SUZUKI SV650X (2018 - on) Review

The brakes are fine. New pads will give them more bit, but the SV650X wants to know you mean it before you stop. The ride is super stable, and the bike will let you know well ahead of time if it thinks you're pushing too hard. Well deserved reputation as a first 'big' bike.

Wonderful 90 degree Ducati sounds and power, with a Suzuki price tag. What's not to love?

If you ride in all weathers, you should carry a can of WD40 under the seat, as heavy rain and spray can cause misfires. Other than that, I got 30'000 miles of trouble free motoring.

Not as cheap as a 125, and needs proper maintenance. But I've never needed to do any repairs, and all work is cheap and easy.

The standard tyres leave a lot to be desired. A set of Bridgestone BTs transformed the bike. The seat is a bit firm for long rides. Everything else is basic, but good.

The handling is ideally suited to the tight Cornish bends and the engine has plenty of punch on straights and two up on dual carriageways. I have regularly taken my partners on the 50 mile round trip to her workplace without any discomfort for either of us.

The engine pulls strongly through the rev range and really sings from 5000 revs upwards.

My bike has just had it's first MOT with no problems whatsoever. I took the precaution of using an anti-rust spray when I got the bike new, as I live within a mile of the sea, and the only corrosion visible is on the coolant pipe clips and some spots on the forks.

I didn't appreciate how well the headlight cowl fairing worked until I swapped it for a small 'Highway' style screen. This deflected the air OK but meant that my weight was thrown onto the low bars and my wrists suffered accordingly. I swapped it back straight away. At 6'1" I found the seat position a little cramped for my knees and fitted a pair of lowered Buell footpegs which are brilliant. A little grinding was required to mount the properly but it was easily achieved.

I have fitted Buell footpegs and an Airhawk seat to make the bike a little roomier for my 6' frame and worn hips and knees. The weight is carried low down and once rolling low speed manoeuvring is easy.

There is plenty of low down power and it spins up through the revs quickly enough for hustling along and passing most traffic.

There is some minimal corrosion on small water hose connectors and some spotting on the forks. However a treatment with ACF spray appears to have been effective in keeping the bike looking like new.

It is very reasonable to run and does @ 45 mpg ridden in a sporting manner.

The very small headlight cowl screen is surprisingly effective at keeping the weight off the riders wrists. I experimented by fitting a small highway cruiser type screen but found that the wind being diverted over my head meant my weight was being carried on my wrists at all speeds which was very tiring. I switched back to the original screen and have stuck with that since.

Handles well for what you pay. Brakes havn't essentially changed besides ABS.

Bah humbug to parallel twins, v-twin sounds great with aftermarket slip on. Peak torque has increased considerably over last engine. User assist is great even for a proficient rider, especially in heavy traffic. Near impossible to stall and appears to work in every gear. Just listening to bike warm as one readies for the trip to work is entertaining.

Bullet proof engine if looked after with an exceptional finish quality. Be aware the nut and bolt heads have a tendency to give a rusty like appearance eventually if not cleaned and/or protected with CRC or a like protective coating.

The V-twin of course.

Ok so this is where we see some evidence of cost cutting. The brakes are only 2 pot sliding calipers but actually work surprisingly well. The suspension is a bit choppy at low speeds but works well at higher speeds. I may get MCT to work their magic at a future date.

One of the great motorbike engines of all time! Don’t believe me? Take a test ride and be prepared for a surprise. The engine bark above 5k is addictive. It can be mellow when required but it so loves to rev. There is power everywhere and the roll on in 6th is nothing short of unbelievable.

No cheap bits, no dodgy bits. It’s all good. There’s no doubt this bike is a looker and the paintwork is to die for. The engine is obviously a bit more exposed than a faired bike so I’ll be getting liberal with the ACF50 just in case.

The first service was £99.

ABS but that’s it! No modes and nothing you don’t need. Less is more. This pure fun motorcycling at its best.