Suzuki V-strom 650XT
Updated Euro 4 V-twin Styled like V-strom 1000 Traction control Spoked wheels and bash plate
OUR SUZUKI GUIDE looks serious. “These roads are so twisty that you're going to get seasick,” he says. He's not far wrong - our test route out in the hills near Tarragona in Spain is about 130 miles and only a tiny percentage of that is flat, straight road. Mile after mile of constant direction and elevation changes mean it’s exhilarating and exhausting at the same time and I wonder if there’s any other bike I’d rather be on than this updated V-strom 650XT. Certainly nothing bigger, definitely nothing faster and preferably nothing more extreme. What you want on roads like this is something nimble, stable and with a flexible engine – and the 650 V-strom delivers on all those counts. This is an update rather than a new model, but it has a lot of detail changes as well as new styling. The new look is based on the existing 1000cc version, with a pronounced 'beak' front end, a screen that’s 9mm
taller and adjustable (with tools), a 12v accessory socket, slimmed down, plumped-up seat and low-level exhaust. Most of the changes, though, are under the skin, to bring the V-strom’s old-school engine (hardly changed since the 1999 SV650) up to new and stringent Euro 4 emissions and noise compliance.
The details (60 minor new parts in the engine, new catalysts, new engine maps) are less interesting than the fact Suzuki has managed to hit the targets without losing the V-twin’s drive and user-friendly character. In fact, they’ve somehow sneaked back a little power and torque everywhere above 3500rpm.
The basic chassis package, including the brakes and the ABS, is unchanged, though the suspension settings have been tweaked and as well as a new rear subframe (to accommodate the slimmer seat and different exhaust layout) there have apparently also been some detail changes to the main frame to add stiffness.
The forks are still non-adjustable but you can adjust the rebound damping at the rear, as well as the sping preload. As standard this is set towards the bottom of its range, which has the whole bike pretty well-balanced front to rear, so it’s extremely stable and fairly easy to swing from side to side.
Riding harder, it was a bit too easy to get the peg and sidestand down on the left, or the peg and lower edge of the exhaust heat shield on the right. An extra three clicks on the easy-access preload knob didn’t make much difference but another three clicks helped keep the exhaust and stand off the floor and coincidentally transformed the steering. Suddenly the emphasis was on the front end - more feel from the tyre, quicker steering, and a feeling that I could put the front wheel wherever I wanted and the rest of the bike would follow.
Praise must go to the specially developed Bridgestone A40 tyres. They have a lighter construction than standard A40s, which helps soak up minor road imperfections, leaving the suspension to deal with the bigger stuff. They also had plenty of grip on dry, dusty Spanish tarmac - I couldn’t get the traction control to kick in except when turning round in gravelly lay-bys. Yes, traction control - new this year, three-way switchable, and a pleasant surprise on a middleweight bike.
That’s about the only surprise - this is no big step forward, just a quiet update. But that’s fine by me. I’ve always liked the V-strom 650’s combination of solid reliability, go-anywhere practicality and outstanding economy (more than 60mpg is easy to achieve). This new version continues in the same vein while freshening up the styling. Really, it’s a case of deciding whether to go for the base bike or this slightly blingier XT model.
The spoked wheels on the XT are pretty, but are they £500 worth of pretty? For me, no. I’m not bothered about the bashplate either. The handguards are good, though, so I’d be inclined to go for the base model, try to get the dealer to throw in a set of handguards, then spend the saving on heated grips, a chain oiler and mudguard extender and hugger. Either way, at least you have the choice.