SV650S

The SV650 gets a meaner look. The ever popular SV650 gets its first makeover since its launch, mainly in the styling department. The new, more aggressive looks match it's new 1ltr big brother. But in addition to this there is also a completely new frame, made using a pressure die cast technique to give thinner walls, but more mass and strength where it's needed the most.

The carburetion has been cahnged, gone are the traditional carbs, the SV650 has been updated to fuel-injection, and emissions from the new bike are lowered thanks to an air injection system into the exhaust and a cat. The total claimed dry weight is a sprightly 169Kg.

SV1000S

The all new SV1000 is virtually identical to the smaller SV650, except for the belly-pan and two exhaust cans. Suzuki did try hard with the original TL1000 and after a string of problems in the handling department they were finally forced to give up. But Suzuki have decided to give it another go with a one litre V twin and therefore based it on their other highly successful V twin, the SV650. So along comes the SV1000 in typical Suzuki family styling looking almost identical to the 650. The new SV1000 is available in non or half faired versions. The new SV with that superb TL1000 fuel injected motor squeezed in to it will no doubt be some fun to ride.

Up front there are 46 mm diameter forks and a 120/70-17 front wheel, with a pair of 310mm discs and 4-piston calipers to haul you down from the speeds that this bike will certainly be capable of.. The rear uses a 180/55-17 and a single 220mm disc with 2-piston caliper. The tank capacity is 17 litres and seat height is a well-proportioned 810mm. Overall dry weight for the new SV1000 is 189 Kg.

Oh and by the way, the new bike has a longer wheelbase than the old TL so it should be far more stable than the old TL, and there's no more radial damper at the rear either, thank goodness!

GSXR1000

Suzuki obviously had very little to do in the 600 category after setting the standard with the superb GSXR600, so they have stunned the 1 ltr class yet again and introduced the latest version of the all conquering GSXR1000. Launched just over two years ago, the GSXR took the 1ltr supersports crown with ease.

So are Suzuki setting the trend to do a makeover once every two years on the hottest of superbikes?.

The most obvious change in the visual department is the new stacked, Hayabusa-style headlight which Suzuki claims not only improves aerodynamics, but aids the ram-air system, by moving the intake to the point of highest pressure. (so they say). Not so obvious are the numerous small changes to the motor and silencer (now all titanium), giving a handy power increase of 5bhp ( not as if you really needed it! ). This combined with a lighter chassis and the new fashion from the manufacturers using radial brakes (disc diameter reduced from 320 to 300mm) gives the new GSXR a claimed dry weight of 168Kg, 1kg less than last years model.

More power, less weight, more perfrmance...I doubt if many riders can utilise the full power and potential of the previous model let alone this new version! What next.....Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, we think you may have your work cut out.

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