2005 SV650

I have to say that before a week ago, I was barely interested in SV650s. Something about them just seemed so... vanilla. I then saw the one for sale here, and suddenly remembered that I loved vanilla. I also realized that SV650s were now affordable; somehow in the same range as beat-to-hell sport bikes and old UJMs (not that there's anything wrong with them).

I found one on a local classified that hadn't moved for almost a month. It was also on Craigslist; vague and with bad pictures. I took a look at it, and it was in really nice shape, especially considering its 32,000 miles. It has an aftermarket exhaust, but otherwise, it is stock. As mentioned in the buying/selling thread, I offered $1820 versus the $2300 asking price and got it for that. It had been dropped on its right side a while back, and the right mirror was still broken, the tank was a little scratched, and the ball on the brake lever was broken off.

This next part is a bit embarrassing: After riding it sixty miles in the rain, I dropped it just a few blocks from my apartment, negotiating a low-speed left turn. However, the damage wasn't too bad: New scrapes in the paint, the ball on the clutch lever broke off, the handlebars were a little bent. It also wouldn't start, but that was a simple fix once I tracked it down (to the clutch lever sensor). I was shaken up a bit, though, and took it as a cautionary reminder that I need to refresh myself in technique before riding during busier hours.

Despite the slightly tweaked bar and useless mirrors, I took an hour-long ride tonight, and everything worked beautifully. A "superbike" set of handlebars is in the mail, as well as some bar-end mirrors. The scuffs don't bother me; the ability to cope with them gracefully is one of the SV650's best features. It will be parked on the street 24/7, so it is bound to get messed up sooner or later.

Here's a picture I took this afternoon:

As a side benefit, it is a PERFECT match to the Vanson jacket I have had for four years.

The riding suit is gone, though.

Congrats MrC. It sure is pretty!

Congrats! The SV is a great bike. It was high on my list and I probably would have bought Evan's if Sonic didnt want it too and the wife didnt green light the Versys.

Scrapes are inevitable, as long as you are ok just look at it as an opportunity to modify :)

Welcome to the club! I like the black frame/wheels on the 05+s.

It makes it look a bit more sinister.

The best thing about naked bikes is that a drop is basically just an excuse to get whatever trick new mirrors/bars/levers you've had your eye on :).

In my mind, the sign of a good bike is one you can drop and not have to repair much of anything. My Hawk, despite all the custom work, falls extremely well - bend back whichever foot lever and call it a day.

It doesn't hurt that your headlight has a helmet, either.

Nice ride. I've been riding an '05 SV650S four a little over 4 years now. I love my bike. I finally have a garage, so this winter I'm planning on fixing all of the cosmetic damage. I also bought mine used and damaged. The engine's solid as a rock, though.

Don't let the fall scare you out of riding your bike! I've taken two spills on my bike, and my brother has taken one. Just get back in the saddle and ride on! After ensuring the proper safety gear is in place, of course.

I took a few days off after the spill, but I have gone riding almost every night since. I still haven't gone out in traffic yet, but I will start riding during that time over the next few weeks. The new handlebar came in a few days ago, and Mr. Joshua was nice enough to lend me a saw to lop off an inch and a half off each side (putting them within an inch of stock width).

Once it and the mirrors are installed, new pictures will be incoming.

Congrats on the SV ;) I just picked up an '01 a few weeks ago and am having a great time with it. It came with some frame sliders installed which you might want to consider for yours. Cheap insurance ;)

Here's a picture I took after installing the new bars and mirrors. The Superbike bar's stance is very similar to the one that came stock. 1 1/2" came off of each end to get it to about the standard width, and two locating holes had to be drilled so that the hand controls wouldn't rotate once mounted. The mirrors are a bit lost in the foliage, but they provide better visibility in the close vicinity. They're somewhat chintzy, but I can't complain for less than $20 shipped.

Nice score. Those bikes look so much tougher with the black wheels.

Okay, so I don't have anything new to add, but riding this thing is so addicting. I go through withdrawals if I skip a day of riding.