Top test Suzuki SV 1000 S

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Top test Suzuki SV 1000 S

Top test Suzuki SV 1000 S
light on the horizon

Anyone who knows the Japanese knows how much they take criticism to heart. Two years after the somewhat hapless TL 1000 S was discontinued, Suzuki is now hoping that the new SV 1000 S will be the success of a large, sporty V-Twin.

Guido Stuesser

03/13/2003

The tachometer shows just 3000 / min, as the powerful torque SV 1000 S catapulted towards the horizon with a loud babble from the hairpin in first gear. The second is nowhere near turned, the next hairpin already follows, and so it goes for the next 15 kilometers up to Monte di Campiglio at the foot of the Brenta Group. Just awesome. The new SV 1000 S feels in its element where Jan Ullrich and Co torment their way up the mountain at the Giro d`Italia in summer. The adrenaline rush provided by the mighty V2 in the SV 1000 S protects the tester from frosty thoughts even at temperatures that barely scratch the double-digit range.
As the successor to the TL 1000 S, the new SV has a difficult legacy. The fascination of the super strong Suzuki V-Twin was contrasted by a technology that was not yet fully developed. This was the headline in the MOTORRAD endurance test (issue 20/1998): Runs … does not run … runs. High consumption, jerking of the valve, banging the handlebars, oil dilution and leaky tanks forced the Japanese to carry out a number of product recalls and the TL to make unscheduled visits to the workshop. So that this disaster does not happen again to the SV, the Suzuki technicians thoroughly revised the 90-degree V2 engine and its environment. As with the DL 1000 V-Strom travel enduro, the inlet valves, which inhale the mixture through newly formed inlet channels, have shrunk from 40 to 36 millimeters for better draft. Camshafts with a new profile and intake manifolds with a throttle valve diameter of 52 instead of 45 millimeters give the SV 22 HP more power (120 to 98 HP) compared to the V-Strom. Over 300 components have been changed compared to the TL engine. Modifications that pay off. The V-2 reacts sensitively to every change in the throttle grip from as little as 2000 revs. The driver only opens one flap of the double throttle flap system via the throttle grip. The second controls a 32-bit computer using information such as load and speed via a servomotor. This combination works great. No jerking or swallowing spoils the acceleration phases. The Suzuki engineers probably also paid great attention to the drive train. The SV presents itself free of noticeable load change reactions.
It gets really fiery when the tachometer has passed the 5000 mark. The genteel reluctance is over. Vibrations in the handlebars and an infernal thunder from the two thick, catalyzed silencers underline the irrepressible forward thrust. Before the rev limiter intervenes at 11,000 revolutions, the next gear should be engaged. Because by redesigning the engine, the SV lost some of the revving of the old TL engine in the upper speed range. But what doesn’t really bother when driving. The beefy motor harmonises perfectly with the easily and precisely shiftable gearbox. The first course was quite long, but is still very suitable for the dozen of switchbacks up to Monte di Campiglio. Thanks to the precise engagement of the respective gears, the next gear can be engaged without a great deal of noise, even when accelerating at full speed and at a higher speed. So, although the powerful torque allows shifting lazy driving, the gears are often changed. Because it’s just fun. Getting started is much less fun, however. The same clutch design that was used in the TL in 1998 and in the Hayabusa in 2000 and had to put up with severe criticism is now doing its job in the SV – with the same result on the test motorcycle. The culprit is the servo unit of the clutch, which limits the reverse torque when coasting and thus prevents the rear wheel from punching. Unfortunately, this servo unit creates a shifting pressure point when starting, which is why the SV now and then appears like a stubborn donkey and the driver like a learner driver. It is possible that, as with the TL, this problem is more severe on one motorcycle and less on another due to manufacturing tolerances. In any case, the leapfrog has not fundamentally been eliminated, as the test machine proved.
For this, the suspension and damping of the hindquarters have been completely redesigned ?? according to a conventional principle. Where the TL had a new, but highly controversial rotary damper and a separate shock absorber, a tightly tuned, fully adjustable shock absorber now ensures the necessary contact with the road. However, attempts to find a comfortable setting fail because the setting range of the pressure level is too low. The fully adjustable telescopic fork, which is quite powerful at 46 millimeters, can be tuned better, but also not perfectly. Significantly softer than the shock absorber, it requires more compression after a few clicks in order to achieve a reasonable balance between the set-up of the front and rear. But even they cannot prevent the fork from immersing too much when the accelerator is suddenly released, a homogeneous overall impression does not want to set in. This is also one of the reasons for the slow times on the MOTORCYCLE handling course. The strong immersion of the fork during load changes does not allow a precise line selection, which is essential for a good slalom time. In addition, the steering damper cuts handiness on the section after Monte di Campiglio. The SV does not rush through the fast alternating curves there or in the top test course as casually as one might have expected from its driving behavior in the hairpin bends. The high-mounted footrests paired with the deep handlebar stubs and the steering damper, which is stiff at least at low temperatures, take their toll here and make the pilot work hard for rapid changes in lean angle. The SV rolls on a front tire of the Michelin Pilot E type, which has a slightly more pointed contour than the standard tire and should therefore ensure good handling. At the back she wears a moderate 180 with the special code L, which is characterized by a reinforced carcass. So it stays safely on course, at least as long as no longitudinal grooves cross its path. If this does happen, a clear tendency to pendulum can be felt around the longitudinal axis.
The SV braking system shows accepting qualities. The stoppers known from the GSX-R 750 require a lot of manual strength, but then grab hold of it and convince with stability even on long descents. What you can confirm in the top test. Thanks to the rear wheel, which only loses contact with the ground late, the SV 1000 comes to a standstill from 100 km / h after 37.4 meters. A peak value.
On the other hand, the consumption rates are rather mediocre. For a modern motorcycle with an injection system, secondary air system and regulated catalytic converter, 5.8 liters are barely acceptable on extremely moderate country roads.
There is nothing wrong with the pricing. For 9790 euros the customer receives a modern and fully equipped motorcycle. The multi-reflector headlights and the 14 light-emitting diodes that light up in two rows from the rear are unmistakable. Although the sleek styled half-shell offers some protection from the wind and there are plenty of lashing options for luggage, the SV wants to be more of an athlete than a tourer. Long distances for two are not pleasant for either the driver or the pillion passenger. The SV driver not only feels the pressure on the wrists, but also feels the full weight of the pillion passenger in his back during the first braking maneuver at the latest. Even the handlebar can hardly prevent the passenger from sliding down from his throne into the generously sized driver’s recess when braking.
For tours for two, you are better served with the undisguised SV 1000, which promises a more comfortable seating position for driver and front passenger thanks to its higher handlebars and lower footrests. But that is not how the S model, as the successor to the TL 1000 S, should be understood.

What else stood out – Suzuki SV 1000 S

What else caught my eye> Plus oil control as well as easy refilling Easily accessible rebound adjustment on the shock absorber Hazard warning system Clutch lever and brake lever are adjustable> Minus To set the idle speed, you need a screwdriver. Notches that are far above and a slippery cushion severely limit the passenger comfort. A large turning circle> Chassis settings Fork: Spring base 3 rings visible Compression stage 0.5 turns open Rebound stage 0.5 turns open Suspension strut: Spring base 250 millimeters compression stage 4 turns open Rebound stage 1 turn open

This is how MOTORRAD tests wind protection

MOTORRAD explains the individual criteria of the 1000-point evaluation (part 11)

The fact that the wind whistles in your ears is what makes motorcycling so special for many, even if it can be quite uncomfortable in the long run and at high speeds. A fairing that directs the air flow around the driver as much as possible is certainly more comfortable. In practice, this can never be completely successful; this would require huge, sweeping cladding and corresponding rear cladding. Statutory regulations also restrict the wind protection, as they limit the height of the windshield, for example. The protected zone is therefore inevitably limited. At the edge there is turbulence and wake vortices as a result of the stall at the fairing edges. If these hit the driver’s body unfavorably, he will be shaken more or less vigorously. Turbulent currents on the helmet, which cause loud noises, are particularly uncomfortable. Adjustable windshields offer the advantage that the flow can be adapted to individual wishes and the size of the driver. Large touring fairings can theoretically collect up to 20 points; the best rating so far has been given to the BMW K 1200 LT with 19 points. Motorcycles with no fairing do not receive any points. The disguised variant of the SV 1000, the S, earns nine points because it noticeably relieves the upper body, but exposes the head area to the free flow. On the positive side, there is no unpleasant turbulence on the helmet.

Conclusion – Suzuki SV 1000 S.

If you ignore the clutching clutch and certain less serious chassis defects, Suzuki can rightly hope to retract the missed success of the TL with the SV 1000 S afterwards. The engine certainly already deserved this success in the TL, but even more so in its modified version in the SV.

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