Suzuki SV650 | .au

Review your last buy on ProductReview.com.auSuzuki SV650 has been discontinued. See the Best Sport Touring Bikes. 2Suzuki SV650 Verified25.0

8 reviews

Positive vs Negative100%0%Read moreCompareWrite a review Mileage ?12,300 kmBuild Quality5.0Value for Money5.0Cleaning & Maintenance ?4.8Noise Level4.3Braking4.7Acceleration / Power5.0Gear Shifting5.0Suspension4.3Fuel Efficiency5.0Comfort4.3Handling4.7

Compare best Sport Touring Bikes

Kawasaki Ninja 650 4.6Yamaha MT-09 4.7Kawasaki Versys 1000 4.3Yamaha YZF-R15 4.1Suzuki V-Strom 1050 (2023) 5.0See more8 reviewsAll filtersNewestAll filtersSearchNewestMileage dx020406 27 posts 5yVote (1)More

Tell me something that is wrong with one of these – Bought a 2018 650X - that's the cafe version with the low bars and round headlight. Beautiful engine and at nearly 80hp means that there aren't a lot of guys who can outride one of these. Handling is great and so fast cornering is easy. A lot of very good bike for the money ($7400 with 6000k on it) Checked the valve clearances which meant… Read more

stripping off a bit of gear and they were good but I'm not feeling like doing the shim replacements when due - looks scary. It's a long way removed from the Moto Guzzi V7. I rode a R E 650 Interceptor before buying this. SV is light years ahead.

Swanny199 QLD 6yVoteMore

The wolf in LAMS clothing – I have ridden since 2002. Owned all sorts of bikes from DR650SE adventure bike and dirt bikes too gsxr1000, trx850, harley sportsters. I bought this bike new at Suzuki in 2017, got renthal bars, woolich ecu Remap, k&n filter, arrow x kone slip on with the cat cut out and replaced with straight pipe. Went from 43hp & 198kg too 75hp & 191kg. I… Read more

originally wanted a mt07 however after a test ride I knew the sv was better all around. Front end is more planted, made in Japan not Thailand, build quality is like art.

It will accelerate to 100km/hr faster than any of my mates bikes eg cbr600rr, cb650r, gsxr600, ducati 797, gsx650f, triumph speed twin etc.

It lifts the wheel easily up to 90km/hr, more usable real world torque than anything I've owned.

The handling is great, the lean angle capability makes it so much fun. The standard suspension is fine if your 75kg and ride aggressive on the street, if you plan to track it id upgrade this first.

I run Metzler Sport ex m7 RR Tyres and they are confidence inspiring on this bike.

Servicing is easy and cheap. Fuel economy is fantastic.

Go buy one and have some fun.

Jonno QLD 15 posts 6yVote (5)MoreBrakingSuspensionComfort

A very competent All Rounder in a good compact size – There have been many reviews written of this model, all of which have rated the bike as excellent, so this is written after 10 months of ownership from new. The best "commercial" review I have read is "The Bike Show" by Mat Durrans who rated the SV 9.5/10. The .5 deduction was for seat comfort - more of that later. A review by The "Missendon… Read more

Flier" mentions only one criticism that I can remember " A flimsy side stand" To this day, I have no idea what he was referring to - it is a standard dimension Suzuki side stand which I have never had issue with at all. I use this bike for country road (heaps of cornering), as a general runabout and touring. Since owning the bike I have fitted it with a Givi small front screen and Hepco and Becker side city panniers and a Corbin seat. In terms of lightness, sharp steering, performance in all conditions, the bike is simply superb and in reality is all the bike that many people would need. The engine is turbine smooth and will cruise on any speed you want with no stress and mostly under 5000 rpm. With overtaking at highway speeds I have not so far had to change down to 5th - simply roll on the throttle and go - it has the power and torque to do it comfortably. Economy wise I can comfortably get 300 - 320 km range in most conditions out of the 14.5L tank using 95 or 98 RON fuel. Both fuel gauge and range displays are typically a little pessimistic. The instrument display whilst seeming a little crowded at first actually becomes very easy to read quickly and is one of the best I have seen. The display can be easily read in sunny and night conditions and the standard mode displays no info that is not useful. Full marks. There is no centre stand, although I believe that SW Motech make one in Europe but not available here to the best of my knowledge. I wouldn't bother. I have found fitting cotton reels and using a rear stand perfect for doing chain maintenance duties. The bike is so light that this is no chore. Seat Comfort: the standard seat is wide and hard and slopes towards the tank. I found it uncomfortable on anything other than short trips and soon put a sheepskin pad on it which made longer trips bearable. I have since fitted a Corbin Gunfighter seat which has been the answer and has been thought out very well ergonomically - no more pressure spots around the thighs. They are not cheap here, but for me represented better value than changing the exhaust and still accommodates a pillion easily. Does it tour? It certainly does that very well and with the side panniers and an Andy Strapz rear bag has been great on long weekend trips away. Suspension is good (not top shelf) and long trips have left me in good physical shape. Last trip was 550km in one day and I felt fine after it. Wind turbulence is almost non existent. If you carry a pillion regularly on long trips then from an overall comfort point of view (for the pillion), then the Vstrom 650 would be a better bet with its longer wheel base and long travel suspension and the same great engine (I used to own one) My other bike is a BMW R1150R, which is a superb long distance tourer and brilliant pillion machine and by comparison, the SV650 is not in the same league, but not shamed either. I have quickly appreciated the compact size and light weight of the SV - much easier to manoeuvre around and get in to tight spaces and the substantial engine performance is an eye opener. Highly recommended. 2 years on and 20,000km on the clock. Very happy indeed with the SV and for me is the best value for under 10K that you could wish for. Just does everything well and is so easy to maintain. Have no doubt that it is a very underrated bike in terms of performance and versatility and longevity.

• 

Graham SA 15 posts 7yVote (4)More

Come on guys! I don't believe it's only the GIRLS who LOVE these things! – Hi everyone, I am 56 years old (2019) and have been riding motorbikes on the road since I was 18. Have owned all sorts since and continue to love the riding experience. Lately I began feeling the need to get something lighter as I am not that tall - 173 cm or 5 ft 8 in - and am not getting any stronger the older I get. I had three bikes in the… Read more

shed... all Suzukis as a matter of fact, '86 GS125, '83 RG250 Gamma and a '80 GS1000G - shaft drive. Although it is the most fun I have ever had on a road bike, I decided to let the 250 Gamma go to another enthusiast so I didn't have to deal with the ongoing 2 stroke maintenance issues associated. I have kept the 125 for sentimental reasons and now also sold the 1000 shaftie and purchased a 2005 SV650 with only 14000 Kms on the clock. (March 2019). The idea being that this would replace the BIG bike need AND the FUN bike as well. It certainly has done this. Both light AND powerful... read on... All I can say is "What a machine!!" I know, I am talking about a whole new breed of machine to the ones mentioned but I was not ignorant to new machines before I bought this one. After buying the SV I felt the need to make it smoother at low RPMs (it was VERY jerky and almost dangerous going around low speed corners and roundabouts) so with a bit of research I learned how to adjust the throttle position sensor correctly and now with the difference that has made, it is superb. (If you are experiencing these sort of issues with yours then send me a reply. I can point you in the right direction for advice. The issue is quite common on fuel injected models apparently) Sure, the SV is not as smooth as the 4 cylinder bikes I have owned but this is expected and normal. What an engine! What usable torque! What a LOVELY SOUND as well! (Delkevic pipe with the baffle still IN) Because it weighs just 165 Kg (dry) I look forward to pushing it in and out of the shed and parking it etc. rather than dreading it, and it is actually quicker than the older but more powerful 1000 due to the power to weight ratio... 85 Kg less weight. (Pulls great wheelies too! I am not a wheelie person... it scared the snot out of me by accident one day at the traffic lights). It isn't as good for a pillion, but tell me what bike has ever been any better than the GS1000 Suzuki? My wife therefore simply won't go on the back as much now I guess - oh well, I have to make some sacrifices... This is definitely NOT just a girl's bike as it seems to have gained a reputation for being. (What is all this "girls" bike attitude anyway? They love bikes too don't they?) No, it is, I believe one of the very best motorbikes EVER manufactured and If I am not mistaken, in the future it will probably be remembered as one of the 10 best bikes in the history of motorbiking EVER to have been mass produced when it comes to enjoyment, performance, reliability and especially - VALUE FOR MONEY! I simply LOVE my new machine! For LEGAL speed riding, highways, twisties, in fact any public sealed roads, you really can't go past one of these things. An experienced rider on one of these will keep up with just about anything/anyone on the streets, in the hills etc. Oh, and they do the standing quarter mile in around 12.5 seconds... far from gutless! Irrespective of what sort of bikes you people like, I reckon every one of you NEEDS an SV650... as well! Do yourself a favour and ride one ASAP. You may choose to add one to your collection too.

UPDATE November 2022 :- Sadly my original SV (above) was written off not too long after my above review from a very minor bump which did not impede the riding, but was going to cost way too much than it should to respray. Moral of the story?- If you really love the bike you have but have a minor scrape on/off it, don't get your bike "insurance assessed" if the damage is mainly just cosmetic. Here in Australia THEY (the insurance companies) have the right to say it must not be re-registered. Just repair it and keep riding it. After this incident I purchased a 2002 VFR 800 V-Tec Honda. With over 90,000 Kms on the clock, the thing was close to immaculate and rode the same way (hats off to the original owner for keeping it in such lovely condition). Beautiful bike, but just couldn't get into it. Once again a little too heavy for this ageing body and thus not as flickable, more difficult to push around the shed and park etc. Also I now live at the end of 5 Kms of dirt road in the Barossa Ranges with kangaroos, echidnas, emus, deer and sheep etc. and like a lot of road bikes, it was a little too heavy over the front end for stability and safety on dirt especially under emergency braking so I moved it on (my son - big boy, over 6 feet tall - absolutely LOVES it now). In June 2022, I found a 2008 SV650 ABS with very low Kms and bought it. The brakes are not as immediate as the non-ABS model, which I don't like but on dirt it makes sense to have this feature. As well as this the 4 spark plug motor, although it may be better for emissions regulations, seems to have no better performance than earlier models. (It may be a BIT better on fuel efficiency - not really sure yet as I need to give this one a good service and tune first). Yes, the VFR is no doubt a much better finished machine quality and overall feel-wise, WAY more powerful, more solid on the sealed roads, very refined, INCREDIBLY SMOOTH and a delight to ride but it just wasn't ME. I still LOVE the SV650s and will probably continue to have one until the sad day that I am no longer able to ride. They are simply so light and nimble and EASY to ride. Power to weight, gearing, torque etc. are all so beautifully engineered in this machine and all at a fantastic price! Recently I fitted a pair of Shinko E-705 dual sport tyres to it and they seem fantastic so far (specifically for our dirt roads and conditions). They are slightly larger in diameter than standard tyres so the speedo is more accurate and the rpm has dropped at speed saving a little on fuel. Also, with the addition of an "Airhawk" seat pad it means there is absolutely NO LIMIT on how long I can ride this bike and still have no pain whatsoever in my posterior!

Now, on with the story...

MECHANICAL UPDATE March 2024 :- The reason there has been over a year since my purchase is because my wife and I went on a 26,000Km year long trip, clockwise around this big country of ours, and we have only recently returned.

Let me say straight up that I am not a mechanic nor am I an excellent motorcycle rider BUT I have been working on, modifying and greatly improving cars (in particular their suspension) and working on bikes nearly ALL of my life and have learned a great deal of what does and doesn't work in the process. Now, it seems that the previous owner of my latest SV650 (young, and as I realised very quickly, STUPID!) felt that with the replacement of some things, (perhaps a few hundred dollars of aftermarket bits) they knew much better than Suzuki and could massively improve the overall performance of this machine. I won't bore you all with the entire list of stupid but suffice to say they stuffed the throttle action, put almost invisible low intensity LED indicators on, ruined the feel of the clutch and brakes, destroyed the balance with awful handlebars, totally stuffed the suspension (the front would bottom out and rear would buck you off!) and the list continues. Most of these issues I was able to remedy myself in the first couple of weeks after I purchased it in 2022 as I had inherited many of the original parts as well. Sadly, some important/functional/useful pieces were missing, like the rear mudguard and the front fork protectors... why remove those? (Perhaps they didn't like the look of them... what a great reason to take them off and throw them away)! But the one main ongoing concern (mentioned above) was still the so-called "better ABS brakes" on this bike not responding at all well and requiring an awful lot of pressure on the levers to get any, even a poor response. So, after having this year's trip around Oz in our motorhome, I couldn't wait to get home and ride the bike again, BUT I was still quite concerned with the lack of stopping power. I had already worked on the brakes, cleaned the non-standard rotors, faced the Tokico front pads (twice) and sought professional advice and help, all to no avail. Finally, I did what I should have done at first, (and so should the bike shop I took it to who checked and re-bled the brakes) and I looked into the TYPE of pads that were in it. BINGO!! They had been changed from standard "GG" to "HH" rated compound. Designed for the racing track (so of course they MUST be better than standard, mustn't they?!) They do work really well when they are really hot but are TOTALLY USELESS when not at racing speeds. As I said, I live in the country and often don't even get the pads WARM, let alone hot, due to the long distances travelled between corners. Also, my style of riding on roads is to be as smooth as possible and being a nice V-Twin engine, when riding through twisties I keep the revs right up and use the very ample engine braking which pulls the bike into and around the corners beautifully. It has often surprised a lot of other riders on the road how you can easily keep up with most people through the hills riding this way whilst hardly even touching the brakes... So, I promptly ordered a complete set of front and rear pads - standard spec "GG" rating from "eonfine" online store (who I highly recommend) and with postage (for a total delivered value of $48.00) not even a week later, the brakes are as good as they should be, and the ABS works great now as well. (Safety tip - If you can, don't ever switch ABS off, it could save your life. People cannot do as good-a-job as the ABS can - FACT). Most motor bikes are already manufactured as high performance vehicles (unlike cars - MOST of which have a much greater scope for performance enhancement from the factory), and as such are best left standard for maximum "on road" performance. The moral here is of course, unless you are actually going to put it on the track AND you have experience as well as actually know what you are doing, do not mechanically modify your bike!

CONCLUSION? I very much recommended the Suzuki SV650! (Stock standard of course : - )

I do hope you good folk enjoy reading these "61 year old's" ramblings!!

(By the way, the picture shown has a couple of water drips underneath. No, it doesn't leak any oil).

andyhere 6 posts 8yVote (1)More

strong motor, reliable, fun – I bought the 2006 SV 650S with 35000 k's, Changed the tyres to Michelin PR 4's, great traction dry and wet. Had a full service and given thumbs up on a great buy. These machines require minimal maintenance, in saying that, fluid changes, chain checks, tyre pressure and this machine will run forever. The handling is exceptional and the big v twin… Read more

pulls up quick. I am up to 41 500 k's now and thoroughly enjoying the ride. A good learner bike but be careful, there is a lot of power there. For an experienced rider, a lot of fun with plenty of power, great clearance.

My only negative, why don't centre stands come with bikes anymore?

Shinigami VIC 12 posts 8yVoteMore

Perfect LAMS bike – We purchased a Gladius 650 about 8 years ago, it was for my boyfriend and was a great learners bike, good upright position, wasn't too small for a 100kg frame and had some get up and go to it. Also had the gear indicator lights, which is handy for a Learner. When he upgraded to a 1800 I used his bike to commute and found it very smooth and easy to… Read more

handle. (female 70kgs) was quite low to the ground, so I wasn't bobbing from side to side at the lights and was overall just a really nice easy and comfortable ride. Recently picked up another Gladius new and loving it also have a kawasaki ER6nl. The Gladius is much smoother a ride. Highly recommended as a LAMS bike and as a reliable commuter.

Purchased from City West Motorcycles in Hoppers Crossing, this is approx the 4th bike we've purchased from them and will happily return. Great service and honest.

toscamum 14yVote (1)More

Excellent – This is my 6th motorbike and my favourite. Couldn't afford to buy or maintain a Monster, this is so close to one, but a hell of a lot easier to live with. It has huge grin factor, I am a small woman (5'1") and not much of me, but the bike is so light and forgiving that I can manage it. Put Yoshi slip ons on and now the sound is awfully naughty. sound, grin factor, quality, power and gearbox. front headlight a bit dated

ellenbrae 2 posts 14yVoteMore

Excellent – This is a very easy bike to ride. Have just upgrated from a Honda CBR125R and I love it. Nice comfy seat and a great upright riding position. Everything. Looks great & is easy to ride. Nothing yet - only had for a short time

See top rated Sport Touring Bikes

Extra Information

Compare best Sport Touring Bikes

Kawasaki Ninja 650 4.6Yamaha MT-09 4.7Kawasaki Versys 1000 4.3Yamaha YZF-R15 4.1Suzuki V-Strom 1050 (2023) 5.0See more

ProductReview.com.au has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence our content moderation policies in any way, though ProductReview.com.au may earn commissions for products/services purchased via affiliate links.