2019-07-01_RiDE

Suzuki

V-Strom 1000

Month 05

Finalmiles 4839

Milesthismonth 655

MPGthismonth43.2

[email protected]

Dual purposes

riDEhaSSpEntthiswinterandspring

discoveringtheday-to-dayrealityoftwo

verydifferentJapaneseadventure

bikes.ProductioneditorJimBlackstock

hasbeenridingSuzuki’sV-Strom 1000 ,

whiledeputy editorMartinFitz-Gibbons

hadthekeytoHonda’sAfricaTwin

AdventureSportsDCT.Aswellas

commutinginallweathers,thepairhave

headedfurtherafieldonlongerrides,

testeda numberofaccessoriesand

evengotthetyresmuddydownbyways.

Andafterallthat,here’sthefinalverdict

ofourdual-purposeduo...

What’sthebestthingabout

yourbike?

JBTheSuzuki’sengine,everyday.The

V-Stromisa bigoldlump(and,

coincidentally,soamI) soa large

torqueyengineisa must.Andthe

1037ccV-twinisjustthat.Windit upand

itsgutturalgrowlgrowsandgoesbut,

forme,it’stheinstantsurgefromlow

downinalmostanygearthatwins.

MFGTheAdventureSports’ssublime

ridequality,piercingheadlightsand

250-milerangeareallace.DCThas

grownonmetoo;thoseseamlessshifts

asastonishinglysmoothastheyare

addictivelylazy.ButI mostloveitsgiant

gazellestance.Tall,slimandmuscular,

yourbraingoes‘phwoar’thesecondthe

garagedoorliftsopen,especiallyinthat

paint-scheme.Justlookatit.Phwoar...

how didyoutry to

improveit?

JBByfittingSuzuki’slowseatsoI could

reachtheground.Also,reducingthe

buffetingaroundthehead.Thiswas

Honda’sAfricaTwin AdventureSportsand

Suzuki’sV-Strom 1000 sitatoppositeends

oftheadventurescale. Afterseveralmonths,

whataretheyreallyliketolivewith?

100 | july 2019

long-term test

2019

ride

fleet

the