Suzuki SV 650 2024 — Specifications

The iconic SV 650. Present for over two decades at Suzuki, we never tire of seeing it; even if it appears increasingly sensible compared to the competition. A good facelift wouldn't hurt. For now, its creators have simply adapted it to Euro 5. This has changed nothing about its good looks or silhouette, but concerning the engine… it has been reworked on one side while remaining smiling on the other.

The twin has lost 3 horsepower in its update, or about 2% of its power. However, it has reduced its rev limit to deliver peak torque at 6,800 rpm instead of 8,100 rpm. Here it is, prolonged for some time, this SV which cheerfully sees the tempo of the cylinders and the breezes of the moment.

Suzuki seems little concerned, but in reality, the SV is regularly refined. Something has changed in the response of the right-hand lever since 2019. Let's take a closer look: the brake calipers have gone from 2 to 4 pistons. A plus for braking, a timid evolution for this friendly machine that has a fierce battle to fight against the MT-07 and Z 650. However, its renewal was noticeable.

This was in 2016, the year that marked the return of the SV, after a long break filled by the mal-loved Gladius. Yet, the excellent mid-displacement twin that has taken so many motorcyclists on the SV, SV-S, and SV-S Strom has always been exciting. But the setting wasn't always up to par. Let's forget that and see how Suzuki's little roadster is trying to recapture the aura of its first loves.

Years have passed, and the SV has become more sensible. Or rather, it hasn't followed the trends like its counterparts. Impertinence accompanied the evolution of the roadsters in the mid-range lineup. Not for the Suzuki, whose design seems to have come from a box stuck in the late 1990s. It's not ugly, not at all. It's even elegant, pleasant to look at, the sickly exhaust of the Gladius has finally been thrown away, and the return of a round headlight is infinitely more appreciated than the strange hazelnut that preceded it. Yet, the enthusiasm isn't there. In trying to be sensible and well-behaved, the SV 650 has become almost anonymous. But not necessarily less interesting.

Those who knew the original SV will find it here, refined, modernized, and finished off with a very GSX-R touch. And naturally, we're going to take a closer look at the chassis. That's where we're going to bite our teeth. We loved the aluminum frame of the first generation; for the third, it will be the steel tubular trellis frame of the Gladius. Like Ducati? Yes, without the Italian charm. As long as it does the job, we won't hold it against it. It's up to it to prove it.

Yesterday and tomorrow, the roadster that wrote a beautiful page in Suzuki’s history can count on its twin cylinder. Flexible, easy, fierce, faultless, it was an engine that everyone praised. The mechanical department hasn't let it sleep. And as if to clearly forget the Gladius episode, we are claiming sixty new parts in the engine casing. Power climbed to 76 horsepower at 8,500 rpm (re-indexed to 73 since Euro5). A benefit that the torque doesn't know, constant but perched higher in the rev range than before. Frugal, the engine would consume barely more than 4 liters per 100 km. Yeah, right… Surely, but at a stabilized speed in a hangar with a throttle that never moves. Does Suzuki want to play like all the other manufacturers by announcing consumption figures worthy of automotive hypocrisy!?

This hasn't escaped you; nor has it escaped the SV: the era is one of increased integration of electronics. Traction control and riding modes are flourishing everywhere. The discourse is different for the heart of the 645 cm³ twin. Suzuki has implanted the "Low RPM Assist," an assistance at low revs that facilitates evolutions when the pistons are moving moderately. Not stupid, and judicious for novices. A twin isn't handled like a 4-cylinder hyper-flexible engine. Don't go playing with a light touch on the throttle, or you're going to provoke a hiccup. The "Low RPM Assist" will smooth that out. The starter will also be assisted by the "Suzuki Easy Start." The GSX-S already knew it. A press of the button, no need to keep it pressed, and the engine continues on its own until it coughs regularly.

With 140 new parts in total, the SV 650 has evolved considerably since the SVF. And it has lost weight: 8 kilos less. We pass under the two quintal mark, even with ABS. This little beast now weighs only more than 2 kilos for a few years. Anecdote, the 2016 SV weighs 197 kilos fully fueled when the 1999 model only displayed 189. It’s a wonder what motorcycles eat.

This return to basics is synonymous with simplicity. The cycle part doesn't do anything flashy: 41 mm standard fork, square-section swingarm, axially-mounted 4-piston brake calipers, few adjustments. Enough to pull prices down. The dashboard hasn't chosen to return to analog gauges. It's a digital window identical to that of the GSX-S. It only differs in certain indications, such as the absence of Traction Control or the lower engine speed.

The SV has returned to its origins. A real good news that is not enough rewarded by a too aseptic design (in our opinion). Let's bet that a sparkling character and a pleasant ride will unlock emotions.

M.B - media constructor