General Discussion Anything SuperHawk Related

How does the superhawk compare to a SV650?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-12-2008, 04:16 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
 
shwuz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2
shwuz is on a distinguished road
How does the superhawk compare to a SV650?

Sorry for the noob question, but I'm currently looking for a bike with which to replace my beloved SV650. It was the most fun I've ever had on a bike, but I found myself wanting just a tiny bit more power. I'm set on getting a V-twin, so I'm pretty limited on the different bikes I can get. Yes, there is always the sv1000, but I don't like the styling... I had a first-generation SV650 with the cool curvy frame.

This might be blasphemy to some, but my intent (were I to get one) would be to pull of the fairing and put on some superbike bars and make a naked out of it. This is how I had my SV set up, and like I said, I just loved it.

So, all that said, I figure there must be plenty of folks here who have ridden both, and I'm very curious to learn how the two compare. I'd also be interested in hearing how a naked conversion on a superhawk was accomplished, and how it worked.

Thanks for any input!
shwuz is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 04:24 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
MotoGP
 
lazn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,132
lazn is on a distinguished road
hmm, I have ridden both SV650s generations and have a SH.
The SH is about as narrow as your bike, and narrower than the 03+ 650's. It has more power, but isn't quite as nimble. (though it is not a heavy bike like a hayabusa)

eg: I rarely lack for power with the SH, but on my friends SV I did feel it could have used a little more oomph getting onto the freeway, but her SV was far easier to throw into a corner with abandon knowing I could swing it about in a moment's notice.

A "naked" or "street fighter" conversion is quite popular, but remember it does have two side mounted radiators.. Just factor that into the looks, either replacing them or just letting that be.
lazn is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 04:39 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
Back Marker
 
Vega (streetfighter)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Berkeley, Ca
Posts: 205
Vega (streetfighter) is on a distinguished road
Mine is streetfightered out. Previous owner droped it and took of the fairings. Looks cool to me.
Vega (streetfighter) is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 04:41 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
Back Marker
 
Vega (streetfighter)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Berkeley, Ca
Posts: 205
Vega (streetfighter) is on a distinguished road
click on my avitar for full picture.
Vega (streetfighter) is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 05:41 PM
  #5  
swinging member
Back Marker
 
lrrs195's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: masshole
Posts: 114
lrrs195 is on a distinguished road
I own both, the SV is a ss race bike and is much more nimble than the superhawk. I`m not sure of each bikes weight but the sv feels 100lbs lighter.(both have the same dia.forks!) The hawk has 40 more hp but feels more than double the sv`s 62 hp. If you like the sv`s power delivery you will love the superhawk, it`s alot more power everywhere.You won`t be disappointed if you buy a superhawk.
lrrs195 is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 05:55 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
Superstock
 
thefauxnarchist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
thefauxnarchist is on a distinguished road
Originally Posted by lrrs195
I own both, the SV is a ss race bike and is much more nimble than the superhawk. I`m not sure of each bikes weight but the sv feels 100lbs lighter.(both have the same dia.forks!) The hawk has 40 more hp but feels more than double the sv`s 62 hp. If you like the sv`s power delivery you will love the superhawk, it`s alot more power everywhere.You won`t be disappointed if you buy a superhawk.
personally, (sorry to thread jack) sv650s i dont really consider ss race bike--the gsxr from suzuki fills that niche. (im gonna get flamed for this...) standard forks (rather than inverted) + rather "normal" swing arm + nothing jazzy about the clutch + relatively relaxed riding position (compared to gsxr), to me, make this a sporting street bike, not a supersport.

don't get me wrong--i had my head fixed on an sv650s + factory lower fairing for a longgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg time. ended up with a 'hawk :]. i can't really comment on the performance of the sv1000, but it does come in naked from suzuki. most i've heard, the fuel injection isn't as, let's say, refined, as the 'hawk's carbs.

personally, i like the way the sv1000s + fairing looks. i've witnessed a few around here with aftermarket pipes, and damn, does it sound nice. i think the sv1000 makes a little bit more power compared to the hawk too, as it's a much much newer bike. im almost certain you can pick up a brand new one from a dealer for a really good price (they seem to be trying to get rid of them). brand new bike with 0 miles vs. minimum 3 year old bike. that's something you might wanna consider.

recap:
- hawks have more power than sv650's, but sv1000's have more than 650's
- sv's are fuel injected, hawks are carbed
(around here i think new sv1000s' can be had for a hair over 7k brand new--i THINK, not 100% sure)

hope that helps.
thefauxnarchist is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 06:11 PM
  #7  
swinging member
Back Marker
 
lrrs195's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: masshole
Posts: 114
lrrs195 is on a distinguished road
I should of said "my sv is a ss race bike and my hawk is a street bike."
lrrs195 is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 06:21 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
Superstock
 
thefauxnarchist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 293
thefauxnarchist is on a distinguished road
Originally Posted by lrrs195
I should of said "my sv is a ss race bike and my hawk is a street bike."
haha damn i feel like a jack***. my bad. yeah, sv's make cool track bikes i hear--direct gsxr front end swap or something. swaps on a hawk arent even that ez lol. how is it anyways? i hear that the sv650's can tear up something proper on the track.
thefauxnarchist is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 06:33 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
MotoGP
 
VTRsurfer's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
VTRsurfer is on a distinguished road
My wife rides an '07 SV650S and she loves it, I do too. But having said that, whenever I ride her bike, loving the nimbleness and more than adequate power, when I get back on my SuperHawk I go YEAH!!!!!!

BIG difference in low end torque. This can be noted by how much later you shift on the SH. The SuperHawk is about 50 pounds heavier and has slightly narrower and lower bars.

I think I could be happy riding an SV, but the torque of the VTR wins out, no contest.
VTRsurfer is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 08:12 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
SuperBike
 
Thumper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,015
Thumper is an unknown quantity at this point
Got both in the garage, hands down an SV650S with ZX10R rear shock (direct mount) and better fork internals with a good high pipe and PC is 10 times more fun than my VTR.

Don't get me wrong the VTR has more power is tuned nearly perfect for my mods and has no carb hesitation or air/fuel mixture needs, but the SV is way lighter, corners way better and will pull the front wheel in third gear with a little clutch lever actions.

Do your self a favor and stay with your SV650S FI, i know i would. If i had to sell one of the two bikes today, my beloved VTR that i have had for 9 years would be the one to go. I modified the SV-S to the Naked version bars as well.

It really depends on your kind of roads, if you are all about high speed riding the VTR may be better for you, but here in TN, smaller, lighter and quicker cornering is by far the better bike. That's why i am also riding a CRF450R Street Legal Supermoto, cause it weighs in at 235 lbs at 55HP and corners like nothing else i have ridden.

Before removing clip-ons and installing bars
Name:  DSCF0063.jpg
Views: 594
Size:  67.0 KB

Bars installed
Name:  SV001.jpg
Views: 583
Size:  97.2 KB

Last edited by Thumper; 08-12-2008 at 08:32 PM.
Thumper is offline  
Old 08-12-2008, 08:26 PM
  #11  
BANNED IN D.C.
SuperSport
 
Condor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Athens, GA
Posts: 701
Condor is on a distinguished road
you should totally buy mine.
Condor is offline  
Old 08-13-2008, 06:58 AM
  #12  
Member
Squid
 
ridingrules's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Houston
Posts: 34
ridingrules is on a distinguished road
Originally Posted by shwuz
Sorry for the noob question, but I'm currently looking for a bike with which to replace my beloved SV650. It was the most fun I've ever had on a bike, but I found myself wanting just a tiny bit more power. I'm set on getting a V-twin, so I'm pretty limited on the different bikes I can get. Yes, there is always the sv1000, but I don't like the styling... I had a first-generation SV650 with the cool curvy frame.

This might be blasphemy to some, but my intent (were I to get one) would be to pull of the fairing and put on some superbike bars and make a naked out of it. This is how I had my SV set up, and like I said, I just loved it.

So, all that said, I figure there must be plenty of folks here who have ridden both, and I'm very curious to learn how the two compare. I'd also be interested in hearing how a naked conversion on a superhawk was accomplished, and how it worked.

Thanks for any input!

I have one for sale on ebay right now, cheap....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motor...=1218632541031
ridingrules is offline  
Old 08-13-2008, 02:22 PM
  #13  
Junior Member
Squid
Thread Starter
 
shwuz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2
shwuz is on a distinguished road
Cool, thanks for the good info here guys! Keep it coming!

And ridingrules, I have actually already seen your ebay auction... Wanna trade for some surfboards? Ha, yeah I know... That does seem like a good deal, but I'm still in the money-gathering and information-gathering part of my new bike endeavor, so unless you want to work a cash/trade deal...
shwuz is offline  
Old 08-13-2008, 03:52 PM
  #14  
Member
Squid
 
ridingrules's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Houston
Posts: 34
ridingrules is on a distinguished road
Originally Posted by shwuz
Cool, thanks for the good info here guys! Keep it coming!

And ridingrules, I have actually already seen your ebay auction... Wanna trade for some surfboards? Ha, yeah I know... That does seem like a good deal, but I'm still in the money-gathering and information-gathering part of my new bike endeavor, so unless you want to work a cash/trade deal...

Oh, you didn't mention any cash with the trade....that, we can talk about, especially if it doesn't sell in the auction.
ridingrules is offline  
Old 08-13-2008, 05:38 PM
  #15  
Moderator
MotoGP
 
Wolverine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Gettysburg, Pa
Posts: 5,072
Wolverine is on a distinguished road
So I just flogged the wife's SV on the ride home from work. Then I jumped on The Hawk for a blast around the mountain. First the Hawk is more leaned over, even with Heli bars. Second, the power difference is profound. The SV feels like a boy-toy when comparing wide-open throttle. Third, as already stated, the SV requires much less effort to ride/drive. Turn in is very quick and light, but I personally feel more confidence on the Super when the lean angle and speed increase. Damn, I like both a lot. If I were to have just one, it would be SH hands down. The brutal torque seals the deal.
Name:  DSC03447.jpg
Views: 379
Size:  8.1 KB
Wolverine is offline  
Old 08-13-2008, 06:16 PM
  #16  
Remember stock is BAD!
SuperSport
SuperSport
 
divingindaytona's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Jacksonville FL
Posts: 760
divingindaytona is an unknown quantity at this point
In my opinion. The SV650 is a great bike. The superhawk and the SV650 are very similar.

When I rode the SV, I found that I wanted more power. Compared to the SV the superhawk has more power all around.

Last edited by divingindaytona; 10-05-2008 at 09:09 PM. Reason: my engrish is good
divingindaytona is offline  
Old 08-16-2008, 12:56 AM
  #17  
Member
Squid
 
DuCaTi_HuNtEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The valley of the sun stroke
Posts: 65
DuCaTi_HuNtEr is on a distinguished road
Alright dood, here's the skinny.
Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I get all mistyeyed when I talk about my beloved halfabusa. It was the best hooligan mount that I ever owned. The SV1000 is nothing like the 650 you own now. The closest thing that I have found to the 650 is an older tl1000S. I do however recomend the Hawk just because it is the perfect step up from the SV. Just as much fun, but far more refined.

Last edited by DuCaTi_HuNtEr; 08-16-2008 at 01:13 AM.
DuCaTi_HuNtEr is offline  
Old 08-16-2008, 01:16 AM
  #18  
Member
Squid
 
DuCaTi_HuNtEr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The valley of the sun stroke
Posts: 65
DuCaTi_HuNtEr is on a distinguished road
Originally Posted by Thumper
Got both in the garage, hands down an SV650S with ZX10R rear shock (direct mount) and better fork internals with a good high pipe and PC is 10 times more fun than my VTR.

Don't get me wrong the VTR has more power is tuned nearly perfect for my mods and has no carb hesitation or air/fuel mixture needs, but the SV is way lighter, corners way better and will pull the front wheel in third gear with a little clutch lever actions.

Do your self a favor and stay with your SV650S FI, i know i would. If i had to sell one of the two bikes today, my beloved VTR that i have had for 9 years would be the one to go. I modified the SV-S to the Naked version bars as well.

It really depends on your kind of roads, if you are all about high speed riding the VTR may be better for you, but here in TN, smaller, lighter and quicker cornering is by far the better bike. That's why i am also riding a CRF450R Street Legal Supermoto, cause it weighs in at 235 lbs at 55HP and corners like nothing else i have ridden.

Before removing clip-ons and installing bars


Bars installed
Oh yeah, Thumper is one smart dood.
DuCaTi_HuNtEr is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
E.Marquez
Modifications - Performance
26
07-22-2012 08:52 PM
smokinjoe73
Classifieds
0
03-22-2012 09:45 PM
smokinjoe73
Modifications - Performance
70
10-06-2011 11:45 PM
inderocker
Motorcycle News
28
01-08-2009 05:59 PM
Hotbrakes
Technical Discussion
5
06-13-2008 05:32 AM



Quick Reply: How does the superhawk compare to a SV650?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:23 PM.


Top

© 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands



When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.