I purchased a used, well cared for '01 SV650 w/9600 miles this August and I've put ~400 miles on it since. Straight to the point, it's a good, solid bike that's fun and easy to ride.
About me and my perspective:
I'm a 5'3" female, 110lbs w/26.5" inseam. I spent ~2300miles on an '01 Honda VTR250 (Japan spec).
The SV is my second bike. I wanted a midsized sport standard/naked Vtwin. I needed the bike to be able to handle fun weekend riding, some road trips/touring on the highway, and present respectable city manners. I had a fun list of midsized sport standards to shop around including Ninja 650R, Ducati Monster, Triumph Street Triple, Aprilia Mana & Shiver & Suzuki Gladius. What the final decision came to was affordability, availability, and ease of modification* to get on and ride.
SV650 Impressions (First Generation, carbed):
Seat height: Tall >31"
Suzuki stuffs a lot of foam into the seat. For the inseam challenged riders like myself you'll want to do a seat modification. The ergos of the bike make it such that even if you go to a super-slim seat profile you can still maintain a comfortable saddle. Other options include lowering links but I don't like that bike geometry changes or that parts are now lower to the ground upon lean. Instead I went to a bare seat pan with a thin, high density foam layer. It looks like it would be as comfortable as a piece of plywood. But alas, that is not the case. A regular gas stop &/or lunch to stretch the legs is all it takes to remain comfortable. YMMV
Weight: Heavier than a 250
Anyone moving up to the SV will notice this, both taking it off the stand and learning the new bike, especially your turns. A quick word about the stand, it is short and curved and makes the bike lean way over to the point you think it's going to topple. This design combined with the weight make the bike difficult to stand up. Shorter and lighter riders will have the disadvantage here. I still have to have my husband help stand me up when we stop Monica I would suggest one think about a modified stand to alleviate this.
Clutch/Throttle/Controls: Easy
Before I took my first ride I was concerned that the 650 would be an unmanageable beast with a twitchy throttle and a difficult clutch. I was happily made wrong. The controls are very malleable. If you need the bike to be docile, it will respond accordingly. If you want to bike to get fired up, it will readily do that too. Treat the bike as if you were taking MSF for the first time and you will get a feel for it's behavior in no time.
Engine/Power/Acceleration: <-- Monica merging on the highway for the first time
The low end is beautiful and it gets up to a smooth sprint in no time. The shifts are easy and effortless. The stock exhaust makes the Vtwin sound a bit weak and fluffy. However a good quality muffler makes the note sound proper.
Brakes: Adequate
One of the first things I did to get acquainted was some emergency brake drills. I'm a lighter rider with a conservative style so I found the brakes able for my riding. The rear is set for a very light input and I've not got it lock yet. My VTR had a single front disc so from where I was coming from the SV works for me. I would imagine if you're going to track or putting heavier demands on the brake system you would upgrade the lines and probably the calipers & master cylinder depending on the feel you want.
Aftermarket parts: Good selection & support
Like any model bike the SV650 has its electrical and mechanical quirks that can/might/will/should be addressed with ownership. But nothing a a rider and DIYer shade tree mechanic can't handle
*I only have the use of my right arm so my bike was modified to right side controls. I placed the clutch under the front brake and moved switches over so that I'm able to control everything with my right hand. A clutch cable is easier and cheaper to modify compared to a hydraulic clutch.
About me and my perspective:
I'm a 5'3" female, 110lbs w/26.5" inseam. I spent ~2300miles on an '01 Honda VTR250 (Japan spec).
The SV is my second bike. I wanted a midsized sport standard/naked Vtwin. I needed the bike to be able to handle fun weekend riding, some road trips/touring on the highway, and present respectable city manners. I had a fun list of midsized sport standards to shop around including Ninja 650R, Ducati Monster, Triumph Street Triple, Aprilia Mana & Shiver & Suzuki Gladius. What the final decision came to was affordability, availability, and ease of modification* to get on and ride.
SV650 Impressions (First Generation, carbed):
Seat height: Tall >31"
Suzuki stuffs a lot of foam into the seat. For the inseam challenged riders like myself you'll want to do a seat modification. The ergos of the bike make it such that even if you go to a super-slim seat profile you can still maintain a comfortable saddle. Other options include lowering links but I don't like that bike geometry changes or that parts are now lower to the ground upon lean. Instead I went to a bare seat pan with a thin, high density foam layer. It looks like it would be as comfortable as a piece of plywood. But alas, that is not the case. A regular gas stop &/or lunch to stretch the legs is all it takes to remain comfortable. YMMV
Weight: Heavier than a 250
Anyone moving up to the SV will notice this, both taking it off the stand and learning the new bike, especially your turns. A quick word about the stand, it is short and curved and makes the bike lean way over to the point you think it's going to topple. This design combined with the weight make the bike difficult to stand up. Shorter and lighter riders will have the disadvantage here. I still have to have my husband help stand me up when we stop Monica I would suggest one think about a modified stand to alleviate this.
Clutch/Throttle/Controls: Easy
Before I took my first ride I was concerned that the 650 would be an unmanageable beast with a twitchy throttle and a difficult clutch. I was happily made wrong. The controls are very malleable. If you need the bike to be docile, it will respond accordingly. If you want to bike to get fired up, it will readily do that too. Treat the bike as if you were taking MSF for the first time and you will get a feel for it's behavior in no time.
Engine/Power/Acceleration: <-- Monica merging on the highway for the first time
The low end is beautiful and it gets up to a smooth sprint in no time. The shifts are easy and effortless. The stock exhaust makes the Vtwin sound a bit weak and fluffy. However a good quality muffler makes the note sound proper.
Brakes: Adequate
One of the first things I did to get acquainted was some emergency brake drills. I'm a lighter rider with a conservative style so I found the brakes able for my riding. The rear is set for a very light input and I've not got it lock yet. My VTR had a single front disc so from where I was coming from the SV works for me. I would imagine if you're going to track or putting heavier demands on the brake system you would upgrade the lines and probably the calipers & master cylinder depending on the feel you want.
Aftermarket parts: Good selection & support
Like any model bike the SV650 has its electrical and mechanical quirks that can/might/will/should be addressed with ownership. But nothing a a rider and DIYer shade tree mechanic can't handle
*I only have the use of my right arm so my bike was modified to right side controls. I placed the clutch under the front brake and moved switches over so that I'm able to control everything with my right hand. A clutch cable is easier and cheaper to modify compared to a hydraulic clutch.