Suzuki SV650 Riders Forum banner

Need help deciding

3K views 36 replies 16 participants last post by  thumper580 
#1 ·
First sorry if this is In the wrong section, looked around and seemed like this was the best spot.
I just sold my k7 gsxr 600 and I am looking for a track only bike. I originally was only looking at a sv1000. The bike has ss brake lines, sprocket change, pc3, filter, and upgraded front forks but the weight is not correct for me.
Then I stumbled into a full race build sv650. It only has one race day on it. Porter heads, I take cam swap, built bottomend, gsxr front and brakes. Bike made 82 hp on pump gas. I'm trying to figure out which would be the better buy. For now I only plan on doing more track days. I did three last year and loved it. What I'm concerned about is coming off a gsxr and going to either bike am I going to be disappointed in the performance? The gsxr was on stock suspension, not even set for my weight. The only upgrades were front brake pads and sprocket change, & a m4 exhaust. So tell me what you guys think. Sv1000 is priced at $2300 and the sv650 is around $3700.
 
#4 ·
I got bumped to I group my second track day. I normally run with the top half of the pack. I have only done 3 track days and I'm by no means the fastest guy out there. The part that makes me mad is working so hard through the turns just to get passed on straight.
My main thing I am wondering is how both bikes will feel power wise compared to my gsxr. The 650 definitely has me tempted.
 
#6 ·
Why are you concerned with getting passed at trackday? That will for sure happen on a 650, its down ~40HP to a 600. You have to look at it as another opportunity to pass that guy again, all the while becoming a much better rider. If not you will be frustrated.

Personally, since I started racing I hate trackdays. Way too much sketchy crap going on, especially in the Intermediate classes.

Give racing a try, the SV650 is great tool for that as it will be up against more similar machinery.

All that said if I was doing track days only, SV1000. Save up for a lot of rear tire money tho, big twins tend to eat them up.
 
#9 ·
lol i am leaning more to the 1000 just because I am not planning on racing anytime soon. The bike is located in VA. If you want i can give you the link and his phone number. Super nice guy, and the bike was built by a well known sv builder.
 
#11 ·
If you want a track only bike, get the SV650. It will have more than enough power, and the suspension upgrades will more than make up for any lack of horsepower. Having a good suspension is a must-have for any track bike. You'll have to spend a lot to get the SV1000 suspension upgraded just to be on par with the GSXR 600, not to mention any other performance/safety upgrades for the track.
 
#13 ·
I plan on taking the bike to get the front re-sprung for my weight, rear spring re valved, and the sag set. What else would you recommend doing with the suspension.

The bike already has SS lines, and i planned on replacing the pads with CL race pads since the bike won't see any street time.
 
#14 ·
You need to decide which guy you want to be.

The guy on the 650 that is fast in the corners but gets passed on the straights by the guy on the 1000 or the guy on the 1000 that passes the 650 on the straights.

The size and handling advantages of the SV650 outweigh the power advantage of the SV1000 on the track IMO.
 
#17 ·
they are *not* on the same frame. the 1k frame is different. That 35lbs (i think more like 50) makes a large difference in handling (hell, the 1k is almost 500lbs with fluids...). And then once you start shaving weight off, the differences become even more apparent.

the 120hp and the additional torque is more of a liability rolling on in corners. The back wheel spins up too easily. The stock suspension is still kinda crappy for track (plenty sufficient for street though), and there isn't as much of an aftermarket. the way i explained it before, $$$ (less than 1k...) gets your 650 to handle reasonably well. To get the 1k to handle, it will take $$$$ and act of god.

at the track, the sv650 is like the most common bike in the paddock. any time you have commonality, you have lots of parts available. good luck finding parts to fix a 1k at a track day...

oh yeah, and the 650 can race in more classes and be competitive. the 1k isn't even competitive in the few classes that it *can* race.
 
#18 ·
I have owned both and have done way more track days than you, the 1K is a pig, it is top heavy, if you were to have both bikes at the track you would take the 650 after a few laps. I am faster on the 650 than the 1K all day. That 35/50 lbs or whatever it is feels like a 100lbs. Like others have said: spare parts are available an relatively cheap. Buy a spare set of rearsets and clipons/levers. That should take care of any missaps. Do remember that that SV650 has had motor work so the maintenance will be different than a stock (reliable) one. Have fun and track days are to have fun not "race", it doesn't matter how fast you are at a track day, it doesn't compare to a race pace.
 
#21 ·
The bike was made for endurance racing so it should hold up. I am leaning more to the 1k. I'm sure I will get a lot of hate for it but i know what kind of bikes I'm used to and I don't think I would be satisfied with the 650. I really miss my speed triple out of all the bikes I had. Hoping this will be similar in the low end compared to that.
 
#27 ·
I know guys who rock ninja 250s in the highest levels of an advanced riding class I go to. They love it because the guys on the big bikes will blow by them on the straights and not hold them up in the corners where they can carry massive corner speed and be caught up to the big bikes by the next straight.

If you're not racing, what does it matter that you're getting passed on the straights? The whole purpose of a track day is to further your skills, going really fast down the back straight doesn't take much to master.
 
#28 ·
in the lower levels, until they open up passing in corners, it's impossible to get around a rolling 160hp roadblock... ruins a whole session when you get stuck behind a slow in corners, fast in straights bike
once you have passing available (at least on the outside, but inside is what makes life easy) they stop being a factor
 
#31 ·
(Disclaimer...I'm partial the the 1K)
The SV1K (with slight engine tweaking) will eat the 600's....power wise, but high cornering speeds will be more difficult than on the 650. Once you take the dual exhausts off for an M4 or Yoshi 2-1 the weight isn't all that much to worry about. Having a steering damper and fatter rear wheel/tire is more responsible for the Liter feeling 'heavy' than the actual poundage IMHO. The added weight is motor....which is always good in my book.:)

The stock forks can be made to work fairly nicely which makes the improvement with GSXR swap hard to justify from a purely performance standpoint. Again IMHO. Swap in a Penske shock and the bike will do pretty much what you tell it to do, but having enough power to be touchy on the rear tire is going to make going as fast as possible much more difficult. Mine has enough power that using all the motor isn't that easy, and I'd be lying if I tried to say I could ride it to its' potential on a road course.

If you aren't wanting to go balls-to-the-wall in the corners yet keep up with most people down the straights I'd imagine a tweaked SV1K would suit you just fine. Not that it couldn't corner at the highest levels...just that it'll be harder to do it and not throw the bike down the road. The more power you have, the closer to crashing you become at the limits....but staying conservative (and safer) in the corners means you can have lots of fun without risking the bike and you. I know everyone likes to think they are 'fast', but everything is relative....and the SV1K can be ridden damn fast if you are up to it.
 
#34 ·
Right now the plans are to have the front forks re valved for my weight, swap in a rear shock more suited for my weight, have the sag set. I also plan on running 180/60/17 for the rear to help with turn in and to get a bigger contact patch for the rear. Bike already has filter, tune, sprocket change. Rear sets and race plastics then it should be good to go!
 
#35 ·
I have a suggestion for the 1000 if you go that route. Send the stock rear shock to Traxxion Dynamics and ask them to rebuild and revalve with a spring for your weight. Did that on my 1000 and was very impressed with the results.... and the price was very good as well.

You can actually feel changes when you make them to the settings..... Big improvement over stock.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top