[aantionetti]

Hi All,

I came across a 2006 sv650 that is in the same price range as the smaller bikes I have been looking for. Is this too big for a first bike? I would really like to have something that I can enjoy for a long time and not just as a starter bike. I took the MSF course and was very comfortable on the bikes in that class.

advice? I am 95% sold on this one already just from what I have read about it online…

thanks!
J.H.

**UPDATE**
I checked the bike out this weekend. The experts are correct in that it is a jerky/twitchy throttle that would take a beginner (like me) some getting used to. With that exception, it seems the sv650 is an incredible machine. Very light, balanced, great posture. Also, I noted that the throttle was very similar to the TW200 I rode in the MSF class, so it seems like it is something that one can learn.

the only problem was the bike i checked out was really beat up, obviously the previous owners stunted it, so I passed on it, back to square one! thanks for the advice!

[stu]

Well, it aint like the bikes in the MSF class. If you let go of the throttle it will throw you like a bronco. If you grab too much, it will throw you like a bronco. The engine braking is so strong on these bikes. They are twice as big and twice as heavy as the MSF class bikes too.

[eternal05]

In many ways, an SV650 is much easier to ride than a supersport. In otherways, however, it’s about the same. You get basically the same acceleration up to a point (0-60mph is only 0.1 seconds slower in an SV650 than in a GSX-R600), and the brakes are basically same (dual quad-piston calipers and huge rotors). It’s just as top-heavy as a super-sport, and if you get the SV650SF, you get a similarly aggressive riding position.

So…good beginner bike? No, not really. Reasonable bike to start on if you are careful and aware of its potential to end you? Sure. It won’t be as easy to learn on as a smaller, lighter bike, but like you say, it might keep you happy longer, and that’s worth it to some people.

[briderdt]

I’ll echo the “maybe”. My situation is probably different from yours in that I had ridden and raced road bicycles for many years, and already had the kind of built-in “road radar” for traffic hazards. One less thing to have to really THINK about when I was out on the road.

But… The on/off throttle is real — it takes a steady hand. Two things that made a HUGE difference for me was to do the TPS adjustment (go on the canyonchasers.com site and look up the absoultely fantasic instructions for doing this), and adding a Cramp-Buster.

I had ridden my SV a couple times before taking the MSF class. Meaning I bought the bike having never ridden anything in my life. Smart? Not really. I think after taking the class and getting back on my SV, I was second-guessing my decision to start on that bike — it was SO HEAVY!!! But I persevered, and now a year and a half (almost) later I’ve very comfortable on the bike, and have even taken a few trips 2-up. I’m almost to the point of looking seriously for “the next bike”, but I’m not finding anything out there I like as much as the SV.

So back to the question — is it a beginner bike? Depends on you. Be patient with it if you do get it.

[aantionetti]

i will probably go check it out this weekend. yes, is it bigger than what i have been looking for, but it is literally the same price as a ninja250, ninja500, and honda rebel that i was looking at, add to that the great reviews and i am seriously interested.

I checked out the specs online and it seems to physically compare well with the 2008 ninja500 i was looking at but with the nice addition of EFI.

If i get it, will definitely take it slow, thanks for the support!
J.H.

[owlie]

Be sure to take a friend with you who knows bikes. Without really knowing why you are getting a good deal on it, I would be skeptical…

[Gary856]

I’ve been riding for 14 months, almost 13k miles. I ride pretty much 6 days a week, but on 3 different bikes (now 4). If I don’t ride my SV650 for a few days, and just go for a 1/2 hr ride (commute), it feels a little jerky and abrupt. It usually takes about an hour or riding for me to get used to the SV again. You have to be very smooth on the SV, because of its sensitive throttle and the strong engine braking in lower gear. The same traits make the SV a brilliant bike for a more experienced rider. On the other hand, I never have any difficulty on the GS500, because with the lower power it’s simply an easier and more forgiving bike to ride, especially for a beginner.

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