EASY RIDER
Has the XT been left behind by more high-tech competition, or is it all you’ll ever need?
The new V-Strom 650XT proves good adventure bikes don’t need more electronics than the space shuttle. For 2017 the XT gets a much needed facelift to bring it inline with its big brother and give it a sharper adventure look, and there’s a raft of performance upgrades too. The SV650-based V-twin has received over 60 changes and the baby ’Strom now comes with two-stage traction control, which can also be turned off. But that’s it on the electronics front. The V-twin remains as fun and flexible as ever. Making 71bhp, it’s as happy up near the redline as it is driving out of 20mph corners from 3000rpm. On the twisty mountain roads in Tarragona, Spain, the V-Strom’s flexibility allowed me to leave it in third gear as it dispensed with hairpin after hairpin. Vibes are kept to a minimum, with only minimal tingles coming up through the seat and bars at around 7000rpm. The rear suspension is only preload adjustable, and there’s no adjustment at all on the fork, but Suzuki have done a great job dialling in the standard settings, which sit on the slightly soft side of plush. There’s plenty of feel though, and its ride quality on open roads and motorways is superb. This is a bike you feel instantly at home on. Off-road the 650XT proved more than capable for this dirt novice. The suspension soaked up most of the terrain in a controlled manner, and the Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A40 tyres provided more grip than I knew what to do with. The traction control struggled off-road, especially on long, rocky climbs, with the bike juddering along as if it was about to stall. The ABS can’t be switched off and works fine on the road, only activating when braking hard over bumps, but like the TC it intervenes too early on a loose surface, The screen is three-way adjust- able, although if you want to adjust it you’ll have to undo the four Allen bolts holding it in place, and the correct size Allen key isn’t included in the underseat toolkit. It wasn’t a huge concern for me as the screen did a brilliant job of stopping any buffeting for my 6ft 1in frame in its lowest position, and there wasn’t a great deal of difference when I did move it to the highest position. For a bike as practical and versatile as the V-Strom, which will no doubt be pressed into year-round use by many owners, heated grips (a £270 option) and cruise control would be welcome additions, although a 12V socket is now included on the dash. In truth the V-Strom is a victim of its own effectiveness. It remains a solid, fuss-free and excellent motorcycle with a brilliant engine and handling that will tackle virtually anything thrown in its way. All it really lacks is the X-factor to make it stand out.
‘All it really lacks is the X-factor to make it stand out’