2013 Suzuki 650 V Strom

2013 Suzuki 650 V Strom

Written by Paul H. Smith. Posted in Bikes

The Suzuki 650 V-Strom (affectionately known as the "Wee") has long been the odd man out amongst adventure motorcyclists. Although the model debuted a decade ago, this remarkably well made and rugged machine has barely ever been marketed by its maker and can use some upgrades.

The Wee may be one of the most reliable middleweight bikes ever produced to date—almost an "air 'n oil" only machine. Great on gas mileage (average 50–60 mpg), a big low-octane tank (5.3 US gallons for 2012, and 5.5 for previous years), and hefty frame, have made this dualsport a sometimes ideal choice for adventurizing.  Despite it's street touring biased geometry, the V-Strom 650 also competent off-road in the right hands.

Sometimes ideal? When it comes to a truly "ideal" adventure bike, no matter which brand or model, they all seem to be a compromise of some kind. The Wee, for example, barely cuts it for stand-up riding on the pegs. The wheelbase is a little too long, the handlebars need to be raised impossibly high, and the footpegs aren't in the best position for controlled balance. So, depending upon your personal definition of "adventure riding," if it involves a lot of dirt, sand and crud, the Wee may not be your top choice.

If, however, "adventure riding" means covering great distances in foreign lands on nothing too sandy, soggy or slippery, then the Wee's remarkable reliability, middleweight, fuel economy, mule-like carrying capabilities, and comfort, will win you over. And that's the compromise I decided upon when I went looking for an RTW machine back in '07.

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Prior to the arrival of the new Adventure model in 2012, the original V-Stroms were more ambiguously defined as "dual-sports," requiring a little "adventurizing" in order to handle the loads and distance. For me, this process turned into an expensive, time-consuming, yet nevertheless interesting project. Thanks to companies like Twisted Throttle, Touratech, Aerostich and a few other adventure-minded shops who were dabbling in the Suzuki market, I was eventually able to outfit my '08 model. And with a little trial 'n error, along with several parts swaps and a few modifications of my own invention, I eventually built up a bike that I considered worthy of its intended journey.

So, what does all this have to do with the new V-Strom 650 Adventure? If you take a look at the accompanying comparison photos, you'll see my adventurized '08 Wee next to a 2012 Adventure model. The similarities of the adventurized components are remarkable. And that made it all the more interesting when I tested the new model against my own version to see how things stacked up.

So, after Suzuki tossed me the keys, the new V became my main bike for several weeks, where I logged a few thousand California miles, and got to know it pretty well. Southern California is an ideal environment to test adventure bikes in that our geography and micro climates mimic just about anywhere that's rideable on the planet. And, within a couple of days ride north, east or south (but not west!) you get about 90% of anything you'll find out there.

The new model ushers in a catalog of subtle mechanical as well as cosmetic refinements that improve upon the original design and actually make it more comfortable and a lot more fun to ride. Although few of the changes are radical, it's clear that Suzuki was wise in their decision to refine, rather than redesign. And remarkably, they left everything alone that worked on the previous models and have addressed only what required fixing. Those already well acquainted with the Wee will be more likely to appreciate how the new model rides and handles. Most noticeable is the front end, which feels like a completely different bike (a good thing!). It handles heavy cross-winds with substantially better control, is more balanced, and far more responsive to varying road conditions without the "pogo-sticking" found in models prior to 2012.

For long haul loads, I was already accustomed to how my '08 felt, so I strapped the same gear (typical of what's needed for a multi-month, or longer trip) onto the review bike. All in all, it felt no different than a lightweight pillion, and the added weight barely affected the bike's handling characteristics. The shape of the panniers, does add a little airstream resistance, but the nature of adventure riding isn't about speed. Therefore, these kinds of things have little relevance. Some loads required an easy adjustment of the monoshock, but the rear remained manageable, not mushy, and never bogged me down.

There's a new dash that's much more visible and less likely to "black out" when using polarized sunglasses or helmet visors. The readout is nice and big, with an analog-style tach on the left and a large LCD readout on the right for speed, time, fuel, engine temp, etc. Simple, easy to read, clean and not distracting.

The new version has a little extra torque where it's needed, along with more of an even power curve than the original. Shifting is flawless and tight. Since the late '70s I've been impressed with Suzuki's clutch engineering. I don't know how they do it, but they're extremely s-m-o-o-t-h, and light, without the all-too-common overheating or grabbing issues. The Bosch-designed ABS performed flawlessly on pavement/concrete roadways… wet or dry. However, switching from my '08 that doesn't have ABS, to the 2012 that does, required mental calisthenics—mostly because the front brakes on the non-ABS model over-bite and require cautious use. With ABS, the braking experience is considerably more controlled, making the bike less prone to diving…saving the rider from this potentially dangerous condition.

Nonetheless, when riding off-road, not being able to turn off the ABS is a serious issue. Virtually all German and Brit adventure-class bikes come from the factory with "ABS off" switches, whereas the Japanese failed to include this "option" in their designs. The Japanese, in particular, seem to be taking their time to comprehend what adventure biking is actually about.¹ Conversations with manufacturers about these nefarious "ABS off" switches has led to some mighty interesting remarks (our favorite so far is, "Why would you want to take this bike off-road?"). Subsequently, resourceful riders have taken matters into their own hands with chatter on the forums about which fuses to pull, wiring "off" switches into the circuit, etc. And apparently there's a resourceful entrepreneur who's planning to bring an "ABS off" switch to the market soon. But, as far as we've been able to determine, the reason why these switches aren't included seems to be a case of genre ignorance. Suzuki could benefit by talking to our community a little more.

Final Impressions

The new Adventure model comes with virtually everything you'll need except, possibly, a navi mount and a couple Powerlet ports. There are also a few necessary factory and/or aftermarket accessories you shouldn't be without: skid plate, centerstand, handlebar guards and heated grips. Curiously, the factory doesn't offer a skid plate, per se, but instead catalogs an optional plastic "lower fairing" (or "under cowling"), designed more to improve the aerodynamics rather than armor the bike's exposed engine from the elements. However, this oversight is easily cured, and the aftermarket comes to the rescue with Touratech and Twisted Throttle supplying the most popular skid plate alternatives.

With the new 650 Adventure, Suzuki has evolved and further perfected their Wee-Strom over the previous versions. Designed and constructed with ease of basic service in mind, it's all but maintenance-free—virtually guaranteed to get you to the far corners of the world without the need for any major wrenching. Even the suspension has been tweaked to something akin to my VERY expensive upgrades and proves to be more competent off-road.²

Granted, I spent a small fortune experimenting with mods on my older model V-Strom. But the new Adventure delivers a similar result, with a few hundred bucks for necessary extras—for a lot less moolah. Again, depending upon how you define "adventure riding," this is a well thought-out package, with very little room for improvement.

SuzukiCycles.com

_{¹ Case in point: Take a look at Cycle World's so-called "Adventure Challenge," a web-based video series—where versions of the Honda NC700X "Adventure" are pitted against each other in "challenges" such as riding along California's super freeways, grocery store shopping runs, etc. We can't make this up! And, we don't know whose brain-child this advertising campaign is, but for gawd sake, somebody there needs to break out the dictionary.}

_{² Of all the mods I tested on my 2008 Wee, the single most important was the suspension. The stock front forks were mushy, pogo-stick-like—and they had to go. After Lindemann Suspension (LE Suspension.com) rebuilt the forks, and Progressive Suspension (ProgressiveSuspension.com) installed one of their 465 monoshocks in the rear, the bike was transformed—completely transformed.}

Mod mania? The photo above, with corresponding captions, indicates many of the modifications the author experimented with on his '08 V-Strom to "adventurize" it for an RTW trip. The Scotts Steering Stabilizer, for example, was added in an attempt to cut some of the front end shake and dampen road vibration when the bike was under full load. The Magura bars increased the diameter to 1.25" from 7/8", also lessening road vibration, and along with the Rox Risers, raised the height another four inches (requiring new throttle and clutch cables) to make standing on the pegs possible (for a tall rider). The headlight kill switch is intended to conserve battery power during cold climate starts, and also for countries where it is illegal to drive with headlights on during the daytime. The single most significant improvement was the Lindemann Suspension fork modifications. This upgrade, above all others, improved the stability and riding experience dramatically. Several other changes were made after this photo, such as the clutch and brake levers. On the '08 model in particular, the stock front brakes are extremely grabby, so a shorty front brake lever helped lessen the chance of over-gripping.

Where to Buy:

Product	Website	Price
Lindemann Suspension fork modifications	www.le-suspension.com	Contact for price
MRA Vario Touring Screen	Twistedthrottle.com	$178.95
MadStat Adjustable Windshield Mount	Twistedthrottle.com	$109.95
Garmin Zumo 660 Navi	Discontinued. Similar model on Amazon.com	$599.99
SW-Motech Mirror Riser	Twistedthrottle.com	$62.95 and up
Barkbusters VPS handguards	Twistedthrottle.com	$145.90
Scotts Steering Stabilizer	Revzilla.com	$474.04
Magura AX2 Handlebar	www.magura.com	€144.00
Rox Bar Riser	Revzilla.com	$146.69
Headlight Kill Switch	Amazon.com	$9.67
Kaoko Throttle Lock	Twistedthrottle.com	$136.95
Stebel Nautilus 139db Horn	Amazon.com	$27.50
Symtec Grip Heater	Revzilla.com	$134.95
Touratech Turning Signals	Touratech-usa.com	$98.50
Touratech Navi Mount	Touratech-usa.com	$189.90

Click to enlarge image gallery2.jpg

Specifications (08' VARIANCES IN PARENTHESIS)
ENGINE:	645cc, 4-stroke, 2-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 90-degree V-Twin	FRONT TIRE:	110/80R19M/C 59H, tubeless
COMPRESSION RATIO:	12.2:1 (was 11.5:1)	REAR TIRE:	150/70R17M/C 69H, tubeless
FUEL SYSTEM:	Fuel Injection	FUEL TANK CAPACITY:	5.3 U.S. gallons (was 5.81 U.S. gallons)
LUBRICATION:	Wet Sump	COLOR:	Metallic Thunder Grey
TRANSMISSION:	6-speed, constant mesh	IGNITION:	Electric ignition (transistorized)
FINAL DRIVE:	Chain, DID525V8, 118 links	OVERALL LENGTH:	90.2 inches
FRONT SUSPENSION:	Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped	OVERALL WIDTH:	32.9 inches (was 33.1 inches)
REAR SUSPENSION:	Link type, coil spring, oil damped	WHEELBASE:	62.4 inches (was 61.2 inches)
FRONT BRAKES:	Twin disc	GROUND CLEARANCE:	6.9 inches
REAR BRAKES:	Disc	SEAT HEIGHT:	32.9 inches (adjustable)
DRY WEIGHT:	~472 lbs.	MSRP:	$9,999 (Plus recommended options)

PROS	CONS
▲ Sleeker Design.	▼ Front fender too close to tire, must be modified for knobbies and/or more clearance.
▲ Good suspension, at last!	▼ ABS cannot be turned off.
▲ Much-improved handling.	▼ Stock model should come with a skid plate and hand guards.
▲ Already 90% equipped for adventure riding.	▼ Could use fold-up foot controls.
▲ More comfortable for the long haul.	▼ Geometry not suited for sustained stand-up riding on pegs.
▲ Great dash design.	▼ Needs power outlets for accessories.
▲ Carries gear effortlessly.

2013 Suzuki 650 V Strom

Source: https://adventuremotorcycle.com/bikes/bikes-suzuki-v-strom-650-adventure