Breathing new life into a tired 2003 SV650

I thought that the Inmates here would enjoy seeing the details involved in a motor swap I am going to be doing this Winter on my 2003 SV650. I will post here as work progresses and will try to provide ample pictures for those that like such detail. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
For a little background, I purchased the bike used in 2006 with a bit over 7000 miles on it. It was a naked version 2<SUP>nd</SUP> Gen (1<SUP>st</SUP> year) SV650.<o></o>
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Within a few seasons I had converted it to a full fairing and have since modified and farkled it up to become a wonderful sport touring machine. <o></o>
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After a while I added the front end from a 2006 GSXR750. The spring rate on the Gixxer front end is perfect for my weight and the change in the bike&#8217;s handling was remarkable. No more wallowing. No more hunting a line when encountering bumps while leaned over. Rock stable at all speeds, even without a steering dampener. After being transformed, my SV and I have traveled all over the US east of the Mississippi and she has never skipped a beat (well, except for an issue years ago with water shorting out the front spark plug, but that was solved by unplugging the f.cylinder&#8217;s drain hole and fabricating a flap that prevents water from getting in there to begin with)<o></o>
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For modifications (and farkles), the bike currently has on it:<o></o>
1) Mounted controller for Gebings heated gear. I run a heated jacket liner and gloves when colder.<o></o>
2) Ampli-Rider audio amplifier with remote volume control. It is receiving an audio signal from;<o></o>
3) Garmin Zumo 550. Aside from the obvious, it serves to play MP3 music. I rareluy ride without tunes<o></o>
4) Sirius One satellite radio<o></o>
5) Radar detector. All three audios are fed to the Ampli-Rider, with the output feeding to in-ear monitors for wonderful sound.<o></o>
6) Corbin seat built 1&#8221; taller than Corbin&#8217;s stock configuration.<o></o>
7) SWATT Machining upper triple clamp and 3.5&#8221; rise clip ons.<o></o>
8) Eastern Beaver fused panel<o></o>
9) Eastern Beaver headlight harness with relays.<o></o>
10) Alth front rotors with sintered EBC pads (OMG brakes!)<o></o>
11) 2006 GSXR front end, calipers, front MC<o></o>
12) Chinese Pazzo clone brake and clutch levers<o></o>
13) Renthal Kevlar grips (ugly as hell but softer than anything else I have found)<o></o>
14) Throttlemeister heavy bar ends with cruise control<o></o>
15) OEM cowl to replace the passenger seat (surprising amount of storage underneath)<o></o>
16) Givi Monokey racks using a custom seat bracket that eliminates the need for the Givi top rack.<o></o>
17) Givi E360 clone bags from JC Whitney (holding up very well)<o></o>
18) Yosh. RS3 slipon (being replaced-nothing left but an empty shell)<o></o>
19) Galfer front brake lines.<o></o>
20) 2005 ZX636 rear shock (thinking of having it rebuilt. Over 50K on it but still feels good.)<o></o>
21) Chinese stereo Bluetooth unit mounted in my helmet. Communicates with the Garmin Zumo and, in turn, to my iPhone. Also allows bike to bike communications with other BT units.<o></o>
22) Givi Sport Touring windscreen (4&#8221; taller than stock, beautiful fit and finish-no longer made)<o></o>
23) R&G Racing frame sliders<o></o>
24) +1 front sprocket from stock (lower RPM approx. 500 at highway speeds)<o></o>
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She now has over 104,000 miles on it and is consuming oil at what I think is a fairly rapid rate (about 1-1/2 cup every 1000 miles, regardless of whether they are highway or cruising). She still runs fine but does feel a bit tired, not a punchy as she once was. I am not a small person (6&#8217;1&#8221; 230 lbs) and usually am pretty active with the right wrist. Compression is down, but still ok. <o></o>
Rather than refresh the top end and valves etc., I picked up a used 2006 SV motor with approx.. 8000 miles on it for <$400.00! I bought it from the original owner, and he said it was a strong runner (he parted the bike out thinking he&#8217;d make more than selling the bike whole). It looks new compared to my bike&#8217;s motor. I have never done a motor swap before and when my friend Frank Hall (Owner of Boulevard Bicycles in Shaker Heights Ohio) offered to let me use his shop with hydraulic lift to do the work, it suddenly became not IF I would do a swap, but WHEN I would do it, based on finding a motor cheap.<o></o>
Frank is an experienced rider/mechanic and has ridden his ST1100 all over the US and Canada, recently returning from a trip to Alaska (his second) from NE Ohio on the ST. In fact, he and I are planning a return trip to Alaska in the future. His ST1100 is approaching 200,000 miles and runs like a top. During the off-season for bicycles, Frank supplements his income by parting out desirable bikes and selling the pieces on Ebay. He also restores old classics in his spare time. A trip to his bicycle shop may reveal a classic old Ducati sitting on the showroom floor one week, and an old British single the next.<o></o>
For right now, the only pictures I have concerning the swap are from my iPhone from the day we picked the motor up in Toledo. I will add more as the work progresses.
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Now the motor has been secured. It also came with a frame/swingarm, R/R and throttle bodies. The swingarm on my 2003 developed a little side-to-side play tens of thousands of miles ago, but never got worse. I never have serviced the bearings in the 2003&#8217;s swingarm either&#8230;just rode and rode. I cannot imagine they will be in great shape.<o></o>
So Frank and I will be swapping over as much of the newer parts as we can during the reassembly. This means we will be using the 2006 throttle bodes, the 2006 regulator/rectifier and the 2006 black swingarm with the chain dampener and bearings. I know it may be weird looking having the black swingarm on the silver frame, but I really don&#8217;t care. My swingarm is boogered up a bit on the rear from MANY wheel removals and installations, and the rubber chain guide on my bike&#8217;s swingarm is worn very thin. The black one looks brand new by comparison. I would swap frames as well, but I did not get a title for the black 2006 frame.<o></o>
Along with the motor/swingarm, I will be taking the opportunity to install some other new stuff to get the bike ready for Spring. The parts I am installing are:<o></o>
1) New Sprockets (16T front, 45T rear, steel JT)<o></o>
2) New chain (EK MVXZ gold Xring 525)<o></o>
3) Michelin Pilot Road 3 tires (replacing the shot ContiMotions on the bike)<o></o>
4) Angled aluminum valve stems (blue to match the Alth rotor carriers. Yay bling)<o></o>
5) Fresh Dyna beads (ones in there have served over 6 SETS of tires and are mixed up with very small rubber particles. Time for new ones)<o></o>
6) Brand new polished M4 slip-on (to replace the Yosh RS3 that has NO packing left after 90,000 miles) I got it for $210 shipped on Craigslist!<o></o>
7) New exhaust crush gaskets<o></o>
8) New All Balls wheel bearings front and rear<o></o>
9) New clutch release mechanism<o></o>
10) New clutch cable<o></o>
That&#8217;s about it for now. It&#8217;s going to be practically a new bike, ready for another 100,000 miles.<o></o>
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The work will start soon. I just need to figure out a way of getting my SV from storage in Kent, Ohio to Shaker Heights. The move will have to be on a weekend, and so far the weekends have been shitty weather-wise. It&#8217;s times like these I wish I had a big van! (anyone in the area want to volunteer a van or trailer?)<o></o>
So for now, can one of you with Photoshop skills change this picture so that my swingarm is black?<o></o>
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Excellent project!

Here's a 30-second hack job on the swingarm.

I see no picture?

Is that the new secret clear paint?

weird. external links are turned on in that gallery, and it shows up for me. I added it again. Is it there?

I see it.

I see it now. Thanks.
I don't think it looks bad at all. Kinda of balances out with the black GSXR forks.

Looks great with the fairing! would look killer if it was black framed!

Thanks for sharing, i am always doing similar refresh projects and debate posting about them. Thanks!

Some thoughts...maybe install a couple of zerks on the swingarm pivots?

That way you could shoot in grease without pulling everything apart.

My XLH had them on the steering head. I should have put them on the ZG1000 when I had the front end apart, but I'm an idiot.

stuff waiting for me when I got home from work....more to come

Good on ya.

You'll be good to go for a while.

Very very cool to see this thoughtful approach to a well ridden and appreciated SV. Hats off to you.

Great to see this on an obviously much loved bike, so many others would just say "Oh well, time to move on to the next machine." Props to you sir.

Ive been riding street since 1976 and have owned many different bikes. This SV, set up the way she is. Is the best handling, lightest and most comfy of them all. I wish at times it had a bigger tank, and have even looked into having the tank enlarged a bit but it's too costly if done so it looks good. I am planning a month long trip to Alaska from Ohio and will most likely just carry a strap on can. I wonder how much it would cost to have an auxillary tank made to fit in the tail where my cowl (passenger seat) area is. Maybe it would need a fuel pump......hmmm

That's what I'm hoping!

You might get lucky, but I think mounting one in the cowl would require custom work.

However, mounting one on top of the cowl would be easy--plenty of LD riders have them.

Something I googled--I have no experience with this company.

http://sampson-sporttouring.com/faq.html

I never new Jeff Goldblum was on ADV!

Outside of the nose, the glasses and the other facial similarities, Frank looks NOTHING like Jeff Goldblum:huh

Back on subject.

Do you still have the soft saddlebags from your early days? I'm looking to buy a set...

I gave them away to a friend in need last year Pista.

Sorry. They'd be yours for shipping otherwise.