a bit of an overstatement, but here's why. Do feel free to set me straight.

Well I've been running my bike in and recently passed 500 miles so now can take it to 7,500 revs.

My point is, that I was expecting a bit more 'umph' shall we say. Yes it's only a 650, and it's not a sports bike, but it doesn't pull as much as I'd hoped in my imagination! It's my first bike and only ever ridden 50-500cc machines before, but was just a little flat!

Is this something that improves with engine wear, do I have to re-adjust my expectations, or am I completely wrong, and it's the way I'm riding it?!

All comments welcome...

cheers,

Mal

the new 2012 wee has had its power drop down the rev range to give more mid range power. i dont find it under powered at all and have even geared mine up .. i think you might be expecting too much from a 650..

Having had a 1300cc and a 1600cc twin (cruisers) I can tell you the 650 is a rocket compaired to them. Nowhere as heavy, both were 6-800 lbs. Now my 1000 V Strom was a lot quicker, but not in the handling department. Neither bike will give ANY sportbike much of a run-they aren't meant to! These are general purpose "do-it-all" type bikes, nothing more or less. They will outrun almost any car on the road, but racing is not what they are designed for, nor are any of they other "adventure" bikes regardless of engine size. Cheers--BB

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2012 Wee

Nobody can tell you your expectations are wrong. The bike is what it is and works for most of us. Depends what you need it to do.

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-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

This message and images are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. http://creativecommons.org

Perhaps. As you know, there are too many variables lending to performance to make any real judgments... riding style, weight, wind, etc.

I can only tell you my experience coming from a Triumph Tiger 1050, which would pretty much send me to the moon with a twist of the throttle.

I knew the DL wouldn't do anything near the same. The trade-offs are too many to list here, but I can honestly say I feel more "planted" on pavement and dirt... and perhaps less likely to die by virtue of misusing excessive power because it isn't there.

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1942 Brick Bungalow
1968 Dream Wife
2007 Retirement Certificate

coming off a 2010 Concours, I know what you mean there!

Maybe you should have the dealer check it over. All the other posts I've read say things like "it pulls like a small train," and "very strong engine performance." It's quite possible yours has a problem.

It's also possible that you just need to get more miles on the engine. They do loosen up considerably after 1k miles or so.

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http://www.honda.co.jp/CB1100/impres...ish/index.html

While at Bike Week in 2009 (or 2010??) I test rode a new KLR650 and new Vstrom 650 (I owned a first generation 2005 KLR and a zrx1100 at the time). I was "hooked" on the vstrom.........it was so smooth on power compared to the KLR650 (alas, it was all street riding around Daytona then). Traded my KLR650 for an SV1000S a few months later.......and boy, it was a BEAST!! Long story short, sold the SV and got the Strom to "smell the roses" while riding........not looking every direction in fear of getting a speeding ticket. Maybe I'm just getting old..........but not ready for "Pirate Old" yet!!

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Current Rides: 2008 Yeller Wee + 2000 ZRX1100
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When you don't have a lot of low end torque and suddenly you get more a vehicle can feel very thrilling and exciting. When there is lots everywhere and it doesnt suddenly pull harder it can feel a little flat.

I felt my 2012 was kind of flat and thought I might be a bit dissapointed. Then I started looking at the (real) speeds through the gears and reliazed it was going a lot faster than I thought. A few days ago I was going through an intersection I had slowed down ahead so I would hit it with the light green. I was in second around mid rpm range and hit one of the little bumps that are caused from cross traffic (I was crossing a main road.) When I opened the throttle the front came off the ground a bit and stayed there for about 20 yards. I don't think I ever had anything like that happen on my 2006 DL650. (I'm sure DL1000 owners experience that all the time and I had it happen a bit on an ST1300 I rented in California in January, but not in second on a DL650.)

btw I currently have about 2,800 km or 1,750 miles on my 2012.

..Tom

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Road Toads Charter Member - 2006 V-Strom DL650: 202,000 km 125,500 miles, 2012 DL650 New March 2012 54,000 km


Why Cars don't see bikes (SMIDSY)
SMIDSY detailed report

I log fuel use, partly as a measure of break-in. When the mpg levels off, the bike is run-in.

It took 9,000 miles for this to occur on my 09.

500 miles is nothing and the engine will continue to free up.

Here's a torque curve from the Gladius: note that you have just barely gotten into the power peak at that rpm.



Here's one from an earlier SV (very similar power) showing what's going on more clearly. You are backing off just when the fun starts.

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2009 DL650A
2008 Tiger 1050 ABS