i am not really sure where this rant comes from, I have had not a single real issue with my 650. it runs like a charm. never broken down on me. gets great gas mileage. and is so much cooler than my last bike. Not to mention handles like a dream.







well, of course my last bike was an 89 Goldwing that only gets about 35 mpg on the highway and weighs a ton and a half. I've only had the storm for a little over 1000 miles, and haven't even changed the oil yet. the goldwing was a bit quieter on the highway though.

__________________
The first 40 years of childhood are the hardest.

DL650A L1 "Sandy"
Solobox Paniers
17/46 520 size chain, Front and rear Sprockets
Rigid Industries 6" E-series light bar
3m Military Green Wrap on order
Oil Filter Adapter HERE'S why

Ej ain't talkin' 'bout the Wee.

He has the Vee.........but he still loves it despite having issues with it.

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Ock. in Oz
Australia, NSW, Windsor
ockerstrom@rocketmail.com

Member of The McGrath's Hill Mob.

Shiro Nakama Ju San

White '09 V-Strom DL650ABS, Blue '87 Kawasaki KLR650 [Sold]
Green '94 Kawasaki KLE500

"Normal" is only a cycle on the washing machine.....

If you wait, all that happens is that you get older.

The rant was meant to underscore the fact that most 650 owners love their bike while neumorus DL1000 owners frequenty have frustration.
In my opinion The two machine couldn't be more different.

Glad you like your Wee, most owners do.
No unpleasant surprises with a Wee.

__________________
A "Commuter" not an AdvTourer.
Currently Commuting On: 06 Harley XL1200C, 06 DL1000, 07 GS500F, 2 mopeds, and a pair of sneakers.

And today I see that Terry has officially advised us of his new replacement clutch basket business and website. Good to see!

Forum Link

Having a good idea of what a replacement clutch basket will cost will probably encourage a lot more Vee owners to go down this route and cure one of the biggest issues.

As for my response to the OP's essay/rant (it's the wall 'o text on page 3, can't miss it !) I rode home from work shortly after typing it out and considered coming back and deleting my post. As I say, when I am on the bike I quite like it. I suppose everything seems worse when you are staring into a computer monitor all day long.

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Owning a Vee is the very definition of a love-hate relationship..

I only have 20,000 miles on my Vee, but all I have done is replace a battery so far. Maybe I have a different "Vee". I haven't even bothered with TBS or valves (but I should).

I like the Vee better than my GS, but it is still not the perfect bike. Good enough for me right now until I blow a R/R or something. Maybe I'm lucky.

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- Voltar

Build your own V-Strom GPI and save, save, save!

.
My apologies, Electrojake.

I've just dived back into your thread, after dropping out after my post #4 . . .

My comment there was, that since you are seldom more than 100 miles from home, then a BMW GSA would be a good choice . . . was a comment not really directed at you, but at the legendary reliability of the GS Final Drive : where to keep within 100 miles of home . . . is a prudent choice.
The 2013/2014 new model, with the GS's / GSA's final drive having a major re-design [it has also swapped to the left side, as a token of its newness] gives us hope that the adventurous GSA will then be suitable for riding well out of sight of the nearest Starbucks.
.

I have had friends who can buy a hammer and break it the next morning..or claim it bends every nail they hit with it.

My list (miles). And part of it includes my brother who bought it new.

Clutch slave at 25,000
Water pump rebuild 30,000
EFI remap at 40,000
Fuel filter at 55,000
TPS readjust once at 50,000 or so
Battery at 70,000 or so
One rear wheel bearing at 71,000
1 set brakes front and rear at 50,000 or so, still had pad left

None of this left me stranded. Pretty solid bike by my standards and more smiles per mile than any bike cheaper or more expensive I have owned yet. All repairs except remap easily done by myself.

I am just shy of 80,000 miles now. Trust the bike coast to coast. Burns very little oil (less than 1 qt every 5,000 miles). Very mild chudder on original clutch assembly. Original stator...no issues. Spockets/chain last 30,000 miles with no care but lube. Around 35 mpg with big windshiled and full luggage. Ridden hard since day 1 but mostly on asphalt.

Paid $4,400 at 37,000 miles used. I even have enjoyed my time with the bike long enough I like how it looks.

I must agree with others....what a huge POS.

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________________________________
2007 Blue SuperVee 1000
2002 White HD Road King Police
2000 Red Honda XR 400r
2003 Green Honda Rincon 650 ATV

If it is not broken, it can still be fixed

Recently, my wife caught me oogling another mans motorcycle.
I think it was a Triumph...anyway, she says "Just what are you thinking?"

huh?

"You've got so much time and money into that fixing and farkling that frikkin V-Strom, you are keeping it bud.
We ain't starting over on something else now!"

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"Nessie! You nicknamed my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster?!!"

I told my wife when I bought my V that I would keep it till I wore it out OR paid it off.Well it will be paid off soon so I reminded her and she said that she doesn't wamt to buy a new bike ( $$$ reasons ) so I told her that I needed about $2,000 in parts and stuff if I keep it and she said OK !!!.

Yipppeeeeeeee


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com App

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1982 GS850..BLACK SUNSHINE,the tripod
2007 DL996AR..BRUTUS
Ah screw it,I'm goin ridin !!!!!!!!

Some positive reinforcement...
After doing every mod possible to my Vee the only problem remaining is Reliability.
I need to know it's safe to wander more than 100 miles from my shop without fear of yet another break-down.

One of the other members here mentioned that he rides with an extra battery in his top-case because he knows that eventually his stator is going to fry.
I like that idea!

My Vee has +40K miles on it now and she (mostly) runs like a clock, so I figure that at this point if I voluntarily replace the fuel pump assembly (about $750?) cause you know it can fail at any moment, and I buy one of those high price dry lithium batteries to protect me from the inevitable stator failure (BTW: I'm on my second stator already), I should be able to leave the neighborhood without having to keep my wife or Son on stand-by for typical "Daddy's stranded again" rescue-duty.

I have also considered packing one of these tiny 120AC/12VDC Honda generators so I can pretty much run forever without a stator when it finally becomes necessary.



Yeah, imagine, a little Honda to keep my old Suzuki running.
It sounds nuts, but it's better than riding around like a nervous kitten every time I'm more than walking distance from the house.

And finally, the closer:
Attention Aussies...
No need for apologies or retracting previous posts here.
If I occasionally seem annoying or whiny it was probably intentional. So be reassured, there is no need to retract anything...
Simply post "H.T.F.U., mate" followed by a smiley face, and I'll get the message. No problem.
Now mind you, this only applies to Aussies.

-Ej-

__________________
A "Commuter" not an AdvTourer.
Currently Commuting On: 06 Harley XL1200C, 06 DL1000, 07 GS500F, 2 mopeds, and a pair of sneakers.