Motorcycle.com

2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Preview
 

Original Article:
2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Preview

Please discuss the Motorcycle.com article 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Preview in our Motorcycle Forums below. Use the reply button to let others know your comments or feedback on the article. Constructive criticism is always appreciated, along with your thoughts and personal opinions on the bikes and products we have tested.

Suzuki needs to fire whichever PR came up with that stunt.

"Suzuki introduces the not-nearly-new, minimally-refined, and barely-touched Wee Strom."

I'd like to see the new bike, just to imagine what might have been if they'd kept the DL1000. I've ridden several 650's and while they're nice, the performance is not adequete for my taste. "Defensive Driving" is important, and the best defense is a good offense. Being able to blast through a hole in traffic has saved my bacon more than a few times.

Well, it looks like the new Suzuki V Storm 650 won't be a bike that anyone would buy for on-off roading. I know, I wouldn't buy it for that reason. The article On-Off Road Motorcycles that Motorcycle.com wrote in the past, doesn't list it as that kind of bike either. So, I guess Suzuki should stop trying to put it in that category, or "revolutionize" it for adapting well to both terrains.

I don't think so. The Wee is as good offroad as the GS800 or other "dual-sport" bikes. No, it's not a KLR, but with a bash plate and crashbars it can run off pavement.

Yeah, its design is more dirt-capable than dirt-worthy. That low front fender takes it out as a true off-roader.

In related news, we just picked up a BMW G650GS. Its GS designation implies off-roading, but it, too, has a front fender closely mounted to the tire, and its cast-aluminum wheels further distance itself from a real enduro.

Both bikes give the impression that they're ready to circumnavigate the globe, which is what most want from this kind of machine. An F800GS or Tiger 800 XC are truly capable off-road.

I probably have this wrong, but doesn't that 650 actually have the same parallel twin 800 that's in the F800GS?

Yes, you're correct in that you have it wrong! The F650 has the 800cc Twin. The G650 is the latest single-cylinder bike, new(ish) for 2011.

Ha! None of these "Adventure" bikes can handle much more than fire roads. And why would you want to? Who wants to spend $18K on a GS and then wrap it around a tree. Anything over 300lbs is a joke off road.