I have just bought a 2010 DL 650 Vstrom GT and just though I would pass on my first thoughts...

I have ridden lots of Adventure type bikes and owned a few too, like the R1200 GS Adventure, Triumph Tiger 1050 etc.... I was never happy with them for some reason, couldn't touch the floor with both feet, too expensive, or too heavy on fuel..... his little strom seems just right, its good on fuel, not too expensive, comfy, nice riding position, so, out of the create, it seems a good bike.

The small 650 V-Twin pulls very well, right from the off up through the rev range with no flat spots. To me it felt like two bikes in one, I nice cruiser for pottering about on and taking in the scenery or, open it up a bit, and it responds well into the higher revs and pulls hard.... this shocked me a little as its only a 650 and wasn't expecting performance. Don't get me wrong, it's no racer, but in this class, very acceptable...

The brakes... mine has ABS so I cant answer from those without but, it feels very sure on light and heavy braking alike with a strong feeling of stopping power and didn't seems to dive too much like some other bikes I have ridden.

The handling is also impressive. This is a budget bike in this adventure class so I was thinking the handling won't be that good, again I was happily wrong. On slow cornering it feels very secure with a dab of rear brake to hold the line in the tight U turn type corners. I found myself at a local place where sports bike riders have a go and getting their knee down on some open round abouts, as I came into the roundabout I was following a black Kawasaki ZX6R, he threw himself into the corner and round he went with his knee down... he looked back to see where I was and I think I shocked him as I was still on his tail.. (I had the ball on the foot peg down).

The only down side I have found with the bike is the standard screen... I am lucky as mine came with the standard one and a high touring type...
The OEM screen is fine for anything under 60mph, over that I was feeling the buffet... I am 6 foot 2 inches tall so maybe that's why...
I'm not saying it's the best bike in the world for touring but my first thoughts are, I'm very impressed and look forward to riding I'm more soon.

anyway have a look at my bike, I like it a lot so far....

I too have a 2010 DL650 and have had it from new. I wanted a bike that was a good allrounder as my last two bikes were sports tourers ( Honda Super Blackbird and Yamaha FJR1300 ) great bikes but not much fun on poor road surfaces. I was expecting that dropping half the engine size might be disappointing but for a 650 it does not dissapoint. I find it is a great allrounder . I've just returned from a trip from the UK to the Pyrenees it was great all the way down eating up the miles and happy to cruise easily between 80 and 90 mph. Once I got there it was fantastic on the mountain twisties , handles great !! On top of that I enjoyed taking it on some rough trails high in the mountains ,it just takes everything in it's stride. My only complaint is that it's 'pig ugly ' but after the way it's performed over last year and 7k miles it's really growing on me.

Hi

I bought mine 3 years ago... K5 with 4 thou on the clock.. now its got 31 thou :-)

Not got the ABS... took it off road the other day (lowered the tyre pressures) and she handle it very well... so well were off together next year on a RWT

I too came from a 1500 Suzuki Intruder and I was very surprised at how responsive the 650 is.... good for cruising fully loaded at 70... with a canny bit of poke for overtaking

My next bike.. will be a DL650.. without a doubt

Cheers
Geordie aka Will

I did take it up a bit of a dirt track today (where my uncle broke his arm) and i was suprised how smooth it felt, nothing to hard just a pitted gravel track.

HID.... hmmm not too sure yet, if i do it will only be in the spots...

lots of people saying its ugly, i really dont mind it, maybe after owning a GS Adventure anything is better looking. the fairing is good, does the job well, the hand guards do too, maybe a bit too well.

JTW00000000.... the DR750 is going to be sold, once i have changed the clutch, yes i know, it should have been done ages ago, well whatever... wanna buy it?
oh and i went for the 660... should have it in a few days

That's a shame. For anyone who doesn't know this *****, this DR750 is a near mint original bike and a beautiful thing to behold. It's a shame she never worked out for you, i thought you'd found "the one". If I didn't have investment in my own bike then you know, i would buy it off you. I think it would make a cracking ADV machine.
Back to the Strom, I know the track well. A good little confidence builder and easy meat for her. I would guess that is more or less what they had in mind for it when they were set up.
I think pig-ugly is a bit strong. It's got a typically Japanese over-exuberance in the headlight department which gives it a bug-eyes spiderman look. Anyway, ADV bikes are hardly beautiful to behold, practical often is not. Is this why Italian bikes never work?
Anyway... I'm glad you're happy... now for gods sake bond with it a bit and enjoy it.
As for 660. I don't know but my guess is that to get proper navigation like you do on your home turf you're going to have to download new maps. I'm doing fine with point to point route planning. Mostly the maps are wrong anyway.

heres my DR 750... will soon be for sale.




The 660 sat nav im getting comes with west europe city nav DVD for up load, so it will have all the places on it. i hope....

My god, that's clean, even for you. Actually I quite like the colour. I think the fairing on these is ugly but there are days when I'd anally probe a hedgehog for better wind protection than I have.... ie, none. You see a lot of these about on the continent. In fact the rarest form of bike out here is sportsters, don't know why. You see them in Italy which is the one place where they probably shouldn't be allowed.
It's a good bike, I hope you finally bond with this one. What are you doing with the DR, I loved that bike but horses for courses. This one is probably ideal and a half for what I'm doing now, ie chauffering a moody Asian around europe between chocolate cake shops. I can't wait to see what you do with it, it's almost a shame it's all kitted as half the fun is doing it yourself. Any news on the GPS, did you go with the 660? I like the 500 but it feels very basic now and the update is very slow. Not dangerous slow but annoying. It's a shame we get so stitched up with bike gear, car units are far more advanced for less cash.
What about lights? Going with HID units? Lots of questions but I'm stranded in a hotel in Albi with a tired little asian. Nothing else to do....

Ha, pig ugly but can handle abuse... I think I dated her....

QUOTE=Jtw000;345745]Ha, pig ugly but can handle abuse... I think I dated her....[/QUOTE]

Good day Mate,

She might be pig ugly, but I am probably also one of them. Who decides, not me or you. Anyway not everyone needs to ride: a look at me, look at me, bike. Question of personality and character. Most offer the same riding excitements, that's when no one will watch or judge you.

Anyway, my V- Strom serves me well, and the money I save can be spend on booze and other enjoyments, and there are more than bikes.
Just keep looking for them and don't give up.

Cheers

Rusty Max

This is exactly what I don't need to hear. How great a bike is that I don't have when it's what I need.... I'm stuck with a pillion on a long ride on a little single and I'm gagging for that little extra power and better seat...
I think it will be great for what you want but I do think it's a shame the DR won't be getting a makeover. I really like that bike. If you want my opinion then don't sell it until you get back from touring. Just hold off for a while because it's such a great example and they're so rare and you're going to kick yourself, I think.
If I hadn't spent so much money on mine I'd buy it off you and rebuilt it myself. No question.

At the end of the day, it's what you do with it that counts... that's what I told her and she said that was mostly the problem. She's dead now.

Saw that coming.....

i like the DR and as you know always wanted one... but i think its a case of wanting one is better that owning one. This problem i have with it is its too cleasn and too good. maybe i should have bought a crap one... maybe i will... who knows.

for the record, my vstrom has a nice seat and a little bit more power... just so you know.

On my 2nd Wee Strom. Love every aspect of the bike. Handling , appearance , versitility , economy, reliability, and easy to maintain. What else do you need? Me and the strom are off to the Arctic soon . 6 weeks together. Ill let you know if the love affair is still on when I get back .

nice one, good luck with that trip... look forward to hearing how you get on...

Hi, have a DL650AK8 - 45K kms - cross Canada/USA, Yukon, BC, AB... Love the bike, am 6'2" and yes OEM screen is poor. immediately replaced with x-large Suzuki V-Strom DL650 / DL1000 Windshields
busted it in'10 and tried the N20212 VStream which still had too much turbulance so have another Calsci. Moto handled well enough on dry Yukon/AK/AB gravel roads. Trying Heidenau K60s.
Planning a RTW in 2012. - Safe Riding & C U in Nakusp :-)

Hey, I used to have one just like that (was a 2009-model, though, and we didn´t get the GT-model here, so had to buy the farkles separately!)... here on a 2-up trip to Sicily, in June 2010: