Why do I want a DL650?

[talbertnz]

After selling my DR650 a couple of months ago i had a ride on my mate his 04
sv650.
Now i have teribly fallen in love with that engine..... but think i'll get bored on a roadbike so have been eying the wee strom.

Tell me why you've got/want one, what you like and dont like.

cheers,

[CRM]

After selling my DR650 a couple of months ago i had a ride on my mate his 04
sv650.
Now i have teribly fallen in love with that engine..... but think i'll get bored on a roadbike so have been eying the wee strom.

Tell me why you've got/want one, what you like and dont like.

cheers,

Wondering the same thing - after riding from Invercargill to Whangarei on a road bike (VF700 magna) I'm feeling a little over my hard-core dirt-oriented adventure bike (XR600) and wondering about something that would eat up the road miles but still make it down a track... Vstrom 650 sounds to me like it might be a good being a v-twin etc - either that or the Honda Transalp but they are a little pricier. So I'd be keen to get some feedback too.

[Eddieb]

On the recent South Island trip we were joined one morning by a Strom. It went on road tyres where DR's & KLR's etc were going on knobblies. Snow, stream crossings, small rock gardens it did it all with ease and sounded good doing it.

If you go through to the video link in my signature it features in one of the video's.

You'd want some protection underneath it though as it's a bit exposed.

Your reasoning is exactly why I bought my big tractor and the size and weight hasn't stopped me going anywhere the guys I ride with go yet who are mostly on DR650's, KLR 650's and the like.

[kevfromcoro]

Just sold my wee.. went Ausralia. to find some work but it didnt happen
was going to buy a new one over there.
great bike..... mine had road tyres on it.
with a set of good tyres i think it would do anything you wanted.
have a look at.
www.stromtrooper.com

[buggsubique]

Your reasoning is exactly why I bought my big tractor and the size and weight hasn't stopped me going anywhere the guys I ride with go yet who are mostly on DR650's, KLR 650's and the like.

Ditto67890

[Crisis management]

The Wee's a great bike but very road oriented, with some serious bash plate provision, suspension work (DRZ front end??) and tyres it is a capable adventure bike. A couple of the Two Wheels journos rode them around aussie for a fund raiser last year and if you track down the articles in Two Wheels there is some good info there.
I looked at it last year but for me it only worked if i could find a cheap cosmetic write off and spent about $5k on it to make a 10k adventure bike. Nice motor, too much plastic, too much stuff to damage below and crap suspension. I did like the indicator switch.

We watch with interest.

[Padmei]

Seem to be really popular in oz. Those motors sound pretty awesome & watching Snodpete cruise up Big river on his I think with some protection they would be fantastic heavyish adv bikes. They would chew up the miles nicely.


Eddie B I found your GS great due to the low COG compared to top heavy bikes like mine.

[bart]

This is why you want one.

I was very impressed.

[Eddieb]

I was too.

[snodpete]

... but then I don't know any better! Several members on here (inc. eddieb and padmei) have been very flattering in their comments (on another thread) about my first real offroad ride - up Big River, though I admit I was pretty impressed with the bike managing that trip OK in the company of 'real' ADV bikes. The next day I rode up Mt Rochfort and dabbled around Denniston and dropped it twice!

What do I think so far? Rode a GS 650 Dakar and a KLR when shopping - really wanted pillion comfort and the Wee had that in spades over the others, also that engine is N I C E. It can go offroad, but I wouldn't want to push the beast any distance. Mud is BAD on the stock tyres; I dropped the pressure to 20 psi on advice from the wise ones for Big River trip - and they were fine.

The bike came with crash bars (essential) and I have got one of these to install so won't get anymore dings in the oil filter (whoops ). The infamous buffeting is an issue (I'm 6'2") - your results may vary. I have installed a MadStad bracket and it's much better (though not perfect) Would like some better hand guards (Barkbusters?).

The Strom's ugly, but strangely appealing - every day I don't ride I feel like something is missing, every time I do ride it makes me smile - you could do worse!

[junkmanjoe]

[QUOTE=talbertnz;1129258885]After selling my DR650 a couple of months ago .
----------------------------------------------------------------

what was your reason for selling the DR650.
out of interest.

mine handles both jobs fine, road or off road.

[Frodo]

Vstrom 650 sounds to me like it might be a good being a v-twin etc - either that or the Honda Transalp but they are a little pricier. So I'd be keen to get some feedback too.

I've ridden both, thousands of kms on gravel on the Transalp 650. If you want a more road oriented bike, get the V-strom, much better than the Transalp in all respects. The TA is pretty reliable, but my friend has just clicked over 72,000 problem-free kms on his Wee strom. If you want a more trail oriented bike, get just about any single, it will be better. My Pegaso is much better, for example (and also better on the road).

The Transalp sits in no-mans land. The V-strom is a much better (and cheaper) bike on the road, yet acceptable in lighter trails.

[Ruralman]

My observations are from riding a Transalp in the past, riding with a 1000cc Strom and currently riding a Tiger but probably going Orange any day now.

The Strom, 650 or 1000, Tigers and Transalps will all do may of these adventure rides - but - at a pace commensurate with their suspension, weight and tyres. In other words if you want to do the rough stuff with any pace (and I mean rougher than just gravel roads) then you will find them quickly limiting. If you are happy just getting there at your own pace, but still being able to raak it up on the good gravel then they are fine.

The Stroms ,like the later Tigers, have alloy wheels which have been know to get bent from hitting large rocks or potholes at pace. The earlier Transalps, Trail bikes and the big KTMs have a real advantage with the larger front wheel on the rough stuff and I find also in their ability to turn on the gravel.

Comes down to how you want to ride and to some degree who you want to ride with
cheers
Bruce

[talbertnz]

Dont get me wrong I think the DR is an Awsome bike! And the main reason i sold it was I needed the money, but it also just lacks that little power and ehm.. "What was that word again my darling girlfriend?" lack of; COMFORT!! on the highway where I do spend a lot of my biketime...
The SV650 twin engine is sooooooo smooth right from down grunty low to a smooth scream at 10000rpm.
At a 100 kph its like doing 60 kmh in 5th gear on the DR. ....And its got 70 ponies ...
Yeah yeah I know the DR does EVRYTHING: highway / mud , off road, jumps and will do what ever else you trow at it.
But its a compromise bike! An AWSome one, But for me doing mainly highway and gravel I think I might keep an eye out for a WEE DL

[junkmanjoe]

arr two up.

yes i agree with you there.
dr650 is one person bike for distance travel.
V-Strom nice looking bike.

luck with your hunting..let us know what you end up with.

JMJ