I have an '08 650 V-Strom that I've had about a year and now have about 4K miles on. I had not ridden in several years and wanted a fairly traditional (upright) seating position. I looked at the BMWs and, although nice, were pretty pricey. I looked a some Honda and Kawasaki products but couldn't find the right feel. Most were a little aggressive in the seating position for me. I sat on this bike and it felt nice. I knew that the professional reviews had been excellent and that it shared its lineage with the SV-650. A pretty good heritage there.
I have found it to be everything that it was advertised to be. I have not taken it off-road much but I'm told it will do that. It actually doesnt weigh much (450# +/-) but I'm not sure I really want to be doing any heavy duty off roading with it. It would probably handle fire roads and simple dirt roads easily. It sure cruises around San Diego with ease. The seating position is excellent, if upright is for you. The controls all make sense and the displays are very good. I do wish it had a gear position indicator, however. Once you pre-flight and start her up, the bike accelerates quickly and there is lots of low end. The engine will take you faster than you really want to go, and it will gladly do that quickly. You can literally go from 60-90 mph with a small flick of your wrist and just a moment of time. There is no lack of intestinal fortitude in this power plant. I initially found that the stock windscreen was a bit small for my liking and have added a larger GIVI model that manages the wind pretty well. I have also added the Suzuki OEM hand guards that spare your hands just a bit. I still get a good bit of wind around my arms and shoulders, but overall wind management is very good. It is very secure at highway speeds and can accelerate you around any problems quickly. I have also taken it many times out on the twisties and find that it is quite nimble on its feet. You can throw it from side to side quickly. That's a pretty good rush. The great handling was probably the most surprising thing to me, but all the reviews had said that it was strong there. I have added a throttle-lock cruise control, and a top case, and I'm now gearing up for a long-distance ride. I'm thinking that it will be pretty good there as well. It has been very reliable and it is a gas sipper at about 53 MPG. I agree with other reviewers and have a few questions about the seat on the longer hauls. Overall, a great bike for the $$$, and it was just the right choice for me. It can do lots of things, and its pretty good at all of them!
Upgrades/Accessories: GIVI windscreen
Suzuki OEM Hand Guards
Cruise control
GIVI Top Case
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