I haven't ridden the K1600, but some of my riding buddies have BMWs and I've had a chance to spend time on a K1200GT and a K1300S. Like you would expect and others have mentioned, the big K-bikes offer lots of power, stability, comfort, good handling, and power. At speeds over 40mph, they trounce the Strom in pretty much every way.

But for around town or off-pavement, the Strom is the better bike. And of course there's the huge difference in cost of ownership, which can affect your riding pleasure just as much as handling or power.

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DL650AK9
"I am enthusiastic over humanity's extraordinary and sometimes very timely ingenuities. If you are in a shipwreck and all the boats are gone, a piano top buoyant enough to keep you afloat that comes along makes a fortuitous life preserver. But this is not to say that the best way to design a life preserver is in the form of a piano top. I think we are clinging to a great many piano tops in accepting yesterday's fortuitous contrivings as constituting the only means for solving a given problem." - R. Buckminster Fuller

I hope you are SO financially set that mid twenties is no burden

I could write a check but the guilt of Mervin don't be a jerk would haunt me.

I also would not be afraid of a used on , these aren't the ones where the swing arm breaks in 2 and kills the owner , is it?

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FILL OUT NEVA MEAL POLL If your attending
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8/2/2013

I'd love to own one, and no doubt it would be a much classier ride than my Vee. But I seem to have a passion that gets me onto interesting scenic back-way roads which often have lousy surfaces and so I occasionally fall down. My Vee together with it's huge ugly scratched and dented aluminum side cases and lever protectors, seems to survive ok. I'd hate to go for even a minor slide in gravel with such a beautiful touring bike.

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Road Toads Charter Member - old guy goes stromabout on a 2007 Vee


States and Provinces I've visited

(B)iggest(M)oney(W)aster (see sig line) My issues were not so much with all the little $hit that went wrong with these bikes, but it was more about how I was treated by my stealership and BMWNA. If you frequent any of the BMW owner forums this seams to be a common theme. I liked (not loved) these bikes for what the were, but when I was looking for an "adventure" bike I never even considered a BMW. I would like to get one of those new Husqvarna TR650, but I swore that I'd never give another nickel to BMW. Oh well, rules were meant to be broken.

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EZ-RDR55
The opinions expressed herein are mine, and do not represent that of any other humanoid past, present or future on this or any other planet.

'95 H-D FXDWG
'06 Honda CRF250X
'04 KTM 450EXC
'97 Honda XR-600R
'04 K1200LT (Sold)
'07 K1200GT (Sold)
'09 Wee-Strom DL-650ABS

My "other bike" is a GL1800 Wing; I love the bike and fully plan on keeping both.

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Phodius (AMA # 282162)
MSgt Retired USAF (1986-2010)
2007 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
2002 Honda Goldwing
"Ride South, Ride Often"

If you have never spent time on a well sorted touring bike you might think you wouldn't want the weight or to pay the typically higher price for one. The V Strom isn't a touring bike and they don't compare. Nor should they. The touring bikes are in there own league above 40 mph and after a couple hours in the saddle. You don't get the wind noise, buffeting that most V Stroms have at least some of. Overall wind protection, especially on the lower part is much better. While the seating position of the V Strom is excellent imo the ride is a LOT rougher than a good touring bike. The stability and handling at speed can be very very good on a big bike. Add a passenger and 100 lbs of luggage to a touring bike and you don't notice it near as much as on a V Strom.

But they sure can feel like a PIG around town. And don't even look down that gravel road and wonder where it goes.......

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'12 DL 650- '04 DL 650- '03 DL 1000- '04 R 1150 RT

WERKS modified clutch baskets for DL and SV 1000's.
The BEST in chudder control, noise control, and lasting durability! AVAILABLE HERE: www.werksparts.com
Want straightforward easy to understand answers to clutch basket questions or concerns? E-mail Terry info@werksparts.com

Hate to break it to you; husqvarna is owned by BMW!



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DL-650AK8
1977 Bonneville T140V Project

Previous:
2006 DL-1000
2003 Kawasaki ZR-7S
2003 Kawasaki Ninja 250

Aspiring Moto-journalist needs feedback:
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I think you misconstrued his post. He wanted a Husky, but was not willing to give more $ to BMW (which is what he would be doing if he bought a Husky because BMW owns Husky. He already knows this.)

Well put, all they're missing is "doors". If you are doing a monster trip, they are the cats nuts, but if in-between most of your riding is local, they are pigs.
I love agility in a bike, so my Tiger and V-Strom never fail to put a smile on my face, even if just going to WalMart.

I think if I was thinking of spending $25k on a bike I'd look at a fully optioned VFR1200 with a few bucks left over for top shelf riding gear.

The VFR is my dream bike....does everything well