[voyageur]

This motorcycle is called a poor man's Ducati because the engine note faintly resembles a Ducati twin. I have seen some experienced riders turn it into a Track-tool. I have also seen newbies and intermediate riders getting this bike for more seat time. Ladies and Gentlemen, 'The SV650.'

Suzuki struck gold with this motorcycle, at least in North America, looking at the sheer number of SVs around. The bike has remained the same mechanically (sort of) for the past 20 years. It came out in 1999 and it's still one of the offerings of Suzuki even though the form of the motorcycle has changed a bit. The best thing about this bike is that it's available in different versions: naked, clip-on, fully-faired, bikini faired, semi-faired... except for an ADV and Cruiser version. SV has a 1000cc sibling too called SV1000, which is rarer to come across. There are so many forum posts, articles, and videos of this bike, you can customize it to the moon and back.

My story was that I was looking for a Supersport 600cc motorcycle. In my mind, it was always the Daytona 675r. But read some forum posts and decided that the best thing to do is get an insurance quote for all the motorcycles I'm considering in order to not make the insurance companies richer than they already are. A staggering 400$ quote (per month) gave me much needed jolt back to reality and by the end of that call... what Daytona?? Btw, that was the only insurance company willing to quote me. Rest won't even touch a Daytona - since I'm a new rider with no previous history of riding in Canada. Building a good driving history became the first priority. In a way, it's good I say. A new rider won't be able to afford a SuperSport bike right away. They need to build a riding history before even thinking of buying an R6 or a ZX10r and prove that they're responsible riders. But isn't there a workaround you might ask? There is always a workaround but usually involves paying insurance double the cost of the motorcycle itself, sometimes more per year. And it's funny some people are able to do that. Good for them!

My only condition then was that I wanted a sports bike, a naked/adv/cruiser won't do. It should have a clip-on and be really uncomfortable. The seating should be cramped and force me to rethink my fitness levels. Nah, actually I just wanted to enjoy a sports bike while I can. So with that criteria, I started looking at smaller cc bikes that are not typically categorized as sport bikes but more of a sport-tourer. An RC390 was on the top of my list (even Duke 390 was ok)- I had an RC/Duke from a friend for a bit and I really enjoyed the experience. Honda had a few choices CBR300R and Ninja had 250, 300, and 400. As I was researching further - I found that some individuals on the motorcycle forum had suggested that SV650 was cheap on insurance and so was FZ6r. They both are 600cc motorcycles and a friend from Dubai had an FZ6 previously(which was discontinued but the more powerful version of FZ6r). That's when I started looking at the SV. The SV650 had an 's' version which is a sports bike but not really categorized as a sports bike because it also has the naked version. Suzuki doesn't offer the SV in s version anymore, it's only a naked sport model.

During the last 10 years or so, some folks were able to knock sense into my thick skull and I'm now a fan of buying well-maintained used things (motorcycles included). This motorcycle was bought used, the gear was all used. After I picked up my current motorcycle, I started the thread on how to buy a used motorcycle, here on t-bhp, so that others can also benefit from it. Link: here (Guide: Buying Used Motorcycles). It took some time and a few viewings before I came across this motorcycle. But it was worth the wait. A seller wanted to get rid of his 2013 SV650s asap and I was looking for any 2nd gen SV650s, so that became my motorcycle. Went to the Ministry and got a Used Vehicle Information Package and confirmed that there were no loans on the bike. Also, checked the VIN online to ensure that no accidents/flood damage. The only thing left was had the previous owner pulled a mile-long wheelie along the expressway? Wheelies hurt the SVs more than the other bikes from what I have read. Pulling a long-distance wheelie starves the front cylinder of oil. I had a mechanic with me and I test rode the bike and it felt okay. After a year of owning it, I can say it still works well - so was a good purchase, for almost half the market price.

Moving on to the bike:

First-generation - 1999 to 2002
Second generation - 2003 to 2014 (Suzuki came up with SFV650 aka Gladius sometime after 2009, which was the successor of SV650. Canada, EU and Aus retained the SV650s model until 2012 as per wiki)
Current generation - 2017 to present

Mine is a 2nd gen SV650s from 2013. The main difference between the first-gen was the addition of the FI system. I seriously didn't mind the first-gen SVs with carbs. It was more artistic with a lot of curves but most were semi-faired. The 2nd gens looked better in full-fairing. The 1st gen is said to be built better, simpler machines and easier to work on - which I read online and I believe is the case. But then the major deterrent was the pricing for 1st gen. When a brand new SV comes for $7700, it isn't fair to ask 3200 for a 20-year-old bike.

After riding my motorcycle for close to 6 months now and doing over 12,000 km, I think I'm in a position to write more about how this thing rides. I'll include some photos from my rides as well. Also, I'm not someone who can distinguish between various BMW, Porsche, or Ducati models but I enjoy riding/driving. My main focus and love have always been seat time and riding/driving. I still hop into a go-kart whenever I can, have driven supercars on tracks (with an instructor beside me - didn't enjoy it much but was a good one-time experience), and ride my motorcycle around as and when I get a chance. I probably might get some technicalities wrong, in which case, please feel free to correct me

[voyageur]

On paper, the (2013)sv650s is my 2nd motorcycle and the 1st one was a 2003 Bajaj Pulsar 150 (classic Pulsar). But, I have had the opportunity to hop on from one motorcycle to another as friends, family, relatives, cousins, etc would leave their motorcycles with me - sometimes for extended periods. I would ride it like my own motorcycle and if something was broken on the bike, I would fix it for them. In India, one of the motorcycles I loved was the RC390 and I think if I stayed in India any longer, I would have gotten one. I digress...

So let's do this team-bhp way, shall we?

What I like about the bike:

• Decently powered at 73 hp, good for city riding and decent for long-distance riding as well (talking about the engine, not the ergonomics)
• Since it's a v-twin, usable power starts from a lower rev range. Like inline 4s you don't need to rev the nuts out of the engine to actually move the thing
• Cheap to maintain. From what I have heard, if you do your periodic maintenance, this thing can run forever. I will talk about what maintenance I have done thus far shortly
• Easy availability of parts; aftermarket parts are in plenty
• Exhaust note - sounds decent. Especially, a good slip on tail pipe is all it needs to make the exhaust note better. The previous owner slapped an M4 end can and it sounds good.
• Looks decent too - the first owner cheaped out on the fairings and now it's partially faired. I will fix that by next year

Something I personally learnt is that I have a long way to go before I can reach close to the limits of this bike. It's plenty bike for me at this point and mind you, I rode my first motorcycle over 20 years ago. When I bought this bike, I was considering it as a stepping stone to Daytona and for the insurance to come down but now I think I can own it at least for 3 years if not more. Something I urge fellow riders here is to graduate from lower cc to higher cc motorcycles, even if you have the resources to jump on a zx10r. The reason is that your growth as a rider would be much faster. A 600cc, 1000cc supersport bike would try to kill you at every single turn, and starting off on those is not the best way to learn. I don't mind considering a Ninja 400 or an RC390 now (riding on an expressway would be a challenge)...but being able to ride a slower bike fast is always better than riding slow on a faster bike. What happened to riding fast on a faster bike?


What I dislike about the bike:

• Vibrations - I short shift at 4,5,6k rpm (unless I need to go up the rev range) but still gets me. Leaves my right hand numb after a while. Don't think I noticed similar vibrations on the Ducati Scrambler L twin. But I rode that ages ago (again post must be somewhere on the forum)
• Suspensions - A sports bike that's cheap and is not too expensive on maintenance. Where did the manufacturer cut costs? The rear suspension feels like a piece of wood and the front also needs some upgrades. Can be swapped with GSX750 or similar bikes
• Seats - An upgrade or adding gel foam would be a nice gesture to my buttocks
• Common issues - Rectifier and stator going bad, Cam Chain Tensioners replacement, etc. Not a big deal as this was more of an issue for 1st gen from what I have read

I don't have much to complain about, not because it's my bike and people generally tend to overlook faults of what they own, but because there is not really much going on here. It's a good intermediate sports bike and it's customizable, so most people just end up swapping things to make their SV better.





pic credit for the above img - figomba




The scratches came free as part of "breaking" in done by the previous owner(s). This bike had 5 previous owners in 7 years (bought this bike in Oct 2020). 1 or 2 of them were dealerships that registered the motorcycle before flipping it. But even otherwise, it almost feels like a norm that a smaller cc bike needs to be replaced with a bigger cc bike in a matter of a year or two. I hope I can stay clear of any such norms.

[voyageur]

Design, styling, and overall looks of the bike:

Hard to comment on looks as everyone has their own preference.

IMHO the s version of the SV650 looks sporty and aggressive - with full-fairing, it is not bad at all.

Below 2 images are taken from Google


The first and second-gen SV came in all colours; red, blue, Indigo (purple), grey, yellow, white and black. I have not seen too many yellow ones, but the other colours, yes. The naked ones can be modified into a good-looking streetfighter and I have seen some beautiful-looking ones for sale.

Here is an image of the current model. People who don't mind naked bikes would actually like this I feel.



Ergonomics and NVH:

When it comes to Ergonomics, let's do a comparison with some other bikes.



Out of the lot, Daytona looks like it has the most forward lean angle. SV650s is also a pretty uncomfortable bike to sit on. Wrist, back and legs get sore after riding for a couple of hours. I usually ride 700-800 km on a good weekend (approx. 12 hours of riding) and I'm sore for the next 2-3 days. If you want something to cruise/munch miles on, I would say look at a VStorm or another adv bike.

Vibrations on this motorcycle are fairly noticeable. As mentioned above I try to short shift almost always. Even then after a few hundred km, my wrists and fingers start going numb. If you're riding more than 100 km in a stretch, it's better to leave it on higher gears (as much as you can). Even on 6th gear at 6-7k rpm, it feels buzzy. I'll write more about the ride quality later on.

Fit and Finish:

I would give it an 8/10. Since it's a used motorcycle, I cannot comment much. I had issues with the seat fitment. Both the seats don't fit snug and I'm not sure if the previous owner(s) did something to it. I'm planning on looking into it soon. Other than the seat, I haven't had any issues with the build quality or fit, finish yet. Fingers crossed.

I have heard in the US, there are SVs with over 150,000 miles on them. Some other folks have confirmed that they have put on 100,000 + km on their SVs on some forums. So I have come to believe that these are fairly reliable motorcycles unless the owner abuses them.

Engine and Transmission:

The apt word for this section is 'Solid'

Many SVs especially from first-generation end up becoming track or race bikes. The reason is cheap maintenance, availability of parts and reliability.

The engine becomes buzzy at higher RPMs. I think that is just how it is. Mechanically, it's an extremely reliable motorcycle. It produces 73 hp and 64 Nm. By Indian standards, it's decent power and probably if you're not doing expressway drag races most people would find this motorcycle a keeper. The best thing about a v-twin is that you get good power right from the lower RPM itself. This makes city riding bearable.

Here is a dyno run that I managed to find online:



Features:

From 2007, the SV650 got ABS as an optional feature. Apart from this, I cannot recall any fancy features that are worth mentioning. Front brakes are dual discs (290 mm) and the rear is a single disc (240 mm). This bike is liquid-cooled and comes with 120/60 and 160/60 front and rear tires respectively. There is a trip meter. Funny enough, the motorcycle lacks a fuel gauge and only has a fuel warning light. You also get the hazard switch just below the engine kill. DRLs come standard as per law.

Overall, nothing fancy but has everything that I would want.

[voyageur]

How does it ride?

One thing I noticed from the beginning is that it's not an intimidating motorcycle. If you want to take it easy and ride slow, that's perfectly fine on this motorcycle. As with all higher cc motorcycles, the throttle gets a little choppy at slower speeds. Something that can be easily resolved by a tune. It feels refined and when you actually need some power, you can access it with a slight twist of the throttle from any gear.

City riding:

I find myself doing some amount of city riding whenever I commute to work or go to meet someone. While it's effortless to ride the motorcycle, I have often noticed that the temperature climbs up really quickly. On a warm day, with bumper-to-bumper traffic in 1-3 gears I have seen temps of 104 degrees and radiator fans screaming out loud. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to ride from KR Puram to Electronic city during peak traffic.

Highway riding:

It can comfortably do highway speeds all day long without any strain on the motor. 80-120 kmph is this bike's comfort zone.

The motorcycle handles decently. Talking about the stock motorcycle, for the street, you can leave it as is and be fine with it. The stock sound is decent, not loud. The front and rear suspensions are adjustable. Overall, the bike performs great. If you're using the motorcycle to commute and just general riding, a quick swap of the muffler with an aftermarket slip on will bring about much significant improvement in how it sounds. On higher RPMs (from 7-10k) it does sound pretty sweet and the bike becomes more eager to leap forward.

The stock gearing is neither too short, nor too long. I have noticed that my motorcycle has a tendency to get into neutral most of the time I shift from 1st to 2nd. I didn't notice that with other bikes that I have ridden (not SVs but other bikes in general). I'm thinking it has to do with previous ownerships but it's not a big deal so far, but more of an observation.

However, there are a lot of things you can do to make it better. I wish I were mechanically inclined and had some space to work on the motorcycle. The labour charges are insane, and not to mention the waiting period with garages.

The number one update I would recommend for this bike is the suspension. Luckily, the GSX-R-750 and ZX10 rear suspension work well based on what I hear. For the front, you can bring over the full GSX-R-750 unit and swap it. You can also change the fork oil and use an emulator to improve the feedback from the front if that works out cheaper. The stock suspensions, while decent for commuting, feel limited when you ride on the canyon roads, twisties, and tracks.

While the rotor size on GSX-R is similar to what the SV has, I think changing the brake lines to SS braided should improve the braking performance. Good tires also make a world of difference. I plan on getting the lower fairings for the bike to make it look better. Apart from that, I'm just following the owner's manual when it comes to maintenance.

I believe I have covered most of the things I wanted to say about the bike. The reason why I started this thread is because I wanted to introduce the SV650 to everyone. Personally, I didn't know SV650 existed until a few years ago. Enough rant, incoming images

Winter = put the motorcycle away. Right after buying, it went into storage for 5 months.


My handle...


A country side petrol station (gas station)


Below images are all from different rides I have been part of (solo and group)


















The only thing I'm guessing I haven't mentioned is the procedure for winter storage for my motorcycle which I will touch upon quickly. So during the colder months here, it's normal practice to not use the motorcycle. There are people who take their bikes out on good days during the winter, I usually don't. The reason is that there is a lot of salt/sand on the road, which is used to clear the snow. Riding in it is dangerous due to limited traction but also you need to immediately wash the underside so that it doesn't rust. In order to completely avoid that, I usually don't use my motorcycle at all for those 5 months.

Hopefully, the below will help anyone looking to store their motorcycles (or cars) for an extended period.

Procedure for storing:
- Top the fuel up to the brim, add a fuel stabilizer and run it for a bit to circulate in the system
- Do an oil change (and any other fluid that you wish to change). An oil change at the least is a must so that the old oil doesn't sit there for 5-6 months and also for the next season you're ready to go
- Wash the motorcycle and wax it
- Clean and lube the chain
- Overfill the tires by at least 3-4 psi (I fill it by 5 psi over the mentioned value)
- Remove the battery from the motorcycle and put it on a battery tender
- Finally cover the bike to keep it away from unwanted attention, move it around once in a couple of weeks to avoid flat spotting, and wait patiently for the winter to end.

Many riders who have the skill/interest, heated garage, and access to tools will do all their motorcycle projects/upgrades during winter. Really gives you the time to order parts and slowly work on your motorcycle.

Hope you all liked this post. If you have any questions, happy to answer them

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage today

[voyageur]

Over this winter, apart from the usual maintenance, I'm planning on installing a couple of more things:

1. The bike looks hideous without the lower fairings imo. I bought the lower fairings used from someone who was selling them online. I'll have them installed in the coming months.

2. Even though I wasn't planning on upgrading the exhaust system someone pointed me to a full Yoshimura exhaust system online. Initially, I didn't bother responding to the ad, but 3 days later I picked it up.

My room is shared by the bike fairings, the full exhaust, the paddock stand, a jerry can, my motorcycle cover, engine oil cans, and me at one corner.

[aargee]

Hello Voyager, have a question for you; did you use Revzilla Motorcycle Ergonomics or from Cycle Ergo for the below picture please?

[voyageur]

Originally Posted by aargee

Hello Voyager, have a question for you; did you use Revzilla Motorcycle Ergonomics or from Cycle Ergo for the below picture please?

I think even Revzilla's ergonomics simulator ultimately takes you to cycle ergo. I used cycle ergo for the above image.

Cheers!

[Deeps]

So, what did the insurance on the SV cost you? And do you hold an M or M2?

[Amsdoc]

Excellent write up of a very interesting bike. My riding mate in the UK had one and we frequently exchanged over our bike rides. It was completely black..I like yours better though, with the racing stripe. Was it added afterwards or did it come originally like this?
It is a very handsome looking bike and I love the design, especially the rear lights. They look amazing especially in slightly foggy conditions. Just two red lines. Definitely ahead of its time.Great engine. I think it shared the engine with the Bandit which was an easy cruiser of a bike but the SV was tuned more aggressively, I think
But, as you said, it was a very uncomfortable bike to ride. We used to do up to 200 km in a day and my friend couldn't move afterwards and had very sore wrists bordering on developing carpal tunnel like symptoms. He couldn't wait to swap with one of us for a short while.
One thing he did which definitely helped the wrist pain was to add a handlebar raise. It added just a couple of inches but the angle of the wrists improved to a greater extent and his wrist soreness decreased. I don't think he mentioned any downside in riding dynamics etc. I just guess he was much happier with the lack of wrist pain to notice anything else.
Once on a very unfortunate day, my bike ran into some problems and I had to get back on my mates bike riding pillion. It remains the single most weird position I have ever been in. The rider is tucked all down under the fairing, the pillion sits much higher up and straight. I wasn't going to crouch down and hug him so I was sitting bolt upright on the pillion seat like a joker in the Scottish cold with icy winds buffeting me as we rode the 10 odd kms.
Very good tips on the winter storage. I don't know how cold it gets where you are but it was not too bad, just below zero where I was. I had a heated garage so I kept the bike inside but my friend kept it in a prepaid storage container that he shared with other bikers over the winter to save on cost. Very difficult to do all the things you mentioned but yes they are ideal. Apart from chain clean and lube and the battery removal, I don't think I did anything else. Served me well for years.
I have moved back to India and I think my friend has sold his SV as well.

Wish you many happy miles with your SV!

[voyageur]

Originally Posted by Deeps

So, what did the insurance on the SV cost you? And do you hold an M or M2?

I currently pay around 110 bucks per month. I got the motorcycle when I had an M2 license and am now on a full M license. The rates didn't change. More than it going down, I was happy that it didn't go up. You know how it is with insurance here

Originally Posted by Amsdoc

Excellent write up of a very interesting bike. My riding mate in the UK had one and we frequently exchanged over our bike rides. It was completely black..I like yours better though, with the racing stripe. Was it added afterwards or did it come originally like this?
It is a very handsome looking bike and I love the design, especially the rear lights. They look amazing especially in slightly foggy conditions. Just two red lines. Definitely ahead of its time.Great engine. I think it shared the engine with the Bandit which was an easy cruiser of a bike but the SV was tuned more aggressively, I think
But, as you said, it was a very uncomfortable bike to ride. We used to do up to 200 km in a day and my friend couldn't move afterwards and had very sore wrists bordering on developing carpal tunnel like symptoms. He couldn't wait to swap with one of us for a short while.
One thing he did which definitely helped the wrist pain was to add a handlebar raise. It added just a couple of inches but the angle of the wrists improved to a greater extent and his wrist soreness decreased. I don't think he mentioned any downside in riding dynamics etc. I just guess he was much happier with the lack of wrist pain to notice anything else.
Once on a very unfortunate day, my bike ran into some problems and I had to get back on my mates bike riding pillion. It remains the single most weird position I have ever been in. The rider is tucked all down under the fairing, the pillion sits much higher up and straight. I wasn't going to crouch down and hug him so I was sitting bolt upright on the pillion seat like a joker in the Scottish cold with icy winds buffeting me as we rode the 10 odd kms.
Very good tips on the winter storage. I don't know how cold it gets where you are but it was not too bad, just below zero where I was. I had a heated garage so I kept the bike inside but my friend kept it in a prepaid storage container that he shared with other bikers over the winter to save on cost. Very difficult to do all the things you mentioned but yes they are ideal. Apart from chain clean and lube and the battery removal, I don't think I did anything else. Served me well for years.
I have moved back to India and I think my friend has sold his SV as well.

Wish you many happy miles with your SV!

Thanks Amsdoc. This is colour scheme basically was specific to EU and Canada when they reintroduced SV650 after they launched Gladius in 2009 iirc. It looks nice and with full-fairings, it looks even nicer. You're right, the engine is shared with other bikes, though this one is tuned for slightly higher power output.

As long as you fill premium without Ethanol, you should be fine. I believe the stabilizer helps in case there is Ethanol so that it doesn't form any residue. But also depends on how long it's going to sit. Mine sits for a solid 4.5 - 5 months (mid-Nov to mid-Apr at least). Temps do go minus 20 and below in winter and compared to the UK, winter is harsh. Also, if you have front and rear paddock stands you can leave the bike on them and not worry about tires

[Typhoon]

[quote=voyageur;5188466]Design, styling, and overall looks of the bike:


That's a great looking bike, Congratulations and wish you many safe miles Voyageur

I used the street-fighter looking naked version of this SV650 for some time, then the Honda CB650F for my full-license..The SV650 has great manoeuvrability and stance, great within the city and short trips. I felt very safe around corners on dry roads, but a bit wary on wet roads in my experience. Would love to know your thoughts on this.
It may have well been due to my lack of experience in cornering, the light weight of Nakeds or perhaps the roads in the UK which has manhole covers planted right on bends

I recently got myself a S1KXR, just because I wanted a cross between adventure and sports and this has a more upright stance for my ageing spine. This rides like a S1KRR (sports version) as its the same engine, but slightly more planted and good in corners on both dry and wet tarmac.
Here are a few pictures:

[voyageur]

Originally Posted by Typhoon

That's a great looking bike, Congratulations and wish you many safe miles Voyageur

I used the street-fighter looking naked version of this SV650 for some time, then the Honda CB650F for my full-license..The SV650 has great manoeuvrability and stance, great within the city and short trips. I felt very safe around corners on dry roads, but a bit wary on wet roads in my experience. Would love to know your thoughts on this.
It may have well been due to my lack of experience in cornering, the light weight of Nakeds or perhaps the roads in the UK which has manhole covers planted right on bends

I recently got myself a S1KXR, just because I wanted a cross between adventure and sports and this has a more upright stance for my ageing spine. This rides like a S1KRR (sports version) as its the same engine, but slightly more planted and good in corners on both dry and wet tarmac.
Here are a few pictures:

Hello Typhoon,

Congrats on the XR. A fellow rider has XR here and I have sat on it to check how it feels. It felt like sitting on a couch, especially hoping on from my bike to that. I heard him say it has all sorts of electronic features including dynamic suspension and never having to go down and adjust the shocks

If it's wet conditions, I generally ride slower than normal as the tires on my motorcycle are not great, and I don't like the rear suspension setup. I have had the tires fishtail in the corners couple of times with not-so-aggressive riding in wet weather conditions. So I think we have a similar experience when it comes to cornering in wet weather.

But if I get a chance to upgrade the suspensions and tires next season, then it will definitely update on how different it feels.

Enjoy your XR and ride safe

[Typhoon]

Originally Posted by voyageur

Congrats on the XR. A fellow rider has XR here and I have sat on it to check how it feels. It felt like sitting on a couch, especially hoping on from my bike to that. I heard him say it has all sorts of electronic features including dynamic suspension and never having to go down and adjust the shocks

Thank you, coming from a RE 350 background, I couldn't compromise on the "rajah" seat
The electronic features are just too many on this bike and I must admit haven't used all of them yet, but I like the heated grips and quick shifter in filtering through city traffic.
Talking about features, the other day I was riding in road mode on the motorway/highway and it started to chuck it down as it happens here, and I tried to change to rain mode for better traction and grip, but the top notch electronics wouldn't let me. I then figured to change modes the bike either has to be standstill or throttle all the way back, depress clutch and then change mode while riding, in that order.
Go figure

Originally Posted by voyageur

If it's wet conditions, I generally ride slower than normal as the tires on my motorcycle are not great, and I don't like the rear suspension setup. I have had the tires fishtail in the corners couple of times with not-so-aggressive riding in wet weather conditions. So I think we have a similar experience when it comes to cornering in wet weather.

So I reckon it's because of the light weight and much higher CG perhaps, on this machine

Originally Posted by voyageur

But if I get a chance to upgrade the suspensions and tires next season, then it will definitely update on how different it feels.

Do you intend to change your tyres to winter ones? and change when seasons change. I got the Metzeler Roadtec

[voyageur]

Originally Posted by Typhoon

Thank you, coming from a RE 350 background, I couldn't compromise on the "rajah" seat
The electronic features are just too many on this bike and I must admit haven't used all of them yet, but I like the heated grips and quick shifter in filtering through city traffic.
Talking about features, the other day I was riding in road mode on the motorway/highway and it started to chuck it down as it happens here, and I tried to change to rain mode for better traction and grip, but the top notch electronics wouldn't let me. I then figured to change modes the bike either has to be standstill or throttle all the way back, depress clutch and then change mode while riding, in that order.
Go figure

Re: electronic features, I have heard the exact same thing from a couple of folks who own BMW bikes. But yeah, some things like the quick shifter, cruise control are great features to have. I say cruise control because on a long-distance journey, to give your right hand that much needed break.

Originally Posted by Typhoon

So I reckon it's because of the light weight and much higher CG perhaps, on this machine

Can't blame it on the motorcycle really. I have seen a couple of good riders here, people who do track days and racing. Even with 250cc motorcycles, they could easily corner better than me. Sure, I did catch them up on the straights but in the corners, they were much better. I think it also comes down to my skill level and confidence.

I must also say tires play a big part. If I had Michelin Road 5, then would have probably made a huge difference.

Originally Posted by Typhoon

Do you intend to change your tyres to winter ones? and change when seasons change. I got the Metzeler Roadtec

It's just too much snow really. Also, a lot of hassle to change tires as I don't do it by myself. Also, it's hard with a low gc motorcycle like mine. I'm just going to pack up and put the bike away for winter.

Roadtec is a very good tire for adv bikes, is what I have heard. Great wet weather grip and nice feel

I think UK is much better in terms of weather (snow) in winter. So I guess you can keep riding throughout the year but maybe a month or so, right?