This is Adventure Touring!

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LED Side Markers Add Visibility

Although equipped with superb headlighting power, the V-Strom is limited in the lighting department elsewhere. With no parking lights, side lighting is nonexistent and this worries me that I'll be easy pickins' in traffic where unwary motorists won't 'recognize' my V-Strom like other vehicles are normally viewed. To avoid that confusion, I'm installing side marker LED assemblies - two amber units up front and two red units at the rear. They'll be mounted on the bottom surfaces of the fairing 'tupperware' and illuminate the side of the bike while in traffic.

For just $6 per unit at WalMart, these weatherproof, three-LED encapsulated marker lights are perfect - their flat sides allow for industrial strength Velcro fastening out of sight in the daytime but clearly visible at night - classy and practical. A separate switch on my fabbed rear power panel will control these parking light additions.

The Electric Kit and Kaboodle

The immediate desire to upgrade one's V-Strom is too easy with all the great resources online. To make use of the many electrical accessories, it is wise to install a fuse box with the capacity you'll need for future add-ons. After researching the subject, this is where I went to accomplish my electrical upgrade path.

Jim Davis lives in Japan and builds premium electrical harnesses for motorcycles. He also dispenses the Powerlet line of plugs and connectors, a variety of fuse boxes and all the electrical components you'd ever need to wire your bike to the highest automotive code. His Eastern Beaver (www.easternbeaver.com) cycle website is replete with kits and bits that will turn your ride into a local utility for accessories through fused protection against the elements.

I asked Jim to rig me up a variation of his deluxe 6-fuse box harness to equip an even bigger 8-fuse version with ground cables and all - what he calls the Whole Kit and Kaboodle. And it's just that - a fully fused electrical harness that will accomodate all the add-ons I have planned: LED side lighting, a Battery Tender charger conduit, future GPS and XM connections, Symtec heated grips, a Kuryakyn battery monitor and more. Here's what I got:


Main Harness

Ground Harness

I'll be documenting the installation on this transformation to the V-Strom, along with help from John at V-Strom Riders International (http://11109.rapidforum.com), who's electrical writings offer excellent guidance to any budding bike electrician's dreams.

More as this project develops...

The Perfect Adventure Tourer

I've only had my 2007 650 V-Strom a month or so now, but after riding and reading all that is published on this Suzuki wundercycle, it's hard to be modest. I mean, when you hear of Beemer F650 and GS riders opting for a brandy new V-Strom and praise it's lighter weight, linear power and torque, low maintenance, high reliability, uh... do you see what I mean? Once you get started it's hard to stop telling the world what you've found.

Tell you what - I'll change the subject a little. Let's talk about me instead, OK? As an aging adventure seeking, young at heart type, the V-Strom fills the bill for my style and need in an adventure touring cycle. It's not heavy (I thought so at first, but I'm acclimated and love the whole feel now), it turns on a dime, it's incredibly smooth fuel injection/throttle technology is state-of-the-art in motorcycles (goodbye carburation!), it possesses a modest suspension for us mature laid back riders, and has a slew of mainstream name brand accessories available for it.

As good as it was debuting in 2004, the 650 V-Strom keeps getting better - and in important ways, not just trim packages and color changes. Check out these changes for 2007:

• Optional ABS brakes (right on!)

• Wheelbase increased from 60.6 into 61.2 in (more comfy...)

• Dual spark plugs for increased combustion efficiency and improved emissions

• Graduated Chevron Tank Graphic (that's cooler too)

• New rubber boot protectors at swingarm pivot

• Hazard switch was moved outboard of the Hi-Lo beam switch as a separate button switch

• Larger kill switch and starter button is a larger sprung rocker switch instead of a button

• Luggage rack revised from silver to black.

• Deletion of idle adjustment screw (requiring special tooling for throttle body synchronization).

• Dry weight increases from 418 lb to 427 lb (no biggie here)
  

Motorcycle Nirvana?
With an abundance of used 650 V-Stroms available online - and many with a list of farkles to sweeten the pot - the V-Strom phenomena is like nothing I've ever experienced. This is the most reasonably priced bike of its kind - and it beats out the competition in almost every way. For example, Kawasaki's Versys is a competent design, but it can't hold a candle to the V-Strom's stock configuration for daily use. A Beemer delivers a higher level of handling performance but costs plenty more with its maintenance-heavy schedule and expensive parts continuum. KTM dual sport bikes are legendary, and you'll pay for it with your wallet and your posterior. Besides, I wanna go to rural America, not Cairo - but I could if I wanted to, huh?

And yet, the V-Strom is no slacker in the get-up-and-go department - I can always hit 70 mph a lot faster than I want to. And that without an embarrassing fuel mileage average either. The Wee is a potential 200-250 miles per tank road bike, thank you very much. Ask your buddies how far their bike will take them on a tank. Finally, add some offroad clearance for fire roads and hauling capacity to the V-Strom for a bike that balances more needs than any other design for the money. And here's the best part - it's rock solid dependable. Even first year models are still purring along at 50,000 miles or more due to Suzuki's world class build quality and user-friendly service intervals. (Hey, I intend to do the 12,ooo mile valve check/adjustment myself...)

So, are you looking for an easy to ride, affordable, power and torque-endowed, on-road/off-road, coooomfortable, dependable and economical motorcycle? I think I found the perfect choice for you. It's called a Suzuki DL650A V-Strom.

Why a DL650A V-Strom?

After a hiatus from riding on two wheels for a few years (due to a stolen, but recovered, Honda NX250), I finished off 2007 with the purchase of a slightly used (6,234 miles) 2007 Suzuki DL650A V-Strom in classic metallic Oort Gray (the 2008's are painted in Yellow and Flat Black - yuk!).

Almost bought an end-of-year stock model but found this jewel a day before buying. So, on December 8th I found myself in Ft. Payne, AL (three hours from Knoxville, TN) at Pro Source Motorsports and looking at a very well farkled machine. I had made my deal on the phone and although a fellow from Texas was making plans to buy and freight the bike to his house, my check was written first and I trucked it home in my son's pickup.

What a deal! Besides being ridden only 5 months, this bike was loaded! First, it is the ABS model which is a bit hard to find and even better when you're not really paying for it! I managed to get this bike with all its accessories for $1000 under its original street price. Now, add these premo farkles :


Hepco and Becker Engine Bars


Stebel Air Horn (this thing is loud!)


OEM Suzuki Gel Seat


OEM Suzuki Center Stand


OEM Suzuki Handguards & Mirror Extenders


Fenda Extenda



Barbacks


Givi E36 Monokey Hard Side Cases


Avon Distanzia


Windstrom Manta Windshield

And best of all - a 48-month Suzuki Extended Warranty through 2011! I'm still shaking my head in disbelief...

Here in East Tennessee we get many warm days and I'll be on the V-Strom every chance I get. My few hours on the 'zuk have already convinced me this bike is going to be perfect for commuting and long/short range trips any time I get a chance.

In the meantime, during these colder winter months, I've been modding this adventure tourer as follows:


OEM Swingarm Spools (for dealer repairs, etc.)


Dan Vesel Switchplate and Kuryakyn Battery Monitor


46-liter Bestem Hard Top Case



3M Black Reflective Tape


Koozi Koka Kola Kooler (PVC pipe & test plug...)


LED Side marker Lighting (from WalMart)


Symtec Heated Grips


8-Fuse Wiring Harness (from Eastern Beaver)


Rear Power Panel (Battery Tender and auxiliary power)


Grip Puppies

In another couple months, I'll be ready to write some trip reports from our area - so stay tuned!

DL650A Rear Brake Pad Upgrade: EBC FA174HH

Among the compromises in performance the DL650 series suffers from is its squeamish rear brake performance. Stock organic brakes are designed to remain cool and functional but compromise the potential braking capability in the process and just don't provide enough 'bite' to make the rear brake as useful as it needs to be in traffic and trail braking on the road. What to do?

Higher performance HH-rated brake pads are a sintered type with embedded metallic components that really grab your rotor well. EBC's HH-rated sintered brake pads are among the best available brands for increasing efficiency in your DL650 V-Strom's rear brakes. The newest version comes with stainless steel liners to segregate heat at the pad base from migrating into the caliper assembly - cool, literally and otherwise.

But it's important to get the 'right one' as the base plates on all brands are not alike. Apparently, the DP versions have a different tabbing and move a bit in their slots - not recommended. I spent some time locating data on the subject and this is what I found:




These are an older version - we don't want them...


... this is what we're looking for! Two pads with a cooling groove and look at that stainless liner!

In addition to the spiffy liners, look carefully at the profile of the pad for proper fit with correct tabbing and use with stock retainers. Damaging parts at installation is not a confidence builder when it comes to your brakes, huh? And although one vendor published a warning of not mixing sintered with non-sintered front and rear brake pad sets, my ABS-equipped V-Strom will obviously not suffer from this issue.

Here in the States, the EBC FA174HH rear pads are the obvious choice for fit and performance. I purchased my EBC 174HH Rear Brake Pads from Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse on January 22, 2008 for $35.50 shipped.

Sunstar 16T: Add a Tooth for a Bigger Grin

The DL650A's stock 15T front sprocket keeps you a little busier than I would like in slow speed driving (up to 50 mph) - especially the short shift from first to second gear at traffic lights, etc. I'm installing a 16T Sunstar to increase gearing by 6.5% and get more use out of the lower gears in local driving. (With its already generous low-end gearing, the higher sprocket ratio shouldn't affect sub-20 mph navigation either.) This change-up will also slow the engine down at highway speeds (65-80 mph) by about 300 rpm for less overall bike buzz and a bit more fuel mileage as well.

For all aspects of riding from street to highway, you would almost think the bike should have had the 16T from the factory and let those who want to gear it down do so for more low speed performance on strictly local commutes. Some folks have gone up to a 17T sprocket for extended highway travel, and that makes sense too, but a 16T is considered the best choice for mixed travel.

I purchased my Sunstar 16T on January 22, 2008 at Dennis Kirk for $25.94 shipped.