yes, buy the sv. BUT:

keep the gs until you're certain you love the sv. finding another reliable bike is a real challenge sometimes, especially to replace one you've grown to know/love.

the sv will not be forgiving of newbie mistakes like the gs is. it can high/low side, when the gs would most likely not. it's brakes are capable of stoppies much more easily, or washing the front end too.

as far as 'keeping up with i-4's" i don't think you'll find any problems with that on the sv. ever.

if you have to sell the gs to buy the sv, ok, sure. just see if you can get some seat time from a friend on his/her sv before you do. the ergonomics and power may be too different for you to relax and/or enjoy the new ride.

the only day i don't regret selling my gs is the day i have the carb off my drz for something.

Trust ohgood on that one and do try to get some seat time on any bike you are considering.  I have an SV and it is definitely not the best bike I have ever owned.

-Jessie

The GS is like the girl next door you should have married. Get it running right, then decide.

My advice, get it running right and enjoy it then move on. So many bikes, so little time. Don't ride a bike that does not run right.

I'm back here thinking of another GS. 1993 on Boston CL is appealing.  I sold my 40hp 2004 two years ago.

I have 2001 SV naked and 2003 SV naked in garage. The 2001 is the better bike to me, the 2003 will be sold in spring. 2001 stays. Fast enough is well, fast enough. 2001 is prettier and friendlier.

The 2003 SV is a 65hp bike. 2001, 60hp. Both feels like 2x the power compared to GS.  Both start right up in the ice cold, stall once, restart.

2003 takes a while to warm up just like yours, but runs better ice-cold. It needs basically every mod the GS needs. There are more to do for he SV, more support out there, so it may be seen to need more.

FI requires equal to more maintenance than your carbs. Check out V-strom fuel pump filter mod. And TPS sensor adjustments. Sync issues are equal or more.

Your GS needs one fast pass at the carbs, if its stock. Do it before you let it go. Enjoy it.

Your 600 friends are riding mid size bikes. Some think of them as entry level. If you want to go fast buy a BMW S1000RR. Or, if you can't afford that, get a used GSXR1000 or R1 and stomp them.  Don't do that without track riding training.

Then again you may see this all different than me. And finding out is half the fun. 

My next bike may be another GS, could be ST2, or Burgman 650.

Quote from: johnny ro on January 31, 2012, 08:39:39 PM


Your 600 friends are riding mid size bikes. Some think of them as entry level. If you want to go fast buy a BMW S1000RR. Or, if you can't afford that, get a used GSXR1000 or R1 and stomp them.  Don't do that without track riding training.

Are we encouraging people to be squids on this site now? How about don't do it without track riding training and do it on the track?

what "I" don't understand is how fast is your friends riding? GS500 can go 100mph all day, as long as it has oil.. so the hell?! tbh, I found someone to ride with for a short time, he would ride like 4 feet behind cars, going like 45mph... I would just sit back my 2 second/4 second rule. and sometimes.. hope the car in front of him would slam the brakes. Bad thing to hope on someone, but the lack of brain in that kid. Really just got under my skin.

Quote from: J_Walker on February 01, 2012, 12:08:23 AM
what "I" don't understand is how fast is your friends riding? GS500 can go 100mph all day, as long as it has oil.. so the hell?! tbh, I found someone to ride with for a short time, he would ride like 4 feet behind cars, going like 45mph... I would just sit back my 2 second/4 second rule. and sometimes.. hope the car in front of him would slam the brakes. Bad thing to hope on someone, but the lack of brain in that kid. Really just got under my skin.

You don't have to hope it. It will happen not if but when.

I would think a major factor in the decision is the condition of the SV.  It could be a good deal, or it could be the guy's selling it cause it has issues.  But you just gotta decide whether you like riding your current bike or not.  If you're happy with the bike regardless of your friends, keep it and enjoy riding it.  If you're bored with the GS and wanna try something different, buy the SV.

Quote from: J_Walker on February 01, 2012, 12:08:23 AM
what "I" don't understand is how fast is your friends riding? GS500 can go 100mph all day, as long as it has oil.. so the hell?!

The GS can go 100mph in 6th gear almost topped out, with barely any acceleration left. A lot of 600s will hit 100 in 2nd gear, and still pull hard right past it. It's not the same. If his friends got on the highway and just rode at 100mph for miles, which I'm not encouraging, yes he could keep up very uncomfortably. If his friends ride around on open roads and go back and forth in spirts from 65mph up to 110mph and back down depending on their surroundings, which is the more realistic scenario, they'll lose him the first time they hit the gas. They'll go from 65 to 100 in the blink of an eye while his bike is still trying to get past 80. Again, I'm not saying his aspiration should be to buy a faster bike just to go mess around on the highway, but if that's what his friends do, the GS isn't going to keep up just because it's possible to get to 100. My truck will also do 115mph, but you're not going to see me keeping up with many sportbikes while I'm in it.

I have a new reason to like the GS500: Apparently, it also functions as an "Insane friends" filter.
Excellent!

Quote from: Phil B on February 02, 2012, 04:39:06 PM
I have a new reason to like the GS500: Apparently, it also functions as an "Insane friends" filter.
Excellent!

Haha, seriously. I've made much nicer friend in the GS/buell crowd than I did in the general sportbike crowd. I didn't mind putting on a helmet and riding around, but I always dreaded when everyone wanted to stop at a sports bar to get something to eat. I'd just sit there thinking "I like these guys so much more when they have helmets on and we're not talking" hahaha

I rode with the local sportbike crew for a while and most of them were a bunch of self-absorbed know-it-all jackasses. If I had a superbike or supersport I would look for people on Buells or GS500's to ride with.

Quote from: J_Walker on February 01, 2012, 12:08:23 AM
what "I" don't understand is how fast is your friends riding? GS500 can go 100mph all day, as long as it has oil.. so the hell?! tbh, I found someone to ride with for a short time, he would ride like 4 feet behind cars, going like 45mph... I would just sit back my 2 second/4 second rule. and sometimes.. hope the car in front of him would slam the brakes. Bad thing to hope on someone, but the lack of brain in that kid. Really just got under my skin.

I'm sitting on 70-85 all day. I dont wanna go 100mph, i dont see the purpose nor do i want to get caught or go SPLAT.

Jumping on the highway, everyone goes from 20mph to 75mph in a blink, while i'm still chuggling along to catch up. The group i hang with aren't exactly speed demons or squids. We all gear up and are fairly new but everyone is on cbr 600rr or older gsxr750. Both have least double my HP. I dont chase or ride beyond my skill but they have to wait for me at times.

I dont know of a GS/buell crew around chicago. If i did i would hang with them.



I went to see that SV, it was beaten up. So i passed it up. But i can find a nice one for around $4000. Maybe i will keep my GS for one more season.

Quote from: LEMON8 on February 03, 2012, 05:19:54 PM
...

Jumping on the highway, everyone goes from 20mph to 75mph in a blink, while i'm still chuggling along to catch up. The group i hang with aren't exactly speed demons or squids. We all gear up and are fairly new but everyone is on cbr 600rr or older gsxr750. Both have least double my HP. I dont chase or ride beyond my skill but they have to wait for me at times.

hate to contradict ya, but seems like they must be "speed demons or squids".

If all they do is accelerate quick to get on the freeway or some such, then go at normal speeds, you should have no difficulty going 5mph over "normal" for 30 seconds to catch up to them. There should be no waiting involved, if that's really "all" they do.

When else are they going to be doing 20mph-75mph bursts, if they're not "speed demons or squids" ?

hint: being a bunch of cool talking guys, does not make them any less squidly.

Good for you for walking away.  There are always good deals to be had if you are patient.  And even if you want the bike, don't be afraid to walk away.  Sometimes that is the way you get a great deal.  And even if it doesn't work that time, there will always be another.  I got my '06 SV a few years ago ('09-ish) from the original owner for $3000.  She had bought it and only rode it for 2 seasons before losing interest.  It sat to the point it had a dead battery.  She told me it was running till the battery died and she thought it had about 5,000 miles on it.  We struck a deal tentative on the fact that I'd buy a battery for it so I could hear it run before I gave her the cash (SV batteries are not easily accesible to jumpstart).  Stuck a battery in it and it fired up.  No bad noises, no smoke, and only 1,200 miles on the clock.  Sold!  The RC51 was a similiar situation.  The seller wanted $4000.  Went to see it, offered $2500 and he declined. it.  Get a call 10  minutes after I left, "I talked to my wife, would you give me $2,650 for it?"  Sold!

Not bragging, just giving 2 examples.  I could give you more.  If you have cash on hand when a deal pops up and you are willing to walk away, you are in a great bargaining position   

-Jessie

Quote from: BaltimoreGS on February 03, 2012, 06:30:00 PM
  The RC51 was a similiar situation.  The seller wanted $4000.  Went to see it, offered $2500 and he declined. it.  Get a call 10  minutes after I left, "I talked to my wife, would you give me $2,650 for it?"  Sold!

You got an RC51 for $2650?! son of a Buddha Loves You! I wouldn't even expect to find one around here for less than $5000-6000. I would love to have one of those bikes, even a crashed one haha.

Seriously though, being patient is your best friend. Keep a constant eye on craigslist, know your price limit and stick to it. Just keep looking and something good will pop up. I see R1s listed for $2500-2800, and various other things, and of course they're never where when you've got the cash in hand, but deals like that always come eventually.

"Right place at the right time" applies but I would add "with the right resources."  Money talks so cash on hand is key.  That RC51 was a steal.  It had been wrecked in the past but was repaired.  The paint on the tank had spider webbed and when you looked at it close you could tell it wasn't symmetrical (body filler).  The bike looked good at 10 feet and ran great.  It even came with a new set of tires.  The guy selling it also had a sweet Buick Grand National in the garage.  One of the reasons he sold so cheap is he didn't like the idea of having a bunch of strangers coming to his house.  The ergonomics were horrible on that RC51 for street riding so that love affair was short.  The other good thing about buying things cheap is you can usually re-sell it for a profit.  Like you said, RC51's sell for $5,000     I bet I could still sell my SV for what I paid for it in the spring.

-Jessie

I bought my xb9 for $3200(3600 after taxes, title and all of that), and resold it for $3700 with 6k more miles haha. I always buy things cheap and just make my money back later. I used to be on a constant rotation of bicycles and that hobby completely paid for itself. It's much easier with those though because you don't have to deal with titles and taxes.

I know the ergos on the RC51 are supposed to be awful, but I like naked bikes, so when i think about riding one I picture some dirtbike bars and maybe some lower pegs. Toss on some bicycle shorts and I'd be good for a few hours of riding.

The dual radiators look really cool on that bike when you have the fairings off.

-Jessie

Haha, I was actually gonna say the only drawback to a naked RC51 would be the random radiators hanging out on the sides. I've seen them painted black, and they don't look all that bad, but I'm not sure how good it is for them to be covered in a layer of paint. You could also come up with air scoop/shrouds to cover them, either buell 1125 or cb1000r style to partially cover them. I think I'd try to just replace them completely with one bigger one up front.

Hate this thread!!!   
got me lookin around at SV650s again lol (my fav. sport bike)

if your still looking, I came across a site that seems similar to this one while I was browsing around at SV650s for sale.
http://www.svrider.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=33

I only looked at the for sale section and seen lots of SV650s.
def. bookmarked for my own purposes if I get another bike anytime soon.