Suzuki SV1000S

Suzuki’s SV650 has been one of the most successful motorcycles in the company’s history, a best seller in several different countries around the world. After everyone agreeing that a bigger version would be a good idea, Suzuki quietly put their old TL1000 V-twin out to grass and came up with the SV1000, in unfaired and ’S’ variants.

But there are more big V-Twin machines on the market these days, making life that bit more competitive for the SV1000. Alastair Walker weighs up the options.

For me, the original SV650S was one of the best motorcycles of the late 1990s, bar none. A lightweight bike, with a punchy V-Twin motor that never really overtaxed its chassis, plus it looked nice too. All for about £4500 - magic.

I first rode the baby SV at the Contidrome in Germany, which is a steeply banked circuit, used by Continental for tyre testing. The SV650 was initially left behind by some of the sport-touring 600s of the time, like the ZZR600 for example, but inch by inch, it actually began to claw back distance on the high speed bowl, as the speedo gradually clicked upwards past 150mph. Amazing.

Who knows if the little SV was really that fast, but it felt like a ton of fun, in a refreshingly easy-handling package, especially compared to many mid 1990s 600cc class machines. The good news is that the big brother SV1000S feels just as nimble, yet also has a precision, a reassuring stability at high speeds.

Smoothly does it...

The thing which strikes you first about the SV1000S is how civilised it is. True, the big V-Twin engine is basically the same lump as seen in the TL1000, but its punch has been softened just a little bit, which makes the whole bike easier to live with. The old TL took some real skill to make it flow well through a succession of bumpy corners, but the SV - like many modern motorcycles - needs less skill to accomplish the same feat.

There’s nothing wrong with that in my book, since the SV1000 isn’t a full-on sportbike, like Honda’s SP2, or a Ducati 999. This is a great roadster V-Twin, a long-legged, 160mph solo tourer, or a 35mph chug-a-long commuter. It can accommodate both types of riding, in the same 6th gear, such is the flexibility of the engine.

The transmission is good on the Suzy, much better than on Italian rivals from Aprilia or Ducati, but the Suzuki SV does have a weakness in its fuel injection set-up, which `hunts’ slightly on a trailing throttle. It isn’t a big problem, but it doesn’t happen on many injected motorcycles, so it shouldn’t affect the Suzuki either.

The rest of the bike however, is simply superb. The chassis handles extremely well and the suspension is a good compromise between trackday feedback and everyday comfort.

First of all, the riding position feels good. The bike’s handlebars drop down a touch, getting you into a slight crouch, but it’s not a `race rep’ position. The wide gas tank gives you a kind of ledge to lean on during motorway blasts, whilst the footpegs are set high enough, but not so high that leg cramps set in. The only fault was the narrow seat for me, which caused a bit of butt-ache after 50 miles or so.

A new frame, based loosely on Ducati’s trellis design, but featuring much more substantial alloy sections and cross bracing, holds the 90 degree V-twin engine. Huge 46mm diameter forks, plus a steering damper, keep the front end feeling very secure - at any speed.

The SV has really good brakes upfront, but even grabbing at them suddenly whilst hooning into tight bends failed to get the forks squirming about too much. The only trait I didn’t like at the front end was the slight lack of feel at the front brake - like the GSXR series, the twin discs on the SV seem to lack the fine control, the feedback, that brakes on say a Ducati 749, or Yamaha R1 possess.

Finally, let’s thank the Lord for persuading Suzuki to bin their gimmicky rear shock mechanism from the ill-fated TL1000, which fed the damping oil through a screw shaped valve. It never caught on, mainly because it offered no useful advantage over the traditional remote reservoir monoshock, which is what is fitted to the SV. Overall, the 1000S has a firm ride quality on medium settings, if the saddle was softer, it would be perfect.

Happy days

No matter how adroit any motorcycle is these days, it needs a certain style, a balance of features which convinces bikers that they really need this weekend toy.

First, and let’s not mince words, the SV1000 is cheap, which is a strong sales tool in 2003. Bikers have turned into car boot style bargain hunters. That said, you can’t fault Suzuki on price, they are always competitive, and the SV1000S looked well made for such a relatively low priced machine. The paint looks thick, the alloy bits are very shiny and if it came with a front mudguard, rather than a kind of front tyre thong, then I’m certain it would last a few years before road crud destroyed the exhaust and engine cases finish.

The half fairing not only looks good, with its aggressively `staring’ type headlights, it keeps a useful amount of windblast away from the rider’s upper body. The mirrors aren’t anything special design-wise, but they work - you can see what’s behind you, which would be a revelation to Ducati owners, who often rely on clairvoyance, allegedly...

That chunky 17 litre gas tank holds about £11 worth of unleaded, with a 100-120 mile range from full to the yellow warning light appearing. Naturally the rear pillion saddle is too narrow, too high etc but at least there’s a grabrail, which is essential on any bike with a rear seat - the day is fast approaching when manufacturers will find themselves sued by pillions who fall off backwards, for NOT fitting a grabrail. That isn’t a joke, sadly.

You can trickle the burbling SV1000 through traffic jams with no pain, it will carve graceful lines along sweeping A roads, or you could wind up the suspension to the max, ten scare yourself silly at a trackday, but almost certainly pass half the group if you had any sort of ability.

All the bike cries out for, is a free-breathing exhaust, to liberate a genuine `boom’ from its 996cc motor. Italian rivals sound much better; the Aprilia Tuono sounds gruff, slightly psychotic, a Ducati S4 Monster has a liquid, rolling burr, but the SV1000S simply sounds muffled, a bit too civilised, as standard.

But I loved every minute of riding the SV1000, despite its odd little niggles. The entire package is well thought out, modern, clean-looking and yet has soul, a deeply addictive character. This is a motorcycle you could ride every day, yet still find yourself pushing to the limit at the weekends. It puts a smile on your face, at 40mph, or 140mph - plenty of bikes cannot manage that broad appeal.

Real World decisions

So, if you are in the market for a big, all rounder type of V-Twin, but don’t need a full-on sportbike, because your back cannot handle that awful riding position, then it comes down to a Buell, the Ducati or Aprilia twins, or something left field, like that new KTM 950. All Suzuki’s rivals are more expensive, although the Aprilia Falco isn’t far away on price, if you shop around - and it’s a great bike too by the way.

It’s astonishing that Honda have no SP2 powered sport-tourer in their range, or that Yamaha seem incapable of developing a new V-Twin motor to replace their aged 1100cc unit, as seen in the Bulldog. The chances of Kawasaki suddenly announcing they have slimmed down, and powered up, their Vulcan 1500 seem remote too. All of which makes the Suzuki the only Japanese contender to the funky Italian Vees in the real world - but the SV1000S is a very serious challenge.

In many ways, it is the best value choice; a cheap, reliable, all-rounder, which still has bags of character. Sure, it lacks that certain Italian something, and details like the jazzy rear light cluster still hints at the Japanese penchant for gadgets, but the SV1000 is just such good fun to ride.

This bike can do many things very, very well - almost as well as a top class sports machine like an RSV Mille can - yet it feels as easy to ride inside a 40mph limit as its baby brother SV650. By contrast, Aprilia’s Tuono feels like a crazed Supermoto machine, straining to get on with it, whilst Ducati’s Monster S4 has a gearbox which makes you avoid coming to a halt in town, such is the mither in selecting neutral sometimes.

Sometimes the bike you really need isn’t the fabulous, exotic, dream machine which makes you the envy of the local biker hang-out, but then, the hang-out don’t get to pay thousands extra for a Ducati or Aprilia. You do.

Get Suzuki motorbike insurance for the suzuki sv1000s.

Vital Statistics

Engine liquid cooled, 90 degree, V-Twin, four stroke
Capacity 996cc
Compression ratio 11.3:1
Claimed power 90bhp (est)
Gears 6 speed
Carbs None, digital fuel injection

Chassis
Frame Trellis type, aluminium alloy sections
Front suspension 46mm multi-adjustable forks
Rear suspension Monoshock, multi-adjustable
Front brakes Twin 310mm discs, 4 piston callipers
Rear brake Single 220mm, 2 piston calliper
Wheelbase 1435mm
Seat height 810mm

Performance
Dry weight 189kgs
Fuel capacity 17 litres

Buying info Two year warranty, discount deals available
Price Approx £6400 OTR (August 2003)