Buying sv650 tomorrow... whatdyou guys think

[nightrider]

I have bonded with my GS but it is not rideable right now so Im ready to move on.

So I went to check out an 02 today. It is badass to ride and there is a LOT of power compared to the GS.

I started to notice the engine had a little sputter while revving, nothing major, but PO has let the bike sit for extended periods. I suspect the carbs are gummed a bit and a little cleaning will fix it. Also needs a new battery. Other than that, can't see anything wrong with it.

So what do you think of the price. Its a 2002 SV650, black, 10k mi, carbed version, aftermarket windshield, no visible damage, good paint, I got him down from $3500 to $2950.

Im meeting him tomorrow at DMV cause he lost his title. He seems legit though. Any last words or advice?

[The Buddha]

Oh yea ... He "Lost his title" ... Yea I lose them all the time, sometimes for all 10 bikes I own ... yea ... 
Its worth $30 if its got no title. Dont take the DMV saying they will make a new title etc etc ... cos if its got a lein against it, it will still be ... we'll send you the title Mr So  and so ... only it will have the name of your lein holder on it as owner, and you as registered owner.
Cool.
Srinath.

[cd]

people lose titles all the time, if he gets it issued, he gets it issued. paper is paper. sounds like a reasonable price. the sv will seem more powerful because its got twice the power. they are one of the best bikes you can buy.

[ohgood]

Oh yea ... He "Lost his title" ... Yea I lose them all the time, sometimes for all 10 bikes I own ... yea ... 
Its worth $30 if its got no title. Dont take the DMV saying they will make a new title etc etc ... cos if its got a lein against it, it will still be ... we'll send you the title Mr So  and so ... only it will have the name of your lein holder on it as owner, and you as registered owner.
Cool.
Srinath.

+1

no current title, no sale. i learned this the hard way:

bought a 88 toyota from a guy, 'lost title', spent 3 days freshing up the brakes, fluids, ignition, timing chain, A/C, then he shows up the next weekend with "I gotta get the truck back sad face." shows me he owes $1600 that 'he forgot about'.

called the cops, they didn't care. told him he could have it back for what I paid him, plus my expenses, plus 20%, or i'd just drive HIS truck till he figured it out.

he paid.

i'll never recommend anyone buy a car/truck/trailer/bike/home/anything without clear and current title or whatever applicable proof of ownership.

maybe you do it and you're lucky, maybe you're not and FEEL THE BURN.

[mp183]

I would not a carb bike if a fuel injected model is available.
Later models have the FI.
Worth the extra money.
You'll have much more time to ride.

[The Buddha]

people lose titles all the time, if he gets it issued, he gets it issued. paper is paper. sounds like a reasonable price. the sv will seem more powerful because its got twice the power. they are one of the best bikes you can buy.

Uhhhhh ... yea, losing the title and wanting to sell it in the week it takes to get a new one issued ... yea that is very feasible. Sure, all the time, I do it for all 10 I own ... every month ... gimme a break.
Those very very few legit lost title cases sure can get the title, and then sell the bike. I call it a scam and just be done with it. There are too many states that will screw you over if you show up with a story like "the previous owner said it was all legit and he just lost his title" ... and none of them charge more than $10 or take more than 1-2 weeks if you were to get a duplicate of the title.
Paper may be paper, but splitting hairs here, a title isn't made of paper, its made of cloth and fibers just like $ bills are. Without it, your bike is worth more as a paper weight. A few, very very few states are a little lenient with titleless wonders (GA, NH are all I know) but the rest will not let you on the road with any ease.
Cool.
Srinath.

[mikesgs500]

Assuming everything works out with the title, and talking only about the GS500 vs. the SV650 I say go for it.  I recently traded my GS500 in for an 02 SV650S and I have no regrets, it's a fantastic bike with lots of torque that pulls nicely in any gear and handles very well.  It doesn't feel as strained on the interstate as the GS and it is still able to run on 87 octane and get 50+mpg. 

[makenzie71]

No title = 33% of the value.  That's not "33% off", that's to say it's only worth 1/3.  That means if you pay the $3000 you jewed him down to, then you're over paying by $2000.  Just so you know.

[nightrider]

The guy seemed straightforward about it. Corporate pilot, seemingly straightlaced, saw his home, family, etc. I agreed to meet at DMV, he had registration in his company's name, DMV clerk registered it in my name and told me the title would show up in the mail.

Worst case scenario, I will go back to his house with my bulgarian friend who works in porn. We will stand outside brandishing dildos until he comes back out and gives me my money.

It didn't start up very easily. Could be cause I put some choke on and it was warm, more likely he was right about the battery being dead. Im going to go work on it now. Put some engine cleaner in to hopefully stop the sputter, clean and lube chain, adjust levers, bars, charge batt. More later.

Oh btw, a little surprise, this bike doesn't come with a centerstand. wtf!? I thought he took it off, but apparently this is kind of common with bikes now. What is the world coming to?

[bucks1605]

looks awesome, really clean! Is that an aftermarket pipe? congrats on the new bike. 

[CBR JOCKEY]

very nice transition from GS to SV.....you'll love the power and torque.   

[spc]

Shoulda gotten a Duc.  Same great torque and power with 37.6x the sex appeal

Seriously though, looks like a sharp little SV.  Try not getting wrecking it.

[nightrider]

Yea it is clean! Even with sputter the powerband is very robust and evenly distributed. I think everything is stock except Givi windshield and a yellow rear shock. When I saw it I was surprised at its good condition, this along with the ride is probably what influenced me to buy it more than anything else. So it sat a bit... better than letting it get thrashed.

Ill be happier when ive gotten to know it a little better and see if it can be trusted mechanically.

Also the seating position is really upright, and the forks seem to go more directly downward than the GS500F, this makes for some awkward turns at first, I feel like I'm on one of those old retro bicycles. But its a good bike.

More later I guess...

terry u have a mac? this is very revealing. 

[spc]

Just remember, no more getting hit.  That shaZam!'s not funny.

[yamahonkawazuki]

terry maybe 36.5 times the sex appeal, but also many more times maintenance cost 

[spc]

I've actually found a guy who knows the Desmo system and is willing to teach me.  He does most of the 'out of warranty' high end stuff on the island.  Aside from the valves this model doesn't really have any known service issues. It is actually one of the more reliable Duc's of the era.

[ohgood]

Shoulda gotten a Duc.  Same great torque and power with 37.6x the sex appeal

Seriously though, looks like a sharp little SV.  Try not getting wrecking it.

hey spcterry - i see you're a stellarium nut - cool, but what's that 'castle' looking booger icon up next to the time machine one ?

cool, now i know one more person that's a little 'off' on the gstwins board

me:
oclvppc:~ kylepeterson$ uname -a
Darwin oclvppc.local 9.2.0 Darwin Kernel Version 9.2.0: Tue Feb  5 16:15:19 PST 2008; root:xnu-1228.3.13~1/RELEASE_PPC Power Macintosh

[TonyKZ1]

Looks like a nice bike, sure hope you get the title problems worked out. Oh and the castle icon, next to the time machine icon, is the virus barrier icon, one of the more popular anti-virus programs. I run it also.
Tony

[spc]

Yeah, I've actually become pretty fond of that anti-virus program, seems to run pretty fast and unobtrusively.

I believe it was you who posted the Stellarium link,  ohgood. I figured I'd take a look, it's a very interesting program and I've had fun with it.

I love my Mac, I can't imagine life back on a PC.  Anyone see the conference giving a teaser of the new iPhone software??  Some of the games they're working on are truly incredible.

[505]

nice bike. just dont wheelie the sv.