Suzuki V-Strom 650

Japanese sport touring motorcycle

According to the New York Times, the V Strom has a loyal following worldwide, and the DL650 outsells the larger Suzuki V Strom 1000 and the Suzuki V Strom 1050 and the smaller Suzuki V Strom 250. The name V Strom combines V, referring to the bike's V engine configuration, with the German word Strom, meaning stream or current.

The V Strom has a six speed transmission with a fuel injected and slightly retuned 645 cc engine from Suzuki's SV650 sport bike, using a two into one exhaust system. An upright, standard riding posture contributes to the bike's handling characteristics.

The engine is a 90°, liquid cooled, four stroke V twin, with bore and a stroke, four valves per cylinder, and intake and exhaust valving each with their own camshaft. Its more relaxed cam profiles, compared with the SV engine, boost the power between 4,000 and 6,500 rpm, along with slight changes to the airbox and exhaust. Relative to the SV, the crank inertia (flywheel effect) is also increased by 4% via a redesigned starter clutch. As well, the DL650 engine uses a plastic outer clutch cover and engine sprocket cover for reduced weight and noise. and hydraulic preload adjustment. Front Showa damper rod forks are not adjustable. The DL650 has a 19 inch front wheel and a 17 inch rear wheel.

The bike's instrument cluster includes a compact analog step motor speedometer and tachometer (both with LED illumination) and a digital LCD unit with odometer, trip meter, coolant temperature gauge, fuel gauge, LED neutral, digital clock, turn signal and high beam lights and an oil pressure warning light. An adjustable windshield allows movement of A small underseat compartment, suitable for small tools, gloves, or an owner's manual, can be accessed by removal of the seat, via a lock located at the rear of the bike, just below the built in rack.

The V Strom 650 was named one of the "ten best" bikes under $10,000 by Motorcyclist (USA) magazine, October, 2007—beating out, among many others, the V Strom 1000. In a September 2006 article, Cycle World magazine wrote "the DL650 may just be the most shockingly competent machine in the world today." A 2004 article from MotorcycleUSA. com said "it was hard to imagine another machine with a competitive versatility per dollar ratio." Twice consecutively, the DL650 has earned the title "Alpenkoenig" (King of the Alps), winning German Motorrad magazine's trans alp multi bike test in 2005 and 2006. At the DL650's launch, Kevin Ash said "taking everything into account price, comfort, fuel range, general ability, you could argue it was the bike of the year," adding, "there's something honest and solid about the V Strom." Ash complimented the bike's comfort, fuel range, engine and handling, faulting its brakes and corrosion resistance, After the release of the 2012 model, Ash placed the Vstrom ahead of the Versys. This version of the DL650 now has intercompatible luggage rack with the updated DL1000 from 2014. It also now features adjustable traction control and throttle assist which slowly increases the rpm of the engine when the clutch is released or riding at slow speeds. This decreases the chance the rider will stall the motorcycle. The 2017 model is also Euro4 compliant. Unique to the V Strom 650XT/A are the knuckle covers to support harsh condition riding, and the engine under cowling to give the rider that extra adventure feel, both as standard equipment.