| XL1200C | VX800 | Versys | SV650 | |
| Engine Type | V-Twin | V-Twin | Inline Twin | V-Twin |
| Cooling System | Air | Liquid | Liquid | Liquid |
| Valves | Two per cylinder | Four per cylinder | Four per cylinder | Four per cylinder |
| Gears | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Final Drive | Belt | Shaft | Chain | Chain |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 4.5 | 5 | 5 | 4.2 |
| Displacement | 1203 cc | 850-875 (after cylinders are bored) | 649 | 645 |
| Wheelbase (inches) | 60 | 62 | 56 | 56 |
| Seat Height (inches) | 29 | 35 | 33 | 32 |
| Weight (pounds) | 554 | 470 | 454 | 364 |
Kawasaki Versys (Personally I like the red one)
Suzuki SV650
Suzuki VX800
Suzuki SV650
Suzuki VX800
And, of course, my Harley XL1200C Sporty Classic.For your amusement, bemusement or what have you... Looking at the numbers, I find it interesting that the VX is not only the tallest of the three but has a longer wheelbase, coming in at 2 inches longer than my Sporty. The VX's seat height of 35 inches doesn't scare me too much. While I may find the Versys' 33 inches a bit too high, I can mod the VX.
6 comments:
interesting. great bikes. and only one is shaft drive (my uncles favorite type of bike). the height differences and weight distribution is where i would find issue.
I'm a little confused by your choices of favorite future bikes.
The Versys and the naked SV650.
The Kawi E6n is the real competitor to the naked SV650 (or not Gladius), and the Suzuki VStrom (DL650) is the real competitor to the Versys.
Don't get me wrong I like all four of these bikes but I'm curious why one naked and one adventure bike?
mq01: I have never ridden a 'shafty' before so it will be interesting once she is all put together. The height does seem a bit daunting but since my VX is a 'project' bike, I can cut and weld and adjust to my heart's content. :-) The Versys seems a bit taller than the SV650. Probably due to the width of the saddle.
Passion: I think it is the fit rather than classification. I sat on the V-Strom 650 and she just 'felt' big. Maybe it is her 480 pounds, verses the lighter Versys and SV650. Don't get me wrong... If there was a great deal on the V-Strom, I might be interested.
My choices, as maybe illogical as they may seem :-) is just from sitting on them, doing some reading and matching it all with what I want to ride. Ya, they may not match well, but ah well. :-D
I picked the adventure bike (Versys) just for that reason... Adventure riding 'light'. I picked the SV650 (naked) also because of its limited adventure riding capabilities. Neither one are heavy-duty adv bikes, but seem to fit what I want.
From personal experience, I would say that the off-road capabilities of the SV are very limited.
It's squirrely as heck on gravel and I never ever felt comfortable. Carrying any kind of load would make it worse.
However, it's a great street bike, and you can turn it into a competent sport-tourer if you're willing to invest in a better suspension and some comfort farkles like a windscreen and heated grips.
Thanks, Stacy!
About a year ago or so, I remember asking the inmates at ADV Rider about the Adventure Riding capabilities of the Versys and SV650. They mentioned quite a few drawbacks for both of them. One inmate, from Canada I believe, rode their SV650 all over and loved it.
After I bought Vixen (my VX800) I thought it would be too heavy and not up to snuff as an adventure riding bike. It is, after all, a naked standard with sport bike looks and not really intended for the type of riding I had planned.
To my surprise, quite a few people had taken advantage of the neutral VX800 design and "adventurized" it. After poking around the 'net, I found others making it into a sports bike, others changing it into a spot-tour bike. One person is actually taking a VX800 and changing their basket case into a cafe` racer.
The vx has a seat height of 31.5"
Post a Comment