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Hey guys,

Still waiting for my hand to get full function back but since I've been off the bike since the accident (Oct I've been dreaming about the day I jump back on.

I've been thinking about getting a new bike all year and it's mainly been between a vstrom 650/1000 and the m50. The fuel injection, price (purchase, maintain, insure) and suzuki's reputation being key factors. Ditched the m50 for the shiny engine paint (really hated it) and because it doesn't really fit my style of riding and didn't see much benefit of spending the extra $2k and insurance on the 1000.

I was never able to make a test ride for the 650 though. It feels great to sit on, I'm told by Vision guys that the ride is very similar and I can get a 2006 for $5k flat out the door.

I've read every review I can find and I love the bike, but I want to hear from an owner or someone with some saddle time who can give me their opinion on what they like, what they don't like and what I can expect- or recommendations for things to add (center stand and skid plate being the first)

I rode the 650 and the thou back to back and much prefered the 650. About as practical as you can get for a motorcycle.....but damned ugly
I may still own one someday though...

Storys- I'll post some more thoughts about DL650's from a DL1000 owner p.o.v. tomorrow (it's late now....) In the meantime, here's a link to a page by someone who owns both: http://www.jackphelps.com/vstrom/comparison.htm Very interesting stuff if you're on the fence between the two.

(BTW, Rider in NJ charges no more for a DL1000 than they do for a DL650. WMMV)

High_Side wrote: but damned ugly

Yeah, but my daily ride in a Yamaha Vision which is equally full of character

jstark47 wrote: Storys- I'll post some more thoughts about DL650's from a DL1000 owner p.o.v. tomorrow (it's late now....) In the meantime, here's a link to a page by someone who owns both: http://www.jackphelps.com/vstrom/comparison.htm Very interesting stuff if you're on the fence between the two. [/qoute]

Thanks, I look forward to it. I liked the article. I think it helped steel my in my decision of the 650 over the 1000. The only concern I have is how a 650 handles with a passenger. I can't imagine it does worse than my vision, and I'm sure the extra power from teh 1000 is handy- but I just need enough to get by in the few circumstances that I have a passenger

High_Side wrote:I rode the 650 and the thou back to back and much prefered the 650. About as practical as you can get for a motorcycle.....but damned ugly
I may still own one someday though...

I kinda like how it looks

roscowgo wrote:

High_Side wrote:I rode the 650 and the thou back to back and much prefered the 650. About as practical as you can get for a motorcycle.....but damned ugly
I may still own one someday though...

I kinda like how it looks

My wife likes the V-Strom as well...."nicest of the big ugly bikes" What do I know? I like the look of the Multistrada and there are not many people out there that can say that

High_Side wrote:About as practical as you can get for a motorcycle

It can't be more practical than my ST1300. I go grocery shopping on mine, and as long as it's not raining, or as long as my daughter isn't with me, I can buy everything I need.

A few years ago, I was driving my 4wd in the Ocala National Forest here in Florida. As I went to ford some deep water, the radiator fan sucked in a bunch of water, causing the fan blades to be pulled into the radiator. The fan cut 10 water passages in the radiator.

Fortunately, I had trailered my ST1300 and KLR250 to my family's place there. I rode to town on my ST1300 to buy a radiator, fan, fan clutch, and coolant.

I carried the fan and radiator on the back seat and luggage rack. The box the radiator was in was as wide as the saddlebags, and stuck out past the luggage rack about 2 feet (bungee cords are wonderful). I had the fan clutch and coolant in one saddlebag. I made the trip back just fine.

All of this was on a stock ST1300. I would like to see anyone try that on a stock V-Strom.

Plenty of guy's this side that use V stoms for both on and off road. They fit a 50/50 tyre and use them as commutors and then get out onto the farm roads on the weekends. pretty rugged bike and capable of far more than I have ridden it. I had three laps around the track. I like the bike and think it will take a very good rider to get the full potential out of it. As for power two up, it does not have much of a roll on but dropping a gear will pull you out of any trouble. Can wheelie if you want and is very nible in the tight ones. I felt comfortable on the bike from the start.

One thing anybody contemplating either the 650 or 1000 V-Stroms needs to plan for is fixing the sorry windscreen aerodynamics. (It's the same issue for both versions.) The stock screen seems to be acceptable to about 0.2% of all users - everyone else needs to change something. Solutions include bigger/wider screens, laminar lips, the Madstad bracket adjustable windscreen mount, etc, etc. Plan for this in your budget - I've had my 'Strom about 10 weeks now and am still working out this detail.

This is my only gripe about the 'Strom so far. I was surprised how little grunt the 1000 has below 3K RPMs - don't know if the 650 also has this issue. With prior experience on a Bonneville and a Marauder, I wasn't expecting this from a twin. Of course, the kick-in-the-pants boost that starts around 5K more than compensates..... heh, heh

For folks like me that prefer standards, the ergos on the 1000 are great - 650 is very similar, just an inch lower. This is the first bike I haven't wanted to change out the stock seat - it's just plain comfy hour after hour.

William wrote:It can't be more practical than my ST1300. .......All of this was on a stock ST1300. I would like to see anyone try that on a stock V-Strom.

O.K. How about two V-Stroms with $500 worth of luggage racks and bags each for less money than the S.T.????? "About as practical as you can get for a motorcycle....." I said. It wasn't really supposed to turn in to a "my bike is more practical than yours" debate