Suzuki V-Strom 650XT – universal touring motorcycle. The main V-Strom competitors are Honda NC750X, Yamaha Tenere 700, and Kawasaki Versys 650.
Contents
Suzuki V-Strom 650 Specs
ENGINE
| Displacement: 645 ccs, 90-degree V-Twin Power: 69.0 HP @ 8000 rpm; 69.0 Nm @ 6400 rpm Valves: DOHC; 4 valves per cylinder Piston bore and stroke: 81.0 x 62.6 mm Compression ratio: 11.2:1 Fuel Consumption: 4.4 l/100km; 20 litre fuel tank |  |
CHASSIS
- Front Suspension: Telescopic 43 mm fork, 150 mm travel
- Rear Suspension: Link type, preload adjustment, 160 mm of travel
- Front Tire: 110/80-19
- Rear Tire: 150/70-17
- Seat height: 830 mm
- Wet weight: 239 kg
DRIVE TRAIN
- Transmission: 6-speed manual
- Final Drive: Chain, DID525V8
V-Strom 650 Features
- Start Assist – engine automatically increases idle RPM by an additional 500 when the clutch is released in first gear. This feature gives a feeling of higher low-end torque which is helpful in city riding and during low-speed maneuvering.
- Spoked Tubeless Wheels – spoked wheels are more durable compared to alloy wheels. However, they are a bit heavier increasing unsprung mass. Among the competition, only Tenere 700 comes equipped with spoked wheels. Also, a 19-inch front wheel is an optimal compromise between street and off-road riding.
- 43mm Front Fork – 43 mm fork offers enough stiffness for Vstrom 650 weight and is much better than NC750X’s 41mm. It is also better than Versys’s inverted 41mm fork.
- Comfortable seat – Stock seat and ergonomics are best in class. The seat is big and comfortable and ergonomics are upright without the need to stretch out to the handlebar.
- Traction control – Vstrom 650 has 2 traction control settings with the possibility to turn traction control off. Nice feature in this price category.
Top Popular Accessories
| V-Strom 650 Skid Plate | V-Strom 650 Engine Guard | V-Strom 650 Radiator Guard |
|---|---|---|
 |   |  |
| ✔ – bike-specific skid plate ✔ – Stainless Steel | ✔ – bike-specific engine guard ✔ – High-quality steel | ✔ – bike-specific radiator guard ✔ – protects radiator from rocks |
| CHECK LATEST PRICE | CHECK LATEST PRICE | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
V-Strom 650 Off-road
Suzuki V-Strom 650 is not a competitor to modern KTM, BMW GS850 or Honda Africa Twin when it comes to off-road riding. This is why there is no comparison or reviews between Suzuki and top end adventure bikes.
Enduro riders classify V-Strom as a road bike and most off-road reviews come from guys who switched from a sport or street bike to V-Strom.
In reality, V-Strom is a more capable off-road bike compared to Honda NC750X and Kawasaki Versys 650 due to a 19-inch spoked front wheel and a 43mm fork. Suspension travel is also higher with 150 mm at the front and 160 mm at the rear.
However, ground clearance of 170 mm puts V-Strom 650 directly into the road bike category. Take note that the bike should be fitted with a skid plate for off-road riding and the skid plate will decrease ground clearance by an additional 10mm.
V-Strom will lose the off-road battle to any real midweight adventure bike like Guzzi V85TT, Honda Africa Twin, KTM790, etc. However, this is not a problem at all taking into account V-Strom price and the fact that V-Strom will rarely see any off-road beyond gravel road and potential 50 meters of sand at the campground.
Chassis is good enough for aggressive riding on gravel roads which is exactly what V-Strom buyers want and expect from this bike.
Is V-Strom 650 good for touring?
Yes, it is! V-Strom is a good touring tool. It does lack certain luxuries like cruise control and LED lights. Yet it is functional. It has a reliable and fuel-efficient engine, decent wind protection, comfortable ergonomics, better than average chassis in class, and a tank range of 450 km.
V-Strom is equipped in stock better than other bikes in this class. It has handguards and an adjustable windshield.
What sets up V-Strom apart is that Suzuki prioritized functionality over design. For example, the front fender is big and does an extremely good job at stopping dirt under the front wheel from being thrown all over the bike. The same goes for the rear shock protection, rider and passenger seats, and many other parts on the bike.
The V-Strom is a swiss army knife kind of bike. It looks like Suzuki has more engineers than marketing personnel. They could have easily sacrificed functionality for design to increase sales. Yet they decided to go the other way. This approach really sets up SUZUKI from other motorcycle brands.
The bottom line
Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT is a bike made for real bikers who value functionality and reliability over design. It has enough usable power for comfortable city riding, having fun in the twisties, and long-distance touring. You can easily go places on V-Strom.
V-Strom 650 offers a good and thought-through balance between comfort, functionality, reliability, and price.
