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Considering buying a Strom. How's it as a sport bike?

15K views 47 replies 37 participants last post by  locoblanco 
#1 ·
I'm a current sport bike owner who is strongly considering swapping my bike for an adventure bike. My CBR600F4i is a great bike, but I'm looking for something more distance capable and comfortable(back problems). Exploring some light off-road would be cool, too. Realistically, I'm mostly going to be keeping it on-road, and the ability to carve through canyons is something I really appreciate. I've taken a few bikes out for a quick spin, including the Versys 650, V Strom 1000, and Multistrada 1200 (not financially feasible). I couldn't quite get a full feel for the bikes due to limited time spent riding. I really like the V Strom, but I'm slightly worried that it won't be a satisfying enough bike when the road gets twisty.

What's been your experience with the bike? Of course it's not a sport bike, but is it fun to put through a set of corners? I don't need to be the fastest guy on the mountain, I just want to have a good time and feel like the bike is working with me. Likewise, is the engine fun when pushing hard down a twisty road? It's obviously very different from what I'm used to, and I just want to make sure that it's enjoyable to ride in a sporty manner. This bike has the practical stuff covered in spades, which is why it's high on my list. I would just like owners opinions of the less practical side of the bike. Thanks for your feedback.
 
#3 ·
Your CBR600 will out perform the both the DL650 and DL1000 V-Strom, both on acceleration and top end. But there is where it stops. The V-Strom range per tank is a lot better than that of a crutch rocket. The V-Strom may not be a sports bike, but it is reasonably fast enough when making use of the rpms and not bad in the twisties neither. The riding position is more comfortable for longer distance, than on a sport bike. One huge plus factor of any V-Strom, is that with the correct tires, the ride is not restricted to the black top. On a V-Strom, one can go explore some of the less traveled roads. Load it up like a pack mule, with camping gear, etc. and have a great adventure, if you have a mind to.
 
#4 ·
Scrapes too easily in standard form. I removed the footpeg scrapers/feelers which improves things. I have 25mm raising links for the rear when I get time to fit them. This should quicken the steering making it a bit more nimble.
The engine is definitely not sports bike like.
 
#18 · (Edited)
...What they don't come with, with the exception of the 2014+ DL 1000, is a suspension that is not going to compress a lot in tight curves. Raising the bike is a band-aid, you need to put stronger springs on them and that cures rubbing stuff for about any sensible rider...
If you are a competent rider capable of using the full capacity of good road tyres you will find the DL a great steering bike but a little slower steering compared with a sports bike set up.
The only drawback with a stock DL setup is the low height of the footrest which will ground out well short of your good tyres limits and will tend to drag your boot off the footrest if you like to feel the way with the edge of your boot.
The pegs can be raised with made up adapters (mine are raised 50mm) and the stands can be raised by grinding the side stand's pivot stop and by cutting the exhaust pipe bracket stop for the centre stand.
If you drop the forks the ground clearance gets worse.

Agreed. Cornering clearance is a limitation on the DL. You first must emply proper body position and technique to avoid dragging ouchy bits, but there are some modifications that also help a lot.

1) Do NOT drop the forks or lower the pegs.

2) Tuck in some raising links out back. I use 5/8" (16mm).

3) Get some proper springs on there front and back to get sag correct. In stock form, DLs droop horribly. Just Suzuki's traditional piss-weak springs. No one knows why they do this, but most factory fresh DLs sag too far under the weight of the bike without the rider. You have about six inches of travel (vs. the usual four inches on most streetbikes) so get loaded sag up around 1.75 inches; between 2 and 1.5 inches anyway.

4) Upgrade front and rear damping to limits of taste and budget. Emulators? Ohlins? At least change the fork oil with some decent 10W and maybe send the shock to Sasquatch for rebuilding/respringing.

5) Fork brace is of some small benefit. It's OK, but not the magic wand some claim.

6) Remove the centerstand. It's heavy and it drags.

7) Remove or shorten the peg feelers.

8) Oh yeah, fresh tires.

9) Choose engine to taste. Personally, I think less power and weight is quite often more fun. I ride a KLR650 and a DL1000, and both make me giggle.

8) LEARN TO FRICKIN' RIDE, BUBBA! This is the most important of all. Get some advanced training and learn to get your arse off the seat and work with what you have. Ride a lot of challenging roads and get yerself into some track days.

I can HIGHLY, STRONGLY recommend the Lee Parks Total Control Riding courses for street riders.
https://www.totalcontroltraining.net/

There's an old saying that speed is 90% rider and 10% bike, and it's absolutely true. A rider who knows what she's doing on a DL650 or Tohatsu Runpet will ride rings around the vast majority of sportbike riders.

Your skills are the best investment you can make by far. Training, gas, tires, coaching, gas, more tires, training, track days, etc.
 
#6 ·
Make sure you test ride one again, doing the type of riding you are concerned with. My other bike is a FZ1 and the Vstrom is definitely not the bike I would pick from the garage if I wanted to ride the twisty roads.
 
#7 ·
You would probably be happier with a 2014+ DL 1000 over the 650. The 650 won't feel like it has much power compared to the 600 you have. Both the 650 and 1000 have good cornering clearance for what they are. What they don't come with, with the exception of the 2014+ DL 1000, is a suspension that is not going to compress a lot in tight curves. Raising the bike is a band-aid, you need to put stronger springs on them and that cures rubbing stuff for about any sensible rider. The brakes on the 650 are marginal, the 2014+ DL 1000 has a lot better front brakes, and you will want that coming from the 600. Properly set up they handle well enough. The 19" front wheel and taller stance takes a bit more muscle to transition in and out of turns, but the wider bars help with that.

What they do that the 600 simply cannot....is be comfortable on long trips! With the footpeg lowering kits ( which don't reduce cornering clearance nearly as much as you would think ), good seats, and some work on the windshield, these bikes can do 800 mile days easily. Range on these bikes can be well over the 200 miles per tank, depending on speed and conditions.
 
#8 ·
I'm going to take the opposite track here from what most have said. My previous sporty bikes have been VFR 800, CBR600 F2 (track only), CB1000R (naked, not CBR), and a current FZ-09. For me, it's about how the suspension is set up and my skill (or lack). Sure the 19" front wheel and rake/trail geometry on my V2 makes for slower turn in than a typical sport bike, but at less than track speed cornering (street riding), I have no problem keeping up with or leading sport rides, two up. Proper suspension adjustment (provided you're not too large, then see the upgrade threads), cornering skill and trail braking and the V2 is a blast in the twisty stuff.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 
#9 ·
Coming off an FZ1 to a ‘15 DL1000, I would tell you to go for it. The V Strom has less power, but you will find yourself shifting a whole lot less as you can go from 30 to 80 in third gear with tractor like pull. I find that I’m actually faster on the V Strom because I’m smoother in the corners. I carry more speed into the corners on this bike because it’s not as twitchy as a sport bike. That said, the 600 CBR is quicker late that said, the 600 CBR is quicker and lighter and has better brakes, but much less comfortable and what you are giving up performance wise is negligible considering what you are gaining in comfort and range, all day 2 up ability, etc.
 
#10 ·
We have wildly different experiences on the 2 bikes. Tractor is a good description of how my DL1000 sounds though :grin2:
 
#12 ·
Don't know about CBR600F4i but coming from an 2nd gen FJR1300 the DL1000 feels like it weights about half of the other bike, it is extremely tossable from corner to corner and the riding position is far more neutral. The one thing it lacks compared to the inline 4 is that "I'll rip your arms away" feel above 5000-6000rpm but it compensates it with low end torque, day to day fun factor and mild off-road exploration capabilities. If I was to go for a track day I'd still prefer FJR1300 (even though it doesn't belong there either) but for daily living and commuting and anything other than the straight line cruising I find Strom to be more engaging and rewarding. Not necessarily better, since both both bikes get the job done and are 5x more than needed, but a bit more fit.
 
#13 ·
I've had several different bike prior to my 18 Vee. Super chicken 996, VFR800 (Loved that bike). I bought a used 15 Wee and upgraded the suspension by a local company here in NC. I felt the fastest I've ever been on that 650. Only reason I sold the 650 to get the 1000 was bc with 2 up and full luagage the 650 I just didn't feel comfortable with the available power. I second what everyone else has said too, with the correct tires and suspension set up the Vstroms are great bikes plenty of power and can go about anywhere.
 
#14 ·
How to make the DL steering quicker.
- Lower the front by raising the forks an inch
- Raise the rear by an inch

It won't ever steer as quick a CBR600 but your back will feel much better.

I just sold a ZRX1200 that would rail through the twisties. Lots of fun, HOWEVER, my lower back started telling me in no uncertain terms that I needed a V Strom 1000!!!
 
#15 ·
If you are a competent rider capable of using the full capacity of good road tyres you will find the DL a great steering bike but a little slower steering compared with a sports bike set up.
The only drawback with a stock DL setup is the low height of the footrest which will ground out well short of your good tyres limits and will tend to drag your boot off the footrest if you like to feel the way with the edge of your boot.
The pegs can be raised with made up adapters (mine are raised 50mm) and the stands can be raised by grinding the side stand's pivot stop and by cutting the exhaust pipe bracket stop for the centre stand.
If you drop the forks the ground clearance gets worse.
 

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#16 ·

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#17 ·
I've had sportbikes all my adult life and my last bike was a 2016 ZX14R. Comfort was the reason I bought the 2018 V strom 1000. I was not riding much anymore and now I ride a lot thanks to the strom's comfort. Power is a lot less than a sportbike, but torque is great and coming out of a tight corner with that V twin pulling is amazing.Get the 1000 and you will not regret it.
 
#19 ·
.... I really like the V Strom, but I'm slightly worried that it won't be a satisfying enough bike when the road gets twisty.

What's been your experience with the bike? Of course it's not a sport bike, but is it fun to put through a set of corners? I don't need to be the fastest guy on the mountain, I just want to have a good time and feel like the bike is working with me. Likewise, is the engine fun when pushing hard down a twisty road? It's obviously very different from what I'm used to, and I just want to make sure that it's enjoyable to ride in a sporty manner. This bike has the practical stuff covered in spades, which is why it's high on my list. I would just like owners opinions of the less practical side of the bike. Thanks for your feedback.
Based on your goals, as you describe them, I would say go for the 1000cc 2014+ V Strom.
Some of the comments above are speaking to the 650s and early versions of the 1000s. Once you dial into the new version big V-2, you will find no problem dealing with any other bikes you might ride with. They may be fractionally faster and have a better magazine box score but you will be choosing a great motorcycle. I have a CBR 900RR and I switch bikes with guys who ride MultiStrada Carbons and the GSA crowd. I'm always happy to get mine back. Your riding style and strategies will change a bit. You might find your self up-shifting at the apex and rolling on the throttle (not slamming on) right the way to the upright position. And it comes with a soulful long stroke 90* V twin engine that doesn't feel like an appliance. [my2cents]
 
#21 ·
Why do you like or what do you like about the VStrom? Are you looking new or used? There are a lot of great used bikes out there f/s.


In general "adventure" bikes handle a lot better than what people think. Wide bar and upright seating make them much more natural to ride. I can ride them faster through TOTD type twisties faster and more confidently than I can on a Sport bike. Even with panniers and gear for a week.


One thing an adventure bike will not be is a 10,000 RPM screaming I-4 sport bike. My BMW R1200GS will keep up with sport bikes until about triple digits then they start waking away from me.


So now back to new verses used. In June I bought a 2007 R1200GS with Ohlins shocks, Touratech Zega panniers extra set of Ohlins shocks, two Bros muffler, 2 skid plates and some other misc stuff with 31,000 miles on the ODO for $5,300.


I sold the extra Ohlins, 1 skid plate, aftermarket muffler and panniers (kept the racks and mounting hardware) bringing the cost of the bike down to $3,800. I did buy a set of Tusk panniers for $254. So in the end with a little leg work I got a great bike for not a whole lot of money. Deals are out there you just need to be ready when they present themselves.
 
#23 ·
What I love about my 2018 DL1000 is the available and useable power/torque at low RPMs. I'll take available/useable over peak any day. I ride in the 2.5-4.5k RPM range and have a blast on that bike. Rarely wind it out. No way I would trade my v2 for a sport bike... I've ridden enough of them and just don't like them anymore after adjusting to riding the vstrom.

I bet, if you had them both in your garage for a year, you would end up riding the DL1000 80+% of the time and selling the other.
 
#24 ·
Torque is sweet ...loved the CBF1000 for that ....pull hard from 3k in any gear. I'll trade peak HP for better torque any day.
One thing that made the Burgman 650 punch above its weight in the twists,....always in the correct power zone due to the ECVT.

I'd imagine less gear stirring on the 1000....was one bike the Burgman could not keep up with in mid range acceleration...the 1000 just pulled away.
 
#27 ·
I think you’ll be impressed. It’s very good in he turns. My other bike is a bmw s1000rr and the strom will handle just as well as the s1k. It’s a whole different story in the straights. Before I changed ecu’s Top end was 113. The complimentary Ecu bumped that up to about 140. It did move the torque. There is a little less at the bottom now. So slow in the straights but fast in the turns. The riding position was a relief too.
 
#28 ·
I've taken a few bikes out for a quick spin, including the Versys 650, V Strom 1000, and Multistrada 1200 (not financially feasible). I couldn't quite get a full feel for the bikes due to limited time spent riding. I really like the V Strom, but I'm slightly worried that it won't be a satisfying enough bike when the road gets twisty.
If you could not get a full feel for the bikes on a test ride, listening to other peoples' opinions of a Suzi is ludicrous. Especially when you don't know them personally. If a dealer will not let you take a longer test ride, ask about renting a bike for the day. Alternatively, find someone who will ride with you and swap bikes for a couple of hours.
 
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