It looks like it will be ready for delivery on Thursday. I will let you know what I think in a few weeks.

Glen

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Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC

Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!

I thought I'd jump in on the DL1000 conversation. In Sept. 2006 I traded my KLR in for a DL1000 V-Strom. While I thoroughly liked the KLR I found myself commuting about 200 miles a week by bike. One particularly windy day after a 50-mile drive back from work I got off the KLR with numb feet and hands. The KLR, while a tractor on back roads in Mexico, gets these micro-vibrations at highway speeds (enough to crack the seams of the alum boxes). I'd ridden a buddy's DL650 "Wee-Strom" and it was both more comfortable and had way better pick-up on the highway. Though a bit heavier and smaller than the KLR it was a nice ride. So, after that I had my eye out for a used Wee-Strom. A DL1000 turned up at the dealer down the street and I jumped on it even though the 650 is what I really wanted.

So, I know, this is an overlander forum, not about street riding...but I've been putting the DL1000 to the test slowly by taking short trips in all sorts of terrain with different types of loads. I'm not going to get into the "this-bike-is-better-than-that-bike" thing, but here are some of my observations so far:

Two up in Texas (back roads): My GF and I took an overnight camping trip just to test it out loaded. We road on street and well-graded dirt roads around Central Texas fully loaded. The bike handled great on the dirt roads two up. It seems more "solid" than the KLR did two up on dirt roads. And, Jeannette is more comfortable than on the KLR. So, I think it makes a great two-up bike on dirt county roads if you just ride slow and steady.

200 Miles of Texas Back Roads: I rode about 200 miles of a 370 mile, fast-paced Thanksgiving ride alongside KTMs, DRs, KLRs, and XRs (dropped out to get home before dark...deer, you know). This was the first time I'd had the V-Strom on anything worse than a well-graded road. It handled well in sand, water crossings, and rocky twin track (not loaded up though). Again, slow and steady. Several others laid over and a GS took a tank-busting spill in a river crossing, but the DL, once I got the hang of it, drove on through. The other guys were making fun of my "street bike," but mine was the only bike over 650 cc to last as long as I did (three GSs dropped out [one broke] and a Uly dropped and dropped out too).

Bad, Really Bad, 4x4-only back roads: I took the Beast (as I've taken to calling it) out to Big Bend National Park fully loaded (pics below) to see how it handled on really bad roads. I plowed through over 50 miles of roads a guy on an Africa Twin told me not to take (he'd dropped 3x). Again, slow and steady, but it was work. First gear it too tall I found on the places I wanted some more torque, like up rocky hills, but that should be an easy front sprocket switch to fix.

The next day it rained and what was soft sand testing me one day was slick mud the next. The beast made it out from my camp site to pavement (6 miles), but it was like work. I have a knobby front, so that saved me I think.


The Beast loaded for bear coming out of the mud hole they call Old Ore Road.


For street comfort I think it needs handlebar extenders (I'm 6' tall). It certainly needs a better bash plate. One that covers the oil cooler would be nice, as my cooler caked up with mud being directly behind the front tire. Acerbis guards or something similar are needed too to save the levers in a lay over. That's all the mods I plan so far. The Givi side bags came on it, so I'm keeping them 'till they drop off.

So, after 5 months that's what I've put the Beast through and she handles well so far. Heavier than the KLR, of course, but for two up it handles well.

Next test, a two-up ride from TX to CO for the July HU meet up. I've found a bunch of Nat'l. Forest roads from New Mexico to the Silverton area we're planning to ride on the way in.

I'll let you know how it goes...

The new bike now has over 5000km on the clock. One trip to the Hu Meeting covered around 3400km door to door. Now I feel that I can comment on a few things.
The good
Nice and light to flick around, enough to scrape the pegs on mountain roads.
Comfortable riding position
Good tyre wear considering
Ease of riding on dirt roads
Staintune pipes give off a very pleasant sound
More than enough grunt to blow away an XJR1300
Not enough to leave an FJR1300 behind
Ease of dialing in the front and rear suspension settings

The bad
Obvious sprocket mis-alignment problem
Despite a Madstad bracket the buffeting problem is still there, all be it in a minor way. And it now looks like the screen is from another brand of bike.
Crazy place for an oil cooler. (sustained minor stone damage)
Centre stand leaning clearance RS

Conclusion
Big learning curve for me considering that this bike replaced a CBR1100XX. After it was run in and I could start to use the extra 2000 - 3000 rpm top end I found about 20 more ponies. A good all round machine that once set up correctly will make a good adventure bike for future travels.

__________________
Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC

Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!