It
looks for all the world like some giant insectoid
transformer. Suzuki's latest big vee-twin, the SV1000S is
a three way cross between the delightfully balanced SV650,
the more brutal TL1000 and an origami preying mantis. The
first time I saw one squatting menacingly in the corner
of a garage, I half expected it to unfurl cleverly hidden
insect wings and take off with a deafening, thumping drone.
The styling is paper-cut sharp with the "sporty half
fairing" on the SV1000S although a naked, un-faired
version will also be available.
We liked the SV650 and often wondered what this nimble,
easy-to-ride bike might be like with more power to play
with. Well, our question is answered with the SV1000S. While
the bike is all new, it is tempting to think of it as an
SV650 with a thumping great 996cc, fuel injected v-twin
squeezed into its super user friendly chassis.
Straddling the wide, low seat, the minimalist dashboard
is the first thing that grabs your attention. One dirty
great big analogue rev counter perched directly above a
generously sized LCD panel, the majority of which is taken
up with nice big digital MPH. There's a clock section and
a couple of trip meters but no unnecessary clutter; the
rest of the controls are typical Suzuki fare except, thanks
to Big Brother, no "unnecessary" switch for the
lights. Instead, what was previously the light switch is
now a hazard-warning flasher, never a bad thing to have
although hardline "right to choose" advocates
might find it more useful for converting their lights back
to manual...
Pull in the slightly heavy clutch lever, thumb the starter
button and the SV lump whirrs into action. There is no "choke"
on this fuel injection system - it has a fast idle and it
whirrs. The whirring continues unabated as you crank the
throttle, largely thanks to draconian noise level reductions.
You need a stethoscope to detect the exhaust note although
things improve on the move, once the induction roar joins
in with a chorus.
It is a sports bike and the riding position is distinctly
wrist heavy but you are not quite so hunched over the tank
or tail up as much as more radical machinery. Blipping the
throttle produces more whirring and gently easing out the
clutch, the SV lunges forwards for its first foray, a five
mile round trip through the Big Smog on greasy wet roads.
The SV1000 is fitted with a "back torque limiting
clutch system" which we might refer to as a slipper
clutch, but which I never quite get the hang of. It is designed
to decrease pressure on the clutch plates during deceleration
to help downshifts and also to increase pressure during
acceleration allowing for lighter springs. In practice it
felt a bit weird, as if there was a giant rubber band down
there somewhere; while there is never a problem getting
off the line, the SV launches itself with a sort of rubbery
pounce. It later transpired that our test bike had led a
hard life and the clutch was a little tired from about a
million ham fisted wheelies. When we had a chance to try
riding a fresher, less abused, machine the transmission
was smooth, jerk free and as user friendly as the rest of
the bike.
The
SV is not specifically a town bike by any means but it does
a pretty good job at carving through traffic. It is a narrow
bike with a relatively low seat height, just short of 32",
so reaching the ground is easy for the vertically challenged.
Suzuki have also made great efforts to keep weight to a
minimum too and the SV1000 is a lightweight in its class
at 189Kg dry. All of which help to inspire confidence even
in dense traffic. On a big vee like this you are always
going to be in the right gear and the power delivery is
grippy with a ruler straight power curve. Twist and go.
It is only when you really give it some (once away from
traffic!), at around seven or eight thousand rpm, that the
SV growls into life and starts to really fly. Even in the
meat of the powerband though, the power is predictable and
easily controlled. In fact the SV is a delightfully easy
bike to ride, hardly like a 1000cc bike at all.
The SV does give away its speed though. The combination
of riding position, engine note and firm suspension meant
I always thought I was going faster than I really was. 70
to 80 MPH on this bike feels fast, 120 MPH feels really
fast. It is not a comfort issue, the SV is an armchair ride
and it is not that the SV is slow (it's not!) it is just
one of those machines that doesn't disguise it's speed to
the rider.
The suspension is fully adjustable at both ends for preload,
compression and rebound damping. We found no reason to start
twiddling with it for our test despite the decidedly firm
standard settings because straight out of the box they were
a good compromise between stability and comfort. Although
you are aware of the firmness, the bike soaked up the potholed
streets of London without any fuss and was surprisingly
comfortable for a sportsbike. Commuter speeds are not what
the SV is about though and we took the SV for an outing
along some of our favourite Westcountry roads.
Once out on the open road the SV1000S really starts to
shine, especially on fast, smooth backroads. What was a
whirring mechanical whine at 6,000 RPM is now a growling,
howling roar at 11,000. The gearshift is now positive and
slick, suspension taut and balanced. Handling is neutral
and predictable, the engine unburstable. Brakes too are
confidence inspiring; the 4 pot calipers biting onto the
twin 310mm disks are neither too grabby nor too soft and
they will haul the bike down from any speed with utter control.
In fact the SV has no surprises in store for the rider at
all. It goes fast, corners well, handles the bumps and stops
with aplomb.
Even
at unprintable speeds, the SV just does the job of getting
you round corners, ironing out bumps and hauling you back
down to happy licence land. Except for the fear of getting
caught out at loony speeds, either by the law of the land
or the laws of physics, the SV is just as uninspiring at
the extreme as it is at touring speeds. But that is not
necessarily a criticism. Look at the flipside. An exciting,
unpredictable machine that is only good for hypersonic speeds...
The SV is certainly a very competent machine, predictable
yes, but an excellent bike for someone who wants to move
up to a Thou' or newbie sportsbiker.
I never had any problems with the SV1000S, at any speed
either on bumpy twisty roads or smooth straights but it
did seem to want to shake its head. Just a sort of mild
lightness at the front under heavy acceleration at pretty
much any speed. Suzuki have sensibly decided to fit a steering
damper as standard and the feeling never developed into
anything untoward.
Motorway riding was however a real joy. The huge "sporty
half fairing" does an excellent job and with my slight
5'7" frame I didn't need to duck down behind the screen
at all at any speed! I did a double check and sure enough,
the screen diverts airflow way over the rider even sitting
upright. The bike will happily lollop along at a relaxed
5-6,000 RPM equating to 90-100 MPH. There is no hint of
any serious vibration and the only thing to spoil its potential
as a long haul Gran-Tourismo is the fuel range and firm
angular seat pad. I found myself shifting around to avoid
numb bum which started to set in after a couple of hundred
miles.
The SV1000S is a very competent motorcycle for sure and
it will do virtually everything you ask of it from commuting,
touring to flat out sports riding but it is not the most
exciting machine to ride. A few quid spent on aftermarket
end cans would help to jazz the bike up and perhaps develop
a little character. On the plus side it is a VERY easy bike
to ride, ideal for anyone wishing to move up to a bigger
sports bike without wanting ballistic performance. Oh, and
the SV is great value at a mere £6399. The styling
might swing it for potential buyers, the great looks, virtuosity
and low price are its real strong points.
Second opinion - Simon Bradley
The SV1000S is an excellent
looking bike, even in silver which I normally hate. All
the proportions, the creases, the few curves, everything
looks right, and the impression is reinforced when you get
on. Although hardly a lightweight, Suzuki have kept the
weight down to a class leading 189kg and the bike is beautifully
balanced, which means moving around at low speeds is a doddle
and makes faster bend swinging a relaxing and enjoyable
experience. The instrumentation looks rather sparse at first
but becomes far more informative when the key is turned
and the LCD panel leaps into life. As well as a large, clear
digital speedo there are two trip meters and a clock to
keep the pilot informed as to what is going on. Oh, and
of course there is that big, clear, analogue tacho with
a red line all the way round at 11,000 rpm giving a clear
hint of what is to come.
Starting
the engine is something of an anticlimax because it is so
quiet. This is one bike that, at least as standard, will
never offend the neighbours or attract unwelcome attention
from the federales. Tickover, artificially augmented
by the clever new ECU if the engine is cold, is steady and
vibration free. Blip the throttle and the response is instant
in exactly the way that most big vee twins aren't. Sure,
there is some noticeable flywheel effect, but nothing like
as marked as you would expect for an engine of this size
and layout. Hook your heel onto possibly the world's longest
sidestand lever and take the weight of the bike yourself.
Notice that there actually isn't very much of it to take
and pull away. The clutch is light and slightly devoid of
feel, but the gearbox is typical Suzuki fare and engages
with a delicate touch.
Acceleration is pretty
much what you might expect for a 1000cc bike - effortless
- and in fairness, at lower speeds that actually sums just
about all aspects of the SV1000S up very well. It is, quite
simply, an extremely easy bike to just get on and ride.
Urban behaviour is refined and smooth, with excellent brakes,
clear mirrors and a comfortable riding position all adding
to the feeling of well being. This is a bike that anyone
could commute into town on from the off and never have any
complaints.
But 1000cc is a bit wasted in a 30mph speed limit, and
once out of the urban sprawl and able to stretch its legs,
the SV really came into its own. Acceleration and high speed
cruising remain effortless, and although the SV doesn't
conceal its speed in the way of a big tourer, it never feels
stressed and seemed to cover ground far more quickly than
its apparent actual speed would suggest. More spirited riding
reveals a power delivery that seems to sit squarely between
the traditional vee twin torque monsters of old and the
traditional Suzuki four cylinder screamers in that yes,
there is lots of torque but the engine is still happy to
rev and gets better the faster it spins.
Enthusiastic
testing on a favourite road showed the handling to
be pretty neutral. Although there seemed to be a slight
weave lurking in the background, it only materialised into
something tangible the once, and that was over a set of
ripples that normally have me backing right off anyway.
The standard fit steering damper feels a little over-protective,
but became unobtrusive enough when the pace was upped enough
to need it.
One place where the SV scores is the headlights. They are
sensational, and allied to a protective screen make it a
pleasure to maintain good progress after the sun has gone
down as well as during the day.
All in all, I was extremely impressed with the SV. Out
of the box it offers a less experienced rider a relatively
safe route to litre-bike ownership while still being both
fun and usable enough for more experienced pilotes
to find plenty in its favour as well. If modification is
your thing, there is little that sounds better than a pair
of decent pipes on a big vee-twin, there are some handling
tweaks available and you could fit braided hoses to upgrade
the already good brakes even further before going out and
taking scalps on trackdays and fast roads across the land.
And it does all this for a ridulously low price as well.
Marvellous.
SB
