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Home > Cars & Motorcycles > Motorcycles > Sport Motorcycles > Suzuki SV650 > Review

User Review

for Suzuki SV650
See next review "My first bike"
5 Stars The best starter bike ever built!
8 of 8 Ciao Users found the following review helpful See ratings
Recommendable: Yes

Advantages Cheap, easy to ride, insurance friendly, great first bike

Disadvantages Build quality, when you park it next to a 900 or 1000cc, you'll want rid

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The Author

fezza101

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As a 22 year old who has always been into biking i decided to do my full test last september. I passed 2nd time (had trouble with a u turn in the wet on 1st!) and set about looking for my first 'big' bike.

On a budget of about £2500 i had a fair few choices - the insurance companies managed to cut these choices down to 3 or 4 for me!

In the end it came down to a choice between a 51 reg SV650S for £2400 or a R reg Yamaha Thundercat for £2300. I rode both and for me, the SV won hands down - so i bought it!

As a first bike, you dont have to worry about squeezing the brakes too hard and locking wheels (although they are good enough to feel safe) as its a V twin. This was my first V twin and i was impressed how easy it was to ride, barely any power was needed to pull away and the low down torque was unbelievable! It was easy to throw around roundabouts and take tight junctions on too - handy when you are used to the big handlebars of a CB500!

Once i got used to the bike, i found it a real pleasure to ride, soon came an Akrapovic full race system and a full fairing to boot. The bike sounded amazing and turned alot of heads too. One thing still bugged me though, everytime i parked next to a GSXR or a blade or even ZX6R's i turned into the green eyed monster! Yes, it looked good - it just didnt look as big and sporty as the others, the big gap behind the front wheel and the small fairing made it look so small next to the others.

In fairness, i had showed up alot of bigger bikes around the twisties, and some even on the straights once i was used to riding it. I just wanted something that looked a little nicer.

So i sold the SV and bought an 05 reg GSXR600. To be honest, 2 months on and i miss the SV!!! The gixxer is a superb bike, the looks are to die for, as is the power and the handling, but its just not as easy to ride as the SV. The gixxer takes alot of concentration to ride and i have to rely on the brakes alot more as there is no compression braking compared to the SV.

In summary - BUY AN SV! If it is your first bike, return to biking or you want something for occasional use that you will enjoy, it is the bike for you!
See next review "My first bike"

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  • xJay1337 11/05/2009 21:52
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  • calypso320 23/07/2007 18:41
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  • jamesunhill 20/01/2007 02:05
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  • ambrosurvey 12/09/2006 12:00
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    good review, thanks!

  • stevesst 13/08/2006 13:05
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