My 2004 SV650

SlushboxTeggy said:

That's all that matters right?


I personally always loved the street fighter/naked look.

Click to expand...

Yup!

I'm going for that look. The last thing I need to do is tuck the exhaust in so it doesn't stick out so much.. looks strange

E_SolSi said:

so hows the light output?

Click to expand...

The light output is pretty good. It is certainly better than the OEM light. I don't have a second HID setup for the bottom projector yet.

I will say that the morimoto mini d2s doesn't quite have the light output that the mini h1 does. If I had to do it again, I would've just stuffed a mini h1 or FX projector in the housing.

So, with riding season just around the corner, I'm getting everything together to hit the road again. I have a jacket now, but still searching for some pants and longer gloves. I bought a new set of tires - Pirelli Diablos. The price was right and they have decent reviews on SVRider. I picked up a used Pit Bull rear stand in Spokane for $40, and have a Venom front stand on the way.

Any recommendations as far as gloves are concerned?

Gauntlet style for sure in the least. Preferably with good quality knuckle protection. Try a bunch on to make sure they fit well. They usually stretch a touch so err on the tight side.

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/stree...let/icon/overlord_long_motorcycle_gloves.html

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/stree...ng_gauntlet/alpinestars/sp_1_gloves_2013.html

would be the two Id look at if I was in the market.

Im currently using an older model Icon glove, it has held up great over the years. It's like the overload but one step down.

Thanks guys. I'm really liking those icons you posted, Jeffie. Might see if I can find a dealership nearby to get an idea of what size I need, then order online.

Is there anything I should do to these tires before I have them mounted? They feel incredibly slick. I don't want to dump my bike leaving the driveway lol

Matts96HB said:

Thanks guys. I'm really liking those icons you posted, Jeffie. Might see if I can find a dealership nearby to get an idea of what size I need, then order online.

Is there anything I should do to these tires before I have them mounted? They feel incredibly slick. I don't want to dump my bike leaving the driveway lol

Click to expand...

Keep in mind that not only do sizes change from brand to brand, but also model to model and even at times year to year. 2013 glove might fit differently than a 2014 model... Normally its close, but I've special ordered stuff before that fit me, only to have the new year model show up and not fit.

As for tires, most people say take it easy for 100 miles, I tend to take it easy for about 5 miles if Im able to hit the twisties. as long as Im able to lean the bike over allowing most of the tire to make contact with the pavement, it tends to remove any wax/build up in no time. Problem is if you ride in a straight line, than hit a hard turn and end up riding on a part of the tire that has never seen pavement, it could end up bad, thankfully the SV puts down almost no power and even if pushed, you'll most likely be ok.

Best thing to do is test the water when you get them mounted. Keep the bike going straight then blip the throttle, chances are the SV wont spin up the tire. If you are really worried about the tires, you could give them a wash, but I've never done that before. I just mount and go.

lesson i almost learned the hard way
had tires mounted and almost ate a shit sandwich on the on ramp a mile or so from the dealer.

I'll be sure to try on the exact glove I'm going to buy then. Thanks for the heads up, Jeffie.

Thanks for the info on the tires as well, this is all pretty new to me still.

Hit some twisties this weekend

very jealous

reckedracing said:

very jealous

Click to expand...

Keep your eyes peeled, the deals are out there. Still not sure how I got this one for as cheap as I did.

Also worth noting: I bailed on the HID headlight setup. Simply wasn't reliable and I don't have the tools here to make it reliable. Headlight has been replaced with a Buell. Next is likely going to be a smaller gauge cluster. That'll happen over winter

nice

Any pro tips on setting chain tension and centering the back wheel? I've done extensive reading on the net, but there seems to be a lot of different methods and information. Tension is set to ~1" as per the manual with the kickstand down.

Reason I ask is because I have noticed more noise from the chain, and also some "lurching" while cruising at constant throttle input. I'm guessing this means it is a little loose, but I'm not entirely sure if I should be worried about it.

Any input? @jeffie7 @civicious

Its my understanding that being on the looser side is better than being too tight. As for centering, I've always just measured and made sure both sides were even distance wise.

Take a tape measure, and measure from the swing arm.

the chain noise may mean you need some lubrication

|Chaz| said:

Its my understanding that being on the looser side is better than being too tight. As for centering, I've always just measured and made sure both sides were even distance wise.

Click to expand...

I am going to have my roommate sit on the bike and ill check the slack to be sure it is still where it needs to be with weight on it. I have been cautious about tightening it because I am scared of having it too tight

awptickes said:

Take a tape measure, and measure from the swing arm.

Click to expand...

This is the method I have been using, I'll have to double check. The chain appears to be coming off of the sprocket without riding one side or the other, but I'll take a closer look.

reckedracing said:

the chain noise may mean you need some lubrication

Click to expand...

The chain was fairly dry after one leg of my trip this past weekend. We stopped to eat, so I applied some lube. It didn't seem to quiet it down much, I'm kinda starting to question the alignment of the wheel.

I thought I'd drop in here and give a quick update on my bike. I haven't much else to the bike except remove the decals and stickers. I've also put some serious miles on it and I'm loving every second of it!

Mobbing down a dirt road to get to a road that follows a creek

I don't think I'll be able to ride it much after graduation, so it may go in to storage for a while. If I can get a place with a garage, I'll be bringing it along. But that isn't looking too likely at this point, unfortunately.

I miss having a bike. It was something I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, there just aren't enough riding days in Seattle. It's an expensive luxury item.

It's definitely a luxury item. I know some people that ride rain or shine, but not me. I got rid of my bike because I rode it like 2 times in a month in the first year I had it. When the weather was nice it got usage, and the other 6 months of the year it didn't. Also I was always buying parts for it. I became a slave to owning the bike and not riding it. Like a lot of people get with their stuff.