch technique as a reason to not get one.
The SVs are probably the best all around starter bike for the dough, and from my experience more reliable.
Quote from: bergdoerfer on January 23, 2009, 01:34:02 PM
I had one for about six months (2001) that I bought for a song, rode the tires off of it, then sold it for more than I bought it for with worn out tires. Never had an issue with the clutching, but yet again I know how to use a clutch. You evidently did not, hence your trouble, so you shouldn't cite your faulty clutch technique as a reason to not get one.
The SVs are probably the best all around starter bike for the dough, and from my experience more reliable.
Whoa, listen man, I live in a country where you don't have to brag about knowing how to use a clutch ;D We are not even allowed to use auto transmission for the drivers license exam here and 99% people that are 6+ yo know how to use them ;)
I know that you CAN drive it but it is the specific of this bike and it would never happen on a 4-cyl so I would suggest a smaller 4-cyl for someone starting to ride.
Never had a problem with the clutch on my 2nd gen SV. One of the easiest bikes I've ever ridden, and a great machine to learn on. IMO, a twin's a lot easier to learn on than a 4 - much smoother power delivery.
[popcorn]
Check out the raffle on the main page :)
just sayin'
Quote from: labbedds on February 05, 2009, 11:27:32 AM
just sayin'
A link in the sig to the proper section
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?board=9.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?board=9.0)
Beats a dozen new threads. Seriously-we know about the raffle. Shush now.
My wife has a 2000 sv650 with about 30,000 mi on it. I've checked the valve adjustment a couple of times and it has yet to need adjustment.
The front for springs were so weak when we got it that it was a hazard to ride in parking lots. The oversteering was god awful. We got new springs and race tech fork emulators and that fixed the front end. I would suggest your friend do the same as his first mod. I picked up a shock from a GSXR 750 on ebay and that fixed the rear. I don't think that my wife will ever let me sell it. I've even offered to get her a monster and no luck.