2014+ DL1000 Vstrom

Bingo. What do most riders actually do? Suzuki built a bike for that. I'd say the new water cooled GS and the KTM adventure (19") are also aiming squarely at that market. They put the beak on to hype the ADV thing, fine, it'll sell some bikes.

One of the thoughts that rattled around the empty space between my ears as i test rode the new GSA LC was "No way is this 8 grand better than the Veek".

It's good that the stock fuel map works well, but a good tuner with the means to adjust the fuel map and no emission restrictions, could improve the performance but you might lose fuel economy and have a louder bike to get it. It seems the engine is in a mild state of tune, given that older TL1000 and SV1000's made more power. Just a matter of what your use of the bike is, if you need more power, I'm sure it could be had for a price. If the FI system was closed loop, would you even need the O2 sensor, most sport bike tuners eliminate it when tuning, it probably is open at lower revs and closed at high rpm levels.

I agree with the last few posts above me. This bike makes absolute logical sense! And it is brilliant at what it is aimed at, with the added benefit of probably being reliable like a suzuki swift and cheap in maintenance.

I just had a two hour test ride on one. Dealer had a demo model and let me just ride it (no nannies along for the ride :) )

I came back and I was scratching my brain for comments to report but I could not find any negatives. Ok, it is not the sort of bike that will blow you away like a multistrada would, or even a Tiger explorer, but the DL1000 has a lot going for it.

It is a little vibey at times (but only a little, it wasn't annoying or anything). It actually has a nice growl to it! The sound is throaty if you're pulling from 3-6k rpm (where you actually ride in every day riding). The gearbox was totally uneventful. Didn't miss a single shift, just smooth and perfect. The gear lever hardly needs a tick with the boot, I didn't even think about it anymore.

The bike as a whole is a little small for me (6'4"). I've been told by the dealer that there is a high seat (however it looks a bit enduro to me) and a highway screen. Maybe that will help.

It is probably quite economical. (not something I can check on a test ride) being a 1000cc motorcycle. But boy was it light footed. Very light handling and flickable if compared to the other big adventures. I think 1000cc makes perfect sense in this class, it splits the middle precisely between the 800cc class adv (F800GS) which might seem a little anaemic at times, and the 1200cc which are simply too big and heavy for the intended purpose. btw, the FUELLING IS PERFECT (seems like it shouldn't even be mentioned, given how trivial this should be, but so many other bikes are struggling in this regard, it is shocking)

However I think the DL1000 might get tiresome on long highway stretches compared to a slightly bigger 1200cc adv (again, 2 hours is not long enough to properly check this) Highway comfort might actually be more along the lines of the 800cc adventure bikes.

The kaki one I rode looks great, who would have thought kaki could be this nice looking on a motorcycle. Great find, suzuki!

Maybe a few negatives:
- the backside of the instrument cluster, the part you look at, looks very very cheap. A bit like an old homemade voltmeter from the 80s, or a toy of some kind. Just a big slab of cheap plastic with a gauge in it. That is a bit of a shame (but of course this is a functional bike, not a reason to buy or not buy it)
- The risers and triple clamp look a bit cheap compared to the competition. Triple clamp is ok, but the risers look flimsy as do the bars (looks like some bent bathroom plumbing). The risers look cheap with the little bolts. I'm sure that it does what it is supposed to, but that part of the bike is something you always look at. A little more effort would have been appreciated!

That's it.

Honestly, people who bought this might actually be the smartest motorcycle customers in this market, and have absolutely no reason to regret their purchase at all! Great value for money! If you think about the typical reliability of a suzuki, this bike will save you heaps of money in the long run. Even at initial purchase you could take the change and go on a nice vacation! Sadly as every suzuki it will depreciate pretty steeply but this is of course a bike you buy once, and ride the wheels off it, so it depreciates while you're having great fun with it.

There is a good deal in Europe right now where you get the hand guards, centre stand and some other goodies for free.

I agree it doesn't have the sex appeal or character a bmw or ktm has, but DL1000 customers know better and know exactly why they bought this. They'll be the ones laughing in the long run :)

I bet if you put the crash bars and metal bash plate on, and some on-/off tires, this motorcycle could easily hang with the big boys on the trails (maybe even better considering the weight gain) It is 40 kgs lighter than most adventures (even if the others are more powerful) That is huge!

Colour me impressed is all I can say.

I'm having a ride on a crosstourer next weekend and have a line on a good deal, second hand, really an offer I can almost not refuse on a one year old, low mileage bike. I know the crosstourer is a lot heavier and very different, but time will tell which one I prefer.

And as others have posted above me, suzuki has built a motorcycle for the riding people actually do in the real world. I'm sure most of the 'long way round beemers' and multistradas and the likes have never seen an inch of gravel in their life. So why built a motorcycle for it, making it more expensive in the process. This suzuki doesn't need excuses, it is just targeted squarely at where and how it will be used by most. And remember adventure is what you make of it. People have been going places with totally unlikely beasts, but they make it anyway. Places where your average GS buyer might sh*t their pants about dropping their heavy expensive machine.

EDIT:

indeed, no way that a GS is 8000 dollar better than the second gen v storm. It is almost insanely difficult to justify the difference, if you see just how competent this motorcycle is.

All in all, I think there is a certain charm in going for an appropriately sized motorcycle, fit for purpose (it is also more fun and less of a headache in ownership) GS's and the likes almost seem like the default, unimaginative choice. If you choose the V storm, you made a conscious decision and know very well why you are buying it.

You will find that a general tone in my posts on this forum, the past few weeks, has been that I am getting fed up with the fancy bikes. The euro adventures for example. Yes, they are more sexy, and more tempting and enticing, but in the end they are overpriced, way complicated, tech laden machines that will be in the shop at the slightest sign of trouble. Read the problem topics around here on the ktm and GS and multistrada, it will make you weep... And the worst part is, people seem to accept it as part of the ownership of a luxury/exclusive adventure bike, and excuse the manufacturer for under delivering on their motorcycles that people pay for with their hard earned euros/dollars...

I for one, get my pleasure from actually riding long long trips and many days of the year. If I had a bike in the shop for a few weeks for a stupid ECU transplant, I would be super depressed. I mean, 15000 euro is not pocket change for me (I pay for my motorcycles cash)

When does that valve open/close in the exhaust system? Could the actions there account for the torque curve changes as the system changes from resonant tuning to maximum flow?

..Tom

At 3200 miles now. Only flaw I find is shifting from 1st to 2nd is clunky for lack of a better word. I have never ridden a gen1 1000 so have no basis for comparison...keep that in mind with the following comments. also puts off more noticable heat above 85 degrees than my 650. My 06 vstrom 650 is rough like this between 1st and 2nd but only after a roadside repair of clutch rod pushseal at 80k miles. I did a poor repair job but it ain't totally broke so have never went back to fix properly. I don't think a new bike should be this clunky going into 2nd. The rest of gearing seems outstanding to me, smooth. The slipper?clutch is flawless works perfect downshifting. This is how I look at the gears..1st..low n torque will climb anything, 2nd..does what it's supposed to. 3rd..hooligan gear, does all you can ask and more. 4th...gentlemen's gear, will keep you out of trouble on brp or small country towns. But has muscle if you take off the suit and tie 5th.. hooligan gear for everything not covered by third. 6th.. overdrive, but will pass anything needed, perriod. Have never been close to redlining in any of them that am aware of. I feel I have pushed this bike to my limits while not coming close to what it is capable of. There is A LOT is this package...

Mine is a little rough shifting between first and second too; it's been like that since I bought it. My GSX 1250 is like that too, and has not changed in it's 22,000 miles. I thought that it may be a characteristic thing for Suzukis. Both bikes shift best with a quick pedal movement between gears. It does not seem to be changing any as I approach 3000 miles.

My former 2004 Vee had me trying different motor oils, the "Swiss spacer mod" and preloading the lever slightly for the 1st to 2nd upshift, but the only really substancial improvement, was fitting a Touratech shifter directly on the shift shaft and getting rid of the oem shifter's linkage setup.

996DL

I've had a few Suzy's and they all are a bit like that. What they don't want is a light delicate touch - give it a good stab!

I have the Touratech lever on my '08 and it is better than all that extra spag that comes from the factory.

Thanks for the advice. Is this the one of which y'all speak? http://www.touratech-usa.com/Store/2156/PN-041-0703/Folding-Shift-Lever-Suzuki-V-Strom-DL1000

Yep!

hey ya''ll

1200 kms so far, really smoothes out at about 5000 rpm

and is haulin'' a##e , i cant complain, can you ???

Do you guys see any problem with riding off pavement with this bike fully loaded for hours/days having cast wheels and not spoked?
I have never owned an adventure bike with cast wheels.

neither my k4 nor k5 wee is notchy 1-2 or any other selection.
now the DR... different animal! it trains the pilot how to shift it; otherwise, there will be punishment!

the veek is a conundrum... the local dealer has 2 of them now on the floor. I asked a couple days ago how sales are and he admitted they had not sold one yet. like most, they don't do joy rides. so they sit. Now, my wife knows virtually nothing about bikes except for the seat. the only bike she ever liked was my old 2000 shadow sabre with a comfy mustang cruzer seat, but she never can remember the bike itself ... refers to it as "the black one I LIKED". she took one look at the front of the Khaki Veek and pointed her finger at the protrusion and said "WHAT is THAT?!"

The beak does catch attention. A guy asked me yesterday how I liked my Beemer. As to sales of the bike, Suzuki should make the decision to put demo bikes at the dealerships and loosen the policy of allowing test rides. The coupon sent to dl 650 owners for $250 toward a trade in should include a free test ride. The bike is new, the looks are unusual. People are reticent to make the leap of laying down cash. But, this bike sells itself if ridden. It has far exceeded my expectations. I would not have one if I did not have a local dealer who encouraged me to ride it. I was pretty happy with my wee strom.

Read my comment above, the first one on this page. The dealer gave me the keys and told me to bring it back in two hours. No one along on the ride. And that is in Europe where test rides are very rare.

My impressions are in the same post

Actually one additional comment, this v-strom and the super tenere might be the only two bikes from the recent crop of adventurers that I would actually take from alaska to patagonia, without a doubt and hesitation. (just to give an example). An adventure is not limited to the bike, but what you can get out of the bike, cast wheels or not is really just insignificant. And for regular unpaved stuff of trails this bike should be more than fine.

Reliable, powerful for loading up with gear, lighter than 1200cc+ bikes, did I say reliable? Sprockets and chains cost you nothing, compared to a blown shaft drive... etc...

As the previous poster mentioned these are very reliable bikes. However...for 2 up riding with a heavy load on the way to Patagonia I would definitely ride a Super T. It's bigger, has a proven (in ADV ride reports) indestructible frame and not one ducumented stranding as a result of mechanical issues that I know of (this assuming it has a decent aftermarket bashplate). The spoked wheels are a bonus and will allow you to limp away if you hit something big enough to destroy a cast wheel.

The Super T is marginally more expensive but as a value proposition for this type of trip needs to be considered. Then again...the Suzuki is sportier and more "fun" to ride fast I suspect....Also...I believe the Yamaha dealer network is more extensive should you need a part in South America.

Comments from those cross shopping these (and other) bikes please.

Like ARiderX, I recently had the keys tossed to me, no questions asked, for the new Strom. It really is a great all-around bike. Plenty of riding impressions in this thread already, but if my experience could add anything, my write up is at: www.thehurricanedeck.com, third review down, under the "blog" menu.

I have no idea how that valve is programmed and that is where these things are getting to complex for me to just start experimenting blindly. I'd be guessing if I tried to answer that (hopefully an educated guess, but you already sound on the right track there). Rumors abound how much it is adjusting for performance, rideability or sound levels.

For that matter do we even know what the secondary throttle is doing? For certain the traction control uses it, but besides that is it essential for the smooth power delivery, or does it actually act like a governer, and if so how much and where? The old 1K I just removed them and everything was better, but I'm not about to do that as I don't want to lose my TC and possibly run worse. If these restrictions are present they will show up when the programming is looked at by somebody who understand such things, which is why I mentioned I'd be willing to wait for a map from ECU unleashed or similar who can remove undesirable aspects from the map. If this never becomes available I'd consider a powercommannder (or similar) if they come up with a correct map to optimize fueling, but that does nothing about possible restrictions.

All of this talk or optimizing performance I want to make one thing perfectly clear, I love this motor the way it runs right now, and if this is all that I'll ever get out of it I'd be perfectly happy. I'm just curious about the "free" power gains, the ones that in practice don't seem to have a down side, like so many modern bikes have. I'm not interested in building a hot rod out of this thing.

Excellent post, we look forward to seeing you on your new strom As you said on your follow up post the thing sells itself , IF you are more concerned about the ride you are on than the grin of "character" , which is o.k. to, just not what I want in this kind of bike.


I test rode a GS watercooler before I bought the strom and thought so much of it was overhyped. It was a great bike to ride though. The only thing that stands out that I liked better was the top end power, but even then I prefer the "characterless" feel of the strom over the boxer feel that so many are addicted to. The money difference I could possibly swallow, the fact it's a BMW I could not. If they were the same price I'd have to do some soul searching.

I've said this before, but I bet if you put the BMW roundel on the strom before we even saw the concept drawings and let some BMW guys test ride it, they would go on and on about superior "fit and finish" and how refined it is.

And I believe it is..... even with the Suzuki badge