To change bike or modify current?

[Irezumi]

So I have an SV1000s which is perfectly good but I've never really liked the lent forward riding position of any bike so it's not for me. My options are to convert it to a flat handlebar and use it as it. The bike is a known quantity and it does everything ok, it's probably the cheapest option. Is changing a bike this much sacrilege or sensible?

My other option would be to get something different, I prefer twins and I'm not after anything too powerful and around £3k-ish. Options I'm considering are Monster S2r 800 or Aprilia Shiver 750, but open to suggestions. I do not use the bike for commuting apart from the odd sunny occasion and am happy to do work on it so being Italian isn't an issue. Anyone had either of these and can comment? This would obviously be more expensive.

Thanks for any help.

[arry]

I test rode the Aprilia back in 2011 ish. I didn't get on with it at all. It's a decent chassis but the engine was so asthmatic. It ran out of go for about 2000 of its last rpm's.

It was also pretty jerky and didn't like a stable throttle. I get that's twins in general but this one was worse than my KTM 990 was.

[steve the grease]

When I bought my Triumph 500 it had clip ons and a racing seat. Within a week it had a standard seat and 'flattracker' bars - much better. My neigbour had the opposite problem , he put flatter bars on his Harley sportster and it transformed it so he said. We don't sit there watching TV bent forwards at 45 degrees, so why should we ride a bike sat like that? Go for it , especially as it sounds like you like the SV.
____________________
All the above is my personal opinion, you can see my lips move, but I'm talking out of my arse.
I've been riding, and fixing , bikes for 50 years, in that time the more I learn, the less I am absolutely sure of.....

[xX-Alex-Xx]

[Keithy]

I do like the Shiver. Sucker for over-priced unreliable Italian stuff though.

[BigTim]

put straight bars on my Blackbird, couldn't be doing with the racing position.

try it and see
____________________
MZ S50B, Suzuki GP100, Honda CBF1000, Honda Blackbird (I like my Blackbird)

[Blah blah]

I've got an S2r 800 and it's a great bike, either pootling behind the child on their moped or having a moment to myself on full attack mode.

They didn't make many of them so you may struggle to find a good one.

The suspension and brakes are a bit 'budget' - they're fine and more than enough for most situations and you can get to the edges of the tyres but they're just not stunning. Plastic tanks can swell (as they do on various other makes), engine paint flakes, belts every couple of years (that seem to have got significantly more expensive since Ducati were taken over by VAG so I now use exactfit with a 3 year life) and sod all steering lock.

I've changed the suspension on mine and will be doing the front brakes next, it's all simple to do as other Ducati stuff drops straight in but the standard stuff will be over 10 years old so they'll probably need a refresh anyway.

Excuse for a pic

https://i.imgur.com/cS1L7ZB.jpg

[struan80]

I always like to try new things. If I was spending £3k on an upright bike I would consider a Fireblade with modified bars ie. CB1000 , in my head so please ignore anything I say.

Going to use the phrase Variety is the spice of life.

[Robby]

No one is going to get worked up about you doing anything to an SV1000. If you're generally happy with the bike but want to fiddle with the ergonomics, do it.

My general rule is to only make the decision about changing bikes when I'm riding the bike. It's easy to sit in my chair and think about how things could be better, then most of those concerns disappear when I'm actually riding the thing.

[c_dug]

I have a shiver 750 at the moment.

I do actually really like it, but they Dyno at closer to 75bhp than the claimed ~90. They're not a fast bike by any means.

Handling is so so, brakes are good but it's sprung too soft and over damped to compensate, I've gotten used to it, but coming from a supremely well suspended R1200GS it really took some getting used to

I'd keep the SV.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[chickenstrip]

Is it a straightforward thing to change the bars on an SV? It's an S you say, so is there room around the fairing - not going to impede steering in any way? Only other thing I can think of is would it make the riding position overall a bit odd, maybe need a change of footrest position to compensate? And if so, is that going to be easy to do?
____________________
Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[Polarbear]

Keep the original bar incase you come to sell it. Other than that why not play around and see what it's like, especially if you like the bike.

I haven't changed bars on a bike for years but when I did, back when customising was regarded as something good , sometimes the foot position and new bar position never felt quite matched if you get my meaning.

Until you try it you will never know.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Irezumi]