Suzuki SV650 or Suzuki GSR600? Thoughts/Comments

[tussey]

Suzuki SV650 or Suzuki GSR600?

[NF11624]

Do you want a stupidly fast, fairly expensive, somewhat ugly (IMO) detuned GSXR, or an SV?

Personally I would go with the SV because I prefer the looks more.  I prefer the faired versions of both though (though the naked SV looks pretty good).  But go for whichever makes more sense for you (financially, riding style).   

[tt_four]

They don't sell the gsr600 in the US do they? If none of the rest of us can have one, I don't see why you should be allowed to have one! I don't really know what the better option is. The sv definitely has a reliable reputation and is a fun bike, but the gsr is probably faster. Which type of motor do you think sounds better? I imagine the handling and seating position are fairly similar.  

Oh, and for what it's worth to you, the sv looks a lot better.

[vtlion]

Does the GSR have a credible race-tuned suspension?  If so, get it over the SV.  I've posted this about a million times on the forum already, but I'll say it again:

The only serious fault in the SV650 design is that pitiful, unadjustable, parts-bin, outdated (read: damper-rods) front suspension. 

If I had the time and the tools, I would get the SV, lift it right out of its shoes and drop it into a GSXR suspension.  It looks like maybe the GSR comes close to that (assuming they went with a reasonable suspension design).

[vtlion]

never mind.  I just discovered that that GSR has what looks to be the same oil-damped suspension as the SV (I'm trusting Wikipedia here, so verify this for yourself).  In that case, get the SV.  The V-twin power is more fun and applicable at sane speeds around town, and after a while you will be doing a fork upgrade no matter which bike you buy!

[tt_four]

Are you actually debating buying one of these bikes, or is this just for conversations sake? After initially reading this hours ago, I came back to out my vote on the SV. None of the current 600c inline 4 naked bikes really do anything for me. It doesn't even seem like manufactures try with them. The SV is one bike that I'd say is an exception to that, because it has a ton of character. If you want a 600 inline4, I say get the triumph, just don't tell anyone I told you to buy a european bike!

Seriously though, if you're leaning towards the gsr, the correct answer to this question is to buy a gsxr and trade in the fairings for a round headlight and some riser bars, and call it a day.

[ineedanap]

If you want a 600 inline4, I say get the triumph, just don't tell anyone I told you to buy a european bike!

Do they still make an inline 4?

[tt_four]

Do they still make an inline 4?

Oh, no they don't! You caught me not paying attention at all. It's a triple, but I think it probably still feels more like a 4 than the twin. You could still get a speed4 if you're not opposed to used bikes, because it would eat either of those suzukis alive, with everything aside from japanese reliability at least. It even had a fully adjustable suspension if I remember right, which I know was the topic of discussion a couple of posts back.

[ohgood]

i voted sv, but only because we (US) don't get to try the gsr.

[simon79]

We can get both but I cast my vote on the SV anyway.
Plus, chances are you could get (more) good deals on a new SV, now that the Gladys its taking its place.

[tt_four]

We can get both but I cast my vote on the SV anyway.
Plus, chances are you could get (more) good deals on a new SV, now that the Gladys its taking its place.

I'm still confused about that whole situation. They said the gladius was supposed to be the SV replacement, but the SV is still on the website. Maybe they were being smart and thought they'd hold on to the SV until they knew how much people liked the gladius. I wouldn't be surprised if they stopped selling the gladius before they stopped selling the SV.

They should've just dropped the SV engine into a steel trellis frame, slightly redesigned the tank, gave it a smaller tail and called it a day, but that's not what this thread is here for.

[Mauricio]

Now we are talking... 

SV all the way. With an SV the sky is the limit, really.



That's on stock pistons, stock compression. And there are a gazillion ways to fix the so-so suspension.

[The Buddha]

SV is aluminum frame. I like that. Dont like V twin, but then again dont like the 4's either.
Whatever you do, dont get that POS gladius. It replaced the naked SV but its well acknowledged as garbage on most SV forums.
650 R ninja is parallel twin but steel frame.
SV1K ... much higher end than a 650 but not much better performance, and not made for many years. But I have a near new one for 5K.
Cool.
Buddha.

[ineedanap]

A 91 horsepower SV650 with stock pistons.  WOW.

[Mauricio]

A 91 horsepower SV650 with stock pistons.  WOW.

Needs a little work. I am going to try to smooth out the dip in the middle with ignition timing and some more dyno time.

[The Buddha]

Wow dude ... and that is the carbed bike I presume. 185 mains ...
Cool.
Buddha.

[Mauricio]

Wow dude ... and that is the carbed bike I presume. 185 mains ...
Cool.
Buddha.

It does have a little less power in stock form, but IMHO it is much easier to tune. I am hardly a tuning superstar, but I "get" jets and needles.

[The Buddha]

With just jets and filters and pipe you go 91 hp ... up from that 60 or so stock. That is huge. 10% is about the maximum. How did it go to 91.
Cool.
Buddha.

[tt_four]

That does sound awesome. That speed four I had I think was listed at 97hp, but that was the manufactures number, so I'm sure the actual power to the wheel was right around your SV. That triumph was a fun bike too, I can't imagine how fun it would've been with the same peak HP out of a v-twin!

[The Buddha]

Mu haha haha haha haha ... I am building a V twin out of a parallel twin ...

I hope to eliminate the crappiness of both ...

XS650 is a 360 degree twin, not a 180 like the GS.

So the key it to make it a 270 twin ... whihc actually takes a lot of $$$ and 2 cranks and a weird ass pin etc etc ...

So I am doing a 277 twin.
Why 277 you ask ... OK Yamaha put a spline with 13 teeth in the crank. That actually holds the 2 halves together.
3 teeth shift on 13 teeth is 83 degrees. So its a 277 crank. If only the idiots at yamaha had put 12 teeth, we'd be sitting pretty wiht a 270 ...
Anyway crank looks like this ... when apart.

http://www.650motorcycles.com/XS277kit.html

Turns out the perfect spot where when 1 piston is stopped the other is flying at maximum speed for the rod length and the stroke of an XS occours at 285 degrees, so that 277 is a perfect average between 270 and 285.

Anyway, I pulled it apart with this technique

http://www.650motorcycles.com/CrankBoltNut.jpg

The thing is going to be refitted in a few days (weather permitting) and cam and ignition will be left for later, cos I am yet to invent the part that will be needed to ignite it.

Anyway I dunno if I'd like the way this "V twin" would feel, but I just wish more parallel twins would take the place of V twins ... cos with 2 heads and 2 cam shafts and 2 valve covers and 2 cam chains and what not they are just complicating things.

BTW I prefer a 180 crank like the GS has to most anythign else. Only my XS cant be a 180 without huge $$$ (100 for the pin and 50 for the second crank I have to sacrifice) but of course doing 180 may eliminate my ignition problems though.

Cool.
Buddha.