Best of both worlds (BOBW 2010)
Jun 16th, 2010 by Leo
The perfect city motorcycle should have the best of both worlds: easy to ride and get around traffic (like a beginner bike), but with enough performance to have fun getting out of town hitting the twisties. Generally sportbikes are too sporty (Mr. T. says, “I pity the fool riding a 1098 in Manhattan”), cruisers are too heavy to zip around town and too much work for short trips, beginner bikes are underpowered… But there are a handful of bikes that aim to be the best of both worlds… So after an exhaustive search (okay not really) of all the bikes on the road, here’s the CBB pick for BOBW Bike for 2010… (Hint: it’s actually not the Ducati)
So what’ll it be? …the SV650. tada! After 11 years it’s still the zippiest, sportiest, most comfortable for long hauls – bike that you can often find for around $3k on Craigslist. Unlike hipster cafe racers, you can take it to the track and get your knee down with this thing going at a good rate, but it’s just as happy zipping around in traffic (without overheating, like sportbikes); and on the standard naked version (not available on current models) the high bars make eating up highway miles a breeze. Unlike the Ducati, parts are cheap and repairs fairly easy on this simple fuel inject v-twin (stick to 2003 and newer for the FI – although nice older carburetted versions can sometimes be found at a steal).
The only gripes people have about this bike are the looks (which is okay for my taste, but not beautiful by any means), and its cheapo (non-adjustable, and too soft for guys above 170 lbs) suspension. The stock suspension just might be fine around town; but if you want better performance there are simple solutions (cartridge emulators or replace with GSXR forks)…
So that’s my pick for this year’s BOBW Bike. What’s your pick? Leave it in the comments section!
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I approve this year’s selection!
I’d recommend 2005+ SVs if you want a FI model. 03-04 have just enough differences to make aftermarket parts for those specific years a little harder to find. 05+ also have the black frame, which cleans up the look, IMHO.
Stock SVs should be looked upon as platforms for improvement. The potential is there thanks to the sweet, sweet motor, but its up to you to pick the upgrades that best match your riding style.
Haha thanks!
I should note for readers who might not know, Stacy has one of the best SV blogs out there…( http://www.bolty.net) with great clear pictures for all the maintenance and DIY posts – the kind I’m too lazy to take!!
How about the Ninja 650R? It’s a little heavier, but a lot sexier.
Is the Ninja 650 heavier? I always thought they were almost the same thing – only I think the SV feels a little more torquey… But the ninja looks nicer than the fairing-sport version of the SV. Maybe the Ninja seat feels a little thinner too…
I bought a 2007 SV650 as my first bike and I love it. It’s has enough power, but not too much, it’s a nice size, but not too big, plus it’s maneuverability makes it easy to dodge cabs, potholes and pedestrians. Now if I could just get my super to let me keep it in my apartment…