A Pair of Stroms
http://expeditionportal.com/vstrom-1000-modifications-and-mid-term-review/
by Christophe Noel
Published on January 22nd, 2015
Six months in, we take a closer look at our long-term ‘Strom.
Time really does fly. It seems like just yesterday we were handed the keys to our long-term Suzuki V-Strom 1000, but in reality, it was almost half a year ago. Fortunately, that has afforded us ample time on this new machine, using it on rides big and small to get to know how it truly measures up.
Although the stock bike we received in June was nicely appointed and ready to rumble as we rolled it out the doors of Suzuki USA’s HQ, we felt it needed a handful of subtle modifications to genuinely prepare it for the adventures we had in mind. Before we installed the first farkle, we did have a defined plan in place.
Because the highly revamped 2014 V-Strom entered the market hoping to hang its hat on the value hook, it seemed inappropriate to then slather the poor thing in thousands of dollars worth of add-ons. In keeping the modifications modest, we were also determined to make them as functional as possible. Starting with tires and protection, we went with a blend of factory and aftermarket parts.
The Mitas tires gave the V-Strom sure footing in the ugliest terrain,
Mid-Term Ride Impressions
Shortly after receiving the V-Strom 1000, I set out to annotate my initial impressions with those thoughts documented in our first ride review. Six months on, I have to say many of those first impressions hold true. The new V-Strom is leagues ahead of its predecessor and a machine slowly closing the technical gap on bikes further up market. Is it a BMW R1200GS contender? Not by a mile, but it is far better than one might expect and priced $3,000 to $5,000 less than the upper echelon bikes on the market.
Pros:
- Balance. When exiting the road and venturing into the rocks, ruts, and ledges, the V-Strom does have excellent balance and poise. Moving the bike from side to side and finding a suitable sweet spot between the bars, pegs, and seat is easily achieved. Ergonomics will always be individually influenced, but they are neutral enough to accommodate most riders. The bars might be a touch narrow for some and I truly wish they had popped for oversized bars, if for no other reason than aesthetics. The OEM bars appear to be plucked from a kid’s bicycle.
- Power. Inevitably, someone is going to stick this bike with a witty barb and accuse it of being underpowered at just 99hp. This has less to do with the V-Strom itself, but more a matter of developments outside of Suzuki, namely with the KTM 1190 and BMW R1200GS which now crank out massive ponies, likely more than anyone will ever need. In my opinion, the V-Strom 1000 scoots along just fine.
- Seat. It seems Suzuki really made an effort to do their best with seat comfort, even going so far as to fit the sides of the seat with a texturized material for added durability and grip. The step up to the pillion seat is well positioned, and even for 5-8 hour rides has been adequately comfortable.
- Wind Protection. There has been a little bit of differing of opinions on this score and it has everything to do with rider height and size. At a bit over 6 feet tall, I have a short torso and find the adjustable windscreen is just fine, whereas my taller cohorts have felt more head buffeting than they would prefer.
Conclusions thus far:
Overall, I tend to find the V-Strom as a superb on-road performer, but given a few minor shortcomings, won’t best the best of the bigger bikes in the dirt. Once off-road, it’s not bad by any stretch. If your riding is primarily cordoned to gravel roads, mild off-road tracks, and other modest routes, the V-Strom will tackle those scenarios with confidence inspiring aptitude. Other reviews have made it sound as if only those with a death wish would even venture onto gravel, but I feel that’s complete hooey.
Fortunately, we still have more time with the V-Strom 1000 and plan to put it to more ambitious endeavors. We’ll also hand it over to our in-house hooligan, Scott Brady, who has made it his hobby to find the upper limits of off-road motorcycle performance. Until then, I’m off on another ride atop this great machine.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE-
http://expeditionportal.com/vstrom-1000-modifications-and-mid-term-review/
A Pair of Stroms 