the SV wasn't even a consideration, I wanted to get something a bit more modern than my XV920R, I ride a lot of back roads (a back road in my mind is gravel) I looked at a couple buell models, triumph tiger, and ended up deciding to get a Cagiva Gran Canyon.... no local dealers so I was planning on getting it online and having it serviced at my local Ducati dealer (BCM in laconia)
I went to BCM to talk to them about service if I bought the Gran Canyon, when Bruce thought I should also consider a Monster, he also advised I should look at the SV650, I'd never heard of it, it was 99, first year out.
my local suzuki dealer sales peeps convinced me to get the SV, but they didn't have any left, and couldn't seem to get another, it was late in the season, ended up calling around to dealers, finally found one, bought it over phone with credit card, picked it up the next day, made arrangements for first service at my local dealer to be done in 3 days, knowing i would have 600 miles by then, ended up with 1100 miles in the first 3 days