Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/689331
2017 SUZUKI SV650 FIRST RIDE P102 not being superbike level, is up to par. It's got the same 290mm front brake the original model had—just this time with ABS. Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The SV650 feels decidedly light on its feet and part of that is due to the ultra-skinny mid- section where the seat meets the tank, plus the seat height of 30.9 inches which is the lowest in its class. That's going to be an issue for riders above six feet tall because the rider triangle of bar/seat/peg was a bit too cramped for me. There's not enough leg room for taller riders and the curvature of the seat is such that it's quit difficult to sit a bit further back on the pad, meaning you're kind of stuck in place. Likewise I think the SV could use a handlebar that's about a half to one inch wider on each side for the taller riders out there as I felt my arms were a bit too close together. An easy fix for these ailments will be to fit bar risers and maybe MX style bars; it won't cure the leg room issue but will give you a wider stance and thus be a bit more comfortable. The 2017 SV650 is not so much the remake of a legend, more the continuation of one. When Suzuki released this ma- chine way back in 1999, I doubt even they could have predicted the success they were about to embark on. Over the years the SV has morphed away from what made it so good, so it's pleas- ing to see the bike has come back to its roots with just a few modern touches (ABS, a very well thought out digital dash with a gear position indicator just like the GSX-S1000, and a one- touch start system). There may be no better bike out there to start your motor- cycle life on—a great engine, a simple, nimble and sporty chas- sis, and plenty of comfort. And even for experienced riders, the 2017 SV650 could provide the ideal commuter, racer, custom bike—hang on, I think we've been here before… CN 2 0 1 7 S U Z U K I S V 6 5 0 ENGINE: .................4-stroke, liquid-cooled 90° L-twin DISPLACEMENT: ............................. 645cc BORE X STROKE: ................81 x 62.6mm HORSEPOWER: ..........75 hp @ 8500 rpm (claimed) TORQUE: .....47 lb-ft @ 8100 rpm (claimed) COMPRESSION RATIO: ...................... 11.2:1 TRANSMISSION: .......................... 6-speed CHASSIS: ..................Tubular steel trellis FRONT SUSPENSION: .......................41mm conventional fork REAR SUSPENSION: ........... Single shock absorber, adjustable spring preload FRONT BRAKE: ........ Twin 290mm discs, twin-piston radial calipers, ABS model available REAR BRAKE: .......... Single 240mm disc, single-piston caliper, ABS FRONT TIRE: ........................120/70 ZR17 REAR TIRE: ......................... 160/60 ZR17 RAKE: ...................................................25° TRAIL: ............................................... 4.1 in. WHEELBASE: .................................56.0 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ...............................30.9 in. OVERALL WIDTH: ..........................29.9 in. OVERALL LENGTH: ........................84.3 in. FUEL CAPACITY: ............................3.8 gal WEIGHT: ...............430 lbs (wet, claimed, 434 lbs ABS model). COLOR: ............................Red, while/blue MSRP: .. $6999(standard), $7499 (ABS model) S P E C I F I C A T I O N S Come For A Quick Virtual Spin On YouTube With Us!