Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen (2016+, including SV650X) Maintenance Schedule and Service Intervals

This is the maintenance schedule and associated service intervals for the Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen, made from 2016 onward.

The Suzuki SV650 is Suzuki’s middleweight sport bike powered by a V-twin engine. It has been popular for decades. The 2016+ model of SV650 (including the SV650X) are the third generation of SV650.

In reality the 3rd gen was actually a restyled Suzuki SVF650 Gladius, but with some all-important styling changes that were needed to convert the faithful, along with some tech updates.

The Suzuki SV650 line has been around since 1999. It’s Suzuki’s middleweight street/sport bike, and is used for everything from everyday commuting to track day fun.

The Suzuki SV650 3rd gen is based on a liquid-cooled DOHC 8-valve 645cc 90-degree V-twin engine. In base trim it makes 56 kW (75 bhp) at 8500 rpm, and peak torque of 64 Nm (47 lb-ft) at 8100 rpm.

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Suzuki SV650 Service Intervals (3rd gen)

Overall, the Suzuki SV650 has 3500 mile / 6000 km service intervals between oil changes.

Change the oil and oil filter regularly (every 6000 km or 3500 mi)

Also, keep the chain lubed (ever 600 mi / 1000 km), or more often if riding in adverse conditions (dusty roads, or the rain).

Tighten up bolts at every oil change — V-twins are a little heavy on vibration and tend to shake things loose.

Replace your fluids — clutch, brake, and coolant — every 2-4 years.

Aside from that, there’s a valve service every 24000 km (14500 mi).

What you need to maintain your Suzuki SV650 3rd gen

If you’re going to do work on your 3rd gen Suzuki SV650, you’ll need some basic motorcycle maintenance tools. But apart from that you’ll also need a few other extra things.

Part	Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen spec
Oil	Suzuki requires engine oil with JASO MA spec, or at least API SF/SG or SH/SJ spec. Many oils fit this. Suzuki recommends SAE 10W-40 weight Suzuki motor oil. You can use any high-grade motorcycle oil like Motul 5100 10W-40.
Oil filter	Use a Hiflofiltro HF138RC, which is a drop-in high-quality replacement.
Air filter	Use a K&N air filter as a drop-in replacement, part number SU-6509.
Spark plugs	The standard spark plug is NGK MR8E-9.
Brake fluid/Clutch fluid	Suzuki (like most motorcycles) requires DOT 4 brake and clutch fluid.
Brake pads	A popular drop-in upgrade (that’s cheap) is to use EBC double hardened brake pads. You need FA229HH and FA231HH up front, and FA174HH at the rear.
Coolant	Suzuki only requires a coolant that’s “compatible with an aluminium radiator”, recommending Suzuki super long-life coolant or an alternative.
Chain maintenance	Use either Motul chain paste or a complete Motul chain care kit for frequent chain servicing.
Grease	Always handy to have some lithium soap-based grease for external pivot points, like the kickstand.
Cable maintenance	Keep your throttle cable and your clutch cable lubricated with Protect all cable life.

Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen Maintenance Schedule

Below is the maintenance schedule for the Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen.

NOTES:

• The break-in service is omitted — usually a dealer does this during the warranty period.
• Time/distance Interval: This interval should be judged by odometer reading or number of months, whichever comes first.
• If you use the motorcycle under severe conditions (e.g. in dust and rain), you may have to service it more frequently, especially the filter and chain.
• Legend:
  • I= Inspect and clean, adjust, replace or lubricate as necessary,
  • R= Replace,
  • T= Tighten,
  • C/L = Clean/Lubricate

km x 1000	6	12	18	24
mi x 1000	4	7.5	11	14.5
months	6	12	18	24	Periodic
Engine oil (Motul 5100 10W-40)	R	R	R	R
Engine oil filter (HF138RC)	–	–	R	–
Air cleaner element (K&N SU-6509)	I	I	R	I
Valve clearance	–	–	–	I	Distance interval only.
Spark plugs (NGK MR8E-9)	I	R	I	R
Engine coolant — Replace (Suzuki super long-life coolant)					4 years/48000 km
Exhaust pipe bolts and muffler bolts	–	T	–	T
Idle speed	I	I	I	I
Throttle cable play	I	I	I	I
Throttle valve synch	–	I	–	I
Fuel hoses	I	I	I	I
Radiator hose	I	I	I	I
Clutch cable play	I	I	I	I
Brakes	I	I	I	I
Brake hose	I	I	I	I	4 years: R
Brake fluid (Castrol DOT 4)	I	I	I	I	2 years: R
Evaporative emission control system (if fitted)	–	I	–	I
Tires	I	I	I	I
Steering	–	I	–	I
Front forks	–	I	–	I
Rear suspension	–	I	–	I
Chassis bolts and nuts	T	T	T	T
General lubrication					1000 km / 600 mi

Maintaining your Chain on your Suzuki SV650

Maintain your chain on your Suzuki SV650 regularly. Either use a good-quality (and affordable) chain lube like Motul Chain Paste, or use a full on Motul Chain Care Kit to clean and restore a chain.

Suzuki recommends that you maintain your chain regularly according to the following schedule.

Chain maintenance item	Every
Check chain * Correct tension / slack (20-30mm / 0.8-1.2 in at loosest point) * Adequate lubrication * No excessive wear / damage	Ride (pre-ride check)
Clean and lubricate chain	1000 km / 600 miles

Damage includes loose pins, damaged rollers, dry or rusted links, kinked or binding links, excessive wear, and improper adjustment.

Tyre size and tyre pressure for the Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen

The manual for the 2016+ Suzuki SV650 3rd gen specifies the following tyre sizes and recommends the following tyre pressure.

Stock, the Suzuki SV650 3rd gen ships with Dunlop Roadsmart III tyres. You can fit any sport, sport touring, or road tyres and get a lot out of your SV650.

Tyre	Size	Tyre pressure
Front	120/70 ZR17 58W	225 kPa (2.25 bar, 33 psi)
Rear	160/60 ZR17 69W	250 kPa (2.50 bar, 36 psi)

About the Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen

The Suzuki SV650 is, and has been for a long time, Suzuki’s middleweight sport bike.

With handlebars and a midrange-focused engine, the SV650 is very capable as an everyday road bike. It’s comfortable, has a very reliable and characterful engine, and has looks that are understated and elegant.

The Suzuki SV650X is a very similar bike but with a little cowl and clip-on handlebars. It’s still eminently comfortable.

Primarily, Suzuki SV650 has been a competitor to the Kawasaki Ninja 650 and Z650, or other earlier variants of the same bikes. But the SV650 has been unique among its competitors for being the only bike with a V-twin engine.

The core of the SV650 is what makes it special. The liquid-cooled DOHC 16-valve L-twin engine was technologically more advanced than the motorcycle that inspired it — the early Ducati Monster bikes (like the Monster 900). The engine in this generation has perfect primary balance, giving it smooth revving all the way from idle up to the 10000 rpm redline.

The 3rd gen Suzuki SV650 is a breath of fresh air for the faithful fans of the series who didn’t like the styling of the Gladius — even though the 3rd gen shares a lot in common with the Gladius internally.

The 3rd gen Suzuki SV650 includes Suzuki’s “Low RPM Assist” feature that makes the SV650 almost unstallable. It adjusts engine RPM during take-off and at low speed to make sure that the bike always stays running.

The 3rd gen SV650 has fairly simple running gear. The front forks are conventional (not inverted) and are non-adjustable. People taking the SV650 to track days frequently attack the front fork as one of the first things to improve.

The brakes on the SV650 are decent — four-piston Tokico brake calipers gripping twin 290mm discs. These are at least sporty.

The SV650X is the more sporty variant of the SV650. It has the same chassis and all ride gear, but has a little cowl, clip-on handlebars, and a sportier seat.

Manual for the Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen

The above maintenance schedule comes directly from the user’s manual for the Suzuki SV650 3rd Gen, from a 2017 manual. It has also been compared to manuals from later years for the SV650X for example.

You can download it from Suzuki’s official website here.