IL4 ---> V-twin.

[garth]

As some of you may already know, I moved from a 600 bandit ( https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=1080153&highlight=#1080153 ) to an Sv650s.

The bandit was a good bike, bar the suspension, and there is/was nothing more that I could ask from a bike, I did about 12k in a year, and it never once missed a beat.

However, I got annoyed with the revvyness of it, If you're pacing down some A roads, you soon notice if you are in the wrong gear, all the time, and you really need to be on it to actually make decent progress. Annoyed me anyway.

Down gearing it improved it no end, much more responsive, but i still found that because I'm concentrating on the revs, I'd mess up lines into corners etc. Pretty sure the suspension didn't help either.

Now when I'm out and about on the Sv, -probably because I'm lazy- I can leave it fourth, fifth, on the same A roads and properly set myself up for the corners, aswell as the suspension being 10x better aswell.

It's not as comfy, but then again I'm young and don't give a toss.

It sounds the tits.

I know the Sv probably doesn't produce anymore torque than the bandit lump, and it is down on power, but the way it delivers it, from a seat of the pants dyno, makes you think otherwise. The engine is a lot lazier, and just feels more grunty. Not to some peoples taste (G ) but I like it and that's all that matters.

All in all, the sv has made me enjoy riding more again, I ride it alot better than I did the bandit, it's less frenzied, less point-and-squirt.

So for an everyday bike, I fully recommend making the move from an IL4 to a twin.

Twins have character.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[Whosthedaddy]

Why are you looking at the tacho all the time and not just listening to the engine and concentrating on the road?

The V twin does sound better than an inline 4
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Flip]

[Whosthedaddy]

[NSR Mick]

[Davo]

The problem with a V twin noise is it sounds the same if it's on track or going to the shops.

However my next bike is looking to be a twin.

[BorderHooner]

glad u like is bro - i was gonna buy a new one from crescent suzuki but it didnt have enough grunt 4 me.

but yeah - the gearing on a twin is peasy easy.
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Benelli. Happy as a pig in cacky.

[colin1]

i think i might like a twin for gentle cruising

something like the dl650 or transalp

but for a quick thrash i like something a bit peaky so the only vtwin i'd go for in those circumstances wd be an rs250

but then i dont know anything about ducatis or litre twins
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[garth]

I don't look at the tacho, I'm basing this on sound and feel.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[Wave2k]

The sound and engine certainly does grow on you.
they sound alot better when at low to mid range revs, oh and the blipping.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Zimbo]

Twin for me, I'll not be going back to an IL4.

[BorderHooner]

[ram_doom]

Only twin I've ridden for any length of time was a Honda firestorm. Initially you feel like your arms are being pulled from their sockets, but the power just dies into the mid and upper rev range, which is where the speed and excitement are found it just runs out of puff far too early, sort of hypes itself up then dies with a whimper... not much power relative to capacity
And it sounds like a fart...
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TL1000s, KDX200

[bazza]

[Wave2k]

Go test ride an RSVR and 999 Colin , Best Litre twins out
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[quacker_boy]

Saw a K5 GSXR thou with a yoshi pipe on come SCREAMING past me, closely followed by an RSVR with an akra....it's a tricky one but the RSV made my windows feel like they'd explode!
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wizzzard wrote: Imagine God just stopping by, tidying your front room up and then quietly letting himself out again. Statisticly more likely to happen than Korn being on here.

[BorderHooner]

[G]

[colin1]

[hairychipstic...]

try a gsxr1000
twins will feel ass after that
walks all them for midrange and makes them feel like scooters at the top end
ive driven the 999 around a track so i do have proper comparison too

[extreme3d]

I like my SV for one reason above all else. It has engine braking. For me that makes riding fast on roads much easier and safer. I know that whatever happens, if i back off the throttle i'm immediatly slowing down at the same rate as an IL4 600 with the brakes on. Yet this engine braking is far smoother.

Where I live we have sharp, sudden and blind hairpin bends and steep hills. When on an IL4 I go to pieces. When on a V-twin I can ride much much faster.

The sound is irrelevant to me. I prefer my bikes quiet, so much so that I've kept the standard can on my SV and have done so since new.

[Pte1643]

I've ridden loads of different bikes, a fair few of them have been V-twins.

Once took out an S4 Monster "back to back" with a Cagiva 1000 Raptor.
The Raptor was Brutal, and although the Monster was slightly quicker it felt slower and more refined.

Have also ridden an SP1, Firestorm, 600 Monster and a little SV.

To be honest I wouldn't mind any of them. Once you get back on your IL4 after riding a twin you don't half notice the lack of mid-range.

But having said that, personally I prefer the IL4 because I can ride them smoother, and hence safer, in the wet.
I sometimes find the throttle on a V-Twin can seem a little like an "On-Off" switch.

"You pays your money..." as they say.

[G]

[extreme3d]

[G]