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SV650 good beginner bike?

17K views 31 replies 23 participants last post by  BikeCycleMan 
#1 ·
Hey all. I'm new to the motorcycle world, but have been doing my research. I've learned that it's not a good idea for a beginner rider to buy a big 1000cc machine as his first bike.

One bike that interests me is the SV650... would this be a good first bike, or is it too much? I do have some experience on 2 wheels as I've been riding a 150cc scooter for a while now, but I'd imagine the scooter is a MUCH different experience than the motorcycle.

Another bike I'm considering is the Kawasaki Ninja 650r. I believe it's comparable to the SV650, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with either bike, and believe that one is superior to the other.

Thanks for your help.
 
#2 ·
Both bikes would be ok started bikes, keep in mind that these are street bikes and they will go very very fast, very very quickly. I am biased to suzuki's since I own one of them, but the ninja's are good bikes too. Go sit on both of them and see what you think
 
#3 ·
What Rex said. I own a SV 650S so of course am partial to them ....but they are both good bikes.

Borderline beginner bikes; better choice than an inline 4 or full on race replica, but a bit on the powerful side. If you have a lot of trouble with the friction zone and braking, or difficulty learning throttle control (like in the MSF) you might want to start out smaller. They are terrific bikes though, and you won't outgrow them. Plenty of power for highway use or carrying a passenger later if you want.

Check out [URL="http://www.svrider.com"]http://www.svrider.com[/URL] for alot of great FAQS on the SV. This is a website devoted to the SV. SVs have a huge cult-like following all over the world, and are very popular in other countries. It's really a fun do-it-all kind of bike.
 
#6 ·
It's both true and not true. The naked version of the SV650 and the Kawi 650R are fairly upright seating. The sport version of the SV 650... was the SV650S but now its the SV650F (I think) has clip ons and you are more forward, though not as aggressive as say a GSXR.
 
#7 ·
i was a beginner when i got my sv650.
i love the way nakid bikes look. also when you fell, there are less plastic to repair (it could get expensive).
it's a great bike and a lot of parts you can use to make the way you like.
there are many helpfull guys and gals at svrider.com like hsarteacher, and there are so much info you can hardly catch up.
have fun
 
#11 ·
the sv650 has the same engine chasis as the bandit- i got a bandit for my first bike and love it- cant see myself getting bord of it in the next few years! I wa 'scared' for the first couple of weeks after I got it but now its fine! great acceleraton and puts a big grin on your face every time- I also find it fine for motorways and wouldnt want anything smaller!
 
#13 ·
Yep that is correct NickT. The SV650 looks sweet with a full fairing, but that exhaust sound is just not to my liking. The inline 4's make such a sweet sound with a nice aftermarket muffler. I put a Leo Vince on my 600 Bandit and it sounded great. Sounded even better when I took the silencer out! It's pretty loud when going through an area that has walls around you, but it screams performance. It was the exact sound I was looking for. I now have the sound of a GSXR600 without all the added horsepower.
 
#16 ·
My self I bought a 2000 sv650s, as my first bike, I didn't and still don't find the throttle response extreme.... I find that the power is very smooth and pulls through all rpms, and is forgiving with the throttle in the corners.... it is light and super maneuverable....I think it is a great starter bike, I love the bike and the vtwin engine has great torque, but it won't blow you out of the saddle.... I don't think I would want to carry a passenger, I took my wife once on it and she kept sliding forward and squishing my balls on the tank!!!
 
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