Australian Road Rider — Bike Guide 2017

84 Australian Road Rider Bike Guide

Adventure Touring

True adventure takes guts, so KTM’s rally experts brought out the big guns and packed

1301cc, 140Nm of torque and 160hp into the world’s most advanced Travel Enduro

chassis. This makes for a mile-munching omnivore, ready to carve its name into any terrain

— the tougher, the better. It is our most extreme ADVENTURE ever, full stop.

With its vast distances and remote, rugged terrain, Australia is more than just a place

you see, it’s a place you feel. Recognising this, Suzuki has released the V-Strom 1000GT

Grand Tourer. It’s purposely built to support any rider’s adventuresome side, whether

that adventure is a multi-day journey or a daily commute to work. The GT edition is

equipped with a Factory Suzuki 35L top box, side case set, centre stand, lower engine

cowling, crash bars, large touring screen, LED indicators, hand guards, decal set and an

attractive tank protector.

All of Himalayan’s sums and parts work in perfect harmony to utilise the energy of the

terrain it traverses. A grounded stance, terrain-tested suspension, dual-purpose tyres

combined with agile handling means the Himalayan can handle any off-road environments.

Gathering followers with its versatility and friendly nature, the V-Strom 650 has earned the

respect of many riders as an excellent touring machine. It is truly a masterpiece, with the

ultimate balance provided by the natural riding position, comfortable seat and the fl exible

engine character. It offers stress-free riding whether it’s daily use or long-distance adventure

touring. The new model also receives a boost in engine performance while conforming to

Euro4 emissions standards. All the small updates, including weight savings, have made the

V-Strom more versatile, controllable and accessible, lifting its performance so it proudly

announces that it is simply “More V-Strom”. The XT Cross-Touring variant comes fi tted with

wire-spoked wheels, hand guards and engine under cowling as standard.

ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN $6990

SUZUKI V-STROM 650 XT $11,490

Engine: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC

90° V-twin

Displacement: 645cc

Power/Torque: 49kW @ 8800rpm/60Nm

@ 6400rpm

Transmission: Six-speed, chain fi nal drive

Tyres: F: 110/80R19 R: 150/70R17

Seat height: 830mm

Kerb weight: 216kg

Fuel capacity: 20L

Warranty/Service interval: Two years,

unlimited km/NA

SPECIFICATIONS

VERDICT: UNDERRATED ADVENTURER

Engine: Liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder, four-

stroke, 75° V-twin

Displacement: 1301cc

Power/Torque: 118kW/140Nm

Transmission: Six-speed, multi-plate slipper

clutch, chain fi nal drive

Tyres: F: 90/90R21 R: 150/70R18

Seat height: 890mm

Kerb weight: 217kg (dry)

Fuel capacity: 23L

Warranty/Service interval: Two years,

unlimited km/15,000km

SPECIFICATIONS

VERDICT: UNSTOPPABLE

Engine: Liquid-cooled, four-stroke, DOHC, 90°

V-twin

Displacement: 1037cc

Power/Torque: 73.9kW @ 8000rpm/103Nm

@ 4000rpm

Transmission: Six-speed, chain fi nal drive

Tyres: F: 110/80R19 R: 150/70R17

Seat height: 850mm

Kerb weight: 228kg (wet)

Fuel capacity: 20L

Warranty/Service interval: Two years,

unlimited km/NA

SPECIFICATIONS

VERDICT: ULTIMATE GRAND TOURER

Engine: Single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke,

SOHC

Displacement: 411cc

Power/Torque: 18.kW @ 6500rpm/ 32Nm @

4000–4500rpm

Transmission: Five-speed, multi-plate wet

clutch, chain fi nal drive

Tyres: F: 90/90R21 R: 120/90R17

Seat height: 800mm

Kerb weight: 182kg

Fuel capacity: 15L

Warranty/Service interval: Two years,

10,000km/NA

SPECIFICATIONS

VERDICT: SHERPA ON TWO WHEELS

SUZUKI V-STROM 1000GT $19,990

KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE R

$25,995

LAMS APPROVED

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