Hello guys,

Well I was asked how my SV compared to my gs.. and well let me just talk about what happened today..

So I got home after a long day of studying and working in a cleanroom.. I needed a nice break and decided to go for a quick spin on my bike. I texted all my friends to see if they wanted to go riding and since no one answered, I decided to go on the SV. As I pulled out of the garage, there was no need to play with the choke, just flip the switch, let the gas get pumped and turn it on. Let the automatic idle get all set up and let the bike engine warm up to 100F before heading out. As I ride, I notice people looking at me as I ride by and I wave to many other bikers on the road. I pull up to a Ducati, and we ride for a few lights together before heading our separate ways.  Before I go on, the bike is a 2006 SV650S, with every single aspect of the bike stock, so riding is pretty quiet. As I start riding on streets that are pretty empty, I do a couple of quick launches to the speed limit to feel the pull of the bike. Yep, I still lose my breath on some of the pulls, it makes riding the bike exciting! As I wonder how this bike will fare with my cousins new ZX-6R, I just smile and think, well at least now I can keep up with him.. The SV needs new tires so I dont make any quick turns and just ride around the city for an hour or so. Since the bike is halfway faired, it has the upper fairing, the wind is kept off me and even doing 70mph I dont feel the wind. After getting tired of sitting on the bike I decide to go home, and wonder if the purchase of the bike was worth it, since I didnt feel like it was much faster, heck the GS was a hoot to ride. As I get home, I decide oh hell, lets take the GS for a ride to keep the battery good. 

So I pull out the GS and adjust the choke and turn on the bike.. As it idles for a min or 2, I decide to head out. After sitting on the SV in a much lower position, the GS feels funny sitting straight up. As I throttle to get moving, the bike is really loud, I guess the Vance and Hines full exhaust is a bit louder than I was expecting.. um.. If you think your GS is fun to ride, jump on a bigger bike and then go back to the GS. Haha, I realised the SV is much faster than I expected and I must be used to the speed except at higher accelerations. As I was riding around the city at a much "faster" pace, I could feel the rear tire slip every once in a while in a turn. I think I was smiling on my whole quick trip on the GS. And let me tell you another thing, a few days ago I was shopping for a seat for the GS to cut apart and add gel to it but after riding the SV, the GS was SO comfortable! Near my house, the streets are empty and the speed is 55 so as I floored it a few times, the GS would scream and go forward. Yep, the SV is much faster than I am noticing. As I pull up to the garage I realize, I need to keep both bikes..

I dont have the money to keep both. Unless I can find a side job that can pay for them both.. If anyone has a job where I can work a few hours a day for something not too bad, I would gladly be interested! I am in the Albuquerque area and am a grad student.

Highlighted comparisons

SV
Faster
lean forward when sitting (I like the new seating arrangement but after a few hours its not as comfortable)
Many more waves by girls/bikes.
Feel more comfortable turning with a bigger rear tire
no worries about carbs.
digital speedometer
digital temp (Side note: I felt much hotter on the SV than the GS, no wind blowing on me because of the fairings.. )
quiet. (Not good, want people to know I am around for safety)
modifications are expensive compared to GS

GS
Comfortable riding position
slower but still can be a good commuter.
have to fiddle with choke. not good.
cheap to fill up (not really fair because I havent filled a full tank on the SV yet, but I know it wont get as good mileage)
Cheaper to modify.

If anyone else wants me to compare certain aspects of the bikes, please feel free to ask. If you have a side job, PM me. (my background is electrical engineering but I can learn other things if you show me)

I get new tires on the SV Friday hopefully, and Ill tell everyone how that goes.. I got the conti road attacks..  mmmm!
 

man im gana have to get my brother to let me ride his sv i want to check this out for myself

Quote from: shuluke on August 12, 2008, 11:11:36 PM

quiet. (Not good, want people to know I am around for safety)

A complete fallacy. Unless you put in a pipe that fires forward, all you do is annoy people where you've already been. A loud pipe is not a safety feature, but it sure does encourage the general public to support anti-motorcycle legislation.

...also, it helps make you deaf. ..I SAID ALSO, IT HELPS MAKE YOU...OH, NEVERMIND.

Interesting comparison and it's good that you have both bikes to ride back-to-back like that.

I recently bought a used 2005 GS500E having previously owned a brand new 2006 GSF650S Bandit. Both bikes are nice, but the Bandit was an inline 4 and had considerably more power. The riding position on the Bandit was a bit too leaned forward and I installed a set of SW-Motech risers that moved the bars up and back one inch for a more relaxing ride. The seat was reasonably comfortable, exhaust was quiet and the ride very pleasant. The half fairing helped keep the wind blast down a bit and protected the digital instrument cluster.

With my GS500, there is less raw horsepower and no half fairing but aside from that the riding experience is just as much fun as compared to the Bandit. The GS500 cost less than half the price I sold the Bandit for and I don't believe I've lost too much with the switch. Some will say that I've "dumbed down" but when you consider factors such as price and insurance I've definitely saved money while not really losing any of the riding fun. I can still cruise at 120 kph on the highway and the lighter GS500 is much more nimble in town.

Thanks for the write up and the good comparison btn the two bikes. From what I've read over on the SVRider site you'll love those new road attack tires.
Tony

Well it was hot in ABQ yesterday afternoon and I'm glad to have no fairing or I would have melted.

One thing I am not comfy with on my GS is the front suspension. Soon to get progressives, but in the mean time how did the SV compare to the GS in that arena?

I walked by an SV in a parking lot the other day and thought it to be a smaller bike than the GS, is that an illusion due to the handlebars or are they really different sizes?

Quote from: DoD#i on August 13, 2008, 04:27:26 AM

Quote from: shuluke on August 12, 2008, 11:11:36 PM

quiet. (Not good, want people to know I am around for safety)

A complete fallacy. Unless you put in a pipe that fires forward, all you do is annoy people where you've already been. A loud pipe is not a safety feature, but it sure does encourage the general public to support anti-motorcycle legislation.

...also, it helps make you deaf. ..I SAID ALSO, IT HELPS MAKE YOU...OH, NEVERMIND.

I totally understand where your coming from and it makes sense, but I am telling you when I ride the gs, people look in their mirrors and see me. People either slow down and let me pass them or speed up so I am usually alone. On the SV, I am always trying to make a spot for myself on the road all by myself. Also here in New Mexico, many ride with their windows down, and I would think they could hear me even if I was behind them.

Quote from: birdman on August 13, 2008, 07:13:07 AM
Well it was hot in ABQ yesterday afternoon and I'm glad to have no fairing or I would have melted.

One thing I am not comfy with on my GS is the front suspension. Soon to get progressives, but in the mean time how did the SV compare to the GS in that arena?

I walked by an SV in a parking lot the other day and thought it to be a smaller bike than the GS, is that an illusion due to the handlebars or are they really different sizes?

haha! Thats why I ride 7pm and later these days.. Full gear and even if its cloudy its still pretty warm. I totally forgot to touch upon the point of springs but the SV is much stiffer. I got scared for a second on the GS when I needed to stop rather quickly.. The front leaned in so much, I now know why people are upgrading to progressives. As for sizes, with the bikes parked next to each other, they are really similar in length. I havent checked width, but I would assume the SV looks bigger because of tire/fairing. maybe it was the handlebars? Ill take pictures today if I get the chance to ride my babies! (good camera pictures. )

My questions:

How smooth is each engine?
How flickable is each bike?
Do you notice either being more stable on the freeway?

For the record, I also plan on replacing my GS with an SV650s.  I'll probably get rearsets that lower the pegs (and then add Buell Lightning pegs if I want any more legroom), and get bar risers and comfortable touring bars.

No no no no.......not SV, SS........750ss, 900ss.
Aftermarket is insane(ly expensive), old people always stop and stare when I park it in a fire lane or on the sidewalk and parts that would only cost you $20 for a GS cost $60.

On the plus side, the V-twin noise is f%$king addictive, on demand power is very nice thing, there's no high quite like twisting your wrist coming out of a serious sweeper and your front end going light, and old people that drive seriously sick cars stop to admire your bike.   Now back to saving for the $2300 FBF piston kit....

How smooth is each engine?How flickable is each bike?Do you notice either being more stable on the freeway?

Both engines are smooth I think. Some spots on the gs have no pull but everyone complains about that. The sv always has pull.

Haven't really flicked the sv due to needing new tires. Will address after that's been changed.
As for stability questions I will tell you what I feel and you can decide. Both bikes feel good on the free way. I can ride both and not worry if my bike will make a turn or if its shaking too hard.. The sv cuts the wind out a lot! On the gs I am comfortable riding on the highway but I expect the wind to push me around a bit. Knowing that, I feel fine on the gs. But on the sv doing 80 is like doing 40 on the gs. Not many vibrations and low wind. I will get in trouble on the sv I just know it!

Shuluke

nice thread.  thanks for the info and comparison. Im thinking about a sv650 or maybe a sv1000.  I can save a lot of money by choosing a 650 but I like the idea of the power of a 1000. 

I guess Ill have to find a sv to try and ride.