The Suzuki V-Strom 650, known by its model code DL650, is a mid-weight adventure touring motorcycle made since 2004. Its name combines V for the engine layout with the German word Strom, meaning stream, and riders nicknamed it the Wee-strom.
Suzuki V-Strom 650 at a glance
| Production | since 2004 |
|---|---|
| Model code | DL650 |
| Type | adventure tourer |
| Engine | 645 cc 90-degree V-twin, liquid-cooled |
| Bore x stroke | 81.0 x 62.6 mm |
| Valves | four per cylinder, separate cams for intake and exhaust |
| Gearbox | six speeds |
| Exhaust | two-into-one with catalytic converter |
| Frame | twin-spar aluminium with Showa monoshock |
| Wheels | 19-inch front, 17-inch rear |
| Windscreen | adjustable over 50 mm |
| Built in | Toyokawa, Japan |
History of the Suzuki V-Strom 650
A V-twin all-rounder
The V-Strom 650 arrived in 2004 with a fuel-injected 645 cc V-twin derived from the SV650, slightly retuned. Its cam profiles are more relaxed, which lifts power between 4,000 and 6,500 rpm, and the airbox and exhaust were revised too; crank inertia is 4 percent higher thanks to a redesigned starter clutch. The DL650 uses SCEM-plated cylinders rather than the SV’s cast-iron sleeves, plastic outer clutch and sprocket covers for less weight and noise, and Suzuki’s AFIS auto fast idle system with dual throttle bodies. A two-into-one exhaust with a catalytic converter handles emissions.
Chassis and equipment
The bike has a stiff twin-spar aluminium frame and swingarm, a Showa monoshock with rebound and hydraulic preload adjustment, non-adjustable Showa damper-rod forks, a 19-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear. The instruments combine an analogue speedometer and tachometer with an LCD panel for odometer, trips, coolant temperature, fuel and clock, and the windscreen adjusts over 50 mm. Under the seat there is a small compartment for tools, gloves or the owner’s manual.
Reputation
Reviewers have been consistently enthusiastic. Motorcyclist named the DL650 one of its ten best bikes under $10,000 in 2007, ahead of the V-Strom 1000; Cycle World called it perhaps the most shockingly competent machine in the world in 2006; and German Motorrad readers twice made it Alpenkoenig, king of the Alps, in 2005 and 2006. Kevin Ash called it the best bike you can buy in 2005, praising comfort, range, engine and handling while faulting the brakes and corrosion resistance. The bike has been in its third generation since the 2017 model year and has a loyal following, outselling Suzuki’s larger and smaller V-Strom models.
Design and features
- SV650-derived V-twin: retuned for midrange and given SCEM-plated cylinders.
- Adventure chassis: aluminium twin-spar frame, 19-inch front wheel and a Showa monoshock.
- Practical touring details: adjustable screen, six-speed box and a two-into-one exhaust.
- Award-winning all-rounder: Alpenkoenig twice and a regular magazine favourite.
Suzuki V-Strom 650 versions
- DL650 (2004): the first generation.
- 2007 update: optional ABS, longer swingarm and dual spark plugs outside Europe.
- 2012 model: revised generation.
- 2017 model: third generation.
The V-Strom’s engine comes from the SV650, and its adventure role sits above the dual-sport DR-Z400. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.
Sources
- Suzuki V-Strom 650, English Wikipedia: engine, chassis, equipment, reviews
