SV650S or not?

[r0bbyr0b]

Hello All,

I have been reading this forum for about a month now and thought I may as well do my first post!

I have always wanted to learn to ride a bike properly - I have ridden 250cc when I was younger and whenever I go on holiday, and been on the back of my mates sports bikes but have never gotten round to getting a proper license.

I'm 27, had lots of experience of driving fast cars and always watch out for bikers when I am driving. I have been watching you guys now to see how you approach junctions etc and so have a pretty good idea of bike safety etc. I am quite level headed and would not take silly risks on a bike, which leads me to my questions:

1) Would getting a SV650S be a stupid thing to do for my very first bike? I have read review after review and think thats the bike for me but am not sure if it would be too fast for a first bike.

2) I have saved around £5k for a bike/clothing/insurance etc. Is there any point in spending say £3600 on a second hand 05 plate SV or am I just going to be throwing money down the drain for my first bike?

3) I will mainly be using it to do short 10 mile trips and the occasional ride into London once a month and of course riding for weekends. Is the SV going to be okay for this type of riding (just concerened it will be uncomfortable in London traffic sitting upright).

Thanks for reading this far - I think thats all the questions for now!

Cheers,

Rob

PS: found this pic on yesterday, thought you would find it funny here....
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www.bedroompleasures.co.uk

[Trickypl4]

Hello Rob,

I couldn't possibly answer your questions as I've only been riding 2½ weeks myself, but welcome to the forum

Everyone is really helpful so I would've thought you'd get some replies soon

[Bendy]

Perfect first bike, in my opinion.

Budget is up to you, you could buy an older one for less money, it's not going to be much different.

Comfort is down to you as well, different folk find different things uncomfy.

[Rob-B]

Its all down to personal preference really on whether it should be your fist bike. The SV from what I have heard should fit very well with your needs. You could for example by a cheap used 125cc bike like a Honda CG125 and ride that for a few months until you are comfortable with riding, then sell it for about the price you bought it for. But if you feel that you will be able to handle the SV then have it as your first bike.

[Villers]

Why pay £3600 for a second hand one when a brand new one will only set you back 4K?

The Sv is a nice bike to ride, its very friendly but the V-Twin takes some getting used to if you are used to inline 4's (which your not I suppose!). Dont let the 650cc fool you into thinking that its a powerhouse waiting to rip your head off because it isnt. The only concern i have with spending so much money on a first big bike is that you may end up dropping it. The weight can catch you out at times and Im sure many many people here will have a story to tell about it!

Do you have a licence yet? If not I would suggest you do your CBT and DAS. After riding the 500's on the DAS you will be able to gauge your own confidence and make a fairer judgement, a smaller bike or a couple of months may be of benefit but ultimately it sounds like your heart is set on a bigger machine and you are just looking for the nod!!
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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[colin1]

it seems a lot to spend on a first bike to me, especially as most people drop their first big bike. I know I did. I was pretty gutted as it was, but it would have been worse if it was a nearly new minter.

I also think it would be good to get an older higher-speced bike for a lot less cash.

Once you have passed your DAS, you should have a few test rides and see what you like. If you like the SV and want a nearly new one, fine but you might find you prefer something else.

I am biased though as although I think the SV has its good points, I dont like it for in town riding and I dont like it for country road riding.

For £3600, you could have 2 bikes. One which is great in town (big trail bike or scooter), and one which is great on country roads (IL4 600 or 400). A Multibike insurance policy wdnt be much more than insuring one bike. You would have a spare bike if one needs fixing. You wouldnt be racking up low speed miles on your fast bike. There are loads of other reasons why this is a good plan. if you drop a bike it will probably be in town, but your town bike wont have expensive fairings.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[alex_t]

well i passed my test on the 9th of this money and 1st proper bike was an SV650 x (unfaired version) and i feel fine on it, nice and comfy and kick ass for weekend riding

but budget is up to you mate..... dont forget allt he gear (helmet jacket etc) will cost ya about 500+ quid.... and DAS probably 500 or so too
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[CBT - passed 29.04.06] [Theory - passed 19.05.06 *34/35*] [DAS - passed 09.06.06]

SV650, blue

[FreshAL]

I got an SV650S for my first bike after DAS. Yeah, it's not the best bike in the world, bit I loved it. Perfect for me at the time.

If you shop around you can pick up a decent one for £1500 (private sale)

Get crash bungs and you probably won't even damage it when you drop it.

Good luck with the DAS

[Dom]

Should be a great first bike, although if it were me I wouldn't spend so much on one.

As Villers says, the odds of you dropping your first bike have got to be pretty high, so all the more reason to pick up one that's no longer in showroom condition.
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Photos and that

[rcf]

[Rob]

[r0bbyr0b]

Thanks for all your replies - very helpful! I'm learning some new words already - what is "tank slapping" and what do "crash bungs" look like?

Cheers

Rob
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www.bedroompleasures.co.uk

[Rob]

Tank Slapping generally happens when you accelerate really hard and if the front wheel hits a slight bump or pothole in the road the handlebars start slapping violently from side to side!! You can get a steering damper that is essentially a little piston that attaches to your handlebars and frame that makes the movement of the handlebars firmer and reduces the effect of a tank slapper!

Crash bungs are round/long hard rubber/plastic knobs that attach to the frame of your bike so if it 'falls' over, you damage the crash bung before the fairing/exhaust/forks etc!!
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Love is 1050cc

[Slickfish]

SV650's are among the best introduction to larger bikes, dependant on your dubget look at the alternatives though mate, Hornets, fazers etc.

[syl]

[Villers]

[tiger777]

My first bike after passing my DAS was an sv650s and I dropped it on my first ride!! Dropped it only once after that and I had it for 3 yrs.

I loved it and think its a great first bike, its very forgiving and inspires confidence.

Would def recommend it.

[jonboy22]

Rob,

As just about everyone says its down to personal preference and the best way to figure out what you want out of a bike is to try as many as possible.

I know how you're feeling as I was in your boots less than a month ago. 26, 7 years driving loads of cars, 5k to spend on bike gear etc.....

The last thing you want is to be dissapointed with what you end up on. I know I didn't have the money to spank on upgrading after a 6 months so got a bike that would challenge me for years to come, yet provide enough enjoyment for me to just jump on and GO. My choices boiled down to the SV, a Blandit, VTR firestorm, Fazer and a baby Gixxer.

Eventually went for the Gixxer as it was the cheapest, not bad on insurance (check out ebike), keep my riding skills progressing for years to come, wasn't uncomfy (yes I'm 6ft2 and its not that bad) and most importantly of all made me grin like a drunk about to dive into a pool of Special Brew.....

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=86752

So go with your gut is the bottom line but try out as many different styles as possible, you never know what you may find.

hth