[drt_rdr]

^^ I've got a user manual in front of me. Can't scan all the pages, but can post pictures if you have anything specific in mind.

Main thing to remember for the time being:
If the fuel pump icon is blinking, there's around 3 litres fuel in the tank. If the last bar of fuel is blinking along with it, there's around 1 liter. If you see this, go fill up fuel immediately.


-----------
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Can anyone recommend a responsive workshop in bangalore?

[girimajiananth]

Originally Posted by drt_rdr

Main thing to remember for the time being:
If the fuel pump icon is blinking, there's around 3 litres fuel in the tank. If the last bar of fuel is blinking along with it, there's around 1 liter. If you see this, go fill up fuel immediately.

Can anyone recommend a responsive workshop in bangalore?

Thanks this should help. Check with team bhp member sebring, I think the one in Dr Rajkumar road must be good. Sebring can confirm this.

[Sebring]

Thats right. Suzuki has trained one mechanic there on the VSTROM and he is really good. It was TeamBhpian Madhukar's advice to me, and most of us go there now

Originally Posted by girimajiananth

Thanks this should help. Check with team bhp member sebring, I think the one in Dr Rajkumar road must be good. Sebring can confirm this.

[GeeTee TSI]

Suzuki Vstrom 250 SX – 6 Month, 3K update

6 months of my first ever ride (motorcycle) marked its second scheduled service at Advaith Suzuki. 2910 km on the odometer included the rides to office, some errands as well weekend rides outside the city.


While it is part of a free service package, the engine oil is however chargeable. The oil was changed last time and the left-over oil got left behind at home (why can’t the SKU size be suitable for the vehicle capacity without having to deal with the left over contents?). So I might need to buy again for the third whereas the left over might have sufficed

Received the Suzuki Riding jacket more than a month after delivery


As an errands machine, the 250 SX just ducks under the ‘manageable size’ for the job, any larger bike would probably have been a weekend only machine. For the office rides, the seat is backpack friendly and I wear the (Suzuki) riding jacket which was received a full month after delivery. In crowded streets with kerb side parking, the bike is certainly long (and tall!) amidst the sea of Activas but is reasonably under the radar (my black shade especially)

This evidently was not an 'errand'


The turning radius is quite wide and a U turn on a narrow street might end up in a ungainly correction manoeuvre. I have by now mastered carrying the sling bags/backpacks for the odd grocery run.

Bangalore urban roads have poor surface quality with potholes, connection joints, marked and unmarked speed breakers as well as unpaved (trail?) roads. In all of these, the V Strom rises to the occasion, with the suspension’s ability to take considerable abuse. The front suspension is just outstanding including occasions where I missed to spot a bad patch. The rear suspension (in the factory preload setting still) is fairly stiff, but has never been unpredictable or wallowy. Rising slightly from the seat (on the foot pegs) makes light work on any speed breakers one might encounter. As someone used to hatchbacks and sedans gingerly taking bad roads, the 250 SX feels like that agile off-roader (that I never had!).

I can feel the engine heat at times during city crawls but did not affect the ride in anyway

I had been on a few weekend rides, including some all-day round trips of 8 hours/250km. Absolutely no riding fatigue on body, thanks to a nice upright posture. The (damned) foot pegs did hit my ankle/shin while paddling my way in reverse but after a few initial ouch! moments, not any more. Vibrations are very well contained, having experienced hours of cruising at 85 kmph. The odd overtaking did take me past 100 kmph quite easily.

With my preference for winding country roads to vast open highways, the engine exhibited a strong pull through the gears for an enjoyable ride.


I had never been to a trail but ended up in one – the stretch between Muttatti and Sangama. Completely a dirt track with some gravel thrown in where road works were in progress, there were also steep stretches where the torque as well as the grip from the knobby rear tyres hauled me up without fuss



No OE bike cover available yet, got one from Amazon which was listed for the Duke 390 Adventure


Other noteworthy points -

• Brilliant headlights (once you get the alignment perfectly)
• Turn by turn navigation works well without having to whip out your phone by the road side
• Suzuki app mandatorily asks for a feedback and without cancelling that screen, the app does not automatically connect to the bike next time (much to my annoyance with gloves donned!)
• The saree guard is simply hideous, missed getting that removed (yet again) during the service
• I had some older family members clamber aboard the pillion seat for a trial they just about managed it (fairly certain they would not want to try again)
• The documents nestle in a recess under the rear seat (in a pouch), as a car driver it feels incomplete to not have these in the vehicle!
• I fervently wish for an upgrade to LED indicators (being the only bulbs in the bike)

[whencut86]

Originally Posted by Sebring

Thats right. Suzuki has trained one mechanic there on the VSTROM and he is really good. It was TeamBhpian Madhukar's advice to me, and most of us go there now

Is this Saptagiri Suzuki at Rajaji Nagar or a different one?

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

Suzuki Vstrom 250 SX – 6 Month, 3K update

6 months of my first ever ride (motorcycle) marked its second scheduled service at Advaith Suzuki. 2910 km on the odometer included the rides to[/list]

My dealer hasn't provided me the jacket yet and he's confident it would take upwards of 90 days, bleh! Did they ask you prior for the jacket size? Questioning the same, the guys at my SVC were dumbstruck as to the size availability, though they had a M which fit me like a glove, but they weren't insisting on giving it to me, as it was a display item.

Any inputs, appreciated.

Cheers!
VJ

[GeeTee TSI]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

My dealer hasn't provided me the jacket yet and he's confident it would take upwards of 90 days, bleh! Did they ask you prior for the jacket size? Questioning the same, the guys at my SVC were dumbstruck as to the size availability, though they had a M which fit me like a glove, but they weren't insisting on giving it to me, as it was a display item.

Any inputs, appreciated.

Cheers!
VJ

The dealer mentioned that jackets have been in short supply (not the machine!). After weeks of no update, I escalated to Suzuki post which one got pulled out of the queue (probably).

[shyamg28]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

My dealer hasn't provided me the jacket yet and he's confident it would take upwards of 90 days, bleh! Did they ask you prior for the jacket size? Questioning the same, the guys at my SVC were dumbstruck as to the size availability, though they had a M which fit me like a glove, but they weren't insisting on giving it to me, as it was a display item.

Any inputs, appreciated.

Cheers!
VJ

Congrats VJ! With your unique writing style, no matter what the experience, I am eagerly looking forward to an ownership log

Two of us that took delivery of two Wees on the same day, received our jackets after about 3-4 months. If that experience is anything to go by, you would receive yours for sure

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by shyamg28

Congrats VJ! With your unique writing style, no matter what the experience, I am eagerly looking forward to an ownership log

Two of us that took delivery of two Wees on the same day, received our jackets after about 3-4 months. If that experience is anything to go by, you would receive yours for sure

Shyam, thank you for taking the time, this is precisely what I wanted to hear. If anything to go by, I think it's time I get my WhatsApp and other armament in standby, ready for action.

Again, thank you for your kind words Shyam. My posts are definitely not pleasing but I try to share what I've genuinely felt as visceral as possible. Appreciate your kind words, once again.

Cheers!
VJ

[mukeshsaravan]

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

Suzuki Vstrom 250 SX – 6 Month, 3K update

The front suspension is just outstanding including occasions where I missed to spot a bad patch. The rear suspension (in the factory preload setting still) is fairly stiff, but has never been unpredictable or wallowy. Rising slightly from the seat (on the foot pegs) makes light work on any speed breakers one might encounter. As someone used to hatchbacks and sedans gingerly taking bad roads, the 250 SX feels like that agile off-roader (that I never had!).

I absolutely recommend you to set the preload to the softest setting. I don't think you will bottom out even with a pillion and luggage. I measured my rider sag, I weigh around 70 odd kilos and the sag was about 10mm with the factory setting. Reducing the preload did help with the sag to some extent but was not ideal. The optimum sag should be somewhere between 35 to 40 mm. You might've noticed the rear becoming pliant with a pillion on board. This is due to the stiff nature of the spring. With roughly 150KG(75 rider and 75 pillion) on board the spring reaches its effective travel range. I think the 143mm travel is absolutely fine even for the baddest of roads(unless you plan on doing jumps). Doesn't mean I'm not satisfied with the suspension, it does it's job fairly well. It's just that if the spring rate were a little bit friendlier, this might've been a 10/10 machine for me.

[TSI_FTW]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=h5MgDcq-QYI?feature=share

MotorInc recommends TeamBhp for information!

[thunderlads]

Hello Everyone. First of all, I am grateful to Team-BHP, "A STROM is brewing" and the current thread for helping me choose my second bike. I brought home the baby V-Strom last December and since then, I have been hooked on to these threads.

Like many have shared, my two wheeler buying experience is very similar. Trying to upgrade from a 110cc basic commuter to considerably bigger engine, I shortlisted and test rode many of them. Entered the Suzuki showroom to check the Gixxer 250 and ended up buying the SX. I will share my buying and deciding experiences later. With all the pros and cons discussed here with respect to the SX, I have started loving this machine over time. "Is Suzuki V-Strom SX India's best 250cc adventure tourer?" by Shumi very much summarizes my affair with this bike.

A quick note on the things discussed here.

The SM managed to get me the yellow jacket within a month of vehicle delivery.
I wear a L everyday and the jacket which fits me is XXL.

One of my friends enquired the bike near E-City yesterday. No yellow ones are available. Black and orange will take a month's time. No exchange bonus or zero rupee first service. Jacket and insurance offers remain.

I am happy to share any information with respect to the bike, dealer and service center I visited in Bangalore.

[GeeTee TSI]

Originally Posted by mukeshsaravan

I absolutely recommend you to set the preload to the softest setting.

Is the preload adjustment possible while on the side stand as a DIY? Or does it need to be done at the service center? I would prefer to try out each setting against a trial ride

I can see the manual mentions about a specific tool for the same - does any C spanner off Amazon get the job done?

[mukeshsaravan]

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

Is the preload adjustment possible while on the side stand as a DIY? Or does it need to be done at the service center? I would prefer to try out each setting against a trial ride

I can see the manual mentions about a specific tool for the same - does any C spanner off Amazon get the job done?
Attachment 2442662

You can buy a C spanner from amazon and do it yourslef. But I'd recommend going to the service centre and getting your preload adjusted there. As mentioned in my previous post, even on the softest setting you are unlikely to bottom out. Unless you are planning to carry very heavy loads where you may have to adjust the preload back and forth, I'd advise you not to spend 3-4k on a C spanner and do this one time adjustment in a service centre

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by GeeTee TSI

Is the preload adjustment possible while on the side stand as a DIY? Or does it need to be done at the service center? I would prefer to try out each setting against a trial ride

I can see the manual mentions about a specific tool for the same - does any C spanner off Amazon get the job done?

The C-Spanner in question isn't provided in the toolkit from Suzuki, and it can be adjusted with the bike on its side stand. Having the C-Spanner, can help adjust it yourself once depending on your requirement. Secondly, don't opt for cheap C spanners, they do more worse than good, as they slip the notches on the shock absorber adjuster ring.

I think Amazon has one, you can find a good C-wrench with flexible head with thick pivot point so that it doesn't slip. Trust me, when it slips, and your fingers getting crushed. I slipped doing the same using a cheap C spanner and the resulting slip got my pinky blood clotted for days. You live and learn.

Just a heads up on using cheap C-Spanner. First try with the SVC, get hold of how it's done. The good aspect of the Strom is the rear end is friendly and accessible for cleaning, adjusting and what not, so thumbs up to Suzuki on that.

Good luck.

Cheers!
VJ