2020 Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT | Daily Rider 

Check out our First Look article on Common Tread here: rvz.la/3lvEcMr

Talking about all the features and tech that this bike doesn’t have that a new BMW or KTM does have, the biggest feature it doesn’t have is a $20,000+ price tag.

I work on a city police department and our choice for the motorcycles was the V-STROM 650cc, an awesome bike for patrooling the streets of Brazil

I love Suzuki for still making ultra reliable, highly functional machines. And they have tried their best to stay out of the electronics vomit that all modern motorcycles have become and try to keep their prices reasonable instead of climbing with each iteration.

"Is this the poor mans GS" What kind of question is that? I personally have no problem to bay a few BMW GS's and yet I opted for the V-Strom 1050 XT black. Even my friends GS riders were amazed. I have the V-Stom 1050 XT for almost 2 years now and have not regretted it for a moment. Just got back from a 16 day motorbike ride Belgium-Norway. 1400 km only in 2 days, heavily loaded and with 2 people on. at a constant speed of 130 km/h (GPS speed), 5000 rpm = 5.8 L/100 km. Follow normal traffic 3.9 L / 100 km, my driving usually consumes 4.6 L / 100 km. Yes, did a few track days with my V-Strom. The nice thing about this is that after a few rides there are a lot of people around the V-Strom because this poor mans bike hangs side by side with the BMW 1200 GS and the KTM 1090 even though they have more horsepower. (sorry for my english)

The calling card for the V-Strom is - in the broadest sense - dependability. You can count on it being easy, calm, reliable, comfortable, capable. Owners of first versions are still clocking huge miles on them, many 100K-200K-plus. This is a stellar choice if you "need to get there" in one piece every time :)

As a 2014 Vstrom 1000 owner, your comment about the basset hound was freaking perfect. It made me laugh out loud. As a rider taking a twenty year hiatus before buying a new bike, the Vstrom has been all of those things you said, Zach. It’s exactly like a big old happy Basset hound. Reliable, love able, and easy to get along with. But when it’s ready to go to work, it does it’s job exactly as you would it expect it to.

As a person who grew up in the innercity and is sportbike focused, I never thought that I would ever want to come near one of these dorky looking adventure bikes. But now that I'm on the other side of 30, this bike is more appealing than ever.

Long life, easy to use, comfortable do it all bikes. Love them.

Watched your reviews for years. You didn't do the VStrom 1050 justice at all. I own one now coming off a Z900. It's remarkable in all conditions as is it's legacy, but seldom to journalist's do a good job of presenting it. I ride faster than I should and friends can't gap me by much on almost anything. Unless it's just straight madness. This bike is VERY good, don't let this dissuade you. Disappointed with this review. I got off my Z900, because I just couldn't deal with the gearing and chassis for traveling. And really don't need to be racing about on the Street. Loved the Z! But really not practical .

I could tell from the start that Zach wasn't too excited about the V-Strom 1050XT. Not saying he is - but a lot of reviewers seem a bit biased against this bike from the start. I do agree with many of his points, especially with the suspension being a bit too harsh and with the display being a bit of a disappointment. But, overall, I think it is a pretty solid bike and can be very fun to ride when properly riden with the right expectations. For example, the part about the A riding mode being "too harsh" or whatever he said, struck me as a bit odd since Zack states he is an ex-racer. I am definitely NOT an ex-racer but I find the A mode outstanding. It prob. took me maybe 15 minutes to get use to it. The B mode (which Zach was riding in) is definitely muted and likely why Zach was a bit less positive. I ride in A mode 99 percent of the time and I find it perfect. I also own a 2018 Gold Wing Tour (mostly for my bride's comfort) and that bikes "sport" mode, in my opinion, is much more aggressive and not as comfortable day to day vs. the outstanding A (sport) mode with the V-Strom. I also have never experienced this dead zone that Zach mentioned. Maybe it has something to do with the muted B mode that he was riding in.... but, if it is there, it is not an issue. Also - Suzuki did make a few engine changes for the 2020 model year. It revs better and it has more power higher in the RPM range vs. the previous versions. The displacement is the same but they did make a few tweaks to the engine - minor maybe. BTW - I own one of these bikes, and agree that it is not perfect and it has a few areas that could be better... but overall, I am happy with the bike and it meets my personal use case. Just returned from a 1,300 5 day trip and absolutely zero issues. Rode A mode 100% of the time.... and it was great. OK... that's my 2 cents after owning this bike for almost one year now.

No BS... unbreakable... comfort....just an awesome bike...add on top of that cost x benefit unbeatable...

I know I'm getting old when I watch a review like this and mutter to myself: "So *this* is 'retro' now?"

They nailed the 90's Suzuki styling

I have a 1050XT, and I'm almost positive ride mode C does chop the power pretty substantially. That's what I've used every time the weather gets bad, and it definitely feels like it's doing more than just dulling the throttle response. Either way, it's a pretty great bike, and I've even had a pretty fun time taking it offroad. It's nice having a bike that you can run errands around town, cruise on the highway, take on some light-to-moderate offroad stuff, and still be comfortable on it at the end of the day.

16:54 "This is all you need"...Perfect summation of the VStrom overall. The 2020 VStrom XT is a great overall bike. I surprised you glossed over the 6 axis IMU, this feature enables cornering ABS which is a game changing safety feature. This bike is an excellent value, and one of the best bang for the buck bikes available today.

Perfect dad's bike. They even managed to nail the banana colour. I like the fact that you get what you actually need. I personally prefer LCD screen over TFT. Oh my, maybe I'm turning into a dad...

The 1050XT is my daily ride, and I love it. Enough power to get going in real world use, ultra-reliable, service and parts are cheap. Not as flashy and evocative as the bigger more expensive bikes, however as a daily rider its great.

I bought the 1050xt mid summer last year and I really like the solid dependability of the bike, definitely not the most exciting ride of my life but I bought it for long distance touring. The one thing I would disagree with on the review was pillion comfort my wife loves the seating position and from my perspective this is the first bike I’ve ridden that I prefer when it’s two up, I almost forget she’s there until I start getting morse code on the back of the helmet.

I own a 1050 xt, it is my first bike, and I absolutely love it. I bought mine in the beginning of May, and wasn't able to ride it until June. Since then I have put 6200 miles on it, and I ride it almost every single day! As a motovlogger, I love this for the touring and minor "off-road" capability. I did upgrade the windscreen to a PUIG touring windshield, and it completely takes away helmet buffeting for me. It wasn't bad before, but the difference was mind boggling to me. I don't mind the LCD screen, I love all the information it shows. Thanks so much for a great and honest review Zack!

I had two of these an 02 and a 15. Where these bikes still excel is in durability. If you are the kind of rider who likes to rack up hundreds of thousands of miles, these are a great bike.

I will always be a fan of this dude after the Dumb and Dumber expedition.

I did order the new 2023 updated Vstrom 1050. It solves a lot of things, updated gears, quickshifter, TFT screen, new 6 axis IMU. I think it did a nice step forward.

I have had my motorcycle in storage since i stopped commuting due to covid. (work from home). And so, haven't watched any revzilla for quite a while. Returning with a couple of the adventure videos, and now this one, I love this daily rider leader board. Its a great lineup of well thought out reviews and rankings. Great work!

This man always makes me watch even when I'm not interested in the bike.

This is now my favorite content on this channel. Thanks Zack.

The factor missing in this review is long-term longevity. I can afford any new BMW on the market, but I can't afford all the downtime and cost to keep it running to 150k miles, vs a vstrom, where I'm probably good to go that distance without any drama except for stator magnets shifting, which is an easy fix. What other bike currently in the market can you reasonably expect + 100k miles from with very low upkeep costs? Seems like that should be a factor in your reviews for a daily (aka high mileage) rider. Iterative, long-term improvements in a design beat constant new (and moar exciting!) tech. Vstrom epitomizes this philosophy. Not sexy but damn-skippy it's a good all around bike.

We need a naked bike based on this engine! With striking looks! Then the A-mode would make sense! Suzuki needs to be competitive again!

Love this show dude. Every time I see it pop up I have to watch. Great job.

Holy shit that looks great! That bright yellow and retro style. that thing is rad!

Thank you for talking about the gear ratios. It's really appreciated. This is something so many reviews miss. Although, from a mechanical point of view, I strongly disagree that 4,500 rpms is a good cruising RPM. Your final drive gear should not be in the "meat" of the power band. It's a nice excuse for why the motorcycle companies really messed up on their gearing. They really need to get the RPM's down closer to 3,000 rpms for 70mph. As low as possible, without ruining the driveability. That way, you get the extra 20% gas mileage, and 20% more engine life. And longer intervals between oil changes, spark plugs, etc.

Another great video Zack, I appreciate your enjoyment you show on the rides you do. I would like to request that you link a snapshot of the leader board so we can look the whole thing over. Keep up the good work!

It's a stonking V twin motor and you really have to go hunting around for the little dead spot in the power delivery so it cant all be bad, (It's at 2000 rpm when you're in 4th gear riding in 'B' mode, Although why you'd be labouring around at 2000 rpm in 4th is beyond me! I'm wondering why you haven't already changed down to 2nd and ridden through it?) I've had my 2021 1050XT (Tour edition in the Red and White "Marlboro" colourway) for about 6 months and covered around 6500 miles on it so far. It's my all year round daily commuting, mile munching touring, lots of fun in the twisties bike, It isn't a hard bike to ride hard on and unlike a lot of modern fast sports bikes, it's very forgiving when my talent begins to run out. All in all, It's probably one of the best all round bikes I've owned in nearly 40 yrs of riding.

This specific model with that colour is my dream bike. I can never get it out of my mind.

This video brings back memories... It sounds just like my 2005 V-Strom DL1000... Sold it in 2017 and still remember that sound

Had mine a year now. 12000 miles, no problems. $12,700 out the door! Hauls butt on the highway, smooth in town. Needs different tires for gravel travel and belly plate-bash guard(No problem). For the cost and reliability, what’s not to like!

I just purchased a new leftover 2023 1050DE, for $12,600 USD OTD. Plenty of smiles per ride! Love this motorcycle!

My buddy has a Vstrom 650 and he loves it being lighter and he gets great Mileage close to 60mpg on his commute. He recently got the 2018 cheap used a few months ago. I can leave him on my 1200GS but he’s right there normally.

I love the color! Reminds me of Quadzilla from the 80s.

Fender is super practical. I put a fender extender on my versys, and it still kicks up on the exhaust and engine case, but not nearly8 as bad as without it. Sand blasts the frame cross-member in front of the engine still.

Watching this channel has convinced me that I need a second bike I ride a goldwing mostly 2 up and the vstrom and Versys have my attention thanks to you and revzilla

I have an '18 DL1000XT and was able to test ride a 2020 model. I thought the stability and smoothness were much improved. So many great motorcycles out there.

I just can’t help but loving the way this bike looks

I love this bike and that retro Dr Big, Dakar vibe. Awesome!

That last comment about being really excited to leave work on your triumph verses leaving work on your 1050XT made me laugh so hard, love that comparison!!

idk I think you missed half of the rev range on this one. Riding it like it's a vtwin cruiser lol. You missed the fun part of the rev range!

To me this bike is beautiful, love the look of it

I just bought one. It’s a great all around motorcycle, I ride to work in Denver traffic every day, the bike is perfect for commuting, then, on the weekends I take my wife and we go for a blast up in the Rocky Mountains, last weekend we rode the peak to peak highway, not tons of power, but, plenty enough. Also, very comfortable for a 150 mile ride two up. I got a good deal from Mike at Fay Meyers.

Best v storm color wow. and the wheels omg GOLD

love the daily rider and zack /hope we review the top 10 at the end!

I love my Suzuki dash, reminds me of my gameboy that’s over 20 years old and still works lol wait until them fancy dashes go bad, Suzuki dash still be working fine.

Great review. Currently ride the 650 2017 model as my ADV and love it because it is so easy and reliable. I agree it doesn't need ride modes and Suzuki have kept their V-Strom prices low to help riders into the ADV scene.

They knocked the design and colors out of the park.

Great looking bike. Wow the highway riding looks incredible. I’ll never have one but a kid can dream.

Bought 2015 650 Storm: love my bike. High quality components for the price. The dash has all the practical information with 12v charging option on dash. Has custom exhaust, love the sound, handling, no complaints. I get plenty of compliments everywhere. Can't go wrong with Suzuki @ all

Great stuff as always! Covid permitting I ride a Street Triple into work, and I can confirm it's a great one to daily ride.

Finally!! Been waiting for this one!!

Yes!! About the ride modes. Totally agree!

Thanks Zack. Great job. Good info. God bless. Happy trails.

I love the retro dash!

That navy contrasts so well with that green/yellow

Styling strongly reminded me of Suzuki's old GS1150E especially behind the gas tank

Old RM motocross colours from the 1980s... kind of nice!

the engine on this bike is so beautiful. riding it felt like a fat mt07 to me

I substantially disagree with your rankings. I have owned many of the bikes above the V-strom and here are my thoughts. And don't be blind to the camshaft failures of the R1200GS. I sold mine to get a V-Strom so fizz and crackle mean nothing without reliability. My GS had fizz and crackle right up until camshaft failure. I owned a Versys 1000 and the wind noise was horrendous. The gear shifter was rubbery and the luggage was a pain to take on and off. I have also owned a Tracer 900GT and the wind noise was also a real issue and I am not the only one to feel that way. The Tracer 9 GT "supposedly" has not addressed this issue. A Versys 650 above this bike? Really? A Multistrada V4S. I'd love one of those sans the crappy fuel range. Triumph Tiger 850? Did Revzila actually ride that bike? I test rode two of the new 900s which have the same mechanical features as the 850 and that bike vibrates way too much. Africa Twin, great for more off-road riding (had one of these as well) with that 21" front tire but not as good on the paved stuff. 21" front wheel of the Tenere is also a non-starter. I'd put my V-Strom above each bike you have ranked above it that I have owned/ridden. So there you go. So above the Tiger, Tracer, Versys 1000, Versys 650, BMW R1250GS, Africa Twin and ST 700. The only bike I would rank above it would be the Multistrada V4 and only if I could get 250 miles per tank.

Great Content as always! Been following your “commute” eversince. I hope that you would review the S1000XR 2019 model as I am looking to purchase this bike. Keep up the good work!

Smart mans GS. People tend to buy bikes with extremely high tech and speed, but don’t use it. It’s how companies like BMW make a lot of money. I use to be obsessed with stats and realised there’s no point in buying something better than I am capable off using. A Vstrom has a strong motor and high reliability. It has all the things you need, and more. That’s why I purchased the VStrom. I agree that there are some that like to show off with their purchase, but I would argue that the person who buys sensibly is the one that we really should be impressed with. The person with the most money in the bank, and still able to enjoy life to the fullest is a person I envy.

Oh man! Wish that machine wasn't such a beast. I think Suzuki made one of the best looking machines out there in that yellow and blue scheme. POP

That screen is retro af and suits the bike perfectly.

All Suzuki V Strom’s are good even the little big 250 DL Parallel Twin .Suzuki’s are reliable & great value for money .👍

so much shade towards the vstrom bro

Rode mine today. A little over 350 miles. Love the bike, but I'm not crazy about the seat. First seat on a road bike that I didn't like.

Have a 2014 I love but I'd upgrade just for that cruise control.

It trips me out every review your ride by my child hood neighborhood maybe thats why im so attached to these videos love them

Would love to see how the Ducati Multi 950S stacks up on the leader board. Thanks!

Long live Retro!! They should put retro badge there.

I’ve owned both a brand new Versys 650 and a brand new V strom 1000. I think they are both great motorcycles. Great commuter bikes with the addition of a taller windscreen. And both nimble, super easy to split lanes on, and surprisingly fast, even though they don’t sound fast. I think Suzuki should lower the price of the V Strom to what people actually pay for one. I mean, does anyone pay retail for the v strom 1000 or 1050? I don’t think so. I picked up my 2014 v strom for $9,000. Barely over the cost of a 650 at the time. And when you consider cost of ownership, the V Strom is the hands-down winner over the European brands.

I was waiting for this review for a long time .

Thank you so much for the input on the bike. I have got 5k miles on my 1050 now. I don't really understand why you rode the bike in b power mode the whole time. I know its feels like it's either on or off power in a mode but also it cuts power back an just didn't seem like a fair comparison seeing that power was held back for the full ride but still I appreciate you riding the bike great work like always.

I think that this is one of the most useful, real-world reviews available in the motorcycle world... But as a frequent motorcycle commuter, whose morning commute is done in the dark... Zack, if you can hear me, I know filming a motorcycle review in the dark would be pointless, but I'd love for you to find a way to sneak headlight effectiveness into the review, even if you only make mention of it.

Love the RM colors

Great review! I would also like to see an SV1050S! My 2003 SV1000S is still a hoot, and unique but 18 years old.

A proper front fender? Who'd a thought it?

My wife and I have been talking about a west coast motorcycle trip for years without actually doing it... yet. Rent in San Diego and ride to Seattle or beyond. However, if we do ever get to make it happen, I am *definitely* going to have to get into LA and ride the Daily Rider office commute. After having seen it so many times, I think I can do it without a map lol.

Torque peaks at around 4600 rpm (64.5 pound-feet), dips until 5500 rpm, and increases a bit to 6000 rpm and is pretty much downhill from there

I can't imagine what Suzuki could do to revolutionize anything about this bike without alienating the majority of their riders. We want them to be great, and we care too much that others don't love them as much as we do.

I esp like the 2 up part of your reports!!

Awesome bike!

good Review, can you pls show the Ergonomic by seating on the bike in front of camera, check Mark Pulling videos, it would be big help. Thanks

Try out the 650. I actually prefer it over the bigger model: more simplistic, lighter, cheeper, better gass miliage around town (same on the freeway). I think it might be a better daily rider then the bigger one. Not saying its a better bike overall, but as a daily rider I like it more.

I think Suzuki did the ride modes for two reasons 1. everyone else is doing them and 2. for those who want to start on a liter bike but are a bit scared of a liter bike. You should do one of these daily rider vids on the Cam Am Spyder F3, just don't take it down the dirt road.

had a 06 DL, I found it a suitable machine for commuting and the 500 mile ride. No bells and whistles per say but a good all round machine. Wonder what type of quirks are in this model.

Love the colour!

A really great vid Sir and I'm on my 4th Vstrom to date. Presently own a pair of 2021 Strom 650 and 1050's. If I can make one suggestion on the 1050 it is to do something about wind management at speed. The stock windscreen is fairly worthless. A Givi AirFlow completely changes the riding dynamics and pleasure/comfort level of the 1050. Worth every penny in protection, noise abatement, comfort level. Greetings from southern PA

That dash looks like a throwback to '80s digital dashes...

It is a good bike regardless of price point, still bears the identify of the VStrom being a reliable all-rounder. A good alternative to this bike would be the Yamaha Super Tenere. Though not as sporty as the VStrom, Super Ten has got all day comfort for long touring, respectable off-road capabilities, low maintenance shaft drive, and the world renowned reliability.

I chose the AT but would have been perfectly happy with this. It was my second close choice.

I’ve recently started looking into getting and adventure bike for daily commuting and light off reading but I find it hard to know where to start engine wise. I’ve owned a 1700cc cruiser that felt good, then I had a 750cc GSXR which I think was just a little more power than I needed but the frame size was better. But for a 6’4 250lb guy moving towards a adventure bike, what size engine should I consider? ADV bikes seem to range from 300cc to 1200. But I don’t have a reference for now their turned to know what cc size of best for me.

Suzuki should expand the line-up to include a 140 HP 1300 V, a 950 V with 100 HP, and bump up the 650's HP to 80. Triple play! Keep the prices reasonable and we're off to the races....

I think there's a reason that Suzuki has stayed with this older motor it's a very good design. Yes Ducati and Triumph might seem better but the V strom is a easy and cheap motor to maintain and perform maintenance on, I don't personally own one but I like the fact that it's a simple machine with just enough tech.