Suzuki SV 650 Scrambler 2.0 2019 — Specifications

So here it is, Suzuki is serving up its SV 650 in a Scrambler version, a recipe that drew smiles a few seasons ago. It’s 2019, and the Japanese brand, never the quickest to follow trends, is attempting a second iteration. The idea remains the same: take their roadster with a well-defined character, give it an urban adventurer look, and hope people buy into it. The result is an ambiguous object, halfway between a showy adventurer and a truly versatile machine.

Suzuki this time put a little more effort into the styling. We say goodbye to some of the overly modern details of the first version, and welcome a more comprehensive equipment package, signed SW-Motech. Handguards, soft bags with covers, aluminum windscreen, various protections… the list is long and immediately gives it a more credible and prepared look. Visually, the work is quite successful. The two-tone seat, black risers, and minimalist fender forge a character. But the devil is in the details, and some absences are glaring: where is the high-mounted exhaust, essential on a scrambler? Where are the spoked rims, even just for credibility? At €7999, we could expect this kind of finish, which is sorely lacking compared to a Triumph Street Scrambler, for example.

But ultimately, who are we to ask it to be what it is not? This SV 650 Scrambler 2.0 remains primarily an SV, and that’s where everything becomes clear. Its 90° V-twin is the heart of the beast. 76 horsepower at 8500 rpm and a torque of 62.8 Nm available early on, guarantee a lively, supple, and incredibly easy-to-live-with motorcycle. The trellis frame, the 197 kg fully fueled, and the 785 mm seat height make it an accessible and reassuring mount. On the road, it is a delight of fluidity, with a precise six-speed gearbox and braking that is more than honest. The Dunlop Mutant tires, an intelligent choice, offer it real versatility, capable of biting into firm ground or stabilized paths without faltering.

So, is it a real scrambler? No, clearly not. The standard suspension, the limited ground clearance, and the low-mounted exhaust shout it. It’s an illusion, but a beautiful illusion. It is aimed at the urban motorcyclist who dreams of escape without wanting to leave the comfort of the asphalt, at the one who wants a unique motorcycle, good at everything and with a warm character. It will not rival a trail bike, but it will offer you joyful outings and the feeling of being able to branch off onto a vineyard path. It is a compromise machine, sometimes frustrating in its renunciations, but terribly seductive by its mechanical honesty and immediate riding pleasure. A false front, yes, but a false front that has character and heart.