I bought this 2001 SV 650 from a buddy who'd let it sit too long in his back yard under a tarp. It barely ran at all when I bought it. Between gommed up carburetors and other problems it took me awhile to nurse it back to health but it came around. Eventually I turned it into a race bike and put it on the track with WERA where I contested Lightweight Twins championships both in sprint and endurance racing.
Like my VStrom 650 this is a very versatile bike. But it is more of a sport-oriented bike with a more aggressive seating position, lighter frame and overall better cornering characteristics. This is especially true after I set it up for racing with aftermarket suspension. You won't be carrying nearly as much cargo with this bike either. A tank bag and whatever you can bungee onto the pillion seat is about the extent of it.
The 650cc power plant on the SV puts out strong power for its size. I sometimes jokingly refer to it as the "Halfabusa" but essentially that's what it is. Identical pistons, bore and stroke. There are only two cylinders on the SV as opposed to four on the Busa and the numbers bear that out. The horsepower and peak torque is right at half what you get on the Hayabusa.
Here are a few pictures:
I also have a 2005 Suzuki V Strom 650 and a Honda RC51.
Please visit my tribute to Erold (The Whale) Ansell.
Don't hang out in the No-Zone!