Quote:
Originally Posted by Thumper
RE 650 and SV 650 are similar in displacement, so different otherwise!
SV is like "half of a VFR" and the RE is a classic cafe style bike. Both have attributes to justify choosing it. RE might be more of a break away from the VFR and a whole new experience, but the SV might be more of a smile generator in the Twisties. I suspect the SV will be stiffer, more stable and confidence inspiring.
|
It's not even about being half or a quarter etc. The INT650 is way more akin to my 75 GL1000 Goldwing in terms of power to weight if a bit less - 47hp and 470lbs vs "80hp" (different standard of measurement back then) and 600lbs. I loved the balance of power and weight my GL1000 had. Similar styling too.
The SV650 is sorta half of my 1200 I guess. My VFR is 580lbs with 170hp stock, or about 145whp through the shaft drive. Mine makes 164whp. The SV650 makes 70hp and is 436lbs. I would call it more like a third of my bike in terms of power, and 2/3 in terms of weight.
I'm not really chasing power though. I just want something powerful enough to keep up with any traffic, be a tad more economical, and a lot more fun to ride "hard" without going triple digits speeds in the blink of an eye. 0-100mph in a hair over 5 seconds is nothing to sneeze at. I do love it, and as I said, I may keep it, but I would have to just have it sit there all the time when somebody else could enjoy it.
I also don't do much corner carving on the street. The INT650 has a much better chassis than people think. The SV is just a next class up from all of the other bikes I am looking at. I am only considering it because I have always wanted one. I love a 90 degree Twin. Plus, the 2024 model has a bronze frame and black paint. It looks really cool.
The big appeal of the INT650 is that it's a simple, old school looking (my favorite) air cooled torquey lump of a 270 degree twin. It makes all the right noises, goes the right kind of speeds, and from my limited time in the seat a very fun bike to ride around on and just enjoy riding. I'm not a big cruiser guy, but I do love a good standard motorcycle with classic looks. Plus, in terms of price, it's right where I want to be.
The Honda CL500 being the closest direct competitor to it. I love Hondas, it's one of the lightest bikes on my list at 423lbs wet. I love the looks of it. It also comes in Orange (yes, I have a thing for Orange lol), and like the SV650, the engine has been around a really long time so it's going to be almost bullet proof.
The MT03 is the slightly odd one out on the other end of the spectrum. Similar power, much smaller engine but with a much higher rpm limit, actually fits my tall body fairly well for such a small engined bike too. Also the cheapest of the bunch at just $5k. The only thing I am not the biggest fan of is the styling. It's not the worst ever though.