My New Ride

[Ventureless]

I came to cruisers from a Kawasaki Concours sport tourer. Started with a Vstar 1100. Then to the Venture for a couple years. Then a RSTD. After only 6 months or so with the RSTD, I decided I wanted something smaller and lighter for a while again. My wife rides very little with me so no need for a big 2 up bike. Also on week long trips even with a large touring bike, I would leave the house with saddle bags and trunk empty and a duffel bag strapped to the back seat. So I figured why have all that if I am not going to use it.

 

So I sold the RSTD and bought this 08 Vstrom 650. Plenty of power for just me. ABS and FI. 450 pounds!! So far 55mpg. I see guys on the Stromtroopers forum hitting 100K, 200K, and even over 300K miles with no major maintenance. So nice proven reliable motor like the Yamaha V4.

 

So I think this will keep me happy for a while!!!!

[stickhandle2]

Congrats on your new ride, they are a real nice bike.

[BG Hawks]

Congrats!!

[Dale124]

Nice. A friend of mine has one of those, but never takes it on the highway. He feels it is too small for that type of travel. Any thoughts? Perhaps I can convince him otherwise.

Dale.

[Ventureless]

Nice. A friend of mine has one of those, but never takes it on the highway. He feels it is too small for that type of travel. Any thoughts? Perhaps I can convince him otherwise.

Dale.

 

I was a little worried about taking it on the highway. But I have been riding to and from work every day on the highway both ways. 80MPH so I don't get run over and no issues at all.

[BigLenny]

Ventureless,

 

You bought an awesome bike! I have two cousins that I ride with on a regular basis. They're bothers. One of them has the 650 V-Strom, and the other has the 1000 V-Strom. The cousin with the 1000 V-Strom rides one up only, and he has been all over the place with us, and the bike never does anything but perform perfectly. Let me tell you about the cousin with the 650. He and his wife have been two up all over the nation on that bike. Heck, right after he bought it years ago, he and his wife went on a week long trip to San Antonio with us. He has it equipped with a top hard case and removable hard saddlebags. He and his wife have been on two week trips to CO, UT, NM, AZ and back. They have been to the Smokie Mtns and rode the complete length of the Blue Ridge Parkway. A couple years ago he bought a brand new BMW R1200RT and they now ride that all over the nation, but he still rides the 650 V-Strom to work and back, and a lot of his 1 up riding. It has 130K miles on it, and still running great!

 

There are a boat load of serious bikers that have no idea what a Suzuki V-Strom is, but it is a fine machine. As a matter of fact, it was the 2009 world bike of the year.

 

Just letting you know. So, get on that thing and ride the hair off of it. It'll handle freeway speeds just fine.

[Tisunac]

Congratulations on your new ride!!!... You are going to loooove that bike!... Plenty of internet support for it, too. Tons of "farkles" for it, both OEM and especially aftermarket. You can arrange it the way you want it, and still have some leftover money for gas and lunch on your trips. And ABS is such a great feature on a bike...

 

BTW, I've heard you had to hire a test-rider to try the bike?

[Ventureless]

So far I am sure I made teh right choice in bikes. At least in the style of the bike. After leaving my Concours, I forgot what I was missing from riding. Months of having teh Vstrom have made riding so much more fun versus the last 5 years or so. Not saying the Venture or TD are bad bikes at all, but once I hopped on a little 450lb bike with awesome handling, I had the spirit again. Now don't get me wrong, I will hop on anything and ride it. But I think if I ever go with a big touring bike again, it will have to be a Goldwing because of the incredible handling for such a big machine. But I think my next bike will just be a bigger adventure style bike. Although the Vstrom 650 has more than enough power for me. And as I said, still getting 55MPG with every tank!!!!!