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4 Jun 2006
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Location: Eureka, CA USA
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V-Strom 1000
I bought a V-Strom 1000 and here are my thoughts after the first 100 miles on it.
First off it is lighter than it looks. The faring makes it look big and heavy, but it is not as heavy as you think. Power delivery is very smooth and linear. No sudden power surges at a specific RPM that can make you loose traction in the dirt. It handels very well, but it is not a sport bike. The riding position is very upright and comfortable for me, but that is personl preferance.
I still have myDR-Z for single track trails but the strom should be able to easly do gravel roads. We will see.
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John
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5 Jun 2006
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I would be keen to hear more after you have clocked up a few thousand miles on it. After we finish a trip Trans Canada and US in July-Sept this year I will be replacing my bike. The V-Strom DL1000 is on the short list of possible replacements
Glen
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 Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC
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8 Jun 2006
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Suzukis are always light for what they are. And light steering.
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Todd Bellew
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10 Jun 2006
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V-Strom 1000
I only have 8,000 miles on my V-Strom so far. Am happy enough with the bike that I'm taking it on my trip from Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia this year. Hauls all my gear, is comfortable for me, and gets 440-45 mpg at Interstate speeds.
John
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12 Jun 2006
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500 mile update
Well the bike handls well and corners well. The power band is still very smooth, in fact too smooth since I hit speeds I really dont intend to. I took it on a gravel road today for the first time. The bike is stock with no luggage. I hit 50 mph on the straight streches. The gravel road was very hard compact with light gravel on top. I did slow considerbly for the corners. It should be noted I am NOT an expert rider, but low end of the intermedate scale. The bike is very easy to ride. The oil change was very easy to do as well. So far I have gotten about 37 mpg with the bike, but I have not had the throttle bodies synced and my speedometer is off a little so probably around 40 MPG (US) in reality. Also that is a combo of town, 4 lane hwy, mountain roads and gravel roads. I am estimating I could comfortably get 160-175 miles (indicated) out of a tank before refill.
EDIT: I put 140 miles on the bike today and got off without feeling sore and pain. comfortable for me to ride.
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John
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7 Jul 2006
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12 months, 28,568 miles... not one issue!
Just chiming in here...
I have an '05 DL1000. In exactly 12 months I have put 28k+ on the bike with no issues. I've done an SS1000 (if you don't know it's 1000mi in 24 hrs) and just got back from a Portland, OR to St. John's, Newfoundland and back trip (9900mi). I had it loaded with all the necessary things for a long trip in my Givi's as well as all my photography equipment and laptop for web updates along the way -- pro photographer.
Here's the trip (still need to complete some of the Daily Logs... busy, busy, busy back home)
http://blackestockphoto.com/blacke_road_trip.html
I got 43+mpg on the trip fully loaded and I'm 6'3" and 230lbs. Lots of highway miles at 80mph+ which affected the mpg.
Awesome bike! I can't say enough good things about this bike. I ride it every single day rain or shine. Even had snow in Evanston, WY during my SS1000!
Next big trip... Shipping bike to Iceland for one month of off road exploration! Already salivating!!
Again... AWESOME BIKE!!!!! 
BStrom
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7 Jul 2006
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How does the V-Strom 1000 perform all loaded up with side panniers? Is the frame stiff enough to handle the torsional loads? I checked out another travellers V-Strom 650 with aluminum side panniers and I found the sub-frame was very flexible which would mean a lot of weaving on uneven surfaces. Does the 1000 have a stiffer frame?
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7 Jul 2006
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V-Strom 1000
Having just returned for a trip to the north land fully loaded with Givi saddlebags I found the DL 1000 very comfortable and stable. Never had a weave on any surface even grooved pavement. Also have a top case that is fully loaded. Carried two one gallon containers of gas on the passenger seat just in case the fuel range was not enough. I'm a rather large rider (6'5" & 300+ lbs.) so I think I stress the frame and would notice and problems.
Hope this helps.
Take care,
John
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Originally Posted by davidmc
How does the V-Strom 1000 perform all loaded up with side panniers? Is the frame stiff enough to handle the torsional loads? I checked out another travellers V-Strom 650 with aluminum side panniers and I found the sub-frame was very flexible which would mean a lot of weaving on uneven surfaces. Does the 1000 have a stiffer frame?
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27 Jul 2006
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So basically what you all are saying is The V-Strom 1K can do the same thing a BMW 1200GS can, for half the price and twice the reliability? Wow, that changes my mind rather quickly.
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22 Aug 2006
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I realise I'm coming into this thread a bit late but I owned a Vstrom 1000 and hated it.I owned it less than a year. I previously owned a Varadero and the Varadero was a much superior bike. My Vstrom handled like a pig on skates in the bends and the seat was designed for someone not my height (6') I took it over the Alps and down into Slovenia. when I returned to Scotland I went the next day and traded it in for a bandit 1200. I have since got a Tiger which is much better than my Vstrom. Oh how I miss my old Varadero. I'd advise anyone buying a Vstrom to take one for a LOOONG ride first. I hated mine with a passion. I've only ever spoke to two others who had tried a Vstrom and both hated it.
Believe me, if the Vstrom was the only bike in the world I'd buy a car.
Jim
P.S and now I'm stuck with vstrom as my user name, it still haunts me that bike 
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22 Aug 2006
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Mollydog: I don't doubt what you say about your Vstrom, but mine was indeed a pig on skates. The back brake was a mess and the front brake was pathetic. But it was in the handling on bends that it was scary. The Bandit was bought as a stop gap since the Vstrom wasn't old when I traded it in and the Bandit only cost me the Vstrom + 700 pounds. I took the Bandit over the Alps and it was a vast improvement over the Vstrom. You asked about mechanical problems, sadly the Vstrom never let me down, unlike the Varadero 
Maybe it was simply ME or maybe it was MY Vstrom All I'm saying is, before anyone buys another pig on skates they need to take it for a LONG test ride. I didn't hehe. But hey, I'm not bitter
Jim
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23 Aug 2006
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vstrom,
When I get a new bike I take short trips to find what works and what
doesn't. Did this with my Wee Strom, found my buns were done in three
hundred miles. Sneaked out the house with my wife's electric carving knife,
pulled the cover back on the seat and carved it to fit. My mileage jumped to
600 with no problems. Didn't like the handlebar position, and made a set of
mounts, moved them up 1" and back 1 1/2". Same for the windshield, didn't
like the buffeting my head was getting, took a 1500 Wing windshield and cut
it to fit the Strom. It's 5" wider and 2" taller, that stopped my head from being
slapped around. Then took the LOOONG trip to Prudhoe Bay, 10,400 miles in
21 days, loved the bike. I'm now looking forward for the season to change so
I can continue my trip to TDF on the same bike.
Names and tattoos should be carefully chosen before applying!
Harold
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23 Aug 2006
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Hillcityrider See that's what I like about Americans, you have a "can do" attitude. I prefer to buy an "off the shelf" bike and use it,OK it might need wee tweaks, but that would be all. I really did hate the Vstrom and I loved the Varadero. Even though the Varadero was the one which broke down and stranded me in The North of Scotland in the middle of no bloody where
Last edited by JimOD; 27 Aug 2006 at 00:40.
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27 Aug 2006
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Jim,
May I take a couple of guesses? You are a bigger sized guy and never adjusted the suspension for your size? "Pig on skates" pretty much sums up any bike I don't adjust the suspension for my oversized butt.
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27 Aug 2006
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I'm not big. I'm about 6' I found the seat to be uncomfortable especially when compared to my Varadero. I did try adjusting the supsension and found the best setting I could. I still had no confidence at all in the handling. I even had it back in the garage to be checked as I was sure there was something wrong with it. It's not a problem as I sold the bike as soon as I got back from my one and only trip on it. I only posted about it to alert others that not everyone found the bike suitable.
If it's any consolation though. I now have a 2006 Tiger and it's not as good as my 2000 Varadero, but it is better than my Vstrom.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by grimel
Jim,
May I take a couple of guesses? You are a bigger sized guy and never adjusted the suspension for your size? "Pig on skates" pretty much sums up any bike I don't adjust the suspension for my oversized butt.
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