Originally Posted by
Drano
I don't disagree. Believe me, the first time I rode the S1000RR I felt right at home on it, despite being intimidated by the power it makes. The only point I'm trying to make is that you bought a used, 2003 SV1000S, and rode it, and didn't feel comfortable pushing it, because you didn't feel confident on it. However, you failed to take the next step: which is find out what can be done to make it better! The point is that there was a great deal of easy, inexpensive adjustments you could have made to address your concerns. What did you do? Nothing. So, your bike failed to meet your expectations, but you didn't do anything to fix it. Sorry, pal, but this makes it extremely difficult to take any of your criticisms of the SV seriously.
Would it ever have been S1000RR good? Probably not, but the point is you didn't even try to find a solution. Instead, you talk about poorly the SV handled in comparison to the S1000RR in order to justify your position: that you would much rather have started on the BMW rather than the Suzuki. Point-in-fact, you've done the exact same thing with your S1000RR. You bought it, and you ride it. Aside from a few aesthetic, and a couple of transmission and ergo changes, you've done nothing to improve feel. This you justify because it already feels right to you. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with liking the way it currently rides, but what strikes me as questionable is the lack of drive to see if it could even be slightly improved. This challenges your credibility to make any assertions regarding whether the S1000RR is a better starting bike than another.
Let's put this in another context, shall we? A man asks on a home improvement forum what would be better, a pre-built shed, or a DIY shed. Aaron responds, "My first shed sucked! It was a DIY and I never took it out of the box, so my lawnmower got ruined and my tools got rusted. But now I own a pre-built shed and man, what a difference it makes! I'd totally recommend a pre-built shed to anyone!"
There are plenty of riders who buy a bike and ride it, as is. Usually it's because they don't know enough to know better. That said, bikes aren't cars. You can't just jump on one and expect it to be all that you want. Those that do either get really lucky, or they learn the hard way.