In an era where there is a lot more talk about big adventure bikes, and the limelight shining less on the midsized bikes, I often find myself wondering why? Especially when smaller adventure bikes are lighter, versatile, and cost-effective.
Sometimes we expect our heroes to come wearing bright and colourful capes, with secret supernatural powers, when in effect, they are everyday people walking amongst us and coming in plain clothes. The Suzuki DL650XT is one such hero, simple, reliable with just the right amount of grunt to get the off-road adventure riding done, just like the so-called big boys, if not better.
The Suzuki V-Strom has been in production since 2004, and its current offering is powered by a 645cc four-stroke, liquid cooled 8-valve DOHC 90-degree V-twin engine. A 6-speed gearbox is mated to this engine, and the rear wheel is driven by a chain. The baby V-Strom has a 20-ltr fuel tank, a seat height of 835mm, and a decent ground clearance of 170mm.
Its wet weight is 216kg, and both wheels are tubeless and spoked, with the front being 19-inches and the rear 17-inches.
What stands out for me is the simplicity of the bike, with very little electronics, which makes the V-Strom bullet proof off the beaten track in the middle of nowhere. The traction control system has two modes and an off option, with Mode 1 allowing for a modest rear wheel spin for the more spirited and adventurous rider.
An easy start system allows for a single light press on the start button, and the ECU takes over to fire up the engine and disengage the starter once the two cylinders are in full swing. Added to this
is a low RPM assist feature which guards against unexpected engine stalls and automatically raises the idle speed when the clutch is engaged or riding at low RPM.
The Cultural Tour:
Our group departed Johannesburg early Friday morning, travelling through the eastern Free State and entering Lesotho through the Maseru Border Post. After border formalities, another two hours awaited as we fought CBD traffic towards our destination – Semonkong Lodge, Place of Smoke .
On Saturday morning after breakfast, we headed towards the majestic Maletsunyane Falls (192m high) on horseback, then later rode donkeys through the village towards our next activity, the blanket display. At this point, it had begun to drizzle, which made riding the V-Strom fun and exhilarating; it did not disappoint. I learnt so at the display and our narrator was proficient about the Basotho people and their culture. For a moment, I felt like a stranger to my own culture.
Conclusion:
Because of the high mountain ranges in the Mountain Kingdom, it is normal to experience all four seasons within near reach of each other. At some points I froze, a few moments later only to experience the most awesome sunsets, only to be rained on.
And, through all this, the Suzuki V-Strom DL650XT never skipped a beat, nor was it shy to please with every twist of the throttle.
At only R166 650, maybe it is not true that money cannot buy happiness.
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Story by : Tumelo Maketekete