Suzuki V-Strom 1000 - Rally Touring Motorcycle
Although there are many well-known and good bikes in Suzuki's products, in a market surrounded by strong enemies, Suzuki always seems to lack a "star bike". It may be because all the large-displacement models are exported from Japan, and there is no way to use the models produced in Southeast Asia to lower the price like Honda and Kawasaki, and the lack of small-displacement models (if the GW250 is not included), so that Suzuki has a kind of sense of "difficult to achieve the ambitions" .
However, Suzuki was also gradually changing. If you ask what bike is the most popular model, it should be the so-called "adventure model". These bikes are somewhere between a true off-roader and a road bike, with high ground clearance, long suspension travel, and great loader capability (if you have the optional saddlebag). The popularity of these models makes it feel like there is only R1200GS in the world when going up the mountain in summer. The R1200GS in the whole mountains proves that this type of bike is indeed loved by people.
Whether those who buy the R1200GS actually go off-road, just use it as a tool for a ride, or use it as a good helper for motorcycle travel, it's a fact that this bike is selling well.
It can be seen that there are many competitors for the V-Strom 1000, also known as the DL1000, but in fact the DL1000 cleverly positioned itself between the 650 and 1200 models. The DL1000 uses an engine with a displacement of 1036mL, which is rare in this class. It is small, but the weight of the bike is relatively light (the curb weight is 228kg, which is only 13kg heavier than the DL650 and 10kg lighter than the R1200GS). It can be seen that at the beginning of the design, the original factory did not just pursue high performance and high output, but was easy to operate and easy to use.
According to European media descriptions, the bike's handling is approachable. Although the power does not seem to be large from the data, it is very strong to ride, and it is very comfortable to sit. Overall, it's an approachable vehicle without any weird temper.
Appearance and details of the motorcycle
When you first see the DL1000, you must feel that it is full of the shadow of a certain bike? Yes, you must have thought of the BMW R 1200 GS. However, the first motorcycle to use this shape was the 1988 Suzuki DR750S, which was earlier than BMW, so do you think he copied BMW? In fact, it is a tribute to his predecessors. From the side, the shape of the DL1000 is actually a bit like the DR750S. Of course, it is still full of elements of modern motorcycles.
The headlights, equipped with traditional halogen bulbs, are H7 specifications up and down, and there are no special highlights.
From this angle, the beak shape of the DL1000 can be clearly seen. The beak is not just for decoration, but to prevent the muddy water on the ground from being rolled up by the front wheel, spraying dirty headlights again and blocking the front view.
The angle of the front windshield is adjustable, and you can just push it forward by hand, and it can be reset by pushing it to the end. Although there is no ESC, and no knobs that allow you to adjust the height and angle like many other motorcycles, but this adjustment method is intuitive and fast.
The handlebars are wide and straight, a hallmark of this expedition model.
The control switch on the right-hand handle is nothing special, just a general start switch, but on the left-hand handle there are control buttons for the tracking system. After pressing the "SEL" button, use the "MODE" button to select. There are three options for the tracking system. TC2 is all turned on and does not allow any sliding of the rear wheel, TC1 allows a little sliding of the rear wheel, and OFF is all turned off.
In addition, this bike is equipped with Suzuki's SCAS clutch assist system, which can make the operation more labor-saving. The advantage of using a hydraulic clutch is that it can avoid the trouble of clutch breaking, but you still have to remember to change the hydraulic oil.
The clutch and brake levers are all adjustable, which is a matter of course at this level. In addition, this motorcycle uses dual throttle lines, which is more reliable.
The design of the instrument panel is very simple, with the tachometer taking up most of the overall area. The upper right is the speed and gear display; the lower right is the multi-function display, where the water temperature, fuel volume, air temperature, voltage, time mileage and tracking system status are all displayed.
There is a 12V socket under the dash. The specification of this socket is the same as that of the car, unlike the socket on some motorcycles which is a small European-standard interface, which is more convenient to use.
The fuel tank capacity of this motorcycle is 20L, and there is no problem with the long-distance riding. The fuel tank is made of double-layer metal, and the dark part is made of plastic.
The dark plastic material can protect the metal fuel tank from damage when the bike is dumped (this motorcycle can be equipped with a bumper).
This motorcycle uses an embracing aluminum alloy frame. The use of an aluminum alloy frame allows the weight of the DL1000 to be better controlled. Compared with the previous model, the weight is reduced by about 13%. However, the use of an aluminum alloy frame also shows that the bike is more inclined to road driving.
The subframe is made of steel pipe material, which more or less contributes to the strength of the frame.
Although it does not seem very appropriate to use this bike to deal with the terrain with large drop, it is more than enough to face some small jumps.
The side of the body retains the mounting point for the storage box. The three original trunks can provide a total of about 100L of additional capacity, which is very practical for motorcycle tour.
The front and rear pedals are covered with rubber, which can reduce some vibrations in addition to non-slip. However, the front pedals are not like many adventure models that use a metal serration design (for anti-skid), which also shows that this bike is more inclined to the design of general road riding.
The color matching of the exhaust pipe is black and silver, which is better than the all-black version.
The taillights use LED light sources, and the turn signals are also LED ones.
There is a shelf and armrest at the rear. This is also where the trunk is placed.
Engine and Suspension System
The DL1000 is equipped with a V-twin engine with a 90° angle, with a displacement of 1037mL, a maximum output power of 74kW (100hp)/8000rpm, and a maximum output torque of 103N m/4000rpm (power and torque data obtained from the Japanese official website). And this motorcycle uses a double spark plug design, so the bike has a total of four spark plugs.
This motorcycle uses a common casting process for pistons, but has undergone technical improvements, so the weight of the pistons has been reduced, so it is foreseeable that the throttle response speed of the engine will also be accelerated.
Although the power of this motorcycle is not as strong as those of European motorcycles (BMW R 1200 GS: 92 kW, KTM 1190 ADV: 110 kW), it was mentioned earlier due to the lighter weight (The 212kg vehicle weight data given by the 1190 ADV factory is dry weight ), so theoretically this motorcycle will be better to control, but how the actual handling feels, you still have to test drive it yourself to know. According to the impressions obtained from the test report, the power of this motorcycle is not of the "explosive" type. The maximum torque can be output at 4000rpm, which also shows that the power output characteristics of this motorcycle tend to be in the low-speed area, which is generally more friendly.
The exhaust pipe uses Suzuki's "SET" technology (Suzuki Exhaust Tuning), which is controlled by a computer-controlled valve to control the back pressure of the exhaust pipe. This design can be seen on many large displacement motorcycles.
The front fork uses a 43mm inverted shock absorber produced by KYB. KYB's products can often be seen in Japanese motorcycle factories. The golden finish makes its appearance look more eye-catching. The front wheel is a Bridgestone BATTLE WING BW-501, size 110/80 R19.
The front fork of this motorcycle provides the function of preload adjustment, which is a basic configuration on this level of adventure bikes.
The front brake calipers use Tokico's products (which have always been Suzuki's usual supplier of brake calipers), which are opposed four-piston radial calipers.
The front brake disc is a 310mm floating disc and is in the form of left and right double discs.
The rear shock absorber is also a KYB product, and the damping preload is fully adjustable. The knob in the picture is the preload adjustment knob for rear vibration reduction. It is a very important design for this type of motorcycle. If the rear seat is full of luggage and passengers, the preload must be adjusted in time.
The rear suspension uses a multi-link structure. Here won't talk much about the benefits of multi-link structure, but emphasize that some friends think that such a structure is called "Pro-Link", but in fact Pro-Link (or Unit Pro-Link) is registered by Honda patent name. Pro-Link has been on Honda's off-road racing since 1979.
From the photo, the rear swing arm looks a little thin, but in fact it doesn't seem to be somewhat deficient . The rear wheel size of this bike is 150/70 R17. Bridgestone's BATTLE WING BW-502 is used, which is suitable for light off-road.
The rear brake is a Tokico single-piston caliper with a fixed 210mm diameter disc. In addition, the rim of this bike is OEM by Japanese rim manufacturer Enkei.
Summary
What kind of motorcycle do you think the DL1000 is? Its price is very close to its Japanese compatriot Versys 1000, and it is much cheaper than its European counterpart. In fact, the appearance of this bike is relatively bland, but in terms of quality, the DL1000 has quite a good performance.
After the launch of the DL1000, the British magazine Bike conducted a long-distance test. The DL1000 set off from the UK, crossed Europe and Asia, and returned to Japan, the country of origin. Such a trip has proved the capability of the DL1000, and the rest is to see if the owner has the ability to develop the potential of the motorcycle.
Some riders may feel that the seat height of these adventure motorcycles is too high. The seat height of DL 1000 is also a little high (850mm), but In fact, if you are used to this kind of seat height, you will not find it difficult to ride. Except for the feeling of "too high" at the moment of stepping on the motorcycle, the rest of the time felt okay. After all, the bike is for "riding", and you are on the motorcycle most of the time, so height is not really an obstacle.
However, Suzuki was also gradually changing. If you ask what bike is the most popular model, it should be the so-called "adventure model". These bikes are somewhere between a true off-roader and a road bike, with high ground clearance, long suspension travel, and great loader capability (if you have the optional saddlebag). The popularity of these models makes it feel like there is only R1200GS in the world when going up the mountain in summer. The R1200GS in the whole mountains proves that this type of bike is indeed loved by people.
Whether those who buy the R1200GS actually go off-road, just use it as a tool for a ride, or use it as a good helper for motorcycle travel, it's a fact that this bike is selling well.
It can be seen that there are many competitors for the V-Strom 1000, also known as the DL1000, but in fact the DL1000 cleverly positioned itself between the 650 and 1200 models. The DL1000 uses an engine with a displacement of 1036mL, which is rare in this class. It is small, but the weight of the bike is relatively light (the curb weight is 228kg, which is only 13kg heavier than the DL650 and 10kg lighter than the R1200GS). It can be seen that at the beginning of the design, the original factory did not just pursue high performance and high output, but was easy to operate and easy to use.
According to European media descriptions, the bike's handling is approachable. Although the power does not seem to be large from the data, it is very strong to ride, and it is very comfortable to sit. Overall, it's an approachable vehicle without any weird temper.
Appearance and details of the motorcycle
When you first see the DL1000, you must feel that it is full of the shadow of a certain bike? Yes, you must have thought of the BMW R 1200 GS. However, the first motorcycle to use this shape was the 1988 Suzuki DR750S, which was earlier than BMW, so do you think he copied BMW? In fact, it is a tribute to his predecessors. From the side, the shape of the DL1000 is actually a bit like the DR750S. Of course, it is still full of elements of modern motorcycles.
The headlights, equipped with traditional halogen bulbs, are H7 specifications up and down, and there are no special highlights.
From this angle, the beak shape of the DL1000 can be clearly seen. The beak is not just for decoration, but to prevent the muddy water on the ground from being rolled up by the front wheel, spraying dirty headlights again and blocking the front view.
The angle of the front windshield is adjustable, and you can just push it forward by hand, and it can be reset by pushing it to the end. Although there is no ESC, and no knobs that allow you to adjust the height and angle like many other motorcycles, but this adjustment method is intuitive and fast.
The handlebars are wide and straight, a hallmark of this expedition model.
The control switch on the right-hand handle is nothing special, just a general start switch, but on the left-hand handle there are control buttons for the tracking system. After pressing the "SEL" button, use the "MODE" button to select. There are three options for the tracking system. TC2 is all turned on and does not allow any sliding of the rear wheel, TC1 allows a little sliding of the rear wheel, and OFF is all turned off.
In addition, this bike is equipped with Suzuki's SCAS clutch assist system, which can make the operation more labor-saving. The advantage of using a hydraulic clutch is that it can avoid the trouble of clutch breaking, but you still have to remember to change the hydraulic oil.
The clutch and brake levers are all adjustable, which is a matter of course at this level. In addition, this motorcycle uses dual throttle lines, which is more reliable.
The design of the instrument panel is very simple, with the tachometer taking up most of the overall area. The upper right is the speed and gear display; the lower right is the multi-function display, where the water temperature, fuel volume, air temperature, voltage, time mileage and tracking system status are all displayed.
There is a 12V socket under the dash. The specification of this socket is the same as that of the car, unlike the socket on some motorcycles which is a small European-standard interface, which is more convenient to use.
The fuel tank capacity of this motorcycle is 20L, and there is no problem with the long-distance riding. The fuel tank is made of double-layer metal, and the dark part is made of plastic.
The dark plastic material can protect the metal fuel tank from damage when the bike is dumped (this motorcycle can be equipped with a bumper).
This motorcycle uses an embracing aluminum alloy frame. The use of an aluminum alloy frame allows the weight of the DL1000 to be better controlled. Compared with the previous model, the weight is reduced by about 13%. However, the use of an aluminum alloy frame also shows that the bike is more inclined to road driving.
The subframe is made of steel pipe material, which more or less contributes to the strength of the frame.
Although it does not seem very appropriate to use this bike to deal with the terrain with large drop, it is more than enough to face some small jumps.
The side of the body retains the mounting point for the storage box. The three original trunks can provide a total of about 100L of additional capacity, which is very practical for motorcycle tour.
The front and rear pedals are covered with rubber, which can reduce some vibrations in addition to non-slip. However, the front pedals are not like many adventure models that use a metal serration design (for anti-skid), which also shows that this bike is more inclined to the design of general road riding.
The color matching of the exhaust pipe is black and silver, which is better than the all-black version.
The taillights use LED light sources, and the turn signals are also LED ones.
There is a shelf and armrest at the rear. This is also where the trunk is placed.
Engine and Suspension System
The DL1000 is equipped with a V-twin engine with a 90° angle, with a displacement of 1037mL, a maximum output power of 74kW (100hp)/8000rpm, and a maximum output torque of 103N m/4000rpm (power and torque data obtained from the Japanese official website). And this motorcycle uses a double spark plug design, so the bike has a total of four spark plugs.
This motorcycle uses a common casting process for pistons, but has undergone technical improvements, so the weight of the pistons has been reduced, so it is foreseeable that the throttle response speed of the engine will also be accelerated.
Although the power of this motorcycle is not as strong as those of European motorcycles (BMW R 1200 GS: 92 kW, KTM 1190 ADV: 110 kW), it was mentioned earlier due to the lighter weight (The 212kg vehicle weight data given by the 1190 ADV factory is dry weight ), so theoretically this motorcycle will be better to control, but how the actual handling feels, you still have to test drive it yourself to know. According to the impressions obtained from the test report, the power of this motorcycle is not of the "explosive" type. The maximum torque can be output at 4000rpm, which also shows that the power output characteristics of this motorcycle tend to be in the low-speed area, which is generally more friendly.
The exhaust pipe uses Suzuki's "SET" technology (Suzuki Exhaust Tuning), which is controlled by a computer-controlled valve to control the back pressure of the exhaust pipe. This design can be seen on many large displacement motorcycles.
The front fork uses a 43mm inverted shock absorber produced by KYB. KYB's products can often be seen in Japanese motorcycle factories. The golden finish makes its appearance look more eye-catching. The front wheel is a Bridgestone BATTLE WING BW-501, size 110/80 R19.
The front fork of this motorcycle provides the function of preload adjustment, which is a basic configuration on this level of adventure bikes.
The front brake calipers use Tokico's products (which have always been Suzuki's usual supplier of brake calipers), which are opposed four-piston radial calipers.
The front brake disc is a 310mm floating disc and is in the form of left and right double discs.
The rear shock absorber is also a KYB product, and the damping preload is fully adjustable. The knob in the picture is the preload adjustment knob for rear vibration reduction. It is a very important design for this type of motorcycle. If the rear seat is full of luggage and passengers, the preload must be adjusted in time.
The rear suspension uses a multi-link structure. Here won't talk much about the benefits of multi-link structure, but emphasize that some friends think that such a structure is called "Pro-Link", but in fact Pro-Link (or Unit Pro-Link) is registered by Honda patent name. Pro-Link has been on Honda's off-road racing since 1979.
From the photo, the rear swing arm looks a little thin, but in fact it doesn't seem to be somewhat deficient . The rear wheel size of this bike is 150/70 R17. Bridgestone's BATTLE WING BW-502 is used, which is suitable for light off-road.
The rear brake is a Tokico single-piston caliper with a fixed 210mm diameter disc. In addition, the rim of this bike is OEM by Japanese rim manufacturer Enkei.
Summary
What kind of motorcycle do you think the DL1000 is? Its price is very close to its Japanese compatriot Versys 1000, and it is much cheaper than its European counterpart. In fact, the appearance of this bike is relatively bland, but in terms of quality, the DL1000 has quite a good performance.
After the launch of the DL1000, the British magazine Bike conducted a long-distance test. The DL1000 set off from the UK, crossed Europe and Asia, and returned to Japan, the country of origin. Such a trip has proved the capability of the DL1000, and the rest is to see if the owner has the ability to develop the potential of the motorcycle.
Some riders may feel that the seat height of these adventure motorcycles is too high. The seat height of DL 1000 is also a little high (850mm), but In fact, if you are used to this kind of seat height, you will not find it difficult to ride. Except for the feeling of "too high" at the moment of stepping on the motorcycle, the rest of the time felt okay. After all, the bike is for "riding", and you are on the motorcycle most of the time, so height is not really an obstacle.
From the static real shot, this motorcycle is not like those higher-priced models, dazzling and full of momentum. Instead, it's a bit too "simple". If you are a person who pays attention to appearance, you may not be interested in it. But there are as many configurations as it should be: the electronic tracking system to ensure the safety of low-friction road surfaces, ABS, etc. Although many configurations are manually operated, it still has certain advantages considering the cheaper price and higher reliability.
(Reprinted)
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