After some soul searching, I'm parting with the big Strom after swearing it would be the last street bike I ever owned. I had planned on riding it till it died or I did....well, I didn't make good on that but it was a nice promise.

Can't say it's any one thing that changed my mind, mostly too many close calls at speed, but my enjoyment of the street is all but gone. My true love is the dirt, so a trail bike and a proper dual sport is where I'm headed. I feel safer offroad.

But I've enjoyed the heck out of the DL and enjoyed my time here and can't say enough wonderful things about the community of people at Stromtrooper and the great knowledge base this and VSRI offer Strom riders. I've learned a ton about my bike here, and made lots of friends. I'll still pop back in and maybe I'll be on a Strom again some day who knows...but for now I'm sending my big baby on to a new owner. Maybe he'll fill my shoes as he learns his new toy, and it is unbeknownst to him the best Strom ever built and the fastest, and the sexiest. Oh yes it is.

My Strom took me all over the country, over countless back roads, shuttled me to work, and gave my wife and I a shared hobby. It survived abuse, trails many would never attempt on a Vee, dirt naps and a proper get-off. It never stranded me, it never gave me an ounce of trouble. It just ran. Tomorrow I deliver it to its new owner, and I'll ride home a 248lb KTM to console me.

Bye big girl, I'll miss you.

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Never met a dog I didn't like, a machine I couldn't break, or a woman I couldn't tick off.

You went and did it, I can say that I am actually shocked. I have so enjoyed the rides with you and the Strom, and I am looking forward to enjoying the many more rides to come on your new toy/toys. Understatement to say you have had some great memories and experiences on that bike, I rather enjoyed the time I had with mine too. But......there are so many choices out there, and like you I am catching your off-road bug. Well I still do enjoy riding on the road too, just is so scary out there with all the idiots. No doubt you will be kept up to date on the Strom, and I have no doubt the new owner will enjoy it.

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BRIAN

2008 WR250R 2008 CONCOURS 1400 "Dearly departed 2005 DL1000"

Have no regrets; you're just changing your preferred style of riding, not giving it up altogether.

And I'm sure like many others, I too share your sentiments regarding other drivers, but I am not ready to give up on the road yet. I see extremely bad choices on the part of other drivers all the time. In fact, despite being one of the safest cities in the nation for its population size according to a recent survey, I am aware of two fairly noteworthy motorcyclist deaths in the Tucson area just within the last month alone. One of the victims was an MSF instructor stopped at a light struck from behind, and the other a victim of driver who changed lanes on the highway into the motorcyclist knocking him off his mount whereupon he was struck by four separate cars. It's beyond stupid.

Good luck in the new direction your motorcycle riding is taking you.

The dirt-oriented suzuki cousin of the DL650 comes highly recommended if you're looking for a true dual sport. I'm talking about the DR650 of course.

Or you could always go the killer KLR route. Let us know what you settle on.

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Paul "Happy Wanderer"
"I want to live. I want to experience the universe,
and I want to eat pie"
2008 DL650 (VStrom/WeeStrom/BeeStrom)

[url]http://motophotofile.blogspot.com[/url]

He has owned an XR650 and a DRZ400, and knows that smaller and lighter is much better. Think along the lines of WR250R or KLX250S.

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BRIAN

2008 WR250R 2008 CONCOURS 1400 "Dearly departed 2005 DL1000"

I think he answered in his initial post. Great choice as well.

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"Blindness is contagious, see for yourself." - SthrnRomr 2012

Yup, scored a very well-sorted out 520 exc. An RFS powered Katoom is a good fit for me, I've owned a few big bores but this time around I was after a bike that was happier on the trail than on the tarmac, but still had enough horses to make the backroads fun.

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Never met a dog I didn't like, a machine I couldn't break, or a woman I couldn't tick off.