It just take little money to change a dangerous bike, to a safer and quicker one.
Before getting some BHP, have a look to tires, fork, brakes, shocks…
Fork, Brakes:
- Modification of the fork, too soft and has no valve. Replaced oil with 20 W SAE and White Power progressive springs (I did not put the shims, too hard). Cost 15€ (fork oil) Cost 120 € (WP springs).
- Change front brake pads with EBC Metal. It is really easy to do stoppies while you do not want to do this
. Cost 50€ - Change front brake fluid each year and regular airbleeding. Cost 15€
- Modification of the height of oil of the fork, added 50ml of SAE 20W in each fork leg (above recommended height described in the manual of WP springs), I fully relax the progressive spring (about 30mm of SAG bike only, with me add about 20mm of SAG). Result softer on the first 20 mm and after lot of margin when really pushing on the front brake, better cornering. May be a little bit too hard, but this is too soon to have a definitive answer, not done enough miles. Cost 15€
After let’s take some BHP
Engine:
- Removed ignition retard see links before. It is difficult to feel the difference but seems to be better on 2nd and 3rd gear, safer for the rev limiter. Cost 0€.
- Added 2 degrees of advance on the ignition through modification of the pick up position. An huge improvement in low and mid-range RPM. With this modification the old SV accelerate just like a 650 K5 SV with a Devil exhaust. (I should add 2 more degrees) Cost 0€
- Modification of the snorkel of the air filter, remove about 30mm at the near end of the inner pipe (One time i remove the snorkel, loud sound, no more torque at low revs… unefficient in my case). Helps to have a broader and higher “chord” from 7000 until 9000 rpm and at the same time, less clogging of the air filter. Cost 0€.
- Modification of the tank support through 2 shims of 5mm, helps to air breath the little motor. With the previous modification (and next one), you will fill the change. Cost 0€
- Modification of crankcase breather pipes on the air box, because my SV was eating so much oil because I love to push. The trick is to adjust at least the 2 pipes connected to the airbox (drill at least to the diameter of the internal pipes, which is not done by Suzuki….), and you can also add two more pipes (my case). The little motor push like a bull until the rev limiter. Slightly less need to add oil. Cost 3€ (aluminium tube of 10mm in a home depot)
- Change spark plugs with colder ones (NGK Something 9). Cost 20€
- Modification for the “depression hat” of the carbs, drilling bigger hole (1,5mm if i remember). Result better throttle response. Cost 0€