Suzuki V Strom 650 Opinions

[xstian]

I'm looking for a new bike to do some touring on. I currently have a Aprilia Futura for this job, but I'm finding it a little uncomfortable and the bike has let me down in the past, so have lost a little trust in it. I have other bike that I use for local runs so only really want it for a few trips a year. Something I can service, wheel out, load with luggage and go. This year I ended up riding the Aprilia most of the summer just to build some confidence in its reliability and neglected the bikes I would rather be using. I started looking at Triumph Tiger 800 and BMW f800/f850, but the little V Strom is so much cheaper to buy and reliability looks great. I understand its a budget bike, but the reviews mostly seem to be good.

I'm I going to be disappointed in the smaller engine, especially coming from a bigger bike? I'm not a fast rider but I want the bike to be fun. The guys I ride with have bikes ranging from a old BMW GS to a KTM Super duke and I don't want to have to be pushing the bike hard all day just to keep up. I'm worried this is going to be a boring bike, that's too slow once its loaded with luggage.

I know they do a 1000 V Strom as well, but the price creeps up then and starts to make the Triumph and the BMW look more appealing.

[Bikerjon]

I've owned both. The Futura is a different animal to the V-strom, way faster, more exciting but I found the riding position too extreme so I didn't keep it long. The V-strom on the other hand was comfy, reliable, predictable and became my "do anything" bike for almost 10 years! I'm not sure if the 650 would have enough performance to keep me interested on really long journeys, but for anything else it's a decent machine.

[trickywoo]

I can't comment on the V Strom directly but I run the same engine in a SV.

Its a really nice engine. Good torque and goes well enough when you pin it. I don't ride on the M-Way a lot but when I do I find it absolutely fine. 6k rpm at 80mph and it still pulls harder than most cars at that speed. It will also do 70 mpg at that speed.

[black-k1]

xstian said:

I'm looking for a new bike to do some touring on. I currently have a Aprilia Futura for this job, but I'm finding it a little uncomfortable and the bike has let me down in the past, so have lost a little trust in it. I have other bike that I use for local runs so only really want it for a few trips a year. Something I can service, wheel out, load with luggage and go. This year I ended up riding the Aprilia most of the summer just to build some confidence in its reliability and neglected the bikes I would rather be using. I started looking at Triumph Tiger 800 and BMW f800/f850, but the little V Strom is so much cheaper to buy and reliability looks great. I understand its a budget bike, but the reviews mostly seem to be good.

I'm I going to be disappointed in the smaller engine, especially coming from a bigger bike? I'm not a fast rider but I want the bike to be fun. The guys I ride with have bikes ranging from a old BMW GS to a KTM Super duke and I don't want to have to be pushing the bike hard all day just to keep up. I'm worried this is going to be a boring bike, that's too slow once its loaded with luggage.

I know they do a 1000 V Strom as well, but the price creeps up then and starts to make the Triumph and the BMW look more appealing.

Whenever i've had lone bikes that are smaller than 1000cc I've been disappointed in them, and the further I've had to travel, the more frustrating they've become. I'd suggest moving from a 1000cc V-twin to a 650cc V-twin to tour in may well be a challenge and end up in frustration.

[KTMsm]

The V strom is capable but oh so dull - the facelift is better but still dull, the 1000 is faster, heavier and still dull

The Versys would be my choice for a budget bike in this category

Edited to add what's your budget ?

[xstian]

I did look at the Versey but the reviews I read seemed to indicate the later v strom are more torquey, although they do say the Versey has better suspension.

I don't really have a budget, the Triumphs I were looking at where between £7-8k the v strom is around £3-5k. The price is the biggest draw to be honest. I have other fun bikes that I would rather use, so having a cheap bike that just does touring a couple of times a year would be ideal, but I still want it to be fun and capable, even if it is a little blunt.

Although this is a step down in power compared to the Aprilia, my other bikes are mostly low powered bikes 50-60bhp, which a great fun but certainly not suitable for touring.

[KTMsm]

Then I would have a look at a Tiger 1050 - good ones from £4k ish

I've just taken a mint one in px

Tour very well and they can cover ground surprisingly quickly

[Biker9090]

Look at the Honda Crosstourer and Runner.

[snagzie]

Vstrom 1000 is just as reliable as the 650, but they are a bit boring.

Decat the 1000 though and it shifts. And 2017-2020 bikes (both XT and non-XT) have cornering ABS.

My 2017 I px'd in June for a GSXS1000 is (still) up for sale in Wigan Motorcycles currently. Decatted and PCFC.

https://www.wiganmotorcycles.com/used-motorcycle/s...

[xstian]

I have no doubt that the 1000 is a much better, more suitable bike, but the price of the 1000 is much closer to the triumph. Its the cost of the 650 which makes it so appealing.

[KTMsm]

xstian said:

I have no doubt that the 1000 is a much better, more suitable bike, but the price of the 1000 is much closer to the triumph. Its the cost of the 650 which makes it so appealing.

There is a reason it's cheap (well many)

If you want a dull but essentially competent commuter, it's fine, I sell a lot of them to people wanting transport or their first big bike

Test ride one, you'll know within 10 minutes

I have one here (too old / tatty for you) but it's sat here for a year as I can't muster the enthusiasm to clean / test ride it because they are just white goods

Edited to add: the BMW F650 / F800 aren't much better - great economy but dull, I'd rather pay for more fuel and ride the 1050 Tiger or even more fuel and ride the KTM 990

Edited by KTMsm on Wednesday 24th November 10:38

[xstian]

KTMsm said:

There is a reason it's cheap (well many)

If you want a dull but essentially competent commuter, it's fine, I sell a lot of them to people wanting transport or their first big bike

Test ride one, you'll know within 10 minutes

I have one here (too old / tatty for you) but it's sat here for a year as I can't muster the enthusiasm to clean / test ride it because they are just white goods

Edited to add: the BMW F650 / F800 aren't much better - great economy but dull, I'd rather pay for more fuel and ride the 1050 Tiger or even more fuel and ride the KTM 990

Edited by KTMsm on Wednesday 24th November 10:38

Cheers for that, I think that's made my mind up. I'll look elsewhere.

[KTMsm]

xstian said:

Cheers for that, I think that's made my mind up. I'll look elsewhere.

When I was looking for a big cheap fast adventure bike I was recommended the capponord I haven't got around to try one yet - might be worth a look

[Althebugman]

It depends what you want from the bike. I’ve ridden the versys and Er6 Kawasaki’s with the 650 motors and they’re adequate and good fun for what they are. They don’t feel slow but you can use all the power. If I wanted to do twos up touring I would go for something bigger like the 1000cc versys or vstrom. The problem for me is that the versys is 4 cyl and will need some revs compared to the twins