What we’ve learned
3000 summer miles on our Suzuki V-strom 1050 XT
THE V-STROM NAME became a motorcycling by-word for practicality years ago. The 650 earned a reputation as a doggedly reliable and durable everyday bike. The 2003 Tl-engined 1000 never captured the same spirit, despite a rebirth in 2014 and re-style in 2017.
For 2020 Suzuki had another go at a restyle, adding more electronics and engine tweaks, and re-naming it a 1050 (the 1037cc motor is unchanged though). But has it succeeded in making the V-strom a better bike, day-to-day?
We rode the Suzuki through last summer, back-to-back with the Honda Africa Twin. Here’s what we learned.
1 It’s not as flash for the cash...
The base 1050 XT is £11,747; our bike also has ally panniers, top box, bash plate, fog lamps and crash bars — add heated grips and it’s the Explore pack, which is £14,246. The XT has six-axis IMU traction control, cornering ABS, cruise and hill-hold control. But it loses out to its rivals with no TFT display, menu or mode customising, quickshifter, Bluetooth integration etc. Mind you, it keeps the switchgear simple. But Triumph’s Tiger 900 Rally Pro has all that for £13,400; add luggage and it’s £14,690. The Strom isn’t the bargain it was.
2 ...but it does the basics well
Despite the Strom’s lack of bling, every ride, even in the company of the Tiger and
Honda’s ATAS, is just as enjoyable. It’s quick (if a bit topendy), handles well (back’s a bit bouncy) and the 19in front has a more road-based steering dynamic than the 21in fronts of its rivals, though it has limited ground clearance. The Strom is a road bike with adventure-bike get-up which, from a distance, looks great but get closer and the final layer of polish of the Africa Twin and Tiger 900 is absent. It’s second best on finish quality.
3 Ergonomics are excellent
The V-strom’s thick plastic screen is adjustable via a large aluminium friction hinge at the front — you can move it, just, standing on the pegs and reaching over the top but it’s not advisable in motion. It’s a great screen though — unlike the ATAS, it doesn’t vibrate and is the right height to avoid buffeting (for a 6-footer). The Strom’s riding position, screen and general comfort are excellent too — the two-height adjustable seat is wide and firm; bars are narrower than other adventure bikes (some owners fit heavier end weights to minimise vibes); and the pegs are low. I’ve taken the rubbers out for more room and a more direct feel.
4 Gears can be tricky to select
Suzuki makes sturdy gearboxes but the V-strom’s problem isn’t mechanical. When I first rode it, the gap between first and second was long and didn’t always fully engage — I adjusted the lever but the problem isn’t position; it’s length. It’s too long; when my size ten boot has its heel sitting behind the peg, the lever tip is right on the end of my toes — so half the time the lever is lifted by my boot tip, not my toes, and doesn’t engage properly. The result of a few missed gears is premature wear, as second now sometimes jumps into a false neutral under power.
5 It’s 98% on-road, 2% off-road capable
You might have seen off-road publicity photos of the XT wearing knobbly tyres and rooster-tailing clouds of dirt. Nothing could be further from the truth; with a 19in front on a Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A41, limited suspension travel compared to an off-road bike, inadequate ground clearance and 247kg before you add panniers, don’t take your V-strom off road unless you want to fall off it. Even a simple, dry off-road jog in Thetford Forest turned into harder work than it should’ve been. The LED indicators look particularly vulnerable.