Suzuki SFV650 Gladius (2009 - present)

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1 to 5 of 6 reviews
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Nhead
Reviewed: 30 July 2012

Cheap, ugly but fun

Brilliant handling, good commuter, cheap to run
Ugly , cheap looking, not a motorway bike!
Good fun on twisty b roads but when the road opens up the fun ends..................:(
Score breakdown



Engine:
2.0
Brakes:
3.0
Handling:
5.0
Comfort:
4.0
Build Quality:
4.0

Nhead would not recommend this product
maclariz
Reviewed: 18 August 2010

Loads of fun without needing to break the speed limit

Looks gorgeous in the 2010 dark blue and white colour scheme with matching dark blue wheels!
Easy to handle, light to shift about, and very light on the steering. Corners beautifully on the twisty stuff. Inspires confidence in the road holding.
For my money, the suspension setup was right as it came, but you can adjust preload front and rear.
Plenty of grunt from low revs upwards. Great on normal roads from city streets in heavy traffic through twisty B roads to fast A roads. I like the exhaust tone.
Brakes seem pretty good to me, but I haven't needed to test them to extremes.
Like any naked, it won't be great at 80 mph plus due to wind blast.
Seat is a bit hard - I wouldn't want to do long distances on it.
The pillion seat looks small and hard.
Tyres (Dunlop Qualifiers), though very good in warm dry conditions, seem a bit skittish in the wet - take it easy and smooth on damp days.
I've had it about 600 miles now and it's great either for weekend fun without risking your license or for practical commuting. Probably not a great distance machine, and not so ideal for pillion riding or touring. If you want a smaller naked, this is about as good as it gets just now.
It's too early to really assess build quality and you'll need a longer test for this.
Score breakdown



Engine:
5.0
Brakes:
4.0
Handling:
5.0
Comfort:
3.0
Build Quality:
4.0

maclariz would recommend this product
Mea66
Reviewed: 27 July 2010

Has enough of the hooligan in it to keep me happy!

I'm 5ft 2ins tall, so finding a bike that fits is an issue. The dropped seat option was attractive. But I have to be honest, I bought the bike because I had a serious case of "shiney bike syndrome". The styling might not be to everyone's taste but I love it. After riding it accross Spain and Portugal last year and over the Alps this year I have to say that it corners amazingly and the gearing is so much easier to handle than my last bike. I was also told that the bike was ergonomically designed to fit women (longer legs and shorter arms)- not sure if this is true but it's very comfortable.
I know it's a budget bike and I absolutely think it's great value but some of the finish is a bit tatty - what is with the side stand that looks like a bit of old scaffolding???
Fun, fun, fun!!! Dares you to corner, easy and comfortable to ride. I feel that, at last, a bike designer has considered women riders.
Score breakdown



Engine:
5.0
Brakes:
4.0
Handling:
5.0
Comfort:
5.0
Build Quality:
4.0

Mea66 would recommend this product
beverleyblue
Reviewed: 08 November 2009

Fantastic all weather, all occasion naked streetfighter. Plenty of useable power, great fun, bargain!.

Bullet proof engine, low riding position gives you confidence to push alot smartly on the open road. Impecable manners at low speeds during in town riding but will bear its teeth when winding it on. Easy fuss free middle weight riding for all occasions. All this for less than £4500.
Seat can start to feel a bit firm after a while and the brakes can feel a bit soft when 2 up braking hard.
I did alot of homework and comparison test rides before buying my Gladius. Nothing else on the market came close to this Suzuki at this price. If you're after a middle weight naked streetfighter you will not be disappointed with this machine i promise you.
Score breakdown



Engine:
5.0
Brakes:
4.0
Handling:
5.0
Comfort:
4.0
Build Quality:
5.0

beverleyblue would recommend this product
Blueassedbaboon
Reviewed: 22 September 2009

F'Ugly abstract jap wet dream of what anaked should look like.

Score breakdown



Engine:
3.0
Brakes:
3.0
Handling:
2.0
Comfort:
3.0
Build Quality:
3.0

Blueassedbaboon would not recommend this product
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