[Guest]

What does the board think about the big, ugly, do-it-all Soozuk? I was in my shop the other day and found myself stangely attracted to a black one. I started thinking about long rides up the coast and having one bike to do everything.

The Wanderlust is there, but this bike also seems to be able to answer every question I could ever ask on the street.

What do y'all think?

 

[Guest]

Put it this way. I want one!

 

[Guest]

Re: (TBONE)

I picked up an 04 in November. Very comfortable and easy to ride. Not razer sharp handling but good. Very light, it feels tiny when your on it. Now for the cons. The stock windscreen is garbage, I can handle wind in the face no problem bu this shield creates horrible buffeting in any position, it is adjustable but you need to remove 10 yes 10 screws to do it. There seems to be an FI issuse, it will fall on it's face at 3500 rpm with too much throttle. Lastly from my limited time it seems to be kind of a bitch to work on. All in all I enjoy it and I think most of the bugs can be worked out. Besides if your looking at this type of bike there is really no comparables anywhere near it in price. I got mine new for $7499+tax.

 

[Guest]

Re: (MNwilly)

I'm looking for a do-everything road bike.

The ZRX1200 doesn't have enough leg room for my 6'3" self. The Tuono is expensive, but REAL nice. The Speed Triple is great, but I really like twins over triples. The FZ1 doesn't make me want to own it. The KTM is perhaps too focused. The new S2R is interesting, but I'm worried about needing a Ducati to start every morning (plus, where I'm from EVERYONE has one).

I'd pick one of these, but the VStrom is cheap and offers a little vesatility that the others might not.

What am I missing or forgetting?

 

[Guest]

The Flatspot is easily remedied with a PCIIIR and a nice set of pipes. i have also heard that you can pull the secondary butterfly's off the injectors and the bike comes alive. you just remove the flat portion off the shaft. I rode one at The Suzuki Cyclefest that had hard bags and was laughing the whole time. Couldnt even tell it had the (Empty) Bags on it. Windshield is an easy aftermarket replacement. Besides how much fun can you have tucking around the outside of a kid on a GSXR6 in the turns on a "Trailie bike" Because they are very capable of it.

 

[Guest]

Re: (Cafe_Racer)

I think it does everything o.k.. The only thing I'd be a little concerned with for road use is the 19" front wheel. I ran the front tire all the way to the edge the first time I rode it. I havn't found many tire options that are road oriented yet but it sounds like the BT020 is the most popular for more aggressive riding.

 

[Guest]

Ping Balls and ask him. He has put some serious miles on his.

 

[Guest]

Re: Opinions on the DL1000 V Strom? (Cafe_Racer)

This is Roy's Post on the Mod
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BALLS »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">No it didn't blow up

I took a tip from the yahoo V-strom board & removed the secondary throttle valves (aka restrictor plates). Look out! no more 5th & 6th gear restriction, the ECM can't shut me down now by closing the valves. Thing came alive big growl from under the tank now when the throttle is wacked open. No more funky bogging, fluttering sensations. I left all the servo motor, sensors & fast idle cam intact so the ECM has no way of actually knowing the valves are gone,,,,hehehehe.

Not sure why the valves work well on GSXR models but it ssole purpose on the V-strom is to shut that engine down up top. Not as strong up top as my TLR was but that is mostly due to a difference in intake, exhaust valve size & head design. The V-strom is designed for down low torque & it's got it now but has more up top than before. I know this does not sound fast to most but consider the V-strom's factory ECM limited top speed was 125 mph. It'll do that now in 5th at 8k rpm with Jesse bags hanging off the sides and a tall CE baily windscreen

redline is 9500 so feasibly it will probalby hit 135~140 mph topped out. It was still pulling stong past 8k but I had to shut it down due to a truck in the left lane. The bags cause alot of drag along with the windshield I have on it now. OEM short screen & no bags will net more up top. Sweet thing is how quick it gets there now.

Also I am on H rated (130 mph rating) dual sport tires BTW

big dual sport on steroids

it was very stable at 120+ mph on the tires.

Total cost of mod, 30 minutes of my time.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

[Guest]

Re: (TBONE)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cafe_Racer »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The FZ1 doesn't make me want to own it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't knock it till ya try it.

 

[Guest]

Re: (Dave)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Don't knock it till ya try it.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Dave, like that pretty girl who keeps hoping you'd ask her out, I want to want her, but I just don't.

(maybe like that pretty girl, I should ride her to find out?)

 

[Guest]

Re: (Dave)

I hated it stock, so thru GMD I had a penske specially made up for it, increased rear ride height a little over 2 inches with the new shock and custom links, that took care of the back end.
Up front we put the gmd 20mm cartridges and 9.5 springs, the resulting geometry and suspension performance was enough to transform the bike into more of a big race supermoto.
I put a 520 drivetrain in and changed the gearing from 17/41 to 16/43, michelin anakees were next which are still the baddest tire of it's type out there, steel lines and vesrah pads took care of slowdowns.
Then we started looking to free up some power, first we threw on some pipes then we cut and fitted a SV650 ram air scoop and box and tuned it with a TFI, gas mileage got cut in half but man what a different animal.
A ZG DB replaced the stock screen, lost the handguards, blinkers, fender, mirrors and whatever else I could toss, and thats pretty much it.
This thing has really earned my respect, it never fails to perform beyond what anyone has a right to expect from a bike of this type in whatever situation I've thrown at it, not to mention it's been bankvault reliable.
There's so much more suzuki could do with this bike for such a little increase in cost, ie; use the SV1000 motor, increase travel to 8.5 inches with a serious shock and big 48mm inverted forks, streamline the bodywork ala KTM and paint everything black, call it the v-strom dakar edition

Anyway here she is>

 

[Guest]

Re: (OMEGA)

 

[Guest]

Re: Opinions on the DL1000 V Strom? (Cafe_Racer)

Like most people here I'm looking to add one of these to my stable this spring. Thinking of walking into the local stealership and attempt to score a deal on a DL1000 and a GSXR1000 together. I want a nice Givi three bag system myself.

 

[Guest]

2003 V-Strom (Yellow of course). Two bros Pipes, PCIII, Full Givi setup with SW-Motech racks and crash bars. Anakees all the way.

Love the bike. I plan on riding it for a long time to come.

 

[Guest]

Re: Opinions on the DL1000 V Strom? (Cafe_Racer)

I like mine! I have done some serious long rides on it with nothing more than gas & go. I have beat on it hard in the National Forest service roads in Ga., TN. and Ms. It's a tank. Gas mileage is 35~45 mpg depending on sidebags & speed you travel. I have sunk quite a bit of doe in mine to make it comfortable for traveling long distances. Tall CE bailey screen help with the wind but I only use it in the winter, stocker for summer, buffeting does not bother me with ear plugs. Mine is a early '02 model with the 16 bit ECM so yes it is a bit jerky but I live with it. I have the FI re-mapped with a Yosh box +5% on the bottom richer zero middle & top. I also have the restrictor plates out which are commonly called secondaries. They do not perform the same function on the V-strom as they do on the GSXR's. They restrict the V-strom from being a animal in 5th & 6th gear, bottom line remove them the bike will return to it's heritage a TL engine with better low end rideability.

I added the Jesse aluminum panniers $$$$ & a Givi E460 top case (not shown in pic). Plenty of storage space for two up touring. I also added a GPS & Valentine 1 radar detector for going from point A to point B quicker, the V-strom really excells at doing this. No fancy pipes for me I like it quite, stealth mode.

It'll wheelie with the best of them, easily comes up in 2nd & will go as far as your willing from then on out. I get some pretty good looks at times when I do that with the sidebags on hell it even looks stranger two up and with the bags.

Its a good bike at a reasonable price. I have 25k on mine and do all my own service ie: valve adj., TB sync. I did replace the swingarm bearings at 20k miles they had no grease to speak of from the factory. A rear tire will go between 8~10k miles!

It'll scrap the exhaust, pegs & wifes boots at full lean in the mountains

oh & it jumps pretty good too!

 

[Guest]

Re: (Dave)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dave »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Don't knock it till ya try it.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I tried it yesterday. My friend has a silver 03 completely stock and man what a bike. I have a ZRX1100 but I definately dream about an FZ now. That thing has a monster of a motor. My only problem was draggin the centerstand. Definately want one now

 

[Guest]

Re: (wolf44)

We should start a V Strom section here if so many people either want to or already own one.

 

[Guest]

Re: (MNwilly)

No offense Dave, but y'all should just go here: http://www.advrider.com

If that place doesn't make us all want a 1200GS and four months to ride to Thailand, we should check our pulse.

 

[Guest]

Re: (MNwilly)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MNwilly »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">We should start a V Strom section here if so many people either want to or already own one. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That won't be necessary the people who own a V-Strom don't usually talk about it to much, except me.

It is a unique motorcycle for sure and it does have a huge following that most will never know about, might be because they are to busy riding it to far off places and hard to get at places.

ADVrider.com is a good start but only a scratch on the surface.

 

[Guest]

Re: (OMEGA)

Personally I've never liked the looks of the V Strom. But, Omega has that black and yellow one looking right! If I owned one, this is what it would look like.