Test of two all-terrain motorcycles Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 1000 cc

The dual-purpose motorcycle Suzuki V Strom 1000 has been in production for more than a decade and a half, having undergone a number of significant modifications during this time, but without losing its popularity. It was loved by bikers for its equally good abilities both on and off the asphalt, and for its excellent suitability for long-distance motorcycle trips, including on low-quality roads. Powerful, reliable and unpretentious , this bike copes well with any tasks that the owner might like to assign to it.

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Suzuki DL-650 V-Strom: crossover, 2004–2011, 645 cm³, 66.6 hp, 217 kg, RUB 210,000–430,000.
Suzuki DL-650 V-Strom: crossover, 2004–2011, 645 cm³, 66.6 hp, 217 kg, RUB 210,000–430,000.

STORY. The “six hundred and fiftieth ström” had no direct ancestors. At the turn of the nineties and zeros, a new branch began to grow on the family tree of the motorcycle. These were crossovers, motorcycles, “tailored” for the not very fast, but comfortable movement of their riders along “good and different” roads. More and more “motorcyclist-long-distance drivers” moved from the category of travelers in the old and better sense of the word, into the category of tourists in the vegetable sense. They no longer needed long-travel suspensions, spoked wheels and huge gas tanks; autonomous driving on tundras and savannahs became the lot of a few, and manufacturers, instantly reacting to the trend, splashed out adequate offers on the market. The first “swallow” was, of course, the Honda Varadero, and three years later, having realized what was what, Suzuki showed the world its “SUV”: the DL1000 V-Strom. And this is where the story of our hero begins. Two years after the debut of the “liter”, a lighter and more versatile version of the ultimate “elephant” was released - the DL650 V-Strom.

UPGRADES TABLE

FOR WHAT? Having been born as a lighter alternative to the “liter”, the “650” turned out to be in many ways much more successful than its older brother. The small “Ström” is 16 kilograms lighter than the “older” one, and its power is almost a third less, but in terms of dynamics “up to hundreds” and maximum speed they are practically the same. The recipe turned out to be simple: An engine from the well-proven road builder SV650 was “stuck” into the “liter” frame, practically without the usual de-boosting for such a conversion (the engine lost only 3 hp). Hence the cocky and peppy character of the engine, a huge margin of safety of the chassis. Plus the relatively low seat height (820 mm), straight seat, wide “touring” saddle and low weight made the “650” even more popular than its “big brother”. Another undeniable advantage over the “liter” was more than modest fuel consumption. If the DL1000 with an appetite “drinks” 7–9 l/100 km, then the “small” one is content with 5.7–6.8 liters per “hundred”. With equal tank volumes (like the frame, the 22-liter tank of the “650” was borrowed from the “liter” without changes), the mileage of the “small” is an impressive 360–380 km. In a word, if the very fact of owning a “liter” is not paramount, then the DL650 will be a more reasonable choice for both “long-distance” and for everyday city trips.

Advantages and disadvantages

Suzuki V-Strom has enough positive and negative qualities. It was even nicknamed the “ poor man’s goose ,” hinting that it competes in the same class as the famous BMW R1200GS, inferior to it in almost all respects. But it costs much less, which is a decisive factor for many bikers.

Advantages

• Excellent low end traction . A slight turn of the throttle is enough, and the Suzuki V Strom 1000 quickly takes off, with a solid growl from the engine.
• Simple design . There is a minimum of any optional electronics in this model, and the chances of getting stuck in the middle of the steppe due to some failed tricky sensor tend to be minimal.
• Versatility . The bike feels confident in city traffic, it has enough power for any overtaking, and in terms of acceleration dynamics it is not much inferior to sportbikes. At the same time, it is great for long trips, especially if you equip it with panniers and other attachments.

Flaws

• Relatively fragile plastic . If dropped, it may break, especially if you drop the motorcycle not on soft ground, but on asphalt.
• Vibrations . They exist, there are many of them, and even though they do not cause serious inconvenience, some owners still complain about them.
• High center of gravity . Because of this, those motorcyclists who cannot confidently touch the ground with their feet may find it difficult to control the Suzuki V-Strom in traffic jams.

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2004 - DL650 V-Strom.
2004 - DL650 V-Strom.

WHERE TO LOOK? Suzuki's pricing policy for the DL series is more than humane. “Ve-Stroms” are generally considered one of the most budget options among their peers, and given the fact that the model is quite recent and has been sold by both officials and gray dealers since the very first year of production, now the largest number of offers on the secondary market are marked “ with mileage only in the Russian Federation.” This is a rather atypical situation for Russia, because most motorcycles of any class, displacement and price category nevertheless began their road “life” behind the cordon. And you shouldn’t be afraid of the “Strems” who have “lived” their whole lives in Russia. This motorcycle is rarely bought as a first, and due to its road-tourist orientation, it is rarely interested in both racers who are capable of quickly and efficiently destroying equipment, and serious endurists who have the same abilities, but not because of a bad head, but because of the harsh operating conditions in the most distant bearish corners. Moreover, much more often than any other motorcycle, you can find a not very young V-Strom with a ridiculous mileage of several thousand km. People over forty often choose this motorcycle, but the biker in them is never born again.

The price range for the “junior Strom” ranges from 200 thousand rubles. for motorcycles of the first years of production, and up to 400 thousand for copies of “this year”, which is very close to the retail prices for new devices in showrooms, so there is no particular economic sense in buying a 1-2 year old motorcycle.

There shouldn’t be any problems with selling the Strom, although, of course, the demand for it, especially taking into account the “lithromania” that is not abating in our country, is noticeably lower than for louder models and fluctuates throughout the year. Nevertheless, the Strom will definitely not lie as a dead weight in the garage, and it will find its buyer quickly enough, and given the rate at which the popularity of this class of motorcycles is growing in Russia, we can only predict an increase in demand in the coming years.

Owner reviews

Mot a fairy tale! I actually bought it by accident, I was going to buy Varadera, but when I came to look, I realized that I couldn’t handle this behemoth. There was also a 650 cc Strom, I liked it much better, so I ended up looking for a liter one, which I bought. It's been on it for four years now, 40+ thousand kilometers have been covered without any breakdowns. Japanese quality! Arthur, Novorossiysk.

An indistinct motorcycle for who knows what. It doesn’t handle a tourenduro, it drives normally on the ground only on bad tires, which on the asphalt die to zero after 5,000 km and tries to fall over due to the weight. There are lows, but no highs at all. I didn’t like it, skated the season and sold it, bought Cava Versus - heaven and earth, Cava is a rocket compared to Strom. Sergey, Novosibirsk.

I became interested in the model when I came across a review of the V Storm 1000 on YouTube. The price tag is humane, the performance characteristics are not bad, I didn’t think twice about it - I bought it. The motorcycle came to the rescue more than once; I rode on it along Romanian serpentines at near-zero temperatures, and got caught in a storm on the Spanish coast, and reached Morocco that year via Gibraltar. The mileage has already exceeded 100 thousand, of which almost 80 are mine, no problems. I changed the sprockets and chain, naturally, the clutch, rebuilt the fork three times, the rear caliper was leaking - the repair kit came to the rescue. Pavel, Moscow.

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The V-Strom family became the founder of the "parquet" enduro class for touring.
The V-Strom family became the founder of the "parquet" enduro class for touring.

WHAT TO WATCH FIRST AND WHAT TO FOLLOW LATER?

(—) Clutch basket rattling. A problem common to both “strems”. A roar that is heard at idle and disappears or noticeably subsides when the clutch is depressed indicates wear of the basket bearing and its seat. In particularly “neglected” cases, the noise can be heard even while driving. This defect has several causes. Firstly, there is a design defect - the unit is clearly weak. Secondly, this may indicate the use of low-quality oil or untimely replacement, especially if the motorcycle’s mileage is low. And thirdly, this indirectly indicates the aggressive driving style of the previous owners. However, you need to remember that sooner or later, the basket begins to rattle on all V-Stroms, and when choosing a motorcycle, this can only be an argument for lowering the price, because the defect can only be cured by replacing the basket, which, together with the work, results in approximately 17-20 thousand. rub. If the rattling basket is not replaced in time, the loose unit will break the bearing seat, and the cost of replacing the crankcase is already comparable to the cost of another “stroke”.

(-) Difficult cold start, low or floating idle, interruptions in engine operation, sluggish response to gas, decreased maximum speed and acceleration dynamics. If a motorcycle exhibits these symptoms, this does not mean that the Khan’s engine needs to be abandoned. Most likely, the fuel inlet strainer of the fuel pump is clogged. This “disease” is inherent in both the “650” and the “liter” and can affect motorcycles even with a mileage of 8–12 thousand km, not to mention veterans. You can make sure that the problem is a clogged fuel receiver by measuring the compression in the cylinders, and if this parameter is normal (10–11 kgf/cm2), check the pressure in the fuel line. The fuel pump should “blow” 2 atmospheres. If it is less, you need to clean it. The fuel pumps themselves are quite durable and rarely fail, and cleaning the pump mesh and injectors at a motorcycle service center will cost about 3-5 thousand rubles. The only sad thing is that there are no methods to prevent this disease. It is impossible to equip a submersible pump with any kind of pre-filter, and the fuel intake screen has to be cleaned on average every 15–25 thousand km, which depends on the quality of the gasoline.

(-) "Dead" starter. A problem directly related to the one described above may be hidden in the button contacts. Due to poor engine starting caused by a clogged fuel pump, as a result of numerous and long “torments” of the starter, the contacts of the button, which not only turn on the electric motor, but also open the head light circuit, burn out.

The problem is diagnosed by ringing the circuit, and is most often eliminated by cleaning the contacts.

Another reason for a “silent” starter button is a malfunction of the clutch release sensor located on the lever, because the electrical system allows you to start the starter only with the clutch depressed.

(-) "Thin bone." The common name for several “sores” speaks for itself. The motorcycle is very sensitive to impacts. First of all, both when choosing a motorcycle and during its operation, you need to pay attention to the wheels. Even a minor pothole in the asphalt, coupled with a completely “peaceful” speed of 60–70 km/h, can make a serious dent in a cast rim, or even crack it. It is also worth remembering that rolling a disc with a seemingly insignificant dent can lead to cracks, so even slight deformation of the rims can be a reason for significant bargaining or refusal to purchase, especially since, due to the standard nature of the disease, it is difficult to find “used” wheels almost impossible.

The steering wheel is equally defenseless. Often the handlebar tube bends even from a seemingly harmless fall of the motorcycle from the stand, not to mention more serious “flights”. In principle, a flimsy pipe can be straightened back without much effort even without a tool, but it is better to replace it with some analogue with a stronger “character”.

Another weak point is the “spider” on which the “muzzle” is assembled. The front of the motorcycle warps even from slight falls. Too much weight hangs on the unreasonably openwork part, so the “distorted muzzle” is a reason to look for more serious traces of a fall. In addition, it is very difficult to give the “spider” its original shape, so the geometry of the motorcycle’s “face” can only be restored by replacing the part.

(0) As a rule, by 30 thousand km the driven star bearing on the rear wheel crumbles. So if the number on the odometer of the applicant for purchase is close to the indicated one, it is worth asking the owner if he has changed the specified part. Naturally, if the “thirty” happened in your own hands, it is better to diagnose the node. The bearing itself is not that expensive, and you can replace it in the garage if you have a minimum set of tools and not entirely crooked hands.

(+) Arcs, sliders, tray. The presence of all kinds of protection on a motorcycle can be considered a big plus not only from an aesthetic, but also from a practical point of view, especially considering the previous point. A lower guard (even a plastic one) can save not only the front cylinder exhaust pipe, which forms the lowest point of the motorcycle, but also the oil cooler, oil pressure sensor and crankcase, which does not have a sump as a separate part. The arches will save not only expensive plastic, but also thin gearbox and brake pedals cast from aluminum alloy, and the protection of the steering handles, installed instead of the standard “burdocks,” will help protect the steering wheel by distributing the shock load.

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Although the oil radiator is equipped with a protective mesh, it has a chance of getting hit by a stone from under its own wheel.
Another argument in favor of crankcase protection. The exhaust pipe of the front cylinder is the lowest point of the “underbelly”, which means it will be the first to suffer from stones and snags in off-road if it is not covered with protection. “Strom”, as an “honest” crossover, gravitates towards asphalt components. The gearbox and brake pedals are cast from brittle aluminum, which means they can easily break if dropped. Although the oil radiator is equipped with a protective mesh, it has a chance of getting hit by a stone from under its own wheel. Another argument in favor of crankcase protection. The exhaust pipe of the front cylinder is the lowest point of the “underbelly”, which means it will be the first to suffer from stones and snags in off-road if it is not covered with protection. “Strom”, as an “honest” crossover, gravitates towards asphalt components. The gearbox and brake pedals are cast from brittle aluminum, which means they can easily break if dropped.

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“Dirt” brakes on asphalt require a lot of effort on the lever and pedal.
“Dirt” brakes on asphalt require a lot of effort on the lever and pedal.

WHAT TO BUY? Of course, when starting to tune the newly acquired “Strem”, you need to start with the missing protection elements. The choice of tuning of this kind for DL ​​is very wide and can be found in the catalogs of all leading companies. After equipping the motorcycle with “plate”, it is worth paying attention to the front fork, which has far from the best characteristics. Even novice, unspoiled riders notice this. The problem of an “unintelligible” fork is solved by progressive springs and selection of oil viscosity. A fork upgrade kit can be found, for example, from Progressiv Suspension.

Of course, there is a wide choice of all kinds of tourist and life-enhancing “gadgets”, ranging from pannier systems, touring glasses and gel seats, to direct-flow mufflers and “power commanders”. All this is thanks to the wide distribution of the model in Europe.

COMPETITORS:

Motorcycle modifications

Usually there are two generations, although within each of them there are also a lot of minor changes. The first was produced from 2002 to 2012, and for several years was even sold in Europe under the name Kawasaki KLV1000. In 2013, a deep modernization of the model was carried out, which became noticeably prettier, acquired new V-twin engine settings, improved suspensions and a modern appearance. But both generations are well suited for the purpose for which they were created - to travel far, in comfort and in any conditions. The word “Strom” itself, translated from German, roughly means “powerful stream”, and this name fits the brutal touring enduro perfectly.

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BMW F650GS: 2008-present, 370–530 thousand rubles.
BMW F650GS: 2008-present, 370–530 thousand rubles.

ESTIMATED COST OF SPARE PARTS Suzuki DL-650 V-Strom

Spare parts, mostly available in stock.

Spare parts are sometimes in stock.

Spare parts, mainly imported to order.

The motorcycle for the shooting was provided by the Major City salon.

Choosing a used Ström

Repair and tuning

V-Strom is inexpensive to maintain, and everything you need - spare parts, consumables, tuning - costs quite reasonable money. Thanks to its fairly simple design, you can service and repair it yourself in the garage, and there is enough tuning on Ebay and in foreign online stores.

Repair

This is a reliable and unpretentious bike that can withstand the longest journey in harsh conditions. Maintainability is also excellent, and tinkering around in the garage mostly comes down to regular maintenance. Breakdowns, of course, sometimes happen, but this model does not have any obvious weak points.

Spare parts

Dealers usually have nothing in stock except consumables, so Suzuki V Strom DL 1000 owners, like the vast majority of other Russian motorcyclists, have to order everything from abroad. On average, the cost of spare parts is comparable to that of any other Japanese bike in the mid-price segment.

Tuning

The most popular is the protection of liter V-Strom with sliders and cages, since when it falls on its side, plastic, which is not durable, often suffers. Motorcycle travelers improve their bikes in every way - higher windshields, luggage racks, panniers, charging ports for devices... There is enough tuning for this model, and for the most part it is aimed at improving the touring qualities of the motorcycle.