'It's a practical adventure bike.' 'It's a simple motorcycle.' 'It's a lovely tourer if you stick to the highway.' Well, people weren't wrong when they said all this about the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT. But while Hamamatsu's middleweight adventure bike was receiving appreciation for its gentlemanly personality, ADV aficionados were going gaga over its brutish European counterparts. And I think that's what ticked off the V-Strom (and Suzuki) to let go of everything 'nice' about it, and turn into every adventure biker's wet dream.
It all starts from the way the V-Strom 800DE looks. It's a big deviation from the bulbous and flowing design of the 650XT. No longer does it want to 'show' that it is a big bike one glance and you know it is. The longer I stared at it, the more I was drawn to it. Except for the tail-light, none of the design elements reminded me of the 650XT.
In fact, all those sharp lines and complex layers reminded me of just one thing origami. And though it is 15 kg heavier than the 650, the maxi-enduro styling gave me an impression that the 800DE will be lighter to manoeuvre.
And I was right. The moment I swung my leg over, it was evident that the V-Strom didn't want me to play nice. I mean, the long and tall handlebar meant I had this big motorcycle by its leash and the footpegs were placed just right for me to grip the bike comfortably while being seated or standing. With the ergonomics taken care of, even a slow motorcycle feels enjoyable.
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Motoring World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Motoring World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
DESTINI REWRITTEN
With a pretty major design overhaul, has the Hero Destini 125 found a new footing altogether?
OLDIE'S GOLD?
History makes yet another comeback with the BSA Gold Star 650. Is it what you were hoping for?
THE HIGH OF THE TIGER
Triumph's big cat is in its most ferocious avatar yet
LAUGHTER HOURS
This! This is the greatest single of all time!
BULL'S EYE?
Audi's new flagship SUV — or a budget Lamborghini Urus?
DARK HORSE
The Alcazar is now available in a new avatar, and the multi-faceted SUV deserves more attention than it got in the past
CURVV-BALL!
Tata's new mass-market SUV coupe may have more than a few tricks up its sleeve
GIVEN A RAISE
The EQS SUV looks like an EQS sedan on stilts but it offers a lot more than that
FOR MUCK'S SAKE!
No scooters, commuters or old bikes... this year's Pune Off-road Expedition was serious work
ALL THE WAY UP!
Exploring the vast landscape of Ladakh with Renault India's lineup - why would we say no?!