Motorcycling is one of those pastimes where ego often clouds our judgment when planning the purchase of a new bike. How, you may ask, does this happen? It’s actually simple, it starts with a mate who asks, “Have you seen what Pol Torres does on a T7?” or “The new 1390 KTM Adventure is next level, you must see Chris Birch ride it”, and “Have you watched Adam Riemann ride across the outback?” These are guys that have otherworldly talent and do things on these bikes that boggle the minds of lesser mortals. Way more relevant to most of us would be following the adventures of Joe Ryan, the Aussie adventurer who rides simple bikes far and wide across spectacular landscapes. He has circumnavigated Australia, and I would implore you to follow on YouTube his recent Namibian tour, undertaken on a Royal Enfield 411 Himalayan. He sucks the marrow of adventure from every last bit of each trip, leaving you with a longing to see the world as he does, from the back of a motorcycle.
Now here is the thing. We are sometimes naive enough to think that it must be the bike that is up to the task. We buy a 1390 KTM Super Adventure, believing that somehow it will elevate our riding prowess to that of Chris Birch. Wake up, buttercup! There are some amongst you, who can justify such a purchase; however, for the rest of us, it is akin to putting a target on our backs. With the purchase of an Adventure weapon comes self-inflicted pressure to perform at a level that justifies your choice of ride. What you actually wanted, once stripped of the influence of your ego, was a bike that would not intimidate the socks off of you, but rather become a willing accomplice on your planned adventures. The Suzuki DL650 XT V-Strom is just such a bike.
You need a bike that can go wherever there is a road of sorts, be it tarred or dirt. A bike that is utterly reliable, not because the manufacturer claims that it is, but because it has proven to be by testing it in the cauldron of real-life riding. Fuel range and fuel efficiency is imperative. Adventuring in remote places means that fuel can be scarce, and you may have to traverse a significant distance between pumps. Comfortis non-negotiable. Covering big distances means long hours in the saddle. An uncomfortable perch and poor, or no wind protection, turns each ride into an endurance event. A broad range of factory and aftermarket accessories is a huge plus, as is the ability to carry a passenger if necessary. If you can tick all of these boxes without breaking the bank, leaving some loot for your actual adventures, then it is a choice well made. Let’s see how the legendary DL650 stacks up.
Let me start by saying that my recommendation of the DL as a brilliant middle-weight travel bike is not based on hearsay, but rather my experience of over 8000 km of travel on my own Strom. The Suzuki comes with a lot of the hardware that makes it suitable for adventure touring. A decent screen, handguards (more wind deflectors than Barkbusters), a 20-litre tank, a comfortable 830 mm high seat and spoked wheels with tubeless rims. A 110/80 x19 up front and a 150/70×17 on the rear.
Suspension travel is decent for gravel with 150 mm on the front fork and 160 mm from the preload and rebound-adjustable back shock. Whilst not adjustable, the suspension is properly sprung and damped for its intended use. Preload adjustment is made easy by an easily accessible remote adjusting knob. Ground clearance is GS-like at 175 mm. Brakes are ABS-equipped and feature twin 310 mm discs with twin pot callipers on the front wheel and a single 260 mm rear disc and single pot calliper. The brakes are adequate for their road and dirt use. The Strom has traction control with 2 levels and off. The fully fueled weight is 216 kg.
The motor in the DL650 is an absolute peach! A 90-degree V-Twin displacing 645cc, it is liquid-cooled and features 4 valves and twin cams per cylinder. 90-degree V-Twins have a soulful, torquey demeanour with gobs of low and mid-range torque. It revs out pleasantly with a 69 hp top end hit. In the real world, the 650 is always adequately powered, even when loaded or two-up. It features Suzuki’s low rpm assist, which makes both pulling away and low-speed chugging along a doddle. I averaged around 22 km/L during town and around riding, with cruising on the open road delivering up to 25 km/L if I stuck to the speed limit. This was good for up to 500 k’s on a tank, which is brilliant when travelling big distances, as less time is wasted on fill-ups.
Gearing on the 6-speed Strom is also perfect. It can cruise at 150 kph with still 3000 rpm in hand. The motor hums along contentedly with a feeling of robust unburstability, which is reassuring. It has a great chassis with decent suspension, which makes it a bit of a ‘sleeper’ in the twisties. The Suzuki DL650 XT V-Strom is one of those rare bikes which constantly delivers more than it promises. It covers all bases. It commutes with aplomb, has a road presence, tours superbly and takes you out and about on your adventures without fuss or bother. Suzuki has some DLs in stock, which, to my mind, are a steal at R165,500.
There is a current move to middleweight adventure bikes. This suggests that slowly but surely, riders are seeing the light. Less expensive, lighter and more manageable bikes have all the attributes that you look for in a travel bike. More affordable to buy, maintain and run, what is not to like? The DL650 offers more than any other bike with a similar skill set.
Snap one up while you still can, you won’t regret it!
For more information, visit your local Suzuki dealer while stocks last!
