Greetings,
Not an owner (yet)...hopefully the discussions in here will help me make up my mind.
Not an owner (yet)...hopefully the discussions in here will help me make up my mind.
New (potential) member with a couple of questions...
TW_rider
21 - 40 of 50 Posts
Joined
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6,266 Posts
Personally, I see it differently @TW_rider
Your backstory had no bearing on the information you requested. Several of us gave you data and you showed zero appreciation or interest.
Your first “like” was to agree with one of our members who chose to ride his year round in the snow and road salt, and commented he had issues with Suzuki.
Make us all happy, buy a Honda.
Your backstory had no bearing on the information you requested. Several of us gave you data and you showed zero appreciation or interest.
Your first “like” was to agree with one of our members who chose to ride his year round in the snow and road salt, and commented he had issues with Suzuki.
Make us all happy, buy a Honda.
Apparently you and I are reading different threads...snow and road salt????
I didn't realize it was necessary to "LIKE" every post that I found informative.
I've found several useful appraisals and some helpful information, which I appreciated...all I did was list some KNOWN and DOCUMENTED failures for that particular model.
Had a Honda (also BRAND NEW)...it was as big a POS as the Suzuki.
Joined
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2,436 Posts
Nobody is denying your experience but it runs counter to thousands of happy Suzuki and V-Strom rider cultist here.
Good luck with that, all the other forums will point you here.
That seems a bit odd because Honda and Suzuki are known for their solid design and reliabiility. Perhaps you are wildly unlucky in getting two lemons from two of the best. There is nothing forum members here can do about it. It may not be your intention but you are coming across as a troll or an AI bot trying to learn how to interact with humans and failing.
My advice; Lurk more then, if you dare, buy a V-Strom to join the cult and ride it and stop posting unless you have an issue.
People react to how they're being treated...
Joined
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2,436 Posts
Exactly my point.
...but only in one direction, apparently.
Sorry about your bad experiences with Suzuki's and BMW's.
My first Suzuki was my first bike, a 1961 50cc. My second was, again, another Suzuki, and then a TS185, followed by a Suzuki PE175.
Then came various road Suzuki's, a RG500, a GSXR750, and then a GSXR1100 while at the ame time I raced 3 various RMX250's and road/trailed a DR650.
I then bought a DRZ400 before buying my DL650.
The only time I can remember being left stranded by the road or track was when my RG500 oil pump cable became disconnected from the oil pump.
All makes can have their bad days.
I am curious though, as you bought your DR650 new off the dealer floor and would have thought that munched up circlips in the oil might have been a warranty claim issue. I have never before heard of a new DR650 going belly up at 13,000 miles.
There have been Monday morning and Friday afternoon issues from all manufacturers but the V-Strom is good value and mostly reliable.
My first Suzuki was my first bike, a 1961 50cc. My second was, again, another Suzuki, and then a TS185, followed by a Suzuki PE175.
Then came various road Suzuki's, a RG500, a GSXR750, and then a GSXR1100 while at the ame time I raced 3 various RMX250's and road/trailed a DR650.
I then bought a DRZ400 before buying my DL650.
The only time I can remember being left stranded by the road or track was when my RG500 oil pump cable became disconnected from the oil pump.
All makes can have their bad days.
I am curious though, as you bought your DR650 new off the dealer floor and would have thought that munched up circlips in the oil might have been a warranty claim issue. I have never before heard of a new DR650 going belly up at 13,000 miles.
There have been Monday morning and Friday afternoon issues from all manufacturers but the V-Strom is good value and mostly reliable.
Looks like You have pretty bad luck with Your bikes. Bad Suzuki, bad Honda and bad BM, as reported.
I have been purchasing Honda's since the 70's and never had a "bad" one. I currently own three of them, one of which is over 35 years old and still running well.
I have owned two BM's. One, an R100GS had 135,000kms on it when I traded. An excellent bike but not without its issues, none of which ever stopped me on the road. My second BM (Funduro) certainly was a bad one. Probably just bad luck as Rotax engines have a good reputation, but a circlip on the piston came adrift at only 2500 miles.
That brings me to Suzuki. I have only ever owned two and I still have my 2016 Strom 1000ABS. My Wife and I have had endless enjoyment from that motorcycle and still continue to do so albeit at age 74 it is now a little heavy for me to manhandle, being of small stature. Issues have been minor. Clutch slave and neutral switch. Neither stopped me on the road.
My other Suzuki was a DRZ400S. An excellent motorcycle albeit short of a 6th gear. If it had had 6 gears I probably would still own it.
So in answer to Your questions initially, Suzukis are pretty good nowadays and I certainly have no complaints. That also comes across from the majority of responses above.
As to the sometimes "poor" reception You have encountered on here I suspect some of it resulted from the "tone" of Your initial approach. Sometimes it helps to look inward as I certainly did when You eventually clarified that the bike You had such trouble with was owned from new.
I have been purchasing Honda's since the 70's and never had a "bad" one. I currently own three of them, one of which is over 35 years old and still running well.
I have owned two BM's. One, an R100GS had 135,000kms on it when I traded. An excellent bike but not without its issues, none of which ever stopped me on the road. My second BM (Funduro) certainly was a bad one. Probably just bad luck as Rotax engines have a good reputation, but a circlip on the piston came adrift at only 2500 miles.
That brings me to Suzuki. I have only ever owned two and I still have my 2016 Strom 1000ABS. My Wife and I have had endless enjoyment from that motorcycle and still continue to do so albeit at age 74 it is now a little heavy for me to manhandle, being of small stature. Issues have been minor. Clutch slave and neutral switch. Neither stopped me on the road.
My other Suzuki was a DRZ400S. An excellent motorcycle albeit short of a 6th gear. If it had had 6 gears I probably would still own it.
So in answer to Your questions initially, Suzukis are pretty good nowadays and I certainly have no complaints. That also comes across from the majority of responses above.
As to the sometimes "poor" reception You have encountered on here I suspect some of it resulted from the "tone" of Your initial approach. Sometimes it helps to look inward as I certainly did when You eventually clarified that the bike You had such trouble with was owned from new.
Joined
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128 Posts
"convince"
Well, to convince you, my DL650 so far lasted 4 years and 22000km with frequent oil changes every 5000 or so. It has nothing in common compared to the DR650, beside displacement and badge. A more road-biased, comfortable, laid back. I can listen to the V-twin all day. I would get the newest I could afford.
Well, to convince you, my DL650 so far lasted 4 years and 22000km with frequent oil changes every 5000 or so. It has nothing in common compared to the DR650, beside displacement and badge. A more road-biased, comfortable, laid back. I can listen to the V-twin all day. I would get the newest I could afford.
Thank you for your sincere reply.
The problem with my DR was that this occurred long after the warranty had expired...more than 3 years, I believe.
At that point in time, I owned 2 separate rides...my daily commuter and the DR, which I only insured for 6 months at a time, because insurance in this part of the country is ridiculous. So I put on maybe 2000 or 3000 miles per year on that one. I bought it in 2010 (it was a 2009 model) and got rid of it in 2017 or 2018 if memory serves me right.
Good to hear...I am leaning in that direction....considering a 2014 at the moment.
Being CLEAR isn't one of my strongest suits...so I'll explain.
I bought a BRAND NEW CRF300L Rally 2 years ago. It was a nice enough bike...despite having a few factory-flaws, the biggest of which was the suspension...needed to be modified immediately.
Passenger footpeg-placement was also terrible. Wife complained that her legs were bent too much...that had to be modified as well.
It was also very "tall"...which required installation of a lowering link.
The bike itself was a decent machine...but after riding it for almost a year, the luster and appeal wore off. The "POS" rating I gave it was largely because it didn't live up to the hype...my bad.
HILARIOUS...my BMW experience also involved a "Funduro". I can't tell you how many people in the Funduro forum extolled how great a machine it was "once you get them setup properly"...Therein was the problem...I resisted being"setup". The carbs were incredibly finicky and would not respond to cleaning, rebuild kits or anything else I could throw at them. I could accept this if it was my first rodeo, but by then...I'd been working on bikes for almost a decade and everything that "should have" worked...didn't. In the end, I brought it to a highly rated shop and the guy got it running "properly" but at this point I had sunk over $2000 into a bike that I had just paid $5000 for.
This was the ONLY bike I'd ever owned, that I actually came to hate by the time I sold it.
This seems to be the case, and it has me leaning in that direction HOWEVER...I read the same sort of glowing reviews when I bought the DR...so you can understand my hesitancy...or maybe not, given that YOUR experience has largely been positive.
At this point in time, it's a toss-up between the VStrom and a retro Honda PC800.
Fair assessment...as I said, I might not possess the clarity of some and I appreciate your candor...but by the same token, dumping on a new member doesn't foster the respect that should flow both ways.
I'm willing to start fresh...
Joined
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1,967 Posts
Well, you know what they say: if you have to keep moving because everywhere you go the neighbors are jerks, maybe its..., well, you know.
Sorry, but you really have been asking for it. And I'm not at all butt hurt if you dont like the brand, mine runs fine. (My Hondas and Kawasakis were good too.)
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1,967 Posts
What fun is that?
Well put....you're nudging me in that direction.
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13,815 Posts
have you looked at the Ibex 800 E ?
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1,967 Posts
I've been thinking, (rare, I know).
My first post said that data is not the plural of anecdote, meaning it is the plural of datum, a single piece of information. All the unsubstantiated anecdotes in the world are NOT data. The OP comes on here and basically trashes Suzuki and then invites us to change his mind. Then goes on to tell us how his Honda, a small entry level bike, did not live up to his expectations riding 2 up. I'm not sure anymore just what the OP wants from us.
I stand by my comments on the bike, however that was the first time my satirical comments were ever directed at an actual person, and for that I apologize to all members of this forum.
My first post said that data is not the plural of anecdote, meaning it is the plural of datum, a single piece of information. All the unsubstantiated anecdotes in the world are NOT data. The OP comes on here and basically trashes Suzuki and then invites us to change his mind. Then goes on to tell us how his Honda, a small entry level bike, did not live up to his expectations riding 2 up. I'm not sure anymore just what the OP wants from us.
I stand by my comments on the bike, however that was the first time my satirical comments were ever directed at an actual person, and for that I apologize to all members of this forum.
No...I said I had a bad experience with Suzuki and listed the KNOWN and DOCUMENTED issues with that particular model, but thanks for misrepresenting it...go on...
Correct...if THIS Suzuki community has success with THIS particular model, let me hear about it!
Yes...another mediocre experience with an overhyped model (with plenty of Youtuber's echoing the same sentiment) and....?
Pretty much explained in the first post: Bad experience...change my mind about the brand.
What part of that went over your head?
O...was it that you were blinded by pure rage that anyone would dare have a negative opinion about your bike? Grow up.
...and the rationalization and qualification...sorry/not sorry...whatever....
Joined
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6,266 Posts
- no, same thread. OydnaR…used to be RandyO. I know that because he and I have both been here a long time. He rode his DL in New England winters, for work, using a car snow tire. He had to replace an entire electrical harness. He’s hardcore.
- as for “like”. No, it’s not a requirement, but some of us spend our time answering others questions. Like your’s. If I find value in a post, I acknowledge it.
- I assume you visit other forums. We are all either enthusiasts of the Suzuki brand or have friends here. From the beginning you challenged us to prove why our brand wasn’t a POS.
- a comment of yours I read about riding two-up, on light dual sports is interesting. These bikes don’t handle weight very well and passenger comfort isn’t a priority.
The VStroms have some issues from year to year with stators and clutches primarily. There are many examples of both 650’s and 1,000’s that have passed 100,000 miles. It’s hard to kill one.
They aren’t dual sports. They are sport touring bikes capable of some forest service roads and light trail riding. The DL is long in the passenger compartment and carries a load pretty well. It’s a good two-up bike you’ll find in abundance in Alaska.
...and nowhere was this mentioned in the thread...until now.
Once again NO...I came here with a bad experience and listed the KNOWN and DOCUMENTED ISSUES with that particular model and questioned if this was typical across the Suzuki product-line.
Funny how DR650 owners aren't as fragile about their rides...during the years I spent as a member of https://drriders.com/ there wasn't ONE instance of someone getting offended when a member noted the build-quality or more accurately the LACK OF quality. Every week there was some discussion about NSU's or 3rd gear detonations...but I get disparaged for asking valid questions...yeah, seems totally fair.
THAT'S what I'm looking for...useful information!
...I've logged over 40,000 MILES of two-up riding on a TW200...
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