Test ride: Back to the future – Suzuki SV-7GX

As comebacks go they don’t come much better than Suzuki’s SV-7GX.

Just when you thought the trusty, bulletproof 645cc V-twin had come to the end of the road, along with the much-admired SV650, Suzuki announces the ‘new’ SV-7GX.

It’s more back to the future, a reimagined SV650 to mix it with the modern, middleweight market.

It shares its engine, upgraded for Euro5b, frame, swingarm, brakes, basic suspension and wheels with the SV but draws on the styling of the GSX-S1000GX sports crossover for a new look and character.

Having been a 650 V-twin owner, albeit a V-Strom, it felt like coming home as soon as I sat on it and fired up that distinctive V-twin.

It’s not as big as the V-Strom, a lot prettier with that half-cowl fairing and LED projector headlight, but a perfect fit for my 5ft 8in frame. The footpegs were higher and set back further than I expected, which felt sporty, but the handlebar suits an upright stance.

I soon felt comfortable with both feet flat on the road, good news on a bike weighing 211kg. Longer-legged riders might consider the optional comfort seat which raises the standard 795mm height by 25mm.

The 73PS engine is as strong and flexible as ever, with 64Nm of torque, but the power delivery is delightful with new ride-by-wire throttle. The electronic wizardry also gives three ride modes, up-down quick-shifter and three-stage traction control which can also be turned off.

I rode the SV-7GX in the rain and the softer-response C riding mode gave extra reassurance. B-mode is fine for everyday riding and would be my chosen setting. Sporty A-mode makes progress peppier with a crisp throttle response.

The demo bike had covered 345 miles but had averaged 66mpg so its 17.4-litre tank could give a range of 250 miles.

Tried-and-tested suspension, tuned for extra load for a middleweight sports tourer, is a happy balance between ride comfort and rideability. The SV-7GX feels at home on country roads flowing through bends while soaking up bumps and lumps.

The suspension is simple, the only adjustment being rear spring preload, but that is fine by me. I am not a tinkerer!

Twin front discs and a single at the back are powerful with good feel and more than up to the job.

The 4.2in full-colour TFT display looks small by today’s standards but, what it lacks in size, it makes up for in clarity with all the information you need at a glance without squinting! And standard handguards were welcome in the rain.

I noticed wind noise around my head from the screen but it was in its lowest of three positions. It can be unbolted and raised up to 50mm so I would see if it made a difference. Failing that, an optional taller touring screen is 80mm higher than the standard one.

I liked the standard rack, for strapping on a bag or fitting a topbox, and grab handles on each side make moving the SV-7GX easy too.

The SV-7GX starts at £6,999 in pearl brilliant white but most buyers will go for the colours at £7,399 with three to choose from – glass sparkle black, pearl matt greige (it looks better than it sounds!) and pearl brilliant white and metallic Triton blue.

The SV-7GX comes from a long lineage of 650 V-twins but reinventing it as a sports tourer, with a range of touring options, makes it very much a motorbike of the moment.

Find out more about the Suzuki SV-7GX at orwell.co.uk/suzuki/new-suzuki-motorcycle-range/sport/sv-7gx, call our Suzuki sales specialist Charlie Lidderth on 01473 257401 or email sales@orwell.co.uk