SUZUKI DL1000 V-STROM (2014 - 2016) Review

Good all-round. About 80-100 miles. Make allowance for my age of 72.

Like the low-end grunt. Not quite as flexible higher up as my GSX1100FL, hence six gears instead of five. Not completely happy with the tickover and very low revs since the ECM was changed (recall).

The rear grab handles mark easily. Toolkit too minimalist. Grip heater LED display not clear which level selected. Otherwise no problems yet.

Costs low as do much of the servicing myself. Always have done for 50 years. Have the Suzuki Diagnostic System for remote adjustments. Dealer services when I'm feeling lazy or too busy. (Not the dealer I bought from.)

The seat is more comfortable than all previous bikes. Fitted many (Suzuki original) accessories. Only problem is that the pannier internal strap end can get caught in the hinges. Mirror extensions found to be essential. Still on original tyres but front wearing quicker than rear. On all previous bikes front tyre has lasted 2-3 times longer than rear. Utility socket at only 3A fuse won't power a small tyre compressor.

Great handling and crucially goes well and stops well.

Under-stressed and if looked after will go on forever. That torque low down is a joy but the top end is a little bland.

After 9 months and 1 winter all is good but staying on top of those spokes is no easy thing with early signs of corrosion.

A lot of bike for the money and by no means budget in terms of what you get.

Cornering ABS and traction all work well and would recommend extras such as sump guard and engine bars as a must.

Great bike especially if you like torquey V-twins. Brakes could be better.

The reason for buying. :)

Corrosion rife, luggage rack, general fixings, exhaust, centre stand. Cannot keep up with it despite regular washing, drying, ACF 50’ing regularly including by dealers and garaging nightly.

Reasonable. No more or less than any 1000cc adventure bike

Basic but functional.

Front brake is near perfect, the rear however lacks any real stopping power. Effortless comfortable all day cruising. Totally vice less handling.

All the power you need in the real world.

Still looks as good as new.

Fitting Michelin Pilot 5s transforms the handling particularly in the wet. Not recommended for off road use! Fit a larger Givi screen and some smaller mirrors. Recommend saving your money and use Givi panniers; the Suzuki ones look great but are a little too small.

Comfortable for a few hours at a time, handling and ride quality a revelation.Not quite as flickable as my FZ 8 but not far off and much easier to ride quick ( 60 to 90) on B roads because it is so much more confidence inspiring and makes its speed deceptively easy. Traction control can be altered on the move and makes for really secure riding in the wet. Although i don't get hung up about economy, i have to say that fuel range and economy is very impressive to me averaging 50 mpg and over 200 per tank full. Brakes are far more powerful than i expected, i can pull it up from silly speeds far quicker than my previous bike, an FZ8.

Running in, and not exceeding 6k rpm, I thought , HOLY SHIT, this thing is going to be seriously quick! However, now its run in i have discovered there is only a little more power built up to 7k before it just runs out of puff like a turbo diesel car does. Having said that, its still plenty quick, i rarely get left behind unless in the company of superfast bikes on superfast roads. The torque delivery right off tickover to 6k rpm is pretty brutal and a lot of fun.

Quality seems fine, but it is a new bike and to early to state reliability.But you only need to view established owners reviews here to get an idea how dependable they are.

Really well equipped at this end of the market. The abs, traction control and cornering abs all work well. I like that hand guards are standard but the lack of heated grips and a center stand as standard is really disappointing. Chain adjustment, lubing and cleaning chain and rear wheel is tricky on a side stand. Incidentally, it is very prone to rolling forward and off its sidestand on slight gradients unless you leave it in gear.

Suspension and brakes are excellent. The suspension feels firm but does tend to dive under braking. The ride over poorly surfaced roads is fantastic! I often find myself riding over the worst bits just for fun. The seat is the limiting factor for time or distance. I find after 5 hours I really don't want to ride it any more!

I love the low down torque and slow reving nature of the engine. I like the noise, whistling from the cam drive gears, it makes. It took me quite a while to get used to the power delivery at low speed. The ECU was replaced under warranty for an issue with stalling/mifiring which only affected my bike occassionally. This has transformed the response at low speed which is now smooth, soft and easy to control.

No problems with corrosion on the bike although I do avoid riding in the rain. I keep it clean and apply ACF50 to vulnerable parts. No parts have failed although it was affected by the recall for wiring issues and it has had the ECU replaced due to occassional misfiring/stalling. The only corrision issue was a Suzuki GPS mount, rather expensive but the paint basically fell off it. Stripped and Hammerited, end of that problem.

Running costs are quite modest. The service costs are reasonable, fuel averages around 55mpg and the original tyres last well. I've done 4400 miles and the rear is hardly worn and showing no signs of squaring off. In all those miles the chain has been adjusted once. the Scott Oiler I had installed is doing its job.

ABS, traction control, great instruments, gear indicator, accessory socket, basically everything you would expect without any frills. I added a Suzuki touring screen, Suzuki heated grips, a Garmin Zumo 590 on a Suzuki mount, a Givi 52L topbox as the Suzuki one was a little small and a Scott Oiler. The dealer did a neat "stealth" installation of that feeding the front sprocket. It worked but was a little messy and hard to set the flow right. I eventually fitted a new delivery pipe and dispenser to the rear sprocket. When the tyres eventually wear out I'll replace them with exactly the same again.

Brakes really good, its top heavy, hard to manage in traffic..

Engine runs poor ECU has been changed, coolant leaking out at 300 miles and the dreaded clutch basket vibration...

Poor quality fixings tarnished with in a month in British summer wiring loom not waterproofed, coolant over me and the bike at 300 miles..

Wiring loom not waterproofed from new! countless faults ,poor finish

limited accesories, or not great quality, short distance to floor, engine exposed.

Not perfect but great for the price. Can't afford a new BMW 1200GS Adventure.

Acceleration is quicker than what it seems. Have to watch the speedo or John Law will be asking me to pull over.

Gas is about about 1.4 pounds per gallon here in Colorado. Is that a good price?

Needs a taller windscreen. I ordered one from Puig. Super!

The motorcycle engine stops suddenly when driving in 1st or 2nd gear at low revs

A comfortable solid ride with confidence inspiring brakes.

Apart from the low speed throttle issues very good.

Suzuki's lack of engagement with customers over the ECU issue.

I purchased a service plan to obtain best value for money.

The Desert is well spec'd.

Never knowing when it will cut out is scared and makes your riding rubbishy.

Very comfortable ride for rider and pillion. Brakes are very sharp at first but with time are great. Good seating position, for sporty riding and touring. Ridden on Tarmac and gravel trails. Long distance touring feels easy on this bike once you have the Wind Screen set properly. Some owners have felt the need to replace the screen with taller aftermarket versions to reduce buffeting. You have to suck it and see!

Engine is strong, has great torque at low rpm. Pulls very strongly to 4K . Above 4K there is no further torque increase, but certainly an increase in power. At 6K the big 1000 turns into a rocket, but dont expect much more above this. The peak is mid range. The engine is lively, but doesnt like town riding in 1st and 2nd gear, expect to use the clutch a lot here. Its built for a workout. if your riding around town or cities, this may not be the bike for you. MPG is great average 60MPG

Overall finish of bike is very good. The Paint is well applied which for a Suzuki is an improvement. Some of fasteners which are not stainless dull over time and look a little dull. The electrical system particularly the wiring harness lets down the bike. Problems are corroded multi-connectors which are not waterproof leading to poor starting, stalling and breakdown. This is one area that Suzuki need to improve. Owners including myself have taken measures to waterproof the connectors with grease and rubber sleeving.

Good MPG, Oil changes every 4000 miles or thereabouts. Standard Bridgestone tyres dont seem to offer great miles.

I like instrument display and controls . They are clear and simple use, providing the info you need. There are not too much electronics on the bike, its been kept relatively simple but functional. I like adventure pack, the engine bars, stickers and fog lamps look spot on. The Suzuki Panniers are small but usable without worrying about them sticking out proud, but forget the Suzuki top box, its far too small.