Suzuki SV1000

From the angular droop snoot fairing to the vertical LED brake lights, the new SV looks lean, purposeful and importantly looks like it works. Unlike the TL1000S or R, which to be frank looked a bit bulbous and unwieldy.

Despite the hunched looks, Suzuki reckon the SV is a softy, in the 'easy for anyone' mould and aimed squarely at anyone looking for a step up from the SV650 they've been happily gaining experience on. Paradoxically Suzuki have also pitched the SV as a real performance motorcycle for the hard riding aficionado looking for a tear-arse, road ripping sports tool. Hmm.. a bike with a designed-in split personality, a brave and interesting concept - but does it work? Read on.

Not the same old same old

The liquid-cooled, 90¼ 996cc V-twin looks much the same as its TL predecessor, but that's about it. Just about every component has been changed to improve the spread of power right the way through the range. As before, there's fuel-injection supplying the go-juice to the happy forged pistons leaping up and down in the new SCEM (Suzuki Composite Electrochemical Material) plated cylinders. Power is transmitted though a hydraulic clutch while a back torque limiter protects the crankshaft from sudden rear wheel power transfers. That's monos and rear wheel hopping under brutal downshifts to you and me. Exhaust gasses exit via two mufflers with catalytic converters housed within.

Providing the engine with a good home is a new high-vacuum die-cast aluminium frame. Apparently the new casting method ensures greater accuracy in design as well as more uniform and consistent metal integrity. I reckon it looks pretty good too. Attached to the chassis are 46mm conventional telescopic forks adjustable for preload, compression and rebound providing 120mm of travel, while at the back there's a fully adjustable pressurised piggyback shock providing a wheel stroke of 130mm.

Having provided plenty of go, it would be remiss not to provide plenty of whoa. Brakes are the same four-piston units found on the GSX-R750 biting into a pair of 320mm discs.

Easy does it

Remember the first time you let the clutch out on a big capacity machine and it just seemed to bound forward? Remember how intoxicating that sensation was? Well the SV does that every time. Big power pulses that reaffirm everything you always thought about big V twins. But here's the thing, unlike some from the home of pasta and tomato sauce, the delivery is creamy snatch free and snick-easy gearing doesn't require the assistance of the clutch to smooth things out until a supportable speed is attained.

Once the clutch is out, your feet settled on the slightly high footrests and the SV is rolling, you can't fail to notice that it's got a nice centred feel at low speed. The riding position is good and feels big-bike roomy although as usual the down-turned bars feed weight through the heels of the hands. However, the steering is still light and accurate which complements the low speed poise.

Pointing it up the track and winding it on results in an inexorable surge of thrusting midrange that has you muttering two word phrases that end in 'me' all the way to the 11000rpm red line. Not that you need to bounce it that hard of course, because the SV is just as happy to lope along at any speed you choose and anyway, power is tailing off by 9000rpm. Being brutal with the injection-fast throttle will have the front getting light in the best TL tradition, which could make exiting bumpy country corners exciting. Suzuki has seen fit to install a steering damper as standard but on the smooth surface of Eastern Creek it wasn't needed. The open road may offer a different story however.

In terms of the suspension, once again only a proper road test will measure its effectiveness. Even so, the overall impression is that ride quality is good and compliant, certainly chucking it around the track highlighted no real concerns other than being on the soft side for track work, which bodes well for road duties. Especially as being fully adjustable will allow fine tuning to suit the rider and style.

As you'd expect, the brakes are very good having come from the GSX-R750. There's plenty of feel and tyre communication at the lever and despite the SV being heavier than the donor bike, there was never a shortage of power.

What do we think of it?

There is no doubt that some people will judge the SV purely by the numbers on the spec sheet, which don't really tell the full story. Make no mistake, this motorcycle has a truly great engine that can be dopey docile or blasting-mad-bastard fast. The chassis and suspension package is far and away better than the earlier TL models and a great deal of thought has gone into making the bike have genuine broad appeal. Based only on the launch day it would appear that Suzuki has succeeded in its original tenet of 'Looks right - Feels right - Sounds right'. The SV is undoubtedly easy to ride and won't be frightening for riders stepping up into the litre class. However it still possesses a wicked streak in its DNA that makes it a very exciting bike to ride.

Who'll buy it?

Obviously Suzuki sees this as a graduation bike for riders already on their products. Personally I can see a lot of other brand riders defecting across if the SV proves to be as good on the road as it was at the launch. If Suzuki has any sense, it'll capitalise on the inherent broad appeal of this model by providing hard luggage, a bigger fuel tank and some higher bars, because the SV has the makings of a truly brilliant Sports Tourer.

What we liked:

Not so much:

Spex:
Displacement: 996cc;
Transmission: Six speed manual;
Final drive: Chain;
Claimed dry weight: 189kg;
Claimed seat height: 810mm;
Fuel capacity: 17;
Claimed power: 115PS at 8500;
Claimed torque: 10.4 kg-m; Price: $15,990.