Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE Review; Best Middleweight Adventure Motorcycle?

Photography: Arvind Salhan

The Suzuki V-Strom series is a little over 20 years now, with the V-Strom 1050 launching in 2002 and the 650 making its debut in 2004. But in this article, we are discussing the latest iteration of the V-Strom, which is the Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE. And to find out whether the V-Strom 800 has the capability to whip up a storm in the middleweight adventure motorcycle segment.

It is a good-looking machine, especially in this shade of yellow and purple

Also Read: Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE Launched In India

Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE: Design & Features

The motorcycle has a typical, tall ADV stance, with an ADV beak and this particular ‘Champion Yellow No. 2’ colour makes the bike stand out on the road. It is a big motorcycle and easily has the charisma to match that of a BMW or a Triumph or a Ducati. It does have a solid presence and we like the way it looks. In typical Suzuki fashion, the build quality and the fit and finish on the bike are top notch.

Fit and finish on the motorcycle is top notch

But the plastic knuckle guards feel quite flimsy and won’t be of much help if you do take a tumble and the sides of the engine bash-plate is made of plastic, while the bottom part is metal. A proper metal bashplate should be standard fitment on this bike.

You also get a crisp 5-inch colour TFT-LCD display that offers all the information in a clear manner and has a decent interface. It is fully legible even under harsh summer sun.

In terms of features, the motorcycle gets ride-by-wire, three riding modes, 2-step ABS that can be disconnected at the rear wheel when going off-road, a four-step traction control and a dedicated ‘gravel’ or ‘G’ mode. If in the city, then the ‘basic’ riding mode is the best and if you want sharper throttle response then the ‘active’ mode is what you should choose. The traction control and the ABS can be switched off if required.

The windshield has multiple adjustment options, but one must remove the bolts and adjust it, which takes up significant time and effort. Plastic knuckle-guards feel flimsy

Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE: Engine & Performance

Now petrol heads may argue that that new V-Strom 800 is not a ‘V’ because it gets a parallel-twin engine. The older V-Strom models had a V-Twin, but the 800 DE gets a 776 cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine which it shares with the Suzuki GSX-8S, that’s not on sale in India yet.

The 776 cc parallel-twin engine is super smooth. It makes 82 bhp at 8,500 rpm and has a peak torque output of 78 Nm at 6,800 rpm

Now the parallel-twin engine on the V-Strom 800 DE gets biaxial primary balancers, which are positioned at a 90-degree angle to the crankshaft. Well, without getting too technical, what I meant to say is that this motorcycle, the engine, is easily one of the smoothest and the most refined units I have ever tested. You will hardly feel a buzz in the footpegs and the handlebar. It is a job well done.

The motor is tractable and delivers power down the rev range and keeps a nice linear flow of torque across the rev range.

The surge of pulling power in the bottom end and the mid-range is quite likeable. Triple digit speeds can be reached in less time than it takes to complete this line and the V-Strom 800 DE can cruise at over 100 kmph on the highway all day long and not miss a beat. The 6-speed gearbox with the bi-directional quick-shifter makes switching gears an easy affair.

It is a heavy motorcycle which runs hot, especially in Indian summer

If you plan to ride this motorcycle daily, then there are a few compromises that you will have to live with. First, the parallel twin engine on this bike heats up quickly, particularly in the hot Indian summer. If you ride this motorcycle in traffic, it is going to roast your legs.

The V-Strom 800 DE has a kerb weight of 232 kg, which is a handful

Second, the motorcycle weighs 232 kgs, yes, it is quite a heavy bike and muscling it out of a parking lot or chugging along in bumper-to-bumper traffic is going to be painful. And thirdly, the seat height of the motorcycle is 855 mm, so it's quite a tall seat and it may be a deterrent for shorter riders. But then all of this is likely to be true for all adventure bikes.

The bike feels stable and confident while cornering

Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE: Ride & Handling

Where the V-Strom 800 DE shines is, is the way it rides and handles. The Showa suspension is tuned soft, and this is again one of those motorcycles that doesn’t require you to slow down for a speed breaker. Regular road undulations simply won’t be noticeable when you are astride the 800 DE.

The bike handles like a charm, even with a 21-inch wheel up front

And despite the 21-inch wheel, the motorcycle loves to corner. It holds the line nicely and feels nimble and stable at the same time. There is decent grip from the Dunlop tyres as well. The brakes are sharp and offer solid stopping power, but the flipside is that the front end dives a bit too much for my liking if I grab a fistful of brakes.

The V-Strom 800 DE has a dedicated gravel mode as well

Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE: Off-Road Performance

Now Suzuki pegs the V-Strom 800 DE as a dual-sport machine and yes, it does well on mild off-road trails and kaccha roads. Like we said at 232 kg, the motorcycle can really be a handful if you don’t have the required skills. But otherwise, the motorcycle is quite responsive to rider inputs especially when you are standing up and riding. It gives you a feel of solidity and, more importantly, the motorcycle chassis is on point. It makes the motorcycle feel much lighter than it actually is.

One can turn off ABS on the rear wheel and traction control completely

If you are riding on mild trails or loose gravel, then the bike does its best in the gravel or ‘G’ mode. It offers enough slip on the rear wheel with subtle intervention so that you always stay in control.

There is 220 mm of suspension travel at both ends. But for hard-core off-roading, you might want to look at better tyres

To make it a more potent off-road machine, you will require much better skills, better than mine, for sure, and maybe a better set of tyres. With 220 mm of travel at both ends, one may feel that there’s enough purchase for bigger impacts, but the suspension is soft, and you might end up bottoming it. You will need to play with the suspension settings to get the state of tune right. The overall ergonomics of the motorcycle are comfy, with a tall stance, upright perch, and a wide handlebar. Whether you are riding seated or standing up, the bike feels in control.

The biggest miss is that the V-Strom 800 DE comes with tubed tyres and doesn’t even offer tubeless rims as an option.

No tubeless tyres maybe a deterrent for riders who frequently go on long distance rides because a puncture is not a question of ‘if’ but of ‘when’, especially on Indian roads.

The pricing on the motorcycle is competitive, compared to its rivals

Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE: Pricing & Rivals

The Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE is priced at Rs. 10.3 lakh (ex-showroom) and as it stands today, it directly goes up against the Honda XL750 Transalp, which is priced at Rs. 11 lakh, (ex-showroom).

Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE: Verdict

It is a great option to have in your garage, if you like going on long rides and off-road as well

It is a fantastic machine, and it ticks off all the right boxes like great performance, decent set of features and comfy ergonomics and it’s a good motorcycle to have in case you find the Ducati Multistrada V2, BMW F 850 GS and the Triumph Tiger 900 too expensive and too intimidating. The V-Strom 800 DE is a well-built motorcycle, looks good and puts a smile every time you ride it.

The one glaring miss is the fact that it gets tube type tyres, and you don’t expect that from a motorcycle that costs well over Rs. 10 lakh. But otherwise, it is a fantastic machine and if you are in the market to look for a middleweight adventure motorcycle, then the V-Strom 800 DE should be quite high up on your consideration list.

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