As a bikemaker, what do you do when one of your most beloved motorcycles is being pulled back due to stringent emissions standards? You go ahead and make a modern replacement that embodies the same soul, but is better in every aspect. That’s Suzuki for you.
And that’s the beautiful new SV-7GX, a crossover-styled, sport touring bike. What’s more is that it dares to take on the likes of the hugely popular Triumph Tiger Sport 660, Kawasaki Versys 650, and the Yamaha Tracer 7 in Europe. Gutsy!
“It’s a crossover designed to bring unmatched versatility to the midweight class. Inspired by the spirit of the iconic SV650, it blends the sharp agility of a sportbike with the upright comfort and confidence of an adventure tourer. At its core is Suzuki's legendary 645 cm³ V-twin engine, refined over decades for smooth, dependable power.” That’s how Suzuki describes the SV-7GX.
Don’t even try with Suzuki’s naming scheme. There might be a 7 in its name, but you get the reliable old 645cc 90-degree V-twin engine from the SV650 on the new sports touring middleweight. It generates 72.4 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 47.2 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm.
The engine has been such a success for Suzuki that the company has left it unaltered since its debut in 1999. Why change something that isn't broken? It now gets a ride-by-wire throttle, three ride modes, and traction control – all made possible by the electronic throttle control.
Underneath, I swear it’s the same trusty SV650. It’s even got the same steel trellis frame that the SV650 came with since 2017. But Suzuki does refer to the SV-7GX as a "crossover," and in that monicker you get a new fairing, hand guards, and a more upright riding position. But is that all? Heck no!
You get right-way-up 41-mm forks up front and a monoshock at the rear, rolling on 17-inch 10-spoke cast alloy wheels back and front. You also get a 4.5-gallon (17.4-liter) fuel tank and a seat height of 31.2 inches (795 mm). Couple that with the V-twin engine, and I can see the SV-7GX being comfortable for a broad range of riders. You’ll only have to battle that 465-lb (211-kg) curb weight.
Suzuki has sprinkled the bike with a fair amount of modernity, though. High-tech touches include all-LED lighting; a three-way adjustable windscreen; plus a 4.2-inch color TFT display that offers different screen layouts, mobile navigational prompts, text and phone alerts, last parked location, riding routes and more. You also get a USB-C charging port located to the left of that screen.
Then you also get some small but neat touches to add some touring comfort. First, there are the tapered 29.1-inch (740 mm) handlebars which are now about an inch closer to you and 0.6 inches higher than the outgoing SV650, which should help attain a good riding triangle.
The rider and pillion seats are also redesigned with thicker padding for better comfort. Also tweaked are the footpegs, which are now 0.4 inches (10 mm) lower. The bike also comes ready to be equipped with a top case and side panniers.
I see the SV-7GX as a cross between the SV650 and V-Strom 650, essentially. I can also see a lot of folks getting one and stripping it down to its basics and playing with it. That is, if Suzuki prices it right.
It likely won’t arrive until the end of next summer (Northern Hemisphere), even though Suzuki debuted it at EICMA this week. North America and Europe will be the first markets to receive it, before it ships to the rest of the world.
No pricing has been revealed quite yet. With the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 priced at US$9,695 and the Kawasaki Versys 650 at $10,399, my best guess for the SV-7GX is an MSRP around $9,000. If that does turn out to be true, it’ll make for a brilliant value-for-money middleweight.
Source: Suzuki
