Hi from uk .I've done 1300miles in just over a month tour of Scotland on the new 2020.. 1050 xt and wow what a fanbloodytastic bike ..always under the radar type of bike... brilliant value in uk price..best wishes dave
I have this bike and I love it, it is more faithful than a dog. Sometimes I crave a BMW 1250 but my V-strom is the ideal bike for me, it's simple, low maintenance, and plenty of power. Greetings from Cali, Colombia, South America.
I've had mine 5+ years now and still love it. Only routine servicing and a couple of recalls, one for some potentially faulty wiring and the other for a new ECU. Comfortable, torquey, great ride and I love the brakes.
Nice video. I bought a new 2019 Vstrom XT last year and made 10.000 km on it and it is like new. Since I ride 98 % on road and alone I only bought rear Givi trakker case in silver, Remus exhaust (bike sounds a bit louder and better and is 2.5 kg lighter) and original Suzuki Led blinkers. I even didnt put crash bars on which was not a good idea last year at the end of the season when I fell on slipery grass concrete but at really slow speed (I have full insurance) so a few parts got changed. All in all a great bike. Grettings from Slovenia, ride safe.
I went back to the V-Strom, and absolutely enjoying it. Purchased a new '18 1000XT in November '19, and in just 4 months have already put on 4k miles. Been everything that I have wanted.
I've had mine since 2018. Love it more every year. Only maintenance I've done is oil changes and tires. It a never let me down. Got an Alaska trip planned for 2026.
Have same bike, with Givi Airflow shield (absolute must have), instrument bar for GPS attachment with on screen attachment bolts, heated grips, Givi engine guards with auxiliary LED lights (must haves for visibility), same Givi skid plate, plastic mudguard over rear wheel, lowered foot pegs, center stand, plastic side cases (and soft side bags for bigger trip) and large 60 liter soft luggage for the top, same Givi quick release tank bag, plug for heated vest, net-like seat cover for summer airflow assist under butt, brake light modulator, larger cargo touring rack for the back (love it!), can't think I am missing anything. Best ADV bike out there for the money! So underappreciated, and I like it that way!
Great honest review I’ve just bought a 2018 1000 vstrom. In the back of my mind I want to do in Africa twin but couldn’t afford it. However I love the V on the road. I have peace of mind with its reliability and I find it very simple to service.
My first 1000cc bike was a 2002 dl1000. I honestly couldn’t think of any other bike that was better than that one for a first liter bike. It was incredibly comfortable on road, in the few times I took it off-road it felt good, it rolled into corners nicely, it had good power, good torque, handling was great, and endured everything thrown at it. It’s one of the very few adventure bikes I’ve ridden that didn’t somehow feel top heavy. The bike had been laid down quite a few times but the only issue it had was the clutch basket, which is a really weird issue for a bike like that one to have. The only other thing I ever had an issue with was getting the fairings off every time I need to look at anything on the bike, and the map sensor line kept falling off. Other wise though, the v-stroms are seriously underrated. I would take any old dl over a gs adventure, tiger, Africa twin, or ktm adventure any day
@@michaelhrivnak1719 that’s gonna depend A LOT on what kind of riding you want to do. The general consensus as I understand is that the 650 is better, but limited on long traveling. It’s lighter, consumes less gas, better power to weight, easier to throw around off road, many big pros to having a smaller engine, and supposedly maybe being just a little more reliable. Of course the pro is having a smaller engine, the con is having a smaller engine. If you want to get on the highway, it’ll be far more difficult, and harder on your bike for the long term, so if you want to do a lot of road cruising over long distances, I’d recommend the 1000. Also, if you plan to do more road cruising, I’d recommend the gs or v-strom. I’d recommend most other bikes if you want to do a lot of off road stuff. They are just better set up for off road things, which doesn’t mean they are at all bad for the road, just better for the dirt in mind. I would get a v-strom if you wanted to do a road trip and maybe see some off road bits on the way, if that makes sense. Overall good bike, more of a road focus
@@michaelhrivnak1719 i lived with Strom's thru all my bike life. First gen 600 and than liter, second gen and now thirt and gettin back to second (max torgue is much lower, which is not true in the newest models and does not have sence for me for longer traveling and fuel consump.) Smaller means better, handeling in corners, and with a smaller Strom and less weight, you feel like you want to ride....i mean....riiiddeeee :-D Bud....thats not the point for my taste. Iam perfectly happy with 1000cc, from second gen. iam soo happy with it, it handles like bicycle, miles per galon is good (different story from first gen.), low service cost, needs just basic service, great sound, no problems at all. You can expect just little clumsy sound from clutch gasket, but its like the typical Strom pain, no need to care that. Iv been trying all big brand, including most expencive KTM and BMW, filled by electronic stuff. Hmm.....i feel like motorbike shud be like modern era horse. And when iam on horse, i want to feel what iam doing, where iam on surface, i want to feel like ok, i did mistake sometimes, tahts an advanture. And thats a VStrom. Its not budget perspective for me, its a easy concept. Its a bike! And its great and underated as hell. Today bikers are more like technic hunters, i want to bee free ob my horse, i dont need a tablet 😃 Ok more corectly for your question. Smaller Strom is ok for you, in a moment when you want to travel, especialy with passenger and lugage, thats too much for him. Liter power is good enouth for everything. And riding is similar, handeling is great on liter, much easier than on other brands with similar weight. Be happy with your choice.
Great deal. I have always loved the V STROM and would have one if I was aloud two bikes. They are so versatile. Nice upgrades Mate. Excellent Video and greetings from South Australia.
I bought a 2018 1000 xt yellow in Oct 2019 with 1500 miles . It now has 10k from riding the Texas hill country last winter. I adapted the givi top box mount from my KLR and made support brkts. 2nd thing I took the seat cover off and ground the foam so it's flat. Big improvement , with a small sheepskin it may keep me from getting a Russell seat made. Which I have on my 2013 FJR. and really like it. I got 7500 miles on the rear Trail wings & 8500 on the front but could have squeezed a little more out of them. The Hill country chip seal is hard on tire along with my spirited riding. I replaced the oil filter stud to run a bigger filter also takes the same filter as my fjr. I've done a lot of single track riding in 30+ years . The vstrom could do some of that but why take the chance just to say I can still do that. If I get that desire I'll buy a nother DRZ 400 again. Anyway the Vstrom is awesome bike and with the traction control set on 1 I had no problem riding bumpy hilly rock roads with a very experienced GS rider. 1 last thing , I'm very sensitive to engine heat. Never a problem. I would have bought a new 1200 Triumph tiger but way to much heat. Also from the looks of the Shinko 705s I'm running I don't think I will see the miles I got on the trail wings. AT $160 a pair and I do my installs it's still a good deal. After 45+ bikes I forsee keeping the vstrom for a long. time. And my Fjr.
I love my 2003 V-Strom DL1000 so much fun. I was just out riding in corn stubble last weekend with my son on his 200 Honda 4 wheeler we also did some hill climbing at the old gravel pit. TheV- Strom held its own. I just got a set of Battlax Adventurecross AX41 tires can't wait to try them out off road. These are the Swiss Army Knife of motorcycles.
I bought mine new back in '14 when the style changed. Not a bit of trouble out of it and I ride year round here I the MidAtlatic by Baltimore/DC area. Im running Shniko 804/805 since I am on the MABDR all the time as it runs right past my place a many other backroad/off road areas. I am really glad I went with the Vee with all the low torque it just tractors through about everything. Your bike is still "new" in Vstrom years as we like to say break I is at 50,000 miles! Great bike, it takes me anywhere I want to explore. Take care and great review my friend!!!
I own a 2014 V Strom 1000 came with the adventure add on's , bought it used last year with just over 14, 400 on the ODOMETER. So far, I really like this bike. I mostly use it to commute about an hour round trip to work and I'll say up front the performance at expressway speeds is excellent, she's well planted and stable at 80 mph. I haven't taken it down fire roads or lightly maintained roads as much as I would've liked to, as I've only had one MOTO camping trip with the V Strom. But, I'm at a place where I'm considering my next bike and have watched numerous reviews on other ADV bikes....with the question still unanswered, what next?? My impressions are that Suzuki engineer their bikes to do what they're supposed to do WELL and without an outrageous cost of ownership attached. They may not have the fit and finish of other premium motorbikes on the market, but they're bikes are built to last and perform well. So, I'm curious if you still own your V Strom or have you decided to get something else?
Your bike looks absolutely great. These bikes (1000 and 1000XT) are the litre+ ADV bargains of the decade. Fantastic purchase price (you must've ridden out of the dealership with a smile a mile wide!), modest maintenance costs and minimal tech to go wrong and strand you 100 miles from town. Totally share your critical view of electronic rider aids (apart from ABS of course); IMHO if you ride a motorcycle, you owe it to yourself to learn how to ride properly and about riding techniques and skills rather than relying on aids. There is no room for complacency on a motorcycle. What on earth were Givi thinking putting leaky panniers on the market? It's like a tool company selling rubber spanners!
Thanks for the bike complement and I agree 100% with everything you said they are def the bargain of the decade and my smile was ear to ear finding that deal. Definitely manufactures/technology advancments are making riders lazy. far as GIVI bags it stinks. I'm very disappointed something that expensive leaks like it does but I have nobody to blame but myself for not doing the full research on them like I should have. Trying to save a couple bucks bites me in the butt. Ride safe
Good and correct review.Over the years I realized there is no such thing as absolut waterproof side/top cases.That despise the fact that in '93,on a mountain pass in Idaho,I closed my Givi side case only to find it sucked in from the pressure difference at the bottom of the mountain.Currently on my '14 VStrom 1000 I use the (almost waterproof) Givi Trekker Outback side cases and a 20 years old Givi top case.Good luck!
I own a 2005 V-Strom 1000 (6 years) I agree with everything except don't care if you drop it. lol. reliability... it had never failed. I am from Nova Scotia with rides into the US. Great for long haul if you put your weight on the pegs once in a while. Easy to do with this bike.
I really enjoyed you honest review of the VStrom. I am looking at upgrading and the VStrom is one of the contenders, the Kawasaki Versys also in the running. I look forward to checking out other info but I will be using your video as a data base of upgrades etc. good work man, cheers from Australia!
@@repetitivemotion my buddy has a versys 1000 and it absolutely decimated my 1000 v strom in a straight line. It's also a lot smoother and refined engine and gearbox. I still wouldn't trade my v strom for it though, the vstrom is a lot more agile, has better brakes and at least in my opinion handles better than the versys. The v atrom also actually has some offroad ability which the versys has none due to its 17 inch front
Thanks for the review. Just some notes I had while watching. TC is fantastic if you really use that thing in all kinds of conditions (your yearly mileage on it is my monthly mileage on the same bike). I leave it on setting 1 most of the year. It helped me get safely through wet and cold winter weather. I can feel the bike holding in on wet days, while it's a beast on dry and warm days. It's one of the main criteria for a motorbike for me, in fact. You're saying it's reliable, but can you really say that if you take it out for a spin just once a month, on average (given your mileage)? My experience is that it's OK, but I did have issues that needed repairs. Something locked up inside the exhaust, for example. And there were some issues with the spark caps being wet/damp on rainy days, resulting in less than ideal performance after a cold start. The issues were fixed under warranty but I'd rather not had them at all. I still enjoy it, don't get me wrong. It's good value for money, compared to other bikes in this category!
I had just moved to PA and was settling in with work and both my kids in different schools so I didn't have the time to ride like normal. I was a full time rider for many years. Doing 10k a year on a bike. All without TC. I'll never use it
I’ve got the same bike but a 2014 adv version. I put a National Cycle VStream 2-up windshield, a Delkevic exhaust and a Nelson-Rigg tailbag on it. Great bike. Great motor.
Great review. The only thing I would differ on is the fact that traction control really is very useful in the rain. I ride all year round in all weather, so I use traction control in the winter months and it’s very helpful.
My V strom 2014 is with 47.000 km and still like 1st day. 90% I am driving on roads.. AMAZING Bike.. Full with sw motech upgrades. Sw motech alu "Koffer" are after 47tkm like new.
Got one. 95,000km and counting. Traction control permanently turned off. ABS too intrusive. Fuel consumption matches throttle input and can be heavy if you're going hard, so range is an issue sometimes. Off road it's a total weapon and a ton of fun. On road, sport bikes hate me when it stays with em in the twisties. Two up is good. Wouldn't mind the new model with cruise control, but that means selling this one and paying the difference. So, I can live just fine without that option. Not planning on getting rid of it any time soon. Happy trails
I forgot to mention that my KLR 650 can get hot on the legs on long rides. The noise from the engine is very unique and sounds clatter-like. It is simple and cheap and relatively easy to fix. I have seen a fair number of them on the highways loaded up with gear. A really good bang for your buck type bike but the V Strom is mighty pretty.
I am LITERALLY at cross roads between the Vstrom & 2022 KLR ADV! I had to rule out the T700 as even in base trim its significantly more expensive the either of the 650's. Crappy as I love its looks and the MTO7 engine is dope! Has your KLR (year ?) burned oil, had quality issues etc? I don't mind turning wrenches and don't need 70-100hp but I don't wanna have to bring tools & oil everywhere either!
@@davecroucher6063 I have had no problems with my 2010 KLR 650. It is so reliable and comfortable. I am 6'1" and 289 lbs. The stock seat needs a gel replacement though.
In February I got a great deal on a 2019 1000XT Adventure. Suzuki made the switch to SW Motech Trax Adventure aluminum bags and came with engine guards and heated grips. 600 mile and I'm very happy with everything, except the windscreen. Looking at the Givi Airflow. Stay Safe, Rich S
I have one (04)And still working good...I suggest that you put moore weight to front wheel .Sorry to say....Throw those side bannier away and put smaller soft banniers instead...Then you can find some moore miles....without gasstation. It is bad for bike to be so top heavy....
Great review Josh. Don’t own I vstrom 1000 / 1050 but one day I will, I really like them. Very informative. You sure did get a great deal from the dealer. Thanks for posting. Oh & I agree, the Givi tank lock bags are superb.
Thanks for the insight Josh just bought mine on the weekend the shutdown started just running around on it locally already got 800 miles on it waiting for 1st service
good video josh thanks... I Just scored me a 2018 v strom1000 abs in Pearl glacier white in mint condition with 3,400 miles on her ! came with a Extra tall seat and also exrta bigger windshield & knight aluminum after market foot pegs ! big fatty comfotable stand up ones , great grip... also steel braided clutch and break lines and the shop manual and two oil changes and three oil filters ..got it for $300 less than Kelly blue book...stoked super smooth v twin power and quick just keeps pulling threw rpms. some Reviewers I watched says stops building power after 5,000 rpm !! After riding it for myself I found out ! That's a bunch of fkn crap ! Who wants to race ? lol #Vstromlivin... giddy up
Hey nothing wrong with that deal! They don't totally stop pulling after 5 but it is a bit of a slow down on the 2015 anyway. These bikes are the steal of the century and I'm 100% happy with it. Enjoy the bike and ride safe Brian!
@@ridingwithjosh4364 thanks Josh ! will do , you do the same as well !... keep the Shiny side up & the rubber side down ! Keep them videos comming ...Peace out
I have the same bike in red. I see you still have the factory tires. When they're worn out, I suggest the Shinko 705s... made a huge difference for offroad. The bike comes from the factory with tires that are dangerous on gravel.
Just came across your channel. Great review! Personally all V Strom look good to me. They have a very unique look and are so much fun modding. I have the same bike as yours, I have also had the 650. Just awesome bikes! Have you thought about installing bark busters on considering the riding you do? It’d be a good video. It’s probably the next thing I will do. Subbed, keep the V Strom content coming.
Curious to know which one you like better. Looking to get one for day rides and touring, possibly 2-up, but would also do some occasional commuting on it. Thanks.
I have a KLR 650 but it is a little scary on the highway when confronted with wind buffeting but it is as cheap as you can get. I have always admired the V Strom. The BMWs seemed too pricey and expensive to maintain. Same with the KTM. Maybe someday..............
Instead of pulling the abs fuse, just mount a switch. Also: my 2008 v-strom 1000 easily reaches 130mph unmodified. Sounds strange that you only reach 120mph.
Dude, only 1700 miles in a year!?! I bought a 2006 on Saturday, 3 days ago, and have already put on 400. Lovely bike and kit but you spent a lot of money accessorizing before really knowing your needs…
I have a 2020 vstrom and it's excellent with over 6500 kilometres on it the 1000cc bike is more than everything needed and a 360 camera is also awesome
nice video!Does your v strom have the idle hammer syndrom?I want to buy a new v strom 1000 or 1050 bike and I have heard of this syndrom after the first oil change but they say that is not harming the engine.
@@SteveWKk clutch chudder might be normal, but when it becomes really bad, those vibrations are not doing the cogs and bearings any good. Best have the clutch basket modified when that occours. It also drasically improves the bike. Also: clutch chudder and idle hammer is not the same, but a modified clutch basket can reduce idle hammer.