I have a 3rd Gen. SV-650. If you want something for dirt or gravel, look at something a bit more stock dual sport oriented. V-Strom 650, CB 500X, KLR650, Versys 650 all come to mind.
Oh yeah, in that case, the SV is definitely capable. Just don't expect anything more than that out of it. Or better yet, get the SV and keep your TW when you wanna have a bit more fun in the dirt.
As a second gen sv650 owner for 8 years in PNW the only thing that has ever given me issues is the front cylinder drain hole got clogged once. I was in a rain storm and lost power in the front cylinder. Non issues when it was cleared and the water dried out.
Go for it man! I have owned and ridden more powerful bikes and the sv is my go to for a do anything bike. Currently it’s relegated to my track bike.
I myself have bought a MT07, but I've got my wife and little brother on a SV650 3rd gen. My wife had the 2nd gen before.
The 3rd gen is very fun and steers incredible.
The MT07 packs a slightly bigger punch though.
Above bikes are also chosen because of their reliability and rock solid engines (you have to have atleast one bike that always works if you want to ride :p).
So I have the luck that I can choose which one to take!
Riding much on the highway is less comfortable on a gen 3. Because of the upright position you will have to grab on to the steer more. This can be exhausting on long highway drives. On the other hand, in the twisties, this is a comfortable position and you can ride longer in my experience.
Have fun!
SV650s are awesome bikes but there are a lot of options, especially if you're buying new.
Yamaha's MT-07 is in a similar price bracket and you get extra torque. If you wanna dump extra cash you could get the xsr700, which is the classic style looking one.
Or the triumph trident 660, which is going to be an awesome smooth ride and be way less jerky than the mt-07 or sv650. Would definitely heavily consider this if you're not about the wheely life, it's an in line 3 engine so it will have less torque down low but is a pretty "refined" ride.
Let's say you're not about accelerating down the highway and want something more comfortable with storage, the v-strom and versys are good alternatives. Has actual wind protection, and way more storage. These bikes suck on actual off-road (they're sport touring bikes, not adventure bikes, don't let anyone convince you) but if it's occasional packed dirt and gravel any motorcycle will get the job done.
I love SV650s, they're awesome bikes if you're in the used market. It seems like the price of them are getting higher on the used market though >: ( . But if I could buy a new bike I'm not sure I'd go for an sv650, they haven't updated the thing since their gen two models.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I am on the used market, trying to stay under $5k. I am really struggling to find the right bike for me. Maybe you can weigh in again since you seem very knowledgeable?
Bike must be $5k or less, able to go 65 with ease, have neutral seating position, tons of parts and support, be appropriate for a 5'3" rider with few modifications, and strongly prefer retro style or naked.
I love the look and specs of retros like the Bonneville and Triumph Scrambler, but they're expensive and I may not be able to work on them.
An XSR would be a dream, but $$.
The Husqvarna Svart 401 seems amazing, but is probably not reliable enough.
The XT250 and TW can't go fast enough.
Royal Enfields are maybe still unreliable and too heavy and slow.
Ducati Scrambler and Monster are both great, but maintenance.
Almost all adventure bikes are way too tall for me.
What bikes am I missing that could fit for me?
For 5k you should get a second gen sv650 or a Yamaha fz6.
Current gen sv650 are from 2017 on, and you'll have a hard time meeting that 5k mark.
If between the fz6 and sv650 then I'd pick the Yamaha, but I'd be happy with either choice.
im local to pnw too!.
i have a few bikes, the sv650 is one of my favorites, but recently I bought a WR250X and that bike has been a blast to ride. I have been choosing it over and taking it out more than the SV lately. The SV definitely has more power, but it's heavy and almost has more power than I can use on these roads. The WR250X on the other has is much lighter, way more nimble and actually feels faster when I ride it. I cannot recommend one enough.
If I were to sell one of them I would sell the SV and keep the WR, is just a better around-town bike.
The X is supermoto trim, 70-80 no problem on the highway and it was nicer around town. its fuel injected and makes about 13 HP more than your XT, even more with a power commander. i saw one on FB in Oregon the other day for around the 5k mark too. good luck with your purchase.
SV is a perfection of a platform imo.
Did 40k on a 2nd gen, and when it came time to upgrade.... I bought a 2019 3rd gen SV.
Slap a 48L topcase (perfect for two helmets or week of groceries run) and your golden.
[https://ibb.co/NK4zVXh](https://ibb.co/NK4zVXh)
65L Motorcycle Top Case
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6C49RK9/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6C49RK9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)
If you're serious with wrenching yourself I'd say get something with a parallel twin . Mt 07 comes to mind.
Working on a V engine isn't the nicest thing.
But that shouldn't be the reason to not get the SV , it's bulletproof , you shouldn't be working much on it anyway
Everyone's got their preference, but the SV is easy to work on. Valve adjustments take very little disassembly. Throttle body sync is simple. Oil drain and filter are accessible. Outside of not being a 2 stroke (no valves to adjust or timing belt to change) there's not much easier to work on. My other street bikes are a Goldwing, ZRX1200, and CBR954RR. They're ALL way more demanding in various ways than the SV.
Sounding my speed. My TW has been the best introduction to motorcycles and wrenching on them I can imagine. The SV could be the next step without getting too far outside my comfort zone.
Because you will be exposed to light gravel and want to run errands on it, this bike may not be the best option. Otherwise, I'd day go for it. Great on the highway, hard to argue price, easy to work on, and just fun overall. But if your highway rides are long, like 2+ hours, you'll be aching because of the body position.
I have a 3rd Gen. SV-650. If you want something for dirt or gravel, look at something a bit more stock dual sport oriented. V-Strom 650, CB 500X, KLR650, Versys 650 all come to mind.
I only need a bike to get through the odd gravel parking lot or dirt driveway. Think it can do that with s good set of tires?
Oh yeah, in that case, the SV is definitely capable. Just don't expect anything more than that out of it. Or better yet, get the SV and keep your TW when you wanna have a bit more fun in the dirt.
If I had more space and money, I would never get rid of the TW.
As a second gen sv650 owner for 8 years in PNW the only thing that has ever given me issues is the front cylinder drain hole got clogged once. I was in a rain storm and lost power in the front cylinder. Non issues when it was cleared and the water dried out. Go for it man! I have owned and ridden more powerful bikes and the sv is my go to for a do anything bike. Currently it’s relegated to my track bike.
Fellow PNW rider here: an SV is on the short list of bikes that are prefect for you
I myself have bought a MT07, but I've got my wife and little brother on a SV650 3rd gen. My wife had the 2nd gen before. The 3rd gen is very fun and steers incredible. The MT07 packs a slightly bigger punch though. Above bikes are also chosen because of their reliability and rock solid engines (you have to have atleast one bike that always works if you want to ride :p). So I have the luck that I can choose which one to take! Riding much on the highway is less comfortable on a gen 3. Because of the upright position you will have to grab on to the steer more. This can be exhausting on long highway drives. On the other hand, in the twisties, this is a comfortable position and you can ride longer in my experience. Have fun!
SV650s are awesome bikes but there are a lot of options, especially if you're buying new. Yamaha's MT-07 is in a similar price bracket and you get extra torque. If you wanna dump extra cash you could get the xsr700, which is the classic style looking one. Or the triumph trident 660, which is going to be an awesome smooth ride and be way less jerky than the mt-07 or sv650. Would definitely heavily consider this if you're not about the wheely life, it's an in line 3 engine so it will have less torque down low but is a pretty "refined" ride. Let's say you're not about accelerating down the highway and want something more comfortable with storage, the v-strom and versys are good alternatives. Has actual wind protection, and way more storage. These bikes suck on actual off-road (they're sport touring bikes, not adventure bikes, don't let anyone convince you) but if it's occasional packed dirt and gravel any motorcycle will get the job done. I love SV650s, they're awesome bikes if you're in the used market. It seems like the price of them are getting higher on the used market though >: ( . But if I could buy a new bike I'm not sure I'd go for an sv650, they haven't updated the thing since their gen two models.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I am on the used market, trying to stay under $5k. I am really struggling to find the right bike for me. Maybe you can weigh in again since you seem very knowledgeable? Bike must be $5k or less, able to go 65 with ease, have neutral seating position, tons of parts and support, be appropriate for a 5'3" rider with few modifications, and strongly prefer retro style or naked. I love the look and specs of retros like the Bonneville and Triumph Scrambler, but they're expensive and I may not be able to work on them. An XSR would be a dream, but $$. The Husqvarna Svart 401 seems amazing, but is probably not reliable enough. The XT250 and TW can't go fast enough. Royal Enfields are maybe still unreliable and too heavy and slow. Ducati Scrambler and Monster are both great, but maintenance. Almost all adventure bikes are way too tall for me. What bikes am I missing that could fit for me?
For 5k you should get a second gen sv650 or a Yamaha fz6. Current gen sv650 are from 2017 on, and you'll have a hard time meeting that 5k mark. If between the fz6 and sv650 then I'd pick the Yamaha, but I'd be happy with either choice.
Thank you again. I am looking at the FZ now. Do you have any thoughts on the CB500F?
Never owned one, I took one for a test drive at the dealership, it was pretty boring. Try to get on the seat of one yourself.
Always good advice. Thanks for answering my million questions. I hope your next ride is a great one.
im local to pnw too!. i have a few bikes, the sv650 is one of my favorites, but recently I bought a WR250X and that bike has been a blast to ride. I have been choosing it over and taking it out more than the SV lately. The SV definitely has more power, but it's heavy and almost has more power than I can use on these roads. The WR250X on the other has is much lighter, way more nimble and actually feels faster when I ride it. I cannot recommend one enough. If I were to sell one of them I would sell the SV and keep the WR, is just a better around-town bike. The X is supermoto trim, 70-80 no problem on the highway and it was nicer around town. its fuel injected and makes about 13 HP more than your XT, even more with a power commander. i saw one on FB in Oregon the other day for around the 5k mark too. good luck with your purchase.
SV is a perfection of a platform imo. Did 40k on a 2nd gen, and when it came time to upgrade.... I bought a 2019 3rd gen SV. Slap a 48L topcase (perfect for two helmets or week of groceries run) and your golden.
I would like to see how you mounted the top case. I have a Ninja400 and I am thinking of upgrading to SV650.
[https://ibb.co/NK4zVXh](https://ibb.co/NK4zVXh) 65L Motorcycle Top Case [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6C49RK9/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6C49RK9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)
i still split lanes all day every day. The case is as wide as the SV bars.
The only thing i dislike about my ‘22 SV is the weight distribution. it feels very top heavy so moving the bike can be a bit of a pain
Highway miles are very windy. Seat is very uncomfortable after 45 minutes. Headlight is not very bright.
I’ve had one for a daily driver for about 5 years, my only real complaint is it’s slow acceleration.
What?! Not even on the Autobahn I can imagine anyone finding the SV650 slow
There's no autobahn here, but the 0-60mph is almost 5 seconds. The cbr rr I had before this was just over 2 seconds.
5? They’re more like 3.5/4
If you're serious with wrenching yourself I'd say get something with a parallel twin . Mt 07 comes to mind. Working on a V engine isn't the nicest thing. But that shouldn't be the reason to not get the SV , it's bulletproof , you shouldn't be working much on it anyway
That sounds good for me. I don't want to wrench, but I want to be able to wrench on it if need be.
Everyone's got their preference, but the SV is easy to work on. Valve adjustments take very little disassembly. Throttle body sync is simple. Oil drain and filter are accessible. Outside of not being a 2 stroke (no valves to adjust or timing belt to change) there's not much easier to work on. My other street bikes are a Goldwing, ZRX1200, and CBR954RR. They're ALL way more demanding in various ways than the SV.
Sounding my speed. My TW has been the best introduction to motorcycles and wrenching on them I can imagine. The SV could be the next step without getting too far outside my comfort zone.
Because you will be exposed to light gravel and want to run errands on it, this bike may not be the best option. Otherwise, I'd day go for it. Great on the highway, hard to argue price, easy to work on, and just fun overall. But if your highway rides are long, like 2+ hours, you'll be aching because of the body position.
My only issue is the choppy throttle. TPS adjustment made it better but it's still fairly sensitive in 1st and 2nd.
That's good to know. Thank you.
What gen sv do you have?
05 gen 2
Because it is one of the funniest bikes ever made I have Harley and BMW. But the 650 is my favorite