Trail – New Suzuki V-Strom 2012 test: received, very good mention! – The road test!

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New Suzuki V-Strom 2012 test: received, mention very well !

Trail - New Suzuki V-Strom 2012 test: received, very good mention! - The road test!

During its first test in Croatia, the new trail Suzuki DL 650 V-Strom 2012 made no dead ends and passed the rigorous examination of Site which it obtains with the congratulations as well in town, on small roads and on expressways.

The road test !

Like its predecessor, the Suzuki Trail 2012 version has mechanics that are extremely pleasant to handle. Clutch, selector, front and rear brakes: all the controls respond smoothly and evenly, which greatly facilitates contacting.

Like the changes in the driving position, it will take a fine connoisseur to notice a difference in behavior between the old and the new model. The others will remember above all that the engine approval of the Suzuki is present.

You even end up forgetting the left lever as you can upshift the gears on the fly smoothly. The most lazy can even lower them still without resorting to the clutch control! With such a gearbox, we say to ourselves that Suzuki engineers would not have much to do to launch an automatic motorcycle. !

Throttle management is just as satisfactory: both on reset and off, the double throttle injection demonstrates know-how, not to say "savoir-vivre". The engine is also fairly conciliating for a V-Twin: it resumes without knocking from 2500 rpm, but without much conviction.

She always rolls mechanics

To take advantage of more punchy acceleration, it is better to go beyond 4000 rev / min. The revving is constant and will not surprise novices: the Japanese engineer was therefore right in explaining to Site that a system of choice of mapping similar to that of the GSX-R "would be superfluous on the V-Strom because it is already very soft and everything goes well, even on wet roads".

While one would describe it as just "correct" on a roadster, the feeling of power on the Suzuki trail is satisfactory. Admittedly, we would not spit on a surplus of peps around 5000 rev / min to arsouiller on the small roads of Split and its surroundings, but on a daily basis the far-sighted and docile character of the twin-cylinder is sure to please..

The suspensions are just as considerate: donkeys, small holes, big bumps, coarse bitumen fittings and other city and country traps are all very well negotiated !

Only the ABS can disappoint at times: it offers discreet feedback in the controls, but stands out in terms of braking distances. The system – yet "the latest generation from Bosch", insist the Japanese – let the bike slip a little too much on the rapid successions of small speed bumps.

The fork is flexible but does not sink excessively on the first stroke of the brake, while the rear shock absorber mounted on rods distinguishes small jolts from big shocks and without any worry cash the 69 horsepower released at 8,500 rpm.

A good road

On small winding roads, the engine is quickly maintained between 5,000 and 8,000 rpm, taking advantage of unsuspected (or unsuspected) handling … on good surface. A lot of heat during acceleration allowed MNC to verify that the DL 650 could, thanks to its very good chassis, bring the pilot to the limits of grip !

The chassis is surprisingly neutral for a high-legged motorcycle (150 mm of travel at the front, 169 at the rear). The front axle reacts particularly well to mass transfers: a little too optimistic when entering or exiting a curve, the rider can take the brakes again without risking losing his trajectory.

The ground clearance, increased by 10 mm compared to 2011, allows a little more angle. However, to see the opener Simon Crafar – yes the real one, winner of the GP of Great Britain at Donington in 1998! – and its passenger make sparks in the bends, we tell ourselves that with loaded suitcases, the V-Strom will not be able to quite play the Supersport.

Here again, the inertia of the front wheel is felt and the rapid changes of angle require a certain conviction on the handlebars. On the other hand, the stability in the big curves is imperative. In general, the stability of the DL is reassuring. Only the steering of models with empty suitcases became slightly blurry in a straight line … but at shameful speeds !

The V-Strom benefits from the same gearbox staging and the same primary and secondary ratios as its predecessor: the sixth report is therefore always akin to a real overdrive since by engaging it, the "V-Stromer" drops the almost 1000 revolutions needle !

Just cruising…

If this "over drive" does not make it possible to get out of the slums on the wheel caps – the engine then stalls at 2000 rev / min for 45 km / h -, it constitutes a significant asset on the motorway: stalled just above the 130 km / h regulatory counter at 6000 rpm, the pilot isolates himself from the slight tingling that appears in the levers and footrests 1000 revolutions higher.

The buttocks well set back on the wide part of the saddle, the position remains very relaxing and the protection of the bubble – set at the factory in the intermediate position – completely isolates the torso, the shoulders and the first third of the helmet.

On accessorized models, you hardly have to lower your neck to protect yourself from the wind: the additional spoiler effectively directs the air flow upwards and you can line up the kilometers without any fatigue..

The engine does not run out either. At the end of these nearly 400 km of test, the average consumption of our last model showed an average consumption of 18 km per liter, or 5.55 l / 100 km (the unit of measurement can be changed on the motorbike).

So, with just one tank of gas, this V-Strom could almost have covered our entire 390 km route. The new little Suzuki therefore concludes this test as it started: with the congratulations of the Site jury !

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