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| lucky rsm |
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lucky rsm
Renault 5 Driver
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| That_Hornet |
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That_Hornet
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| iooi |
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iooi
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 Posted: 20:27 - 27 Aug 2009  Post subject: |
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Can't say owt about the Suzi.
But the Divvy is a good 1st 600.
Easy to maintain, no real vices other than a rattling clutch. Cheap to run (65 to 70 mpg on mine).
Pretty netural ride.
And above all a dammed good owners club 
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am...... |
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| instigator |
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instigator
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| defblade |
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defblade
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| Posted: 12:48 - 28 Aug 2009 Post subject: |
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Read the other day that the Gladius does 70mpg even with spirited riding, which caught my eye as I'm tight 
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Honda Varadero 125cc => Suzuki Bandit 650 33bhp => 77bhp =>
BMW K1200R Sport 163bhp  => Aprilia Shiver GT 750 95bhp |
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| Dr. DaveJPS |
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Dr. DaveJPS
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| Posted: 15:12 - 28 Aug 2009 Post subject: |
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i've already put my thoughts about teh new divvie here.....
https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=181491
not ridden the gladuis but if it is anything as bad as the DL650 i've been lent afor i'd avoid it.
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"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
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| metalangel |
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metalangel
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| Posted: 16:24 - 28 Aug 2009 Post subject: |
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Gladius is the successor to the venerable SV650 'naked' so it'll be a very different bike from the Diversion. (the Diversion was called the 'Astra Diesel of bikes' by MCN, whereas the Gladius is widely regarded as a girl's bike*)
Best to test ride them both, really, but one's a standard and one's more of an upright tourer.
*not for all girls, such as the one I saw on her black 'blade earlier today
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Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless 
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt |
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| lucky rsm |
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lucky rsm
Renault 5 Driver
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| Posted: 16:51 - 28 Aug 2009 Post subject: |
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Cheers guys, it's not my first bike, been riding a er6f for the last 3 yrs, i only have a budget of £5500, and i use my bike for commuting everyday 75 - 150 miles.
I'm taking the gladius and the gsx650f for a test tomorrow so will let you know what i thought of these.
Is the gladius really for girls, i quite liked the look of it  , as i cant afford the b king, thought this looked nice? |
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| instigator |
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instigator
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| Blau Zedong |
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Blau Zedong
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| Dr. DaveJPS |
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Dr. DaveJPS
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| Posted: 19:43 - 28 Aug 2009 Post subject: |
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these weight a F*cking ton i was able to put my fazer (fzs600) on the centre stand whilst keeping a foot on the ground, the gsx took both feet off the ground. (ffy i weight 11 stone)
plus i found the gear leaver was in a weird place, i had to look for it every time as my boot kept catching on a piece of engine.
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| Whosthedaddy |
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Whosthedaddy
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Posted: 19:46 - 28 Aug 2009  Post subject: |
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There was a shoot out between these 2 (and the Duke and another???) in Ride or TWO or one of those magazines before the summer.
The Gladius was quite favourable if I remember.
| Superbike magazine wrote: | The Suzuki Gladius could have easily have been the remodelled SV650, the popular workhorse that this new machine replaces. It's name may not have been particularly exciting, but don't underestimate the little SV. The perfectly proportioned package was a boon for Suzuki dealers who were soon invaded by buyers who wanted something simple, but not shit. Rather than buy a boring Honda CB500 or the old Yamaha Diversion, the SV offered everyday manners allied to rousing performance from the 645cc v-twin motor.
Left standard, the humble SV could quietly get about its business with a serene air of a domestic goddess, costing little and offering economy, but with a pipe and suspension upgrades it could really run amuck, keeping both better riders on their toes and bigger bikes on their haunches for fear of shameful overtake by the (just bigger than a) pint sized pocket rocket. For every bike making its way mundanely into work, there was one cutting up the competition at a trackday or robustly racing in the burgeoning Minitwins series; a series that offers thrills and spills without huge bills.
In short, the Gladius has a hell of a lot to live up to. In filling the SV's boots, the new middleweight machine has to be one of the most flexible bikes on the market; being the humdrum commuter one minute, a stylish device to be parked up at the pub the next (tough, what with its name), and a sporty, adrenaline-fuelled thrill machine the minute after that. Notwithstanding that Suzuki's competition has moved on considerably since the SV650s's last significant revision (in 2003), the Gladius will surely struggle to recapture the glory of its prior incarnation.
But no-one seems to have told Suzuki's designers this. As this price point, £4,621 (to be precise), you expect functionality and little else, but the closer you get to the Gladius, the more you realise that there is very little compromise in this package. It looks as fresh as a daisy, especially in this pretty blue and white paint scheme – whose sparkle and sheen in the sun really gives you the impression that you're riding a more expensive machine. And then you get on it and find ridiculously easy controls; pegs and bars are intuitively place, the seat accommodating and the clutch feather light. A more welcoming reception you're unlikely to find this side of your own wedding.
The nervous will have their tension eased away, especially with the bike's low pegs, but commuters may find the bike a little on the low side as the price paid for feet flat on the floor is a ride where you can't see much above the car in front. You feel relaxed, but almost vulnerable in a way. Making progress requires a fighting spirit, and often you find that the Gladius makes you meek and mild, rather than forceful and wild. This, however, is merely an observation on a cold day with a hot shower waiting for me two hours away, otherwise a relaxed ride has the power to make the world a better place.
So with that steamy shower in mind, it was time to press on rather than wait in line for frostbite to take hold. Through town, the 645cc v-twin motor is simplicity personified. Suzuki has wisely decided not to mess with the powerplant from the SV650. It was in no way broke, there was nothing to fix, and in doing very little to the motor, Suzuki has done a lot for the Gladius. For a twin, it's pretty flexible, and will drive from as low as 2,500rpm in top – so long as you're in no hurry to get anywhere fast. If that's the case, then the Gladius will return frugal economy figures, important in a bike that inherently watches the pennies. Use the gears in the intended way and the motor offers a great balance and compliments the riding position perfectly. Fuel injection is seamless, crucial to attract new riders to the bike, and the bike simply behaves – even if you don't want to. Given EU noise limit regulations, there's preciously little bark to go with the polite bite – although we'll soon see that this is no lap dog.
Away from town, and the Gladius slips in to motorway anonymity effortlessly, and anything up to 90mph is comfortable on a machine that really offers no weather protection. If you want anything more than that, you have to drop your shoulders and brace on to the handlebars a) to stop your neck from taking the strain and b) to give the Gladius an aerodynamic fighting chance of seeing serious speeds. You need to tuck in and become one with the clocks to give the bike even a remote chance of revving out in top, where if you brave it, you should see speeds approaching 130mph. The little V-twin has bags of character too. By that I mean there are vibrations that grow from 8,000rpm up, but even if the engine starts to feel a bit 'Barnes Wallis,' the chassis remains dead on course.
It's a playful motor, made for today's crowded roads. Cars can be picked off with ease, so long as you're waiting in the wings doing around 6,000rpm. Any lower than that and you may get the occasional flash of annoyance from oncoming drivers, but if you let the motor rev it rewards well, and while it never really feels fast, it certainly has the ability to get you into trouble if you get carried away.
Like the engine, the chassis and suspension is simple but effective. With its friendly riding position, you feel at ease right from the off. A big tacho and gear position indicator make riding even easier, decent mirrors give a good view of your recent history and the seat doesn't have you squirming around like a dog with worms after an hour in the saddle.
One slight surprise that you quickly encounter is that the steering lock isn't particularly generous. It won't bother the experienced, who lean into low speed manoeuvres to tighten a turn up, but newcomers will have to paddle about to get the bike turned round. But if you're looking for other quibbles, then you're going to have to look a lot harder than me, because the Gladius offers a wholesome ride for new and experienced alike. The chassis is accommodating and easy to use, while the gentle geometry offers Goldilocks-like just-right ability.
It's all too common for a manufacturer to make huge efforts to get a motor or chassis just right and then to blight it with soft, poorly damped suspension. After all, the forks and shock are an easy component to cut costs on, with a big jump between basic fare and more expensive adjustable kit. But Suzuki seems to have hit the nail on the head here. Of course, with a claimed 70bhp on tap, the steel trellis frame easily deals with the twin's output, but even though the suspension is merely preload adjustable, it offers good control, promoting balance and confidence.
Even on near freezing roads, there was a degree of finesse from the front forks, which supported the bike's braking well and then settle into a turn readily. Potholes, surely going to be a big blight of 2009, are dealt with no fuss, and as you get used to the Gladius, it becomes ever more easy to build speed through turns. Ground clearance is good and as you feed power through to the excellent Dunlop Qualifier 160-section rear tyre, the shock retains good control as it returns to its vertical position once more.
Braking, while entirely competent, never seems to get beyond that, and a little more bite further into the lever's stroke would satisfy those wanting more stopping power, either that or an increase in the number of pistons on each caliper (the two just don't seem to cut it).
Throughout, there are neat little touches to the bike. From the addition of the gear indicator to well-positioned grab bars for pillions, the Gladius is a model of usability.
Even the end can, so long a love or hate object of current Suzuki models, offers a fine style (the bike was designed in Europe) and practical advantages (it is small and low on the machine to aid handling) to compliment the rest of this modern and individual looking bike. While some comment that it's been designed to exploit the one remaining growth area of biking (women), you're hardly likely to be labelled a lady boy if you're a bloke riding one. Still, you could always call it the SFV650.
But Gladius or SFV650, you've got a machine that is the worthy heir to the SV650. As a first step on the big bike ladder, it's as sure footed as you'll get, being cheap, friendly and fun, and it's not as if you have to ditch it for another model when you feel you need to step up a gear. Because if you want to quicken the pace or start to learn how to pull wheelies and the like, the Gladius will be there, eagerly wanting a slice of the action. As swords go, the Gladius isn't the sharpest one in the sheath, but it's still a flexible blade. |
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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 |
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| lucky rsm |
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lucky rsm
Renault 5 Driver
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| Posted: 20:30 - 28 Aug 2009 Post subject: |
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Thanx ( Whosthedaddy ) also gonna be looking at the sv even though i hate the end can  so any reports on these also helpful.
And has anyone got the new er6f pls report |
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| Whosthedaddy |
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Whosthedaddy
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| lucky rsm |
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lucky rsm
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Old Thread Alert!
There is a gap of 3 years, 323 days between these two posts... |
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| CestrianX |
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CestrianX
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| Rogerborg |
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Rogerborg
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| Posted: 08:20 - 18 Jul 2013 Post subject: |
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OP has probably made up his mind by now... 
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike |
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| sidewinder |
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sidewinder
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| -Matt- |
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-Matt-
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| Posted: 17:38 - 18 Jul 2013 Post subject: |
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| Polarbear |
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Polarbear
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Posted: 00:15 - 19 Jul 2013  Post subject: |
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i like the pink and white 'Saville' limited edition of the Gladius 
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 13 years, 99 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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