I've ridden over 100,000 miles on my Vstrom including quite a bit of off road. All touring / adventure mileage. And I must agree that this is the best and most accurate review of the bike I've ever seen. Props to you guys.
I was talking to some V-strom 1000s just the other day. They told me they thought Ryan looked like a bit of a doofus and didn't want anything to do with him. Said something about one of their family members being held against their will.
saddlebag you’re totally missing the point don’t judge a book by its cover, he actually loves the bike on road not bad off-road. Very easy to ride, cheap to buy and use. What more do you want?
Thanks! We like to try something different in every bike review. We knew we'd be on a time crunch for this V-Strom shoot, so the Q&A format seemed like a speedy way to make a video. I'm glad it came off alright! ~RyanF9
Not a fan of this format. But, every vid from FortNine is different and imaginiative :-) Can we have an Evil Dead style - Ryan with Chainsaw on a Hardley Pan America? Hans Albers or Indy or his dad on the R18? Buster Keaton on the Bullet Trials? :-)
Great honest review. I felt the exact same way when I first saw the V-Strom. I'd gone to the dealer to look at an FJ-09 and a Versys 1000, both of which were new at the time. The dealer wasn't dealing on either of those bikes, but he pointed out an 2014 leftover V-Strom and said, "I can make you a deal on that". Suzuki had a whopping rebate and I ended up paying $9400 for the Vee. I wasn't terribly excited about it, but I couldn't pass up the deal given the Versys 1000 was going to cost nearly $15,000. I figured for the money, if I didn't like it I could dump it for not much loss. Two years later, and I just can't say anything bad about the Vee. It's just good at anything I throw at it. It's been stone axe reliable. I've ridden it over football sized rocks for 10 miles of rough trail, I've tackled the Tail of the Dragon, and I've ridden two up. I've even taken an extended ride on a friends 2017 BMW 1200 GS and I actually liked my Vee better. She's not a pretty girl, but she has all the right moves.
She's pretty like a 4 3/4" stainless-steel 44 magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk revolver with ivory grips. Chad, this is your old riding buddy Adam. I'm in FL now. Saw this review and had to watch it. Imagine my surprise to see your mug at the top of the comments. Nicole and I hope you and Lee are doing well. I quit riding superbikes and went ADV. I've decided to buy a new V-Strom 1050XT. We should catch up.
Coming to this old review after watching so much f9 in the last couple years, it's easy to see how the channel blew up. Ryan just being honest rather than the new "FortNine" persona is simply ... pleasant.
He's so honest that motorcycle companies refuse to invite him to press launches. 1.55 million subscribers, you would think they'll fly him first class to every launch party. He did a video on it, Motorcycle Companies Buying Reviews.
Where the Vstrom 1000 does excel, is being an all rounder that is frighteningly invincible, effortless and cost effective to maintain. One of the most underrated and underestimated bikes on the market.
That engine was designed in the mid '90s and first saw ultra reliable service in the TL1000 and then the SV1000. It's still going strong in the latest evolution of the V-Strom. The previous versions of the XT 1000 have now become the ADV bargains of the decade.
2018 DL650 ABS I can confirm that this video is spot on. I call my vstrom the perfect wing man. Down for everything. I can spend a few hours getting to some nice trails with easy . And it does pretty well on light fireroads. And gets you back home in comfort again all for well under 10k. Its a no brainer first ADV bike in my opinion. It allows you to realize what you do more of and what direction your future bike will go . It is my first. And i'm not parting with it anytime soon. By the time it gets old and tired I will have comfortably (on and off road)constructed a great Idea for my next purchase.
@@lynchlynch8435 In my opinion, having bought a DL instead of an XT, the benefit of buying the XT is getting the tubeless spoked rims which are more suited for off-road than the cast rims. So if you decision hinges on the rim type then get the XT because aftermarket spoked rims are going to cost more than the difference between the DL and XT.
Ryan, this is the single best video I've seen you do. Excellent format (Q&A v. Exposition), a relaxed setting, and superb in terms of useful review information. I know that some of this comes from your extended experience with this particular machine and that you aren't afforded that opportunity with other bikes. All in all, really, really good. I hope that you can migrate some of these elements into future videos. Cheers.
I just got a 2021 dl650...LOVE IT!!! 447 km per tank, less than 500lbs. its great comuter, fun touring..just got the rad guard, skid plate is on the way with sadle bags, crash bars come next. Thanks dude...you helped me chose between the Himalayan, pan American, klr, super ten and a BMW...the DL650 won
One of the best, HONEST, motorcycle reviews I've seen. Great job buddy. BTW- Enjoying how the production value and your comfort in and pose in front of the camera has progressed. Not easy things.
I have the vstrom 650 2018. Actually, 13k km. Im pretty sure it is not the best adventure bike, but is by far the most leveled withing all the aspects. In my case, the previous bike i had was a gs800 2014 that had way more vibrations but with the vstrom 650 with the 20 liters tank I manage to do 400km (250mi) almost every tank. (record in 465km/290mi) When I bought it, i was looking for the 1000 vstrom, and after testing both I decided for the 650 (cheaper and lighter hahahaha) but i was a bit undecided because of the less cc but... after all I can really say like Ryan, I do not regret at all.
Whenever I need advice on anything motorcycle related, your channel is the first place I check. Picked up a 2014 1000 in the same red paint last week. Looking forward to putting some miles on it. Thanks for all the great content.
I bought one of these this year. It surprised me with how good it was on gravel roads but I still haven't found the suspension settings that I like. I find the front too harsh and the rear too bouncy, even with rebound damping set to max. One of the best mods I did was lower wider footpegs from SW Motech. Also, Skidplate, crashbars, LED lights, cruise, heated grips, GPS, topbox and Eastern Beaver power distribution module and I'm pretty happy. I even like the stock Battle wings. I find it doesn't shift into sixth gear very well and the engine also increases revs by itself when the clutch starts to release. I know other Suzukis have and anti stall feature but I don't think the 15 Strom has this. Anyone else notice this?
Very nice review. VStrom 1000 is a great bike and a great value for money. I almost got one last year but the only thing that made me hesitate was the fact that it is a little top heavy and as a short rider, I needed a bike that was easy to handle. Compared with the Africa Twin, which is of nearly the same weight, the Twin has a lower centre of gravity and feels like a lighter bike. I decided last year to wait until I got the Twin and I am glad I did so.
Very balanced review of a very good bike. I had the 2003 model.Very easy to work on, very roomy bike, and excellent lighting at night when both headlights were on, not just one. Great lighting pattern. Not so great on gas mileage but the bike's profile is rather tall and the fuel delivery in stop and go traffic is spotty, even with the Power Commander III. The wind protection on the freeway is very good I think, but I found the suspension a bit harsh, even adjusted. I miss it dearly... Your review brought back memories, even though it's a different model year.
I bought the same bike. And I tell you why I did. Its not off road capable as Africa Twin, not as fast and sophisticated as 1190, not as good as tiger on pavement, has no driveshaft as XT1200 SuperT and etc.... Its a legendary V Strom heritage like no other, without a reason its a lovely bike, There are tons of DL&TL engines over 600.000 km mileage without a major repair. It is a bulletproof Suzuki...
i had a dl650 and it was a solid, reliable, bulletproof bike. once got 500km from a tank. started every time. never a false neutral. might not be as glamorous as the others, but i loved that bike.
You just described why I bought my 2007 DL 650A 3 years ago. I found too many people telling me that it isn't great at anything but it's good at everything. People have 150'000 + miles on their VStroms with no major complications. My VSTROM is a little tank. I am looking to get a newer 1000 and this video was great!
I bought a used 1050XT, and I've had some awesome times taking it offroad, even with the stock tires. Definitely had to invest in that skid plate early on, but it's just an extremely capable machine as long as you respect it.
FortNine Thanks for asking, Ryan. I received a concussion & fractured my elbow in two places. This happened four days ago. But I'm comforted by the fact that for the moment, at least, I can live vicariously through your fantastic videos. All the best...
I owned the 650 vstrom. 2012 in fox orange. Great bike. Bought it twice ! If I get a v storm again probably go with model shown. In 10 years I’ve bought 10 motorcycles. Always do reviews prior. Yours are really great. You and Shawn from SRK are the two best reviewers. Thanks for the lesson/information/ and the skill set you bring to your videos. Bravo!
I dont ride the 1000 V-Strom,but the new 1050 got me on test ride. Damn,such an easy to ride and comfortable bike. I bought it and it was absolutely worth it. I absolut recommend it for tall persons with the max seat height of 87 cm. Now you have cruise control and many other nice-to-have things.
@@adida236 An hour to change an air filter is bad you know? Takes 30 seconds on the majority of production cars and about ten mins on most bikes. I never relish changing mine on the Strom
I own 4 cars, 2 new cars and 2 older cars and I can't change de air filter in 30 seconds on none of them, I also own 3 bikes, the V-STROM (2 years old) and 2 very old bikes whith sidecar, on the old bikes I can change the air filter easy under 10 minutes, I'm not a mechanic but "practice makes perfect" so the next time I will change my air filter on the V-STROM I will do it in a shorter time
@@adida236 I've been lucky then my BMWs have all had big engine bays and have been a really easy fit. My current mule; a Toyota yaris took less than 5 minutes, remove the air box clips, flip the lid, switch the filter.
Have had 3. Currently ride 2014 adventure strom. I have never had a problem and ride it offroad daily. It is my fave and affordable. KLR 650 AND YZ 450 are a couple others I have road through hell and back with great satisfaction. 🔥
I just bought one of these in Oct '16 . I'm 5'11" so it's tippy toes when I stop. Once I start rolling, though, the seat is very comfortable. I do love the power delivery and the way it goes through the curves. nice adjustable windscreen keeps the wind blast off of my chest but still wind on my helmet. Kept her in TC1 and got her to lose traction on a dirt road. nice torque. She is a duckling but the way she performs is surprising and comforting
I absolutely love every single one of your videos. The detail and work you put into them is awesome. I’m not an adventure rider so even though I don’t relate to the bikes featured I do enjoy watching very much.
Ryan- THANK YOU! I have 19 1000xt and was worried about how flat the power is over 5k and the vibration, thinking something might be wrong w my awesome bike. But you mentioned those things are just the engine characteristics. Thank you for calming my worries. And your production quality is incredible!!
I love the DL1000 - I've been able to zip off the pavement and through some fire roads and they are all good. It is still a heavy bike off road but seems easier than some of its adventure tour competition.
Had one of these. It was a great bike! Only got rid of it because I got into cruisers. I'd own one again. Great brakes, suspension, handling and I liked the power.
I know nobody's a 'natural' at anything - whatever you had to do to get to this place, you've got the duck metaphor dialed in! It looks effortless from here and I appreciate it!
Have a 2020 V-Strom 1050XT. Best bike I ever had. I don't think I'll ever get rid of it. I'll look for low mile 2023's in a few years so I'll have one for the next couple decades.
Great honest review. I have a 2014 DL1000 with 25K miles in 18 months. I'm in full agreement that function overruled looks, cruise control should have been included and another gallon of fuel would have been nice at times. Most of my riding is touring and the V-Strom fits my riding needs very well.
Hello Juan, I'm not sure what you're asking but if you're questioning the DL1000's ability to travel in the 80-85 mph (130-140 kph) range on interstates, it's fully capable of that.
At 130-140 kph, it gets about 16 kpl, at more moderate speeds like 100 kph, it improves to 19 kpl or better, depending on the road and how much I like to twist the throttle.
Ryan your description is GREAT, I am much older than you, with more miles on all cylinders HOWEVER your vids are kick... Brilliant, will look much deeper into Fort Nine because of you!
Funny thing, I looked at the Vstrom 1000 then the Africa twin, bought a new Goldwing and a 250 Vstrom for local rides, the 250 is actually a great bike, did 150mile round trip on it, and actually enjoyed it!! Great reveiw.
I have a 14 DL1000 and have been all over North America on it. Bulletproof reliability is a must and this bike has it in spades. I thought he was pretty accurate in his description, damn I would like cruise control.
Hey man...totally dig your approach and reviews. This bike is on my short list to add one to the garage next to my DRZ. As a tall dude, your ergos and opinion help me greatly. THX
Hey brother it’s been a couple years, but did you wind up getting a Vee? I too have a drz and am looking to add to my garage. Wondering how you made out- cheers
Glad you like your strom! I also bought an adv bike(even though i am quite young) . I initially planned to buy a ktm 690smcr (supermoto), but then this crazy good deal showed up at a dealer very close to me. through this deal i was able to grab a brandnew ktm 1050 adventure for about 9000 dollars which is a steal. I love my bike. even though it is ugly and heavy, if you ride it, it is extremely agile and fun to ride. I am easily able to keep up with a fast group of supermoto riders without really feeling like sitting on a bike heavier than 150 kgs. to conclude i can say that this bike enables me to haul ass in the twisties, but without getting as tired as in a supermoto. In my opinion adventurebikes are the most awesome kind of motorcycles, because they are more versatile than anything else out there and if ridden correctly just as fast.
Thanks for that got me a DL650 2018 and really enjoying it thinking about getting the Dl1000 next year but do like the fuel range on it over 450 km on a tank might take one for a test ride Cheers for new Zealand
Yeah, I stick with the 650 for fuel range and it has enough power, but some people can't adjust to increased revs over the 1000cc model at highway speeds.
your comments regarding it touring capabilities were on point. i continue to own my 2014 for the simple fact that i can go forever and some more on it. for the 11.5k i paid new for it, id challenge anyone to come up with a better bang for the $ adv bike. suspension, breaks, power, handling. as a mainly road warrior, i cant think of a good reason to get anything else
I have been eyeing this for a long time, but I still think I'm leaning towards the Versys 1000. I don't ever see myself going off road and I want more a sport bike feel.
I've got a 2017 650 kitted out very similarly and pretty much everything Ryan says applies. I imagine you'd feel the 20 fewer HP between the 650 and the 1000 but otherwise it's the same story. I'm getting myself into all kinds of trouble on and off road. 13000 km this year and counting...
I've owned my 2012 650 for four years, it's a great bike an it does what it says on the tin,,but I service it myself an the biggest pain is renewing plugs an air filter.you have to strip half the front end, to the point where you have to undo the lower radiator mount to get at the front spark plug. But I've still got her an she clocked up 56700 mls. So far
I had a V-Strom 650 for about six months. Top heavy, difficult in corners. Give me a cruiser any day! Sold this bike and bought a Harley Lowrider. 1690ccs and endless torque. And fun to ride with that low center of gravity. Much more comfortable riding position.
DL650 owner here. Doesn't do any one thing well, but I can offroad it where atvs go; ride two-up with full camping gear, whatever. It does lots of things with remarkable competence.
I've watched quite a few of you guys' videos from Canada, but this was the first time I spotted the "eh?" "I have it on the inside of my lappelle, eh?"
Great review Ryan. I don't think Suzuki employs any stylists at their headquarters. The engineers work hard to whip up these great bikes underneath, and they're left with nothing to wrap them in. Someone over there needs to fall on their own sword (think Gladius, pun intended) and allow real designers to be hired. Only the GSXRs any good. My brother owns a previous gen model V-Strom 1000 and pretty much echoes your sentiments. Tank comes to mind. Function over (no) form for sure. My Tiger 800 XC is quite the same. She looks just OK but, when you get riding, wow. Looks matter less when you actually ride. Your honesty is refreshing; looking forward to the next videos.
all cats are gray in the dark; but some cats are more affectionate than others. the Stroms may not look like Ducatis but they purrr-form great. I've had a '12 DL 650 for almost 6 years and love it; when the day comes (maybe in the next 3 or 4 yrs, I think I'll be happy with a used 2nd generation DL1000 for not a lot of coin.
7:43 My left eye twitched. I though the crashbar will hit that pipe thingy. Awesome bike. Someone please convince me I don't need a new bike because I already have a perfectly fine one. I hate bike envy.
Ahah I understand you !! I have a 100.000km Vstrom 650 and I know I can still use it for a long time...but i'm really wondering about this 1000 Vstrom !!
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Don't mind me. I'm just binge watching old fort 9 vids even though I can't even get my bicycle running right.
Bicycles can be deceptively difficult, so don't feel too bad. Unless its a single speed, then yes, you should feel bad.
Have you tried turning it off and on again?
Saaaame.
eyyyyyy glad to see I'm not alone
Don’t mind me but post a comment, ya ur smart bud
I've ridden over 100,000 miles on my Vstrom including quite a bit of off road. All touring / adventure mileage. And I must agree that this is the best and most accurate review of the bike I've ever seen. Props to you guys.
My dad has 126k on his SV. Those motors are tanks.
@@izuksammy and the clutch baskets are shite.
@@tbillyjoeroth thats just offroad abuse. if 300lb dirtbikes with 250cc wear em out a vstrom that weighs 500lbs with 4x the power will do the same.
I was talking to some V-strom 1000s just the other day. They told me they thought Ryan looked like a bit of a doofus and didn't want anything to do with him. Said something about one of their family members being held against their will.
Hahahaha best comment I've read today. ~RyanF9
saddlebag you’re totally missing the point don’t judge a book by its cover, he actually loves the bike on road not bad off-road. Very easy to ride, cheap to buy and use. What more do you want?
@@jeffreykiger6894 And you're also missing the point. Whoosh goes the joke
How do you talk to a v strom 1000? Did it talk back? Lol
@Starcade 85 talk radio u ok mate?
The interview format really worked here
Thanks! We like to try something different in every bike review. We knew we'd be on a time crunch for this V-Strom shoot, so the Q&A format seemed like a speedy way to make a video. I'm glad it came off alright! ~RyanF9
But in the context of your other work it sort of make this like a parody of the traditional testimony documentary format, and I love it for that
@@FortNine I swear this is riffing on a movie, but I just cant put my finger on it!
@@samgoldwater I thought it was a parody too. Like, they copied the Revzilla format before..
Not a fan of this format. But, every vid from FortNine is different and imaginiative :-)
Can we have an Evil Dead style - Ryan with Chainsaw on a Hardley Pan America? Hans Albers or Indy or his dad on the R18? Buster Keaton on the Bullet Trials? :-)
Great honest review. I felt the exact same way when I first saw the V-Strom. I'd gone to the dealer to look at an FJ-09 and a Versys 1000, both of which were new at the time. The dealer wasn't dealing on either of those bikes, but he pointed out an 2014 leftover V-Strom and said, "I can make you a deal on that". Suzuki had a whopping rebate and I ended up paying $9400 for the Vee.
I wasn't terribly excited about it, but I couldn't pass up the deal given the Versys 1000 was going to cost nearly $15,000. I figured for the money, if I didn't like it I could dump it for not much loss. Two years later, and I just can't say anything bad about the Vee. It's just good at anything I throw at it. It's been stone axe reliable. I've ridden it over football sized rocks for 10 miles of rough trail, I've tackled the Tail of the Dragon, and I've ridden two up. I've even taken an extended ride on a friends 2017 BMW 1200 GS and I actually liked my Vee better.
She's not a pretty girl, but she has all the right moves.
She's pretty like a 4 3/4" stainless-steel 44 magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk revolver with ivory grips. Chad, this is your old riding buddy Adam. I'm in FL now. Saw this review and had to watch it. Imagine my surprise to see your mug at the top of the comments. Nicole and I hope you and Lee are doing well. I quit riding superbikes and went ADV. I've decided to buy a new V-Strom 1050XT. We should catch up.
@@advhawk6455 Hey! Small world! Hope you're doing well. Come back to Tennessee and ride some twisties. There are no good roads in Florida. :)
@@ChadHargis But lots of good weather! :-D
@@advhawk6455 At least until May - December. Too damn hot! :)
Coming to this old review after watching so much f9 in the last couple years, it's easy to see how the channel blew up. Ryan just being honest rather than the new "FortNine" persona is simply ... pleasant.
He's so honest that motorcycle companies refuse to invite him to press launches. 1.55 million subscribers, you would think they'll fly him first class to every launch party. He did a video on it, Motorcycle Companies Buying Reviews.
Where the Vstrom 1000 does excel, is being an all rounder that is frighteningly invincible, effortless and cost effective to maintain. One of the most underrated and underestimated bikes on the market.
The production value on these videos are just spectacular. I'd like to know who's behind the scenes.
You're gonna find out soon enough... got a "behind the scenes" video planned :) ~RyanF9
like I said....
@@FortNine bruh
That engine was designed in the mid '90s and first saw ultra reliable service in the TL1000 and then the SV1000. It's still going strong in the latest evolution of the V-Strom. The previous versions of the XT 1000 have now become the ADV bargains of the decade.
2018 DL650 ABS
I can confirm that this video is spot on.
I call my vstrom the perfect wing man. Down for everything. I can spend a few hours getting to some nice trails with easy . And it does pretty well on light fireroads. And gets you back home in comfort again all for well under 10k. Its a no brainer first ADV bike in my opinion.
It allows you to realize what you do more of and what direction your future bike will go . It is my first. And i'm not parting with it anytime soon. By the time it gets old and tired I will have comfortably (on and off road)constructed a great Idea for my next purchase.
I'm making the transition from my Ninja to an adventure bike and this is exactly what I need, a straight-up, honest review. 😎👍
I bought a DL1000 in 2003 and sold it last year after 95,000 happy miles. Great bike.
Still riding my2005 DL1000 today, smooth running never let me down.
2004 here, runs like a charm! Kinda eyeing that new 1050, but than again, if the old one still runs perfect, why bother? Cheers, fellow Stromtrooper!
Own this bike 3 weeks, came with an aftermarket exhaust. Travelled almost 2700 kms. I love it.
Good job, makes me wanna buy one, oh yeah, I already did....
John LeGresley would you recommend a DL or XT?
@@chandrasekharghosh222 Why?
@@lynchlynch8435 In my opinion, having bought a DL instead of an XT, the benefit of buying the XT is getting the tubeless spoked rims which are more suited for off-road than the cast rims. So if you decision hinges on the rim type then get the XT because aftermarket spoked rims are going to cost more than the difference between the DL and XT.
Ryan, this is the single best video I've seen you do. Excellent format (Q&A v. Exposition), a relaxed setting, and superb in terms of useful review information. I know that some of this comes from your extended experience with this particular machine and that you aren't afforded that opportunity with other bikes. All in all, really, really good. I hope that you can migrate some of these elements into future videos. Cheers.
Suzuki offers great value for all of its bikes. Adventure bikes are swiss army knives - good at a lot of things, but not great at anything.
that's why i love Suzuki, you can never go wrong with a Suzuki.
My Suzuki, a B-King, is the best bike I've ever ridden. You can trust a Suzuki.
@@interman7715 Don't worry i'm late to the party also...My DR650? Same ..jack of all trades ,master of none , on the cheap.
Kawasaki KLR650 baby
olneymaryland77 KLRs are superb .
I don't know how old Ryan is but he looks very young yet is so wise as if he's been living since the invention of motorcycles😊
I love my V Strom 1000; Jack of all, master of none. Most complete ‘all round’ bike on the market IMHO 😉👍🏻
any clutch noise?
I just got a 2021 dl650...LOVE IT!!! 447 km per tank, less than 500lbs. its great comuter, fun touring..just got the rad guard, skid plate is on the way with sadle bags, crash bars come next. Thanks dude...you helped me chose between the Himalayan, pan American, klr, super ten and a BMW...the DL650 won
I like that he loves his bike and is passionate about it but at the same time honest about its short-comings.
One of the best, HONEST, motorcycle reviews I've seen. Great job buddy. BTW- Enjoying how the production value and your comfort in and pose in front of the camera has progressed. Not easy things.
A few years later, and I reckon this review format has aged quite well.
Just bought a VStrom myself. So far I love it!
You know when a channel is truly talented, when one will watch the entire video review of a product the viewer has no interest in.
LOL, ik,r - ?
I have the vstrom 650 2018. Actually, 13k km. Im pretty sure it is not the best adventure bike, but is by far the most leveled withing all the aspects. In my case, the previous bike i had was a gs800 2014 that had way more vibrations but with the vstrom 650 with the 20 liters tank I manage to do 400km (250mi) almost every tank. (record in 465km/290mi)
When I bought it, i was looking for the 1000 vstrom, and after testing both I decided for the 650 (cheaper and lighter hahahaha) but i was a bit undecided because of the less cc but... after all I can really say like Ryan, I do not regret at all.
I just bought a Vstrom DL1000 and im in love with it
What year?
As for working on it yourself and maintenance, I would bet the Suzuki will prevail. Cheers
Whenever I need advice on anything motorcycle related, your channel
is the first place I check. Picked up a 2014 1000 in the same red paint last week. Looking forward to putting some miles on it. Thanks for all the great content.
I’ve watched this video (along with many others of yours) so many times. A review of the new V-Strom 1050 would be so cool from you! Cheers from Idaho
I bought one of these this year. It surprised me with how good it was on gravel roads but I still haven't found the suspension settings that I like. I find the front too harsh and the rear too bouncy, even with rebound damping set to max. One of the best mods I did was lower wider footpegs from SW Motech. Also, Skidplate, crashbars, LED lights, cruise, heated grips, GPS, topbox and Eastern Beaver power distribution module and I'm pretty happy. I even like the stock Battle wings. I find it doesn't shift into sixth gear very well and the engine also increases revs by itself when the clutch starts to release. I know other Suzukis have and anti stall feature but I don't think the 15 Strom has this. Anyone else notice this?
Very nice review. VStrom 1000 is a great bike and a great value for money. I almost got one last year but the only thing that made me hesitate was the fact that it is a little top heavy and as a short rider, I needed a bike that was easy to handle. Compared with the Africa Twin, which is of nearly the same weight, the Twin has a lower centre of gravity and feels like a lighter bike. I decided last year to wait until I got the Twin and I am glad I did so.
Great write up, and kinda sums up why I still dig riding my 2006 Vstrom 650......
And runs on the smell of an oily rag!
@@SimonBrisbane always carry a spare!
Very balanced review of a very good bike. I had the 2003 model.Very easy to work on, very roomy bike, and excellent lighting at night when both headlights were on, not just one. Great lighting pattern. Not so great on gas mileage but the bike's profile is rather tall and the fuel delivery in stop and go traffic is spotty, even with the Power Commander III.
The wind protection on the freeway is very good I think, but I found the suspension a bit harsh, even adjusted.
I miss it dearly...
Your review brought back memories, even though it's a different model year.
I bought the same bike. And I tell you why I did.
Its not off road capable as Africa Twin, not as fast and sophisticated as 1190, not as good as tiger on pavement, has no driveshaft as XT1200 SuperT and etc....
Its a legendary V Strom heritage like no other, without a reason its a lovely bike, There are tons of DL&TL engines over 600.000 km mileage without a major repair. It is a bulletproof Suzuki...
hakanerdogan111089
how many l/100 or km/l. do with this?
juan carlos flores hernandez 6 lt/100 km
i had a dl650 and it was a solid, reliable, bulletproof bike. once got 500km from a tank. started every time. never a false neutral. might not be as glamorous as the others, but i loved that bike.
hakanerdogan111089
thanks!!
You just described why I bought my 2007 DL 650A 3 years ago. I found too many people telling me that it isn't great at anything but it's good at everything. People have 150'000 + miles on their VStroms with no major complications. My VSTROM is a little tank. I am looking to get a newer 1000 and this video was great!
I bought a used 1050XT, and I've had some awesome times taking it offroad, even with the stock tires. Definitely had to invest in that skid plate early on, but it's just an extremely capable machine as long as you respect it.
Outstanding video. I just totaled my beloved Ducati Multistrada 1100S... & I'm quite sure what I'm replacing it with. Thanks for the great review!
Thanks Rick! Hope you're feeling okay after the crash? ~RyanF9
FortNine Thanks for asking, Ryan. I received a concussion & fractured my elbow in two places. This happened four days ago. But I'm comforted by the fact that for the moment, at least, I can live vicariously through your fantastic videos. All the best...
I owned the 650 vstrom. 2012 in fox orange. Great bike. Bought it twice ! If I get a v storm again probably go with model shown. In 10 years I’ve bought 10 motorcycles. Always do reviews prior. Yours are really great. You and Shawn from SRK are the two best reviewers. Thanks for the lesson/information/ and the skill set you bring to your videos. Bravo!
I dont ride the 1000 V-Strom,but the new 1050 got me on test ride. Damn,such an easy to ride and comfortable bike.
I bought it and it was absolutely worth it.
I absolut recommend it for tall persons with the max seat height of 87 cm.
Now you have cruise control and many other nice-to-have things.
Thank God, a motorcycle reviewer who isn't afraid to say negative things.
I just bought this bike, your review influenced my purchase quite a bit! Looking forward to putting some miles on this beast!
"every part is really accessible"- you must be on your original air filter.:p
Definitely hasn't tried to remove the airbox, to get to the throttle bodies.
I did change my air filter on my 1000 xt and it was a first for me on this bike, it took me 1h to do it, it wasn't complicated at all
@@adida236 An hour to change an air filter is bad you know? Takes 30 seconds on the majority of production cars and about ten mins on most bikes. I never relish changing mine on the Strom
I own 4 cars, 2 new cars and 2 older cars and I can't change de air filter in 30 seconds on none of them, I also own 3 bikes, the V-STROM (2 years old) and 2 very old bikes whith sidecar, on the old bikes I can change the air filter easy under 10 minutes, I'm not a mechanic but "practice makes perfect" so the next time I will change my air filter on the V-STROM I will do it in a shorter time
@@adida236 I've been lucky then my BMWs have all had big engine bays and have been a really easy fit. My current mule; a Toyota yaris took less than 5 minutes, remove the air box clips, flip the lid, switch the filter.
Have had 3.
Currently ride 2014 adventure strom.
I have never had a problem and ride it offroad daily.
It is my fave and affordable.
KLR 650
AND YZ 450 are a couple others I have road through hell and back with great satisfaction.
🔥
I love the style of the Videos :D
Biker greetings from Austria
ktm is from austria!
But I drive an Kawasaki
Hey, I love your videos Thomas!
Could you please answer me one question?
WHERE YOUR BEARD WENT?!!?!?!?!?
Love the honesty, that's why I buy my gear from F9
I just bought one of these in Oct '16 . I'm 5'11" so it's tippy toes when I stop. Once I start rolling, though, the seat is very comfortable. I do love the power delivery and the way it goes through the curves. nice adjustable windscreen keeps the wind blast off of my chest but still wind on my helmet. Kept her in TC1 and got her to lose traction on a dirt road. nice torque. She is a duckling but the way she performs is surprising and comforting
I absolutely love every single one of your videos. The detail and work you put into them is awesome. I’m not an adventure rider so even though I don’t relate to the bikes featured I do enjoy watching very much.
This is a very old video but wow the informationis priceless.Just a flood of accurate real world info.Thanks Ryan.
Ryan- THANK YOU! I have 19 1000xt and was worried about how flat the power is over 5k and the vibration, thinking something might be wrong w my awesome bike. But you mentioned those things are just the engine characteristics. Thank you for calming my worries. And your production quality is incredible!!
I still can't get used to the idea that Joffrey Baratheon went into journalism and started reviewing bikes.
You sound an act way above your age impression. That's a compliment
That was one of the most level-headed and honest reviews I've ever seen.
Yo what the hell is that eloquence and filming location. So good, yall
I love the DL1000 - I've been able to zip off the pavement and through some fire roads and they are all good. It is still a heavy bike off road but seems easier than some of its adventure tour competition.
Alright, not only are the reviews stellar but on top of that Ryan is roughly my height and weight, allowing me to check the actual bikes size. Subbed.
My first bike - 2009 V-Strom 650. And now she's sitting in a garage, it's freezing outside and I can't wait for spring.
You have the best most real world reviews and I love your commentary on your videos!
Had one of these. It was a great bike! Only got rid of it because I got into cruisers. I'd own one again. Great brakes, suspension, handling and I liked the power.
I know nobody's a 'natural' at anything - whatever you had to do to get to this place, you've got the duck metaphor dialed in! It looks effortless from here and I appreciate it!
I bought one of these bikes. You pretty much nailed it.
nice review, it was quite a surprise that you were not in love with the bike since day one.
You see, this is the kind of video I really enjoy. Honest and goodness review of a bike, untethered with bias views. Love it. Cheers.
Yep test rode this and I loved this motorcycle. I dig the v-twin
Ryan has a hell of a lot of experience riding off road, and mile long legs. Something to remember when he says how easy a bike is off road ….
Have a 2020 V-Strom 1050XT. Best bike I ever had. I don't think I'll ever get rid of it. I'll look for low mile 2023's in a few years so I'll have one for the next couple decades.
Great honest review. I have a 2014 DL1000 with 25K miles in 18 months. I'm in full agreement that function overruled looks, cruise control should have been included and another gallon of fuel would have been nice at times. Most of my riding is touring and the V-Strom fits my riding needs very well.
Michael Mooney hi, hoy much km/l or l/100 you can do with this?
riding around 130 140km/hr.
Hello Juan, I'm not sure what you're asking but if you're questioning the DL1000's ability to travel in the 80-85 mph (130-140 kph) range on interstates, it's fully capable of that.
how many liters of fuel do u use?
At 130-140 kph, it gets about 16 kpl, at more moderate speeds like 100 kph, it improves to 19 kpl or better, depending on the road and how much I like to twist the throttle.
Okol thanks a lot
Ryan your description is GREAT, I am much older than you, with more miles on all cylinders HOWEVER your vids are kick... Brilliant, will look much deeper into Fort Nine because of you!
I would love to see a review of the 2018 V-Strom 650XT
he's ignoring you; I wanted to say the same thing: why hasn't he test ridden the 650... ever?
Funny thing, I looked at the Vstrom 1000 then the Africa twin, bought a new Goldwing and a 250 Vstrom for local rides, the 250 is actually a great bike, did 150mile round trip on it, and actually enjoyed it!! Great reveiw.
This bike review format really works - not perfect, but useful and more than adequate. Kind of like the V-Strom . . .
Loved my 2008 DL1000. I'm an old rider and the seating position was very comfortable.
Every bike Ryan reviews makes me want that bike and check the local ads.
Whenever a Motorcycle company need advertising they should come to U great videos you guys make and excellent style of explanation big fan F9
The style of this review is really enjoyable to watch mate. Excellent job! Look forward to more like this.
60k and many adventures later, I'm still loving my '02 DL1K. It's like dating an 18 year old.
ew
Me to 2002 model blue color GPR exhausts nice sound. Just the other day a BMW 900t was impressed with my 94 on dyno horses. 👌
Spot on. Very underrated motorcycle.
Loved mine. Hoping for another soon.
Sir, you are the best motorcycle reviewer. Keep up the great work.
I have a 14 DL1000 and have been all over North America on it. Bulletproof reliability is a must and this bike has it in spades. I thought he was pretty accurate in his description, damn I would like cruise control.
The best review of a V strom 1000 ever.
Just bought a 2019 1000 XT. Love it!
Niiiice! Safe travels man! Why XT over DL though?
Insane quality production.
Just now saw this in my stream. Absolutely had to watch it. Excellent video!
We want a review on the new V-Stroms!
Hey man...totally dig your approach and reviews. This bike is on my short list to add one to the garage next to my DRZ. As a tall dude, your ergos and opinion help me greatly. THX
Hey brother it’s been a couple years, but did you wind up getting a Vee? I too have a drz and am looking to add to my garage. Wondering how you made out- cheers
Glad you like your strom! I also bought an adv bike(even though i am quite young) . I initially planned to buy a ktm 690smcr (supermoto), but then this crazy good deal showed up at a dealer very close to me. through this deal i was able to grab a brandnew ktm 1050 adventure for about 9000 dollars which is a steal. I love my bike. even though it is ugly and heavy, if you ride it, it is extremely agile and fun to ride. I am easily able to keep up with a fast group of supermoto riders without really feeling like sitting on a bike heavier than 150 kgs. to conclude i can say that this bike enables me to haul ass in the twisties, but without getting as tired as in a supermoto. In my opinion adventurebikes are the most awesome kind of motorcycles, because they are more versatile than anything else out there and if ridden correctly just as fast.
What an interesting relationship you've got with your V-Strom
Thanks for that got me a DL650 2018 and really enjoying it thinking about getting the Dl1000 next year but do like the fuel range on it over 450 km on a tank might take one for a test ride
Cheers for new Zealand
Yeah, I stick with the 650 for fuel range and it has enough power, but some people can't adjust to increased revs over the 1000cc model at highway speeds.
FortNine, the quality of your contents is top-notch!
Just want to say I love your videos and your style. Keep up the good work!
Nice interview Ryan! And equally nice review... Stay safe bud.
your comments regarding it touring capabilities were on point. i continue to own my 2014 for the simple fact that i can go forever and some more on it. for the 11.5k i paid new for it, id challenge anyone to come up with a better bang for the $ adv bike. suspension, breaks, power, handling. as a mainly road warrior, i cant think of a good reason to get anything else
I have been eyeing this for a long time, but I still think I'm leaning towards the Versys 1000. I don't ever see myself going off road and I want more a sport bike feel.
Please test the v-strom 650 2019
I've got a 2017 650 kitted out very similarly and pretty much everything Ryan says applies. I imagine you'd feel the 20 fewer HP between the 650 and the 1000 but otherwise it's the same story. I'm getting myself into all kinds of trouble on and off road. 13000 km this year and counting...
@@DanielParker742 l assume the 650 would be a better choice for off-road because it is lighter?
@@riaanvanwyk5374 it's a good bet although it's not a huge difference in weight. I've never ridden the 1000 so I can't confirm.
I've owned my 2012 650 for four years, it's a great bike an it does what it says on the tin,,but I service it myself an the biggest pain is renewing plugs an air filter.you have to strip half the front end, to the point where you have to undo the lower radiator mount to get at the front spark plug. But I've still got her an she clocked up 56700 mls. So far
I had a V-Strom 650 for about six months. Top heavy, difficult in corners. Give me a cruiser any day! Sold this bike and bought a Harley Lowrider. 1690ccs and endless torque. And fun to ride with that low center of gravity. Much more comfortable riding position.
I really like your honest review of the DL1000A. I also have one and I really do love it. My only bitch is the lack of cruise control.
Just got a used one for a great price and I love it so far !
DL650 owner here. Doesn't do any one thing well, but I can offroad it where atvs go; ride two-up with full camping gear, whatever. It does lots of things with remarkable competence.
I've watched quite a few of you guys' videos from Canada, but this was the first time I spotted the "eh?" "I have it on the inside of my lappelle, eh?"
Great review Ryan. I don't think Suzuki employs any stylists at their headquarters. The engineers work hard to whip up these great bikes underneath, and they're left with nothing to wrap them in. Someone over there needs to fall on their own sword (think Gladius, pun intended) and allow real designers to be hired. Only the GSXRs any good.
My brother owns a previous gen model V-Strom 1000 and pretty much echoes your sentiments. Tank comes to mind. Function over (no) form for sure. My Tiger 800 XC is quite the same. She looks just OK but, when you get riding, wow. Looks matter less when you actually ride.
Your honesty is refreshing; looking forward to the next videos.
Well said, my friend. I still haven't gotten over the Gladius debacle. ~RyanF9
all cats are gray in the dark; but some cats are more affectionate than others. the Stroms may not look like Ducatis but they purrr-form great. I've had a '12 DL 650 for almost 6 years and love it; when the day comes (maybe in the next 3 or 4 yrs, I think I'll be happy with a used 2nd generation DL1000 for not a lot of coin.
7:43 My left eye twitched. I though the crashbar will hit that pipe thingy. Awesome bike. Someone please convince me I don't need a new bike because I already have a perfectly fine one. I hate bike envy.
Ahah I understand you !! I have a 100.000km Vstrom 650 and I know I can still use it for a long time...but i'm really wondering about this 1000 Vstrom !!