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Will I be able to keep up with a 650?

8K views 23 replies 10 participants last post by  old&feeble 
#1 ·
Hello! So, am planning me on getting an R3, but my friend rides a 2017 SV650, and I'm wondering if I'll be able to keep up? I wouldn't mind getting a 650, it's just a bit out of budget range for now (unless I find a good deal)


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#3 · (Edited)
Plenty of good SV650s out there for 3-4k. You don't need new. 1st gen are 1999-2002 are carburated and called the curvy. 2nd gen are 2003 to 2008, or so, are fuel injected and are called pointy version. The next version was the Gladius and was heavy and not as nice as the 1st and 2nd gen are.

I would go for the 2nd gen, pointy, if I were to get another.

The R3 will not keep up to the SV on the straights. In the twisties you will be fine.
 
#4 ·
If by keep up you mean on the highway/interstate, and you guys are racing to lose your license then, I will say you both will reach over a hundred, he will just do it faster. On a twisty road or on the track, "keeping up" just depends on how good of a rider you are. Just because the the R3 can carry more corner speed than bigger bikes does not automatically make the rider on it all of a sudden a better rider. Still up to the rider to control it.
 
#5 · (Edited)
If you are a new rider, you shouldn't even be thinking about whether or not you can keep up with a buddy on a stronger bike. That's just one of the many ways new riders end up wrecking. If your buddy is truly a buddy, he won't be trying to outrun you or show off. But if he does, fight all the dangerous instincts inherent in all young men and take it easy.

Focus on learning how to ride and worry about this kind of stuff after a few thousand miles. Way too many newbie riders out there who are focusing on the wrong things and paying with their lives.

But to answer your question, if he is a seasoned rider, and you truly are a newbie, then no. No, you won't. If your skills were equal, then it really depends on the road you are on.
 
#6 ·
If you are a new rider, you shouldn't even be thinking about whether or not you can keep up with a buddy on a stronger bike. That's just one of the many ways new riders end up wrecking. If your buddy is truly a buddy, he won't be trying to outrun you.

Focus on learning how to ride and worry about this kind of stuff after a few thousand miles. Way too many newbie riders out there who are focusing on the wrong things and paying with their lives.


[emoji1303] that's very good advice, thank you


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#8 ·
Unfortunately that's all we have here is straights :/ (SWFL) lol
And yea I get that about rider skill, we're both new he's only had his 650 for like 1-2 months, I feel like I'd be fine starting on a FZ-O7 just knowing how I am driving wise (I don't drive like an arsehole, super defensive driver, yes I know all the defensive driving in the world can only help so much) but it's just a bit out of my price range right now (planning on a new r3 so I can get abs)


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#13 ·
I've taken a few advanced rider courses. We are required to renew along with the sport bike rider course in the military. If you really want to improve your riding ability I recommend track days all day long. MSF classes don't even compare. Take a regular track day and get instruction from the organizers staff. Or go to an actual track riding/race school which do cost more. But either way, if you truly seek knowledge on riding to the best of your ability, trackdays are it.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Once you try track days, your budget will re arrange it self to the proper priorities.

You will learn more in one track day than months of any sort of advanced street riding course.
So true regarding that budget.

I used to think that when my sportbike rider course coach told me the track will teach you more per track day than months of street riding, that he was exaggerating. I will agree that it does, and coming from California, we do a lot of riding on a daily basis, along with the typical canyon runs on the weekends.

I too was skeptical about my first track day, it's too far, there's too much prep work involved, blah blah blah. It was so worth it my first time going. Big thanks to SDR3 from this forum for pushing me to go to my first one. It's definitely pushed me in the right direction to try and improve my riding, rather than on public roads.

The pic in my avatar is me on my zx6r on the 94, a rather popular road for the sport bike crowd in San Diego. A lot of people go and practice their riding there. A lot of fast folks. A lot of people also wreck in those canyons. That used to be my weekend playing grounds till I started going to the track. Almost immediately I stopped riding hard on the streets. Track days definitely change your perspective on how hard you want to ride on the streets, though I will admit every now and then it's still fun to go fast through the twisties.
 
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