[Nevada_MO_Guy]

Hello all,

Well it has been a ride for sure.

Looked at getting a white dl650 before they were out, then the tiger 800 was worth a wait and see...then the street triple looked interesting, now there is a new dl650 coming out next year and so is a new street triple.

Even started looking at the kawasaki Versys, and that is were it happened, at the kawasaki dealer.

He had a 2002 Vstrom DL1000 with only 1,040 miles on it! I was like reeeeeally. It still had the stickers on it from nearly 10 years ago.

I did a straight across trade with my volusia with the strom....yep, total cost was $0. :hurray:

About an hour ride back and my right hand was numb, my ass hurt and my eyeballs were getting screwed up with the really tall windshield.

Totally different handling compared to a cruiser, but I'm catching on quick.

I think my problem with the numb hand was I had a pretty tight grip and didn't realize it.
The pain in the ass was from trying to sit like on it like a cruiser, once I moved up closer to the boys it was more bearable.
The windshield....well, it sure seems like it is to tall for this 5'11" guy but I've never had a shield that high before, so maybe it is a learn how to use it thing.

Comment on the OD. Man that can get someone in trouble. The overdrive on the bike lowers the rpm's down so much that I'm twisting the throttle more to get the sound/vibration feedback...look down and doing 80ish with 4,000rpm is crazy.

I filled up and did notice there appears to be rust in the gas tank.:jawdrop: Great.
I'm assuming that I will get acquainted with fuel filters.

Bike handles great, took it for a ride in the back pasture. First gear is geared perfect for slow riding.

Overall I think this will be a good commuter/jack of all trades bike for many years to come. :yesnod:

The first functional sparkle (farkle) I'm looking at adding is luggage, specifically a big ass top case. Out in farmer land, it is a 10 minute ride just to get beer.

 

[dcxplant]

I miss mine

Nevada,

You're gonna love this bike.

I sold my 07 DL1K for an ST1300, and I regret it. In the two years since I sold it, I am constantly thinking about it, and reliving moments my wife and I had on it from Big Sur to the AZ White Mountains. Camping, going on trails, bombing the backroads.... My wife is tired of me constantly grousing about selling it, and encouraged me to go back to it.

I'm going V-Strom hunting this weekend. The ST is a great bike. Fast, comfy, smooth, and utterly reliable. But in AZ it's a crime (I think it's a misdemeanor) to be a resident without an adventure bike of some kind!!

Have fun fixing it to you.

 

[richw]

Strom fuel pumps are sensitive

If that rust was bad you might consider some rinsing etc. Probably OK to winter and do then

 

[T3/T4 Hybrid]

Congrats on the 02 Vee!!!! :hurray:

I've been very happy with my grey beast after almost 3 years of ownership. :beatnik:

That is one massive windshield! :yikes: You can try something smaller and more normal size to see if you like. I'm using a CeeBailey shield.

With that thing sitting for so long and you finding rust in the tank. I would have that tank cleaned and change out all of the fluids. Anti-freeze does go bad over the years and brake fuild does soak up moisture.

Enjoy and becareful it's a lot more top heavy than the cruiser you came from.

 

[Nevada_MO_Guy]

Thanks guys for the replies.

I was checking on the fuel filter thing, seems the mod for using an external filter is pretty popular and will probably have to put that on the list.

Good idea on the fluids, the dealer did say they changed the oil but I didn't think about the coolant let alone the hydraulic fluid for the clutch and brake fluid.

Will give me something to do. :thumbup:

That windshield looks to be stock, sure is tall. If I sit straight up I can just see over it but with the helmet moving a bit and the windshield moving a bit there is enough overlap in where I'm looking to make my eyeballs a little crazy.

 

[greywolf]

It's not a stock windscreen. This is a stock windscreen.

See threads about windscreens for 2002-2003 models at K2 - K3 Windshields

 

[bureaucrat]

For those of you who make a living across the street from Caesar's Palace passing out those little slips of paper with pictures of nearly naked ladies and phone numbers, his town is pronounced "neh-VAY-duh".

 

[Nevada_MO_Guy]

Thanks.

Now that windshield looks more like it.

Bureaucrat, you are right on the money. Funny, the first "a" sounds like what fonzie likes to say before he would hit something. :green_lol:

So, considering replacing the dot4 fluid for the clutch and brakes is it more popular to suck with something like the Acton or blow with something like the EZE Bleeder.

 

[Bugzy]

That is a beautiful bike. Love the color scheme. Toss that windshield though. You may get away with cutting it down too as an option.

An acid rinse will get rid of any rust in the tank. You could swap it out too although that may mess with your colors.

 

[strom lurker]

Congrats on the new ride!

 

[Nevada_MO_Guy]

Bike has been real fun to ride and as a commuter to work.

Almost had an "oh shit" moment on some gravel.

Looking into protecting my body work from any future stuff.

Just ordered the Crash Bars for the Suzuki V-Strom DL 1000 AltRider

Then I thought, man those bars look nice I wonder if AltRider has something to protect the bars and they do. So I order some Frame Sliders for Suzuki V-Strom DL 1000 AltRider also. :thumbup:

 

[greywolf]

When Altrider announced the crash bars here, I asked if they could make sliders too. It's expensive stuff but a really nice setup.
http://www.stromtrooper.com/general-v-strom-discussion/49449-new-skid-plate-crashbars-mounted.html
http://www.stromtrooper.com/group-b...me-slider-crash-bar-integration-solution.html

 

[Nevada_MO_Guy]

When Altrider announced the crash bars here, I asked if they could make sliders too. It's expensive stuff but a really nice setup.
http://www.stromtrooper.com/general-v-strom-discussion/49449-new-skid-plate-crashbars-mounted.html
http://www.stromtrooper.com/group-b...me-slider-crash-bar-integration-solution.html

Thanks for the links, nice little history lesson. Looks like the slider option is rather new, considering the crash bars were just introduced in March of last year.

Nice pic. :mrgreen:

 

[Milky1112]

Saw that setup this weekend at our local dealer, things stick wayyyyy out, do look goofy, but yea, they seem like they would definatly do the trick! Could almost double as higher pegs

 

[greywolf]

I do put my feet on the sliders for an occasional break in riding position.

 

[Milky1112]

Hah, nice. Thats the first thing i thought when i saw that setup. Though its very useful none the less

 

[adh6501]

But those frame sliders are really nice, too. Maybe a set of even wider crash bars to protect the frame sliders....? :biggrinjester:

Having fallen in love with the looks of my TraX cases, I decided they are marriage material after stalling on an uphill, dropping my fully-loaded Vee and then discovering that the TraX side case had absorbed the entire load with nary a scuff. And I got them because I thought they would look better scuffed up!

 

[richw]

I have sliders

The whole bike looks goofy so no one notices. After a long search got them for 35 usually about 100

Have not been used in anger yet

 

[topazdog]

I still have the boulevard c50t and use it for commuting. It's really more comfortable than the vstrom and easier for stop and go traffic for me cause I'm short. But the vstrom is like an entirely different world. It's what a bike is suppose to be.

What volusia did you have?

 

[Nevada_MO_Guy]

What volusia did you have?

Hi Topazdog, I had the 40th Anniversary Pear White model that came out in 2003.

Not a bad little bike, but, for me, was missing the fun factor.

It is back with the Vstrom :yesnod:

I'm going to have to update my avatar pic sometime. :bom_thinking2: