Review New 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS

 

Let's start with the Suzi, because I'm a huge fan of the old model. Last year's wee-strom shares the dubious honurs of being just about the ugliest motorcycle on the market, and one of the most practical too. If you could put up with its horrific looks, the 650 was even better than its 1000cc brother in many ways - lighter, more comfortable, easier to ride - and it was an effortless tourer, fun scratcher, built to carry luggage and passengers, and a very capable all-rounder. Since its release in 2004, it's been my #1 choice for a bike to take around the country if I ever get off my butt and do it.


So the all-new 2012 bike has a fair bit to live up to. Let's have a look. With the valve timing and gearbox lightly revised, the new 650 is said to be a little grunter down low, a little reviver up high and geared for a sportier riding style in first through fifth (sixth gear is purely for highway efficiency). The engine dimensions are exactly the same as the familiar donk that has powered the V-Strom, the SV and the Gladius in the past, so we can assume it will be as smooth and reliable here as ever.
The new bike is six kilos lighter at 214 kg wet and full of fuel - although this is assisted by the fact that the fuel tank is two liters smaller than the old strom's 22 liters. Still, you're looking at a healthy 350km+ (220 mile) range.

The bike has been completely restyled - most notably at the front end, which looks unmistakably like a faired version of the Gladius nakedbike. Nifty little plastic ducts move air away out of the radiator. The rear end looks familiar, comfy and long - hopefully it's built to take plenty of luggage. Overall, the new wee-strom looks damn near presentable, not far off the silhouette of the Tiger 800.
The screen has apparently been completely revised after a lot of hours in wind tunnels. You'd hope so, the old bike's screen was one of its worst features. Here's hoping the new bike gets it right.
ABS comes standard - it might as well, given that mandatory ABS is being discussed by government bodies all over the world as a means of making our favorite danger machines safer.
In all, the new V-Strom 650 ABS looks like it will sit roughly where the old one has - roughly in the middle of the pack in terms of its focus. It's still a road bike more than anything else, and it should be a killer mile muncher to boot - but with long-travel soft suspension and semi-offroad tires it should be comfortable on the loose stuff too.