revtothelimit - motorbike forum

GS was supposed to be for two up stuff but turns out Mrs DB only endures rather than enjoys being pillion & to be honest once all 24st of us is on the damn thing there isn't much more we can load it up with before it becomes too much of a handful. She has a licence but hasn't ridden for 30 odd years (hardtail triumph chop bitd) so I'm thinking she should be able to manage an SV & I'd quite like a lighter bike for London filtering, so my two questions are:-
Any reason not to?
What will I smell of?

I think I'm the only person who ever saw anything wrong with the SV650, I found the one I rode a bit "lumpy".

I also commuted on a Gladius for a bit, nothing exciting, easy to ride, reasonably good choice for daily stuff as long as the finish is looked after.

As a first time Suzuki owner I'm finding myself wiffing of weed and stella since Jan last year.

On the SV sounds like a great choice, I've always had a soft spot for SVs and the X looks pretty cool. They are long in the tooth but all tests I read basically say they are still a match for the MTs etc. I seem to recall reading that the seat on the X is particularly uncomfy and in MCN I think they swapped for a standard SV seat.

New SVs are tiny, try one before you buy one, I prefer the ordinary SVs riding position.

Can't see a reason not to personally if you're not using the GS as you intended and you've got the space and money for 2 bikes .
I'd love it if my Mrs had an interest in getting a bike and going out riding ,but that's never going to happen.

I may have read that wrong, would the sv be your only bike that you'd share? If so I'd say no

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:54 am New SVs are tiny, try one before you buy one, I prefer the ordinary SVs riding position.

Enquired about a test ride for Friday thing that's putting me off are reports of being a bit cramped & quite revv happy for a vee twin, my last foray into Suzuki ownership which looked good on paper was not a happy one (VX800)

Rockburner wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:51 am I think I'm the only person who ever saw anything wrong with the SV650, I found the one I rode a bit "lumpy".

I also commuted on a Gladius for a bit, nothing exciting, easy to ride, reasonably good choice for daily stuff as long as the finish is looked after.

Not the only person. I tried one once (partly because people kept saying I should get one instead of the Blackbird - more of a girls bike they said!! ).

Not sure what he'd done to it if anything, but I wasn't particularly keen. Bloody loved the TLs, but the SV650 not so much.

And VERY happy to read someone else not saying it's the best bike ever!! LOL

matt wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:59 am I may have read that wrong, would the sv be your only bike that you'd share? If so I'd say no

Would still have the Guzzi 1200 sport, but if I find I like the SV enough I might go completely mad and chop the Guzzi in for my brothers Brough project which he is making noises about passing up.

That's it then, nothing to lose ,happy days

If you're planning on using it as a commuter I think it makes sense,they're nimble,good on fuel & have a good reputation for reliability.I'd have a look at the N version as I think not having Ace bars it would be less cramped.It's a pity you didn't buy one last month as Suzuki were doing a mad deal on them,£6200 OTR & 3 years free servicing, I was seriously considering P/Xing my Street Triple for one
I bought a SV650S as a winter hack bike about 16 months ago,my other bike is a 675R Street Triple.What I've noticed over my time with the bike is that,the SV650S is smaller & slimmer than the Street Triple,it took a few months to get used to how a Vtwin makes power compared to a triple or four but when I got used to it I found it great fun riding on the torque.
Should make a good commuter.

Didnt know they were still being made! Anyway, i've had a few early ones, the original curvy model and the later pointy, as they were known. Always found them to be cracking bikes. Great on back roads etc and a bit of a demon filterer in traffic! Only downside to the ones i had was the build quality, which was pretty dire. Hopefully, Suzuki have upped their game since back then?

Taipan wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 10:44 am Didnt know they were still being made! Anyway, i've had a few early ones, the original curvy model and the later pointy, as they were known. Always found them to be cracking bikes. Great on back roads etc and a bit of a demon filterer in traffic! Only downside to the ones i had was the build quality, which was pretty dire. Hopefully, Suzuki have upped their game since back then?

I swear mine used to breathe in to fit through the narrowest of gaps.

I had a curvy W reg/2000 model, was an excellent bike. Did 60k miles, most of it two up, commuting, track days, trips. If it was ULEZ compliant I'd have another.

Beancounter wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 10:55 am

Taipan wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 10:44 am Didnt know they were still being made! Anyway, i've had a few early ones, the original curvy model and the later pointy, as they were known. Always found them to be cracking bikes. Great on back roads etc and a bit of a demon filterer in traffic! Only downside to the ones i had was the build quality, which was pretty dire. Hopefully, Suzuki have upped their game since back then?

I swear mine used to breathe in to fit through the narrowest of gaps.

I had a curvy W reg/2000 model, was an excellent bike. Did 60k miles, most of it two up, commuting, track days, trips. If it was ULEZ compliant I'd have another.

Did you have the S model? I used to pull the mirrors in and go through gaps cyclists questioned! I got rid as it was too sporty a riding position for me and I preferred the naked ones, but I missed that narrow gap ability!

Looks like I'll be test riding a Shiver 900 on Friday too

Well the Shiver was a great play thing for sure but it felt like I was sitting way too far forward on it and having nothing (couldn't see my hands or the clocks) in my peripheral vision was a bit disconcerting didn't even go out on the SV650 - too small & the seat was like a plank. So where do I go from here?
Ideally I'd just have one bike, but unless anyone knows something that resembles a Shiver / F900xr hybrid that's probably not going to happen.
So I need to swap the GS for a possibly dull but lighter smaller workhorse, short list so far is Tiger 800xrt, F800GT or F800GS

Everything other than a Goldwing is smaller than a GS isn't it!

On the basis it's traditional to recommend ones own bike I'd say GSXS 1000. It'll blow the socks off that list.

Apillia Dorsduro, it's basically an off road styled Shiver

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 2:55 pm Apillia Dorsduro, it's basically an off road styled Shiver

When you say "off-road" - do you mean "Adventure", or "Trail-bike" ??

There's a pretty big difference:

Adventure bikes tend to have taller screens, higher bars, bigger tanks and so you sit "in" the bike.
Tail style tends to be a somewhat lower bars, thinner tank and seat (often shorter too), less/no screen, and you sit "on" the bike.

By the sounds of it Dickyboy doesn't like the "Trail" style, but prefers "Adventure" (going on what he said about the Shiver).

I think the Dorsduro is the worst of both worlds, basically a supermutard with all the downsides of an adventure bike with none of the practicalities
Ideally I'm after something around 90bhp, 200kgs, not too tall, will take a pillion, with a practical side (top box & slim panniers) but also a bit of soul failing this I'll have to stick with two bikes & get something that is boring.
One of my problems is that I'm built like an ape, my ape index is +8cm & one of the reasons I'm happy on a Guzzi, if the v85tt was lighter & more powerful I'm be all over it

Dickyboy wrote: Tue Jun 13, 2023 3:41 pm
Ideally I'm after something around 90bhp, 200kgs, not too tall, will take a pillion, with a practical side (top box & slim panniers) but also a bit of soul failing this I'll have to stick with two bikes & get something that is boring.

XSR900, Z900RS, BMW Nine T, Triumph Speed Twin, Honda 1100 Rebel