When Suzuki introduced the SV650 several years ago, it was an instant hit. Extremely light and nimble, and featuring a torquey V-twin motor, the SV created quite a following.
The call almost immediately went out to Suzuki to drop its 1000cc V-twin into a similar chassis, and create an SV1000. For a while, it seemed like Suzuki wasn’t listening. It was.
Okay, so you saw these pictures on the Internet a week or so ago. The U.S. market operates under different embargo rules, and we can finally bring you images of the U.S.-spec. SV1000 and SV1000S (the model with a small, bikini fairing and dual headlights pictured at the bottom of the page). Both bikes are extremely light for 1000cc V-twins, weighing in at 408 pounds for the naked and 417 pounds for the faired version. For reference, these weights are roughly 20 pounds lighter than Ducati’s big-bore Monster and Honda’s nimble 919. Very light, indeed!
The big Suzuki V-twin that made its first appearance in the TL1000S model is a gem. Most recently, Suzuki released the 2002 V-Strom with a version of this engine, and it proved, once again, a huge hit. The motor has great power, great torque, and great personality.
The fuel injected engine resides in a very high-tech frame. The all-new, aluminum-alloy truss-style frame is constructed using a single-precision die casting, high-vacuum mold process. This is another technique that creates cast frames that have some of the properties of forging. High-strength castings can now reduce weight and increase rigidity (where needed) in a significant step forward for motorcycle chassis design.
The SV1000 and SV1000S also feature fully adjustable suspension (preload, compression and rebound damping), both front and rear. This is a rarity in the naked bike class, and a highly desirable feature for those buyers who intend to use the SV1000 as a canyon carver, not just a commuter. Moreover, the front forks are 46mm in diameter for tremendous rigidity and precise handling.
The brakes are top drawer, as well, with huge, 320mm discs up front (gripped by four piston calipers) and a 220mm disc in the rear.
With high-tech gauges and an LED taillight, the SV1000 and SV1000S are hardly “old school”, but retain classic design elements from Japanese standards of old.
U.S. MSRP for the SV1000 is $7,999, and the 1000S is $8,599. Availability date is unknown at this point.
Suzuki also introduced a redesigned GSX-R1000 (which will be the subject of a future article), redesigned SV650/650S and two new, big-bore scooters. Watch MD for follow-up articles on these other machines.
