Classy Café: Suzuki's SV650X

The SV650X is Suzuki's entrant into the burgeoning café racer class. So how does it stand up to the retro market's needs?

Taking the base model, Suzuki have fitted clip-ons, added a headlight cowl, changed the saddle to a flatter (grippier) one, raised the seat height slightly, added adjustable preload to the suspension… and that’s it. A lazy way of getting into the game?

Suzuki does have a successful history of playing with the leftovers bin (Bandit, anyone?)

The first surprise is the change to the riding position. More sporty than the standard SV, the clip-ons settle you into a crouch over the bars; the flatter, broader saddle splays your legs; and the high pegs add to the tucked-in stance. I found the most comfortable way to ride was to tuck in, gripping the tank firmly with my thighs (the addition of rubberised knee pads would be welcome). The new saddle was firm but comfortable, so my backside was happy, although the riding position does place weight on the wrists, plus more strain on the back. Former SV650S owners will feel at home, however.

The changes give an immediacy to the steering. The standard SV is no slouch in corners, but the X has a direct relationship ’twixt bars and boots, allowing you to place it very accurately, ideal for back road blasts.

The light clutch and slick gearbox are a boon in town, though like all bikes with clip-ons you don’t want to spend too much time dawdling. Life becomes much more fun when out on big, swooping A roads where you can utilise the X’s 75bhp effectively, the v-twin (even with me having to watch the revs on a brand new bike) having enough punch to ally with the immediate handling to perform smart overtakes with ease. The headlight cowl does a decent job deflecting wind. It’s never going to match the old S’s bikini fairing, but then it’s not supposed to.

The dash gives loads of information and I like the range being displayed – just above the fuel gauge – on the screen at all times, although it could be hard to read in glare. Fuel economy? It drinks (not a sipper nor a guzzler), and my guess is it will return around 50 miles to the gallon.

The brakes? Very much something I like on the X. There’s a good mix of feel and enough oomph to haul up the little bike. The mirrors take time to get into a position where you can see (left especially) and they’re quite wide.

Given the retro-ish look being aimed for, round ones might look better. Talking about that retro-ish look, the paint job and stickers grew on me as the day went on.

So which SV650 to choose? It depends on how you use the bike. For longer rides I’d go for the standard model. Commuting? Honours even, but the X puts more strain on the wrists. If you’re going to have it for shorter rides and especially on back roads, then the X has the edge due to the sharper handling.