Very good to know Dodger. Thank you.

I feel more and more that I will leave on my SV and use the money for something else. Increase the confort of the pillion, buy a bashplate a rear shock and a new handlebar for more up-right position. In any case, all these added up should be much less than a DL on which I should start adding stuff from 0.

I do plan however a road test of DL ... who knows... maybe I will fell in love :)

In any case thank you very much for all the advice. Any other pro-con is welcomed. The Winter is looong :)

You are welcome .

Here is a thread that might be interesting .

V-Strom style tires for SV650? - ADVrider

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...Funny/YFR1.jpg
SV650 Wannabe Motard/Adventure Bike - Page 15 - ADVrider

So let's not get to flame up...
Wise words, I'm certain you'll consider the options carefully and either build or buy a bike that suits your needs....Just a couple more modifications......Every time you change one thing it tends to spotlight a weakness somewhere else. I know in the U.K. svs' have been bored to 750cc, had zx6r swinging arms moded to fit and had gsxr750 front ends fitted(I have one in the shed, just need a bike to fit it to!) they are a well liked bike. If you are worried/unsure about tyre suitability/fitment contact the manufacturers, I'm sure they'll give you sound advice from vast knowledge and experience and for legal advice, talk to a professional....
The most important consideration when looking at tyre options is not size, which can effect handling for better or worse, it is actually speed rating. If this is not correct for your bike, even if you don't go near flat out, then you could be in trouble. If a tyre de-laminates due to over speeding or overloading, insurance could be the last thing on your mind.....Literally.

Dodger, never seen the SV as young Frankenstein, though every time something I've had stripped fires up I can't stop myself from shouting "the monster lives, the monster lives!" I've thought of seeking treatment but there du'n't seem no fun in it.
Still can't find my donkey jacket

Anjinsan, just looked at the post from 5hrs back, if you fit a 150 section instead of a 160 that's 10mm narrower which equates to 5mm each side of the tyre, the same with the front. The fact that you are fitting a very slightly narrower tyre than standard means that the resulting profile will be slightly flatter which will give a larger contact patch, I've yet to see standard fitment tyres used to their edge, so a flatter profile means you have more chance of using more of the tyre more of the time. It's not rocket science, it's much more complicated than that. Find the tyres you'd like to fit then ask the manufacturers if they think they would be suitable, and as I've said above speed and load rating is where it can all fall apart.
Check jhsracing.co.uk they specialise in performance but have been fettling svs since they came out, even if you don't want to go fast there's lots that is relevant

Not too long ago ,I had a very interesting chat with an Avon employee specifically about the Distanzia tyre .One of my bikes has a 19 inch rear wheel and the choice of rear tyre is very limited .
His [unofficial] advice was a 100/90-19 in place of the 4.10-19 and ,because it is a front fitment tyre. to fit it backwards .The bike produces about 65 hp and he felt that it would not overstress the tyre .
My experience has been that he was right .

I doubt if you will find a tyre manufacturer that will officially recommend the fitting of non standard sizes .It will be entirely up to you to choose whether you want to try this or not .

:mchappy:

There are reasons, why a factory chooses specific tyre sizes and profiles for a bike. One of these is that they have a big impact on handling, so if you decide to alter them, you´d better be aware of the possible downsides - and also know specifically, what you are looking to get from the change, because otherwise it makes little sense.
　
If looking to get tyres for overlanding, I´d put tyre life, and ability to carry weight, way ahead of grip in the mud, for example (especially, if it´s an SV we´re talking about here). Most people do most of their miles on tarmac, even on long trips. But this of course is fully up to you - some like to explore the smallest backroads they can find, and then they may actually need things like grip in loose surfaces, etc. But that is also very slow going, so again depends on many things, like how much time have you got. If you dont have a lot, then you´re likely to stay mostly on paved roads.

I think you´ll need to first figure out, what kind of riding you intend to do (are you really going to do off-road a lot), and then make a decision, if there is a need to alter SV´s tyres in any way.

Frame geometry, suspension, body weight and position, fuel, luggage, passenger, road conditions, wind, weather, tyre pressure and wear all effect the way a bike handles, all of these are set by a manufacturer whose prime concern is profit, which means making a bike that will sell to the maximum number of people whilst keeping production cost to a minimum. If you are Mr average bimbling around, occasionally doing long trips, maybe with a passenger and luggage then you may get by with a standard bike dragging its arse and steering like a barge. If you take your bike and biking seriously then every variable that can be changed to make the bike more suited to you and the way you use it should be carefully considered, tried and its effect noted. Tyres are a piece of the fascinating puzzle, if you don't want to find out the what changes different sizes make, stick to original sizes, though you will find different makes have different profiles and sizing, effecting handling. When riding in places where the main driving qualification seems to be a great faith in their God I want a bike that will steer and stop bloody quick, not one that needs a fortnights notice to turn, tyres, their size, profile,tread and compound contribute greatly to a bike you can have confidence in and relax on.
You change one thing, you change everything.
:oops2:Anyway, SV or DR??????
As I said previously, make the road bike better and look for a good, cheap DR

^ I respect your opinion, but I politely disagree with more or less everything that´s in your latest post, except that there are differences between tyres, and small changes can have big effects.

In some rare cases, it might make sense to alter your tyre sizes/profiles, but way too often it´s just goofin´ around with things you do not fully understand. That´s why you need to think carefully, before you recommend this to others, even if you happen to be an expert. They may not be.

Have you ridden an SV, by the way?? And if so, what makes its recommended tyres unsuitable for travel?

What he said:thumbup1::thumbup1::biggrin3:

No, I haven't ridden a SV I've looked for one and not found anything that suits, yet, I haven't said that standard tyres aren't suitable, the original post by Anjinsan was asking about SV/DR/DL and the possibility of fitting alternative tyres. It is possible to fit different size tyres to any machine, they may or may not improve the bikes handling characteristics, the only way to find out is to try, or speak to someone who has, I think I've said this before. I've fitted tyres and changed them in a week, they didn't suit, vague steering over 90, a lesson learned, I know of someone who was persuaded to fit the latest all singing all dancing rear.... he went straight on at the first corner, the bike wasn't set up for the much lower profile.
To not try something is to remain forever ignorant.
As I said before, you can fit what you want that will fit, everyone else has emphasised the caution required.
If someone is asking about tyre sizes, I assume, perhaps wrongly, that they are an experienced enough biker to know that it could effect the characteristics of their bike.
If I've miss led you Anjisan, please accept my apologies, I assumed you already had insight from the original question, I didn't mean to lead you on the road to your certain doom

oothef you do not need to applologieze. You are stating your honest opinion about a (maybe stupid?) question of mine and your thoughts as well as petcha's and others are welcomed and read carefully. Of course there is no "best" solution. And any advice, one way or the other, any input can just help make some light on a very ambiguous decision that I have to make.
After reading your thoughts I am more confident in my SV and I do think that it can go to a lot of places. But traveling 7000 km in Europe on it I am also aware of the downsides of traveling on a bike that was not created initially for this.
Ride position, seat, fuel range, wind protection, alternator capacity, tire sizes, front wheel size, passenger space, all favor.
Having 6000 more in the account at the start of the trip favors the SV... :helpsmilie:
So if money were out of the picture, I would get the DL, add some extras and of I go. :)
But since money have to be taken into consideration... the decision is hard for me. So trying to find all kind of "solutions" to improve the "downsides" was/is a kind of natural alas... not so effective.

Just to put things into perspective, I have this dilema because I am dreaming a bigger, more than one continent, more than 1-2 months, 2up ride. If I would travel only in Europe I wouldn't even think to change the current SV. But outside a 2-3 weeks trips I am in a dark. Hence me bugging you here :)

Anjin, I'm certain you will have a good trip on any of your bikes - just load up the bike and go and don't worry about the right bike etc. 99% of the time you will be on tarred roads so your bike will be great - any of your bikes. People have gone RTW on mopeds and others have crossed the Sahara on sportsbikes and Honda C90 scooters. :scooter:

You've been advised by one person to "use any old tyre" , then by another to put on totally unsuitable tyres and to "fit them backwards", but you should then "take care". You've had advice from unnamed mystery tyre experts who ("unofficially", of course) "feel " that this backward fitting will probably be ok. You can do all of this :nono:, but this "advice" ignores the issues of handling, safety, and legal insurance.

You have also seen Pecha's informed, thoughtful advice which I hope you will think about carefully, for your safety.