2013 Suzuki SFV650 - the Gladius returns & renamed

See, I don't have a problem with the way it looks. And I wonder if a lot of the hubbub has more to do with how the collective motorcycle culture believes it's ugly, so then it becomes famously ugly.

It's not the best looking bike, but none of the nakeds these days are real lookers except for the Italian stuff. IMO.

A bargain bike with a 90* twin that sounds good after a set of cans and is bulletproof?

I'm beginning to realize that maybe I'm just a cheap bastard and find beauty in thrift.

I like the way it looks, but I generally like the looks of bikes most people think are ugly, I think it has to do with growing up with the 80's Japanese cartoons.

I doubt it will be any great sales success, unless they do some serious marketing. The last one ended up left over and discounted like crazy.

I'm personally waiting for Suzuki to produce a TU650X with the LS650 motor in it ... especially now that the Savage/S40 has been equipped with EFI for 2013!!! Wow, never thought I'd see that and totally believed that 2012 would have been the last year for the beloved LS ...

Indeed, and there wasn't much reason to try to gussy that up. Naked bikes that are not also "ultra badass streetfighters" aren't that popular here, though. Too bad.

Shit like this will put me on an R1200R well before my time.

These things need to be lightish, have ABS as an option, be genuinely naked, and have ok aftermarket support for things like luggage and windscreens, coupled with a half decent dealer network.

Kawasaki probably assumed there just was no market for the er6n in the states and never considered how rediculous the front looked:




compare with:



and:

You all get that Suzuki is mimicking the "styling" of the Ducati Monster 796, right? With maybe a little KTM thrown in. Marketing for the European segment, where they buy motorcycles as daily transportation, and not just recreational vehicles (e.g. "toys"), and where sales are still stronger than in NA.

The engine is the same, yes? The FI is a little bettery, yes? This thread is the first where I read that the frame / handling is better - didn't lots of people race the SV-650 in class? Everyone changes / personalized their bikes anyway, right? Buy a good bike and CHANGE its looks! [Or buy a new EX-650R and find a way to add luggage to the gutted rear subframe.]

there's probably a correlation between the number of gay men working in the Suzuki design office (or more likely Design Consultants office) and the increasing sweetcheeks nature of the SV over the years.

That's right, because curves are homosexual! Real men hate curves.

I can't say I love the style of the S40 (much prefer the look of the TU) but I missed that it now has FI. Thank you for pointing that out. Seems odd that FI is not listed in the "Features" section of the website description.

Ned

Styling aside, I can't believe they saddled it with such a small tank. At least the seat looks semi-comfortable, because SV's had the absolute worst saddles in motorcycling. ,BK

My 06 was my favorite bike until I got my 12wee glee, but you are right, that seat was heinous! The factory gel seat was not much better.

Forget the hideous 650 rice burners.
Think different.
2013 Moto Goosey V7s.







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Curious about the dry weight and wheel HP. The Naked SV was about 365dry, 70HP but had 4.25 and 4.5 gal tanks.

YES, YES and YES!!! This ticks off ALL the blocks on my "hockey card checklist" for motorcycles ... major moto-lust!! Doesn't get any more beautiful and perfect for me than a blacked-out Guzzi Stone!!

I really like this bike too.
And I will admit to an anti-Guzzi bias that runs quite strongly in my brain and heart.

I really like the late model v7s as well. My next bike will likely be a v7 or a bonnie

sweetness

I can't for the life of me understand why Suzuki abandoned the SV650 brand. I guess SFV650 is closeer than Gladius but what's wrong with SV? It has been one of the most successful street/sport bikes worldwide. Why not continue upgrading and improving a known brand? After owning two gen 1 SVs, an S and a naked as well as a Wee, you could say I'm a big fan of the 650 V engine, perhaps the ideal (affordable) street engine.

No V-twin feel.

My 2005 V Strom 650 , after 25,000 hard miles , was starting to sound kinda dull on the stock muffler , so I put a Holeshot Slip on pipe ...man...the best sound on a bike is a 90 degree V twin ...like a Ducati ... But then I got a 2009 Kawaski 650 Versys ...Parallel Twin...and after 25,000 miles , with a Yoshimura Pipe..the engine does'nt sound as sweet when twisting the loud handle my next bike will be a 2013 Suzuki Wee Strom 650 with custom twin pipes , carbon fiber music makers...Braaaaap... Or...Please Suzuki Please...take this brilliant 650 V Twin motor and build a Supermoto style urban assault weapon ...Yeah thats what I would buy... SV 650 SM ....17 " wheels , and a good upside down fork with dual disks , a small fly screen , and a headlight that looks normal , Please...Hmmm . something like a Aprillia Dorsodura 750 but Japanese, you know , cheap to own...

Yea I'll keep my '99 thanks.