Humble suggestion for you Zack: Daily rider standards. Now that you have several years on separate boards, having 'top 3rd, middle 3rd, bottom 3rd' reps to start the new year could help to orient. Thinking something like the Versys 650 for top 3rd standard. V-Strom 800, best of 2023 so far, but still below Versys 650. My 2 cents.
That was very smart of you to pull over and let the Honda Accord get by you. More motorcyclist need to do that to be safe. Now he’s literally tailgating the car in front of you and absolutely going nowhere. Drives me crazy people like that
Suzukis are brilliantly engineered, superbly put together, robust, and reliable bikes, they do what it says on the can without drama. I have never ridden one I did not like.
@@mrt4755 Well, let's see here, if you don't know how to ride safely you can kill yourself on a 50cc scooter, let alone a potent motorcycle. As far as reliability goes, just google the most reliable motorcycles to find out. Cheers.
@@mrt4755 I don't know suzuki realiability back then (before 2000) but nowaday their bike are so well done, we have hayabusa, vstrom 1000, 650 and 250, inazuma, gs150r, gn125, gs125, gixxer 150 and 250, gsx100 and 750, dr 650 and 200, dz 400, gs 500, best 125, bugmax 650, etc.
@@mrt4755Dangerous how? Very hit or miss with reliability? Suzuki is up there close to Honda with reliability. You must be thinking KTM or some other Chinese maker.
just google 10 deadliest motorcycles or any dangerous motorcycle list you want suzuki will have 3 or 4 of those 10 spots snd i raced suzukis for 3 year of motocross always had problems@@claytonluke81
Got to try this out on Suzuki s demo truck this summer. I was impressed. Smooth strong motor. Quick shifter worked great. Everything felt premium. Handled well on our 20 min street route. Good job Suzuki.
Quickshifter does NOT work here. If you like it, u have no idea what good quickshiter is. This is not big deal to engage higher gear - you do not even need quickshifter for that. The real challenge us to reduce gear. And qs in thus motorcycle, in lower part of gearbox simply does not work.
It's just incredible to see the DR leaderboard and think back to the opinions of Suzuki motorcycles in the not so distant past. I remember a few years ago telling my son that I wouldn't be surprised if Suzuki slowly backed out of the motorcycle world. Now they're dominating the DR board.
@@fiucik1 The weight is a good point, and I agree they should of done a better job on the weight, but it's really not a big problem on this type of bike. The Suzuki is in my opinion and many other reviews I've seen a higher quality machine. It's MCNs bike of the year (the GSX-8S, not the V-Strom but same platform). So considering that and the fact that Honda is a way bigger company than Suzuki Motorcycles 1000$ more really isn't that bad. If we want to talk bad then let's look at what you get for your money buying a MT-07... Also not every country is America, in my country the 1000$ difference is there, but only for the Transalp and V-Strom, but the GSX-8S and Hornet 750 cost the same, and the MT-07 a bit less than that. Both have their strong sides, but I'd say at least when it comes to the naked bikes the Suzuki beats the Honda. No comment on Transalp VS V-Strom except for what I've said, and well Zack did give it 1st place. However I will say with the Suzuki you actually get a pretty cool looking bike where as with the Honda you get a CB500F or CB500X lookalike which are both boring bikes in my opinion. So the looks are disappointing. The concept sketches for the Hornet 750 for example looked very cool, straight up Super Duke styling but with a more wasp inspired look, but then we get a CB500F refresh looking bike...
@@fiucik1 The Suzuki comes with a bash plate, quick shifter and has cruise control as standard. If you want all of that on the Transalp, you have to pay more than 1k extra and cruise control isn't even an option. So the Suzuki is still a better bike for the money.
@@Moleskineman Are you sure about the cruise control as standard? I couldn't really find info about it. Plus the bash plate is plastic... Plus it also comes 20 odd kilograms heavier, also as standard...
I got mine in May. I had a V-STROM 650 ADV since 2013. I agree about a few things. First of all, I live in Atlanta, but grew up in Los Angeles, so I love looking at all my old haunts in this video, so thank you for that. That being said, I do live in Atlanta now where we get quite a bit hotter and wetter (95 degrees with 98%+ humidity) than in Los Angeles. The heat on the right leg is real, but not unbearable. The heat sensor typically reads an average 190 Degrees Fahrenheit when in motion and quickly shoots up to 215-220 degrees when standing still during summer rides. There is also a distinct vibration in the right foot peg in the lower gears, typically between 5-7K RPM. It seems to smooth out as you progress through the gears. Speaking of gears, the Quick Shift on this bike is awesome. So as of now I've put 600 miles on the bike and I've never had a bad ride. I sit upright with a good position, nice wide handlebars, comfortable seat, responsive acceleration. This bike doesn't feel as heavy as it is. I have absolutely no regrets choosing this as a replacement for my 2013 V-Strom 650. I also bought the bags, engine guard, fog lights, metal skid plate, and the larger Ferring (All of which took over four months to come in) In fact, I just dropped the bike off Saturday to have it all installed. I'm looking forward to my next ride.
It was more fun to ride than my Transalp 750 and the quickshifter is awesome. Very well sorted bike. Looking forward to the 800RE which looks even better. Might just be tempted. I had a 2020 DL650 and swapped it in for the Transalp. If the RE had been around I think I may have gone with that. The DL was a great bike but the DE is better in a lot of ways.
@@blackskunk54that was my question. Was it better than a Transalp 750? And I didn't hear Zach address that. I'm still leaning Transalp because I miss my old XR650L, and people say the modern Honda motor has lots of bark.
i been hearing the vibration on the foot pegs and heat on the right side is a very common "problem" in 800 de but not unbearable.. but when i keep hearing them it makes me think twice about buying it.. is it really that noiceable?? i'd hate to be the one where i buy it and i instantly get irked by that feeling of annoyance from vibration and heat.. :(
I've worn the peg feelers off my 2008 KLR 650, I drag pegs ALLLL the time. Have since it was new all those years ago. This so far is looking like a upgrade for me... Thank you.
This would be a LOT more street bike, but you might lose some offroad performance. The KLR is an excellent offroad bike, but long highway trips are such a drag.
Considering all the build up of the Transalp, then Susuki releasing the 800DE with zero build up. I think Honda is embarrassed to send the Transalp to the US. I have two wonderful Hondas in my garage, but I will be parking a new 800DE next to my DR650. The 800DE has better suspension than the T7. It also is more comfortable, has more torque, better fuel range, and even though the 800DE is heavier it's easier to pick up than the T7.
@@delusion2987 Delusional, you watched the only video on the net that says that. Those two are streetbike riders also. Watch some more reviewers who are actually ADV riders like BigRockMoto, all of which will back up my comments. Once the Transalp makes it to the US it will be laughed out of the dealership by ADV and Dual Sport riders. The T7 is really good offroad, but the suspension on the 800DE is still better.
@@delusion2987if you don’t care about off road performance, like a lot of vstrom owners (myself included with my 1050) then the T7 is an awful motorcycle especially for every day use. I rode all of these bikes for a while and it changed my entire view on it. I always believed the reviews until I took one for a spin. The engine is not refined, the flat seat is a no for me, the wind protection sucks and the gearbox is easily the worst of these three bikes. Absolute piece of junk of a gearbox. The suspension is also bad on road as is to be expected. I agree that the transalp would be my pick as well for a middle weight adventure, but that basically comes down to the honda being lighter and the engine being smoother especially at low rpm. I liked the 800DE in other aspects.
You have made Spurge's dad very happy today. The tubed tires are the only thing that would give me pause for a daily. I recently bought a leftover 22 Tiger 900 GT Pro at a significant discount. If not for that this would have been on my shortlist.
but can you ride them with a puncture? only time I miss tubed tires is when I have to top up air in tubeless every 2 weeks. tubed tires just dont lose pressure at all!@@Lronhoyabembe
I'm still happy as a clam with my '02 V-Strom that I bought new. Great reliability and as fast as I need. Nice to see that Suzuki is taking the top three spots (at the moment).
When I ride a KTM, Ducati, H-D, etc, 50% of my thoughts are about the bike and 50% on the ride. When I ride a V-STROM, I think little about the bike and much about the joy of riding. That’s not a bad thing.
I just started riding a few months ago when I finished my MSF course and got my license. Being female and on the shorter side, I ended up buying a Honda rebel 500, but I'm really hoping to see you review the 2024 Kawasaki eliminator! :) Anyway, I'm absolutely loving the daily rider videos, keep up the awesome work, Mr. Zack Courts! Cheers.
Been riding a long long time and found a preowned 650 from a good home. I now get why people love Vstroms. I took me some time to find the 650 with low miles for sale, why, because people generally don't sell bikes they like. The seller has 8 other bikes so it was a make space deal. In a couple of years if you can't find anyone selling a 800 you know they did things right. As always, great work
Here in France, you can actually find some on sale. But that's because a lot of people bought this bike not knowing there's gonna be a more road oriented version. Pretty sure thoses who sold theres 800DE will buy the new 800RE in exchange (or 800SE as it's called here).
Thanks for the great review. I would buy it in a heartbeat if it had cruise. I think Suzuki is making a mistake by not including it. The lack of cruise is why I sold my previous V Strom Edit: upon further introspection, Suzuki is selling these like hotcakes, so I don’t suspect cruise is going to come. They’re not suffering from sales.
I've had my 800DE for a week now and I would happily trade the quick shifter for cruise and/or heated grips. I'm guessing cruise was too expensive for the price point they wanted to hit the market with..
So many of us just don't care enough about the cruise. Though, I would say they did leave a lot on the table by not even making it an option on this or the standard 800. I guess they want people to just get the 1050 if they need cruise.
Can we expect a Champions of the Daily Rider - The Showdown at some point? It would be fun to see riding the season winners back-to-back with the other greatnesses from RevZilla, to crown the one above all. Great episode, as always. Thanks for the quality informational entertainment. (bad tailgater, bad)
Great review. It’s an interesting bike for sure, and glad (though unsurprised) to see it’s a great option in today’s market. Just a thought for the leaderboard, but could the top 3-5 carry over from season to season so we have a better understanding of where a bike sits compared to previous entries?
There might be another reason to prefer V Strom 650 (except for the price): reliability. If you are planning to go from Europe to Kyrgystan, you may want to keep the machine as simple as possible. Slightly longer range does not hurt either.
That conclusion was a really nice way of saying "the v-strom is the greatest 2 wheeled camry of all time". Not a dig, i owned a strom, it was great, but its safe to say it lives up to its heritage because of its lack of excitement and innovation replaced by what your mother says about her iphone, "it just works"
It's odd that you didn't give it a better verbal review but it ranked 1st on the leader board lol. By your verbal review I thought it'd be low. I've watched many reviews on this bike and I love it I'm hoping to finally upgrade from my Gen 1 KLR to this.
Fantastic motorcycle. Pros: - very comfortable seat - flexible engine - no vibrations at low and medium speeds - low fuel consumption - fantastic display Cons: - low quality Quickshifter, low gear reduction practically does not work - the right side of the engine emits a lot of heat - a bit heavy
Rode one of these at a Suzuki demo day, such a great bike. I don't think I smash around off-road quite enough to need a 21" front wheel though, if they do one with a 19" tubeless cast wheel up front that would suit me for the very limited amount of dirt road riding I do. Also don't you dare suggest Suzuki puts a two-piece seat on this - ideally every bike would have a bench seat for me so I can freely scoot back and forth!
It's essentially a modern take of the original KLR650. Similar weight, relatively reasonable price, and not too many bells and whistles. Long fuel range, and a good compromise between tarmac and dirt ability. Just a good, reliable (if boring) bike that will go anywhere. The quickshifter not blipping enough isn't ideal, but I think it's only equipped because of peer pressure ("Every other bike has one, so I guess we'd better have one too or we won't sell any..."). Shifting ain't all that hard. I am sad to see no cruise control, however, because holding an exact speed IS hard, and not doing so pisses off other motorists.
Watching video and listening to Zack I was thinking, this one was going to be a struggle for him to decide if it just clips in at 5th or slips just outside the top 5 in 6th. Leader board comes up at and like the twist at the end of fight club that I never saw coming, BAM top slot.
Bought one tonight. Zack, I weighed reviews like yours heavily before I bought it. I'm absolutely thrilled and was blown away by how good this bike is.
@@CCitis same here, major omission. But they’re selling them all, so why do they care. It’s the same with the DRZ 400. They sell out almost immediately, so why make a modern fuel injected version. It’s a cash cow at this point.
V-Strom 800DE is a versatile workhorse with a lot of power and super nimble and light to control. I own one now and could not be more happier. It is right there where it should be. As mentioned in a video - it is number 1 daily rider and ultimate transportation machine.
@@marklescault9429 I think yes, because it is so smooth and soft, this motorcycle will not do anything unexpected. Also have safety features like ABS and traction control, headlight also bright at night gives you good visibility. This motorcycle matches what is expected from new modern machine.
You ARE the " Principle Skinner " of the Daily Rider Show- "Objective, reasonable ", and trying to "pass along the advice that will help the most people".......Thanks for all you do, fairly, Zack!
The 800DE is quiet. It doesn't seem to frighten deer, moose, cattle, horses, or bison. Haven't run into a bear yet so cannot speak to that. But idling as horse walk by doesn't spook even the one horse I know is skittish. Just gave me a bit of side eye and an ear twitch. (Normally I shut the bike off, but I had the rider's permission to try it)
I posted this on the Transalp review as well. On the Cycleworld dyno the V Strom 800DE made more power and torque throughout the rev range and even a bit more peak power than the Transalp. The Honda has a dip in HP/torque at 3500 rpm whereas the V-Strom pulls evenly across the rev range. In addition, the weight difference might not be as much as stated in Honda’s spec sheet. Looking around, the price for the V-Strom is lower than MSRP at most dealerships. My local dealer is offering one for $10,400 incl destination and freight. I have seen under $10k at some dealers. So the V-Strom might actually be as good if not better in some ways than the Transalp, for example with regard to the suspension. I am hoping to ride the Transalp soon, but I did ride the V-Strom 800DE and was really surprised how good it was. The engine is just fantastic with lots of low-end grunt. The bike handled a lot better than expected and felt surprisingly nimble and balanced for a full-size steed. It soaked up bumps like nothing. To my subjective eyes it actually looks pretty cool in the metal. Lastly, I think the non-DE version is even cheaper, more road oriented and should be a blast on the pavement but also be able to deal with bad roads that are ubiquitous where I live.
I rode a Transalp a few days ago, hmm. Great engine, sound, quality. But rock hard seat, poor gearchange, and my lady didn't like the pillion position. Was disappointed... I'll test a Vstrom RE this week.
I've just bought one and selling my 07 650 vstrom. After spending buckets of money on my suspension the de is still better straight out of the box, still I'm going to miss it. Such an easy bike to live with.
123 for suzuki! I didn't see that coming! Having owned two suzukis i get it though, they are just good reliable bikes. the lack of a cruise control is a big miss though, I would get a cruise anyday of the week before a tft display or a quick shifter wich are in my opinion gadgets.
I own a 650 and have ridden the 800 as a courtesy bike. Being a tall man, the ergonomics of the 800 are just better. The 650 is comfortable, and have done long trips on it, but the 800 is just better suited for my frame. I would definitely trade it in if I hadn't spent so much money on the 650 already.
if i could pick any bike, it would be this one with cruse control. the only missing thing that I feel like really holds it back. also it taking premium fuel is not great. otherwise it would even be an economy choice over a good hybrid car. But that's not why I, or probably most people, want one.
I checked out one of these at a local dealer shop tonight. I tend to shy away from ADV bikes due their tall seats and my short legs, but this Strom wasn’t too bad. This one was in yellow/blue with gold wheels and it’s a sharp looking bike. Still, if I were serious about it, I’d buy the more road-going Touring model which I believe is new for 2024.
I was reallllyyy close to buying one but I couldn’t justify the price in the end. It’s a great bike but just felt pricey. Ended up going for the super light adv side and got a KTM 390. Wish I had the power but other than that it’s been shockingly good for close to half the price
Yea, ADV bikes are like the trucks in the motorcycle market. They lowkey sell them at a premium knowing you can do EVERYTHING with them, but half these people don't take them off-road anyway. Kinda sucks in this inflated world right now. Add a whole bunch of "unnecessary" tech and jack up the price just to where it's only attainable by the wealthy. $10,000+ with a markup I guarantee. Sorry 800, price doesn't do it for me. Even the tenere 700 is still overpriced all over California
same, but I decided I wanted cruise control and got a DL1050. I was deciding between this and the Transalp 750. I rode basically every middleweight in the segment + the tracer 900. Then I took a DL1050 for a ride and forgot about all of them. The price difference was “only” 3K. For that you get a much, much better tourer with a better engine and a god tier gearbox and great suspension. It also helped that where I live there’s a very well known suzuki dealership that sells DL1050 at 200 euro’s over sticker. That 200 euro’s gets you a Hepco and Becker sump guard, givi airflow windscreen and SW motech topbox, which add up to 1100-1200 euro’s if you want to buy them seperately which I was planning on. Couldn’t be happier and I’ve done over 17000 kilometers since. (10500 miles ish). I’ve since mounted a Mivv exhaust, aluminium chain guard and suzuki OEM fog lights as well and I get 21.54 km/l or 50.67 US mpg on average.
@@youridv absolutely. For me the 800 is one of those bikes that’s a bit bigger than I’m comfortable with off-road and not enough in-road positives to justify the cost
Hi Zack, great daily rider video, as always! Tiny favour for me and all other followers non-familiar with the imperial measure system: may you add subtitles with the conversion of each of them? I struggle so much especially when dealing with seat height and weight. Thank you a lot.
It is much better offroad than you give it credit for. Not as good as a Tuareg but better than anyone would have ever expected from something with a VStrom nameplate. And honestly: saying that the T7 is bettter suited for rough terrain might be a bit rash. Check out "On the back wheel". That guy totally bashes the PStrom througn Australia like no tomorrow. I like to see it as a very upgraded KLR 650
I am rooting for Suzuki. I grew up with them in the 70s. It is the only brand that every had a dealership in my hometown. Unfortunately, they just haven't seemed capable of getting inventory in to the dealerships. I hope that changes in the future.
The smile factor and price difference have the SV650 still at the top of my leaderboard. Of course I'm still riding a 2002 Naked Curvy I bought in 2010 for $2200.
I Don't mind a little buzz. I remember reading in an actual magazine bike shootout article in 92 the same thing about the CBR 1000R I was about to buy. I did, and it was there for sure in that RPM range every time like clockwork. It made me smile every time it came and went for 55,000 miles of sport touring.
Seems like a mixed bag. I loved my DL650 (and the 1000 as well though not as much overall). V-twins are preferable as are 19" fronts for the style of riding I prefer. Nicely done Suzuki.
Yeah the v twin would be nice and I think that 19" wheels are better suited on the big bikes. This bike being more road focused I think it would be better with a 19"
I just road all three v-stroms a couple of weeks ago back to back...the V-strom 650 was my favorite. The 650 was more comfortable and more nimble than both the other v-stroms. It's engine was also superior to the 800 IMO too....the thing the 1000 offers is horsepower obviously, but given the style of bike I think it's unnecessary.
Thanks Zach, enjoyed the review. Would like to see a bit more off-road work with this bike. I think Suzuki have nailed it with this back as an all rounder. Definitely a bike I would consider buying. 👍 In relation to the Versys, it’s got me beat why Kawasaki don’t offer two versions one with spoked wheels with a 21” front. 🤔
If it’s a turbulent ride because of the wind spilling over the (too short, too upright, too far away) top of the windshield, it’s a V-Strom. The vibration is a new perk, however.
Which bike isn't "approachable?" I can't recall ever not being able to approach a motorcycle. I've never heard you say one wasn't. If they're all approachable, what's the point of saying it? Fill up space?
The engine Is the heart of a motorcycle. The engine is included in the name of a motorcycle. And the engine determines the class that it's in not only in cc's but in type. As we put bikes into the parallel twin class, in line four class, V twin class, etc. It's indisputable and immutable that this motorcycle is without question a P-Strom 800!
the most attractive part of this bike apart from comfort is it makes less sound pollution and thereby passersby or public wont curse the biker . hats off to Suzuki engineering team who made this possible ..excellent. i think this guy doesnt deserve Suzuki bike . they are talking crap because they want sponsorship from other bike makers
As an average height person (just over 5'8") the Vstrom is too tall. For a daily rider I hate having to hang off the side of the bike to get a leg down at a stop light. I'll keep commuting on my sv650 w/ an added trunk. Oh btw, I'm averaging 64.2 mpg.
This is exactly how i feel too. The Vstrom 800 is not the most exciting bike and i'm not sure it "feels right" that it's on the top of the leaderboard but as a daily rider it seems to be perfectly suited for it. And that's why i want one. Do something weird next like the X-ADV. lol
I have a 2012 Vstrom DL 650: love the ride quality, dependability, have never had an issue with it (had a Harley 883 and can’t say the same thing), but I am going to get a new bike in the next few months, and honestly I want something with a little panache-so I am looking to get a Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello OR a BMW adv maybe F 850 adventure as my next ride. I am volunteering this info only because as much as I think these are great bikes as far as being a value, the idea of purchasing the latest iteration of a VStrom is not making me all that excited in the same way that eating a bran muffin does not make me excited when I am hungry. Sure a bran muffin is a healthy choice, but sometimes (most times) when I am hungry I also want something that stirs up the senses. Just something I have been considering for a while with my current Vstrom.
What a great comparison to Principal Skinner, as it was revealed that he is in fact an imposter like this bike is with a parallel twin under the Vstrom name.
A bike that I would like to see a daily rider on is the livewire one if anybody else would like to see that review, just give this comment a thumbs up.
Suzuki are doing this right and the Vstrom 800 hit the sweet spot Value Reliable Just enough tech Easy to use tech Good price. Well done Suzuki and another damn good video.
After test riding one, I ended up with the Aprilia Tuareg. I really wanted to like the VS8, but the rider triangle did not feel ideal. That was my only complaint. It's a great bike! I may come to regret my decision as I have owned 3 V-Stroms.Time will tell.
I thought that, but other reviews provide both metric and non-metric verbally - and it takes forever. Perhaps flash the metric up on the screen when the non-metric is spoken?
If it was my money I would get the 650 Strom. Why? I don't care about dirt, lighter, smoother, the best headlight I've ever used on a bike, a comfortable seat that is hard to beat ( better than the two V-Strom 1000's I had ) and best of all, I can get a Givi AirFlo for the 650. Also I wouldn't miss the lack of a cruise control on the 650. On my 15 1000 , that bike REALLY needed cruise control and it didn't have it. The concentration needed to hold steady speeds was tiring over a long days ride. Not so on the 650. In terms of smoothness, comfort , ease of travel and range over long distance; the 650 V-Strom is one of the great all time bikes. That's why someone would buy the 650 over the 800. it's the right tool for lightweight long distance travel.
How about some more benelli's on dailyRider? Maybe start with the TNT 135. If you would like to see that review on dailyRider just give this comment a thumbs up.
My wife also surprised me and didn’t like the Tenere 700 seat as a passenger. Wouldn’t have guessed but she said she kept sliding front to back on the flat seat.
I guess it seems to compete with the BMW 800s: Heavier than it should be, and less dynamic than it could be. Always puzzled that a p-twin should save around 30lbs from a v-twin, and yet the bike weighs the same. ahh well - it is a handsome machine, Suzuki knows how to build bikes and engineer chassis, and it is far less than a comparable BMW - so Hamamatsu FTW. and now I'm going out for a quick spin on my Suzuki ...
Had a 2007 V-Strom 650. My first ADV bike and loved it. But...the most common problem was the fuel pump needing constant cleaning every 10K miles. I hope Suzuki's fixed this issue since then.
Tube tires and the lack of cruise control is kind of a deal breaker for me. I like to do alot of highway miles. Probably only go off-road a handful of times during the spring and fall to go camping. Tube tires kinda suck when it comes to roadside repairs until you can get it to a shop. Otherwise this bike looks great.
