which esvee did you get? an older curvy one, or a newer pointy one?
i had an SV650S sometime around 2000 (a curvy one), and i loved it to bits, i think i even loved it better than the TLS, apart from the power difference. Front suspension was a bit soft, ok, but still, it was much easier to chuck it into corners, and rail through them than on the TLS...
I found it very comfortable, lovely smooth engine, very flickable, etc etc...i was a happy camper on that little bike!
maybe it was just not your kinda bike...these things happen.