Brilliant stuff. People always discount bikes like this as not having enough performance, but it takes a really high performance car to get the same levels of acceleration, so you really don't need more on the road to have fun.
Exactly .... the SV650 can do 0-60mph in about 3.7 (ish) seconds ... stock ..... there's not much below full on sports cars that can do that without some serious mods. The power to weight ratio of bikes is hard to beat 😉
Every bike I've owned was a lot faster than 95% of cars on the road, and that's including a 17 hp CRF250L. Fact is the vast majority of car drivers are too scared to even floor the accelerator, despite their cars being slow anyway.
@@aluisiousit’s power-to-weight. Most cars are at least 1.2+ tons vs 120kg+ bikes. Then there’s gearing and all that… 7x the weight needs 7x the lower to get started.
very good bike, id say competing with the Suzuki bandit, also good price, performance and its also indestructible. Suzuki have to make some of the best bikes along side triumph
Currently has only one competition wich is the Mt07 But that's all about to change with the new Hornet The sv is definitely better at price The noise sounds similar for all 3 It all goes down to power
I knew nothing about the sv650 the day I sat on it at the dealership. It was a used 2017 with 6k miles. All I knew is that it felt right and was in my budget. Wow did I get lucky. I've since realized there couldn't have been a better bike to fit my needs. I've doubled the mileage in 6 months and am having a blast. Great video. They definitely are fast enough for this 50 year old.
I was thinking the opposite... I get off the line much faster in my Gen 1.... and I know better than to wheelie mine. .. that sv is toast in those hands long
@GaijinGamerGirl stock sv650s can run 11 seconds. i believe him lol, launching a bike is easy if you know how to, and he is right about the wheelies, they will burn the front cylinders at balance point from oil starvation. seems like he knows what he's talking about. not everyone is a content creator nor do they have to prove they know how to launch a bike, just from watching the video you can tell this guy sucks at launching
@@xander4218i agree on that you can probably launch it faster, i cannot but i‘m slow in general. Wheelies this short are bad for accelerating but even on the notorious SV you need longer wheelies to really fry your cylinder
I bought my SV650 in February 2022, and then got rid of my Tenere 700 shortly afterwards, which I don't regret one bit; too top-heavy. The SV650 brings a smile to my face every time I ride it. I've done a few mods, the best being a slip on exhaust, and that 90° V-twin now sounds epic. It's best summed up as a boulevard dragster!
@@soulrebelno1 I’ve had an SV650 and currently have a T7. It all depends on what riding you like. The SV is an absolute blast on windy paved roads and gets the nod there, but the Tenere is almost as fun on pavement and really shines when the pavement ends. I have managed to tip over twice on it 🙃
@@AdventurePiggy You're spot on! Buy a bike that's designed for the job, that suits your needs best, and don't part with your hard-earned cash until you get a demo. I think the Ténéré 700 is a great bike; the CP2 engine is a peach, I loved its road presence, and its load lugging capabilities. I bought my Ténéré 700 during lockdown, I couldn't get a demo, but it had a decent price at the time. But, eventually, I just got fed up with its high centre of gravity, plus the seat tends to force your legs out to the sides. I had a few hairy moments with it, and I'm 6' 2"! Once, during the rush hour, I nearly dropped my bike at the lights, when I put my foot in a pothole on a sunken road - it was very scary! It's no surprise to me that Yamaha have put lower, high capacity dual fuel tanks on the new Ténéré 700 World Raid. To be honest, the bike I really wanted was the Triumph Tiger 900 GT, but you just couldn't get hold of one due to supply problems back then. And, it was the same story at every dealership I rang, very annoying. In the end, I realised the Ténéré 700 wasn't the bike for me. I looked around, and got a fantastic deal on a new SV650. I fitted a Givi rack, I use my Givi boxes when required, and it suits me just fine. Over the last few years, adventure bikes have become very popular, but why buy one if you're never going to go off-road? If I was to go touring, I'd buy something that was road focus, like the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+, or a BMW R 1250 GS. If I was going off-road, I'd look at a lightweight dual sport motorcycle. 👍
That’s the reason you see so many on track. I had a tracked one. 150kg wet. 50:50 weight split. The GSXR 1000’s had me on the straights, but it embarrassed them on the brakes and in the corners. £7k is not cheep though. They were £4,500 when I bought mine. Okay, some years ago, but inflation busting prices increases on everything at the moment.
Fantastic video. Great to see an SV smoke 2 out of 3. Today, just brought home a '23 blue tank, bronze frame. Even with stock exhaust, this thing sounds excellent. Can't wait for warmer spring days!
I love the change from the usual S1000RR or V4 Panigale vs a Ferrari or Lambo, way back in the mid 70s when I started biking it would've been an RD250 or KH250 vs a Cortina or Vauxhall Victor.
I got a V-Strom 1050XT and it's always fun when cars think it's slow because it's an adventure bike. It is slow by bike standards. But it smokes most cars. In fact I have not lost yet. :) Great review. Chris is the most fun RUclipsr to watch in my opinion. Great stuff. Keep it up :)
I used to have similar with my SV1000, except with other bikes - plenty would just discount it as an SV650 'til I was still hanging with them past 100... 🤣
I own a VStrom 650, but not relevant to the fact that every time I swing my leg over it and move off up the road I’m surprised by just how fast a bike is when compared with a car. I don’t know why I don’t loose the impression. Glad that I don’t. Sublime feeling 😊
I had the same experience on my trusty Svartpilen 401. Looks like a 125 but easily smacks every Golf GTI at the lights😂. This thing only had 42hp, abismally slow for a bike
Really impressive starts. I guess with a 2 cylinder with this kind of power it's harder to overdo the start, so maybe easier to launch than bigger more powerful bikes.
Really interesting vid and kudos 👏 to the SV650. Some so-called experts like to put crap on the SV and Suzuki in general, but in reality the SV is still made in Japan so it's got that tried and true Japanese build quality. A little known fact is that Suzuki still builds the majority of its model line-up in Japan with only their 125's and 250s built elsewhere, unlike it's 3 other Japanese brand competitors. Just something the experts "forget" to mention.
well the experts are kind of right though. suzuki is crap in general and the newer SV's while great is still in the shadow of the OG SV650 which is hard to live up to. look att the lineup of bikes suzuki has. most of them are outdated AF and the most popular one is the most overhyped ugly POS bike in the world the busa.
@@keiths7346 MT07 (good bike) is made in Japan. T7 is made in France. Like Suzuki all Yamaha small quads and 125 and 250cc are made in China. I have ridden motorbikes since 1977 and have owned bikes from all 4 Japanese brands. One Kawasaki, more Honda's than any others (4) but the 2 Yamaha's and 3 Suzuki's were completely trouble free. Having owned bikes from all 4 Japanese makes, I can honestly say I'm not brand biased.
@@rampage3337 "Suzuki is crap in general" is a rather sweeping and uninformed statement don't you think, Rampage. How many have you actually owned? I ridden for 45 years and owned bikes from all Japanese brands. One less than memorable Kawasaki with top end problems, 4 Honda's (from my experience the most overrated and underwhelming brand of all) of which bar one (vfr1200f) had really annoying problems like cam chain tensioner troubles, regulator/rectifier and other pia problems, whereas my Yamaha's (2) and Suzuki's (3) had no probs whatsoever.
This video has me all warm and fuzzy and cackling like a teenager. Love it. The underdog of bikes whoopin' up on big bad cars. I've owned 4 SV bikes (last gen) in my time, loved most of them. I'd wager the runs were so close with the Porsche, if you ran a full exhaust from M4 on that bike with an ECU flash, you'd have won those runs. Not to mention reducing bike weight (wheels, 520 chain conversion, other expensive stuff) would have made you that much quicker, probably into the high 11 second quarter. Never the less, your throttle control on launch is SO good. Goes to show how capable a 645cc twin is, with someone who can exploit the machine.
This says it all doesn't it. This is one of the reasons why I love motorcycles. I once bought a 2001 Honda CBR600F (F4i) voor 1900 euro. Crazy performance for under 2k.
i am an experienced rider and have a 2nd gen sv650. No average sport car is a match 0-140kmh for this bike. only cars around 400hp have a chance. topspeed is a different story since after 160kmh it looses most power and tops at around 200kmh
Great to see a simple 650 being that quick. However, let's be honest, the rider makes the difference. Chris is a fabulous rider, I for one would never be and will never be as quick of the line with my bike or any bike for that matter.
Practice makes perfect. Nothing like nailing a launch on a motorcycle, feeling the front wheel hovering millimeters off the ground while dancing between the clutch and throttle... gotta love it.
SV650 was my first bike, excellent engine, forks need stiffer springs and thicker oil and then it's a great handler too. My bike picked up 10HP at the tire from a custom dyno tune, the included power-commander maps were that bad. It was way too lean with no airbox lid/velocity stacks/full system. Pulled all the way to the rev-limiter after then tune! Can't recommend a custom tune highly enough. Great races!
I ride the 2nd gen SV and this video perfectly shows what it can do. It's great at acceleration but tops out just over 100. I have looked at upgrading but this bike does everything I want it to do on the street and the track. Hard to beat the utility of the SV. Great vid
tops out just over 100? Ive done a genuine 130 on my 2017 SV650 and I know from experience that the 2nd gen SV has more top end or is more peppy than the 3rd gen.
@@TheDeceptikron I don't get to 130 but close. I have a slightly taller front tire so the speedo reads slower as well as a shorter sprocket setup (14/47). I don't know that I've seen 120 or above at the track but definitely 1-teens.
The point is after 100 its pretty slow to accelerate. Yes it can do 130. But the passing power at highway speeds isnt amazing. But definitely sufficient.@TheDeceptikron
I've been waiting for this for so long. There's an SV650X for sale near me heavily discounted due to the new model. I'm coming from the world of cars and stuff like this is so useful to help me understand if it's the right bike for me. Thanks and keep it up!
Had mine for almost 3 years now. Great bike that you won't regret purchasing. The highway without a windscreen will be daunting the first few times, but you'll get used to it.
Used to have the previous model SV believe it was 2010 model. Bought at 35k miles, sold at 58k miles over 2 years later with 0 issues. Super reliable and fun to ride those V twins
Good job finding exactly what kind of car it takes to beat an sv650. You need a ton of grip to launch a car like a bike, but the faster you go the less the weight and traction matter and the more aerodynamics and power start to take over, both of witch the 911 has big advantages on.
Bought one two weeks ago as a winter practice bike and I absolutely love it. Cost less than the wheels on my race bike and makes me laugh out loud when I ride it👌
I have one (SV650) and it’s a great overall bike. I raced MX for over 20 years and tried dual sporting but found out they don’t quite do either dirt or street that great for my level of riding. I bought an older 2005 SV650 for a great price and love it. I’ve had it for over 6 years and it was just a short term purchase. The bike owes me nothing and is still a great ride every time I swing a leg over it.
I have a 2007 SV650 that I bought for $1,500. 50k miles and counting. Changed the sprockets for smaller front/larger rear, now there are only a handful of cars that can hang with me off the line. Hoping to do my first track day sometime soon! Great video
Great match ups. My first road bike was a Honda CB1300. I just liked the looks. The sound and the comfort. In a way it was similar to the SV. In that it wasnt renowned for being a fast or expensive bike. The engine was built to last forever with little maintenance. And it had all day comfort for two people apart from no fairing. Well... one day i found myself next to a Porsche GT3. The one with the scaffold inside. This thing was beautiful. Anyway i could see what we were up for. The driver of the Porsche nudged his car forward. And I could hear him bring the revs up. Well the light went green on this closed airfield and I gave the Honda everything. The front end came up just a whisker. The perfect amount for maximum acceleration. Well, I blew him to the weeds. Not kidding. It was no contest. Now dont get me wrong, if I could afford a supercar, a Porsche is really the only major brand that I get excited about. But I was reminded that the CB although no sport bike, it was no slouch either. Now, if we found a race circuit then the roles would be reversed for certain. All good fun. Cheers for the great content.
Agree with earlier comments...loose cat, new air filter, remap, quick shifter and see what the SV can smoke at Santa Pod. VBox data would be interesting as well. I've got the Euro 4 SV, great fun!
I'd like to see you do a multi day tour. I still maintain that as long as you've got the appropriate riding gear for the conditions, you don't really need a big heavy touring bike to have a fun riding holiday.
The SV is such a fun bike. The only problem I ever had with it was the comfort over long distances. It gets uncomfortable after about an hour in the saddle.
@@zyoungson215 I'm pretty sure anyone complaining about them being uncomfortable does not ride very much, otherwise their ass would adapt and it would be comfortable.
I learned this back in 1985 on my 1st bike a 1983 Yamaha XT550. I raced a Corvette from light to light and was killing it. Now days I ride a 1989 Yamaha FZR1000. I think because of the double round headlights people think it is a scooter. 33 years old and still can smoke everything except the 600 plus horsepower cars.
Love mine! Bought it new last May. 2 Wheel Dynoworks flash and full M4 exhaust, 10 extra horses at the top! So even faster than this video. Lovely V Twin growl, torque off the line, but runs hard all the way to red like an inline 4. Extremely comfortable with a Corbin saddle. On the road, she is literally all you need.
That Porsche was amazing off the line, and that was the difference, it could use its power. The other two would have the sv flat out. Great showing from the SV, you can get ludicrous results from bike over a short dash. Years ago, early 90s, I put a powervalve kit on my Tzr125 and came across my pal in his 318 on the way to work in Swindon. Mullrd him from the lights to the next roundabout, he couldn't believe it. Marvellous fun.
@@broughton1835 The SV tops out about 125, my Merc diesel 2.1 would do around 145, let alone those two petrol BMWs, get crushed off the line of course, but thats the point. Know where your best.
On the twisty B roads around Yorkshire Dales, I left many sportbikes behind on an SV650. It's so fun and effortless to ride. On very twisty roads, you don't even break or change gears that much, it's just throttle on and off. Hard to beat that in terms of having fun.
Passed my test June 2022 and got a new SV650 . I’m very new to riding but it’s a great bike . I’ve changed the ugly stock exhaust, crash bungs and rad guard and it’s perfect . Can’t wait for a Little better weather to get more time in the saddle .. my only regret is not getting a bike when much younger .. mid life crisis but great to now have two wheels
I took my test on a Gladius. Possibly the best introduction: very practical, very manageable - extremely endearing engine. Had a lot of fun on the ring road luring cars in with those L plates too...
Just shows you don't need a litre bike for the road... It looks like mega fun, scream the nuts off it, stand ups, trackday hero, and it can run with a 911... Love it Chris!!
just to put things in perspective, we forget how fast we ride on our bikes. Last week at work i had to test a new porsche boxter with 300hp. I accelerated hard, went to highway a d dropped from 6th to 3rd a few times and floored it and thought to myself - holly crap this is an extremely fast car! went back to the office and compared 0-100 and 0-160kmh times of a stock sv650 (have one from 2004) and this boxter to realize my bike is faster than the 300hp car which in my country costs a pornographic price
I rode my '99 SV650S (it is yellow, so I call it 'Lil Bee, because women tell me it is cute) From Kitchener, Ontario, to Victoria, BC. 5000km ride, camped most of the way. phenomenal little bike. Easy and cheap to maintain, too. I've had all sorts of adventures on Vancouver Island. rode from the edge of Manitoba through Saskatchewan, to Calgary in a single day. Everyone should own an SV at some point in their life, I truly believe that!
It is always funny when cars roll up on me on my Husky 701sm with 74 rwhp. Probably looks like an mx-bike or a moped to many ppl, they don’t realise what it can do.
Is the cafe racer variant the same power? It underlines, perhaps, 70 - 75 bhp is a very good all-around number for enjoyment and having enough poke to get out of trouble/make quick and safe overtakes. Also, wasn't the BMW more powerful than the 911? Yet, it didn't go as fast?
I thought so too! Sorry this is late. I am late. I'm not well educated about bikes, in SV650.. this type or format of review is fun to watch. The production. The reviewer (Chris). THE BIKE! Great stuff!
I love the SV, I own the Gladius. I know most don't like the looks of the Gladius but I really do, not only this, it's always turning heads, it's fast, or relaxing when I want it.
I don't see why everyone dislikes the looks of a Gladius. Not much different than a regular SV. I almost bought one from a guy down the street. Great motorcycles.
It’s like the FZ-07. It isn’t fast. It isn’t the torqueiest. But it absolutely goes. Also, naked bikes love to just wheelie and chill under 60/70mph. Anything faster and you’ll want a sport bike with fairings.
The SV's best quality (with suspension upgrades) is its performance in twisties and the amount of torque it has. It's a really fun bike in twisties if you're a confident rider., it doesn't need tons of power.
One of the best and funnest videos you’ve done! I have a new 21 mt09 as a weekend bike and I daily a mt07 with a woolich tune and full exhaust and it’s honestly just as fun in the real world. Always cracks me up when golf Rs, wrx, Holden SS (chev ls2 cars, I’m from Australia), gt86 and s-chassis etc try beat me off the line and I leave them for dead, the mt09 just murders them and I literally get walked rolling start with my bros 2020 gsxr1000 so it shows how much faster bikes are then your average cars and sometimes Supercars.
You ever tried a standing start launch against his gixxer with the mt09 to see how long you can stay ahead of him if at all. The 1 thing I will say about gixxers though, is theyre boring, which is a common factor with inline 4 superbikes. I own a 2017 SV650, 2021 MT09 and a 2011 Daytona 675, I'd never buy an inline 4 again.
@@TheDeceptikron the 09 and gsxr are almost completely even first 150 metres, he will start to move out very fast when it stops trying to wheelie. Through the mountain passes I beat him though, 09 is so much easier to ride and just as grunty out of corners. Only in-line 4 I like is the mt10 engine, very fun, I agree most are bland.
I have 75hp and a few more kg, more than enough on my local roads. Something I love to do is Motogymkhana, I reckon the SV would be a weapon in a car park full of cones. Never seen it done competitively outside of Japan. Great video, cheers, what happens in the real world when a dispatcher smokes a 50k car, lol.
BMW M2 & a Porsche 911 against an SV650 twin cylinder motorcycle.... Pennies for the bike costwise & nowt in it for results here... Bike HUGE winner...I have its big brother with power commander & pipes & absolutely love my bike.
My first "big bike" was an SV650S with the blue fairings. It was a brilliant bike!!! Economical, reliable, cheap to run and insure, all round a great bike. Went to a GSXR750, which was obviously quicker but bit of overkill for the roads and only fun if you were gunning it everywhere at 80%. The current bike is an S1000R which is just a hooligan with everything though 😂
in my first season of riding (2023) the only car I can recall taking off on me was a granny in a x6. Seen dozens of Hellcats lol, felt like they were stalking me but they never even tried anything. smh an old v twin just shouldnt be this fast lol. Love these bikes
Nice video, I like your delivery and particularly pace. Having riden an SV650 for many years I'd agree with your findings. Although out here in the West Country you have to contend with all these crazed loons in souped up Imprezas, Evo, Skylines, and on the country roads round here you often find it's not the stock cars you have to worry about, it's these guys and trust me it's as much as you can do to just about keep your ass out of the rhynes if it mix it up with them. The main big difference is with regualar traffic and what's fundementaly changed is the electric cars. Some of those things, shit., they move.
I used a 2009 sfv as my daily commuter for a few years and even bashing it off the line every time I could. It still gave me all that acceleration AND 68.4mpg. What was the Porsche getting?
One thing about bike vs car drag racing is that it requires more skill and judgement operate the bike for performance. Some cars still have manual transmissions, but many (especially in the US) have some sort of auto/automanual which takes less skill. My brother in law bragged about how quickly he drove his Jeep SRT-8 Track Hawk on the quarter mile, but he didn't have to time shifts or anything the Jeep did all the work. I'm not quick on a bike by the way, and actually I'm pretty slow, but I love this demo and how it shows that even a practical bike can be fun.
considering the sv650 engine (and pretty much everything else other than looks) hasn't changed in 20+ years, the fact it was even close to beating the (much newer technology) porsche 911 is amazing. I love my sv650 to bits, came off it last year unfortunately. have had to resurrect it from the dead to get it back on the road but I love it too much to get rid of it!
I own an sfv650 (bigger sister bike) but I run a larger rear sprocket because the stock bike won't hit redline in 6th. The acceleration is night and day. Love the bike can't wait to move up engine size next year
Wow! I was given one of these as a hire bike when I crashed my FZ8 years ago and the first thing I remember about it, is how much fun it was to chuck around and how stable it felt in the rain when commuting. The throttle on mine used to cut out at what I thought was quite low revs, but watching this, I wonder if the hire company had some kind of speed restriction kit on it LOL
This is pretty good considering we bought that model just as Covid hit. And yep for what people were asking 13990 RRP AUD I got for 9890 ride away! Bloody great bike for commuting, great on a trackday ( except it’s max speed of about 180/90 km/h on the straight) But for the road and streets smokes most nice v8 or powerful cars for the legal limit😊
I bought my 2023 model new in March and I reckon it’s an absolutely brilliant bike. As a young fella I had my big powerful bikes and now as a 61 year old I was simply looking for something fun and reliable which it currently has been.
Brilliant stuff. People always discount bikes like this as not having enough performance, but it takes a really high performance car to get the same levels of acceleration, so you really don't need more on the road to have fun.
Exactly .... the SV650 can do 0-60mph in about 3.7 (ish) seconds ... stock ..... there's not much below full on sports cars that can do that without some serious mods. The power to weight ratio of bikes is hard to beat 😉
Is that SV650 tuned? I am impressed
Every bike I've owned was a lot faster than 95% of cars on the road, and that's including a 17 hp CRF250L. Fact is the vast majority of car drivers are too scared to even floor the accelerator, despite their cars being slow anyway.
@@aluisiousit’s power-to-weight. Most cars are at least 1.2+ tons vs 120kg+ bikes. Then there’s gearing and all that…
7x the weight needs 7x the lower to get started.
People that say “not enough Performance” usually have no idea what they’re talking about lol that goes double in the car scene.
Let's be honest, the sv has to be one of the best bikes ever made. As an all round package (especially for the price) it's pretty hard to beat!
very good bike, id say competing with the Suzuki bandit, also good price, performance and its also indestructible. Suzuki have to make some of the best bikes along side triumph
Currently has only one competition wich is the Mt07
But that's all about to change with the new Hornet
The sv is definitely better at price
The noise sounds similar for all 3
It all goes down to power
I just wish for about two inches more seat height.
Runs out of oil if you wheelie
@@kecskekecske9643 MT has easier maintenance than SV. Much lighter too.
I knew nothing about the sv650 the day I sat on it at the dealership. It was a used 2017 with 6k miles. All I knew is that it felt right and was in my budget. Wow did I get lucky. I've since realized there couldn't have been a better bike to fit my needs. I've doubled the mileage in 6 months and am having a blast. Great video. They definitely are fast enough for this 50 year old.
Heck yeah. And they've been great bikes since their intro about 25 years ago. 😊
You launch that SV unbelievably well Chris, I couldn't stop giggling 🤣
I was thinking the opposite... I get off the line much faster in my Gen 1.... and I know better than to wheelie mine. .. that sv is toast in those hands long
@GaijinGamerGirl stock sv650s can run 11 seconds. i believe him lol, launching a bike is easy if you know how to, and he is right about the wheelies, they will burn the front cylinders at balance point from oil starvation. seems like he knows what he's talking about. not everyone is a content creator nor do they have to prove they know how to launch a bike, just from watching the video you can tell this guy sucks at launching
@@xander4218i agree on that you can probably launch it faster, i cannot but i‘m slow in general. Wheelies this short are bad for accelerating but even on the notorious SV you need longer wheelies to really fry your cylinder
@@TroyC68he gets off the line just fine, you’d have to check time slips to see if you’re any better bub.
@@TroyC68didn’t see any wheelies on his clean pass
One of the most good natured and fun motorcycle vids. I have ever watched. Thanks to all the participants.
I bought my SV650 in February 2022, and then got rid of my Tenere 700 shortly afterwards, which I don't regret one bit; too top-heavy. The SV650 brings a smile to my face every time I ride it. I've done a few mods, the best being a slip on exhaust, and that 90° V-twin now sounds epic. It's best summed up as a boulevard dragster!
I feel the opposite. I had an SV and find myself smiling much more on my Tenere.
@@YamyHaw How any times have you dropped it?
@@soulrebelno1 I’ve had an SV650 and currently have a T7. It all depends on what riding you like. The SV is an absolute blast on windy paved roads and gets the nod there, but the Tenere is almost as fun on pavement and really shines when the pavement ends. I have managed to tip over twice on it 🙃
@@AdventurePiggy You're spot on! Buy a bike that's designed for the job, that suits your needs best, and don't part with your hard-earned cash until you get a demo. I think the Ténéré 700 is a great bike; the CP2 engine is a peach, I loved its road presence, and its load lugging capabilities. I bought my Ténéré 700 during lockdown, I couldn't get a demo, but it had a decent price at the time. But, eventually, I just got fed up with its high centre of gravity, plus the seat tends to force your legs out to the sides. I had a few hairy moments with it, and I'm 6' 2"! Once, during the rush hour, I nearly dropped my bike at the lights, when I put my foot in a pothole on a sunken road - it was very scary! It's no surprise to me that Yamaha have put lower, high capacity dual fuel tanks on the new Ténéré 700 World Raid.
To be honest, the bike I really wanted was the Triumph Tiger 900 GT, but you just couldn't get hold of one due to supply problems back then. And, it was the same story at every dealership I rang, very annoying. In the end, I realised the Ténéré 700 wasn't the bike for me. I looked around, and got a fantastic deal on a new SV650. I fitted a Givi rack, I use my Givi boxes when required, and it suits me just fine.
Over the last few years, adventure bikes have become very popular, but why buy one if you're never going to go off-road? If I was to go touring, I'd buy something that was road focus, like the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+, or a BMW R 1250 GS. If I was going off-road, I'd look at a lightweight dual sport motorcycle. 👍
Just picked up a 2023 SV650 6 days ago! What model slip on did you get?
That’s the reason you see so many on track. I had a tracked one. 150kg wet. 50:50 weight split. The GSXR 1000’s had me on the straights, but it embarrassed them on the brakes and in the corners. £7k is not cheep though. They were £4,500 when I bought mine. Okay, some years ago, but inflation busting prices increases on everything at the moment.
Fantastic video. Great to see an SV smoke 2 out of 3. Today, just brought home a '23 blue tank, bronze frame. Even with stock exhaust, this thing sounds excellent. Can't wait for warmer spring days!
I mean 3 out of 4
Quickshifter and keep his head straight in the same position I'd say he would have the 911. Long live the sv 👌👌
I love the change from the usual S1000RR or V4 Panigale vs a Ferrari or Lambo, way back in the mid 70s when I started biking it would've been an RD250 or KH250 vs a Cortina or Vauxhall Victor.
That off the bike handicap cracked me up. We know a van is never going to beat a motorcycle but that highlights just how slow it is. Brilliant.
I got a V-Strom 1050XT and it's always fun when cars think it's slow because it's an adventure bike. It is slow by bike standards. But it smokes most cars. In fact I have not lost yet. :) Great review. Chris is the most fun RUclipsr to watch in my opinion. Great stuff. Keep it up :)
I'm picking up an older DL1000 V-Strom today, coming from the DL650. The 650 was no slouch, but I can't wait to see what the 1000 can do!
I used to have similar with my SV1000, except with other bikes - plenty would just discount it as an SV650 'til I was still hanging with them past 100... 🤣
I own a VStrom 650, but not relevant to the fact that every time I swing my leg over it and move off up the road I’m surprised by just how fast a bike is when compared with a car. I don’t know why I don’t loose the impression. Glad that I don’t. Sublime feeling 😊
I had the same experience on my trusty Svartpilen 401. Looks like a 125 but easily smacks every Golf GTI at the lights😂. This thing only had 42hp, abismally slow for a bike
Love an SV me, and love a visit to Turweston! Great fun vid gents....loved it!
Really nailing those starts on the SV 💪🏻👍🏻
Really impressive starts. I guess with a 2 cylinder with this kind of power it's harder to overdo the start, so maybe easier to launch than bigger more powerful bikes.
Really interesting vid and kudos 👏 to the SV650. Some so-called experts like to put crap on the SV and Suzuki in general, but in reality the SV is still made in Japan so it's got that tried and true Japanese build quality. A little known fact is that Suzuki still builds the majority of its model line-up in Japan with only their 125's and 250s built elsewhere, unlike it's 3 other Japanese brand competitors. Just something the experts "forget" to mention.
well the experts are kind of right though. suzuki is crap in general and the newer SV's while great is still in the shadow of the OG SV650 which is hard to live up to. look att the lineup of bikes suzuki has. most of them are outdated AF and the most popular one is the most overhyped ugly POS bike in the world the busa.
Isn’t the MT-07 also manufactured in Japan?
@@keiths7346 MT07 (good bike) is made in Japan. T7 is made in France. Like Suzuki all Yamaha small quads and 125 and 250cc are made in China. I have ridden motorbikes since 1977 and have owned bikes from all 4 Japanese brands. One Kawasaki, more Honda's than any others (4) but the 2 Yamaha's and 3 Suzuki's were completely trouble free. Having owned bikes from all 4 Japanese makes, I can honestly say I'm not brand biased.
@@rampage3337 "Suzuki is crap in general" is a rather sweeping and uninformed statement don't you think, Rampage. How many have you actually owned? I ridden for 45 years and owned bikes from all Japanese brands. One less than memorable Kawasaki with top end problems, 4 Honda's (from my experience the most overrated and underwhelming brand of all) of which bar one (vfr1200f) had really annoying problems like cam chain tensioner troubles, regulator/rectifier and other pia problems, whereas my Yamaha's (2) and Suzuki's (3) had no probs whatsoever.
@@rampage3337 my 99 TL1000R would like a word with you.
I own the SV1000. An absolute beast that accelerate like hell with its massive vtwin torque and doesn't cost much to maintain and to buy nowadays
This video has me all warm and fuzzy and cackling like a teenager. Love it. The underdog of bikes whoopin' up on big bad cars. I've owned 4 SV bikes (last gen) in my time, loved most of them.
I'd wager the runs were so close with the Porsche, if you ran a full exhaust from M4 on that bike with an ECU flash, you'd have won those runs. Not to mention reducing bike weight (wheels, 520 chain conversion, other expensive stuff) would have made you that much quicker, probably into the high 11 second quarter.
Never the less, your throttle control on launch is SO good. Goes to show how capable a 645cc twin is, with someone who can exploit the machine.
The SV sounds mint ! Still amazed how much quicker bike still are get some !!
This says it all doesn't it. This is one of the reasons why I love motorcycles. I once bought a 2001 Honda CBR600F (F4i) voor 1900 euro. Crazy performance for under 2k.
The f4i is a really cool bike
i am an experienced rider and have a 2nd gen sv650. No average sport car is a match 0-140kmh for this bike. only cars around 400hp have a chance. topspeed is a different story since after 160kmh it looses most power and tops at around 200kmh
Great to see a simple 650 being that quick. However, let's be honest, the rider makes the difference. Chris is a fabulous rider, I for one would never be and will never be as quick of the line with my bike or any bike for that matter.
I have the same bike with same exhaust. Riding one year and easy to nail off the line.
Practice makes perfect. Nothing like nailing a launch on a motorcycle, feeling the front wheel hovering millimeters off the ground while dancing between the clutch and throttle... gotta love it.
SV650 was my first bike, excellent engine, forks need stiffer springs and thicker oil and then it's a great handler too. My bike picked up 10HP at the tire from a custom dyno tune, the included power-commander maps were that bad. It was way too lean with no airbox lid/velocity stacks/full system. Pulled all the way to the rev-limiter after then tune! Can't recommend a custom tune highly enough. Great races!
I ride the 2nd gen SV and this video perfectly shows what it can do. It's great at acceleration but tops out just over 100. I have looked at upgrading but this bike does everything I want it to do on the street and the track. Hard to beat the utility of the SV. Great vid
tops out just over 100? Ive done a genuine 130 on my 2017 SV650 and I know from experience that the 2nd gen SV has more top end or is more peppy than the 3rd gen.
@@TheDeceptikron I don't get to 130 but close. I have a slightly taller front tire so the speedo reads slower as well as a shorter sprocket setup (14/47). I don't know that I've seen 120 or above at the track but definitely 1-teens.
@@OpticalToxin my Gen 1 has done 135 GPS verified
@@TescoRoadman going downhill? Not many people can get the gen 1s over 130 regardless of gearing.
The point is after 100 its pretty slow to accelerate. Yes it can do 130. But the passing power at highway speeds isnt amazing. But definitely sufficient.@TheDeceptikron
Best video I've seen in ages. Great fun and a variety of vehicles, please do some more !
I've been waiting for this for so long. There's an SV650X for sale near me heavily discounted due to the new model. I'm coming from the world of cars and stuff like this is so useful to help me understand if it's the right bike for me.
Thanks and keep it up!
I love my 650X, would highly recommend. The turning circle requires a bit of planning!
It's a great starter motorcycle as well.
Good luck, and always gear up!
Sv650x is the best looking variant by far IMHO and you could be happy for a long time if this is your first bike good sir!
You can't go wrong with the SV, especially if you're looking at a good deal on one! They're easy to learn on and they have plenty to grow into.
Had mine for almost 3 years now. Great bike that you won't regret purchasing. The highway without a windscreen will be daunting the first few times, but you'll get used to it.
Picking up my first sv650 on Thursday! Beyond excited! These videos are keeping me buzzing and are really helpful! KEEP EM COMING!!!
That looked like fun, well done SV. It put motorcycles into context.
Used to have the previous model SV believe it was 2010 model. Bought at 35k miles, sold at 58k miles over 2 years later with 0 issues. Super reliable and fun to ride those V twins
Good job finding exactly what kind of car it takes to beat an sv650. You need a ton of grip to launch a car like a bike, but the faster you go the less the weight and traction matter and the more aerodynamics and power start to take over, both of witch the 911 has big advantages on.
top-of-the-range Tesla lekky...........??
Which makes a money perf ratio ridiculously bad for the porsche
Bought one two weeks ago as a winter practice bike and I absolutely love it. Cost less than the wheels on my race bike and makes me laugh out loud when I ride it👌
Great presentation 🎉 & great choice of bike, made a 70year old biker laugh a lot, especially the “missed gear”🤙🏻 keep up the great stuff.
Awsome , Thumbs up for Sv 650, I wish to see MORE and MORE, and MORE drag races.
Great 'every day' idea Chris - well excited. Looking forward to next vid.
I have one (SV650) and it’s a great overall bike. I raced MX for over 20 years and tried dual sporting but found out they don’t quite do either dirt or street that great for my level of riding. I bought an older 2005 SV650 for a great price and love it. I’ve had it for over 6 years and it was just a short term purchase. The bike owes me nothing and is still a great ride every time I swing a leg over it.
I have a 2007 SV650 that I bought for $1,500. 50k miles and counting. Changed the sprockets for smaller front/larger rear, now there are only a handful of cars that can hang with me off the line. Hoping to do my first track day sometime soon! Great video
There is a guy in my area selling a 07 with 3k on the odometer, for $5,000, bike looks super clean, you think that’s a fair deal or red flags 🚩?
@@offthewallsurfer1 Go for it, great bikes with VERY few red flags.
Great match ups.
My first road bike was a Honda CB1300. I just liked the looks. The sound and the comfort. In a way it was similar to the SV. In that it wasnt renowned for being a fast or expensive bike. The engine was built to last forever with little maintenance. And it had all day comfort for two people apart from no fairing. Well... one day i found myself next to a Porsche GT3. The one with the scaffold inside. This thing was beautiful. Anyway i could see what we were up for. The driver of the Porsche nudged his car forward. And I could hear him bring the revs up. Well the light went green on this closed airfield and I gave the Honda everything. The front end came up just a whisker. The perfect amount for maximum acceleration. Well, I blew him to the weeds. Not kidding. It was no contest. Now dont get me wrong, if I could afford a supercar, a Porsche is really the only major brand that I get excited about. But I was reminded that the CB although no sport bike, it was no slouch either.
Now, if we found a race circuit then the roles would be reversed for certain. All good fun.
Cheers for the great content.
Agree with earlier comments...loose cat, new air filter, remap, quick shifter and see what the SV can smoke at Santa Pod. VBox data would be interesting as well. I've got the Euro 4 SV, great fun!
M4 makes a full exhaust for it. Would sound rad too.
Loose cat? Does it rattle? Or do you mean lose?
@@ronwhite8503 Liberate the cat, set it loose and get a smart M4 exhaust!
@@exothermal.sprocket M4 full race system looks good, claiming +10hp, price £709 from JHS though
Got mine Cat Deleted. Sounds Fantastic!. You can check the video on my profile
I'd like to see you do a multi day tour.
I still maintain that as long as you've got the appropriate riding gear for the conditions, you don't really need a big heavy touring bike to have a fun riding holiday.
I take my Honda forza 330cc scooter anywhere any time no problems.
really no need for a bigger bike
@@darekm6859 man you're right but I don't have money for anymore speeding tickets lmao
The SV650 is a fantastic bike and you really don’t need anything more on the road than this plus second hand prices are fantastic.
The SV is such a fun bike. The only problem I ever had with it was the comfort over long distances. It gets uncomfortable after about an hour in the saddle.
Plus the swing arm looks shit and it feels way better with a 170/60 on the rear. Other than that - best 7-8k motorcycle out there
Look at what cyclists sit on... Anything is comfortable if you sit on it enough your ass will adjust.
@@raiden000 I ride mountain bikes and simply don't get how some people moan about motorbike seats
@@zyoungson215 I'm pretty sure anyone complaining about them being uncomfortable does not ride very much, otherwise their ass would adapt and it would be comfortable.
GSX-8S will be your solution, faster too.
I learned this back in 1985 on my 1st bike a 1983 Yamaha XT550. I raced a Corvette from light to light and was killing it. Now days I ride a 1989 Yamaha FZR1000. I think because of the double round headlights people think it is a scooter. 33 years old and still can smoke everything except the 600 plus horsepower cars.
I guess you must like classics
Great bike
What joy…. This brought lots of smiles for me this morning… thank you 🤩😊
Brilliant video, just shows that you don't need that much money to have fun. I've a '22 SV650X, love it.
What a fun video. Great to see the SV represent so well.
Cheers Ken
Love mine! Bought it new last May. 2 Wheel Dynoworks flash and full M4 exhaust, 10 extra horses at the top! So even faster than this video. Lovely V Twin growl, torque off the line, but runs hard all the way to red like an inline 4. Extremely comfortable with a Corbin saddle. On the road, she is literally all you need.
That Porsche was amazing off the line, and that was the difference, it could use its power. The other two would have the sv flat out. Great showing from the SV, you can get ludicrous results from bike over a short dash.
Years ago, early 90s, I put a powervalve kit on my Tzr125 and came across my pal in his 318 on the way to work in Swindon. Mullrd him from the lights to the next roundabout, he couldn't believe it.
Marvellous fun.
Those other 2 would NOT have it
@@broughton1835 The SV tops out about 125, my Merc diesel 2.1 would do around 145, let alone those two petrol BMWs, get crushed off the line of course, but thats the point. Know where your best.
@@georgealty yeah top end they win but t hat wasnt the point of the video
@@broughton1835 I agree.
Brilliant video indeed! People do not realise how faster bikes are compared to cars. Perfect choice of the bike and cars.
On the twisty B roads around Yorkshire Dales, I left many sportbikes behind on an SV650.
It's so fun and effortless to ride. On very twisty roads, you don't even break or change gears that much, it's just throttle on and off. Hard to beat that in terms of having fun.
Passed my test June 2022 and got a new SV650 . I’m very new to riding but it’s a great bike . I’ve changed the ugly stock exhaust, crash bungs and rad guard and it’s perfect . Can’t wait for a Little better weather to get more time in the saddle .. my only regret is not getting a bike when much younger .. mid life crisis but great to now have two wheels
I ended up buying a different bike but always loved the SV, what a superb bike!
"The only bike you really need!"
Take it touring, commuting, a bit of green-laning, maybe a trackday!
ALL IN ONE DAY (or maybe 2 :P)
I took my test on a Gladius. Possibly the best introduction: very practical, very manageable - extremely endearing engine. Had a lot of fun on the ring road luring cars in with those L plates too...
same here, learnt on a gladius :) great bikes
I really love the steel trellis frame on the SV. Reminds me of my old Bandit 400.
Brilliant. Such a trooper of a bike, cheap, fun and modable
Just shows you don't need a litre bike for the road... It looks like mega fun, scream the nuts off it, stand ups, trackday hero, and it can run with a 911... Love it Chris!!
just to put things in perspective, we forget how fast we ride on our bikes. Last week at work i had to test a new porsche boxter with 300hp. I accelerated hard, went to highway a d dropped from 6th to 3rd a few times and floored it and thought to myself - holly crap this is an extremely fast car! went back to the office and compared 0-100 and 0-160kmh times of a stock sv650 (have one from 2004) and this boxter to realize my bike is faster than the 300hp car which in my country costs a pornographic price
Did my DAS on an SV650 so have fond memories. A good honest bike. Great stuff.
I rode my '99 SV650S (it is yellow, so I call it 'Lil Bee, because women tell me it is cute) From Kitchener, Ontario, to Victoria, BC. 5000km ride, camped most of the way. phenomenal little bike. Easy and cheap to maintain, too. I've had all sorts of adventures on Vancouver Island. rode from the edge of Manitoba through Saskatchewan, to Calgary in a single day. Everyone should own an SV at some point in their life, I truly believe that!
Bless the little SV ❤ Great video 👍🙂
Would be cool to see something like 30-100mph race. Brilliant stuff
Yep Excellent video! More of this please, the comparison videos is where the views are at! Great stuff.
I love clips like this, cuz it shows normal people who started riding, u dont need a 200hp bike to have fun with !
It is always funny when cars roll up on me on my Husky 701sm with 74 rwhp. Probably looks like an mx-bike or a moped to many ppl, they don’t realise what it can do.
Really good, thanks... tell me, what's the trick? You get that sv off the line so quick!
Is the cafe racer variant the same power? It underlines, perhaps, 70 - 75 bhp is a very good all-around number for enjoyment and having enough poke to get out of trouble/make quick and safe overtakes.
Also, wasn't the BMW more powerful than the 911? Yet, it didn't go as fast?
I love these fun videos! So entertaining and easy to watch. Plus bike vs. cars are always great
I thought so too! Sorry this is late. I am late.
I'm not well educated about bikes, in SV650.. this type or format of review is fun to watch. The production. The reviewer (Chris). THE BIKE! Great stuff!
😃 I love my little SV!!😍
Love SV650s. 😊 I found myself cheering.
I love the SV, I own the Gladius. I know most don't like the looks of the Gladius but I really do, not only this, it's always turning heads, it's fast, or relaxing when I want it.
I don't see why everyone dislikes the looks of a Gladius. Not much different than a regular SV. I almost bought one from a guy down the street. Great motorcycles.
Doesn't a gladius also have adjustable suspension something the SV has never had.
@@everettbranscom6536 Its got adjustable preload in the forks, but the 2nd gen sv650 had that as well.
Thank you for this brilliant video . As an owner of a SV 650 this was great to watch :)
It’s like the FZ-07. It isn’t fast. It isn’t the torqueiest. But it absolutely goes.
Also, naked bikes love to just wheelie and chill under 60/70mph.
Anything faster and you’ll want a sport bike with fairings.
The SV's best quality (with suspension upgrades) is its performance in twisties and the amount of torque it has. It's a really fun bike in twisties if you're a confident rider., it doesn't need tons of power.
Awful stock suspension for fast riding though so suspension upgrades are a must if you’re trying to ride at any sort of reasonable pace
That’s power to weight for you 👌🏼great video @bikeworld keep them coming
grins and giggles all the way. That was a brilliant video 🙂
Thanks!
One of the best and funnest videos you’ve done! I have a new 21 mt09 as a weekend bike and I daily a mt07 with a woolich tune and full exhaust and it’s honestly just as fun in the real world. Always cracks me up when golf Rs, wrx, Holden SS (chev ls2 cars, I’m from Australia), gt86 and s-chassis etc try beat me off the line and I leave them for dead, the mt09 just murders them and I literally get walked rolling start with my bros 2020 gsxr1000 so it shows how much faster bikes are then your average cars and sometimes Supercars.
You ever tried a standing start launch against his gixxer with the mt09 to see how long you can stay ahead of him if at all. The 1 thing I will say about gixxers though, is theyre boring, which is a common factor with inline 4 superbikes.
I own a 2017 SV650, 2021 MT09 and a 2011 Daytona 675, I'd never buy an inline 4 again.
@@TheDeceptikron the 09 and gsxr are almost completely even first 150 metres, he will start to move out very fast when it stops trying to wheelie. Through the mountain passes I beat him though, 09 is so much easier to ride and just as grunty out of corners. Only in-line 4 I like is the mt10 engine, very fun, I agree most are bland.
Love this video. The SV650 is a great bike!
Great video and content!! This channel and 44T easily the best
I love my SV. Nice to see it getting some respect
I have 75hp and a few more kg, more than enough on my local roads.
Something I love to do is Motogymkhana, I reckon the SV would be a weapon in a car park full of cones. Never seen it done competitively outside of Japan.
Great video, cheers, what happens in the real world when a dispatcher smokes a 50k car, lol.
BMW M2 & a Porsche 911 against an SV650 twin cylinder motorcycle.... Pennies for the bike costwise & nowt in it for results here... Bike HUGE winner...I have its big brother with power commander & pipes & absolutely love my bike.
My first "big bike" was an SV650S with the blue fairings. It was a brilliant bike!!! Economical, reliable, cheap to run and insure, all round a great bike.
Went to a GSXR750, which was obviously quicker but bit of overkill for the roads and only fun if you were gunning it everywhere at 80%.
The current bike is an S1000R which is just a hooligan with everything though 😂
in my first season of riding (2023) the only car I can recall taking off on me was a granny in a x6. Seen dozens of Hellcats lol, felt like they were stalking me but they never even tried anything. smh an old v twin just shouldnt be this fast lol. Love these bikes
Nice video, I like your delivery and particularly pace. Having riden an SV650 for many years I'd agree with your findings. Although out here in the West Country you have to contend with all these crazed loons in souped up Imprezas, Evo, Skylines, and on the country roads round here you often find it's not the stock cars you have to worry about, it's these guys and trust me it's as much as you can do to just about keep your ass out of the rhynes if it mix it up with them. The main big difference is with regualar traffic and what's fundementaly changed is the electric cars. Some of those things, shit., they move.
I used a 2009 sfv as my daily commuter for a few years and even bashing it off the line every time I could. It still gave me all that acceleration AND 68.4mpg. What was the Porsche getting?
One thing about bike vs car drag racing is that it requires more skill and judgement operate the bike for performance. Some cars still have manual transmissions, but many (especially in the US) have some sort of auto/automanual which takes less skill. My brother in law bragged about how quickly he drove his Jeep SRT-8 Track Hawk on the quarter mile, but he didn't have to time shifts or anything the Jeep did all the work. I'm not quick on a bike by the way, and actually I'm pretty slow, but I love this demo and how it shows that even a practical bike can be fun.
Chris, you are hell of a rider. Probably, even if we give you 125cc bike, you will still manage to win😉💪🏻
considering the sv650 engine (and pretty much everything else other than looks) hasn't changed in 20+ years, the fact it was even close to beating the (much newer technology) porsche 911 is amazing.
I love my sv650 to bits, came off it last year unfortunately. have had to resurrect it from the dead to get it back on the road but I love it too much to get rid of it!
Great video I have a First Gen sv650 s apparently they were an ideal bike for learning on .😄.
Top Gear style challenge: Bike VS car through a city 🤣🤣
Great video, love it! 👍
I have an SV650 too. I love it, I'd love to see it drifting if you're game.
Just good road ride would b great, thanks great vids,keep them comming plse.
God I love the SV engine. I used to own a '99 and a '05 SV. Thinking about getting one of the newer models again.
As an SV rider I support this message!!!
Fab video, goes to show how much fun you can have for the sane price as a new tyre on a Lamborghini
I own an sfv650 (bigger sister bike) but I run a larger rear sprocket because the stock bike won't hit redline in 6th. The acceleration is night and day. Love the bike can't wait to move up engine size next year
Maybe as an idea just the level up in pricing and power like with a STT ? Could be interesting to see how much faster a 110hp+ is vs sport cars.
Loving the child seat in the 911, what a statement 🤣
Fun video. Love the shape of the new Shoei
Wow! I was given one of these as a hire bike when I crashed my FZ8 years ago and the first thing I remember about it, is how much fun it was to chuck around and how stable it felt in the rain when commuting. The throttle on mine used to cut out at what I thought was quite low revs, but watching this, I wonder if the hire company had some kind of speed restriction kit on it LOL
it was probably the power limited model which as 47hp as opposed to 74
@@TheDeceptikron Wow! Wish I'd have known. I actually liked the bike but didn't like the lack of power. Might have another go on a full power one 😁
This is pretty good considering we bought that model just as Covid hit.
And yep for what people were asking 13990 RRP AUD
I got for 9890 ride away! Bloody great bike for commuting, great on a trackday ( except it’s max speed of about 180/90 km/h on the straight)
But for the road and streets smokes most nice v8 or powerful cars for the legal limit😊
I bought my 2023 model new in March and I reckon it’s an absolutely brilliant bike. As a young fella I had my big powerful bikes and now as a 61 year old I was simply looking for something fun and reliable which it currently has been.