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Clip-ons vs. handlebars

HappyHighwayman

HappyHighwayman

It's all in the reflexes
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Location
San Francisco
Moto(s)
Rad Rover
Name
Jordan
My bike has a standard riding position. My friend went out of town and is leaving me his SV650 with clip-ons. I want to ride it for 2 reasons:

- Never rode an SV650 and want to feel a V-twin vs. my inline-4
- Never rode with clip-ons

anything I should keep in mind?
 
No, not really. Just get used to it like any new bike you try out & enjoy the twin :flame
 
Clipons will steal your wallet when you're not looking.


(Just ride it. SVS is about as mild a clipon riding position as you'll find.)
 
How does insurance work with a borrowed bike? is it like if someone lent me their car where I'd be covered by the owner's insurance?
 
My bike with clip-ons has my butt so high in the air I'm wary of surprise buttsecks. BE CAREFUL.

The riding position will be more uncomfortable and your weight will be forward. You will adjust.
 
HappyHighwayman said:
How does insurance work with a borrowed bike? is it like if someone lent me their car where I'd be covered by the owner's insurance?
Click to expand...

It depends on their coverage.... some carriers will cover friends, but some won't. :dunno
 
It really depends on the overall ergonomics.

You will find that you will need to use your core muscles a bit more to hold yourself upright. Be mindful of how much weight you have on the clip ons. Also, you want orientation of your hand controls to be spot on as to prevent fatigue.
 
You may notice it seems harder to steer. It isn't really, but with clipons you have to push on the bars more in the horizontal plane, they don't respond well if you're pushing down on them or weighting them as mentioned.
 
Flying Pig said:
It depends on their coverage.... some carriers will cover friends, but some won't. :dunno
Click to expand...

Always check this out with both your carrier and his BEFORE you ride his bike. Otherwise, assume you are fully responsible for ANYTHING that happens to his bike. Well, you are anyway, it's just a matter of who's pocket it comes out of, yours or some insurance company's.
 
Squeeze the tank with your knees and use your core muscles to keep your torso upright, remembering to keep a bend in your elbows. You'll find that the riding position is best above 35mph and then it's awesome.

The V-twin has a LOT more engine-braking than your bike. Be away that if you chop the throttle, it's a lot like throwing out an anchor.

Have fun!
 
Not as much leverage with clip-ons... Support your weight with body NOT your wrists. Clip ons are pretty comfortable when you are at speed, not so much in stop & go. That said you'll feel like super man when yer really moving with clip ons.
 
:laughing It's an SV for crying out loud. The guy's not jumping on a MotoGP bike :p

Plz do make sure you're covered though. Did you ask your friend if you could ride it?
 
Yeah he wants me to ride it so the battery doesn't die. If the battery is under the seat though I could easily throw it on my tender.

I just checked with MY insurance and he said that I should check with my friend's insurance to see if they have a policy to cover other riders. I won't ride it unless I'm sure (or don't mind paying for damages).

I could afford to buy him a replacement SV650 from that year, but I likely couldn't afford to pay damages I inflict on someone else.
 
Roadstergal said:
Clipons will steal your wallet when you're not looking.


(Just ride it. SVS is about as mild a clipon riding position as you'll find.)
Click to expand...

they got me pregnant!
 
Battery is easily accessible for tending.

SVS is super-relaxed as clip-on bikes go.

Insurance clarity is good.


How long is he going to be gone, a year? Unless he has some kind of wacky alarm system, those batteries are tough. I had to leave my old 650S at a friend's place for two months in the winter during some housing musical chairs, and it started right up after. M'boys SV1000S was sitting for a few months while he was out with a broken collarbone, and it started after without a hiccup.
 
HappyHighwayman said:
Yeah he wants me to ride it so the battery doesn't die. If the battery is under the seat though I could easily throw it on my tender.

I just checked with MY insurance and he said that I should check with my friend's insurance to see if they have a policy to cover other riders. I won't ride it unless I'm sure (or don't mind paying for damages).

I could afford to buy him a replacement SV650 from that year, but I likely couldn't afford to pay damages I inflict on someone else.
Click to expand...

If your insurance company doesn't come back immediately with "you are covered on anything you are riding", then don't ride his bike. If they can't decisively say immediately that you're covered, they sure as shit aren't going to decisively say you have coverage after you try to file a claim for an incident. Either up your coverage level or don't ride it. You really don't want to have to buy somebody a "replacement" bike - does he expect a brand-new SV? What if you found him a used one like his, but it wasn't as good (in his opinion)? That's the end of a friendship right there, don't do it. A battery tender is much cheaper and will serve the same purpose. :)
 
Careful with that throttle, those things are gnarly. You're liable to go flying off the damn road like a goddamn phoenix.
 
The only valid point of this thread is that the OP needs to ensure coverage for ramming this SV-turned-motoGP bike into someone else since he doesn't know what to do with clipons.

But seriously... you will likely find it to be of little difference unless you're out for a 6 hour ride. The SV's riding posture is not very severe regardless of the clipons.

The answer to the insurance is as simple as making a call. No one on the forum can tell you the answer with any certainty that you should trust before riding.
 
shotgun said:
The only valid point of this thread is that the OP needs to ensure coverage for ramming this SV-turned-motoGP bike into someone else since he doesn't know what to do with clipons.

But seriously... you will likely find it to be of little difference unless you're out for a 6 hour ride. The SV's riding posture is not very severe regardless of the clipons.
Click to expand...

I dunno, no-weight-on-bars is an important point with clipons and not very intuitive. Course, maybe the SV is so upright you can't lean on the clipons... Haven't ridden one :dunno
 
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