The 2015 Wee Strom has achieved perfection

[Chippertheripper]

I believe the beak is part of the anti-theft/security package

Bahahahahahah

[SwiftTone]

What type of maintenance do you have to do on wire spoke wheels other than cleaning the spokes

[nhbubba]

Truing the wheel, tightening the spokes.

[gregp]

Owning a 2012 Wee, I agree that the bike is just about perfect. It is everything, except *Exciting*.
BTW - Wire wheels/Cast wheels - I mangle them all.

[RandyO]

spoke wheels are nice bling when they are bright and shiny, but look like crap dirty and rusted, at least alloy wheels don't rust or need maintenance

I have thought that I would like wire wheels, but the more that I think of it and my experience beating alloy wheels on New England roads has not been that bad, haven't had to straighten my Vee's wheels, I did have the front wheel on my SV straightened, and cost wasn't any more than what it cost to pay someone to true a laced wheel

[markbvt]

think more of potholes in shitty New England roads, it's still not an off road bike by any means at 474 lbs

It's less the weight than the geometry and suspension that limit things off pavement.

My Tiger weighs almost exactly the same as my Wee-Strom did, but it's a FAR better bike in the dirt. It's still not a trail bike, of course, but it's very capable on rough class 4 roads and loose gravel where the Wee was sketchy and ungainly.

It is nice to see Suzuki taking the ADV market a little more seriously, and the luggage and spoked wheels are nice upgrades for the Wee. But quality suspension and brakes would be a better upgrade. And going back to the SV650 form factor but equipping it with DR-Z-level suspension and 21/18 wheels would be even better. This dude on ADVrider built his own, and it kinda makes me drool.



--mark

[RandyO]

It's less the weight than the geometry and suspension that limit things off pavement.

My Tiger weighs almost exactly the same as my Wee-Strom did, but it's a FAR better bike in the dirt. It's still not a trail bike, of course, but it's very capable on rough class 4 roads and loose gravel where the Wee was sketchy and ungainly.

It is nice to see Suzuki taking the ADV market a little more seriously, and the luggage and spoked wheels are nice upgrades for the Wee. But quality suspension and brakes would be a better upgrade. And going back to the SV650 form factor but equipping it with DR-Z-level suspension and 21/18 wheels would be even better. This dude on ADVrider built his own, and it kinda makes me drool.



--mark

that is pretty close to what I would like to do with my SV, but mine would look more like a rat bike, I was thinking of a tractor style seat and the 9" diameter headlamp from my XV920R

I agree with you about the geometry, one of the reasons I think my SV is a better bike for Class IV or (Class VI in NH) roads, on the otherhand, the V-strom geometry makes it a better bike for winter street use much easier to slip and slide without lowsiding

[Chippertheripper]

Why not just pony up for a used 9x0 super enduro then?

[markbvt]

Why not just pony up for a used 9x0 super enduro then?

I was seriously considering that before Triumph announced the Tiger 800. Nearly pulled the trigger on one. But the two factors that kept holding me back were its shitty gas mileage and relatively high maintenance -- I ride a lot, so it would have been an expensive bike for me to own.

--mark

[Chippertheripper]

45mpg = no Bueno??

[LXnastynotch93]

Why not just pony up for a used 9x0 super enduro then?

Did someone say a 950 Super Enduro?

KTM 950 Super Enduro 950SE

[SVRACER01]

Did someone say a 950 Super Enduro?

KTM 950 Super Enduro 950SE

ok...that thing is pretty bad ass.

[nhbubba]

[breakdirt916]

holy cow...is that a do-it-all bike?

[SVRACER01]

one of those may be my next bike, because...you know...everyone should have a 100hp dirtbike

[Stromper]

If it wasn't just marketing BS they would have gone for

21 Front 18 rear

The current thinking it is all style no substance. Though never intended for single track the
designers Starbuck sucking Broadway musical fans no longer even think about fire roads

[TheIglu]

It's not meant to be an off road bike.

It's meant to be an all-road bike.

[markbvt]

45mpg = no Bueno??

I always heard (from people who owned them) that they rarely got better than 35mpg.

--mark

[Garandman]

If it wasn't just marketing BS they would have gone for

21 Front 18 rear

Difference in rolling diameter between 19" VStrom and 21" KLR650.

[RandyO]

Difference in rolling diameter between 19" VStrom and 21" KLR650.

while the 21" is a little taller, the load index is waay less 467lbs vs 536lbs for the 19" Vstrom size

many times V-stroms are already over the weight limit of the tires when riding 2up, with lower load index it would be even more potential for overloading