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SV650 opinions?



Blondie here looked at SV650 and 650S yesterday, both '99 models. I know
a few posters and lurkers have had them. Opinions please?

I'm minded to recommend the unfaired version if anything. The "S" had
rather low bars and the fairing is mainly cosmetic. A small screen on
the basic model would offer more protection and it's a lot cheaper when
it falls of the stand.
I had one and loved it. Ben Sales and Ginge have also had them, IIRC.

It was the S model, which has slightly taller gearing. They are geared
well to make the most out of the performance, and are wonderfully
confidence insipiring.

Highlights were the 150ish miles to a tank, or 110 if you took it on a
trackday, BT010s were the tyre of choice (BT020s lasted about 9,000
miles, Avon 45/46 lasted longer than I kept it, but neither were quite
as good at the 010s). Easy enough to service (with a helpful mate).

Prone to carb-icing in the nastiest bits of winter. There is a carb
heater fitted, but the temp switch is mounted above the engine, so not
terribly helpful. Later models were FI.

manual could be arranged from a helpful source.
Wot 'e sed.

The S model has the lower clip-on bars, and higher pegs giving it a
more sporty riding position. Personally, I think it looks much better
than the unfaired which looks half-finished.

Apparently it got a comfortable pillion seat.

Can't really think of anything bad about it really.
Well she did it today finally after looking at an immaculate 600
Thundercat (so clean I wanted it), a minted Hornet (I wanted that too)
and both red and black SV650S's.

The slightly less clean SV won the day.
# It just seemed to ride better.
# it is the One True Colour

It only needs a stainless bolt kit and a left side fairing panel
(average quality re-spray job) to be just so. 1999 with 17k.
Fairing sides are cheaper to replace then respray. I got one for a
friend's and it cost her 125 quid.
It's been resprayed, badly, by the previous owner. Replacement is what
it needs now.


It's quite surprising what can be had for 1 to 2 grand just now. The red
one had Macadams fitted, fairly new but I suspect they alone are
responsible for making the red one feel poor, no wet grip either.
Well, I was thinking of somewhere slightly closer to home, but always
good to have a backup.
It's a .pdf actually.
Oh FFS. Woosh of the year award.

What am I missing here?
Christofire's kind offer to supply a printed manual to the OP?
Ok ok ok.