DL1000 V-Strom

[varminter]

Evening all, I have had my V-Strom for three weeks and I'm staring to get used to it, it;'s like learning all over again. I was wondering who else has one and what sort of tips they would like to pass on. Got the Strom 'cos the wife liked the pillion (hence opening the purse strings) and I like the bike to ride. It's heavy, well that is moving up from a 250, and high so I'm very careful in town, the open road is glorious (the opposite to the 250). So any little gems anyone would like to pass on?? Ta.

[Tank]

1. Buffering can be a bitch - a madstad bracket fixes that pretty much 100% - a great investment and only about $80.

2. Its a huge bike - dont drop it.

3. Get out there and enjoy it!

[YellowDog]

I rode a V-Strom whilst looking for a new bike. I didn't like its cornering at all. But having read some great V-strom adventure stories I guess they are pretty damn good bikes.

I also heard that the madstad bracket is a must do too.

Good luck.

[Tank]

Unless you are tall - see ryder seats (Tauranga) - they do a brilliant job of changing the seat - lower for the rider and a great pillion seating position.

Cost from memory $700.


edited because I forgot you just purchased one and was not looking for another (duh).

[Jantar]

Evening all, I have had my V-Strom for three weeks and I'm staring to get used to it, it;'s like learning all over again. I was wondering who else has one and what sort of tips they would like to pass on. Got the Strom 'cos the wife liked the pillion (hence opening the purse strings) and I like the bike to ride. It's heavy, well that is moving up from a 250, and high so I'm very careful in town, the open road is glorious (the opposite to the 250). So any little gems anyone would like to pass on?? Ta.

They are a great bike that will handle almost any road. My second one arrives on thursday morning.

Modifications I found handy were:

Speedo healer because the standard speedo is optimistic by around 8% and it also allows for speedo correction when you change sprockets.

Scott Oiler so that you can manage those nice long trips without having to lube the chain all the time.

Center stand to make those wee things like checking the oil level so much easier.

Madstad bracket to ease the air flow buffetting.

Radar detector for obvious reasons.

Givi luggage makes packing for touring so much easier.

[Laava]

What they all said. Unfortunately they are a bit heavier than I would have liked too but they go well and are pretty comfy. esp for the pillion and for some of us that is important as we like to take her with. Worth putting a small mudflap at the bottom of the front guard to keep shit off the engine. Has awesome lights for night riding and will keep up with a lot of bikes in the corners. I tell people that my V Strom is the 4WD ute of motorbikes. It's not pretty, fast or expensive. And you don't have to spend weekends washing it!

[varminter]

Hey guy's, thanks for all the helpful replies. Really glad no one bagged the bike (it's too late to worry now anyway) Looking forward to doing a few short trips over the xmas period. At the moment just commuting the 6 K's to town, still, lots of slow stop starts etc, all good practice.

[NiggleC]

Get a centrestand (it took up a lot of room in the garage with only a side stand).
I also removed all the stupid stickers including the "VStrom" ones. looks a lot better now.
I have not gone the Speedohealer route but do have a $35 bicycle computer installed to at least give a more accurate km/hr reading since i have changed the front sprocket to a 16 tooth from a 17 tooth. Now does 3700 rpm in 6th at a genuine 100km/hr.

I agree about the front suspension, i would politely call it "vague" but its only a minor problem because you can throw money at it and it will go away. It will be the next thing to be sorted on mine.

[varminter]

I'll look for a center stand although I even had trouble putting the GN on the bloody thing, there must be a knack (put it on the paddock stand very carefully). The screen on mine (an'08) has the upper bit adjustable, and looking tonight, it appears that the whole thing can be shifted by removing the front plastic bits. I agree about the speedo, significantly out, and I'll try a mud flap. For some reason, when I'm riding it, I feel like a policeman, must be the upright position, fit a flashing light perhaps

[NiggleC]

As for the centre stand i priced up a Hepco and Becker out of Aussie but a genuine Suzuki part was about the same price and i got it the next day. (this was a month ago). Springs were interesting to fit but plenty of helpful info on Strom websites (Stromtrooper, for one) made it all straightforward.

[crazyhorse]

They're a great bike - had to ride one once, when the bike shop never secured the oil bung in my bike enroute to a bike rally.

Despite the fact I couldn't touch the ground, they went well (good suzuki motor in them too), and are a fun kinda bike

[Laava]

As for the centre stand i priced up a Hepco and Becker out of Aussie but a genuine Suzuki part was about the same price and i got it the next day. (this was a month ago). Springs were interesting to fit but plenty of helpful info on Strom websites (Stromtrooper, for one) made it all straightforward.

Oh yeah, the old shoelaces trick!
The centre stand on mine needs to be ground somewhere as it takes only a tiny push to dislodge. In fact one time I was standing beside it when it went by itself! So now I never use it!

[NiggleC]

Well I bit the (financial) bullet and sent my forks up to Dr Bob in New Plymouth. Less than 2 weeks later they arrived back with Race Tech internals accompanied by a nice Ohlins rear shock. The forks were an easy refit but the shock was something else. Plodding along it took 4 hours to remove the old one, grease the suspension link bearings and fit the new shock. There is still a bit of setting up to do but I have only done 250km so far with them. The main reason for this change was that the bike with the original suspension was starting to give my lower back some grief. As I tend to keep bikes for several years I thought it was worth the investment. Initial observations are that the front now feels really planted while cornering. The Ohlins shock at the rear has eliminated the squat under acceleration and the railway line on my daily commute is now something i no longer have to brace myself for. It would be nice to get a run in up to Kaikoura via the inland road in the next month to see how it copes in a more touring situation. I'll report back when i have managed to fit something in and spent a little more time on the setup.

[Radar]

Unless you are tall - see ryder seats (Tauranga) - they do a brilliant job of changing the seat - lower for the rider and a great pillion seating position.

Cost from memory $700.

The Suzuki dealer in Palmerston North has a 'widget' that will lower a DL-1000, for under $200. Sorry, do not remember the correct name for the part but the owner/manager of the shop told me about it, saying that it fits in the bottom centre area (I guess the area of the centre stand); he indicated that this part is about the size of a person's hand. Anyhow I am sure someone on KB knows the name of this widget and where it installs.

[Radar]

[double post - not sure why cuz I did not click twice]