^^^well I am willing to wait until August once prices drop. The only thing the SV doesn't do for me is basically just aesthetics. I k ow its going to be fun and suit me fine. I'd prib want to get fairings and maybe delete the sissy bar.. Not big deals really. I do like the 636 as I favor undertails over side body exhausts. When these ppl crash is it bc they were going too fast into a corner and dumped? Wheelies? Riding at night? Not sure the torque of my old 650 but it did have the same hp level as the sv650 and I never felt like whoa this thing is too powerful.
Basically in many ways a 600 is tougher to learn on than a 1000. I'm definitely NOT staying to start out on a literbike, but bear with me for a second..
Think about the power delivery of a 600.. power is fairly low at 4000, 5000, 6000 rpm and then BAM around 8000 rpm power jumps by something like 2x. You go from 50-60hp up to full 120hp in a split second. It actually takes some decent throttle control to 'ride that line' between going apeshit crazy wiping the rear wheel out and not enough power to settle the rear through a turn. On top of that, because you're riding at 8k rpm to get that sweet 100hp, if you let off the throttle you get snap oversteer = highside. On a 1000 or SV you'd be at 4-5000 rpm, enough to not have to worry *as much* about this.
Compare this to a 1000, SV650, GS500 where the power delivery is much more predictable.. IE you turn the throttle 10% and get 10% more power. With a 600 supersport the 10% throttle between about 7k and 8k rpm is often over twice the power.
Most of the 600 accidents I've seen were up in the mountains, riding above their head/level, trying to follow someone else. Usually people with 2-6 months riding experience who were pretty confident.
Riding over your skill limits is VERY hard to not do when you're on a machine where you can't even push it 75% of its limit. In other words, it's sooooo easy to go fast and follow someone, and it doesn't feel like you're over your head, and all the sudden you're in a ditch. When I frequented my local bike forums I would guess 50% of the people who 'started' on a 600 (put in quotes because dirtbike, cruiser experience pretty much does not count) ended up wrecking it. A lot of the drops are low speeds in parking lots as well.. Supersports are very top heavy.
Compare to the people who start out on SV, GS500, ninja 500 and I'd say 95%++ of those are still riding.
In my opinion... If you took someone with your experience, IE some dirtbike or cruiser knowledge, where you know the clutch and basics... Take two of you, put one on a SV, the other on a supersport 600, give them 6 months then put BOTH on a supersport and the SV guy will ride circles around the 600 rider.
But mainly, since you're planning on selling it in 6 months, you really don't have enough time to get comfortable on a 600SS.
Edit: somehow mixed up over/understeer
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