Suzuki DL 650 VStrom motorcycle test – 2012 vintage

Menus

• Aids for the road
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Contact
• In the city
• Highway
• National
• Departmental
• Comfort
• Braking
• Consumption
• Convenient
• Conclusion

Aids for the road

10 years of good and loyal service … the DL 650 VStrom indeed celebrates a nice anniversary in 2012, without having succeeded in dethroning Transalp in terms of sales and especially in decline against the Tiger and other F800. It was about time, it’s done. So, farewell to the DL 650 for a brand new model completely revised and unrelated to the existing one. ?

Yes and no ! Because if it is indeed a new model, Suzuki still succeeds in the feat of serving recipes that have already been successful elsewhere. The DL thus inherits logically from the Gladius, while retaining elements which had succeeded in the 2001 vintage. everyday, good at all things, with ease … if it weren’t for an ungrateful physique … euphemism … And we know it, it is the look which is often the first reason for the choice. So, transformed test? Test on 400 kilometers of virolos in Croatia, under the sun and ideal conditions…

Discovery

Pataude the old DL 650? The designers therefore leaned on the cradle to refine everything, from the bow to the stern: front headlight … keeping a little air of the old, rear headlight borrowed from the Gladius, tank and side covers curved and lines sweet close to Gladius … the beast has become beautiful, without revolutionizing the genre. We would even find inspiration from another Japanese. The Vstrom remains unique and recognizable from afar. It all works very well. Its main flaw is thus erased for a machine up to date, which has not yielded to the sirens of the latest style trends, to give a result that should age very well..

By approaching, we discover a pretty saddle-type saddle with topstitching of the most beautiful effect. The high outlet exhaust is almost hidden on the right side. The plastics combine matt and shiny effect, with imitation carbon for the front mudguard, well finished. At the rear, we discover an original luggage rack and under the saddle, there is a nice space for a long U-lock. Practical.

Otherwise, we find the same frame as the old one, dressed in a different way on its upper part. The old engine has passed the hand to the 645 cm3 VTwin of the Gladius, redesigned in terms of mapping for a less sporty character and more suited to a road trail. In fact, the torque goes from 64 to 60 Nm, obtained above … with a maximum torque at 6,400 rpm against 6,000 rpm previously and a max power. 69 horsepower obtained at 8,800 rpm against 8,000 rpm.

In the saddle

Or there! The 1.70m is struggling. In fact, the feet … or rather the left foot only touches the toe … but not the right. You have to take the saddle 20 mm lower so that both feet touch the ground … and again only with the tip. Fortunately, it’s light and the balance is instantaneous without a cold sweat.

In front of you, there is a complete, modern dashboard, with the analogue all-count on the right on a white background, and a large and large digital display on the right allowing all the information from the on-board computer to be displayed: speed , partial double trip, totalizer, fuel gauge with 5 sticks, exterior temperature, road temperature indicator (ice detector), consumption per hundred kilometers, and number of kilometers per liter, engine temperature indicator, clock … everything is there and with the practical side, because the displays are handled on the handlebars and are clearly visible, even in direct sunlight. The headlight call button has been replaced by a switch for this purpose. The lighthouse call is now facing the driver. And everything is easily handled.

The driving position has changed significantly, even more natural than the old model, bringing the rider a little closer to the handlebars while the handlebars and footrests remain in the same place. The whole thing offers an upright and natural position.

The saddle is instantly comfortable, combining beauty and efficiency.

The mirrors, finally, almost square, offer excellent vision, while adjusting very easily, including when driving.

Contact

The silencer emits a less hoarse sound than the old model, or even a little higher.

First, second, the gear change is done naturally with a gearbox that turns out to be soft in use. The DL goes up in towers with ease and accepts all revs without batting an eyelid. The red zone in first at 76 km / h steers as easily as the 6th at 50 km / h at just 2,000 rpm. It accepts everything, and offers a particularly softened twin, smoothly, pleasant on a daily basis..

After a few meters, the bike is already in hand, no surprises or attention, whether in terms of engine, braking or handling. It even gained in maneuverability, the front being much more agile..

In the city

Agile is the watchword of the DL 650 in the city. The V-Twin works wonders by accepting all speeds, from 1,500 rpm on the last and sixth gear. You really have to be at 1,000 rpm for it to hit, and again, the Vstrom accepts without playing the clutch! On the first two reports, it is also almost soft. The wide handlebars and the driving position then allow you to slip between the lines of cars without difficulty and with ease. The low center of gravity makes you forget the weight of 214 kilos … which are totally forgotten, even on very slow and effortless maneuvers.

Highway

At the exit of the city, the reports are assembled one after the other, authorizing the limits of the breaker, without batting an eyelid. 76 km / h in first, 110 km / h in second, 136 km / h in 3rd, 170 km / h in 4th, 195 km / h in 5th … the acceleration is straightforward, without being sporty until 4th. .. the last two reports making it possible to accelerate even more but more smoothly with a longer draw. The speeds continue to pass without difficulty and the DL happily exceeds 220 meters … closer to 200 km / h in reality (verified with GPS). At these speeds the steering is a little light giving a slight blur, which leads to a noticeable return of the hand. As for the protection of the standard screen, it is excellent up to 170 km / h, and good up to 190 km / h, without generating any vibration or infrasound in the helmet. In fact, it is a possible cruising speed … unloaded. Because as often on a machine loaded with suitcases and a top-case, and in particular a trail, the lightened front and the high-speed highway require a little more attention. The blur then appears around 150 km / h with a very slight shimmy around 170 km / h which tends to give up control … anyway, with the cases which act as air-brakes, the maximum speed drops from 30 km / h to reach 190 km / h. Conversely, the old model was more stable at high speed, accepting, loaded, large curves at 200 km / h, without batting an eyelid. That said, protection of the screen, good behavior, comfort of the saddle, and natural driving position allow long highway crossings without problem..

National

The DL is found naturally on the national road, always offering excellent protection and comfort. And when going from national to small village, we can simply stay on the same and last gear … The DL accepting to wind at 40 km / h on the last gear without knocking or moaning! And by accelerating again, it slowly resumes its turns to find speeds … largely prohibited in France.

Departmental

The game begins on the small mountain roads … which the DL approaches with serenity and liveliness. We then go down two or three gears depending on the desired driving pace. Snarling in third, softer in fourth … anyway, even the real hairpins manage to get caught in 4th and the DL agrees to start again with ease, barely playing the clutch. Impressive … especially for this displacement with real versatility. Gone are the days of the Bandits who needed to constantly juggle the intermediate gears to manage to get out of the game effectively … Soft on the 5th and 6th gear, the DL regains pep on the 4th gear and a fortiori on the 3rd with an extended range of use. In fact, it accepts all the modes without problem, with a small preference between the range 4.000 – 8000 rev / min … with a real better from 7.000 rev / min. And if it accepts without problem to climb up to 10,000 rpm or even to remain punctually in the red zone, these ranges do not provide any additional advantage. His agility, however, allows him to show many people in the virolos. Its only flaw lies in its pneumatic mounting in TrailWing, below its potential, which deserves to be replaced by ScorpionTrail or Dunlop Trailmax. The beginnings of gliding at the acceleration or in fast pace encourage to go a little more relaxed with the handle. To be tried to confirm impressions of under-use of the motorcycle because of the tires.

Comfort

The Vstrom was comfortable … by benefiting from a saddle saddle, the 2012 version only reinforces the existing comfort. After 400 kilometers of virolos, no saddle comfort concern to emphasize … for the standard saddle. The lower one by 20 mm on the other hand … is certainly lower but its angle at the crotch, wider, not only does not really offer a better 2 cm, but above all is less ergonomic, even embarrassing and less pleasant in sportier driving, making it more difficult to tighten the tank properly.

Braking

ABS appears as standard, with a new model signed Bosh! A real plus, especially since it is totally forgotten. We can therefore take the brakes with violence without fear. The rear brake is more than a simple retarder, which is even sufficient in town with a good feeling under the foot … until slight returns, making feel the start of the ABS. At the front, the brake offers a good feeling and sufficient power to be gripped with only two fingers in 99% of cases. The set offers something easy to take in hand from day to day and very effective in arsouille … not too bloody anyway, because the DL is not a sporty trail..

Consumption

The DL underwent a weight loss regime, causing its tank to lose two liters of capacity, enough to raise concerns about a reduction in autonomy. But that’s not counting the real work done on fuel consumption, which averages 5.2 liters / cent and rises to 5.4 liters / cent in the mountains, at a very rapid pace. You really have to wrestle violently to reach 5.9 liters, maximum consumption noted during the test. There is no doubt that with a quieter use, the consumption should fall below 5 liters.

Convenient

Space under the saddle! A big and big lock fits in without problem. The original rear luggage rack makes it easy to stow a good bag. Then there are the optional suitcases offering up to 124 liters of capacity, not to mention the tank bag which can offer between 14 and 19 additional liters. The cases exist in two versions, both in terms of look and capacity, offering respectively 38 and 42 liters for the TopCase, 40 or 45 liters for the left case and 30 or 37 liters for the right case. Note that the suitcase supports are placed via 4 screws requiring a quarter turn to be removed … very easily … to restore a viable look outside of vacation periods and long journeys.

The DL has an optional center stand … and in general, a kickstand on a big, well loaded trail, makes everything rather difficult to maneuver. Nothing like this here, with a particularly well-designed central stand, which almost allows the bike to be placed on the center stand without the front hand, or then being put in place with 3 fingers, without having to grip the machine firmly and with all its force. motorcycle with the necessary technique. Small riders who can not put their roadster on a stand will get there on the first try..

Suzuki has gone to great lengths to offer a long list of accessories, from the crankcase to the enduro suit, including heated grips, hand guards, additional windscreen, 12 volt output….

Conclusion

We have been waiting for it for several years … Suzuki finally released an evolution of its trail 650 … particularly successful, especially in terms of aesthetics. The performances are still there with what made the success of the old one: ease of handling and good to do everything on a daily basis. It has clearly gained in agility, despite everything losing a little stability at very high speed. Far from the big sporting trails of 800 cm3, it is rather an easy, pleasant, comfortable machine, designed for both solo and duo and which is forgotten. Suzuki has just made a big effort on the accessories and the equipment, allowing to consider long trips, well equipped, at the same time for the motorcycle, the pilot and the passenger. All these points mean that Suzuki can indeed reasonably count a doubling of sales on this model, formerly stabilized at 800 models per year and which is now targeting 1,500 models. And at 8,199 €, the DL 650 is indeed a good shot – but unfortunately as expensive as the Transalp ABS – which is sure to give pleasure. !

Strong points

• look
• versatility / good all-rounder
• comfort
• agility / ease of use

Weak points

• high speed stability
• engine that deserves a little extra pep
• the original mounts

Competitors: Aprilia Pegaso 650, BMW F800, Honda Transalp 700, Triumph Tiger 800, Yamaha TDM 900

Datasheet

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