After my return from France, there were one or two things that needed attention. The brakes needed a good look at, the rear pads were almost gone and the pedal itself was sticking, which was probably contributing to the wear. The front brakes just didn't have the bite they should have, they weren't spongy but they just not as sharp as they once were. There was also the matter of the bent tax disc to take car of.

Removing the disc and hugger shows how bent the mounting lug is.  I warmed up the lug to soften the aluminium and bent it straight with the molegrips. No sign of cracking or distress in the metal, so all is well. The tax disc holder was straightened and mounted on the rear most lug. Job done.

I saw no point in just ordered rear pads, so I ordered a complete set of front and rear of EBC HH pads. I used these on my '99 SV and they were so much better than standard. I'm happy to say they are just as good on this SV. The front brakes have been transformed. The effect is so dramatic that I'm having to recalibrate my right hand, otherwise I'm going the lock the front up to easily in the wet. So I'm pleased to have solved that problem, but I'm still not sure why the old pads went off. I can only assume they were glazed although I had used all the usual tricks to unglaze them including a rub with some 80grit emery cloth. Maybe they were contaminated with something oil based. I'll never know.

I gave the SV a 12k mile service before heading to France. The manual recommends that the air filter is replaced at this mileage. I quick Google revealed that standard SV filters are a good £36, not cheap for a paper filter. I found a K&N equivalent on Ebay for the same price. So a K&N filter was bought and installed. I can't say I noticed a huge difference in performance, perhaps a little quicker to rev, but this filter is washable, so I can clean it every time I do a service. By the way read the instructions when you fit anything, even as simple as this. I didn't bother and wondered why I was struggling to get the air box cover on. You're supposed to remove the rubber O ring seal in the airbox lower section, the K&N doesn't need it, as it has it's own seal.

John

I've just got back from a trip to Normandy on the SV. If you'd like to read about it, click here

John

Can't get on the forum tonight, looks like a memory leak issue or similar. Have dropped a line to TSM.

John

Jack Kustermans

Netherlands

You can't seriously expect me to believe you ride around with that exhaust, the noise must be deafening, The police would be all over you like a rash. Looks damn good though.

Greetings, As a new SV 650 pilot I appreciate your site. I'm a bit west of Seattle so I tried to reach SVRider.com but the site's not working. Do you know anything about this? Are they gone? (looks like they just had a big makeover, so that may be the reason for the break is service)

By the way, I'm 63. Am I the oldest SV rider? I bought a SV 650 K4, no fairing, and now see what the writers mean when they say that it puts a grin on the face. Besides my age, I'm a retired construction worker at 6 foot, 285 lbs.. When people see me they steer me towards the big, heavy cruisers. The owner of the local Suzuki dealership kept trying to put me on a Burgman. However, I've fallen to the dark side and now have what my peers consider a "crotch rocket". They even avert their eyes and and go silent, simply avoiding the topic. Writers refer to this as a beginner's bike. They must have forgotten what it was like to be a beginner. It's too powerful and abrupt for a newbies clumsiness. Things happen very quickly. I had ridden about 3200 miles on an '82 Yamaha Maxim 750 before buying my little "Suzi". The power of that old 750 was a real eye opener and the 650 was said to be more powerful. Yet it is 100 cc less and I weigh as much as a young rider and pillion, so it didn't seem that it would be a large difference. Wrong! Over 900 miles later, less than 75 of it on freeways, I still haven't had the nerve to open the throttle all the way, and hold it.

On my first ride I got the feeling that I had suddenly found myself with an athletic young girlfriend. Y'know, over my head but not willing to give up. Not just yet. Actually, riding out the storage yard drive to the parking lot, in three tries I could not get my feet up on the pegs! While a man talked with me about the bike another part of my mind was mulling over just reselling it, and also asking if I really wanted to go out amongst all those steel monsters. We talked for awhile and the whole time I was teetering on the edge of just taking it back to storage. Finally, after a few nervous gulps, I went a couple hundred feet then turned through a parking lot to residential streets. The peg height was resolved buy leaning one way, then the other while pulling up one foot at a time. Not a dashing image, but it worked. Since then it's changed to swinging my feet around in front of the peg, then just pulling up my knee. Works pretty good, though still one foot at a time, and still lacks dash. Which brings up another point. Have you heard of anyone who makes foot pegs that are a couple of inches lower? I really doubt that I'll ever be wearing knee pucks. Another approach would be to have a new seat made a couple of inches higher. Probably could tape some padding on and see if it works first. Has anyone else ever asked this? My legs start to cramp after awhile from being so scrunched up. The testers usually remark that the seat is too high, and they typically list their inseam as 32" or more. Mine is 29" and I can stand flat footed with an inch or two clearance over the seat. In fact, I do this sometimes at stops to relieve the cramping. So, I'm not sure what they mean. I still feel like she's a young girlfriend and am reluctant to put her away before the storage gates lock at night. ( It's that sort of bike, I know plenty of people that have moved onto bigger and better and still miss their SV, it is a love affair ;-)

A recent observation about being two peoples separated by a common language. With companies or organizations we treat them as a single entity, such as , "BMW is doing...". While over there you regard them as a collection of people, such as, "BMW are doing...". So we both must come across as semi-literate to the other. Of course, in reading the bike magazines from the UK I sometimes have no idea what they mean with the slang, as I imagine you experience listening to Southern California surfers or skateboarders. I'm from that area and come to think of it, we're not sure what they mean either. Sorry about making this so long. I was just going to ask about the American group. Got carried away, sorta. I suspect that the last thing you want to see on Monday is a long email, so I hope this doesn't add weight to a pile of correspondence. (not at all, it was nice to get and some proper correspondence rather than a set of photos with no text)

Bruce Kreutzkamp

PS. I bought it on April first, a friend thought it was a April Fools joke when I told him. She's three years old, had traveled 2234 miles and lived in the garage of a meticulous owner. I've put more wear on than he did. I just paid him what he was asking. Basically a new bike for thousands less than a dealer. As someone who spent years working in the middle of roads, even in down town Los Angeles, I wanted one in Sinful Red. She's Shocking Yellow. A bit more than I bargained for but I've come to like it, and sometimes I just walk back and look at her. I used to wonder why people would send you pictures of their bikes. I makes more sense now. I even thought of a picture to send to friends, standing behind her in my red jacket, with a caption of, "A Boy and His Bike".

PPS. If I solve the legroom problem, I'd like to take a back roads trip, but the only way that seems practical is to stay in motels and buy new clothes every day or two. I heard that a woman did just that. Her chauffeur would buy her clothes each evening.

Good to see you made it to the big 50… and well done on you and the wife making it 25 years together. For me I turn 51 in August and have been married now for 24 years.  (well there were a few scary moments on the way, and that's just the marriage)

When you get around to doing your trip to Normandy, please could you post some pictures of any of the WWII museums you visit. (Already on my list, I plan to write the trip as an article for the site).

Well winter arrived a couple of days later than the winter solstice but who cares. We have had snow up at Nottingham road which is about an hour and a quarter from the coast. We just had a very cold day (9 deg C) with wind and rain. So no riding inland for us for a weekend or two !!, we will stick to the coast.

Regards,

Dave Loubser

Sorry for the lack of updates here and also the lack of presence on the forum. The older you get the busy you seem to be. I hit the big 50 this year, so that makes me very busy indeed.

The recent absence is mainly due to my other big commitment, my 10yo sons football. As well as being the manager for his team, I'm also the vice chairman for the club, something I'm beginning to regret. I got talked into organising this years summer tournament and I can't tell you just how much work there is to do. It's a two day event with 7 age groups and 70+ teams attending.  The organising is one thing but the amount of work over the two days is OTT. Needless to say I won't be volunteering next year.

As well as the big 50, my wife and celebrate 25 years of marriage also this year. So this weekend we're off to Edinburgh for a child free weekend. So I won't be around for this years annual rideout, but I wish you all the best and hope you all have a dry and safe weekend. I look forward to hearing all about it.

John

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply. Good luck with your sons' football commitments (see above). There were a few threads for the run but I guess I should provide a short summary from our group.

Here goes. Ramblings start here :)

10th June At Foxs' Diner. The weather was good and the forecast was excellent for a few of the South West contingent of the .org for the trip over to Foxs' Diner to catch up with Lissa and Pete along with the many hungry .orgers from the other regions. The day got off to a slightly iffy start when Triumphumphumph and Kamakazy realised they garage keys were safely locked up in err.. the garage, following a swift window modification their bikes were released.

Neio79 and Beenz met up with them and enjoyed a spirited bimble along the wonderful A4 to Hungerford then up the A338 to Abingdon, where Beenz and the bunch took a slight detour, someone should tell those map people to print the things the right way up.

We arrived about one ish and were made very welcome by the Lissa and Pete where the SV's of the .org were parked up in formation. See pic.

The food was reasonable although they ran out of burgers and cold drinks later. It was good to catch up with and put new faces to names including of course Pete, Lissa, Soulkiss, Mini Matt, Rictus, 2months and many more. We also caught up with the SWS's very own Stretchie who joined us on the way home.

Once again a spirited ride back where unfortunately we got split up in Marlborough, following Beenz and Triumphumphumphs vain circles of the Marlborough town to find the lost ones they shot off (on a very spirited ride) to catch up with those who were still err... still in Marlborough (sorry peeps). The reason for the delay was poor old Stretchies Thundercat got stuck in neutral (again) (that bike of his is always breaking gearboxes, or maybe it's just him) and was later picked up by the recovery services.

Everyone got home OK in the end. Stretchies bike is now back on the road I'm told and Kamakazy is looking forward to a new bike as well. Thanks everyone for a cracking day out with superb riding and great company. I hope we can do another one in the not too distant future.

Beenz

Sounds like fun. I like to hear stories like this, where the forum has brought people together. Good photo too.

Thought you might like to have a look at some hard effort! its not painted its powder coated. Will be selling soon!

Regards,

Richard

Well Its been back on the road for just over a month or so, and I took the tango'd sv to bikefest@ donnington park.

I put my new number plate on with "you've been tango'd" as a slogan, put a pair of Michelin pilot power 2ct's on her, and run them in getting there. It may only be a little 650 but It gave the my mates on much faster machines a run for their money. To be fair I think I just had bigger balls round corners but the 2ct's are absolutely fantastic, unbelievable lean angles that I just wouldn't dare try with the old tyres.

I had 2x 15minute sessions, but wish I hadn't been such a nice guy and give the 3rd to a mate.

£20 per session or 3 for £50, which I thought was well worth spending. The show as a whole however needs to be improved. For instance, on the fliers it said massive retail area. Where was it guys? There were a couple of stands selling bric-a-brac. C'mon it's a bike show. To be fair though the track time was fantastic, and I didn't even care.

I only really wanted to go to get some good pictures of my bike on a track, so here is a couple.

I just wish there were more SV's there.

Safe riding

Stuart

This event passed me by I'm afraid, might have been tempted to go had I known.

1st June 2007 - Summer's here.

My biking activity has been a bit quite up to now, but like this page. I've been working at Oswestry recently, which is about 20 miles in the opposite direction to my normal commute. Generally it's a faster ride and good fun up the A5, but there are a couple of dodgy junctions to watch out for, not to mention the mobile speed cameras.

I will be making up for this lack of biking play time in July though. A bunch of us turn 50 this year including me, so we're off on a jolly boys outing to France for a weekend. We'll be concentrating on the Normandy area, so that will mean a visit to some of the WW2 museums in that area. It's been 20 years since I last rode in France, so I'm going to be a little cautious when I get on French soil. I'll post an article when I get back.

My SV turns 3 in June, so MOT time beckons. I don't expect any problems, I just hate the aggravation of taking it in to the shop.

Enjoy the summer

John