Trail – Test Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT 2017: right in “the” thousand! – Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 – Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

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Test Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT 2017: right in the "thousand" !

Trail - 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test: right in the & quot; the & quot; thousand! - Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 - Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

The V-Strom 650, a real best-seller with more than 170,000 sales since 2004, takes advantage of Euro4 to evolve technically and aesthetically in 2017 by copying the V-Strom 1000. Better equipped and more comfortable, the mid-capacity trail Suzuki reaches a rare level of efficiency. Trial of the XT adventurer version.

Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 – Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere !

Imagine a maze of perfectly paved roads, meandering happily through the mountains in an area of ​​exceptional wild beauty. Add breathtaking panoramas, against a backdrop of rocky slopes and pleasantly shaded forests, pleasant weather the clearest of the year and reduced traffic. Are you there? Well know that this paradise for bikers does indeed exist in the south of Barcelona (Spain), in the sumptuous natural parks of Tarragona !

Trail - 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test: right in the & quot; the & quot; thousand! - Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 - Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

Here, there is no need for a pawns of power and a chassis derived from MotoGP to access happiness. On the contrary, even: a mechanically alert motorcycle is enough to extract itself smoothly from the countless number of pins, while an obvious cycle part prolongs the pleasure in the following rows! And to enjoy it as long as possible, comfort and good autonomy are preferred to advanced technologies..

In this idyllic setting for two-wheeler enthusiasts (in the broad sense, because cycling excursions are also worth the trip!), Functionality takes precedence over performance … and the 2017 V-Strom 650 XT reveals it all. the facets of its pragmatic efficiency. Because, yes, let’s break the suspense right away: if the old V-Strom "six-and-a-half" already shone with its formidable versatility, the 2017 version succeeds it brilliantly, with even greater homogeneity. ! 

Trail - 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test: right in the & quot; the & quot; thousand! - Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 - Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

This astonishing demonstration begins with astonishing comfort, improved in 2017 by the reinforced qualities of the saddle and the windshield. Well installed on this non-adjustable seat, a 1.75 m pilot puts his two feet flat on the ground despite the 830 mm height. The saddle is well designed, even if the narrowness of its front part favors accessibility to a snug support. The raised handlebars fall naturally under the hands and the legs do not suffer from any unpleasant bending. 

The new screen – 9 mm higher – protects very well, even in the low position: only the top of the helmet is exposed, the bust being completely sheltered. No turbulence is noticeable, even at high speed, while the hand guards of this XT version form an appreciable bulwark. Especially in anticipation of winter trips! The efficiency of the windshield can be further improved by loosening four screws with an Allen wrench, then raising it two notches. Bikers 1.80 m and over will appreciate. 

Simply efficient

The 2017 V-Strom 650 XT continues its recital of good manners with astonishing simplicity: its steering is light, easy to place and yet unperturbedly stable. A success valued by its contained weight (213 kg) and narrow tires (110 and 150 mm). In addition, the front axle is practically insensitive to braking on the angle, which gives the Suzuki trail a remarkable ability to improvise despite its wheelbase of 1560 mm.

Trail - 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test: right in the & quot; the & quot; thousand! - Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 - Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

But the most impressive is the brilliant compromise of the perfectly calibrated suspensions. The fork lifts – and wins! – all the challenges despite its lack of adjustments, absorbing shocks and mass transfers with the same relaxation. The same goes for the rear (adjustable for preload and rebound), which has an ideally controlled sag curve. Despite its basic elements, the V-Strom 650 can boast of a damping that is beyond criticism. Comfort, responsiveness, progressiveness: the Suz ‘trail combines all these qualities! Who can say the same for less than 8,500 € ?

Thanks to this excellent connection to the ground, traction is always there. To the point of questioning the usefulness of adding traction control … Because on dry and well-paved roads, the 71 hp are insufficiently muscular to really fail the grip of the very convincing Brigestone A40 d ‘origin. In these – good – conditions, the grafting of this traction control appears more like a marketing tool than like an essential assistance to control the motorcycle … Still its presence is not annoying, because its entry into action is very fine and that it can get out of a delicate situation on slippery asphalt ! 

Trail - 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test: right in the & quot; the & quot; thousand! - Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 - Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

Like its suspensions, the braking of the V-Strom 650 belies its poor appearance by presenting strong skills. Of course, the respondent is not exaggerated: there is no risk of making your eyes pop out of their sockets by pressing the right lever! But the 2-piston calipers bite into every disc with conviction and enough power. The simple rear caliper is not left out, while the ABS performs its functions efficiently … on smooth asphalt. The central, quite old, indeed loses the thread on the dented.

An engine that lives up to its rank

Last convincing argument – and not the least – offered by the V-Strom 650 XT 2017: its engine both flexible and voluntary, embellished with enough temperament in the towers to give a smile. Provided of course to keep in mind its displacement of only 645 cc! The revivals under 4000 rev / min (90 km / h in 6th) are not therefore necessarily the strong point of the twin, lack of sufficient breath at low speeds with regard to the mass and the volumes to be moved. If the V-Strom 650 has the generous silhouette of a maxi-trail, it does not have the vigor…

Trail - 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test: right in the & quot; the & quot; thousand! - Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 - Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

In the first third of the tachometer, acceleration is steady but lacks responsiveness to get out of bends with force or overtake quickly. The fact remains that the bike is not lazy, allowing a smooth ride in a series of tight turns without having to knit the gearbox, a bit rough on our barely running test bike (135 km at the start).

As part of a more dynamic driving (or duet loaded), the trick is to drop a report at the appropriate time, to spice up the raises by staying in the second part of the tachometer (needle). Because it is from 6,000 rpm (130 km / h on the last report) that the sensations tumble and that the charm operates: the V-twin gains in reactivity and quickly climbs up to 10,500 rpm of the breaker.

The acceleration of this engine which is not marked by inertia then becomes really nice, in unison with the excellent behavior of the chassis. However, the weight of successive standards begins to be felt: less "stifled" (but more polluting), previous generations were even more demonstrative in the towers. This is a sign of the passing of time for this twin whose origins date back to the … 1999 !

Verdict: a lot of big qualities and very few small flaws !

Beneath its rather basic and unostentatious motorcycle exterior, the V-Strom 650 actually conceals a concentrate of efficiency in all circumstances. The extent of its dynamic qualities, unsuspected at first glance, is such that it will respond favorably to most requirements. Even to the point of overshadowing larger rivals, including its big "sister" V-Strom 1000.

Trail - 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test: right in the & # 39; la & quot; thousand! - Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT test page 2 - Dynamics: excellent everywhere, bad nowhere!

Still, with a view to traveling in a duo with suitcases, its 645 cc will prove to be a little fair, especially if the getaway in question includes significant elevations. Other limits to its formidable versatility: its ground clearance too limited to cut serenely across fields, especially as its oil filter is dangerously exposed behind its fragile plastic shoe! Despite its adventurous appearance and 19-inch front wheel, the V-Strom 650 XT thrives naturally on tarmac. Its ABS can not be deactivated or configurable, so quickly exceeded in off-road, completes the reminder of this reality.

Other small defects to mention: the small noticeable mechanical tingling from 5000 rpm, which becomes annoying from 7000 rpm at the level of the saddle and the footrests. MNC also regrets slight jolts during the phases of cuts and go-around. And that’s about all that can be faulted: the strength of the V-Strom 650 lies precisely in its lack of real weaknesses. !

Rare are the competing motorcycles to enjoy such homogeneity for this price (€ 8,399 for the standard and € 8,899 for the XT): less expensive (€ 7,799), the Honda is not as playful when the BMW is ‘reverse much more expensive (9450 €). Same thing for the Triumph, more rewarding but which starts at 10,800 € (XR)! As in the past, the Kawasaki is posed as one of its strongest rivals, with its adjustable inverted fork and its adjustable screen without tools for 8,049 €. 

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