+ Click to Enlarge RIDING NAKED: Suzuki's SV1000S, with its exposed frame, had plenty of pace to keep up with cruising superbikes on the road to Lesotho. Picture: DENIS DROPPA

October 26, 2003
By Denis Droppa

"There's no grip in donkey manure," were team leader Jeroen Luyk's words of warning as we donned our helmets in readiness for the last 90km of twisty tar to Lesotho's Katse dam.

The serpentine mountain road known as Mafika Lisiu pass is like Sabie's Long Tom pass to the power of 10: a flurry of accelerating, braking and leaning; an exhilarating and sometimes scary sequence of sweeps, curves and tight switchbacks.

And long, long drops lying in wait for the careless rider. At its cold and windy summit, the pass soars to 3000m.

The road surface is excellent but, as promised, our journey was frequently punctuated by slippery equine poop - which can be quite a craft to avoid when it suddenly looms in the middle of a corner you're taking on the limit.

But the biker gods were on our side and our six-strong posse suffered no manure-bred mishaps during its visit to the Mountain Kingdom.

We arrived exhilarated but intact at the Katse dam wall. The only manure there was of the spoken variety in the beer-fuelled recounting of our heroic cornering deeds afterwards...

Me, I was in lust with Lesotho as a riding destination - thanks to Jeroen Luyk of Enjoy Rides, for introducing us to it - and I felt a similar emotion for the Suzuki SV1000S beneath my thighs.

I knew this would be no sissy ride when I collected Suzuki's recently launched successor to the popular TL 1000 V-twin. This semi-naked sports tourer has the accent on sport with its forward-hunched seating position and requires a certain degree of saddle fitness to complete a 1200km round trip in 56 hours.

As it turns out the SV's screen does an effective wind-deflection job so sustained high-pace cruising is relatively fatigue-free but, after a spell, your wrists, butt and neck start grumbling.

Which is about the time you need to stop for fuel or to take in some of the sights.

A long trip gives you the chance to experience almost every kind of riding condition and the SV1000 S rates high on the all-round enjoyment scale - and at a price that's almost too good.

For R82 000 - around 40 grand less than a superbike in the Yamaha R1 and Suzuki GSX 1000 league - the SV1000S offers good muscle, donkey poo-skirting handling, terrific brakes and a great soundtrack.

It has a useful power-to-weight ratio of 87kW at the crank and a dry weight of 183kg. I agree its Mickey Mouse against the aforementioned machines that weigh about 10kg less and pack another 20-odd kW, but very satisfying unless you're a real adrenalin glutton who needs to see the angry side of 250km/h.

I never felt that "need something faster" angst even in the company of the 1200 and 1300cc bikes that were part of our touring group. The SV1000S is very quick point-to-point and handled a medley of straights and corners at a similar average pace as the bigger bikes.

It's quick and responsive in direction changes, flick-flacking through tight corners with confidence-building ease. Ground clearance is also good and it takes some doing to scrape a footpeg.

The SV1000's a thirsty beast, however, and it was always the first bike in our posse to need fuel. Two-up at a vigorous pace the 17-litre tank is good for a range of around 200km; taking things easier we managed 243km.

Being a V-twin, it's nourished with power across a wide band so limits the need for frequent gearchanges - although snicking through that six-speed box is smooth and idiot-proof.

The DOHC quad-valve engine also brakes against compression well, making it especially rideable in medium-tight sweeps such as the glorious pass through Golden Gate on our way back from Lesotho.

It means pace can be governed by throttle pressure instead of nailing the brakes all the time, all the better to develop a nice rhythm.

Staying off the brakes also makes things a darn sight more comfy for the pillion rider. Ah, my long-suffering lady... she who understands that the allure of long-distance biking overrides a bit of physical discomfort.

The words "sore buttocks" were heard to emanate from her lips on occasion but "I wanna go home" stayed out of the repertoire. She liked the SV's grab handle but felt her footpegs could have been a tad higher.

Sound and presentation take the grand prizes on this charismatic bike. Riding it - or hearing it roar past - is like listening to a Metallica concert. It's a lusty, deep tenor that was enhanced on this test bike by the addition of a set of aftermarket pipes.

Matching the SV1000's sonic signature are dressed-to-thrill looks that drew a good share of ooh-ing and aah-ing. No big, slabby fairing; just the wind-cheating necessities to leave the handsome aluminium frame exposed.

Narrow-eyed twin headlights, a belly pan and perhaps the most aggro-looking tail lights in existence make it look good in any company.

An attractive instrument panel and an under-seat nook just big enough for a digital camera round off the bike's appeal.

No donkey manure: the SV1000S is a heck of a buy. It's difficult to beat its pace, looks and overall enjoyment at this price.

For DAVE ABRAHAMS' take on the Suzuki SV1000S - and more pictures - click here.

Test bike courtesy of KCR Motorcycle Fanatix. Kempton Park.

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