Suzuki V-Strom 650XT Review
Bike Tested: Suzuki V-Strom 650XT; Road Test No. 1008; Test Location: Jaipur
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 8,63,650/- (Accessory Kit: Rs. 77,000/-)
V in V-Strom stands for the V-Twin engine configuration while Strom is used to represent immense current or power
Suzuki got the V-Strom 1000 a few years back as everyone was getting adventure class motorcycles. This year, Suzuki had some different plans with the launch of not one but two middle-weight motorcycles. The GSX-S750 was introduced early this year but Suzuki wanted a piece of a pie from the adventure category too. Make way for the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT. An adventure-sports-tourer as Suzuki calls it, it is the latest kid on the block which makes its way into the middle-weight segment for India. We rode the V-Strom in and around Jaipur last week and to be honest, it literally has no competition for what it’s actually worth.
Motor Quest: The first Suzuki V-Strom 650 (also known as the DL650) was launched in 2004. It had an aluminium chassis and fuel injection right from the start. The second generation came in 2011 with a few more updates to match the competition. The latest iteration to the V-Strom 650 came in 2017 and we got the 650XT variant for India in the second half of 2018. Made in Japan at the Suzuki Toyokawa plant, the V-Strom 650XT comes to India via the CKD route.
Vertically stacked halogen lights look unusual with the front beak
Styling – With a first look anyone will be able to make out that the V-Strom is a definite adventure motorcycle. With its long-travel suspension, fixed semi-fairing which has a beak and a tall wind visor. A huge tank along that semi-fairing which leads up to a long and wide seat for the rider as well as pillion. Long and sturdy grab rails with a metal base to mount a top-box. Vertically stacked twin headlamp at the front which may look uncanny but gets the job done, it lights up the road pretty well. The V-Strom also get a stubby exhaust which has a chrome tip, only part of chrome seen on the motorcycle. The monoshock is a linkage unit and hence even with extra space under the seat, it’s not easily visible.
Angular design flow goes from the front to the end
Knuckle guards, belly pan and the spoked-alloy rims are the additions to the regular 650 for the XT variant
As we were riding the V-Strom with all the accessories, the bike looked even more appealing. The accessory kit includes a dresser bar (better known as the crash guard), main stand, aluminium chain cover and a top-box which has a capacity of 55-litres. The wind visor by far has the best design of all the adventure bikes and it’s adjustable too. But one would need a pair of allen keys to adjust them. The Suzuki V-Strom 650XT is available in two colour variants – the yellow which was our test model and a black and white scheme (this gets silver spokes on the rims).
The analogue-digital instrument cluster is loaded with a lot of info
Instrument Cluster and Switchgear – The Suzuki V-Strom 650 gets an analogue-digital unit which has the tachometer in analogue while everything else is digital. There are dual-spilt digital screens surrounded by tell-tale lights. The top screen shows the speed with the gear position indicator while the second screen displays everything from a clock, ambient temperature, engine temperature, traction level and a fuel gauge. It also displays live fuel consumption, total fuel consumption, distance to empty, twin trip meters and an odometer. It might not look the best but has tons of information.
The handlebars have enough height, the view from the rider’s POV is pretty decent
You need to let off the throttle to get the traction engaged to a particular mode
The switchgear quality is just brilliant too. The right side contains the kill-switch, starter button and a hazard light switch. While the left one contains a horn button, indicator switch, high-low switch and a set of toggle keys. The toggle keys help to go through the various trip meters and other details but they also help to change the traction level. You can actually change the traction control on the fly. The V-Strom also gets adjustable brake lever but misses out on an adjustable clutch lever.
Comfortable and upright seating posture, very well designed for a touring motorcycle
Ergonomics – At 835 mm seat height, the Suzuki V-Strom 650 is not easily accessible. But due to the design of the seat, a person just as tall as 5.8 can hop on and ride along. You get centre-set footpegs and the handlebars are quite high. All of this adds up to very comfortable ergonomics for an adventure motorcycle. The seat is quite long and there’s a lot of space for the rider to find the best riding or seating posture. Even the pillion stays very comfortable as cushioning is soft and the footpegs are not too high. The rear-view mirrors look quite tacky, as they are square shaped. But they come in very handy as the rider can see what’s behind even with the jacket on and the top-box mounted on the bike. The only ergonomic flaw I could find was the seat height for shorter riders but Suzuki has an accessory option of a scooped seat which will bring it down to 815 mm, a 20 mm reduction.
V-Twin motor has loads of torque, pops a wheelie in no time
Performance – The Suzuki V-Strom 650XT is powered by a 645cc V-Twin motor. This liquid-cooled powerplant produces 70 BHP of power and 62 Nm of torque. This twin revs freely and redlines at 10,500 RPM. However, there is a low spot between 2000-3000 RPM post which the motorcycle picks up pace is no time. Power delivery is linear throughout and you feel the liveliness right from get-go. As this middle-weight adventure-sports machine is loaded with some tech, it also gets 3 levels of traction control. This is the same system that does duty on the V-Strom 1000. I rode it mostly with the traction off as the feedback from the engine was so perfect. But it’s best to ride at level 1 as it intervenes but not much. Level 2 traction has the maximum intrusion and is advisable only in wet riding conditions.
This Suzuki middle-weight has one of the best engines out there
V-Twin engines have a peculiar exhaust note, rough and engaging yet soothing to the ears when revved hard
The Suzuki V-Strom 650XT gets a 6-speed gearbox. While the shifts are crisp, there were just two instances in the 300 km ride that it went into false neutral. Obviously, I didn’t shift right as it was handling clutchless shifts very well. The clutch feels light and the V-Strom can hit the ton in the second gear itself. First gear tops out at 85 km/hr while the second manages to go up to 110 km/hr. With the empty Jaipur-Delhi at hand, I was able to clock a top speed of 175 km/hr but then kept things in control. The V-Strom could do more and didn’t lose any ground at all. The vibrations are very well contained and there was no harshness at all. However, the V-Strom could do better with a louder exhaust but the norms have had a way to keep it calm.
The Suzuki V-Strom 650 can handle great speeds on a straight-line
Riding Dynamics – The Suzuki V-Strom is a tall motorcycle for a fact but it isn’t too tall. For a short rider like me (I am 165 cms tall), I could get on the motorcycle and ride it without a fuss. However, at times when there was a standstill, the 835 mm seat bothered me a little as I had to tip-toe around. The comfort, on the other hand, was just formidable. I was glued to the seat for the first 40-50 kms and was just enjoying how relaxing yet engaging the dynamics are, the bike is easy to flick and inspires confidence to push around corners. Finding the comfortable spot is the rider’s duty while the V-Strom also has the hardware, a soft and comfortable suspension! The front telescopic suspension has 150 mm travel and the rear link-type monoshock has an adjustable rebound damping. It doesn’t get any better or does it?
Any terrain other than tarmac can be tackled by just standing up
An adventure motorcycle which can go anywhere and yet the V-Strom is easy to live with, best of both worlds
The V-Strom inherits the twin spar frame from the previous generation but it’s now more rigid and light. The curb mass is just 216 kgs making the V-Strom quite manageable. It sports a ground clearance of 170 mm which isn’t much for an adventure class motorcycle. But it does manage to go off-road without scratching its belly. The V-Strom 650XT comes equipped with Bridgestone Battlax adventure tyres, with a 110 section front and a 150 section rear unit. The tyres may seem thin but as the overall motorcycle is sleek, they look good and provide an adequate amount of grip. At the front, twin 310 mm discs handle all the braking while a single 260 mm disc at the rear manages for some extra stopping power. The braking feedback is brilliant, however, ABS is not switchable making it difficult to have fun off-road.
The Suzuki V-Strom 650XT is a pure mile muncher
Verdict – The Suzuki V-Strom 650XT is a very well engineered motorcycle. It has been in the international market for over a decade and has proven itself very well. The ride and handling balance is just brilliant while the engine being a V-Twin is powerful and quite refined too. So you can ride for long distances, be comfortable and arrive in style as well. The Suzuki V-Strom 650 is a worthy alternative to the Kawasaki Versys 650. If you explore all the possible tech, it may seem that the V-Strom is not technically sound too but as a package, it is just unbeatable. While being priced at a premium, it still comes equipped with a lot of hardware that is missing on the Versys. The Suzuki V-Strom 650XT is here to impress and it is gonna stay for quite a long time!
That top-box makes it look bulky, without it the V-Strom looks very sleek
What’s Cool
* V-Twin engine is powerful yet refined
* Adventure styling with looks good with a brilliant colour scheme
* Ride and handling balance is just brilliant, comfortable for pillion too
What’s Not So Cool
* Headlight and mirrors look slightly tacky
* Seat height can be troublesome for shorter riders
* No switchable ABS, can’t do extreme off-roading on the V-Strom
The tail-light is the only LED unit in the motorcycle
Suzuki V-Strom 650XT Specifications
* Engine: 645cc, V-Twin, Liquid-Cooled, DOHC
* Power: 70 BHP @ 8800 RPM
* Torque: 62 Nm @ 6500 RPM
* Transmission: 6-speed
* Fuel Type: Petrol
* Frame: Twin Spar Frame
* Suspension: Telescopic Forks (Front), Link-Type Monoshock (Rear)
* Tyres: 110/80/17 (Front), 150/70/16 (Rear) (Bridgestone Battlax)
* Brakes: 310 mm Dual Discs (Front), 260 mm Disc (Rear), ABS
Suzuki V-Strom 650XT Dimensions
* Length x Width x Height: 2275 mm x 910 mm x 1405 mm
* Wheelbase: 1560 mm
* Seat Height: 835 mm
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 20-litres
* Kerb weight: 216 kgs
Testers’ Note:
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Further Reading –
Suzuki V-Strom 650XT Video Review