The best value all rounder. It's not the best at anything, but it's damned good at most things and as reliable as a stone axe. Too many compromises to be best at any one thing.
@@travisdylan5938 The Versys* loses out on off-road capability in order to be a bit better at touring. If you never or extremely rarely intend to go on dirt and gravel, the Versys is a better package indeed. Otherwise the V-Strom is just a bit better
You know they were trying to keep the weight down and maybe price too ...at least it's engineered to accept optional stand...even with a center stand though it would be a total pain to fix a flat out in the boonies...I mean if a plug didn't work....I bet there are some horror stories trying to get a tow job??
Looks great in my opinion. The best quality looking ADV out there right now i think. And one of the most reliable bikes of all time it should be mentioned. In the US its not uncommon to see vstroms with 60-80k miles and still looking and running great, and its one of the few motorcycles that you EVER see with 100,000 miles or more. This and the Goldwing engine are some of the best motorcycle engines ever made, so if you plan on doing alot of adventure miles, i don't think theres a better choice. I dream of replacing my klr with one of these....
It is a fact Suzuki paying special attention for Motor cycle engines. They have a lots of factories not only in Japan but also in Hungary, India, China. But Whole MC Engines are assembled at their oldest one factory only, just next to their Head Quarter in Japan. As MC Engines are basically 'Hand Made'. precision.they afraid grade down. As Suzuki is a conservative family company their attitude is different from another company. (I am living in their neighbor, Hamamatsu City)
You have spent seven and a half minutes talking about this bike when all you needed to say is that it is absolutely superb apart from that yellow fuel tank (and lack of centre stand as standard). It's simply a matter of whether you prefer spoked wheels or alloy wheels. And if you find the screen too low for your height, you can always get a taller one. And you also get an analogue rev counter. Okay, if your idea of a bike is a Harley or a Fireblade or a Panigale, you might disagree rather vehemently with my opinions. The V-Strom 650 really should have a much higher status in motorcycling history, perhaps almost as much as the original Honda VFR750 (though obviously it's not in the same category).
I bought a 2011 Vstrom 650. Other than hand guards it was naked. Added skid plate, engine guards, Hepco-Becker pannier racks and panniers and a center stand. Being also vertically challenged I lowered it half an inch. Since I’m old, 63, I lowered the pegs too. Really helped my old knees and hips on the long rides. It does have the alloy wheels instead of wires though. It’s a great bike for what it is as long as you don’t expect it be something it’s not.
The best value for money adventure bike on the market. Before buying my 650 V last year I had a Triumph Tiger 800 which was also very good but cost nearly twice as much ....
I never rode the 650 but I really like my one month old 2019 Vstrom 1000 XT in yellow and an Remus titanium exhaust. It is just a bike that does everything really good.
That is quite the cliffhanger you left us with, talking about adding new tires and panniers and no follow up. It has been nearly a year and a half since this review, any update? I'm curious if you are a little more enthusiastic about the bike, or if you were happy to return it to Suzuki. I have to agree with the other viewers, you didn't appear to be interested in doing the review, just going through the paces. Not sure if it was because it was a cruddy long day, or you really didn't care for the bike. Such shame, because the V-Strom 650 has some dedicated followers.
Thats highly impossible mate... We all know ktm's engine needs work post 50-60k kms. Not post any hate comment, but this is a very vague review and I am sure it is not true. My KTM Duke 390 lasted 65k kms before the engine work was done.
nice review ! i had the first edition of the vstrom in 2003 and i loved it verry much. had many big roadtrips on it ! these days i drive a 1999 triumph speedtriple ! but when i heard of this new version Vstrom 650 i am think replacing the triumph with this bike
Yes. Without a doubt. I like how conservative she is in certain aspects, I see that as a quality. I don't buy fashion or status. I want something really good and well established. I had the money to buy a BMW or a Triumph, but I don't want them.
Informative, if a bit dull review. These are great bikes though. Versatile, fun, affordable. The engine is the best part of the bike. The rest of the bike can be modified to become almost anything the rider wants it to be.
American Flyer he bored me to tears and I felt a bit indifferent about the bike after watching till the halfway point. Such a poor review. These are supposed to be scripted and he said errrrr like 100 times.
@@JinKazama92 tracer 900 is a hooligan bike, not adventure bike and not same class.. rode both, and bought Strom, and extremely happy with it... Tracer is unstable, wild, average fuel consumption is 6.9L , while my Strom in ride come LOWER than 4L... back at ya !!! Aaaand, is much more comfortable, on Tracer it's like you're sitting on a wooden pallete...plus it is 2000 euros more expensive than Strom... and much more differences
Still too heavy on the power-to-weight ratio. That is the real next challenge for this bike in my opinion, otherwise I this is a work horse and a very nice bike for that;
The gold wheels only come on the yellow bike...they have a white XT with black/blue spoke rims so seems color dependent. Personally the XT Touring (Adventure now) offers a lot more accessories for not more money
Cool review. Just need to know the long term built quality. It has just been made available in malaysia last week with a reasonable price tag. Was thinking of getting a CB500X for a daily commuter but this is promising at the same price.
why do you say that the front suspension has no adjustment? isn't the same as the older xt model?(that i have) the older model has spring pre-load adjustment in the front as well...
Anyone know if the 2017 SV650 and V-Strom 650 have interchangeable exhausts? It'd be sweet if you could squeeze 80 hp out of that motor with a full system, high flow air filter and maybe a Power Commander and still get 50+ mpg on the highway.
I've got the 2015 xt, no traction control though... I think that would spoil the fun for me sometimes. Never had more than a slow creap from the rear going round a corner, and I like spinning up rear on gravel tracks and on country lanes where there's shit down the middle. Does the tc stop you wheelying aswell? Not done that many clutch up wheelies as it fucks the chain up quickly, but love nailing it over bumps and crests and get either the front wheel flying or even the whole bike, great fun
Oh and fuel consumption is stupidly good, if I'm just riding smooth and fast (up to 80) and open roads with smooth overtakes I'm still getting 60 mpg. If you're in an average 50mph zone on the motorway it will average 80mpg including hills, don't know how it does it, obviously it drops when you're riding it hard, lowest average I get is 44mpg when I'm playing
@@julianfrancis7968 I have the 650 and almost all my riding is 2 up, it has plenty of power, at least for our twisty roads here in New Zealand. Maybe not for the American freeways? The 1000 obviously has more power but is also quite a bit heavier so not as good once you get off the sealed roads.
Alex Morgan these are long term test reports, rather than one of our first ride road tests. This is Oli's first report of the year...and very good it is too.
This was one of the 3 bikes I shortlisted last year, but finally decided on the Tracer 900 - but the Suzuki was a fun bike. As for the video - might want to add where some of these places are you're talking about, how far they are, types of roads etc..
Starting at 6:08 I was thinking he's gonna kill himself some day riding like that (wrong lane, curve, no visibility). Then I realized in the UK they ride on the wrong side of the road :-)
My brother has this bike and loves riding it in the dirt...I own the 08 version and dont much love it ...I mean if it is not very sandy it it's okay but frankly it stuffed me on my ear several times ...my brother on this newer version probably drops his a tenth as much ...better rider or the bike is that much better I cant be sure ....probably both ...I'm kinda tempted to buy one ....kinda? But I think I want something lighter and more dirt worthy...unfortunately there really is nothing yet on dealer showrooms that offer anything like the same highway ability with significantly better dirt manners ....anything that I can pick up off the ground by myself anyway...sort of drooling on the Yamaha "T7" 700cc Tenere'
I'm 5'4" with a 30" inseam and wasn't able to get both my feet to touch the floor because of the wide seat. You would have to get the butt off the seat at a stop unless you modify the seat/suspension.
Ah, yes indeed. At the least, it will compensate for the putting two legs apart over the seat which essentially shortens the distance from the crotch to the surface. Thanks.
I came her for a nice, biased, mcn review saying how bad this is and that I need to buy a bmw or gold plated something or another. Havent watched this yet so don't disappoint.....
Never never take these guys reviews seriously and buy or sell a bike .. these guys borrow a bike from some dealers (never expect them to say anything bad about such bikes, otherwise dealers will not lend them borrow their bike again!!! just be smart !!!!) and since they wanna be wanna be youtubers they talk bulshit... they are NOT owners, do NOT have the bike whole year, no OWNERSHIP just crap talk for the sake of recieeveing more likes, subscribtions!!!!
Lol! Yeah. Because Suzuki is doing so poorly with the #1 selling adventure bike of all time... Here's a better idea: If the Europeans want to sell bikes in the US, maybe they should develop an acceptable parts distribution model here. I had an Aprilia and a Husqvarna...both which i sold after spending months waiting for parts at different points. I'll never buy European again, I can assure you.
His goofy, it's a goofy bike for goofy riders. The rim edge spoked front wheel is very trick he could have spent 5 mins on that. That dash is nasty though, makes me want to gouge my eyes out.
1:27 - Dear Brits, please stop using the term 'pokey' to describe any motorbike (whether as a compliment or not). You see, we 'muricans have rather the opposite definition for the term as you, hence what is intended as an accolade turns out not to be so much in our ears. Thanks much in advance. ps - our apologies for Trump. He's an ass. We can't believe we elected him either.
Possibly the best overall motorcycle made in the world today.
Billy Smith arguably the best motorcycle in the world.
The Versys 650 disagrees with your claim...
The best value all rounder.
It's not the best at anything, but it's damned good at most things and as reliable as a stone axe.
Too many compromises to be best at any one thing.
@@travisdylan5938
The Versys* loses out on off-road capability in order to be a bit better at touring. If you never or extremely rarely intend to go on dirt and gravel, the Versys is a better package indeed. Otherwise the V-Strom is just a bit better
@Twilight 8368
Ah, yeah, you're right.
A center stand should be a standard in all types of bikes, specially touring bikes.
You know they were trying to keep the weight down and maybe price too ...at least it's engineered to accept optional stand...even with a center stand though it would be a total pain to fix a flat out in the boonies...I mean if a plug didn't work....I bet there are some horror stories trying to get a tow job??
Agreed
@DGM the XT Touring come standard with one, as well as some additional things the standard XT don't get and it isn't much more (street prices anyway)
Looks great in my opinion. The best quality looking ADV out there right now i think. And one of the most reliable bikes of all time it should be mentioned. In the US its not uncommon to see vstroms with 60-80k miles and still looking and running great, and its one of the few motorcycles that you EVER see with 100,000 miles or more. This and the Goldwing engine are some of the best motorcycle engines ever made, so if you plan on doing alot of adventure miles, i don't think theres a better choice. I dream of replacing my klr with one of these....
It is a fact Suzuki paying special attention for Motor cycle engines. They have a lots of factories not only in Japan but also in Hungary, India, China. But Whole MC Engines are assembled at their oldest one factory only, just next to their Head Quarter in Japan. As MC Engines are basically 'Hand Made'. precision.they afraid grade down.
As Suzuki is a conservative family company their attitude is different from another company. (I am living in their neighbor, Hamamatsu City)
@flippy5118 aren't all big "adventure" bikes this way?
You have spent seven and a half minutes talking about this bike when all you needed to say is that it is absolutely superb apart from that yellow fuel tank (and lack of centre stand as standard). It's simply a matter of whether you prefer spoked wheels or alloy wheels.
And if you find the screen too low for your height, you can always get a taller one.
And you also get an analogue rev counter.
Okay, if your idea of a bike is a Harley or a Fireblade or a Panigale, you might disagree rather vehemently with my opinions.
The V-Strom 650 really should have a much higher status in motorcycling history, perhaps almost as much as the original Honda VFR750 (though obviously it's not in the same category).
I bought a 2011 Vstrom 650. Other than hand guards it was naked. Added skid plate, engine guards, Hepco-Becker pannier racks and panniers and a center stand. Being also vertically challenged I lowered it half an inch. Since I’m old, 63, I lowered the pegs too. Really helped my old knees and hips on the long rides. It does have the alloy wheels instead of wires though. It’s a great bike for what it is as long as you don’t expect it be something it’s not.
The best value for money adventure bike on the market. Before buying my 650 V last year I had a Triumph Tiger 800 which was also very good but cost nearly twice as much ....
I never rode the 650 but I really like my one month old 2019 Vstrom 1000 XT in yellow and an Remus titanium exhaust. It is just a bike that does everything really good.
That is quite the cliffhanger you left us with, talking about adding new tires and panniers and no follow up. It has been nearly a year and a half since this review, any update? I'm curious if you are a little more enthusiastic about the bike, or if you were happy to return it to Suzuki.
I have to agree with the other viewers, you didn't appear to be interested in doing the review, just going through the paces. Not sure if it was because it was a cruddy long day, or you really didn't care for the bike. Such shame, because the V-Strom 650 has some dedicated followers.
Suspect that mcn have sacked him by now.
Thats highly impossible mate... We all know ktm's engine needs work post 50-60k kms. Not post any hate comment, but this is a very vague review and I am sure it is not true. My KTM Duke 390 lasted 65k kms before the engine work was done.
nice review ! i had the first edition of the vstrom in 2003 and i loved it verry much. had many big roadtrips on it !
these
days i drive a 1999 triumph speedtriple ! but when i heard of this new
version Vstrom 650 i am think replacing the triumph with this bike
It is far better than Versys 650.
Legend. One of the best motorcycles ever made.
Would you say it holds up well even today?
Yes. Without a doubt. I like how conservative she is in certain aspects, I see that as a quality. I don't buy fashion or status. I want something really good and well established. I had the money to buy a BMW or a Triumph, but I don't want them.
Informative, if a bit dull review. These are great bikes though. Versatile, fun, affordable. The engine is the best part of the bike. The rest of the bike can be modified to become almost anything the rider wants it to be.
American Flyer he bored me to tears and I felt a bit indifferent about the bike after watching till the halfway point. Such a poor review. These are supposed to be scripted and he said errrrr like 100 times.
Affordable? Are you kidding? The Tracer 900 will blow this thing out of the water for a few more bucks.
@@JinKazama92 tracer 900 is a hooligan bike, not adventure bike and not same class.. rode both, and bought Strom, and extremely happy with it... Tracer is unstable, wild, average fuel consumption is 6.9L , while my Strom in ride come LOWER than 4L... back at ya !!! Aaaand, is much more comfortable, on Tracer it's like you're sitting on a wooden pallete...plus it is 2000 euros more expensive than Strom... and much more differences
Still too heavy on the power-to-weight ratio. That is the real next challenge for this bike in my opinion, otherwise I this is a work horse and a very nice bike for that;
I'm watching this to get pumped as it's almost time to take my 2018 out of the garage
this is an example how bike review should NOT look like
Oooh, a digital speedometer that lights up at night. What an invention!
Thanks very much looking forward to your future updates
The XT version just comes with the engine guard, hand guards, and gold wheels? that's all?
The gold wheels only come on the yellow bike...they have a white XT with black/blue spoke rims so seems color dependent. Personally the XT Touring (Adventure now) offers a lot more accessories for not more money
Comfortable bike . Well done Suzuki
A proper matter-of-fact review. Enjoyed it.
Cool review. Just need to know the long term built quality.
It has just been made available in malaysia last week with a reasonable price tag. Was thinking of getting a CB500X for a daily commuter but this is promising at the same price.
Great review - but are you wearing your big brother's gear? ;)
His knee pads are on his shins :-)
I’m looking round for a “new” commuter - mine sounds like the one in the video 130ish miles round trip most on motorway then 3-4 miles in london.
why do you say that the front suspension has no adjustment? isn't the same as the older xt model?(that i have)
the older model has spring pre-load adjustment in the front as well...
Anyone know if the 2017 SV650 and V-Strom 650 have interchangeable exhausts? It'd be sweet if you could squeeze 80 hp out of that motor with a full system, high flow air filter and maybe a Power Commander and still get 50+ mpg on the highway.
As a United Statian, I always forget that the English still use miles.
This was my dad's old bike 👍
Does it have enough power to cruise 2 up on a long trip
Yep easily and comfortable
I've got the 2015 xt, no traction control though... I think that would spoil the fun for me sometimes. Never had more than a slow creap from the rear going round a corner, and I like spinning up rear on gravel tracks and on country lanes where there's shit down the middle. Does the tc stop you wheelying aswell? Not done that many clutch up wheelies as it fucks the chain up quickly, but love nailing it over bumps and crests and get either the front wheel flying or even the whole bike, great fun
Oh and fuel consumption is stupidly good, if I'm just riding smooth and fast (up to 80) and open roads with smooth overtakes I'm still getting 60 mpg. If you're in an average 50mph zone on the motorway it will average 80mpg including hills, don't know how it does it, obviously it drops when you're riding it hard, lowest average I get is 44mpg when I'm playing
Does the 650 have enough power for 2 up riding or would I really have to go with the 1000? Thanks.
@@julianfrancis7968 I have the 650 and almost all my riding is 2 up, it has plenty of power, at least for our twisty roads here in New Zealand. Maybe not for the American freeways? The 1000 obviously has more power but is also quite a bit heavier so not as good once you get off the sealed roads.
@@petershapcott2719 Thanks for your reply Peter.
A dash that illuminates eh.. Whatever next
Has anyone tried putting the SV cams / throttle bodies on the DL?
If it's typical Suzuki faire they'll probably be a straight swap
How is a one month a "long term test" and only 1,500 miles? He keeps repeating himself.
Alex Morgan it's his first month of his long term test. I'm sure there'll be another video in 5 or 6 months revisiting initial thoughts... 🙄
Errrr ...... Title states "Long term update".
Alex Morgan these are long term test reports, rather than one of our first ride road tests. This is Oli's first report of the year...and very good it is too.
Long term is motorcycle click bait. Long term to me means doing a few oil changes or at least one of the services.
This was one of the 3 bikes I shortlisted last year, but finally decided on the Tracer 900 - but the Suzuki was a fun bike.
As for the video - might want to add where some of these places are you're talking about, how far they are, types of roads etc..
I do want a tracer 900 with a 19” front tire
Starting at 6:08 I was thinking he's gonna kill himself some day riding like that (wrong lane, curve, no visibility). Then I realized in the UK they ride on the wrong side of the road :-)
MiscStuff Yeah, dude, we know how to ride!
UK like Australia ride on the correct side.
MiscStuff it's right side
😂
7:35 best part of review
could you do an a2 friendly Roundup for the year?
Great review
My brother has this bike and loves riding it in the dirt...I own the 08 version and dont much love it ...I mean if it is not very sandy it it's okay but frankly it stuffed me on my ear several times ...my brother on this newer version probably drops his a tenth as much ...better rider or the bike is that much better I cant be sure ....probably both ...I'm kinda tempted to buy one ....kinda? But I think I want something lighter and more dirt worthy...unfortunately there really is nothing yet on dealer showrooms that offer anything like the same highway ability with significantly better dirt manners ....anything that I can pick up off the ground by myself anyway...sort of drooling on the Yamaha "T7" 700cc Tenere'
Hi, how tall are you,I`am 5.6 ( 170 cm ), is this standard seat or low seat.What do you think, is the low seat will be OK for me.
tubeless tyres/rim?
Sensible idea if you have spoked wheels.
Average mpg?
Hi there,nice video.Is the bike stable at 140-150 kmh and is it possible to drive ''all day long'' at these speeds?Thank u!
Yes.
I've ridden at 80mph to keep up with traffic on the highway, and it's great, wonderfully smooth. That's about 170-180kph.
@@FoodExperimentsUnlimited Aah no, 80mph is around 130kph.
@@petershapcott2719 lol
Yes, the V-Strom is perfectly stable at those speeds, feels effortless even 2 up.
Cut to motorbike riding endlessly round the same bend.....has to be a MCN video.
Is it true that you can’t change the traction control while moving? That’s so stupid smh. Does anyone know if they fixed that in the 2021 model?
You can . I have the 2020 model and it's possible . Must only let the gas out when you make that change ;)
It isvirtually a road tourer in my opinion!
Good review. Thankyou.
Is this a sensible & manageable choice for rider who is 5'3" with ~28" inseam?
I'm 5'4" with a 30" inseam and wasn't able to get both my feet to touch the floor because of the wide seat. You would have to get the butt off the seat at a stop unless you modify the seat/suspension.
Thank you kindly, good sir/madam.
Rising Cookie a good pair of riding boots can add an inch or 2 to your inseam clearance which might make it a manageable ride for you at that point.
Ah, yes indeed. At the least, it will compensate for the putting two legs apart over the seat which essentially shortens the distance from the crotch to the surface. Thanks.
Shouldn't be an issue if you are a good rider.
and wear a size smaller gear.
138 mile daily commute, but only 1500 miles in a month?
Maybe he took some days off ;P
He's wearing his dad's riding kit!
1 month is no where near "long term"
I came her for a nice, biased, mcn review saying how bad this is and that I need to buy a bmw or gold plated something or another.
Havent watched this yet so don't disappoint.....
Could you say errrrrr.. just one more time.
dont dig the low ground clearance and small diameter wheels :(
In other words you wanted it to be biased to the dirt
Rear 17 in,front 19in,excellent tyre choices!
..a little short for a V-Strommer aren't you?..
Dont come back..
Ya might wanna tell the freeking year of the GD bike yur reviewing chap....
I can hardly understand the guy
Don't bother with Michelin pilot 4s
I use Michelin road 6,brilliant!
Brilliant bike but is this one of the dullest reviews ever?
Never never take these guys reviews seriously and buy or sell a bike .. these guys borrow a bike from some dealers (never expect them to say anything bad about such bikes, otherwise dealers will not lend them borrow their bike again!!! just be smart !!!!) and since they wanna be wanna be youtubers they talk bulshit... they are NOT owners, do NOT have the bike whole year, no OWNERSHIP just crap talk for the sake of recieeveing more likes, subscribtions!!!!
Bill, sorry, but you're entirely wrong there on all fronts. Thanks for watching.
👍
if suzuki wants to sell bikes, maybe they should stop making unattractive looking bikes
Tony Tng sometimes that's what people need... there is less possibility to loose it...
The previous V Strom was better looking
Lol! Yeah. Because Suzuki is doing so poorly with the #1 selling adventure bike of all time...
Here's a better idea: If the Europeans want to sell bikes in the US, maybe they should develop an acceptable parts distribution model here.
I had an Aprilia and a Husqvarna...both which i sold after spending months waiting for parts at different points.
I'll never buy European again, I can assure you.
@Gary Dodgson i own this one, and I LOVE it.. totally agree!
Get a Versys xD
1500 miles is not long term kiddo
Almost 8000 pounds lmao u sure about that?
The guy looks like he don't want to do the review/don't have time/have to pee... ;/
Odd riding , braking mid corner ( at 0.40 )
Dull presentation.
Oh dear I've dozed off
Cf moto 800 mt looks even better and has more stuff its more money and its chinese ktm
His goofy, it's a goofy bike for goofy riders. The rim edge spoked front wheel is very trick he could have spent 5 mins on that. That dash is nasty though, makes me want to gouge my eyes out.
1:27 - Dear Brits, please stop using the term 'pokey' to describe any motorbike (whether as a compliment or not). You see, we 'muricans have rather the opposite definition for the term as you, hence what is intended as an accolade turns out not to be so much in our ears. Thanks much in advance.
ps - our apologies for Trump. He's an ass. We can't believe we elected him either.
Dear Americans, your American English is bloody awful, just sayin'...
No, no, our English is fine, it's our politics that are all fucked-up. ;-)
@ honest sceptic Lol, quite a good reply!
Honest Skeptic Trumps fine... he loves USA and its people .. we forgive you 😁
Bullshit on all counts.
wow, MCN bike reviews are awful