[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Torino

Well the V-Strom 250 SX appeared for launch out of nowhere and it now seems fair to expect similar ADV surprise from TVS, Bajaj and Yamaha from their existing 200 & 250 platforms. Probably the next budget ADV will be from Yamaha since they are more likely to test in foreign lands like Suzuki.

No spy shots, no development news, not even rumours! The only reliable rumour is the 450 Himalayan Launch in October. Even the KTM 490 has gone cold with no spy shots emerging.

This eternal wait for the next launch is well...eternal. Look up the web, if nothing checks out, get your cheque book out and ride.

[VRod_24]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Meet 'YALLA', my biking spirit (Means 'Let's Go' in Arabic).
Last night I got a call from a friend at the dealership that the V-Strom is in transit, should take 4 hours to reach from Chitradurga.

Many congratulations to you. Let me tell you that right now I literally envy you because of your drool worthy garage, I believe that you own 3 bikes at the moment ie Smurfy aka Honda CB350, Yamaha Aerox and now this a baby ADV the Suzuki Vstrom 250. Really appreciate your passion towards riding.

Personally I doubt I'll ever manage to convince my home minister for even a 2 bike garage forget 3 .

Nevertheless wishing you many safe miles on your new ride.

[Sudarshan42]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

No spy shots, no development news, not even rumours! The only reliable rumour is the 450 Himalayan Launch in October. Even the KTM 490 has gone cold with no spy shots emerging.

I found this, although this is faaar from production-ready. Just an engineering exercise.

https://youtu.be/cbWzMHSvnY0

(Mods, if you feel this is deviating from the topic a bit too much, please delete)

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by Sudarshan42

And what surprise could this be? I didn't catch any whispers on any grapevine- a new RTR 200 ADV? An RTR 310? The latter looks unlikely because of a supposed agreement with BMW where they wouldn't trip over each other sharing bike styles on the 310 platform, but who knows.

Well did you have any idea on this India specific SX 250? But it did happen isn't it?

I have been a TVS user since 14.5 years now and can absolutely vouch for their quality and longevity of parts. Mine is a 1st gen RTR and till date has been doing great with proper timely servicing.

All this while was waiting for them to bring in an adv based on RTR200. If that happens(hopeful but looks unlikely), would be a good alternate to Xpulse which currently looks like the best VFM entry level adv.

310 I think wont be coming if there's a non-compete clause between BMW and TVS. If you notice BMW has a street naked and an adv whereas TVS has the sports tourer. No overlap. Not sure though. If it does, even better.

My current bike completes 15 year of LTT period this December. So October is my threshold of waiting period. Lets see

Originally Posted by Sudarshan42

... I've almost zeroed in on an RTR200 as my next city commute option

All the best. Its an excellent product refined overtime. Probably the best VFM street naked under 1.5L (OTR bangalore) category.

[Sudarshan42]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Well did you have any idea on this India specific SX 250? But it did happen isn't it?

I have been a TVS user since 14.5 years now and can absolutely vouch for their quality and longevity of parts. Mine was a 1st gen RTR and till date has been doing great with proper timely servicing.

All this while was waiting for them to bring in an adv based on RTR200. If that happens, would be a good alternate to Xpulse which currently looks like the best VFM entry level adv.

Right, so it's speculation.

Good to hear the ringing endorsement for TVS products; I've almost zeroed in on an RTR200 as my next city commute option

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Since this bike is already present in the international market, accessories like Givi tank bags (With lock) and SW Motech (With magnetic ring/lock) are available. With Givi dimensions I saw the handlebar touching the sides lightly (while turning), so opted for SWM MICRO. This is magnetic with a dedicated tank ring

Sebring, how much did this cost? Also, where did you procure it from? A lot of potential owners are lurking on this thread and will be all too happy to learn every possible detail

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

A lot of potential owners are lurking on this thread and will be all too happy to learn every possible detail

Hello Neil,
The SW Motech Micro Tank Bag is also available at Lazy Ass Bikers in Mumbai. For those looking at a small, compact tank bag, this one is superb. Since the size is small, I would suggest checking it out in person for individual suitability before buying it online.

https://www.lazyassbikers.com/produc...s-00-110-30000

Cheers

[drt_rdr]

Don't want to go OT, but have to comment on this.

TVS has always had the capability to build a solid dual sport or ADV. I mean going by the information in the video, that bike is basically an apache on stilts. And TVS has been competing in offroad events since a long time. So, it's not like the petronas livery bike is their first dirt build.

TVS is just sleeping on this segment of bikes. Seems to be a reactive manufacturer, just like suzuki.

[Sebring]

Hey Neil, I get this feeling that you're checking out the VSTROM for purchase The bag is from BigBadBikes, and costs Rs 10,700 (No deals, unfortunately). The tank ring set me back by Rs 3000. Its tiny footprint and tough construction won me over.
@Cyborg, SW Motech has a slider mechanism so you can adjust it for any tank and fix it (Absent in Givi), so I chose this. It also has a lock (To be procured separately paying Rs 1400)
The wireless phone charger is from QUAD

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Sebring, how much did this cost? Also, where did you procure it from? A lot of potential owners are lurking on this thread and will be all too happy to learn every possible detail

[neil.jericho]

Thanks to the good folks at Cee Pee Suzuki in Cochin, I got a near 45 minute test ride of the Suzuki VStrom 250 SX. This was my second test ride of the highly anticipated tourer from Suzuki. The first one was much shorter in distance and duration, but it was enough to leave me impressed.

- None of the colours really stand out to me. I have a yellow motorcycle and a black one in my garage. Assuming that I am going to pick a VStrom 250 SX, I would probably go for the orange / red.
- The test ride bike had only 113 kms on the odometer when the keys were given to me. Since the first service was not even completed, I was conservative with my riding.
- The starter button is rather awkwardly placed. You have to extend your thumb more than usual, to start the VStrom 250. Its a tiny thing but it seems very un-Suzuki like (in the grand scheme of things).
- Even at rest, the footpegs are a real bother for me. I just cannot find a way to place my feet on the ground, without the pegs annoyingly brushing against my calves. This is exactly what most riders faced with the Royal Enfield 650 twins but I never had any issues with the ergonomics of the Royal Enfield bikes.
- The seat is a little tall and will probably make flat footing slightly challenging for shorter riders.
- I am 5'10" with generous South Indian proportions. With that context, for me to get a comfortable posture, I have to sit behind where most riders will sit. This places my generous posterior on the edge of the pillion seat. If I move forward to avoid this discomfort, then I am seated too close to the handlebars. The solution might lie in shaving off a bit of the rear seat's padding.
- On the move, the VStrom 250 SX is a breeze. It is super flickable in the urban jungle.
- There are some vibrations at around 6,000 RPM. It makes itself evident through the base of the pillion seat, which is a very unusual place to get these vibes.
- The test bike's front brake had to be bled. They were fine for the city use but once speeds went up to 70 or so, the sponginess was evident. I would put this down to an improper PDI being done on the test bike. The sales representative and the manager at the showroom agreed that the brake needed to be bled.
- The clutch is light enough to not make you think about it.
- The windscreen seems to be of good quality but it does push wind towards my helmet.
- The rear brake is confidence inspiring.
- There is no dive from the front on hard braking. Well done, Suzuki.
- I took a lot of back roads, slopes, narrow lanes etc, to test out the maneuverability of the VStrom 250 SX. It passed these tests with flying colours. The bike is just so nimble at low speeds.
- Now for my biggest problem with the bike. While trying to reverse walk the VStrom 250, my calves kept hitting the footpegs. I dont know the last motorcycle on which I faced this problem. I tried all sorts of permutations and combinations, but I cant avoid this ergonomic issue. Can I live with it? Im not really sure.
- Given how few kilometers the bike has done, I barely hit triple digit speeds. It stayed planted at all speeds.
- The rear view mirrors provide an exceptional field of view. However, I would prefer to lean the bars a little forward, for my hands to be comfortable. That would only make the mirrors point to the sky.
- The service cost of the Suzuki VStrom 250 SX will be a little higher than that of the other Suzuki 250s. The prices of some parts have gone up. The sales representative has promised to send me the details.
- I will test ride the VStrom 250 SX next week with a loaded up Viaterra Claw on the back seat. Lets see how it fares with additional weight.

Overall, I was impressed by the VStrom 250 SX but the ergonomics have me double thinking the motorcycle.

Comparison with the Royal Enfield Scram 411
I hopped into the nearby Royal Enfield showroom to test ride the Scram 411 and get a back to back comparison. A close riding buddy predicted that I would like the Scram 411. It turns out that he was right.

- Having test ridden the Himalayan several times, sitting in the Scram 411 is a very different experience. The smaller front wheel makes everything seem so much lower. And you sit in the Scram 411, as compared to on the Himalayan 411.
- Within 2 minutes, I felt at home on the new Royal Enfield motorcycle.
- My feet werent brushing against the footpegs.
- The levers were at an odd angle and will definitely need to be lowered. Like the VStrom 250 SX, that will cause the mirrors to point to the sky.
- The engine of the Scram 411 is much more gruff than the VStrom 250 but it livens up the riding experience. In comparison, the Suzuki felt a little sterile, in a workhorse way.
- Handling wise, the Scram 411 is fun.
- The brakes are good on the bike.
- I didnt do as much low speed narrow lane riding on the Scram, as I did on the VStrom 250 SX. In tight conditions, the VStrom 250 SX is the clear winner but the Royal Enfield bike does hide its weight well.

In summary, the Suzuki VStrom 250 SX is probably the better engineered motorcycle of the two. That said, the Scram 411 is probably the better motorcycle for me.

[AnAntinspired]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

I tried all sorts of permutations and combinations, but I cant avoid this ergonomic issue. Can I live with it? Im not really sure.

This is what I was also talking about! Similar height, same ergonomic discomfort. However I still wanted this 250cc gem of an engine in my garage and the Gixxer SF250 put such a huge smile on my face after the frowns from the VStrom that i just diverted my advance booking towards purchase of the baby Gixxer right away!

[Sebring]

I might have a solution. By replacing the footpeg with a ProSpec one, which stays up when I want it to (Already installed in my CB350)

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

the footpegs are a real bother for me

[srinath34]

Took a short ride of the V-Strom 250 during lunch break today.

Seat height was an issue for me. I am 5'8" and well built (not the fit type ) so I need to see how much better is the low seat option as accessory.

Other than this, I felt the bike to be a good one with a good engine. The speedo was disconnected on the test bike so was not sure what speeds I was doing in the Domlur-Command Hospital stretch (one of the best roads this side of town) but the riding posture was relaxed/upright and clutch feel was nice despite of no slipper clutch.

Had to take 2 u-turns and I have the same observation that the pegs kept fouling with my calves leading to less confidence of taking low speed turns.

On-road price 2.73 lacs (BLR) and bikes are readily available and probably can be delivered in 1 day (with regn but w/o the number plate). Accessories are still 15-20 days away.

Overall a good bike but my bike hunt continues...

[Sebring]

My friend is a pro-rider and taught me how to ride this bike. It's mostly an off-seat stance, just try that once. The bike feels at home on the trails and extremely rough patches, and the foot-pegs are just perfect from Suzuki, I feel

Originally Posted by srinath34

Had to take 2 u-turns and I have the same observation that the pegs kept fouling with my calves leading to less confidence of taking low speed turns.

[Piston_head]

Can we fit yamaha OE led indicators in V strom Sx?

https://shop.yamaha-motor-india.com/...ts/led-flasher