05 VFR vs Suzuki SV1000

i'm not saying anything that hasn't already been said, but to add my $.02......

i started out on a SV650 and absolutely LOVED the bike. super-nimble, nice low-end for getting off the line, good looks, nice sounding exhaust, etc. the bike was damn near perfect for a big guy like me as a starter bike. the only real downsides to it were the soft front suspension, inadequate brakes, and the less-than-stellar ergos. the soft suspension can be fixed with stiffer springs, an oil change, or even a swap to a Gixxer front end. the brakes really only need some braided lines. the ergos, though, are what eventually got to me. my SV (2003 SV650s) had lowered pegs, Honda Hawk clip-ons (which raised the handles a good 2" or so), but it still left my ass in pain after a good day-long ride on the weekend.

knowing that i would need to start commuting on the bike once i moved (i now travel about 60 miles one way), i knew the SV had to go for something more comfortable. still, i didn't want to lose the fun factor should i ever want to take the bike out in the twisties. enter the VFR. to be honest, my first impression of the VFR after riding a SV for so long was not an overall positive one. i instantly recognized how much heavier the VFR was and also missed the low-end torque. still, i couldn't deny the comfy ergos and found the power to be pretty fun once you wound her up. i also felt that the VFR was more....refined. maybe it was the lack of engine vibration coming through the seat that i was so used to with the SV, but the VFR just seemed to do everything without making a big deal of it. very smooth.

now, as far as the SV1K goes, my brother has one and i've ridden it before. keep in mind that i've only been riding for 1 year and the SV1K is by far the most powerful thing i've been on, but that thing is a BEAST!!! even at my portly 300+ lbs, my little SV650 would pull the front tire at every light if i wasn't careful. the SV1K takes all your effort and an act of God to come off the line and NOT pop up unless you baby into it. for that reason alone, my brother has never caught me off the line. i can gun it from the get-go with really no threat from the VFR while he's back there easing the clutch out and praying.

but maybe this best sums it up for me: my brother came on a ride with me through the backroads of San Diego to Idylwild not too long ago. it's about 350 mile ride round trip the way we do it, so you're talking a full day of riding. at about 250 miles, we pulled off for some gas and decided to switch bikes for a little. first thing i noticed about the SV was how the seat felt like some hard bicycle seat that really should have bought me dinner first. compunding that was the low position of the handlebars. it gave me the impression that i was gonna go flying off the front end with even the slightest use of the brakes (which is definetely compounded by the bike's tendency to nose-dive even on the front suspension's stiffest settings). on the plus side, i simply could not believe how nimble the thing was. i'm not an experienced rider by any means, but the tossability of even the bigger SV is leaps and bounds over the VFR. i was powering through corners with considerably much less effort than the VFR. the downside, though, was that the torque came on so hard i was afraid to make even the slightest adjustments in throttle. with some more riding, i'd likely get used to it, but i much prefer the ability to leave the VFR in the low-end of the power band and be able to flick it wide open without the fear of heavy repercussions.

after 50 miles or so, we pulled over to switch back because my ass couldn't take it anymore. my brother was pissed because he was enjoying the break on his rear the VFR was getting him, but i just couldn't take it anymore.

so, in conclusion: SV1K for awesome handling and probably more power than you need right now, or the VFR for a comfy ride that maybe won't excite as much but doesn't leave you walking like you just had a prison date.

Mike

PS - i bought my used 04 from a guy in your area for about $4500 and 14K miles. deal of the century, but i'm just letting you know it's out there. even with the VFR's stellar rep, i would walk away from anything with that kind of miles, esp at that price.

 

I think I said this in another post somewhere, but oh well; The VFR reminds me of a well-educated sword fighter, and the SV seems more like an enthusiastic teenager with a club. In all fairness, I have not ridden the 1000, just the 650.

 

....

....on the plus side, i simply could not believe how nimble the thing was. i'm not an experienced rider by any means, but the tossability of even the bigger SV is leaps and bounds over the VFR. i was powering through corners with considerably much less effort than the VFR. the downside, though, was that the torque came on so hard i was afraid to make even the slightest adjustments in throttle. with some more riding, i'd likely get used to it, but i much prefer the ability to leave the VFR in the low-end of the power band and be able to flick it wide open without the fear of heavy repercussions.

PS - i bought my used 04 from a guy in your area for about $4500 and 14K miles. deal of the century, but i'm just letting you know it's out there. even with the VFR's stellar rep, i would walk away from anything with that kind of miles, esp at that price.[/QUOTE]

Was the VFR you have bone stock? I've found that with my 300+lbs that with an aftermarket rear shock the flickability has greatly improved. Before I had to coax/shove the bike into a corner, and command it to be there. Now the bike just falls right in and stays there on it's own with a much firmer plant/squat. Much better than the stock slinky. I'll let you know how the front springs go when I get those later this summer.

 

Thank Whitboyslo, great feedback. Another friend of mine rides a Duc Multistrada. He made a comparison of the VFR being like a Lexus and the Sv like an old muscle car. More refinement and comfort to be had with the VFR.

Thanks to everyone who has participated in this thread. You have given me information and educated me on the VFR to the point where it's moved up greatly on the "next bike" scale for me!
I'm just having a hard time coming to grip with the fact it's going to be over a 100lbs more than any other bike I have considered.:unsure:

Oh, in Motorcyclist, the Sept 06 issue there was a long term test initiated with follow in Aug 07. They report that the bike was using up tires, especially the front. I know this depends on what type of tire used, but how's the tire life for you that have been riding a while??

 

I have had my 02 VFR for about 3 years now and I have only replaced my front tire twice, but the rear tire I have replaced the rear tire about 6 times. However I have been using race take-offs on my rear tire and the front is a take off, but it is a little harder compound rubber than the ones I've been putting on the rear. It seems like when I use these race take-offs they last about 2 to 3 months for me. I have tried the SV650 myself & I agree with what everyone else has said about it. I have had other bikes in the past and for an all around bike for everything the VFR takes the cake!

 

soundmaster, my bike is bone stock as far as suspension goes. i've been researching suspension upgrades, but with the bike hardly seeing any twisty time anymore (sigh), it's not a high priority. i'm all about the MPGs now.

Mike

 

Dlan, as for the buy in $$$...

In my area there's a 07 RWB w/3200 miles goin for $7999....

 

Well, this is the perfect thread for me: I've just decided (today) to swap my beloved SV1000S which I've owned for the past 4 years from new - for an 06 VFR 800, Having ridden the SV for the past 4 years and had a couple of rides on the new VFR, I would say:

The SV is a fine bike. Underrated and dismissed by many (though not on this site, it seems), but it does what it does very well - and on a budget. The engine is superb - huge torque from tickover onwards. And the sound with aftermarket cans is magic; "Like a heavy gauge machine gun", someone once commented. On the down side, the riding position is much more extreme/sporty than the VFR (which may or may not be a good thing for you) and it's fairly uncomfortable. The SV's budget suspension lets it down a bit - and as a twin you can really feel it underneath you which some like and some don't. By comparison, the VFR is soooooo smooth. The SV feels much smaller physically and offers less protection from the wind. Someone earlier commented about the SV being difficult to launch off the line. Personally, I never found that - quite opposite in fact; with so much torque and such a linear delivery, I found it dead easy to get away quickly.

To be honest, I rate both bikes very highly. You won't go far wrong which ever way you go in my opinion.

Pete

 

Thanks Terdog, Ive seen a few nice early 6th gen in NoCal. I still working on manipulating the finacial situation to try and make this happen. The VFR seems to make a lot of sense for what I'm looking for in a ride. I'll most likely buy used to save some cash.


Thanks Again!

Anyone have some comments on average mileage for 6th gens? I mean what is considered too much if there is such a thing???:unsure:

 

Superhawk all the way! I am very fortunate to be able to have a Superhawk parked next to my VFR. After owning 10 different bikes of all types, the Superhawk is #1. Cheap, fast, comfortable, and I smile the whole time I am riding it. The VFR is amazing as well and it is great for traveling which I do frequently for a couple days at a time, but for fun and versatility I love the Superhawk. You won't have to try hard to find under $4k either.

Whatever "V" you decide on, I'm sure you will be happy with though.