The Suzuki SV650 is a V-twin street motorcycle that Suzuki has built since 1999. It was designed as a budget entry into the naked bike market, with a light chassis and a torquey engine that suited beginners and experienced riders alike.
Suzuki SV650 at a glance
| Production | since 1999 |
|---|---|
| Type | V-twin street motorcycle |
| Bodies | naked, half-faired S, fully faired SF |
| First generation | 1999–2002 |
| Second generation | 2003–2008 |
| 2003 changes | cast aluminium truss frame, fuel injection, digital speedometer |
| 2007 additions | dual spark plugs, optional ABS |
| Gladius years | 2009–2013, SFV650 |
| Return | 2017 model, announced at EICMA 2015 |
| Weight, 2017 | 195 kg without ABS, 197 kg with |
| Seat height | 785 mm |
| Fuel tank | 13.8 litres, 15.5 in the USA |
History of the Suzuki SV650
A budget V-twin
The SV650 arrived in 1999 as Suzuki’s inexpensive entry into the naked bike market, offered naked and half faired. Light weight, a rigid chassis, strong handling and the V-twin’s mid-range torque made it appealing to novices and experienced riders, and it quickly became popular. American buyers wanted the sportier S version with lower bars, higher footpegs, a bikini fairing and a screen, which was at first sold only in Europe and Canada; magazines published instructions on importing it, and Suzuki began selling the SV650S in the United States in 2000. Its low price and good handling made it a racing favourite and helped revive lightweight twins classes across North America, where it outsold the GS500, Honda NT650 and Kawasaki Ninja 500R.
Second generation
For 2003 Suzuki redesigned the SV650 with a pressure-cast aluminium truss frame, new bodywork, a revised swingarm and rear brake mounting, a new exhaust, a digital speedometer and fuel injection instead of carburettors. The 2003 bike kept some first-generation parts such as the rearsets and radiator, and its subframe sat higher than on 2004 models. In 2004 a subframe 40 mm lower and a narrower front seat made flat footing easier, the trail went up 2 mm and the rear mudguard was restyled. The frame turned matte black in 2005 and the radiator shrank from 440 to 410 mm. For 2007 both models gained dual spark plugs per cylinder and an oxygen sensor on California bikes, and ABS became optional. In 2008 Suzuki added the SV650 Sport in Britain and SV650SF in America with a full fairing, and dropped the S from the American range; Australia also got a restricted SV650SU for learner-approved rules.
Gladius and return
In 2009 the naked SV650 was replaced in the United States by the SFV650 Gladius, though a naked SV650 stayed on sale in Canada and the SV650S continued in Britain and Australia until 2012. The name returned for the 2017 model, announced at EICMA in November 2015, with styling close to the pre-Gladius naked bike, four more horsepower, a low-rpm assist to prevent stalling in traffic, Euro 4 compliance and a new slim steel frame. Preload adjusters came in 2018 and a cafe-racer version in 2019.
Design and features
- V-twin torque: easy mid-range power in a light package.
- Beginner-friendly: low weight, a 785 mm seat and low-rpm assist on later models.
- Racing favourite: the bike that revived lightweight twins classes.
- Long development: from carburettors to fuel injection, ABS and Euro 4.
Suzuki SV650 versions
- SV650 (1999): the original naked bike.
- SV650S: half-faired version with lower bars and a screen.
- SV650SF / SV650 Sport (2008): fully faired model.
- SV650SU: restricted version for learner-approved markets.
- SFV650 Gladius (2009–2013): the replacement that later lost the name.
- SV650 (2017): the modern return with a new steel frame.
The SV650 is the smaller sibling of the TL1000S V-twin and a natural step up from the GS500. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.
Video: Suzuki SV650 … Autobahn TOPSPEED GoPro3
Video by MetalObi666 on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki SV650, English Wikipedia: generations, chassis changes, Gladius, return
