Aprilia 660! You wouldn't be disappointed.Were I to replace my SV, I'd most probably turn either to Kawasaki Z900 SE, or to Yamaha XSR 900 (2022 m.y.).
They both have all what you could possibly want from a bike, in terms of engine, mechanics and electronics, plus they look gorgeous.
Only drawback (from my point of view), except for a quite steep price, is the engine size: I tend to lean toward mid-weight (650/700 cc) with a power displacement arount 90 HP, due to the kind of use I do with the bike (twisties, mountain roads, commuting in the summertime, a bit of sightseeing with my wife as pilion rider).
Mine was a 2005 749, had 4700 miles on it when I got it. Timing belts (1987 Chevrolet cavalier technology on a high end "Superbike") every 12k miles. The reg/rec died at 7200 miles because they placed an old school heat fragile SCR right on the motor case, then ran a radiator hose right in front of it. Fuel pump wiring harness was so chinzy that a wire broke inside the bakelite where it goes into the bottom of the tank. More chinze with the negative battery cable. So small that it would barely pass enough current to turn the starter fast enough to start the bike. Common first mod, add a ground to the existing or totally replace the cables (it was so bad the 999s were known to break the starter drive housings because they would turn over so slow they would kick back and break them). Dry clutch on it's last leg at 14,000 miles (and I'm easy on clutches). The underseat exhaust being so hot I had to stuff a big pad of high temp insulation under the seat to be able to ride it in anything less than full leathers (I don't see how it didn't melt the seat base). Those are just the main issues, be another half page of little niggling things.Not sure what has happened to you with Ducatis, all I know is that my son has one, and several of my friends and riding buddies have one: noone experienced anything different from normal scheduled maintenance with their bikes. I understand you probably had a bad experience with them.
Aprilia is a totally different animal, besides being a totally different maker, so I would not mix the two. It would be like saying that since I had a bad experience with a Ford Focus in the early 2000s, I should not trust Pontiac, Dodge or Chevrolet.
And from what I’ve seen, not a lot for the better.Ducati is part of the Audi/Volkswagen/Porsche group since 2012, lotsa things have changed since 2005.
This is all absolutely true, and no one starting out in motorcycling is going to listen to this until they make all the same stupid mistakes the rest of us have. You can tell a new rider they don't need 150hp until you're blue in the face and they're still going to go buy one.There’s an old adage that has a lot of wisdom: It’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.
Point and shoot WFO throttle is just one aspect of riding. It’s fun, yes, and the fast bikes are intoxicating in that aspect. But there’s so much more to riding that point and shoot. I’ve had a lot of bikes. My current stable has a 150hp BMW and a that hooligan favorite FJ-09, which easily does sub-3 0-60’s. But in the totality of riding experience, neither one comes close to the fun I have on the SV. A lot of it has to do with the fact that the SV flows closer to its performance limits at my skill level, while my other bikes are at best at 50% of their capabilities at my skill level. I have to be much more restrained, much more guarded on the fast bikes, which honestly takes away from the experience.
Also, the SV is an awesome track bike. Take it out and flog it a few times. You’ll see just how much fun is hiding under that modest cover.
And how many of us remember the grins we had riding the Trail 90's around the farm and neighborhoods? Or the high-pipe 125 enduro that your older neighbor had, who'd let you ride it around to show off to the girls?Well said, drewski. Two wheels, handlebars, and an engine get you 90% of the way there.
The most fun I’ve ever had was on a 3.5hp Briggs and Stratton minibike. 😀
I ran out and foolishly bought an s1000rr thinking I would enjoy it more. I did keep the SV and if it wouldn't be such a loss I'd sell the RR. I would wait for the R9 to come out and keep enjoying your SV. Not a fun suggestion I know.So this feels a little blasphemous coming to an SV forum to ask advice about purchasing another bike.
Long story short I purchased the SV650X about a year ago. It was my first bike after getting my motorcycle endorsement and it truly has been a great first bike. In the beginning I thought "wow, this is a lot of power" when mentally comparing it to the 250s from the rider course and friends dirtbikes and groms I have fooled around on over the years. So now I find myself at a crossroads. I use my bike daily to commute to and from work and have put 7000 miles on it already, so while I haven't had it long I ride a lot, everyday, rain or shine. Just through researching and going to bike shows I sorta fell for the XSR900 and the MT10s aesthetically and that is the displacement I suppose I am looking for (I feel like I am at the point where I am just looking for more out of the throttle than my 650 has to give. After going and shopping MT10s, MT09s, the XSR900, CB1000r (not the cbr1000) I have found that I just really do not like the upright style handlebars. The sport bike style/ clip on bars of the SV650x are without a doubt the way I like to ride. furthermore the bikes felt squat and as a taller guy (6'1") i feel awkward on all of them. When sitting on any of the fully faired sportbikes, though, it folds me up in a way that it feels like I fit correctly if that makes any sense. So my existential crisis is do I get an XSR900 or something similar and put clip-on style bars on it along with whatever other customizations id like to make further down the road or do I go the sport bike route. To be honest, sport bikes feel right and the naked bikes feel like cruisers to me (riding position wise) It is mind boggling to me that all the bikes i mentioned above are in the sub $10k range but a liter bike like the R1 and zx10r r nearly double in price. Preferably I would like my bike payment not to match my car payment but I also don't want to be looking at other bikes 3 months after getting into something else. I guess I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation where they are torn between higher displacement naked bikes and going w a true fully faired sportsbike. I am leaning towards the XSR900 which i can go onto turning into the bike i want it to be (mostly by swapping handlebars which I'm aware isn't a small ordeal) or getting something like an R1 or GSXR750. After a year of being on the sv650x I've found that despite what so many have said I do not mind the more commited riding position and definetly feel more "right" on crotch rockets than I do on the bikes I've listed above. I know this is a convoluted question and there is no "right" answer, just looking for input from folks who have more experience than I do. One other thing I'd like to add is I am open to the idea of a 600cc fully faired bike (gxsr600, r6, etc) but what I do love about the sv650 is the torque down low, and from what i keep hearing 600cc sport bikes dont have that. Would I find that a gsxr600 or the like has just as much pull in the same range of the powerband as my sv does? If so that would be preferable $$ wise and I like the idea of a lighter more maneuverable bike (although I hear a lot that with newer bikes the weight difference is pretty minimal between liter bikes and their 600cc counterparts. AlsoI am looking at new bikes only, I am not mechanically inclined enough to deal w the abuse a used bike has probably been through.
Thanks to anyone for their input
