A jack of all trades?
commuting in and out of a busy city centre - and is even capable of doing the business on a longer slog if you fancy a short touring trip.
Engine-wise, Suzuki is the only one of the four big Japanese marques to use a V-twin in this class. Yamaha and Kawasaki’s 650 machines both have a parallel twin while Honda’s CB650F employs an inline four cylinder unit.
The characterful SV generates 75hp which is plenty of grunt for a bike of this size and it sounds the part too, thanks to a combination of noticeable induction noise and an adequate (and easily upgradable!) standard exhaust.
Torque is fine too; I found myself in the wrong gear a couple of times and the bike coped without any coughing or spluttering.
Two great innovations for the less experienced are the Easy Start system, which uses a computerised 32-bit ECM engage and disengage the starter motor, and the Low RPM Assist which boosts engine revs to avoid engine stalls at low speeds.
Underneath you, it’s a firm and fairly sporty ride with basic but functional suspension and braking. ABS comes as standard and there’s simple fork adjustment - all fine for a bike around the £5k mark. The handling feels nimble and agile which makes it chuckable for an experienced biker and a forgiving learning curve for those taking the step up to a bigger bike.