2019 Suzuki SV650 | Track Day | Shannonville Motorsports Park (Long Track)

[@michaelfilipe888]

What day was this? I'm curious as I think I am the green zx6.

[@bstkmoto1334]

Sept 24. Good on you if that was you! You were one of the fast ones out there. Ready to step up next season?

[@michaelfilipe888]

Then that was me, and thanks for the compliment. I'd love to but dont want to be a pylon in intermediate!

[@bstkmoto1334]

@@michaelfilipe888 I don't think you would be honestly - you were one of the 2 or 3 fast ones and novice group was packed that day. Only 5 months to go til the next day out....

[@georgisgarage]

shannonville ontario?

[@bstkmoto1334]

Yes sir!

[@braverabbit]

Who makes those fork preload caps? Can't find anything like those for my 2018 sv.

[@bstkmoto1334]

K-Tech 25IDS cartridge kit. Speak to your local suspension tuner for some options for the forks.

[@KnightOFGamer22]

hello i have the same bike same tire, what are you ussing for the tire pressure in bar? thank you. You are in retricted power of full 76 hp? thank you !

[@bstkmoto1334]

Hello! Nice - hope you're enjoying it as much as I am! Bike is full power, not restricted. Cold tire pressures that work well for me at the track: Front 32 psi / 2.21 bar, Rear 30 psi / 2.07 bar. You can experiment a bit with the rear, try between 29-31 psi (2.00-2.14 bar) to see what works well for you.

[@dry509]

Mind me asking what your weight is? I am considering getting one for street and track as a novice and was wondering if the suspension would have to be modified? I am 6 feet 214 lbs without gear on.

[@bstkmoto1334]

I'm 5' 10" and around 180-185 lbs. I think it's an excellent choice for an occasional track bike. I believe the latest SVs have preload adjusters at the front as well as the rear. If so, once you adjust preload and get your sag figures in the ballpark it will work just fine for novice group. I would recommend the SV650X over the standard as it puts you in a much better position for the track with the stock clip-ons. Once you're pushing out of novice group and into intermediate group, there are a number of options for suspension upgrades depending on your budget.

[@dry509]

@@bstkmoto1334 Good info thanks.

[@robertobarrios3487]

Nice riding! How easy was it to install the K-Tech cartridge on the forks? It seems that cartridge is listed by retailers as fitting the earlier generation models but not the 3rd gen (2017-2021). Did you have to change the installation procedure at all or do the original installation instructions still apply?

[@bstkmoto1334]

It's the only part that I did not install myself. I went to a suspension expert near Toronto called Accelerated Technologies. Great shop. During the install they found that it was not a perfect fit and had to fabricate a couple of spacers. Other than that, I don't recall any hiccups. They work really well at the track - worth the upgrade to get things properly dialed in. Unnecessary for the street in my opinion - the stock forks actually work quite well for everyday riding.

[@robertobarrios3487]

@@bstkmoto1334 Good to know! Thanks for the info. Yes, my 2019 is my dedicated track bike, so I'm definitely looking for a suspension upgrade. Cheers!

[@nickstick18]

How do you like the Gilles Tooling handlebars? I test-rode an SV650X with the clip-ons but ended up settling on the regular model because I preferred the colour and found the riding position of the X to be too aggressive for longer rides. If you've been on an SV650X, would you say these handlebars are as aggressive as that, or more of a middle-ground between the regular SV650 bars? I'm not looking to track the bike just yet, so I'm looking for something still oriented for the street. How easy was the installation? Also for your tire: were you able to go up to 170 profile tire without changing the wheel? How does it feel?

[@bstkmoto1334]

All good questions. I love the handlebars. I would say that they are quite similar to the SV650X clip-ons. The installation instructions that came with the bars were great - specific to the SV650 and lots of pictures to help you through the steps which you wouldn't normally get with aftermarket handlebars. Aaah the tires... So the OEM 160/60, great for stability, not so much for agility, slow to turn in, stretched on the 5" rear rim. I'm a novice track day rider but really struggled on corner entry - this is with aftermarket suspension and good sag figures - see the other video I posted at CTMP - I really had to get the bike slowed right down to get it to turn in - frustrating. Was also on the edge of the rear tire at moderate lean angles, so I had to try something else. So then, the 170/60 size is the best fit for the 5" rear we have on the SV. If you're riding street, there's lots of great sports touring options out there. Track days, Michelin Pilot Power 2ct seems to be the only choice unfortunately. So I tried them out. It took me a few sessions to get the suspension dialed in - with the taller profile at the rear I found there was too much weight up front initially so added more preload to the front. I ended the day at 35mm rider sag at the front and 28mm rider sag at the rear. That felt good. Corner entry and turn in improved significantly and I found myself underestimating how well the bike would turn in - less stable but there's always a trade off between agility and stability I suppose. Much happier with this setup. With all that being said, I don't know how it would feel on the OEM suspension - I suspect with softer spring rates you might not feel as drastic a change as I did but I can't say for sure...

[@nickstick18]

@@bstkmoto1334 Thanks a lot for the comprehensive reply. I haven't even gotten to take mine out for a ride yet. I bought a brand new leftover 2019 model in September but I wasn't going to start paying insurance now at the end of the season. The plan is to put on the basic safety mods over the winter (frame sliders, radiator guard) and get rid of the rear fender. I'll break in the engine and then maybe next year I'll take it to the track. I'm coming off a heavily modified '99 R6, so this is quite a change of pace for me.

[@nickstick18]

@@bstkmoto1334 By the way, I'd totally watch a video going over the setup on your bike. There doesn't seem to be a lot of videos going into mods on this model yet.

[@bstkmoto1334]

@@nickstick18 Good point - I really should have done that before putting the bike away in storage for the season! If I do go back there before the snow hits I'll put something together for sure. It's a great platform - check out svrider.com if you haven't done so already - lots of info there and it's cool to see how each person takes it in their own direction. That sounds like a good plan for the next year. Spray some anti-corrosion product on it while it's new - something like ACF-50. The SVs are notorious for showing corrosion much earlier than you'd expect, especially if you ride in the rain.

[@bstkmoto1334]

@@nickstick18 Finally got round to that walkaround video - just uploaded. Let me know if you have any questions.

[@Jimmy_Jim_Jim_1234]

Cool. I'm going tomorrow the 6th. Second time there.

[@jasonharmon]

Bike looks solid, I'm sure those cartridges are nice. What is your handlebar setup? Looks like a nice height between clipons & riser bars.

[@bstkmoto1334]

Hi Jason. The cartridges are fantastic. Yes, the bars are exactly that - not too aggressive - more of a sports touring position. They are made by Gilles Tooling but I recently checked their website and didn't see them listed there anymore. Hope they're not discontinued - great product.