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Yamaha Virago XV535 1993 or Suzuki Sv650s ABS 2008 for a first bike

Yamaha Virago XV535 1993 or Suzuki Sv650s ABS

3K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  rdorud 
#1 ·
Hello motorcycle community. I am a new rider, just got my license a month ago and i am looking to get my first motorcycle and would like to have your experienced opinion on the matter.
A little bit about myself so maybe you could assist me better.
I am 31 and live in Germany. a Motorcycle for me would be for commuting in the city on a daily basis ( when the sun shines which is not as often as i would hope to ) and maybe for short trips on highways , 1-2 hour max highway trips. plus a passenger is going to be often with me on board.
I find both Cruisers/choppers and Sportsbike categories really nice, but somehow my heart always lands on the cruiser. my budget is low and it s about 2000 Euros. I Stumbled upon 2 bikes from 2 different categories and maybe you could assist me with the purchase choice.
1- Suzuki Sv650s 2008 with ABS. I did my research and everyone loves this bike. all agree that if you purchase the bike you are going to keep it for at least few yeas and it s a joy for beginners and for experienced riders. and the fact that it has ABS is a huge plus. The problem is i am at an age where i just want to cruise , and speed is not really something i am looking for and i know that with the seating position, i am going to automically drive more agressevily.

2- Yamaha virago XV 535 1993. a little modified into a bobber but still 2 seats. the looks of it speaks to me more and my heart goes to a cruiser. but it has no ABS which is something i dont think is good especially in emergencies. a lot of people have told me to start on the suzuki beause with it i can learn more stuff than on the virago.

What do you guys think. follow my brain and get the newer sportier bike with ABS ? or follow my heart and get the older bike with no abs when both of them cost me the same. Mileage on both is about 30000Km
 
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#4 ·
Germany is very strict with TUV inspections are they not?
I would not want to be trying to put a license plate on a bobber modified anything in Germany.
Yes it is very strict, but the bike had everything registered and got the new Tüv in august 2021 , now the bike has 2 years until the next tüv. But thank you for your advice
 
#11 ·
The SV650 is a great bike.

The little Yamaha is laughable and was 1 step up from their 250 trainer bike.

ABS for a new rider and even experienced rider's is very important although opinions vary.

Welcome to a great Forum.

Sam:)
 
#13 ·
I'd be amazed if you can't get a good deal on a K model BMW and they are a really nice all around motorcycle. I've had my K100RS since new in 1986 and love it, it's my go far bike of choice and they work reasonable good in traffic and low speed as well as autobahn. K bikes sell very reasonable priced as used where I live, ymmv. The K75 triple is mostly parts interchangeable with the K100 4-cylinder, K75 is better for urban, K100 is better on the autobahn.
 
#15 ·
Come on, all us old-timers started riding on 350's or less, and we all had a blast. Why do new riders need anything more than that as a first bike? And why are we recommending big bikes. On another forum a similar question as to "what should I get as a first bike"? Several replied getting a used Gold Wing or some other huge bike. Really?
 
#16 ·
I couldn't agree more. I had a blast on my Virago, and like I said, it was light, easy to handle and a fun little bike. Had I not had issues with it I'd probably still have it. Had a gone for something bigger, I think I would have been in way over my head. Start slow, find a good used smaller bike and ride a lot of parking lots getting the hang of Uturns and stuff like that.
 
#18 ·
I have to agree with the others. The SV 650 is a great first bike. I would think for that price, if you want a cruiser, you should be able to find a Yamaha V Star 650. They should be no more expensive than the SV and give you the cruiser look you want. Plus it is newer so parts will be easier to get. Viragos were good but I wasn't a huge fan of the couple I rode. An 800 Suzuki Intruder if your more into a chopper look. That motor is bombproof. I worked part time in a motorcycle shop and the head mechanic said in 10 years of that motor at that time, they never had to open on up.
 
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