http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=12&article_id=265

As usual the 599 does well, and as per other articles I've read it's the bike that would be chosen best, if it were not for it's price over the SV650.

Good job I bought mine slightly used then... :D

The conclusion:

Big surprise was the Hyosung, even if it finished last in everyone's book. “The expectation, I think, was that the GT-R was going to be truly terrible,” opined Hoyer. “In fact, it worked quite well. Yes, the transmission is vague, high-effort and even pops out gear occasionally, the brakes and clutch have zero feel, and fit and finish leave a lot to be desired. But overall function is not tragically far behind its Japanese counterparts.”

No first-place votes for the Monster 695, either. “The Ducati is immediately out of contention for top honors,” said Monticello. “With the late-engaging clutch and limited steering lock, it's simply not happy within the confines of the city. In the canyons, it drags metal bits sooner than the others.”

“I think for a less-experienced rider with sporting intentions, the Ducati is the best starting point,” countered Hoyer. “Sure, the suspension is really underdamped and cornering clearance the most limited of the group, but the way this thing hunkers down on the road is great.”

The Kawasaki and the Yamaha, while great bikes in their own right, were criticized for their lack of character. “Both work well, but neither is a blast to ride,” said Conner. Everyone liked the Honda, McComas even picking it as his overall favorite. “The Honda flat works,” he said. “The suspension is the best of the bunch, the clutch works perfectly, the brakes are great and the CBR600F3 engine makes enough power to loft the front wheel.”

“The bulletproof engine is a known quantity,” added Conner, “but the chassis really impressed me. It's sporty without being too racy. This is the bike that I would buy if I were spending my own money.”


“The Honda would be my top pick if it could be had for the price of the Suzuki,” said Hoyer. “It's smooth, fast, fun and refined.”

Yes, it is. But so is the Suzuki. And as Hoyer pointed out, it costs far less than the Honda. In fact, it's the least-expensive bike here. “The Suzuki wins in my book for offering the most fun and versatility for the money, or bang for the buck,” said Hoyer. “While I feel that the Honda's suspension is superior (fork in particular), for the $1450 I would save buying the Suzuki I could buy cartridge fork internals and revalve the shock.”

“The best thing about the SV,” added Conner, “is that it's a great entry-level motorcycle, yet an experienced rider can cut loose and ride the wheels off it.”

We all wish life were a winding country road with little or no traffic. In reality, it's not. For real fun—and real life—we have the Suzuki SV650.

I rode the SV and personally, I think that honda rides smoother and it's construction a lot more "solid" and "finished looking".

I completely agree, Alex. I had the choice at my dealership between an '04 599 and an '06 SV650 for the exact same price. Before visiting, it was a real debate for me. Once I was able to carefully go over each bike, there was no question.

You see the same conclusion in almost every comparison out there: the 599 is at the top of its class, but the price essentially excludes it.

You see the same conclusion in almost every comparison out there: the 599 is at the top of its class, but the price essentially excludes it.

You'd think Honda would pick up on this, eh?

You'd think Honda would pick up on this, eh?

From what i've heard they don't have much choice when it comes to the price. As they said in the article (and as i've heard from difference sources), the higher value of the Euro compared to the US dollar has made it difficult for them to be priced competitively over here. Makes sense to me. In an earlier interview with the North American Honda higher up official, he sounded like he regretted their not being able to make it more competitively priced. I think they know that if they could come down on the price their sales would have increased a good bit...but like he said, they've got to make money on their product or else it wouldn't be worth it to send ANY of them over here... :shock:

I think Honda has a good name and can ask a premium over the likes of Suzuki. Paying for Honda reliability... :P An honestly I don't want this bike to be popular...

Plus you should be happy with the findings, articles like this only prop up used 599 prices. :lol:

It was funny how they didn't mention the 599 at all until the very end, and then they're like 'oh yeah...this bike is great...nothing wrong with it...fun to ride...it does everything well' and then it's off nit picking on the other ones again or praising some abstract handling trait.

Same thing happens in a lot of 919 comparison articles. They hardly mention it until the end where they say that it's a great bike, nothing wrong with it, but it came in second because it wasn't as outstanding as this other bike in such-and-such an area.

<snip>
I think they know that if they could come down on the price their sales would have increased a good bit...but like he said, they've got to make money on their product or else it wouldn't be worth it to send ANY of them over here... :shock:

It's STILL worth it to me. Period. Just compare a 599 to a buzzy ol' FZ6 or a shoddy-looking SV650 or a rather wimpy Monster and the choice is abundantly clear, unless you've walked to the dealer from the poorhouse.

It was a No-Brainer for me.. I like High winding Screamy engines and aggressive looks... Neither of which does the SV have.. My rule is to never compromise over money when the two products a comparable...If you do ( In my case anyway) you will never be completely ok with the purchase.... the What if scanario... You gotta buy what you like/want.. Otherwise your wasting whatever money you saved the hard way. Every day you own it :D

... You gotta buy what you like/want.. Otherwise your wasting whatever money you saved the hard way. Every day you own it :D
:twisted: :thumbsup

I love the "quality construction" of the 599 over others, amongst many other traits of the bike... though I'm still not sure if I'd prefer a torquey twin lump. No matter, you have to choose one bike in the end, and I believe I chose the right one.
I also think we have the best of both worlds - a proven popular/ bike that works (see Europe), combined with something rare in North America. When people see you on it, I guess we all enjoy being asked "what bike is that?" :roll:

When people see you on it, I guess we all enjoy being asked "what bike is that?"
+1. Couldn't agree more with everything you said there, ukkev. And I DO love it when someone asks about it. It reminds me of just how rare our machines are, and how sheltered the general biking population is from the "world bike scene".

Really, I guess we all agree. It AIN'T all about the Benjamins. :mrgreen:

Most of us that bought new didn't pay more than a few hundred more than the SV650, anyways, right? Money was a little tight at the time of my purchase, but I gladly shelled out more for the Honda than the FZ6 that was sitting next to it, and way more than the Ninja 650 that I had a look at... both fuel injected bikes, but the Honda still seemed like a better buy. Maybe I'm biased... Honda was the first bike I'd gotten a ride on (brand-new CBR929RR Erion Racing... tell me that wouldn't blow your 13-year-old mind), CBRs have always been my favorite, and I love Honda cars...

True enough. My dealer was willing to knock off $600 from list before we even started dickering. Just goes to show the list price isn't really a valid point of comparison. That said, how much lower than list could you get on an SV 650? :roll:

You'd think Honda would pick up on this, eh?
What researching I've done blames the fact that it's imported from Italy, unlike the others, which is what creates the significant price jump. I expect to pay a bit of a premium for a Honda, but looking at their competitive pricing in their other models seems to confirm the import issue.

In that case, I don't mind. That's a point of pride.

Its overall value still astonishes me. The 599 is one powerful little tank.

I think the CBR600 is also the most expensive in it's class... very arguably the best, but still the most expensive.

I think if they saw a real market here, they'd re-tool a plant somewhere else to help offset the cost. Doesn't seem that that's the case, though.

I don't doubt their other bikes are still more expensive. However, the price jump to the 599 from the typical competitors is pretty drastic.

I researched the hell out of the FZ6, SV650, Ninja 650, VSTROM 650,and the 599.
All that expensive talk had me thinking FZ6. Until you feel the squishy seat and all the obvious cheapness in materials everywhere. The visible welds on the Ninja looked worse than a chinese scooter. I really went to go buy the strom for all the practicality but it was a little too ugly. Ditto the SV. There was a slightly dusty 599 there and it has been 599 heaven ever since. No regrets.

Good article. The conversation with Leno is interesting.

Just once I'd like to read a review with this conclusion: the 599 costs more than the SV650, and it's worth it.