The growing adventure tourer segment may see a new challenger from Suzuki this year – the V-Strom 650. An international model, the V-Strom 650 fits the bill as an accessible, near full-size adventure tourer and is available in two variants – the standard 650 and the 650 XT. If Suzuki will indeed launch the V-Strom, the XT will be its variant of choice. Suzuki has showcased it at the Auto Expo 2018 and it may be headed to our shores later this year.
The V-Strom borrows its motor from the SV650 in substantially updated guise. The 645cc V-Twin produces a healthy 71hp at 8,800 rpm and is paired to a 6-speed gearbox, configured for long-distance comfort. Internationally, the V-Strom 650 has been well received for being refined and vibe-free and it scores high on comfort, too.
Unlike the Versys 650 – its primary competitor – the V-Strom 650 does not feature a fully-adjustable USD fork, however. It gets a conventional telescopic fork instead, with a pre-load adjustable monoshock at the rear. This is still perfectly suited to its purpose of on/off-roading but is expected to lack the road-biased dominance of the Versys. The twin-spar alloy frame should prove to be a rugged yet indulgent platform on and off the road and with 110/80 R19 (front) and 150/70 R17 (rear) tyres, it certainly has the shoes to match its girth and purpose. While the standard (road-spec) model gets alloys, the XT gets anodized wire-spoke rims shod with Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A40 tyres (in the same size), with an enduro-style tread.
The V-Strom offers decent levels of equipment as well, prominent among which are the three-way height adjustable windscreen, a 3-stage traction control system (2 levels and a disengage option), Suzuki’s useful Easy Start System and also a functional-looking digi-analog instrument cluster which is info-packed (and is borrowed from the V-Strom 1000). ABS is standard on the V-Strom 650 although the off-road enthusiasts amongst you will be disappointed to learn that it cannot be disengaged, making the off-road riding experience a bit less dramatic.
The XT being the top variant of the V-Strom is expected to be considerably more expensive than the Versys 650, perhaps even Rs 1.5 to 2 lakh more, and Suzuki is currently gauging response towards it at the Auto Expo 2018.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
