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What are the pros and cons/whys and wherefores of choosing between a V-Twin and an Inline Four in sports/sports-tourer bike context?
V-twins are TOTALLY different to ride, and most people either love them or hate them. The engine braking is tremendous after an inline four and its what catches a few out, after riding inline fours if you have never ridden a twin, you risk a lockup and highside if you loose the throttle like you can on a four.
I love the way they sound, but couldnt live with one riding wise, try before you buy B2B, like I say, they ride very different.V twin will have more torque where as an inline 4 will have more power, twin fast out of and through corners, inline 4 faster on the top speed bits.
Could always compromise and go the triple route which is best of both!
Twins eat rear tyres!
Chalk and cheese is a good way to describe the difference, I would say fours are easier and more forgiving to ride, vee twins are more of an aquired taste. I like both but ,I’ve been very fortunate to have had loads of different bikes over the years. Best thing to do would be go to your local friendly dealer and get a test ride. Some of my mates who grew up on fours and have tried vee twins didn’t like them at all, one even took a Honda SP1 back after 10mins on test, couldn’t get on with it at all.
Thanks for the gen. I’m going to try the sv650s before I buy it, but to tell the trutch its the only sportslike bike that ticks all the boxes, its cheap to buy, cheap to insure and and it has the sports like influences, such as clipons and fairings. All the inline fours, and the triple, I’ve looked at are too expensive to insure (got 6 points, 3 claims and no NCD). From what I’ve heard from else where, it seems to be ideal for a just-passed bikers first big bike. Also never heving rode either a V-twin or an inline four before, I’m starting from a clean sheet, so to speak. I will try the Faired Bandit for a comparision, though it has a slightly higher riding position, but the sv650s still seems favourite.
Thanks again guys. I’ve found out what I think I needed to know.
I think they use gs500s for the DAS. I thought those were parallel twins. Shows how much I know. Sorry mate. Might not test ride the Bandit after all then. Can’t wait for the DAS. A whole week off riding around on a bike[:p][
][]Yeah the GS is a twin mate, unusual that a school uses them I would have thought cos like already pointed out 4’s are more user friendly for the novice, schools usually stick to them for that reason.
So if youre learnin on a twin you should be just fine with an SV…..as long as you get on with the schools bikes of course….[
]Do parallel twins need the same consideration as V-Twins then or is it the angle of the cylinders that make the difference.
Well, not sure whether there is much difference in riding if any at all, but think of it this way, a 600cc inline 4 is going to have less per cylinder capacity, thus less(or is it more?) compression, thus less engine braking, less drag on clutch pulling speed down as you change down etc. A twin 600cc will have its 600cc split by just 2 cylinders, more torque, more compression (or is it less? this is confusing lol) and way more engine braking, people usually fit slipper clutches to some of the bigger twins. that best I can explain, not too technical I know.[:o)]
On a bigger cc twin you need to be careful not to lock back wheel on decelleration, which is exactly how my old dad highsided his RSV[:0]I have loves the V twins I have ridden, the power delivery is much more accessible than a revvy four cylinder bike. Oddly I have never owned a V twin, but probably will in the future at some point.
I thought that most schools used Kawasaki ER5s (another patallel twin).
Somebody I known might be selling a SV650, do you want me to ask?
Have you seen the 1989 FZR600 for sale on here, that is another mate of min’es bike. Could be a good buget option, it is a pretty tidy bike, I could email you pictures of both bikes if you want. Let me know.Well learn summat new everyday! I didnt know the er was a twin, hell I cant even remember what I took my test on.[:0]
Gix, that was very well out and certainly makes a lot of sense when think back to my marine engineering days.
Radar, thanks I would like the pics as its something to think about and yes please good you ask your mate.
I’d say that the SV is a very tollerable bike for beginners, its also alot lighter than the Bandit, so is a pretty good choice for a novice. Likewise the Fazer is very versatile and a better all-rounder than the venerable Bandit (yep.. I know… I dissin’ the Bandit).
ER5’s are pretty good little bikes, but you’d very soon get bored with such a low powered machine, so why not spend that little extra and learn with the machine as you develope.But if you’re completely nuts.. just go for a sports bike (I know enough people who did that!)
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