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v-strom engine longevity...

17K views 75 replies 31 participants last post by  twenty 
#1 ·
hey everyone, I am in the market for a new motorcycle and have been leaning strongly towards a v-strom 1000.

I'm in Canada and have noticed Suzuki dealers are quite a bit rarer than I remember growing up. I've been to a couple but none have any 2019's in stock and are trying to push the 2018 demos with bonus packages. this concerns me a bit, why wouldn't they carry at least one of the current model year? one said they're expecting them in the next few weeks but again, riding season is just starting, why be late to show?

so I went into my usual dealer (kawi/honda/yami), known the salesman for 30+ years and have bought several new motorcycles through him over the years. I was asking him about the V and at first he said they're a descent machine but as the conversation went on his tune started changing a bit. he said that Suzuki just doesnt have a big enough market share here and wasn't sure how much longer they will be staying in this market. he also said that he is very suspicious of any Suzuki trade in because the engines get iffy after about 40k km's.

I took this with a grain of salt because I'm sure he would prefer to make the sale himself but its planted the seed in my head. I've done some searches on the interwebs, youtube and looked around here. sure there are a few people with a few issues but nothing about the motors being short lived. actually I'd say the consensus is Suzuki builds a rather reliable motor.

so basically, is there anything I should be concerned about with the longevity of these engines, are they super high maintenance, do they have inherent issues that need to be dealt with to increase engine life, etc, etc...

I've owned a few suzuki's in the past and never had any issues but haven't owned one in twenty years or more. any advice or info would be greatly appreciated and I'm sure would set my mind at ease.
 
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#2 ·
Many members on here will atest to the Great engines in these bikes. Older 1000 models had some
issues. But have been taken care of in later models. You will find they are a long time runner.
With the proper maintanence .
 
#3 ·
I bought myV for two reasons -- comfort and reliability.

Being retired and 70, I wanted a bike that will last me till I don't ride anymore. I've not read anything about a V having reliability problems.

KKORO
 
#4 ·
Your dealer friend put his competing dealer hat on LOL.

The Suzi twin is probably one of the most reliable engines available. The bike is considered one of the most reliable, and most importantly easy to work on yourself, especially with a forum like this with loads of knowledge.

You'll find several members that have put hundreds of thousands of KMs on their bikes.

Heck, if I get to 100K and the engines dies, I'll be happy. That'll be 10 years of riding for me :grin2:

But I suspect, with good maintenance on the rest of the bike, I'll easily get 200-300k out of the engine, if I can ride it enough to get there.
 
#5 ·
I think you are "leaning" in a good direction. Review, after review, comparison test after comparison test, always speak of how well the Vstrom compares against their pricier competition. Just make sure you know that for the price of a Strom, you don't get a BMW. And you get a chain, not the shaft of a Super Tenere, for example.

And there is nothing "iffy" about these engines. If there were we would not have a member who racked up 400k miles (not kilometers) on a 1st Gen DL1000 with never an engine tear down.

For you I would pose a question, not an answer. Are you a handy bike mechanic. If you are, then the scarcity of Suzuki in your area shouldn't stop you. But if you are not, or would prefer not to be, then if I were you I would strongly consider doing business with the motorcycle dealer you know and trust. Nothing wrong with the Tenere, for example. A very well thought of bike around here. Just pricier.
Good luck, tell us how you do!
 
#6 ·
My 2006 Dl650 has 202,400+ km / 125,700+ miles when i parked it in my hanger. It sat there for several years until a ech from work got it and got it running again. No engine issues ever.

My 2012 DL650 was turning great when I sold it. 139,500+ km / 86,700+ miles at that time. As far as I know the new owner is still riding it (he was turning it into an off-road bike.)

My 2015 DL1000 has 163,400+ km / 101,500+ miles. riding it every day.

RCACS had 271,000 km / 168,000 + miles and replaced his cam chain tensioner. As far as I know that was the first time he had bee nin the engine apart from valve checks.

Kith, has ridden over 400,000 miles on his 202 DL1000. It is pretty much worn out and still ridable and iirc he never had to do any engine work apart from routine.

..Tom
 
#11 ·
This --



is why I chose the 'strom over some other options back when I was shopping.

Your dealer is blowing smoke. I'd be far more concerned about him than about the reliability of the Suzuki engines.
 
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#8 ·
The main reason I got my Vee..it was for is reliability...I was on the market for everything that was around as an adventure bike around 900 to 1200 cc.

And speaking with dealers mechanics,and people who had vstrom....bang for the buck the best and on the long run very reliable and and maintenance is cheap.

That's why I got my 2018 Vee xt. I'm probably the first in Qc to got one...it wasn't even in SAAQ system...
 
#9 ·
I've owned a few suzuki's in the past and never had any issues but haven't owned one in twenty years or more. any advice or info would be greatly appreciated and I'm sure would set my mind at ease.
Check out WERA688 posts for any issues he found (very, very few and those were minor). His DL1000 went 432,000 miles before he retired it. He didn't retire it because it was broke either.
 
#10 ·
Would be nice to know where you are from (hint hint)

I got to 100000kms in three summers, engine still sounds hella weird (it's normal for the 'strom), internals are like new.
For the price, the warranty, the versatility, the ergonomics (also the seat, man, it's awesome!), the reliability... it's a hard bike to beat.

Took me a while before i made up my mind, but i plan to keep this one a long time.
 
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#12 ·
wow, thanks for all the replies.

I'd like to say I'm a good mechanic but after spending the last 20 min trying to figure out how to add my location through the user cp..... I'm not sure I should be allowed outside on my own. my vehicles only see the inside of a dealership for warranty / recall work and only to a garage for work i can't or dont want to do at home ( AC, tires, etc).

I'm in Ontario, close to Toronto. I know Suzuki (cars anyway) were much more popular in la belle province but their motorcycles were very popular here.

I had a feeling he was talking more as a salesman than a friend but just wanted some reassurance. while this may not be my forever bike, I'm thinking it will be my for a long, long time bike.

girlfriend says I have to make some room in the garage before I can buy another bike, luckily they're calling for sun and 14 here today, time wash some bikes and make some decisions. which bike to sell...... or us it time to trade in the girlfriend ?
 
#14 ·
There are a few Suzuki dealers in the GTA. I bought mine in Newmarket, but Snow City and Ready powersports have Vstroms in the showroom. Mind you Ready has a brand new 2013 650 they are asking $1000 more than I paid for my 2017 last year in Newmarket.
 
#15 ·
Just be aware... the 1000 requires premium fuel whereas the 650 takes regular 87 octane.

I wanted to get a 1000 this year (I've ridden a 2005 650 since 2006) but the prospect of forking out extra $$ for premium gas at every fill-up was a deal-breaker for me.

- Martin
 
#20 ·
I rode over 50,000 km last year. I used 2871.955 liters of fuel.

If they all were Premium (they weren't) I would have paid $574.20 extra for the year (based on 20 cents extra per liter for Premium) My total for fuel in 2018 was $3,976.08 so really it's just a small part of riding. If I did the mileage most people did I would have probably only spent an extra $200 or less the year.

Now not all the gas that went into my DL1000 last year was Premium. There were places (Newfoundland and Labrador and South Western USA) where there simply wasn't premium so I ran regular. It runs fine on regular although I avoided high throttle settings at low RPM so as to minimize the risk of detonation.

..Tom
 
#16 ·
hey tom, I get the distinct feeling we've talked before on a forum far, far away...... I'm about a 45 min drive west of Toronto.

I'm not too concerned about using premium, always have in my bikes whether they call for it or not since they brought out the ethonal. theres still a few stations here that don't have any in their premium.

newmarket isnt too far and I do have one about 25 min down the road, they just dont have any in stock. the next one was a half hour the other way but they dont have any new, seems odd that suzuki calls them dealers?? I would want the dealer to be somewhat close for parts or warranty. I have 3 or more kawi dealers, same for yami dealers in my town or just across the border, just caught me off guard.

off to wash another bike, this is gonna be tougher than I thought, think I might just have to sneak one off to the cottage while shes not looking....
 
#23 ·
Dealer Networks are Important

hey tom, I get the distinct feeling we've talked before on a forum far, far away...... I'm about a 45 min drive west of Toronto.

/QUOTE]

I think what you have experienced with the Suzuki dealership is pretty much what I have seen from all Suzuki dealers I have seen over the years. My first Suzuki was bought in 1969 from a dealership in Northern California that was not much more than a shack.

My impression of Suzuki is that they don't do a great job of selecting their dealers. Even today you never see a large Suzuki dealership but instead see the brand combined in with other brands almost like and after thought. The largest Multi brand M/C dealership in our area as dropped Suzuki because they just weren't selling enough units to make it worth carrying the brand.

I'm not sure what that means long term for Suzuki but they sure don't seem to be setting the world on fire with new creative models these days. I'm not on the market for a new bike, but would have to give serious consideration to Suzuki's poor dealer network before buying.

That being said my over 50K miles 2003 DL1000 still looks good, runs like a top and it's hard to beat the sound of that big V-Twin. :smile2:
 
#17 ·
Twenty, I run premium in my '14 DL1K because that is what's called for in 2 versions: The decal on the left side of the instrument cluster says "Use Premium fuel...", while the owner's manual says "Requires premium fuel..." and at no time to use anything other than Premium. During a conversation with the regional Suzuki service rep at the Chicago bike show 2 years ago he volunteered--with no prompting or question by me-- that although Premium is recommended, there is no problem using regular.
The dealerships send their bikes out with regular, and those(car) dealerships that have on-site gas pumps( like the ones I worked at) always had regular, not Premium. The price difference between the 2 isnt enough to dissuade me from using what's recommended, and if I can't afford the recommended fuel I shouldnt even own a motorcycle in the 1st place.

As for reliability, I dont have enough miles on my Vstrom to judge it's reliability one way of another EXCEPT for 3 factors: 1) It starts immediately and with no driveabilty issues no matter how long it sits. 2) It runs the same way--excellent-- every single ride. Not so much as a sneeze, cough, or fart. Just smooth, steady power at any time. 3) Stuck in a 1.5 hour traffic jam in I-57 on the way back from Deals Gap, 105F degrees(or higher) inching along , ambient temp gauge reading 122F, and the fan never came on nor did the engine temp gauge go over it's normal 3-bar middle reading. Traffic opened up, no engine knock on acceleration, no flat spots, no nothing--just business as usual. I was mightily impressed. Still am.
 
#18 ·
your salesman friend who you've known for 30+ years is just being a salesman.
the other possibility is he is uninformed.

I prefer to get my 'information' from motorcycle reviews by legitimate outfits/reviewers and forums. While I know some salespeople are sincere they are often uninformed and for me they are the last source of information I would rely on. I'm speaking generally here. I know there are some who are enthusiasts but its pretty easy to test their knowledge about a machine you are interested in if you have done a little research.
 
#19 ·
The engine has been around for a long time. If there isn't a Suzuki dealer around the local shop has a mechanic that knows his way around it. Suzuki dealers are usually combined with Kawasaki and KTM out here. I have 3 dealers within a 100 Km here but when I lived in the Kootenays the closest was 250km away. The local Honda shop in Nelson did my first valve check. No problem as the tech does the valve checks on all the local Stroms and thinks they are a hell of a lot easier to work on than some other makes.
 
#24 ·
the problem is that I haven't even sat on a current generation 1000.

the first dealership only had a 2018 demo that was sold. they said I could sit on it because the guy hadn't paid all the money yet, I declined. that's pretty low, the guy has bought it and they're installing extras, it's his bike. makes me wonder if my bike will be their demo when it's in for work or before I pick it up.

the second dealership only had a 2016 demo, which I sat on but I'm not interested in a demo. sure I like to save a buck where I can but I know what I'd do on a demo and that's not how I'd like my engine to be broken in.

maybe there isn't much difference between a 2016 and the next gen but I'm not all that comfortable dropping $18k after taxes and stealership charges without even seeing the colour in person or actually sitting on the thing. to be honest, I cant even believe this is a thing in 2019.

I guess I'm just going to have to expand my search area and maybe take a run to newmarket. I'm sure I'll eventually find a dealer that wants to take my money.

again, thanks for all the replies. my concerns about the engine are long gone, not so much about the state of Canadian dealerships.
 
#22 ·
If you still wonder about engine longevity, Suzuki currently offers 5 years warranty. That's two years more than i got for mine, and four more than honda. Pretty confident in their products, if you ask me.
 
#29 ·
You need a different dealer.

I BOUGHT my 2010 Wee with 93,000 km on it for $3k Cdn - was super reliable ( was my second one ) rode it for two seasons and sold it for $3k with 115,000 km on

Aside from stator issues which are unique to Suzuki ...they are very reliable machines. As were my two Suzuki Burgman 650s.
 
#38 ·
They aren't in stock in any of the Suzuki dealerships in Japan, either. I had to order mine and so far I've waited about a month./QUOTE]

sadly that makes me feel somewhat more comfortable. at the same time though, who inside suzuki thought it would be a good business decision not to have their latest products out when, if not before the season starts. to me that just sounds like there should be a job opening at suzuki.
Yep, huge backorder. The dealers nationwide sold out of stock available in Japan about 2 months ago. So unfortunate.
 
#33 ·
The guy was straight up bullshi**ing you and trying to swing the sale his way.

Now he sells the Versys and it's a nice bike as well, but overall I don't think you could go wrong with either one.

Now you just have to ask yourself if you would purchase from the same guy that basically lied to your face in hopes of getting another sale.
 
#35 ·
Now he sells the Versys and it's a nice bike as well, but overall I don't think you could go wrong with either one.

Now you just have to ask yourself if you would purchase from the same guy that basically lied to your face in hopes of getting another sale.
yes, he thinks the versys is the best bike overall that they sell. I dont hate it but much prefer the lines on the V and my days of screaming inline fours is behind me..... but if I was looking for another I would probably wait for the rebirth of the naked katana next year, brings me back to the bike I had in high school.

trusting any salesman is tough, and it takes time to earn trust. for example, I was out for a ride on saturday and stopped at a couple dealership to see what they'd give me. my usual guy brought the blue book, spun it around and showed me. then explained a couple other factors like sales that were on right now that might bring down what I could get for it and said if i wanted to get the most for it I should list it online first. of course I already knew that, I just wanted the official numbers to know what to list it at. then I went into the suzi dealer armed with that knowledge and asked them what it was worth. he pulled out the blue book, leafed through it and gave me a number almost $2k less than the other dealer, then quickly put the book away. either they just didn't want it, which really doesnt matter as I'd be selling it privately anyway (if at all) or they were trying to make a nice profit. I would have preferred an honest answer. I understand they're a business and have to make money, but just how much do they need to make off of someone buying a new bike from them?

Holy cow I didn't realize the exchange rate was so bad between US and CA. According to NADA new bike pricing a new DL1000AL9 V-Strom ABS retails for $12,999 here in Washington State, USA. I would say that would come to about $ 14,500 here out the door. I sure hope you folks are making big buck up there in CA land given the costs of things.... <img src="http://www.stromtrooper.com/images/StromTrooper_2015/smilies/tango_face_surprise.png" border="0" alt="" title="EEK! Surprise!" class="inlineimg" />
it's the taxes and I might have made a slight rounding error with my quick calculations. but yes we use different money and from your list price, I'm not sure the exchange rate is properly reflected in the prices.

new here are $13,499 and $14,099 (they both just got a $500 spring discount, lucky I waited). then PDI and delivery, it's been a few since I bought a new bike but think it was over $500 last time. and then the harmonized sales tax of 13%. I wouldnt be surprised if they've weaseled a carbon tax on top of all that too. so that would bring it to around $17k out the door ( less the $500 discount now).
 
#37 ·
Twenty, it's funny you say that about the Versys...
When I bought my '14 DL1K, the Versys 1000 was one of the bikes I was considering.
I like its spacious luggage, and the seat was very comfortable.

But after 30 years of inline-4s, I wanted a V-Twin.
The Vstrom has more legroom for me, the luggage, while slimmer, facilitates parking in my garage, I like the 19" front tire...and that torque!!! I dont need to wring this engine's neck to get it to move RIGHT NOW. Downshifting to pass is purely optional. 45-50 mpg.
The Versys1000 is 50-60 lbs heavier, and not all that different in layout than my '00 ZRX1100.
One of my riding buds has a bought a Versys1000, and outside of the squishy suspension and high-rpm engine vibration he likes it. Bur he is somewhat "height-impaired", and the Vstrom100 was just too tall for him. He didnt want to play the shorter seat/lowering suspension game, and it's a good match for his ZX10. But he wanted the Vstrom 1000.
 
#39 · (Edited)
I don't know why Suzuki doesn't get the respect they deserve. They do seem to get treated like they are always late to the party. I find this ironic as the V-Storm 650 and 1000 are standouts in their respective classes. I can't think of any other liter bike that offers the balance of the V-Strom 1000. True the Africa Twin is better for off-road but the Suzuki is better at eating up the paved miles. Part of me thinks if the V-Strom 1000 cost $2,000 more it would get more respect.

It may seem like too good a deal so there must be something wrong with the bike which keeps some buyers away but that suits me just fine. Given the crazy discounts offered on a brand new bike I am surprised more people don't buy them. Sure some have more hp or more amenities but can anyone say any 1000cc twin lacks passing power? An inline four will rev 3000 rpm higher and put out way more hp but that is not very useful for touring. Being able to roll the throttle on at 3,000 rpm in third gear and whip past that mobile home on a mountain road is the performance a touring bike needs and the V-Strom 1000 does just that. It is a little like a backup quarter back or Vice President. It may not get all the attention but that doesn't mean it isn't a top performer.

To the OP, find a good deal on one and bring it home. I'm 99.9999999% certain you'll love it.

NC
 
#41 ·
I don't know why Suzuki doesn't get the respect they deserve. They do seem to get treated like they are always late to the party.
it appears they are late to the party, here anyway. I've also seen other posts here saying the same thing. its almost May and there isnt a current model year within 100km of me. how do I spend $17k on a motorcycle i haven't even sat on or even seen the colour in real life? if I want an African twin, versys, tenere, ktm, etc I can go to the dealership and see one.

if that's how suzuki wants to cover the market, they should at least have a showroom in the larger cities. the GTA (toronto) is the third or fourth largest city in north america and I cant find a dealer that has a 2019 in stock. I only found two new 2018, one was almost sold and the other is a two hour or more drive away. they say they can get me the one I want but again, can I see one first? or do I just have to have blind faith.

I've sold one bike, have another listed and the YZ is going back to the cottage this weekend. the garage will be empty enough to buy another next week. if Suzuki can't get their act together, I'll have to wait until they do or consider another brand. luckily I'll still have the locomotive battle wagon to putt around on in the mean time.
 
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