Ride Review: Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 1000 XT

5.3K

Comparing these two value for money sports tourer/adventure bikes, certainly became more of a challenge than I originally anticipated. Being the owner of a 2009 model V-Strom 1000, plus a dedicated rider of the larger bikes, I was convinced that the latest 2018 model (yes, Suzuki decided to launch the 1000 as a 2018 model in 2017… but hey, us girls do like to be ahead of the rest in having the latest of anything!) would be exactly what I desired, with expectations of outstanding changes made over the past several years. But, it was when I sampled the wee 650 version, that I saw my views and ego given a good shaking up.

Yellow certainly wasn’t something I had considered adding to my wardrobe, let alone have brazenly adorned between my legs when the urge took me to head out on an adventure. But the ‘champion yellow’ is something that has become a visually appealing focus of both the 650 and 1000 models. When putting these two models together, it also makes it quite difficult to ascertain which one is the bigger of the two. The only give away is with the 1000 model having Suzuki emblazoned on the side of the seat.

The aesthetics of having yellow on the main bum sitting part of seat on the 1000 model makes you wonder just how long this is going to keep its vibrancy and lustre, especially after wearing a nice new pair of black jeans and a good bucketing down of rain, gives a pretty good chance that the seat isn’t gonna look the same again… mottled look comes to mind.  Apart from the seat colour, both sizes are really quite comfortable, with the 650 model sporting a slimmer style, adding to the ability of reaching the ground just that little bit more.

Reaching the ground factor is something to take into consideration when deciding on which one to buy. I am around 5 foot 10 (177cm) and I must say I really did have to stretch my toes out on either side to reach the ground on the 1000 model. And that was with wearing my adventure boots giving me that little bit extra length. A standard seat height of 850mm compared to the 650 of 835mm which also sports a narrower width, does actually make quite a difference. You can change the seating height down to 810mm or if you are much taller up to 870mm. I certainly wouldn’t want to try it at maximum height as I would need a step ladder to get on! Sitting position on the 1000 model suited me extremely well, giving a very straight and upright posture that I could quite easily do all day. The 650 felt a little more cramped with a slightly more forward lean to the position.

With the XT models, Suzuki has finally taken heed in having spoked wheels. If you are doing more off-road riding, spokes tend to better over the usual cast wheel, plus they cut down on unnecessary added weight to the bike, something you want to cut down on as much as possible when heading off-road. Coming with tubeless Bridgestone Battlax Adventure tyres you also have the benefit, if you are unfortunate is gaining a puncture, the tyre will go down a lot slower than tubed ones. Now personally, I have never been a big fan Bridgestone Battlax, especially the original ‘Death Wings’ that were shodded to the previous models. I did feel quite confident when riding both the 650 and 1000 models (they both come with the same brand and size) in the dry on tarmac, but in personal choice I would consider putting new shoes on and most likely Anakee 3’s which I have grown very attached to and have used every inch of, both front and rear on my current V-Strom. Having good quality tyres are a must and if you are like me who loves to test the limits on corners, you will completely understand why you need that confidence in the rubber.

Being a lover of tight twisty corners and quite skilled in wrestling my current beastie around them, having the sports rider in front looking shocked seeing me peering at them in their mirror, I was very pleasantly impressed with the handling of both models. Each one is very easy to throw around and feel much lighter than you would expect from a tall bike. Initially taking the 1000 out I was convinced the bike must have weighed a 100 kilo less than my current V-Strom. I was astounded to find the current model weighs a kilo more at 233kg. Even standing on tip toe, waiting at traffic lights, I didn’t feel a concern for toppling over as it felt very light, even at a considerable lean to one side. The 650 model at 216kg feels much lighter again and handles more like a nifty sports tourer when dropping it into the tight corners. The first time I hit a good corner, the bike literally fell into it compared to the 1000 that consistently and smoothly took the corner without any effort.

Taking each bike on a similar route, I noted where each bike had its advantages. The 1000 surely gives you that torque, especially when winding it on through each of the gears. The bike literally pulls like a train, consistently all the way through. Just keep an eye on the speedo as you might get a bit of shock when you look down! This is where the 1000 is designed for those nice big long rides with the mountains of gear stacked on the back. The bike will definitely not let you down.

The 650 on the other hand has it perks in behaving best when giving each gear a much harder time and is ideally for those nice twisty hinterland roads. Unfortunately the clutch on the 650 doesn’t come with clutch assist (slipper clutch) which I think would serve a much better role on the 650 over the 1000, especially when you are in racing mode feeling spirited on a Sunday morning ride. The other advantage with the 650, being lighter and easier to throw around, comes when taking it off-road. When I test rode both of these bikes it was on tarmac only, but I could tell intuitively, the 650 would be far easier to handle when hitting the gravel.

Suspension is adjustable both front and rear on the 1000, whereas on the 650 it is rear adjustment only. Depending on weight and style of riding, have a bit of a tweak with the suspension as this can assist in improving the handling of the bike, especially on those bumpy country roads.

Low RPM assist puts your mind at ease by making it much more difficult to stall the bike. By raising the idle speed, especially when engaging the clutch or riding slowly at low RPM, say through town or tricky dirt roads, reduces the risk of suddenly stalling the bike.

Both models come with Traction Control that comes with setting one, two and off. Setting two I would certainly avoid if you are an experienced rider. It can be downright annoying and the only occasions I could see myself using it would be in extremely slippery conditions. Setting one you don’t even realise it is on and the only times you see it working is when you actually see the little light on the dash appear.

The 1000 model comes with a 5-Axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and combined Motion Track Braking System providing more stability and a smoother braking experience. In lay terms, if you need to suddenly hit the brakes hard when cornering, you are less likely to stand the bike up and keep your riding smoother through the corner. There is nothing worse than tussling with your bike around the corner if you have hit it at the wrong speed or avoiding an unexpected obstacle, giving the potential of overshooting the corner or worse ending up in front of oncoming traffic. I found the brakes on the 650 not to be as sharp as I expected but have been assured by a fellow 650 owner that after 1000km the brakes bedded in and now work well.

Each model comes with an adjustable screen, but have their differences. The 1000 you can adjust by pushing it forward to each of the three clicks with the last position clicking it back into position one. This is handy as you can adjust the screen while riding. On the 650 you have to stop the bike to adjust the screen to another position. The screen itself on each model did a suffice job in keeping the wind off my chest and head but I did notice the wind hitting my shoulders, more specifically on the 650. I think if you are a bit taller than myself, over 6 foot, the wind coming over the top of the screen will hit the top of your head, so a consideration of an after-market screen may be in order.

The dash comes with all the usual components but I did find it a bit hard to quickly glance at the smaller visual settings of engine temperature, fuel and ambient temperature as they are quite close together. But the important things like speed, tacho and gear are easy to spot, the tacho being somewhat huge!

Another bonus on both of the models is a 12 volt charge plug, perfect to attach a GPS or phone to. Also the hand guards come as standard on both which I found made quite a difference in keeping the breeze off your fingers.

Optional accessories of three piece luggage kit and heated grips are other things to consider when purchasing your new machine.

Summing up, overall I was really quite impressed with both machines. The 1000 for its consistent power and torque, excellent sitting position and handling, and the 650 for its nimble, easy to throw around everyday bike that would make great consideration for fun off-road adventures. Whatever your style of riding is, tarmac or dirt, the seriously good value for money V-Strom with its much sleeker looking design (unlike my current model sporting the transformer reject appearance), will certainly not disappoint the most avid of riders. The adventure is waiting… now get out there!

About the reviewer Barb Cook

A big thank you to Mega Motorcycles Bundaberg Queensland for the great advice and supplying the bikes for the test rides. 

Related links:

AuStrom – Australian V-Strom RIders

V-Strom Riders International

Suzuki Motorcycles Australia

Suzuki Global

Specifications of tested 1000 and 650 XT models courtesy Suzuki Australia: