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Some bikes just have “it.” That something special that makes them enduring, and endearing, for a multitude of riders.
The Suzuki SV650 has been that bike for me. It became the second motorcycle I owned back in 2004 and I kept it in my garage until finally selling it in 2015 to make room for more track-day toys.
All these years later, I still sing the praises of the SV. It makes several of my top recommendations lists and I have committed to memory the super secret SV handshake that only owners know. (OK, there isn’t a secret handshake, but there should be.) It has been a long time since I actually blipped the throttle on a SV650, though, and that made me wonder — is it still as good as I remember it being? An iron-gray 2023 SV650 with deep red rims rolled into my garage and I was ready to be reacquainted with my old friend.
Getting back in the SV saddle
While many riders will call the SV “unchanged” through the years, that wouldn’t be the whole truth. My first-generation 2002 Suzuki SV650S had the same spirit and character, but some notable differences from the new-age V-twin blinking its adorable round headlight at me.
The SV650 S of yesteryear was carbureted rather than fuel injected, had an aluminum truss frame, adjustable front fork, dual headlights with a bikini fairing and clip-on bars with rearsets for a sportier position compared to the standard SV. One could say all of my memories on the storied motorcycle resided in a sub-outlier of the “true” SV experience.
Sliding into the saddle of the new SV, the form of the gas tank was familiar, though the standard handlebar made the stretch over it less severe than on my old S model. The regular footpegs also gave a more inviting feeling than the rearsets of my old steed. Comfortably reaching the ground on the balls of my feet, I was instantly at home with the ergonomics of the SV650.
Turn the key, press the starter button, and the SV purrs to life with no protests. The hum of the 645 cc v twin engine stirs up my nostalgia. It was the soundtrack of some of my most formative riding journeys for more than 10 years, so it was a tad emotional to hear it again, I have to admit.
On the ride
Clicking into first gear and taking off, I was reminded why the SV has so many fans. This bike is so incredibly easy to ride but doesn't strip the fun out of it like many “beginner-friendly" machines often do. All of the controls are smooth and precise, with no clunky missed shifts or a hard-to-find neutral. The brakes work really well but aren’t bitey or too aggressive. All of the operations of the bike just felt natural.
The 2023 SV has a new trick that wasn’t available on my old ride — low-rpm assist. I caught wind of this new feature while riding the V-Strom 650 and decided to experiment more with the technology onboard the SV. I conducted a rough clutch drop in first gear and sure enough the SV stalled out with a tiny lurch, as would be expected. This confirmed that the low-rpm assist isn’t a magical genie that will banish every stoplight stall-out. However, I tried the clutch drop again but with just a breath of gas from the throttle, and the SV shuddered forward without stalling. With both hands off the handlebar, the SV doddered along at six mph for as long as I would allow it to go before hitting the brakes. For newer riders, this technology will be a safety net from all sorts of annoying and embarrassing stalls. Slow parking-lot maneuvers, not enough throttle on take off — there are many instances where I can see the low-rpm assist kicking in to save the day.
One of my favorite things to do on my old SV was a rapid acceleration through the gears. The old habit dies hard, and I took off from a stop sign with the throttle humming in my hand as I skipped through the gears to fifth as fast as I could. Somewhere in that 3,000-to-5,000 rpm range, the SV650 power is in complete harmony. I can feel the tautness as the machine launches forward in predictable and controlled fashion. There are plenty of bigger bikes out there that can accelerate harder, but they begin to feel a bit perilous and harder to contain. The SV builds a rapport of confidence and trust because it is so easy to control.
I took the SV650 on some of the tightest and technical roads in the San Diego canyons with some slight trepidation. My old SV and I had ridden infamous roads like Blue Ridge Parkway, the Kancamagus Highway, Ortega Highway, Palomar Mountain and the PCH. Did it really handle as well as I remember?
While my old and trusty “Sport” SV650 of yesteryear did, in fact, have an adjustable fork, the standard SV650 of today does not. This means whatever settings Suzuki has decided on, I was going to be stuck with them. Fortunately, whatever that formula ended up being on the engineering desk also turned out to be very serviceable on the streets. From trail braking into the tightest of hairpins to the quick agility of some “S” turns, the front suspension was on its best behavior.
The rear shock, however, gave me some issues. Namely, it is too stiff for my liking. Rolling through the bumps of the ride resulted in some unpleasant reverberations direct to my tailbone, exacerbated by the thin seat. This was a new characteristic I did not recognize from my SV riding years, as the older SV tended more on the plushy side for the shock settings and had a much thicker padded seat. The long hours I had spent touring and commuting on my old SV would be much harder to endure in this new setup for the modern SV650.
To SV, or not to SV
My trip down memory lane was a good one. Unsurprisingly, the 2023 Suzuki SV650 maintains the core elements of why it has been one of the most popular bikes in production. It does the job of getting you from A to B well, with a smile on your face, and at a price point that is achievable for just about anyone. My faith in the SV650 may be reaffirmed, but my nostalgia might not be relatable to current marketplace demands.
Compared to 2004, or even 2015 when my silver SV shipped off from my garage, a whole lot has changed in the middleweight arena. What used to be a quiet and thinly populated segment is now buzzing with amazing options. The Triumph Trident, Aprilia Tuono 660, Yamaha MT-07 or R7 or XSR700, Kawasaki Z650 and more have crowded the scene and perhaps overshadowed the SV.
As my final words on this one tank of gas review, allow me to impart why the SV is still a solid choice in the sea of middleweights. It is the only V-twin of the mix and a damn good one, it is the cheapest possible option in the naked middleweight segment, and it relies on iconic time-tested aesthetics like a trellis frame and round headlight where others have become trapped in the trendy but already dated-looking “transformer” craze.
More than 20 years later, yes, the SV650 still has “it.”
| 2023 Suzuki SV650 | |
|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $7,399; $7,849 with ABS |
| Engine | 645 cc, liquid-cooled, eight-valve, 90-degree V-twin |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, chain |
| Horsepower | 75 |
| Torque | 47 foot-pounds |
| Frame | Steel trellis |
| Front suspension | 41 mm fork; 4.9 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Single shock, adjustable for preload; 5.1 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Dual discs with four-piston calipers; ABS optional |
| Rear brake | One disc with single-piston caliper; ABS optional |
| Wheelbase | 56.9 inches |
| Seat height | 30.9 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 3.8 gallons |
| Tires | Dunlop Roadsmart III, 120/70R17 front, 160/60R17 rear |
| Measured wet weight | 440 pounds |
| Available | Now |
| Warranty | 12 months |
| More info | suzukicycles.com |
