The Motorcycle That Quietly Builds Lifelong Owners
Features are one of the selling points of motorcycles today, but in chasing features, manufacturers sometimes forget why we want to swing a leg over a motorcycle in the first place. They equip motorcycles with a lot of safety features, which is nice, and things like TFT displays, which bring a lot more color to your riding experience. But the primary reason to ride a motorcycle is to keep things simple, light, and enjoy the scenery as you pass through it. That’s where a certain simple Suzuki naked builds lifetime owners.
Hype Seems To Be Overtaking Everyday Charm
When manufacturers worry more about feature updates, broad appeal, and spec sheet numbers, the mechanical intimacy that draws us all to motorcycles takes a backseat. For instance, the middleweight naked bike segment started off as a fun, low-cost segment with products that you could run every day for years and many tens of thousands of miles without big ownership costs. Today, however, they are morphing into middleweight versions of their liter-class counterparts, with edgy styling, aggressive tunes for the engines, and price tags that are creeping slowly higher.
A Lifelong Bond Isn’t Built On The Highs Alone
Bonds that last a lifetime aren’t built on the bits that are adrenaline-filled; they are built in the quiet moments in between, the satisfying bits when nothing extraordinary is happening. And so it should be with the middleweight naked segment. The purpose was to offer low-cost, low-tech fun to the masses and remain that way for as long as the consumer liked, without the need to upgrade or massive ownership costs if one chose to retain the motorcycle. It is rare to find a motorcycle that bucks the trend — all one needs to build that bond with a motorcycle is a driveline and chassis that is involving, looks that are good, and reliability that will not let you down.
The Suzuki SV650 Is The Motorcycle That Quietly Builds Lifelong Owners
While the rest of the middleweight naked segment chooses to go more modern with space-age styling, electronics, quickshifters, and fully adjustable suspension, the SV650 seems to be the kind of product that is stuck in time. It has been almost the same for two decades with only a few minor tweaks here and there to make it a better product.
It is simple, light, and has a characterful 90-degree V-twin engine that makes it fun. The only nod to modernity is the standard ABS, but to be honest, it doesn’t need anything else because it is where motorcycling meets simplicity and timeless appeal. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced rider, it has something to offer to everyone, and that is why it is the motorcycle that quietly builds lifelong owners.
A Fancy Price For A Not-So-Fancy Machine
With a retail of $8,149, the SV is one of the more expensive middleweight naked motorcycles on the market today. It can be explained by the fact that it has a trellis frame and a V-twin engine. Also, that price gets you ABS by default, so there is no hidden cost for a safety upgrade. There are some who might say that the price could go down further, but whatever you pay upfront for the SV, you will recover easily during ownership thanks to it being one of the Suzukis with proven longevity.
Powered By The Only V-Twin Left In The Segment
This is an engine that has stood the test of time; it is the Japanese engine that refuses to die. The powerhouse has been around forever, so there are none of the modern-day things that you take for granted. It is modern enough in its own right, though, with its liquid cooling and DOHC head with four valves per cylinder. It is fuel-injected, displaces 645 cc, and has a compression ratio of 11.2:1. The output numbers stand at 73 horsepower at 8,500 RPM and 47.2 pound-feet of torque at 8,100 RPM. This is sent through a six-speed manual transmission and a chain to the wheel.
The Trellis Frame Remains Relevant Even Today
The SV650 might have launched well over two decades ago, but its chassis specs read like something that was launched this year. It has a steel trellis frame with a 41 mm telescopic fork at the front and a link-type monoshock at the rear. The only adjustment available is preload for the rear shock, and there is 4.9 inches of travel available at the front and 5.1 inches at the rear. For stopping power, the front brakes consist of 290 mm discs with four-piston fixed calipers, whereas the rear has a 240 mm disc with a single-piston caliper. The SV uses 17-inch alloy wheels fitted with tubeless radial tires. Keeping it simple suits the SV well; it rarely needs repairs.
This Is A Relatively Compact Motorcycle
The SV650 profiles as one of the smaller middleweight nakeds, which works to its advantage. It is 84.3 inches long and nearly 30 inches wide with a wheelbase of just under 57 inches. This is topped with 5.3 inches of ground clearance and a low seat height of 30.9 inches. The fuel tank can hold 3.8 gallons of fuel, and it weighs 437 pounds wet. The latter is on par with its new-age rivals.
Basic Feature Set Is From Two Decades Ago
When we say that the SV650 has not had big updates since its launch, we really mean it. This reflects starkly in its feature set, but it is a motorcycle that changes what you think you need. It has an LCD instrument cluster that includes all the warning lamps, speed, rev counter, a gear indicator, coolant temperature, a clock, odometer, two trip meters, fuel level, and average fuel consumption.
As far as electronics go, the SV650 has ABS as standard, and it also has Suzuki’s SDTV technology. This is short for Dual Throttle Valve, which means there is a second set of electronically controlled valves in line with the cable-actuated ones that are attached to the twistgrip. They take care of cold starts and smoothing out throttle responses, especially from open to closed and back.
No Other V-Twins Exist In The Segment Today
The SV650’s USP is its peppy V-twin engine, and this is an expensive component to manufacture, which explains the asking price. Almost all the other options run parallel-twin engines in comparison. The cheapest of the lot, strangely, is at $7,499. This is an underrated motorcycle that’s worth every penny, and offers a unique experience in this segment with its inline three-cylinder engine that generates 95 horsepower, and delivers extreme value through great components and the longest list of standard features. The segment is bookended by another inline three-cylinder motorcycle, the Triumph Trident 660, that retails at $8,745.
The most affordable of the parallel-twin competition is the Kawasaki Z650 ABS at $7,699, delivering a premium feel on a budget. It has a 180-degree firing order, while all the other parallel twins have a 270-degree crank. It recently got an update to a 4.3-inch TFT display, and this is one of the older engines, so reliability is a guarantee.
Elsewhere, the Honda CB750 Hornet is the product that quietly leads the segment because it is now available as standard with the E-Clutch feature and retails at $7,999. It is light, engaging, and has enough power to show you a good time. Finally, there is the Yamaha MT-07, which is one of the most expensive in the segment at $8,599. It recently got an upgrade to a by-wire throttle. Yamaha has also bundled in traction control, and a two-way quickshifter is now an option. It still is down on power compared to most of the others, though it always reminds you why riding is fun.
Sources: Suzuki Cycles
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