Bye Bye Buell! Hello SV650!

"Nonster" (noahnic)
04/05/2016 at 11:30 • Filed to: None

She’s gone....My first motorcycle has moved on to another new rider. It was a great little bike but after nearly a year and 4000 miles I had a better idea of what I want in a bike (for now).

Much to my surprise I actually made a profit off the little Buell. I bought it for a cool $1000 with only 700 miles on it. I spend a couple hundred on it between the new handlebars, exhaust, and new tires and I sold it for $2000 less than 24 hours from when I listed it on craigslist. That was on Saturday.

I’d been hunting for a new bike but didn’t see much that I really loved on craigslist or cycletrader. Then on Sunday night while watching a replay of the Bahrain Grand Prix (Go RoGro & Haas!) I pulled up craigslist on my phone and I saw it. It had just been posted and I knew it was the one. I arranged to check it out Monday after work and after chatting with the owner and a quick test ride I sealed the deal and rode her home that evening.

The new steed is a 2007 Suzuki SV650 with 8600 miles. It’s in great shape and looks like its only come out of the garage for sunny days.

It came with a Givi windscreen, frame sliders, swing arm spools, and a little six-pack rack. Otherwise its completely stock. It also came with a lowering kit that used to be installed at some point in its life, I’m not a tall guy, but I don’t need it so I’ll probably sell those parts.

It has nearly twice the horsepower of the Blast and the V-twin sounds great but a little quiet with the stock exhaust. Being a bigger bike it’s not quite as nimble as the little Buell, but the suspension of the SV feels much better. I also like the riding position much better.

I’m going to the BMV to get the tag and title all taken care of today and I’m super stoked to go ride! Unfortunately Ohio decided it should be cold and rainy all week so I’ll probably have to wait until the weekend to really stretch her legs.

Pete Black & all the other SV folk, any tips, must-do’s, or things to watch out for?

Oh yeah I kept the name that the previous owners wife gave it. Her name is Ruby!

DISCUSSION (10)

Xyl0c41n3 > Nonster
04/05/2016 at 11:49

Are you Peter Black, SV Wrangler’s twin?!

Because his first bike was a Buell and his current is an SV 650, too, heh.

JKER > Nonster
04/05/2016 at 13:08

New tires will make it feel 10x as nimble. Get Q3's, they’re amazing. When I had an sv650 and switched to Q3's from the stock ones, it was an entirely different bike.

MrFurzzy > Nonster
04/05/2016 at 14:01

Congrats! My girlfriend and I are taking the motorcycle course this week, and I’m not happy about the weather. Our riding days are Saturday and Sunday, and the high is only 36 for Sunday.

slipperysallylikespenguins > Nonster
04/05/2016 at 16:18

If you ride in the rain, the mist from traffic can get around the spark plug for the front cylinder and cause that cylinder to short out until it’s dry, there is a small drain hole on the right side of the bake you need to keep cleaned out.

bob and john > Nonster
04/07/2016 at 00:33

#twinning!

lots of things you can do to SV.s really depends on what you want to do with it. touring? track rat?

my go too’s are: frame sliders, under tail, and then Neon lights and exhaust (yeayea, I’m 12, deal with it)

iuf you can wait a little bit, I can sell you a yoshi RS-3 can for cheap (has a bit of rash from a track-low side) REALLY opens up the V-twin rumble from these things

you MIGHT wantr to do something about the suspension sooner or later, learn to ride it as is first though

If you have a non-ABS model, I cant send you a part list. then when you want, have a case or 3 off beers waiting for me and i’ll come and help you install a GSX-R set up

Nonster > bob and john
04/07/2016 at 08:49

For now I’m just gonna be using it for spirited rides, commuting, touring, and general shennanigans...sooo basically all the usual bike things

Once I improve my riding a bit more I want to take it the track (Mid-Ohio is closest) so I’m sure I’ll be looking to go to the GSX-R setup at some point, but it already feels worlds better than the soft, bouncy, underdamped Blast suspension. It’s a non-ABS model so that parts list would be sweet! I’ll have to take you up on that offer when the time comes!

I’m definitely interested in the yoshi pipe too! How much do you want for it?

bob and john > Nonster
04/07/2016 at 13:47

you THINK its relatively well sprung from the factory only because you had the buell . let me tell you, it aint. ESP once you start to really push it.

i’ll have to wait until I get back to toronto and i;’ll send you some pictures... need to get MY new pipe on it first lol

also, i’;ll double what JKER said, get different tires.

I’ll add a vote for the Q3s, as they are cheap, grippy, and just over all FANTASTIC tires, but they just dont last (think like 6k miles out of a rear)

if you want something that will last a little longer, get michilens pilot ROAD 4's.

bob and john > slipperysallylikespenguins
04/07/2016 at 13:48

07+ didnt have that issue. they went to a 2 plug head design and had a little rubber flap specifically for that.

slipperysallylikespenguins > bob and john
04/07/2016 at 15:52

Ah, mines an 05

bob and john > Nonster
04/07/2016 at 20:34

BTW, my latest post has a short clip of the SV running through the gears :P LISTEN TO DAT YOSHI!