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Suzuki SFV650 Gladius (2010) – Bob Pickett rides the 2010 incarnation, not that long after test riding the 09 model. So has anything changed?

With thanks to Johns of Romford, Rush Green branch for the loan of the bike

2010 Suzuki Gladius... a more sober look for 2010 It isn’t often I get to ride the latest version of a bike, not that long after riding last years’ model: close enough in fact, that I still remember the experience clearly.

So when I got the opportunity to take out the 2010 version of the Gladius, I jumped at the chance. The model really hasn’t changed since 2009, so with full recall of the ride, and knowing how it performs, would I discover anything new about it?

FirSt discovery was 2009’s bright and cheerful/garish and… gay (depending on your point of view) colours have been ditched, giving the bike a more mature, if drab look. Monochrome is fine, but I think the Gladius would benefit from a brighter tone; it is a fun little bike, so something more cheerful in the paint stakes (as it’s SV650 predecessor always had) would not go amiss.

What hasn’t changed is that riding position. You settle into the Gladius instantly, aside from wondering where the front of the bike has gone. It has a low saddle height for all but the smallest of riders and the user-friendly riding position is just right to remove feet from pegs and put on the floor without a second’s thought – handy for those sharp stops in built up traffic.

And you should be tuned into the little Suzuki within a minute of taking it onto the road. The Gladius must be one of the front runners for the ‘Easiest Bike in the World to ride… ever’ award. The handling is so light it is unreal, the lack of weight makes it so easy bike to turn, requiring no effort. Just push on the bars and let it do it’s thing.

2010 Suzuki Gladius... keeps the simple but effective display The 649cc v-twin engine is a joy – anyone that has ever ridden any incarnation of the SV650/650S/650Sport will attribute to that. It does its thing best when you work quickly up through the gears to fun speeds, giving best performance liking it when you let the v-twin stick around 6-8 thou.

The suspension, as I remembered it, handled most stuff really well. But with previous riding experience of the bike under my belt (and having ridden the test route a lot recently on other road tests), I was able to push the Gladius harder this time. And this time, I was able to find the limits of the suspension on the backroads. It didn’t happen too often, but I did have it bouncing from one bump to another like a pogo-stick at times. But otherwise it shines on b-roads with that eager engine and light handling making it a breeze to take on the roads at a decent pace.

A-roads were as fun as I recalled – but this time I was looking to find a range of roads, both swide and sweeping, along with some nice long straights, mixed in with flick/flack (sorry, that should have read traffic-calming) corners thrown in for good measure. And the Gladius shone, punching forward eagerly and with a decent piece of tarmac, letting me lob it into the bends, compressing to take up the strain and using the torque from the little vee to drive me back onto the straights.

2010 Suzuki Gladius... small, fun little bike I still think the engine could do with a spot of remapping lower in the rev range, especially in low gears. I still found it a touch juddery at boring, town traffic speeds – somewhere you’d want a bike that is inevitably going to be looked at by the commuter market to excel.

Sticking with that environment, the brakes have enough bite to handle anything the Gladius can throw at the. The mirrors give a decent view, but have to be set wide, creating a biG blind-spot. And the clocks are simple but provide feedback at a glance.

Verdict: Coming back to the Gladius for the second time, would I still recommend one? To the right rider, yes.

For the newly qualified, it is ideal, as it is so easy to ride and forgiving that new riders will be able to get on with things, pushing harder as they gain more experience. Juddering at low revs aside, the Gladius will also make a good commuter/town machine with its narrow profile and light handling being ideal for filtering.

Having been able to push it harder this time, I’d say for the more experienced rider they will find it’s limits and want more if they want just the one bike – but for someone who owns a sportsbike but wants something cheap, simple, but fun as a second bike, the Gladius would be worth a look.

Thanks again to Johns of Romford, Rush Green branch for the initial loan of the bike

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