Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom Review - Page 2

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A new sportsbike style twin-spar aluminium frame provides a rigid backbone for the 43mm cartridge forks to bolt to. These forks offer 160mm of travel but unfortunately are non-adjustable, thankfully the damping and preload settings seem to be quite good out of the box.

At the rear a single shock handles the bumps. The V-Strom has a handy hydraulic preload adjuster for the rear shock A handy feature is a hydraulic preload adjuster, which allows preload to be set without the need for any tools or grazed knuckles. Rebound damping is also adjustable. When negotiating some bumpy trails at speed, this combination worked quite well. Don’t expect to enter any enduros, although you will be able to get most places without too much fuss.

A 19” front rim helps stability in the dirt but does take some getting used to on the tar. A 19' front rim is fitted to the V-Strom The upright riding position and wide bars make the V-Strom quite a weapon in tight mountain hairpins. Weighing in at 207 kilograms the V-Strom is light for this class of bike but still a bit heavier than would be preferable.

Braking from the 260mm rear disc is quite good while the dual 310mm stoppers up front work very well, but do require a little too much effort at the lever for strong stopping. The front calipers are twin piston Tokico units while Nissin provides the single piston rear caliper.

Seat height is a reasonable 840mm, quite low for this class of bike and welcome to those who are caught a bit short in the leg department.

Carrying gear is a simple task with an excellently designed luggage rack fitted as standard. I strapped two large bags securely to this rack in a couple of minutes. Overseas markets see Suzuki offer hard saddlebags or a pannier case as genuine accessories, Suzuki Australia are yet to decide whether they will also offer these items. One option that will be coming down under is the choice of a larger screen. The large and sturdy luggage rack takes the biggest bags with ease

Lighting is provided by dual 60/55w headlights with both lights being illuminated in both high and low beam modes.

The standard screen and fairing make a reasonable attempt at weather protection. Dash layout is attractive and comprehensive with a conventional speedo and tacho gauge, also LCD displays with dual tripmeters, odometer, water temp', fuel gauge and clock. Lights are provided for the indicators, high beam, oil pressure, neutral, temp', EFI and over-drive.

Suzuki’s V-Strom offers a great deal of bang for your buck with one of the strongest V-Twin engines available driving a relatively light, for this class, chassis. It handles dirt trails with composure and performs very well on the tarmac. A great all rounder for an adventurous trip around Australia.

Specifications

Engine – 996cc, liquid cooled 4-stroke, DOHC, 90-degree V-Twin
Bore x Stroke - 98.0 x 66.0mm
Compression Ratio - 11.3:1
Induction - EFI with 45mm throttle bodies
Ignition - Electronic
Starter - Electric
Lubrication - Wet sump
Transmission - 6 speed constant mesh
Final Drive - Chain
Front Suspension - Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped 43mm forks
Rear Suspension - Swingarm, coil spring, oil damped, adjustable for preload and rebound damping
Front Brakes - Dual 310mm discs
Rear Brake - Disc
Tyres - 110/80x19 Front and 150/70x17 Rear
Fuel Capacity - 22 litres
Overall Length - 2,290mm
Overall Width - 865mm
Overall Height - 1,340mm
Wheelbase - 1,550mm
Ground Clearance - 160mm
Seat Height - 830mm
Dry Weight - 207 kilograms
RRP - $15,490
Warranty – Two years, unlimited kilometres