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-   -   Suzuki V-Strom 650XT - Adventure bike done just right. EDIT: Akrapovic exhaust installed (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/superbikes-imports/211458-suzuki-v-strom-650xt-adventure-bike-done-just-right-edit-akrapovic-exhaust-installed.html)

The Suzuki V-Strom XT is on sale for Rs. 7.51 lakhs (ex-Pune).

What you'll like

• Lovely pared-down, purposeful look
• Tubeless spoked wheels with a 19" front and a 17" rear setup
• Extremely capable on-road and off-road and will take you anywhere
• An extremely refined and tractable 650cc, liquid cooled DOHC v-twin engine
• Smooth 6 speed gearbox with overall gear ratios done just right
• Two mode traction control (rain, road) that can be switched off
• Fantastic heat management in traffic
• Brilliant weight distribution, great agility and overall stability. Perfect ADV for shorter riders
• A 20 liter fuel tank and a touring mileage of 25kmpl which results in a range north of 450kms
• Everything feels built to last

What you won't

• OEM Handguards and engine cover is cosmetic only. You will have to spend additional money for proper protection
• Center stand which is essential for bike maintenance is not standard and is a paid accessory
• Power is very functional, linear and predictable and lacks the explosiveness which you might desire in a big bike
• The meter up front is quite bland. A nice TFT screen would have been a lovely addition
• Front shocks are non-adjustable. Rear monoshock is preload adjustable only
• ABS though unobtrusive is non-switchable
• Occasional missed upshifts observed in the gearbox especially between gears 3 and 4 during hard acceleration
• Front windscreen needs more adjustability and can only be adjusted using allen keys. Creates buffeting around the helmet at higher speeds
• The plastic shroud around the tank and below the seat could have been replaced with better quality plastics
• The cockpit and the rider's triangle is just right for my size (5' 7" with a 30" inseam) but can be cramped for taller riders. Especially stand-up riding

This review was jointly compiled with sukiwa. It's his fantastic photography that makes this post worthwhile.

Review Index

Riding History and buying decision

Exteriors

Console and Lighting

The Ride

Crash Protection and Closing Thoughts

Riding History and Purchase Process



That's me, circa 2004 on a ride to Hampi trying to find the right route on a road atlas. Note the extreme use of safety gear. Baggy jeans, leather boots and a thin summer jacket :D

My touring experience began with the only real option at that time. The venerable Bullet. The choice was between the 350 and the 500 so I got myself an Athena Gray 500 in 2003 and clocked over 120,000 kms on it, touring pretty much everywhere. While the motorcycle never had an issue on tour, which I would put down to preventive maintenance before rides, it did have its fair share of issues that REs of that vintage were renowned for

• Block re-sleeved twice. Piston and valves changed twice
• Connecting rod bearings replaced twice.
• Entire wiring harness replaced twice.
• Lost track of the number of clutch replacements over time.
• Electrical gremlins like blown fuses and shorted spark plugs.
• 3000 km service intervals that just kept getting more expensive. Superbike level cost of maintenance.

I'd like to joke towards the end that the only thing left to be replaced was the two little pilot lamps. I loved the bike but it had to go. I wanted to ride and not spend time in 'bullet specialist" workshops drinking copious amounts of sweet chai. So off it went to a very good friend of mine in Mumbai who still rides it daily to work. I occasionally get to ride the bike when I'm in town. And I picked up a used Triumph Bonneville A3 in 2016.



The most logical choice for an upgrade for an ex-Bulleteer. I kept the Bonnie for 3 years and put 30,000kms on it. The upgrade, at the time, felt sensational.The bike was a daily rider doing both touring and commute duties. Over time it was apparent that the bike had a few shortcomings, especially on tours.

• A pretty basic suspension with limited clearance and travel. Uncomfortable over bad roads which is the norm here in Maharashtra.
• No ABS.
• Limited tank range. No range indicator.
• No 6th gear for relaxed highway cruising.
• Cramped ergonomics. Wanted better seating and stand up riding ergos.
• No windshield so additional fatigue over long distances.
• Weak alloy wheels. Pretty much every Bonnie A3 owner I know has suffered from bent alloys. I bent my rear alloys once.

If I now take a step back, buying a used Bonnie really helped. I could get the big-bike experience, understand what I really wanted and then upgrade with very little loss. So off went the Bonnie to a friend and the hunt for a new touring bike began. The BMWs were too expensive. I looked ridiculous on an Africa Twin plus I didn't want a DCT. So it came down to the Versys, the V-Strom and the Tiger.

The Versys 650 is a terrific choice and should be considered by everyone. I checked the bike out, took a test drive and I wasn't convinced.

• I did not like the front headlamps and I did not like the sticker job of the 2019 Versys.
• The 17" front wheels make the bike look under-tyred and top heavy. I did not like the idea of alloy wheels on an ADV bike.
• The bike felt top heavy for a guy of my size

The bike is road biased. I wanted something that was better off-road and retained excellent road manners.

The Tiger XCX was the bike I always wanted. A friend of mine was gracious enough to lend me his Tiger XCX for a month. It was clear by the end of it that the Tiger was not the bike for me. Here's why.

• Weight distribution which is the Tiger's archilles heel. The bike is top heavy and I kept fighting the bike all the time.
• The 21" front wheel is vague when you corner especially since I was used to the (relatively) sharp cornering ability of the Bonnie. I honestly felt that the XCX would be better off with a 19" front wheel.
• Tubed wheels. I had a puncture once. Fixing it felt like a step back for me.
• My mom, who is remarkably sanguine about most things, commented that I looked visibly uncomfortable riding the XCX. Always good to get a neutral opinion.

Then came the V-Strom 650. The Pune dealer was nice enough to get a bike along for a weekend ride and I got to test it in all kinds of conditions. I knew pretty much 10 minutes into the ride that this was the bike for me.

The V-Strom felt like the better pick going head-to-head with the Versys. The Versys is probably a shade more exciting on the highway. The V-Strom is fantastic on twisties and technical trails with that sweet v-twin giving me some lovely grunt low down. It looked more purposeful, had tubeless spoked wheels and traction control. All this for not much more money.

The Tiger is the better overall bike. However I realised that I was more comfortable 10 minutes into a test ride of the V-Strom than I was on the Tiger that I rode for a month. I would have got the big cat if I was taller and stronger. The V-Strom would give me 80% of the Tiger's ability at 50% of the Tiger's cost. So it's the Suzuki for me.





Here's me on delivery day, the grin saying it all :D



And let's take a look at the technical specifications from the official Suzuki India website.

Exteriors


The V-Strom is a substantial bike to look at. When parked, it holds its own against most adventure bikes and at times appears bigger. It actually has a longer wheelbase than the Tiger. Suzuki comprehensively changed the look of the bike in 2017 which was sorely needed. The older model was a bit of an ugly duckling. The new model with its vertically stacked headlights and its beak looks sharp and purposeful. The bike is offered in Black/Yellow and White/Blue. The 2019 model in white went from having black spoked wheels to blue wheels. That just completed the look and made the bike look terrific.

The bike looks formidable from the front. The headlight cluster and the beak align nicely into an integrated whole. I like the blue highlights on the beak. The front headlights and the indicators are conventional. It would have added to the sharper look to have compact turn indicators. I love the minimalistic sticker job. Just a couple of swoops and a subtle sticker on the beak.

Lovely purposeful stance.


It's a pretty big and beefy looking bike


And in its elements.




There is no getting away from the fact that the engine is very busy and ugly with hoses running everywhere. Removing the plastic engine cover and replacing it with a bash plate made things worse and exposed all the gnarly details of the engine.



Just look at all those hoses.


The engine is a 90 degree v-twin, the appearance of which took some time to get used to, given that I was used to the cleaner look of the Bonneville's parallel twin. You can see one cylinder head sticking out behind the crash bar. The other one is positioned around the section where the tank and the seat meet. This can get warm in heavy traffic but the heat management is excellent.


The exposed oil filter is strangely positioned which makes the bash plate extremely important. I have the SW Motech bash plate which is excellent but has resulted in a slight drop in ground clearance. Again, this is not an issue as the bike will clear most obstacles with ease. The bash plate has to be removed for an oil change.



The bash plate is an absolute necessity


The bike has a twin spar aluminum frame but there is an ugly, exposed L-shaped weld. Three months into my ownership and I still frown at that weld. There is a small weld just below the tank cowl but that is more unobtrusive.

The weld from hell.


The rear is quite minimalistic and unfussy. The tail swoops right up and the bike has a nice clean look.




The taillights are LED and have a nice pattern to them. They are very bright so you will be spotted on the highways. There is a square reflector below the light and conventional turn indicators. Again, I would have liked to have sharper LED turn indicators from the factory.

With the light on.


With the brake pressed.


There are two side reflectors mounted behind the rear number plate.


The plastic rack at the rear end feels very sturdy and well built and looks terrific. It has a load carrying capacity of 10kgs. I wouldn't put a rear luggage plate unless I really need a top box.


And now onto the star of the show and usually available in more expensive motorcycles. Gorgeous blue tubeless spoked wheels. The front is 110/80/19 and the rear is 150/70/17. The wheels come factory fitted with Bridgestone Battlax Adventure tyres which are phenomenal road biased tyres. The valves are straight and not angled.



Draws oohs and aahs from the discerning crowd.


Note how the spokes are installed on a flange which allows tubeless tyres.

Console and Lighting

Going by the overall theme of the motorcycle, the console is more functional than special. There is a lot of information available but the look is old-school. There is a lot of plastic area around the console which looks ordinary. It would have been lovely to have a TFT screen. There is absolutely no visibility issue when riding in the day or the night.

No-fuss console.


The analogue tachometer has the usual warning lights for various things. The traction control light blinks when the TC engages.


The digital display at the top shows the speed and the gear positions. The one below shows the odometer, traction control settings (1 for road and 2 for rain). Fuel level, temperature of the engine and the ambient temperature. Toggling the display shows the battery voltage, instantaneous and average fuel consumption and range. The bike has two trip meters. There is a select button for selecting TC and a control button for various settings. You can change the traction control settings on the fly but you can only switch it off when stopped. The fuel symbol blinks when the fuel levels are very low. The TC is extremely unobtrusive and occasionally kicks in on hard acceleration. I have ridden with TC at 1 on gravelly trails with no real issue. TC at 2 is very reassuring in the rain. Again it is very subtle but you can feel it kick in occasionally.



The other controls are very straightforward. The only unintuitive thing is the high beam for which you have to flick the pass lever out. It took me a while to figure that out.

On the right you have the kill switch, the light switch and the starter.


On the left you have more controls. Click the select button and hit the mode button to select TC. TC can be switched off only at standstill. Hit the mode button to cycle through various options. Press and hold to reset things. It's super easy.


The bike comes with an immobiliser. There is a tiny immobiliser light next to the ignition which blinks a few times when the bike is unlocked. It's pretty easy to lock and unlock the bike but you must be careful about a key position beyond lock which locks the bike but keeps the light on. I got caught out a couple of times by that.



The bike has a 12v charging socket which is necessary.


The headlights are vertically stacked and conventional but pretty good. The lights have good quality performance and throw. I also don't like blinding oncoming traffic with super bright aux lights. So things will stay stock for now until I really feel the need for an upgrade.

The Ride

The ride is quite sublime. Thumb the starter and the bike fires up. Suzuki says that it has an easy start system that does not require you to pull in the clutch (in neutral) and you just need to press the starter and not hold it for the bike to start up. In the three months of ownership, the bike has fired up immediately every time. The engine settles into an idle at 1400 rpm or so.

The Engine and the gearbox
I really like the way the two are mated. The first two gears are short and great for crawling around in heavy traffic. The bike will run at 12kmph in first and at 17kmph in the second without pulling in the clutch. You get a healthy amount of torque low down so you can launch the bike extremely well. Gears two and three are awesome off road on tight, technical trails as there is ample amount of torque coupled with strong engine braking. The bike comes with an anti-stall feature which sometimes gives you the impression that the bike is running away in the first gear and takes a little bit of time to get used to.

Third and fourth gear are great in reasonably smooth city traffic with enough engine braking available to get the bike under control. Fifth is a bit of a transition gear. Sixth will have you cruising effortlessly on the highway. The bike has enough grunt for you to use the higher gears in slower traffic.

The engine is just so refined. It delivers torque at the right places and is absolutely sublime at higher speeds. Buzz and vibes are only felt at the higher RPM ranges. The engine sounds nice and throaty throughout and I like the subtle sound of the OEM exhaust. I have no plans to upgrade.

The V-Strom and the Tiger are very different when it comes to engine feel. The V feels torquier low down and requires less shifts on tight technical trails and has much better engine braking. You shift less and ride more effortlessly off-road or at slower speeds on tarmac. The Tiger comes into its own as the speeds pick up and is brilliant at higher speeds.



Lovely relaxed ride. You can tour all day with no fatigue



Balance and Ergonomics
Just perfect for an average sized rider like me. The seat height is 835mm and I have a 30" inseam. This means a tip-toe situation for me with both feet down. I can put one foot down flat by sliding off slightly to one side. I need to dismount and move the bike around in most situations at standstill. The low center of mass makes the bike feel extremely light and flickable so the height stops being a factor once you are used to it. This was the single biggest observation of every ADV rider who tried the bike out. This is a huge advantage on trails and twisties where things just feel effortless and in control.

Suzuki offers a low seat as a paid accessory which drops the seat height by 20mm. The low seat is scooped out slightly more and makes a difference if you are not that confident about the height. I have chosen to keep the regular seat for now.

Here is the foot position with the regular seat. To the left, I have both feet down. To the right I have one foot down.



And the low seat on a friend's bike. It might not seem like a big difference in the photo, but is more comfortable and worth the upgrade for shorter riders.



The bike also has a long wheelbase and is extremely stable in every situation and all weather conditions. On roads, on trails. When the sun shines and when it pours down. The handling is direct and predictable. The suspension will limit you at some point but not the chassis.

The seating is upright with a slight forward lean for me. The legs are tucked in with a very slightly rearset footpeg position. The tank has a curve which allows me to tuck in my knees and grip the tank. The stand up riding ergonomics are spot on for me. I can stand up in a slightly crouched position and ride quite effortlessly. A bigger rider will find the cockpit cramped. You will have to add risers and you will have to add adjustable footpegs to get the right position for you.



The only quibble would be that I'm not able to effortlessly shift gears standing up. 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.



The rear view mirrors are huge and show you everything. Sukiwa was reminded of car side mirrors when he sat on the bike.


The biggest letdown in the ergonomics has to be the windshield. It creates a lot of turbulence at higher speeds around the helmet area regardless of position. Adjusting the thing requires allen keys and some fiddling. I intend to either chop it down into a small fairing or add an extender to see if that fixes the problem. Either way, Suzuki needs to take a look at this.




The Brakes and the Clutch

The bike comes with 310mm twin discs at the front with two twin piston Tokico callipers and a single 260mm disc at the rear with a single piston calliper. The bike comes with ABS. Breaking can be overall termed as efficient without being spectacular. The brake lever is adjustable, the clutch lever is not. Two fingers are sufficient to pull in both levers in most situations. There is nice progression and there is enough feedback. There is a little bit of a dive on the front under hard braking but nothing that alarms you too much.

Adjustable brake lever


Non-adjustable clutch lever.


Cables are beautifully routed. No concerns of pinching.


Adequate front brake.


The rear brake lever has weird ergonomics and needs me to pigeon-toe to apply the rear brakes. I suspect this was by design to prevent you from accidentally riding the rear brakes. The rear brakes, as is the case with many bikes, is wooden. The bike is extremely predictable when you brake hard so you can really push the bike. The ABS is very subtle. Just be aware that this does not have sportsbike level braking performance and adjust accordingly.



There is a grip where you can tuck in your boot to prevent scuffing. Nice touch.


The Suspension
Pretty conventional setup here. The front is a standard telescopic suspension. The rear is a monoshock with preload adjustment. I do adjust the preload to make the bike stiffer when I ride two up. It's pretty easy to do using the knob which makes a clicking sound when you rotate it. I've kept it mid-way when riding solo and stiffen it when riding two-up.

The suspension is quite comfortable for me but most suspensions feel okay for me since I was using a Bonnie. I like the slight stiffness on tarmac which helps cornering. The damping is just right. I like the feel and feedback of the suspension on trails and bad roads. I ride the bike with a lot of care when the roads get gnarly so I wouldn't know how much of bashing it will take but it feels extremely durable. The Tiger's WP suspension felt better overall. I couldn't tell the difference between the suspensions of the Versys and the V-Strom.

Rear preload adjustment. Also note the mounts for the footpegs that can be replaced if they get damaged in a crash.


Rear monoshock.


Off-road
The low center of mass and the low gear performance of the bike makes it very easy to ride off-road. The suspension is not as good as the WP on the Tiger. The ground clearance is not as much as the Africa Twin. However with the right set of tyres and with the right ergonomic setup that suits you, you will go wherever an off-road focused ADV bike will. The bike feels solid, it will take a reasonable amount of abuse and it will shine off-road as long as you ride it with a steady hand.

Sure you might struggle in extreme off-road scenarios but that's where you wished you had a Himalayan or an XPulse 200. Not a big, heavy adventure bike.





Low CG and torque makes the bike effortless off-road. Just needs the right tyres.



Heat Management
This is where the V-Strom absolutely shines. I have driven through traffic jams and the bike heats up a lot less than the Bonnie and a whole lot less than the Tiger. The only part that gets warm is the section below your upper thigh where the cylinder head of the v-twin is. Again, this is very manageable. I'm using the bike to commute to work every day and I'm not bothered by the occasional traffic jam that I would have to face. On highway speeds you will notice nothing. I have noticed the radiator fan kick in occasionally.

Here's the temp gauge at 3 bars after a commute through traffic when the afternoon temperature was 42 degrees. Not too many big bikes have this kind of heat management.

Crash protection and closing thoughts

I highly recommend getting all the protection added right away as you will drop the bike early in your ownership . The dealer gave me an engine guard as a part of the deal and it didn't have any manufacturer marking so I'm not sure what brand it is. It feels extremely solid and protects the bike well. I had one fall and the guard took the hit well.



The bash plate is an SW Motech which is extremely well built. I've scraped it on rocks a few times and it does the job. It slightly lowers the ground clearance but is an absolute must due to the exposed oil filter.


And a mesh guard which protects the radiator.


The existing wind deflectors offer no protection so I got the Barkbuster VPS handguards fitted for added protection. The black on black colour looks subtle as I didn't like the loud BB labels. A couple of my friends got the Barkbuster Storm handguards but I personally preferred the look of the VPS.



The bike is almost complete. I just need a set of panniers for my soft luggage and I think I'm all set for the next decade. I absolutely love this motorcycle. It's just right for the kind of riding I do. I can ride it to work. And I can ride it pretty much anywhere without a concern. And I know it will be rock solid. The V-Strom is an Adventure Tourer done just right.

Bill Bryson once said:


“Traveling is more fun — hell, life is more fun — if you can treat it as a series of impulses.”




So go ahead. Buy that motorcycle you've always wanted :D

Great choice Ranjit and many congrats. VStrom is a highly capable bike - Hopefully you enjoy many a miles on it !

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

Congratulations on the purchase of a wonderful machine. Wishing you a happy ownership experience. Thanks for the detailed write up & quality photos. Do touch upon the dealer experience & after sales (service experience & cost) as you progress please.

Lovely choice. That is a very good looking bike. Wish you lots and lots of happy miles.

You just made the buying decision easy for me. Thanks much for the wonderful review!!

Best Regards,

Great review! You have covered the bike in good details. Also, your smile is hearty and contagious, seems the bike has really suited your riding style :)

Congratulations! Always happy to see a biker get his ride.
This is such a competent little machine. It will do what you ask it to do and beyond.
Have fun with it.

A big bike purchase done right! I really enjoyed reading the whole detailed experience described so far and wish you many years of happy riding on the V Strom. I look forward to frequent updates on this thread.

I never realized how much of a difference these angled valves make until I actually purchased a motorcycle with wheels that had angled valves. I really cant understand why all big bike manufacturers, or for that matter all manufacturers, dont sell us motorcycles with these angled valves!