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Hating new bike

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Give it time adrisen. The sv is a lot heavier than your 250 was and you are going to notice that in low speed maneuvers. I'm willing to bet you weren't instantly a pro on the 250 when you first got it. As other have said if you keep riding it by the end of the season you will feel much more confident. Lots of practice and you will get there!
 
I went from an 07 Gixxer 750 to an 06 SV650 Naked and loved the SV650. Very different from the Gixxer and super easy for me to handle. I had to go back to a Gixxer though because the SV was too uncomfortable on the highway. The SV is an awesome bike and I would have kept it had my finances allowed. I still have trouble handling my Gixxer at slow speeds and always did. Its all relative to what you're used to. The SV was much easier and comfortable for me. It just takes time spent on the bike. Don't give up.
 
It has clip ons. The naked has a solid bar.

The SV was my 1st bike. It does have a noticeable "buzz" in the bars, and the pegs around 6000rpm if i recall correctly.

Fueling was a little jerky from a stop. Just the nature of a v-twin. You will get used to it as you ride it more and more.
 
Others have mentioned this, but I'll say it again. The bike doesn't have to stay in out-of-box condition. I bought a cheap bike and spent the money saved on making it into what I really wanted; upgraded fork internals, upgraded shock, windscreen (it's unfaired), different bars to change reach and angle, heavier bar end weights to reduce vibration, more luggage capacity than the average Smart Car..... Get to know the bike, understand what you do and don't like about it, and make the needed changes to make it your own.
 
OP is going to need to work on his abs, not ABS. The gw250 is pretty upright in comparison to the SV650. IIRC, it's quite a lean over the tank to the clip-ons. This transfers more weight to your hands and makes low speed control more difficult. You need to support your torso more with your back/abdominal muscles, not your arms. Think about it. Your arms, wrists, hands and fingers can't perform with the required finesse if they're loaded down. Also, all of the above advice is solid. Congrats on the new SV. It's hard to believe Suzuki went from a modern classic to the gladius in one fell swoop. Even the new SV is a bit of a styling dud. Keep the memory alive.
 
adrisen said:
1) Vibration causes my hands to go numb
2) Constantly stall
I never had an issue with slow speeds until now
3) Attempting to turn etc is like a horror movie, Almost dropped it twice but it was an almost,
4) I find the size of the bike in general or just the ability of its power awkward and frighting.

There was something that I obviously loved about it, but now......
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2,3,4 are just things you need to get used to. Most (but not all!) motorcycles turn in fundamentally the same way, but can feel very different. I promise you that the SV650 is still very good at turning. Without having ever sat on a GW250, I expect the main differences you experiencing is the height and spacing of the handlebars, and the forward position. When you first start riding a sportbike, it can feel like you are falling into low speed corners - you definitely get used to it and it becomes a non-issue.

1 is something to think about, though. It can be exacerbated by tight grip, inappropriate gloves, modifications (e.g. different grips, bar ends) but it can also be either something wrong with the bike or endemic to it. Mechanical or tuning issues can produce a LOT of vibration. I remember the SV650 to run relatively smooth, so there could be something going on. CRITICALLY numb hands are actually a problem - if the vibration is bad enough it can cause damage, but even temporarily numb hands/fingers can hamper control of the bike, particularly the important part - the brakes.
 
Smaller machines are more forgiving regarding throttle and clutch engagement. It takes time to develop some fineness. Just like going from a manual Transmission vehicle, some have light clutch pedal and shifter movement to other vehicles that have notchy shifters and stiff clutches. Etc.

Low speeds are the hardest. You have to modulate often and it can be overwhelming at times. But, you will get better.

You'll feel the sweet spot for the engine where it feels comfortable cruising. V-twins tend to vibrate at higher in rpm. But they stall easy in low/idle.

Use the rear brake to help with keeping stable in low speeds.

Helps you focus using your hands to feather the clutch and throttle. Parking lots are a great place to putz around.

And when you get a little tired of that, take it for a rip to enjoy the bike at speed and don't have to worry about the low speed stuff that much.

A couple of weeks, you'll be smiling a whole lot more.


Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
how long you been riding in general? all bikes will be different and it just takes some getting used to.
 
Zoodles95 said:
It will get better. I loved my Bandit on the highway but was unhappy in the city at first. That came in time.

Hit a school parking lot or something on a Sunday. Snag some cheap traffic cones from Dollarama and do some of the low speed drills you did when you did your riding course.

I do think you made a great choice for your next bike; they are popular for a reason. A few more tweaks in the ergonomics and some more time in the saddle and I suspect you will warm up to it.

Edit: For the stalling just do the old school friction zone thing for a bit. See how much play you have before the clutch engages. Adjusting your lever might help but you are so used to when your old bike's clutch engaged. Also, being a 250 you probably were using 2000 rpm or so to launch the thing. Do that on a V Twin like your 650 which are torquey but nature and it is going to want to jump out of the hole. Just try to idle out and see what happens. Likely you just need to add a few hundred rpm to launch smoothly. On an incline yes a bit more rpm would be needed but likely not as much as you think it needs.

Weird doing a demo day. The CB 500 barely needed any throttle to launch smoothly. F6B with the 1800cc flat six needed no throttle at all, and oddly enough the 1000cc parallel twin in the Africa Twin needed a few extra hundred rpm or else it would stall! Who would have thought that a 1000cc parallel twin needed to be at a higher rpm than a 500cc parallel twin to get going? Probably something with the way that bike was geared.

You are going to learn a ton going up to a larger bike. You must notice how much better it handles and brakes as well. Some decent hardware on that bike. The components will be at a higher level than your old bike. You are likely a little jumpy with the brakes as well. That will smooth out. You will be a much better rider by the end of this season. Enjoy the journey! :)
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This X 100

A more powerful bike doesnt need to be worked to get the power, its all there, readily accessible, i tried the fj 09 and stalled it on the demo day because on my regular little small bike i would have to work to get it off the line, not the FJ 09 with its 112 HP and tons of torque. Its all just muscle memory, once you 'figure it out' after enough seat time, you'll be ok
 
I went from a 2004 dl650 to the 2005 sv650 naked. I find the dl and sv are completely different bikes. DL was easier handling at low speeds. I really enjoy the sv just not the aftermarket bars. Even after 33 years and 20 plus different bikes it takes time to figure out a new bike.

sv650N-001.gif
 
To help with the vibrations in the hands get heavier bar end weights.
If that's not in the budget, go to a local gun range and ask if you can buy some of their spent bullets from the shooting range. Remove your bar ends, and fill them up with the slugs. extra weight will help damp the vibrations. You can also use buckshot pellets, or even BB's. Whatever you can jam in there.
Works like a charm.
 
adrisen said:
1) Vibration causes my hands to go numb
2) Constantly stall
I never had an issue with slow speeds until now
3) Attempting to turn etc is like a horror movie, Almost dropped it twice but it was an almost,
4) I find the size of the bike in general or just the ability of its power awkward and frighting.

There was something that I obviously loved about it, but now......
Click to expand...

I own a 2006 SV650S.
1. Twins will have some vibration. Just the nature of a twin. Some things that can be checked to ensure vibrations are minimized. Synchronize the throttle bodies. Ensure engine mounting bolts are properly torqued. Since your bike is not showroom fresh, both of these could be contributing to excess vibration.
2. As already mentioned, adjust the TPS so fueling begins just above idle. Ensure proper / minimal slack in your throttle cables. This will reduce the jerkiness of low throttle riding. On level ground, the SV can easily leave from a standstill without even touching the throttle, so proper tuning, and your clutch technique should remedy this issue.
 
By chance is there anyone in the North York area who is familiar with making the adjustments who would consider doing them for me. It's not something I can do
 
I presently own a 2009 SV650S with ABS. When I first rode mine the vibration was difficult to handle. I changed the bar end weights and grips. This made huge difference with the vibration. I rode down to the Tail of the Dragon last year on this bike without any vibration issues.
2.Stalling was no n issue for me, as someone else as mentioned you can easily get started without using any throttle. The bike is that forgiving and easy to ride.
3. Turning is extremely easy. My previous bike was a GSX650F and was heavier to turn. The SV I find is more agile ad easier maneuver.Give it time and more time in the saddle.
4. Going from an inline 4 to a V-Twin will take some adjustment however you will learn that your SV has more of a torque/peppy feel when going through the gears.
 
BigEvilDoer said:
To help with the vibrations in the hands get heavier bar end weights.
If that's not in the budget, go to a local gun range and ask if you can buy some of their spent bullets from the shooting range. Remove your bar ends, and fill them up with the slugs. extra weight will help damp the vibrations. You can also use buckshot pellets, or even BB's. Whatever you can jam in there.
Works like a charm.
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or fishing lead weights....my older bike has bars filled with em.

Rode down to the Dragon and couldn't feel my hands for the first day there.
 
I would suggest you start with the basics. Is your tire pressure low? Tire pressure affects the way a bike handles significantly. Are tires in good condition?
 
By chance is there anyone in the North York area who is familiar with making the adjustments who would consider doing them for me. It's not something I can do
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Does it have clip-ons....if it does....lose them . That's most of your problem right there.
 
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