With over 5500 miles on my 2005 Suzuki SV650S, I’m starting to feel the urge to start “improving” it. Were I to say that I feel any major flaws in the SV as it is, I would be lying. The simple fact of the matter is that I am a gearhead, and just can’t leave my vehicles stock for very long. You may recall that I actually started the modifications months ago, when I installed my Power Commander USBIII and full M4 exhaust system.

So what’s next? I’ve got a pretty big list of wants, and it looks like it’ll cost upwards of $2000. Why spend all that money on an SV650S, when for the same overall cash I could have had a GSXR600, or a used GSXR750? The answer is simple – because I can. I love the power delivery of the 90 degree V-Twin, I love the exhaust note – and I really love that my insurance payments don’t make me cry. Not only that, but the SV handles quite well even in stock form, and is rather comfortable as an “all the time” bike. When I decide I need a track bike, I’ll get a GSXR750 and have fun.

To start with, I should probably address the components that are soon to be due for replacement or serious inspection anyway. Namely my tires and brakes. As I write this, neither needs immediate attention, but as the weather improves my saddle time will rise exponentially, as will wear on said components. I hear plenty of horror stories involving Dunlop D220s, the factory rim protectors on my motorcycle. I’ve experienced the abysmal cold/wet grip myself. That said, they’re wearing very well – I just don’t feel warm and fuzzy hitting the twisties on them.

On the other hand, I’ve heard nothing but good things about the Michelin Pilot series tires – about an even split on the Roads vs. Powers. Many report that usable life is roughly equivilent between the two, with the Power taking the edge in spirited riding and potential track days. The Road is praised as having more than acceptable grip for commuting and the weekend blast down your favorite set of twisty roads, combined with exceptional wet grip.

Deciding which tire to go with is where I’m stuck. All sources point to either being a vast improvement over the D220, so I’m not worried about either being a bad tire – moreso about chosing the correct tire for my needs. My SV is my primary transportation, and sees around 200 miles of commuting during the week, with anywhere from 400 to 600 miles of sport touring (emphasis on the sport) on the weekends. Being in Georgia puts me plenty close to the best roads in the entire country, but it also puts me in some pretty tempermental weather. More than a few times I have started my day in the cold rain, and by lunch be comfortably soaking up the rays. Right this red hot second, I think I’m going to go with the Michelin Pilot Roads and see how I like them for the amount and style of riding I enjoy.

Currently my brakes feel fine, and certainly will stop the bike quick, fast, and in a hurry. I hear they can quite easily be made better. The hoses will eventually need to be replaced, so why not replace them with individual braided steel lines (direct from master cylinder to caliper)? That should at least protect the inner line from flying pebbles, and maintain constant flex/play for solid brake feel and feedback. Everyone raves about the EBC HH compound, so I’ll give those pads a shot when I end up changing my pads.

Now, if I’ve got help from my tires to stick to the road better, and my brakes are more inclined to stop faster – it makes sense to keep the suspension up to the task too. The biggest “complaint” I have heard about the SV650 are the front forks being all kinds of undersprung. Personally, I don’t have a problem with the stock forks, but I do acknowledge room for improvement. I don’t feel the need, on my daily rider for fully adjustable forks. How often do people really decide that today they need more rebound damping, and tomorrow they need more preload and less compression damping? Probably never, at leat not on the street. I know how I ride, so I’m fairly confident that I can get a set of stock forks resprung, and valved to compliment my riding style, so that’s what I’ll do. The same goes for the rear shock, no sense upgrading the front, and ignoring the back.

My exhaust has already been changed, so the next step is getting more air in. I’ll either be making my own airbox lid, or using the SV1000 airbox lid for the larger snorkel. A full test and tune on a dyno is in order to get the fuel map tuned for the most useable powerband. I don’t need the highest peak HP if it sacrifices useability in my typical riding range. I’m also not willing to kiss my gas mileage goodbye, sticking around 50mpg is a must.

Sooner or later, I’ll need a new chain, and new sprockets – but I don’t have any bright ideas here yet. I’m fine with the current gearing, so I will likely go with a D.I.D replacement chain, and whichever sprockets of the correct tooth count is most recommended by other riders.

That about covers the mechanical improvements I intend to get done over the next while. The rest is either comfort, styling, or travel related. I won’t go into as much detail here, so I’ll just make short mention of what I’m thinking. A double bubble windscreen to give me more clean air when I’m sitting up, along with the lower fairing for the SV. The huge shovel of a fender still needs to come off, and having seen the Suzuki factory fender eliminator in person now, I think I’m going to go back to the drawing board and make my own one way or the other.

As much traveling I do, I am thinking hard about getting my factory seats worked on for comfort. I’m also thinking hard about hard luggage – but it has to be easily removed from the bike entirely. Having not looked hard at my options there yet, I’m not sure anything is pre-existing, but I am pretty sure if it came down to it, I could again come up with something on my own. Capturing my rides on video is another thing I’d like to do, and I know what I want to handle that, it’s just a matter of ordering it. A new GPS and mount round out my travel goodies, and I know what I want there as well.

That’s about it, I still fully intend to ride the SV until the wheels fall off. It’ll work fine as a daily rider, and moutain road blaster – and that’s exactly what I plan to do with it.