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650 W strom highway speeds? 650 W strom highway speeds?
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  #1  
Old 23 Dec 2012
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Question 650 W strom highway speeds?
Can anyone tell me how the Suzuki 650 V-Strom handles with one up at highways speeds when fully loaded with two hard side bags and a trunk?
Thanks,
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  #2  
Old 23 Dec 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmspence50 View Post
Can anyone tell me how the Suzuki 650 V-Strom handles with one up at highways speeds when fully loaded with two hard side bags and a trunk?
Thanks,
I hate top boxes but two metal panniers and a couple of roll sacks and my 2012 Wee will run at 90 mph all day (or at least until boredom sets in and I have to get off the motorway). Fuel economy drops to under 55 mpg though, so sticking to legal speeds actually results in more miles per day.

Andy
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  #3  
Old 23 Dec 2012
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It's fabulous!
I love my vstrom so much that I just bought another one. Pretty much all I do is hyway miles at speed fully loaded and it handles it beautifully day after day. I weigh over 225 lb and load up the side cases and top box and find no problems on tarmac but probably wouldn't enjoy really loose gravel with it loaded up that way. The bike is a little top heavy to begin with and top cases tend to be junk collectors.
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  #4  
Old 23 Dec 2012
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Originally Posted by roger2002 View Post
I love my vstrom so much that I just bought another one. Pretty much all I do is hyway miles at speed fully loaded and it handles it beautifully day after day. I weigh over 225 lb and load up the side cases and top box and find no problems on tarmac but probably wouldn't enjoy really loose gravel with it loaded up that way. The bike is a little top heavy to begin with and top cases tend to be junk collectors.
Hi Roger. I am about the same weight and was just concerned that once I had it loaded up with camping equipment it might not have much throttle left after 60mph. Is it pretty stable at those speeds. I am used to riding a HD Roadking which is like a tank even in the winds....

Thanks,
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  #5  
Old 23 Dec 2012
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There's LOTS of throttle last past 60 mph. Every year, a buddy and I go on a week long road trip through the western USA. We travel anywhere from 600 km to 1300 km a day through every kind of weather and road condition imaginable and we're both on V-Strom 650's. We generally travel at 120 kph (70ish mph) and have no trouble passing anything we want to. The top end is about 160 kph (100 mph) and it is very stable at that speed but I don't recommend traveling at those speeds. It's too dangerous. I also have a 1997 Electraglide classic that I travel on with my wife as well. I enjoy both of them and have (on the first trip with my buddy) tried to keep up with his V-Strom and frankly could not do it. He can out handle the Harley and out pace it everywhere. I wouldn't recommend the V-Strom for two up travel as it doesn't have the passenger comfort or the load handling that the Harley does but have always maintained that if my wife decided to quit riding with me, I sell the Harlley in a second. My personal opinion is that the 650 V-Strom is the best bike I've ever owned. It is comfortable, economical and fun to ride and I've never had occasion to wish it had more power.
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Old 24 Dec 2012
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I second the comments: we rented one V-Strom 650 in SA and it run great. 2 up, 2 panniers and a 50L duffle. Although it was not our usual riding, it could handle very easily 130km/h with power left to overtake. Very confortable bike for rider and pillion (wide seat).
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  #7  
Old 24 Dec 2012
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I have ridden the 650 with hard panniers and top box for over 250,000kms now around the world. Yes it is a bit top heavy and being short I pay for that occasionally

At higher speeds it does get a bit light in the front end, the panniers act as an airfoil, but adding fork braces stops some of this instability

It does highway very well and also handles the dirt

Cheers
TS
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  #8  
Old 24 Dec 2012
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I've got a 2007 ABS and the new 2012 version Differences aren't huge, but the new one is even more stable and insensitive to speed. Throttle response is nicer, too, and wind management has improved, not nearly as much buffeting. Also the seat is completely new. And fuel economy is about 10% better. Older one is more affected by strong side wind. But both bikes do remarkably well on the highway considering they're "only" 650. Panniers aren't a big worry, but the top box can create a little instability at high speed, especially if your passenger seat is empty.
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  #9  
Old 24 Dec 2012
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My 05 does excellent with the small loads I put on it.



I also have a Harley Road King Classic, but it's been gathering more dust than miles since I purchased the little Suzuki.

You will notice crosswinds when the bike is loaded heavily like mine in the picture, but it's nothing bad. When loaded like this you will also have to be on your toes when riding gravel roads. I have ridden smooth hard packed gravel at speeds between 50-70 when the bike is lightly loaded or unloaded, and it's a blast. Like others have said, running at higher speeds (80+) will put a dent in your fuel mileage.
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  #10  
Old 25 Dec 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironheadziggy76 View Post
My 05 does excellent with the small loads I put on it.



I also have a Harley Road King Classic, but it's been gathering more dust than miles since I purchased the little Suzuki.

You will notice crosswinds when the bike is loaded heavily like mine in the picture, but it's nothing bad. When loaded like this you will also have to be on your toes when riding gravel roads. I have ridden smooth hard packed gravel at speeds between 50-70 when the bike is lightly loaded or unloaded, and it's a blast. Like others have said, running at higher speeds (80+) will put a dent in your fuel mileage.
Hey I like your tank bag - what kind is it?
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  #11  
Old 30 Dec 2012
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Originally Posted by mrmspence50 View Post
Hey I like your tank bag - what kind is it?
I'm not sure of the model but it's from Twisted Throttle. Sorry I can't tell you more, the previous owner threw it in with the bike. They don't show it on their site, so I'm guessing it was an older bag that they had just put their name on.
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  #12  
Old 30 Dec 2012
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Originally Posted by Ironheadziggy76 View Post
My 05 does excellent with the small loads I put on it.



.
Thank you for posting. You have made my day.

I spend hours worrying about how overloaded I am and coming up with schemes to make myself more uncomfortable while camping or less able to afford the actual trip due to having bought a titanium spork or some such rubbish. The fact is, these bikes will take it.

Andy
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  #13  
Old 30 Dec 2012
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My 2012 will sit on 130 for as long as i can sit on 130 without a whisper of a problem, the only concern is when you are above 5000 RPM, it does tend to suck the juice a bit harder, so you need to watch your distance between places to purchase fuel,
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