The 2015 Wee Strom has achieved perfection

[LXnastynotch93]

Are you kidding me Suzuki? So they took the wee, gave us all what we've been dreaming for in the form of wire wheels for more off-road capability, and it comes with hard side cases for $10,400. Why do I have to be so poor.




Suzuki Cycles - Product Lines - Cycles - Products - V-Strom 650 - 2015 - DL650XA

EDIT: This may have been covered in the big wee strom thread but I just discovered this and I was elated so mods feel free to close this ish if you wish.

[Chippertheripper]

Yeah, but those dickwads put a beak on it.

[maxim_X]

Quack! I can dig it.

[LXnastynotch93]

Yeah, but those dickwads put a beak on it.

Worry not about the dickheads, there's a front fender eliminator kit available.

[nhbubba]

Do want.

[TheIglu]

Looks to be the same brakes, suspension and engine that us Wee owners already have.

Still not worth upgrading just to get spoked wheels.

[nhbubba]

True. But if you're bikeless and buying in.. why not? The price/value equation for the junk they've added is pretty reasonable IFF you are in the market for those goodies.

The beak sucks though.

[SwiftTone]

What are the benefits of wire wheels?

[TTD]

What are the benefits of wire wheels?

I was scrolling down to type the same thing. My assumption is they changed the size of the wheels to accept more "dirty" type tires?

[TheIglu]

Nope. Check the specs. Same size wheels.

Also, most of the pictures say that it is shown with optional accessories. Curious just how many farkles you get for the base price.

[CEO]

Wire/spoked wheels flex more than solid wheels. Not sure if this matters on an adventure touring type bike or not but figured I'd add my 0.02.

On motards, upgrading from spoked/laced wheels to solid/marchesinis makes a huge difference (lighter, stiffer, tubeless, and look fucking badass). I had them on my tard, coupled with good triples it seemed chatter was significantly less than on other tards I rode.

[butcher bergs]

That and the Marchesinis are worth more

[TheIglu]

Stiffer is a bad thing when taking a huge heavy motorcycle and bouncing it off rocks. Spoked rims can be re-trued pretty easily. Solid wheels don't handle the big hits very well unless you own a straightening shop.

[CEO]

That and the Marchesinis are worth more

BAM! Blast from the past.... hahahahaha nice reference

Stiffer is a bad thing when taking a huge heavy motorcycle and bouncing it off rocks. Spoked rims can be re-trued pretty easily. Solid wheels don't handle the big hits very well unless you own a straightening shop.

Makes sense, so for this particular bike, the spoked setup IS an upgrade.

[nhbubba]

Spoked wheels are supposed to handle big hits (ie off-road) better. Supposedly the spokes have more give in them and you are more likely to put a wheel out of true than bend the rim. Where as on the cast wheels you bend the rim and the whole thing is scrap.

Plus it looks way cooler.

[TTD]

I realize about the spokes being more flexible... guess I just didn't see this a bike that is going bouncing off rocks. I can see it going down fire roads,etc - but not real off roading.

Anywho... I actually like just about everything about it as it sits. Seems like it would be a great all around bike

[nhbubba]

The DL is an exceptional all-around bike.

Your point about it being the wrong tool for bouncing off rocks is a good one. I don't ride mine that way (much). Mine spends most of its life on paved roads where the cast wheels are just fine, maybe better. My draw to that bike and its wheels is likely largely superficial. But some push the machines a bit harder and through a bit more extreme situations. Lots of evidence of bent and broken wheels on these interwebz. It's nice to have options.

[breakdirt916]

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

[RandyO]

Stiffer is a bad thing when taking a huge heavy motorcycle and bouncing it off rocks. Spoked rims can be re-trued pretty easily. Solid wheels don't handle the big hits very well unless you own a straightening shop.

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

[SVRACER01]

... guess I just didn't see this a bike that is going bouncing off rocks. I can see it going down fire roads,etc - but not real off roading.

theres some nasty potholes and washboard though

[TheIglu]

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

I have rocks the size of baby heads loose on my commute on actual "improved" roads.

All the other major players have adventure bikes that have spoked wheels. I see this as a good thing that Suzuki is finally following suit. I've only taken my wee "off road" once, but the vast majority of the hits I've taken off my wheels that had be pull over to check to see if they were damaged were on regular roads or regularly traveled 4 season dirt roads.

[SwiftTone]

So having spoked wheels on a road machine would likely make the handling suffer and make it feel loose and less feedback?

I agree spoked wheels look cool!

[nhbubba]

That and they are one more maintenance item.

Actually, I don't fully understand why supermoto models typically come with spoked 17's. I would think cast wheels would be far more the norm.

[TheIglu]

That and they are one more maintenance item.

Actually, I don't fully understand why supermoto models typically come with spoked 17's. I would think cast wheels would be far more the norm.

Not when actual supermotos are used on a supermoto track that involves jumps and dirt, not just pavement.

[RandyO]

I have rocks the size of baby heads loose on my commute on actual "improved" roads.

I don't doubt that at all, I still think potholes on 495 are more common occurrence of wheel damage