DL650's lament

[TheIglu]

Ditch FZR600.

Get Busa.

[breakdirt916]

ugh wth....CA insurance is over $900/year with just liability/comprehensive! that's with multi-vehicle discount, health professional discount, alarm discount, low mileage discount, blah blah blah.

FZR was $322/year

hmm...do I like this bike for $600/year more than a clapped out yamaha?

I am liking the rental idea more and more...for $60/day, I can rent the bike for roughly once every couple months (cuz let's be real, how often do group dirt rides *really* happen when I don't have every weekend off) and still spend less annually

I've just read so much on forums of people loving this bike til the day it dies that I feel I'm missing something....going to live with it for a month and see how I feel. Maybe it'll grow on me? At my purchase price, I can likely get out of this thing at a profit.

[nhbubba]

You got me to log into progressive.

$104/yr, full liability with $1k deductibles. The collision costs me $34/yr and $5/yr for comp.
Each additional bike is $75/yr, liability only. They consider the katie M $2/yr more of a liability than the DRZ, but it comes out in med and uninsured somehow.

So yeah. I think I could theoretically insure my 'strom for $65/yr. All hail the lowly 'strom.

[breakdirt916]

Ya Cali ridiculous plus $80ish/year annual Moto registration...I figure 12 month riding season plus all the bitching roads/trails more than makes up for it...*if* I love the bike and actually ride it all year...

Paying it and not using it kills me. That's why I am not married

[carsick]

Paying it and not using it kills me. That's why I am not married

Ah, this explains all the Vegas trips.

[TheIglu]

I really hope you didn't buy this bike thinking it was an off road bike.

[nhbubba]

Or chick magnet.

[breakdirt916]

neither!

wanted something ugly for street parking in long beach...commuting...touring...adv riding...light fire roads (already tried some...definitely keeping the YZ250 for real dirt riding)...breakfast in Julian/Joshua tree for lunch

I've been on (what I consider) a POS Yamaha for so long, and so happy with it, that I thought it would be an upgrade in almost all respects (minus power/track riding...which is okay...keeps my speeds down and I haven't done a track day since NHMS). But maybe what I really want is to just add some farkles to my FZR (top case...LED lights everywhere...and make it ugly on purpose). I dunno. I can't make up my damn mind. Busaaaaaaaa and KTM. Africa Twin. CBR600RR. YZF600R. Speed triple. Grom. I dunno. Marry cougar and buy all of them?

[Stromper]

I was really bemused when I saw the Africa Twin wants 91 octane, good luck in Baja

[breakdirt916]

oh nvm...AAA updated their insurance to an annual premium vs. 6-month...DL650 - $487 annually...but right now FZR w' multi vehicle policy discounts is $133 annually

[Chippertheripper]

If $300 annually is going to make or break your entire budget you need to give up motorcycles entirely.

[Garandman]

Sold my 2009 DL650A to a guy in NJ - with Jesse bags. He bought a Bonneville and put it up for sale last Spring. Guy from Germany bought it sight unseen, asked for some help getting plates, took a cab from Newark airport, loaded up his gear and headed off for a planned four month exploration of NA. Pretty sweet.

Used to speak German pretty well so used to visit the German site "VStrom Friends" sometimes. They have different problems then we do: for example, they usually don't cruise at 160 kmh (almost 100mph) because mpg dropped so fast they didn't save any time. Most seemed to cruise 130 kmh (about 80mph), with bags.

Somewhere I have a translation of the history of the V-Strom. The German distributor greatly influenced the development of the bike, which was positioned as a sportier GS-style bike for younger riders. The DL1000 was introduced first but was not popular in Europe due to fuel consumption and road taxes (based on displacement) but the DL650 was a solid seller.

Famously, the bike won the "Alpenkönig" ["Alps Master" or more literally "King of the Alps"] award from Motorrad twice, and the German riders had a joke, "Why does Suzuki produce the DL1000? So BMW would place third." (This is hilarious for Germans)

BTW the 2016 winner was the Honda Africa Twin, although it tied in the Adventure Touring category with the Aprilia Caponord.

[breakdirt916]

^^ that's a cool read! it definitely looks like a solid bike...and I can see why mileage would drop at 100 (high rpm's w' heavy throttle position)

but arghhh...chipper is right!!!

I still don't know if I want this or not!!!!

but since ins cost in half...I'll ride it out (pun intended) & see how it feels

edit: took it for a 70 mile night rain ride...still not sure about the traction/tires. The rear did not break loose under heavy acceleration, but very easily under braking. Definitely brakes more like a sport bike vs. a dirt bike and heavy front brake biased. Straight line in any rain conditions were fine up to the 90-100 indicated. Around the city I was the victim of "try to hit the bike". A Mercedes just merged into me with no warning while I was in my own lane, then drove with high beams on behind me since I accelerated forward to avoid get smashed. Regular cali driving...but the bike was nimble enough to get me out harms way. Good around the city...on the freeway though,, I found myself hitting the limiter here and there. I also can't figure out how the windscreen is supposed to direct airflow. I still get smashed in the head with wind and I definitely need earplugs. If I hunch down it's quiet, but I'm holding the controls with my wrists at a 90 degree angle. Maybe I need the aftermarket screen, but will try raising the one I have. Going on a dirt ride tomorrow with the YZ, but VERY tempted to take the DL!

[markbvt]

I was really bemused when I saw the Africa Twin wants 91 octane, good luck in Baja

That's 91RON (the Euro method of calculating octane). Which equals 87 octane using the AKI method standard in the US and Canada. So yes, the Africa Twin is perfectly happy with regular gas.

--mark

[TheIglu]

I also can't figure out how the windscreen is supposed to direct airflow. I still get smashed in the head with wind and I definitely need earplugs. If I hunch down it's quiet, but I'm holding the controls with my wrists at a 90 degree angle. Maybe I need the aftermarket screen, but will try raising the one I have. Going on a dirt ride tomorrow with the YZ, but VERY tempted to take the DL!

For the third time, Madstad + CalSci or Givi screen.

[Gixxer]

How does the first gen kawi versys compare to the dl650? Seems like I dont hear much about the kawi.

[nhbubba]

Never had the pleasure. But I looked at them real hard before buying my 'strom. Little more sport, little less ADV. 17's on both ends vs the 19/17 ADV style setup on the 'strom. Inline twin vs a V. Arguably some better specs and arguably some worse. My $0.02 says the 'strom is the strom is slightly better build and slightly better screwed together. But then the truth it is probably about the same. Both are sub-par compared to the euro hardware there.

[Chippertheripper]

Refresh my memory on what exactly the wee and the versys compete with from Europe? I know I'll feel dumb once you chime in, but off the top of my head, all the European scoots are either bigger, or large singles...

[Gixxer]

The little bmws maybe, like the gs650 or whatever? Aprilia shiver? I'm reachinh

[nhbubba]

Refresh my memory on what exactly the wee and the versys compete with from Europe? I know I'll feel dumb once you chime in, but off the top of my head, all the European scoots are either bigger, or large singles...

Whatever.

I consider the Tiger 800 and GS 800 to be close 'nuff. I get lambasted for this all the time, but in my odd little brain the Tiger 800 and V-Strom 650 are direct competitors. YMMV, it seems.
Cue the Marks to tell me exactly how wrong I am.

[Chippertheripper]

That's a fine enough answer for me. Curiosity=satisfied.

[markbvt]

I consider the Tiger 800 and GS 800 to be close 'nuff. I get lambasted for this all the time, but in my odd little brain the Tiger 800 and V-Strom 650 are direct competitors. YMMV, it seems.
Cue the Marks to tell me exactly how wrong I am.

No, I agree, they're aimed at the same mid-sized ADV market segment. The Tiger 800 is just a much better bike than the V-Strom 650. It's aimed at the upper end of the segment, and the Strom is aimed at the lower end.

The BMW F650GS/F700GS and Tiger 800 roadie/XR would be more closely aligned with the Strom than the F800GS or Tiger 800 XC, of course.

The big competitor to the V-Strom 650 in other markets was the Honda Transalp until they discontinued it, but that bike hasn't been sold in the US since about 1990. It's interesting that the Japanese have chosen to only address the lower end of the mid-sized ADV class, while the Euros are sticking with the higher end. Seems to me the Japanese are well-positioned to offer a higher-end model with much better suspension, better performance, etc -- which Honda pretty much did with the Africa Twin, except that motor puts the bike into a weird sub-class that doesn't really have any current competitors.

--mark

[breakdirt916]

Love the utility of that top case!!

Fits gym clothes, lunch, jacket, rain suit, reflective vest, gloves, knee guards, and boots in a pinch! But not *with* the helmet...But easily remedied with the saddle bags. Just a lot more keys than I want to carry...(one key per case)

Bike didn't want to lean on the rear... Handlebars wanted to turn instead. Tires were at 22psi hot... Brought them up, and WHEEEE...She falls right into turns!

Had the 20's - ish psi on hardpack dirt road again...It was okay over a straight sportbike, but I didn't like it much. Next set of tires would be dedicated sport touring. Leave the dirty duty to the right tool

However, bird did take a dookie on it. Meh.

[Stromper]

Gixer 1k pretty much turned around on any kind of greasy dirt road, never down but work and no fun

Vstrom go ANYWHERE that is a road, ride ALL day on 2 lanes, faster on poor roads
I have negotiated single tracts and un maintained dirt with sport touring tires
She has taken a nap now and again and is a little scratched and blemished but fugly so not a problem

Now with about 30K sent shock out for freshening and revalving so should have upgraded handling etc. for $400

Around New England it is more than fine on all poorly paved roads. There certainly are places in the world
where pavement is rare and a truly more dirt oriented bike would make sense but that isn't us.

If If If I was buying new I would give a serious look at the Africa Twin. I think the Suzis 1k are overpriced though
left overs go for about $11000 which may make sense. I like power so though the 650 is adequate but I would

buy a used DL1000 2004 to 2012 and pay less than 5 and ride the crap out of it, There are many mods and farkles which
if installed would have made a much better magazine review for a few hundred

[TheIglu]

Love the utility of that top case!!

Fits gym clothes, lunch, jacket, rain suit, reflective vest, gloves, knee guards, and boots in a pinch! But not *with* the helmet...But easily remedied with the saddle bags. Just a lot more keys than I want to carry...(one key per case)

Bike didn't want to lean on the rear... Handlebars wanted to turn instead. Tires were at 22psi hot... Brought them up, and WHEEEE...She falls right into turns!

Had the 20's - ish psi on hardpack dirt road again...It was okay over a straight sportbike, but I didn't like it much. Next set of tires would be dedicated sport touring. Leave the dirty duty to the right tool

However, bird did take a dookie on it. Meh.

PR4's are the bees knees on this bike. Massive mileage, shit ton of grip.