Only a n00b would compare one against the other.

 

Way late to this thread, but I owned an SV (naked) as my DD for a year/10k miles. Great bike, and I recommend it all the time as a starter. FWIW I was an experienced rider with many miles on sportbikes and many "faster" bikes.

The reason it makes such a great starter bike (and why so many experienced riders love them) is power delivery. The twin is very flat, unlike an i4 600 which is anemic down low and then has a massive spike in power once the revs get up. So it's predictable and easy to get on the throttle out of corners without killing yourself.

It's correct that it's not as straightline fast as an i4, but it's all relative. 0-60 in mid 3 second and high 11 sec 1/4 mile. It'll blow the doors off most cars till you hit felonious speeds.

Here's my naked:

 

I'll pile on and say that the SV650 is the bike I recommend to most returning or first time riders. It is manageable enough to learn on and capable enough to keep you entertained for years to come. The suspension is the shortfall on the bike for more advanced riders, but there are plenty of solutions both expensive and cost effective to mitigate that shortcoming.

That being said, I much prefer the standard SV650 posted above over the SV650S.

The SC650S which was initially asked about has a fairing and looks cooler, but is also has clip on handlebars (handlebars which mount below the upper triple clamp) which in my opinion detracts from the fun of the standard SV650. The more upright riding position on the standard bike is (a) more comfortable and (b) provides more rider control in 95% of your riding situations, the 5% exception being when you are riding and 9/10ths.

Before you say 'harden up and tolerate the SV650S riding position' my opinion is based off of ownership of multiple bikes including a R1 and a 636 and I have ridden a VFR cross country, so I am not averse to a more aggressive riding position. I just don't think the layout on the SV650S is ideal.

I sold my SV650 years ago and I still miss it at times. It is a great bike.

A well ridden SV650 will be faster than a poorly ridden R1/GSXR/whatever in ever instance other than a straight line.

One of my favorite motorcycle saying:

Any fool can twist the throttle and go fast in a straight line.
Learning to brake effectively can save your life.
Learning to turn effectively can enrich your life.

Tal

 

^^ Yep, the standard is where it's at! I learned to ride on the street with clip ons and couldn't believe how much better the real bars are for control and visibility in urban riding.

 

The SV650 is an awesome bike. I have 2 of them, my wife, my dad, my uncle and my cousin all have one. My 04 was my first bike and it was the right choice.