Rod Chapman•9 Jun 2016

REVIEW

2017 Suzuki SV650 launch review

Name: 2017 Suzuki SV650 launch review
Brand: Suzuki

Light, manageable and heaps of fun, Suzuki's LAMS-approved SV650 is back to seduce a whole new generation of riders

I have many a fond memory of Suzuki’s venerable SV650 – memories that date all the way back to the model’s introduction to the Australian market in early 2001.

When the model lobbed Down Under I immediately packed some soft panniers, strapped down a tent and pointed the SV at a mate's buck’s weekend on the shores of the Murray River near Echuca – a trip over which the diminutive V-twin quickly displayed its many charms.

Sticking like glue to the back wheel of a Ducati superbike along a tight and twisty road through Victoria’s Yarra Valley was another highlight, while I distinctly remember cutting through Melbourne’s peak hour with ease.

So it was a bit of a case of déjà-vu at the latest model's national press launch, held recently on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Not to be confused with the (defunct) half-faired SV650S, the naked SV650 disappeared from our our roads in 2009 when it was replaced with the oddly named – and some might say slightly oddly styled – SFV650 Gladius. Now the SV650 has returned to Oz, with the 2017 iteration also sounding the Gladius’s death knell.

2017 SUZUKI SV650 IN BIKE SHOWROOM

The ‘new’ SV is no token effort, mind you – Suzuki’s engineers have put plenty of elbow grease into bringing the platform up to date, meaning this is far more than a restyled Gladius parts-bin special. In fact Suzuki claims the chassis and various components boast a total of 80 changes, while the 645cc 90-degree V-twin has some 60 changes.

So what's new? It's lighter, for a start – 5kg lighter than the non-ABS Gladius in fact, even though the SV is only available with this proven safety technology. It's also slimmer than the Gladius – by 65mm at the widest part of the tank and 30mm at the front of the seat – making it even easier to get a foot down to the ground.

As the SV650 is only available in a LAMS format – sadly there are no plans to bring the 'full biscuit' version to our shores – the 785mm seat height is a big draw card. With Ducati ditching its LAMS-friendly Monster 659, the SV650 now has the lowest seat height in its class, undercutting the Kawasaki ER-6nL (805mm), Yamaha MT-07LA (805mm), Triumph Street Triple 660 (800mm), Ducati Scrambler (790mm) and Honda CB650F LAMS (810mm). It's also the only 'modern' LAMS-approved V-twin naked roadster, with the Scrambler falling firmly into the retro category.

After riding the SV through the tight, twisting and undulating roads of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, the appeal of that V-twin was readily apparent. Still a 645cc 90-degree V-twin with liquid cooling and four-valve heads, in LAMS guise it produces a claimed 47.6hp (35kW) at 8500rpm and 56.5Nm at 4000rpm. While the full-power version produces around 70hp (51.5kW), Suzuki Australia's National Marketing Manager, Lewis Croft, points out that the torque deficit is minimal – around 12 per cent.

The SV certainly scoots along well enough when ridden in anger, with good urge from 4000rpm, a fairly fat mid-range and useable power on tap all the way to its 11,000rpm rev limiter. At 100km/h the donk is spinning along at 4500rpm – relaxed enough should longer distances be on the agenda.

The fuelling is crisp but not so crisp as to be unnecessarily jerky at around-town speeds. In short, there's enough grunt here to keep a novice entertained through their restricted period and well beyond, and it's all very manageable and easy to use.

The steel trellis frame and basic-but-effective suspension package also hold up their end of the deal. The chassis is heavily revised while the springs comprise a non-adjustable 41mm fork and a preload-adjustable monoshock. As is usually the case, the adjustment of the rear shock can be made with the use of a C-spanner and small child's hand.

The bike is certainly very skinny through its midsection and the ergonomics are spot on. I'm a lanky 188cm but I was still able to fit on the bike comfortably enough. My legs didn't feel especially cramped over the course of a relaxed day's ride but as far as LAMS bikes go this is a fairly compact machine – there are better options out there for giraffes.

Supremely nimble and light (197kg wet), the SV flicks through bends with the lightest of shoves on those flat 'bars. It's a very handy tool through the twisties, where in the right hands there's potential to shame heavier, more powerful bikes.

The braking package offers good power and adequate feel, backed up by the safety net of anti-lock braking – perfect learner fare. The six-speed gearbox shifts cleanly through its ratios, as you'd expect of a Suzuki, and the clutch and throttle are light and precise.

The new instruments have been lifted from Suzuki's GSX-S1000, but in SV form the tacho readout can't be altered. It's clear and legible, with all the usual modern niceties (range to empty, average fuel consumption, gear display etc). The instrument binnacle is sizeable too, effectively serving as a small fly screen to divert a little of the wind's blast.

Two nifty features worthy of note comprise Low RPM Assist and Suzuki Easy Start. The former sees the ECU raise engine revs by around 500rpm during take-off and low-speed riding to minimise the chance of stalling, while the latter provides simple one-touch starting a-la many of today's push-button start cars, and as was recently premiered on Suzuki's GSX-S1000.

To be honest, to hear each described for the first time had my eyes glazing over, but both these systems are worthy additions, especially in a LAMS bike.

The Low RPM Assist is unobtrusive too; rarely do you notice its intervention.

The seat is pretty firm and there was a bit of stretching and standing up going on by the day's end. For day tripping it's fine; just leave the interstate epics for something else.

By the end of the day the trip computer was displaying a fuel economy of 4.8lt/100km. That was after some reasonably hard riding too, yet it still equates with a safe working range of over 260km. The old SV was frugal, so it's good to see this trait carried over to the newie.

Speaking of carry-overs, it seems the SV650's pricing has followed suit. I dug out an old copy of the mag that had my first review of this model, back in early 2001. The price back then was listed as $9990 plus on-roads. The price of this latest incarnation, with its electronic fuel injection, anti-lock braking, digital instrumentation and more? $9990 rideaway. That's an introductory offer, mind you, but in my books it's brilliant value – value further enhanced by the doubling of the bike's service intervals (now 12,000km, up from 6000km).

The SV650 has always been a good thing but this newcomer is even better. I would have given my right arm for a bike like this when I was learning the ropes and in a market niche positively bursting with great options, I’m sure it will still tempt plenty of novices onto two wheels. Fun, manageable and stylish – what's not to like?

SPECS: 2017 SUZUKI SV650

ENGINE

Type: Liquid-cooled, eight-valve, 90-degree V-twin

Capacity: 645cc

Bore x stroke: 81.0mm x 62.6mm

Compression ratio: 11.2:1

Fuel system: Electronic fuel injection

Emissions: Euro 4

PERFORMANCE

Claimed maximum power: 47.6hp (35kW) at 8500rpm

Claimed maximum torque: 56.5Nm at 4000rpm

TRANSMISSION

Type: Six-speed, constant mesh

Final drive: Chain

Clutch: Wet, multi-plate

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR

Frame type: Steel trellis

Front suspension: 41mm conventional fork, non-adjustable

Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload

Front brakes: Twin 290mm discs with twin-piston calipers, ABS

Rear brakes: Single 240mm disc with single piston caliper, ABS

Wheels: Five-spoke alloy

Tyres: Dunlop Sportmax Qualifier, 120/70ZR17 front, 160/60ZR17 rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES

Rake: 25 degrees

Trail: 106mm

Claimed dry weight: 197kg

Seat height: 785mm

Wheelbase: 1445mm

Fuel capacity: 13.8 litres

OTHER STUFF

Price: $9990 ride away

Colours: Pearl Mira Red, Pearl Glacier White or Metallic Matte Black

Bike supplied by: Suzuki Australia, suzukimotorcycles.com.au

Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres

2017 Suzuki SV650 launch review

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