Is the Suzuki V-strom 1000 a good dual-sport motorcycle?

Question

I'm 6'4" tall, looking for a goodbike for commuting on the highway + some weekend fun on road....

Answer 1

The Big Strom is a capable bike for Fire roads and rough pavement. It is not intended for True "Woods" riding. A lot of people like the 650 model better because is is lighter and less bulky.

Answer 2

I agree with Scott M. This is not an off-road bike, if that's what you're looking for, but it is a very capable machine for all types of on-road riding, and SOME rough terrain stuff. The 650 is lighter, and slightly more meneuverable, but the 1000 will be able to tote more gear, and go long distances without complaining. If you are of bigger stature, the 1000 is probably the better choice. One more thing. There are a few good dual-sport bikes out there, but for the money the V-Stroms are a whole lot of bike!! Go to a dealership and sit on them, and maybe take them both for a ride and see how they feel.

Answer 3

My friend has one and he says it sucks "off road".  Even hard to ride on gravel because it has such a high center of gravity.

Answer 4

Check out advrider.com, first of all.  It's a very popular mount over there.  For whatever reason, though, a lot of people seem to like the 650 version, which is often nicknamed the "wee-strom."

As for how good of a dual-sport it is, it depends on what you want to do with it.  Do you want more of a DR-Z400 type of dualsport, or more of a BMW R1200GS type of dual-sport?  It'll definitely tend more toward the 1200GS, as it's going to be more biased toward on-road travel than off-road.  That said, I haven't heard too many complaints about them.