Heated grips

[Jstrom]

So how come the heated grip option is not available on the ' 07 650? Apparently the harness is different. Why? The heated grip option was one of the features that attracted me to the VStrom in the first place. And why does a bike of this type not have a centerstand? Thats just plain stupid. The bike is obviously designed to be ridden far and frequently and thus will need to be maintained and inspected while on a road trip. One should not have to purchase this item as an option. And why a chain? This bike with belt drive or a lightwieght shaft would be damn near perfect and a real alternative to the higher priced BMW models. I get the feeling the people who design these bikes don't spend a lot of time in their saddles or have any dirt under their fingernails.

[greywolf]

It's not the harness but the throttle. Aftermarket heated grips are probably a better choice for price and function anyway. The Suzuki heated grips include the throttle tube and the throttle changed for '07. The other stuff is about traditional modes of thinking and a desire to keep the price down.

[Packa-strom]

The shift to belts or shaft would be desireable... how much more would we be willing to pay for that?

[water warrior]

Belts would not be desirable for any off road riding and I wonder about shafts. They work well on street bikes with shorter suspension but may be more likely to failure on longer travel rear suspension systems.

[Jstrom]

Interesting thought. So what do Buell and BWM know that Suzuki doesn't? Don't get me wrong, I really like the VStrom and riding mine puts a big smile on my face, I just really don't like chains.

[water warrior]

Chains are cheaper. Redesign the Strom with a shaft or belt and see where the price point goes. Only direction is up, probably way up. Chains and sprockets are relatively cheap compared to a shaft or belt. Try to re-gear a BMW for a different ratio. Not too likely. With the Stroms we get to experiment to our heart's content.

[tophski]

please forgive my newb-ness, but what benefits would there be by having a shaft or belt drive over a chain? I read that in alot of posts that shaft drives are so much better, or belt drives are so much better, but why? Is it performance? Is it reliability?

[greywolf]

please forgive my newb-ness, but what benefits would there be by having a shaft or belt drive over a chain? I read that in alot of posts that shaft drives are so much better, or belt drives are so much better, but why? Is it performance? Is it reliability?It's freedom from maintenance. Chains are fine final drives. Almost all race bikes use them. They are more efficient than shaft drives with less friction losses. They are stronger than belts. Notice the lack of belts on really high horsepower bikes. They are easier to change final drive ratios. The only real downside is the mess of external lubrication and the need to re-lube at short intervals.

[tophski]

thanks Pat

[docsabre]

"The only real downside is the mess of external lubrication and the need to re-lube at short intervals."

Also having to replace sprockets and chains at intervals is a hassle. I have 130,000 miles on my shaft Honda Sabre. I probably would have replaced 6 set of chains and sprockets by now. Also lubing and chain tightening is more labor intensive than the every 12K easy oil change with the final drive.

Doc

[garandman]

///And why a chain? This bike with belt drive or a lightwieght shaft would be damn near perfect and a real alternative to the higher priced BMW models. I get the feeling the people who design these bikes don't spend a lot of time in their saddles or have any dirt under their fingernails.
Surprised to hear this since belts don't hold up well in dirty environments. About the only bike with DS pretensions and a belt is theBuell Ulysses.

I had a BMW with a shaft drive and didn't like how the bike jacked up and down with the throttle. The new ones have minimized this. But go to any BMW site and read about final drive failures and you may lose a lot of your enthusiasm for final drives. Desirable attributes are light weight, reliable, durable, easy to maintain, and low cost: but you only get to pick three.

Chains require minimal maintenance, are stone-axe simple, light, and cheap. If the V-Strom had a shaft drive I wouldn't have bought it.

[eddiethehead]

... also, shaft drives add weight. As far as the 'mess' of lubrication for chains, Amsoil makes a really cool spray called MPHD that is great for chains and has zero mess... still no hope for the sprocket wear though!

[Jstrom]

OK, I'm convinced. I was used to riding a high horsepower bike that consumed chains at an alarming rate. Now, after spending some time with the 'Strom, I can see that the chain will likely last a lot longer. Mabey I'm just mellowing out in my advanced geezerhood and also don't seem to mind the lubeing/cleaning/adjusting routine. This bike has re-introduced me to the joys of motrocycling I'd forgotten about. A machine that is light, nimble, frugal and fun. I am digging the hell out of it.