2004 Suzuki SV650 K4 review

August 2004

I safely returned my longterm SV1000s as the Xmas parties kicked in last year, before collecting the keys to my next longtermer, the Suzuki SV650 K4.

With folks in the West Country, I reckon it's nice to keep it in the family.

Now, I loved the big SV and even though I put the best part of 12,000 miles on it since passing my test last June, I had to admit it was a big bike for novice old me.

So I was still an excited kid in a candy store on my first ride out to break in its little brother. It took me back to the excellent day when I took my virgin flight on a 500 twin, learning to get my full licence and I knew from then on that this was going to be a great year!

Choosing the A283 and A285 to Chichester over Duncton Hill really allowed me to get to know the bike and tour the twisty Sussex roads. This bike is in its element on the country roads, but the front wheel had a tendency to wobble slightly, even with the correct pressures in the Dunlops.

As it was hammering down with rain the next day, the delights of a naked bike were rammed home. Yeah, I got wet. But to be honest, who cares? The SV continues to instil confidence in the wet when leaning over and the back brake isn't too sharp, so there's no fear of locking the rear.

With the SV now run in, the little devil inside me has been tempting me to push more and use the full rev range in all the gears, as the torque can be a bit granny-like in high gears at low speeds. 'But that's the fun of it!' I hear you say - and quite right, too!

What better way to do this than with a 500-mile back road rideout to Le Mans to watch the MotoGP.  Being the slowest of the five bikes and knowing the way, I took the lead. "Now then guys, it's not a race..." but you just can't help yourself opening up the throttle and hearing the roar of the newly fitted Blue Flame can. And with the added protection of the TCP Aerodynamics Fly Screen, we were roaring through the open French countryside, enjoying the long sweeping bends and fast straights.

Going through the gearbox is smooth and the lurch of the big twin isn't as severe as the SV1000s, so you can hold it between 6 and 7000 revs, ready to power past a vehicle ahead.

Mind you, on that trip, keeping ahead of the big boys whilst they cruise along in 6th gear, it was a bit of a pain having to fill up every 45 minutes, as the tank range dropped to 75 miles at its worst.

Even the riders on the Blade, Trumpet and Beemer were impressed with the poke on the SV. We hit the autoroute on the way back and there is the buffeting from the wind, but with a comfortable riding position it was a breeze, even if the saddle is a tad on the hard side.

The lows so far are that the brakes need more power, so the pads will be changed soon, the mirrors rattle like a deadly viper and the goddamn fuse box blocks the ample space under the pillion seat.

Commuting from Fulham to Teddington each day brings a far better experience than its big brother, being lighter and easier to filter with. Two-up on the SV in high winds or traffic can be tricky though - especially when your pillion is a little lardy.

It's fair to say the little SV and me are getting on famously and everyone who's ridden it has enthused about the easy-to-get-on-with handling and everyone who's heard it loves the throaty throb from the new pipe.

Do I miss the extra 350cc from last year? Sometimes, less is more...

May 2005

"So, when are you going to get a man's bike?" That was one of the very first questions put to me 12 months ago as I rocked up on my new long-termer, and to be honest taking a step back I probably asked myself the same question. But as you would have read from previous reports and, most recently, after a further 2000-odd miles, life with the SV has been an experience I will never forget.

Previously her big brother, the SV1000 I had last year, got the better of me and I questioned my sanity on a motorcycle. And that's just the crack. It doesn't matter what type of trip I had in front of me, I knew it was going to be fun. Okay, sure, longer journeys are a bit painful as the baby SV's not built for 500-mile motorway-munching round trips, but you just weigh up the pros and cons and soon the latter doesn't have a footpeg to stand on.

Daily commutes through town are a breeze on the SV as it's light, easy to control and powerful enough to get out of danger, so 10 out of 10 there.

Calculating the time it would take to reach a destination on longer journeys soon becomes an irrelevance as the SV's natural inquisitive side always forces a move off the motorways in a hunt for the twisties.

Despite a 350cc disadvantage over its big bro' and not being classed as a sportsbike, the SV still pushes me to the limit. Most importantly I'm in control - with no extra horses lurking a throttle's twitch away and waiting to bite.

With so many extras fitted (see left) to enhance the SV's looks and performance, it was the Blueflame can that stood out the most, providing more power and torque everywhere.

Granted, on the motorways I could have done with a bit more fairing, but the SV did its job superbly. It's just a case of getting your head down and getting on with it.

And that's the beauty of motorcycling and something I have come to understand and respect: it takes time, and you learn something new every day, whatever machinery you're riding.

So even with all the muscle missing, I don't think I would have had so much fun and learned so much over the past year as I did on the SV650.

Hot or not? Hot. Definitely.