VOL. 53 ISSUE 22 JUNE 7, 2016 P101
engine raises the given rpm by
about 200 revs, enough for you
to be comfortable to open the
gas and accelerate away from a
standing start.
This simple yet ultra handy
function will no doubt be a boon
for new riders who might not yet
be totally comfortable with the
functions of a motorcycle clutch.
The chassis is a KISS case
(keep it simple, stupid). There's
nothing on here, save for the
ABS on the designated model,
that wasn't here on the first SV.
The 41mm conventional fork
offers a bit of a retro look but
works just as nicely as a more
expensive inverted fork, and al-
though it's set a little on the soft
side, bump absorption and ride
quality is pretty hard to fault. The
same can be said about the rear
shock—there's only preload ad-
justment at the back and if you're
both fully grown humans, it'll be
a saggy ride on standard set-
tings when riding two-up—but on
its own the shock's performance
was more than satisfactory.
There's still that sporty DNA in
the 2017 edition that made the
original SV so much fun. Even
though it's a touch on the soft
side, the chassis is great fun in
corners—light and agile, it's a
perfect match for the pulses the
L-twin engine produces. Every-
thing feels easy and unintimidat-
ing; you can change direction
easily but conversely it feels
nicely planted in the middle and
exit of a corner.
Its braking performance, while
(Left to right) A touch of retro in the
headlight never goes a miss. The seat will
be nearly perfect for riders under 5'10."
Anyone taller than that might might it a
little cramped. Dash is very similar to what
you'll find on a GSX-S1000—easy to use
and well laid out.
