[mh09ad5578]

Lovely review and great photography too! Wishing you lovely miles on the V. Keep sharing your travels on it. Subscribed!

[katoom]

Excellent review, precisely conveyed a tourer's POV and lesser yet significant things which usually no one bothers to share.

One question - did you hear if Suzuki planning any adv riding training in India anytime?

This bike would be the I would get sometime in the future and I can't see any replacement needed for a decade after that!!

Hearty congratulations to you and wish you loads of fun on and off the road

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by ranjitnair77

The footpegs are narrow and non-serrated so it can get slippery in slush and when it gets wet. Upgrading to a wider set of serrated footpegs is mandatory in my opinion.

Attachment 1903272

Regarding the serrated bit, at least in the tiger the rubber bit on top can be removed. Should be the same with the vstrom please check.

Loved your review btw. Really helpful for prospective buyers. I personally think the v strom makes a very compelling case for itself and in the sub 10 lakh segment is THE adventure bike to buy. Safe riding and enjoy the new bike.

[ranjitnair77]

Thanks all for the comments.

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

PS: that V-twin motor is dying for a proper exhaust :-)

I think I will swap out the exhaust when I start yearning for a change. Right now I'm enjoying the subtle OEM exhaust. The only issue is that I think it looks a tad too big.

Originally Posted by shaikhmimran

Do touch upon the dealer experience & after sales (service experience & cost) as you progress please.

The dealer experience was pretty efficient. I paid a booking amount and the balance after the bike got unboxed and I inspected it. The SA was in touch with me throughout and he did a terrific job of keeping me informed of everything.

I did the first service which was pretty fuss free. I bought my oil along (Amsoil 10w40 synthetic metric) and they just changed the oil, changed the filter and cleaned the brake pads, lubed the chain and checked some bolts. I was present throughout.

The Suzuki Pune dealership and the workshop isn't fancy looking like the Triumph, Ducati, Kawasaki or Harley showrooms. The guys who run the place do a solid job.

Originally Posted by katoom

One question - did you hear if Suzuki planning any adv riding training in India anytime?

Not yet. There have been a couple of smallish breakfast rides that they have planned and that's about it.

Originally Posted by Axe77

Regarding the serrated bit, at least in the tiger the rubber bit on top can be removed. Should be the same with the vstrom please check.

I personally think the v strom makes a very compelling case for itself and in the sub 10 lakh segment is THE adventure bike to buy. Safe riding and enjoy the new bike.

The rubber in the footpegs is non-removable. A couple of my friends have upgraded to the SW-Motech footpegs which seem to work well.

I think this bike can be a bit of a giant killer and can potentially see customers like me who were looking at bigger ADVs. A lot of the current ADVs are just too big for smaller guys. The V-Strom looks big but is surprisingly nimble. A friend of mine who is 5"4 rides the bike comfortably.

I agree that it is the bike to buy if you have 10 lakhs to spend.

[GoBlue]

Congratulations Ranjit, for having gifted yourself a fantastic motorcycle!

The bike looks amazing in white/blue! The other colour, the yellow, looks delicious too. Would like to hear more about how you chose between the two.

From the pictures in the review it is clear that you have the skill required to take the bike off-road and enjoy that experience. Kudos for that!

Reading about your experience with the windscreen was surprising as most of the stock OEM screens are wind-tunnel tested during design. This is especially true for ADV bikes as weather protection is an important feature of the product (unlike the namesake screens which naked bikes have). Have you tried riding with a helmet which is designed to deflect the buffeting effect caused by a windscreen?

Wishing you all the best and hoping to read about your touring/traveling experience on this thread.

[handsofsteel]

You got the nail on the head with this review. I have been on the fence for far too long between a second car (seltos?) or an adv. Am truly caught between the tiger, versys and the vstrom. Though I have driven the tiger xrx, and seen the versys in flesh (the showroom didn't even deign to offer a test ride), I still haven't seen the v strom in flesh. Every single online video says the v strom is the pick of the lot.
Today I got the news of the mini dealer giving 60k off on the v strom. This brings it squarely head on with the versys.
Could you share any dealer discounts that one can expect?

[satishv1987]

Congratulations on the new ride. She looks absolutely gorgeous!

On Indian roads, the V-Strom is outnumbered by the Versys. However in western Europe ,I saw many more V-Stroms on the road compared to the Versys. I really cant think of a reason why the Suzuki's sales are low here. Maybe the marketing is not good enough?

[ranjitnair77]

Originally Posted by GoBlue

The bike looks amazing in white/blue! The other colour, the yellow, looks delicious too. Would like to hear more about how you chose between the two.

Reading about your experience with the windscreen was surprising as most of the stock OEM screens are wind-tunnel tested during design. Have you tried riding with a helmet which is designed to deflect the buffeting effect caused by a windscreen?

Thanks GoBlue. It was the blue wheels that sealed the deal for me.

Great point on trying a different helmet. I hadn't thought of that so I'll try out a few. Interestingly the buffeting starts at around 80 and then dissipates at higher speeds.

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

Am truly caught between the tiger, versys and the vstrom. Though I have driven the tiger xrx, and seen the versys in flesh (the showroom didn't even deign to offer a test ride), I still haven't seen the v strom in flesh. Every single online video says the v strom is the pick of the lot.
Today I got the news of the mini dealer giving 60k off on the v strom. This brings it squarely head on with the versys.
Could you share any dealer discounts that one can expect?

Currently, in my opinion, the V-Strom is better than the Versys. So the choice between the two is clear. The Tiger XRX is more exciting to ride and is loaded with tech. The V-Strom is easier to manage and will be marginally better off-road. So the pick between those two is very subjective.

I would recommend a long test drive of the V-Strom before you decide. 60k discount sounds like an excellent deal. I got no discounts but the dealer threw in crash guards as a part of the deal.

[Fortunerider]

Fantastic write-up Ranjit. I loved the way you brought out the pros and cons of the bike. The way you appreciate the bike comes out in a subtle way. Congrats and Happy Miles.

[ethanhunt123]

Originally Posted by satishv1987

On Indian roads, the V-Strom is outnumbered by the Versys.

This is only because V-Strom launched last year while Versys has been around. I am hearing/seeing more V_Strom purchases than Versys since the launch - its definitely a more all round capable bike.

[amods]

Great review and lovely machine. Thanks for sharing.

Just a question - what was the OTR price you paid, and since you would have done hell lot of research already, could you please help us with the OTR price for Versys as well? Thanks in advance.

[Kuldeep31]

Congrats Ranjit. An excellent and succinct account of a versatile machine that will definitely help prospective buyers. Also refreshing not to see the ubiquitous Saree guard . I thought it was a mandatory accessory stipulated by the RTO. Wishing you tons of fun with the V-Strom.
Regards

Originally Posted by satishv1987

On Indian roads, the V-Strom is outnumbered by the Versys. However in western Europe ,I saw many more V-Stroms on the road compared to the Versys. I really cant think of a reason why the Suzuki's sales are low here. Maybe the marketing is not good enough?

Definitely it is the marketing although things are looking better now.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by ranjitnair77

I think this bike can be a bit of a giant killer and can potentially see customers like me who were looking at bigger ADVs. A lot of the current ADVs are just too big for smaller guys. The V-Strom looks big but is surprisingly nimble. A friend of mine who is 5"4 rides the bike comfortably.

I think with Adventure bikes its all about getting used to the size. I don't think the V Strom seat height is lower than the Tiger. Its probably the same height but the lower weight and narrower seat contour definitely make it feel very very easy to ride compared to the Tiger. I would know every little minute difference given I stand a shade under 5' 4".

Initially I did feel a bit intimidated by the top heaviness of the Tiger but now I'm really used to it in bone stock form - no lowered seat / suspension. Of course one does need to be careful when the terrain gets tricky to ensure you can get one foot cleanly down.

[ranjitnair77]

Originally Posted by Kuldeep31

Also refreshing not to see the ubiquitous Saree guard . I thought it was a mandatory accessory stipulated by the RTO.

Yes it is mandated and was installed before registration and then thrown into the scrap heap immediately

Originally Posted by Axe77

I think with Adventure bikes its all about getting used to the size. I don't think the V Strom seat height is lower than the Tiger. Its probably the same height but the lower weight and narrower seat contour definitely make it feel very very easy to ride compared to the Tiger. I would know every little minute difference given I stand a shade under 5' 4".

Initially I did feel a bit intimidated by the top heaviness of the Tiger but now I'm really used to it in bone stock form - no lowered seat / suspension. Of course one does need to be careful when the terrain gets tricky to ensure you can get one foot cleanly down.

I completely agree about getting used to the height Axe77. The Tiger XRX has a seat height of 820mm. The XCX is 840. The V-Strom is 835. All stock seats. I can pretty much flatfoot the XRX.

The V-Strom is roughly 220kgs wet (I think). The Tiger XRX and XCX are 201 kg and 204 kgs (dry). Add another 23kgs for petrol and oil and they are roughly around the 225-230kg mark. So all around the same ballpark with the V-Strom a few kgs lighter.

The biggest factor is the way the engine cylinder heads are positioned. The Tiger's cylinders are positioned way up there, right under the tank which makes it top heavy and gives the feeling of the bike tipping over at standstill or slow speeds and off-road situations, especially for shorter riders. The V-Strom's cylinder heads are positioned significantly lower in comparison which lowers the center of mass and makes it feel so much lighter.

[neil.jericho]

Ranjit, out of curiosity, was there any reason as to why you didnt consider the Multistrada 950 / 1200 / 1260? I hear it can take you to the moon and back without worry. Well, you might have to worry about the desmo service that might make you bankrupt but other than that it seems to be a fantastic GS / Tiger challenger.