i have a vstorm 650,great relable bike all around.you can have much more info in forum storm troopers,if you going india ,think of buying the xt model with the spooked rims.no diffrent on paved road,much better offroad,protect the bike well,crashbars,skidplate,and dont put the oem cheap guard levers,buy the barkbuster ones.if you ride solo no much stuff the suspension is just ok.

Thought it would be fun to follow up on this a year later. I'm now on my trip. I delayed it and left on 1st May 2017 instead October 2016 like I was originally planning.

I did get a DL650. and then another, with less miles on the clock just before I left.

Me and Donkey are having a bloody great time. He has bottomed out once or twice. the bash plate has taken a nasty knock that bent it up into the centre stand, but that was following an Africa Twin and XT660 up a very rough mountain trial so I'm very proud of him. I'm trying to take good care of him on the potholes but he's putting up with everything stunningly so far.

His name is donkey because he's a stuborn mule, he's not amazing at anything in particular but he can go anywhere with some coaxing and care, and he's carrying a ton of stuff while doing it.

https://facebook.com/travellingent


I'm chuffed with my choice, I wouldn't want to be having my trip on anything else right now. I'll try and report back once we've made it to NZ and how much of the original Donkey still remains.

The DL650 was a great choice IMO. Good job you was not on the "WEE" very short on ground clearness.
Safe Ridding.