BHPian srivathsanSures recently shared this with other enthusiasts: As a dedicated sport touring enthusiast, I have always gravitated towards touring on sporty machines with exhilarating top-end power, perfect for attacking wide-open highways and winding twisties. My previous companions on the road were the Honda CBR650R and the Kawasaki Z800. Together, these two machines delivered an adrenaline-packed 30,000 km adventure across South India. As thrilling as it sounds, sport touring on most Indian roads is unfortunately not always practical, thanks to unexpected detours from road closures, pothole-ridden highways, erratic lane discipline, sudden downpours, and a host of other challenges. For a true enthusiast, such obstacles should not be a deterrent, as they can be tackled with cautious and responsible riding. Despite the hurdles, I had endless fun with my inline-four screamers. However, as time passed and priorities shifted, I found myself leaning more towards comfort and practicality during my tours. This realization led me to refresh my garage. While the decision made sense objectively, letting go of my beloved inline-fours proved to be an unexpectedly emotional ordeal. These machines may be material possessions, but the memories created with them were priceless. Now faced with the task of satisfying both my sport bike enthusiast side and my growing touring requirements, I decided to upgrade. I switched from the CBR650R to another big Honda (which I’ll reveal at the end!), and from the Z800 to the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE, which joined my garage on July 4th, 2025. Before booking the V-Strom, I spent nearly six months researching, comparing, and test riding various adventure bikes, ranging from KTM’s adv 390s to Honda Transalp’s to BMW 900GS’es to the Triumph’s 900s. Interestingly, the V-Strom was one of the last bikes I tested, as the spec-sheet warrior in me did not initially find it appealing. But after the test ride, my skepticism was quickly humbled. Within weeks, I booked the bike at Aerolex Suzuki in Bangalore. This meant committing to ride to Bangalore for every service, but the V-Strom fit me so perfectly that it was worth the effort. Fast forward two and a half months-I’ve now covered nearly 6,000 km, riding through remote parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra. The journey has included smooth highways, scenic countryside, gravel roads, trails, and even some challenging off-road stretches leading to breathtaking views. The V-Strom handled all of these with absolute ease (except for that one time I nearly dropped it 20 times trying to cross a slushy dam trail mangled by a JCB!). In this review, I’ll break down my experience with the bike into different aspects.Handling and DynamicsThe Suzuki V-Strom 800DE boasts a steel tubular frame with Showa 43 mm USD front forks, offering preload, rebound, and compression adjustability with 220 mm of travel. The rear mono-shock matches has the same 220mm of travel with the same preload (via remote adjuster), rebound, and compression adjustability, while the chassis provides a 28-degree steering rake angle and 220 mm of ground clearance. I was genuinely surprised by how much adventure bikes have evolved in handling. The V-Strom feels exceptionally well-balanced and inspires confidence, tackling twisties with ease-you can lean it over until the foot peg extenders scrape. The 28-degree rake gives outstanding stability at highway speeds. While this slightly more relaxed rake means extra effort in high-speed cornering, it’s far preferable to the twitchy handling of some rivals with a steeper rake. When the asphalt gives way to trails, the 220 mm suspension travel and full adjustability provide an almost magic-carpet ride. On more demanding off-road patches and steep climbs, the bike’s weight balance shines, boosting confidence in tough conditions. At 232 kg wet, it’s one of the heavier bikes in its class. Thankfully, Suzuki has achieved excellent mass centralization, so the weight virtually disappears once moving. However, the suspension which appears class-leading on paper, isn’t as advanced as what you’d find on a Tiger Rally Pro or an Africa Twin, and the rear spring is quite soft (as with most stock setups). Adjusting the rear’s rebound and compression to a firmer setting transformed the bike for me, making it much more capable off-road. The only other downside is the weight-during slushy, technical sections, every kilogram is noticeable, and it takes some getting used to. Overall, the V-Strom is a truly capable machine that will handle nearly any terrain. Mastering suspension tuning and adapting riding style further elevates what the bike can do.Comfort and ErgonomicsWith an 855 mm seat height, plush seating for rider and pillion, a wide handlebar, and slightly rear-set footpegs, the V-Strom provides a mostly upright riding position with just a hint of forward lean. The seat comfort is among the best in the class, making sore backsides a thing of the past. The tall seat might sound intimidating for anyone under 5’8″, but at 5’6″, I managed just fine for most situations. In summary, the V-Strom is one of the most comfortable adventure bikes available-you can tour for thousands of kilometers without fatigue. Engine and PerformanceThe V-Strom features a 776 cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin DOHC engine with a 270-degree crank offset, producing 83.2 bhp (84.3 PS) and 78 Nm of torque. It is mated to a six-speed gearbox equipped with a bi-directional quickshifter and auto-blipper. On paper, it may look similar to other 270-degree parallel twins (like the Transalp or KTM 890/790), but on the road, it feels quite different. It’s a high-compression, long-stroke motor (12.8:1), delivering a tidal wave of torque from low RPMs. Where rivals need revs to make power, the V-Strom’s strong midrange allows lazy sixth-gear cruising from 40 km/h to its 202 km/h top speed. It won’t win drag races or set track records, nor is it made for that. But in terms of real-world touring pace, it easily keeps up with bigger bikes, thanks to the blend of comfort and torque. On my previous Z800 or CBR650R, very high speed cruising cruising was tiring due to the aggressive riding posture and wind blast, despite their higher peak power. On the V-Strom, the upright stance lets me cruise at high speeds all day, and despite losing ~30 bhp, my touring pace is significantly better. Off-road or on trails, the flawless fueling and abundant torque make it easy to ride in tricky situations. The only minor drawback is a lack of top-end punch-almost diesel-like in feel-but the torque is so accessible that the absence of a screaming redline never feels like a loss.Electronics and EquipmentThe electronics suite includes five-level traction control (including Gravel mode), three ABS settings, three throttle modes, bi-directional quickshifter, slipper clutch, ride-by-wire, crisp dual projector headlights, and a clear TFT display. While there’s no IMU for lean-sensitive features, the electronics package is refined and stays out of the way unless truly necessary. The Gravel mode deserves special mention, letting you enjoy a bit of rear-wheel slide before the system intervenes. Throttle modes range from aggressive “A” to relaxed “C,” with “B” as a sensible middle ground. Mode “A” is intensely responsive-likely overwhelming for beginners-as the low-end punch is fierce (wheelies come easy). The quickshifter works beautifully, with only slightly heavier action on downshifts. Braking is managed by simple axial calipers, with sufficient stopping power for an adventure bike. Don’t expect sport bike sharpness, which would be counterproductive off-road. Stock lighting is merely average, so aftermarket auxiliary lights are recommended for night touring. The windscreen, while small, is effective, and the taller factory screen works well for shorter riders. The only real feature miss is cruise control, but it can be retrofitted; aftermarket brands offer kits compatible with the ride-by-wire system. Refinement and ReliabilitySuzuki’s V-Strom reputation for reliability holds true-the bike starts every time, shrugs off rough terrain, takes a beating, and keeps coming back for more. The new engine is impressively smooth, with only minor high-frequency vibrations at certain revs-slight buzzes at low triple digit speeds, but at most other speeds there are no vibrations . These are minor, and not dealbreakers; even the well balanced inline-fours have the same high frequency resonance creeping in around 5-7k rpms, and modern construction ensures smoothness for the vast majority of riding. It’s refined, dependable, and built to last-a true “Japanese” experience.Design and AccessoriesThe V-Strom 800DE’s design is functional with strong DRZ and Dakar-inspired details. The MY2025 color schemes are exciting, and the overall look is rugged and purposeful. It might not win beauty contests, but it has undeniable presence. It’s the sort of bike you can’t help but admire after parking. My accessories include: – Suzuki OEM bash plate – Legundry crash bars – Barkbusters hand guards – Diode Dynamics Stage Series 3 auxiliary lights – Way2Speed tubeless conversion – Motoioi saddle stays – Suzuki OEM tall windscreen – Ceramic Pro paint protection filmTube-Type Tyres and Tubeless ConversionIn India, the stock tube-type tyres are a drawback since roadside repairs are much harder compared to tubeless. Thankfully, solutions like Way2Speed, Outex, and 3M tubeless conversions neatly solve this issue. I went with Way2Speed done at TopGear Thumpers, Bangalore-converting before delivery. After 6,000 km of every kind of terrain, the tubeless conversion has been flawless-even after a puncture, it was fast and simple to fix. The stock Dunlop tyres have also provided balanced grip across all conditions.SummaryTo sum up: the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE is an absolutely no-nonsense, comfortable, torquey, and supremely capable machine that elevates any touring experience. It’s not a bike chosen on specs alone; instead, it might seem underwhelming on paper but massively over-delivers in the real world-with its punchy engine, impressive handling, mass centralization, and thoughtfully selected electronics. PS: Now that my touring needs are sorted, what about my sport bike side? Well, that’s happy too-I upgraded my CBR650R to a Honda Fireblade 1000RR! Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
