Suzuki’s response to the Ducati Monster was one of the friendliest, most accessible motorcycles of the decade. The original SV used an exotic oval-section aluminum tube frame inspired by OVER Racing in Japan. Apart from that, there was nothing terribly trick about the SV except for its exhaust note; if you squinted your ears its 645cc V-Twin sounded just like a Ducati coming down the road, and it delivered power like one, too. That throbbing midrange, in fact, was what made it such a hit. Some have argued that the SV did more to boost Ducati sales than any Ducati ever did. It also did a lot to get lots of new racers on the track, thanks to its great handling and unintimidating demeanor.

I wonder who wrote MO’s first SV650 review anyway? So avant garde, so out of left field, so MOronic…