2012 SUZUKI DL-650 REVIEW
There’s no doubting the sales success of the DL-650 V-Strom. It’s surely been one of the most
successful models in Suzuki’s arsenal, selling many thousands of units in Australia alone. Indeed the
bike has taken on an almost cult status amongst its aficionados. Unless you’ve been practising your
yoga in a remote Himalayan monastery since 2003 you’ll have heard the bike lauded far and wide,
and for good reason; it was a very capable bike indeed, given its budget pricing. And now we have a
new model descended from the proud parent. The blurb from Suzuki loudly trumpets the long list of
all the upgrades they’ve managed to squeeze in, so as a one-time owner of the marque, I was very
keen indeed to see if a sixteenth of a nanometre here and a squeeze of kilowatt there would
translate into a better bike where it matters... out in the real world.
Let’s get straight into it, starting with styling and comfort. The old bike wasn’t universally loved in the
looks department, and I’m not confident this new version will settle the argument. My first impression
from photos was that it’s an improvement, but in the flesh it still has a way of leaving me undecided.
There’ll be plenty of differing opinions on this topic of course, with consensus probably elusive. And
then there’s the windscreen. Here there’s no argument – the old model had a shocker of a screen.
Constant buffeting was the order of the day, particularly in a cross-wind. The new screen has
undergone extensive testing and it shows. There is now a definite still air zone behind the screen,
and 3-way adjustability should offer an acceptable position for riders of most heights. It’s still not the
best screen out there, but it is an improvement. Suzuki claims to have put a lot of effort into improving
seat comfort also, as well as raising it 15 mm. I found the old model had about a “two hour” seat on
the International Numb Bum scale. For me, the new model has a “four-hour” seat, so that’s a distinct
improvement. And finally, the new instrument panel is a real winner. We now have a smaller cluster,
featuring analog tacho, digital speedo, gear position indicator, dual fuel economy readouts, ambient
temperature, and a frost warning, among the usual others. Large clear digits are the order of the day,
and I found it a joy to use, particularly the GPI – it’s a real step forward. And as an added bonus, the
dual tripmeters are now operated from a switch on the left handlebar switchblock, meaning you don’t
have to let go to toggle between them. All bikes should have this feature! As well, there is a
seemingly endless list of cosmetic changes. From stem to stern this new V-Strom has come under
the cosmetic surgeon’s scalpel.
But let’s move on to what really matters; how this new model performs on the road. Suzuki claims a
raft of improvements under the performance banner. A weight reduction in the order of 6 kilograms,
boosted power and torque figures, smoother cam-activated clutch, lighter ABS controller, improved
fuel economy, completely redesigned oil cooler system, redesigned EFI, and the list goes on. So
what does all that translate into?
First impressions on dirt were good. All of those lovely V-Strom handling characteristics were still
evident, only now with a little more edge. Its low centre of gravity and longish wheelbase delivering
surprisingly high corner speeds, with a welcome tendency toward controllable oversteer under power,
while the front wheel tracks confidently true. Nothing nervous or unforeseen. Sweet indeed. And from
that iconic engine there’s crisp torquey power right from get-go that’s clearly smoother and yet a
touch stronger than the old model. Super-slick gear changes, delightful clutch operation, and all 645
CC’s powering ahead. There’s something of an “X Factor” at play here, meaning there’s real pleasure
punting this bike under power from corner to corner, “feeling” the engine’s bountiful torque up through
the frame. This engine somehow satisfies my desire for instant power, coupled in some strange way
with easy delivery. Very nice indeed. But don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a lazy bike.
You’ve heard of the proverbial cut snake, and in the right circumstances the V-Strom can become
one. No doubt about it at all. I’ve seen V-Stroms taken through some very wild terrain indeed, and at
ridiculous speeds. This new model seems set to continue the tradition. A little more go, coupled with
a little more grace, all married to adequate geometry, suspension and brakes means that the bike
feels confident and planted on the road, whether sealed or not.
And speaking of sealed roads, this new model seems to me to emulate the reputation of its parent for
being a wolf in sheep’s clothing on the bitumen. I’ve heard a story or two of V-Stroms rounding up
sportsbikes through mountain passes, surprising all concerned. With more power, less weight, and
excellent ABS, there’s the very real probability that the tradition lives on.
And on the subject of brakes, a point worth noting: not having ridden a V-Strom fitted with ABS
before, I was interested to see how it would handle the braking duties off road. On the tar the ABS
system is nothing short of excellent. The most aggressive braking I could induce from “touring”
speeds resulted in extraordinarily short stopping distances, and in reassuringly composed straight-
line fashion. There is simply no way I could pull this bike up in that same distance without that superb
ABS. A mandatory addition to the bike’s armoury on the road. But on the dirt it’s a different story.
Because it isn’t switchable, I had no option other than forge ahead. At relaxed speeds on hard-pack
dirt the ABS works well, acceptably arresting forward momentum. But if the pace increases, or the
road underfoot turns to gravel, sand or mud, then it becomes a very different story. Here the ABS,
bless its cotton socks, tries very hard to work out what to do. It’s constantly analysing traction and
making decisions it hopes are correct. Consequently it’s applying the brakes and then releasing
them, all in the space of a few metres. This means that on loose surfaces the bike fails to pull up as
I’d hoped. You can kiss goodbye to any plans to back the V-Strom into corners, or to carve through
the forest at speed, relying on sharp braking to handle the usual unforeseen traction changes ahead.
What replaces that approach is a style of riding on dirt that of necessity must be more measured,
relying on anticipation rather than response. I feel certain that more aggressive dirt-oriented tyres
would assist here, offering greater traction for ABS sensing in the slippery stuff, but that would only be
a partial solution. A switchable offering from Mr Suzuki would of course be the answer. In the
meantime, the majority of V-Strom buyers will I’m sure be happy to ride the bike within the perfectly
acceptable margins of stopping that the ABS affords on dirt.
And that brings me to the new slogan Suzuki has adopted for this latest DL-650: “The Comfortable
Adventure Tourer”. There’s no doubt that the V-Strom does lean more in this direction rather than the
previous “Sport Enduro” moniker, and maybe this new slogan is a ploy to distance it from its new
competitors? You see, since the release of the original DL-650, the goal posts have moved
somewhat. The market has seen the release of 800 CC offerings from both BMW and Triumph. Both
these bikes come in two versions – softer road-oriented alongside more aggressive dirt-oriented
models. Sure, they’re considerably more expensive than the refreshing $10,890 RRP of the new DL-
650, but they also offer higher calibre grunt and gear. Time will tell if this latest offering from Suzuki,
as excellent as it is, will manage to hold onto its hard-earned market share as the adventure tourer of
choice in the smaller capacity arena. Maybe if Mr Suzuki offered a 21” front, wire wheeled model as
well? One can only ponder...
In the final analysis though, this latest DL-650 V-Strom is indeed a fine motorcycle, better in most
respects than the one it replaces, and offering up a riding experience that is most assuredly more
than the sum of its parts. It will criss-cross this continent of ours, with you and your payload,
devouring any road you care to point it at. It’ll poke along happily all day long allowing you to savour
the moment, or at the drop of a hat change character and get cracking like a chainsaw on steroids.
The choice is yours. And let’s not forget that it delivers all this in comfort, poise and at a ridiculously
affordable price. Hard to ask for more than that.
Thanks to Suzuki Australia for providing the test bike featured here.
John Baker