What bike is better or equal to a V-Strom 650?

What the hell does "more than 1 pot" mean? Plane of Tranquility?

You will not find any bike that compares in terms of reliability/low cost of ownership/price. You have already crossed off everything that is near the same category, so it seems that a 2012 strom is the only choice unless you want to make some crazy custom, like combining two junked bikes (a cb500 motor into an xr650l frame).

The cb500 may be of interest to you or if you can get a modern Transalp in Canada.

...or in reliability/cost of ownership. Nothing really beats a JP bike in terms of reliability and low cost of ownership. The Triumph is probably closest to a strom in that regard, but still a fair bit off. Yes, the euro bikes are way better than they use to be in that regard, but still not nearly as hassle free as a JP made bike.

If the JP makers were to offer a modernized Africa Twin style, then the strom would lose its place as the sensible mid sized JP ADV bike, but until then, it is the only choice if you want bulllet proof reliability/ low cost of ownership.

I think Honda Transalp XL700V was pretty damn near the DL650 in most areas, even its price was almost equal, at least back where I live. And it's FI. Too bad they decided to quit making them, right now actually. Not sure if they were even available in the US.

Not to say the new lineup NC700X/CB500X will not cut it, but they are way more street-oriented.

The late model TransAlp never made it to the USA. The nc700x simply does not cut it compared to the strom in any capacity other than a city commuter (and not really even at that). The cb500x might make a decent alternative for a small gal/guy compared to a vStrom, but for most guys I'd probably recommend a versys.

Leftover dl-1000 are selling for less than new 650 here in USA. They suffer worse milage, but have 40 more horsepower and meet all the other requirements!

I win!

And a DL1000 will do as good or better mileage for high speed freeway work.

A Buell Uly is also worth a look. Pretty good on gas. No center stand, but no point in one either More fun to ride, handles dramatically better, much better suspension and brakes. Mine hasn't broken in 30k miles. Some goofy stuff you gotta correct right off when you get one (free), but take care of those and stick to an '09 or newer and there's not much at all to go wrong as far as I can tell.

Another one worth a close look is the air cooled multistrada. Not quite as good on gas, but a blast to ride.

Agreed and x's2 These are wonderful bikes can be had for cheap and are a BLAST to ride. Owned 28 bikes in 33 years of riding. This is the only one I still have and will NOT be getting rid of.

....and thank me ten years from now after you have ridden the globe with zero problems and super low operating costs.




Just buy the freaking V-Strom and don't look back.

Sure get the Strom cause Tigers never make it around the globe.
http://poorcirculation.blogspot.com

I'd suggest a Yamaha TDM 900, but you can't get 'em in the US; poor buggers.

Strange design? Pervert nature? Don't those criteria eliminate Strom itself?

+1...and then some...

I love this thread. Having owned a Wee from new for 5 years now, many points are spot on. The two biggest problems with the V are the seat (got a Russell) and the Suspension (still working on it.)

If you can't have two bikes, fixing these two problems will leave you with thousands of extra dollars, and reliability to spare.

I ride allot 2 up and pine for a Stilvio, I'm not sure I could get rid of the Wee even then. I have dropped it off road many times, never broke anything and don't really care if I do at this point.

Dump a Stilvio, I would rather not.

I did have to change a headlight bulb on the Tiger after crossing Siberia ... so even Tigers have failings

''What bike is better or equal to a V-Strom 650'' . The V-Strom is a lovely motorcycle, and so are it's competitors. Asking a group of adventure riders which is a better adventure bike is like asking them what your favourite colour should be ..... Just follow your heart and buy the bike that YOU are most comfortable with .. The grass is seldom greener on the other side of the automotive fence, it's just cut in a slightly different pattern.

Geoff
www.poorcirculation.blogspot.com

New Cycle World magazine test of the BMW 700GS, Versys, NC700X and DL650 rates the Suzuki best, though the article was a pretty lightweight piece of fluff. It did conclude with a comment about WeeStrom owners wearing socks with sandals. I would have thought more BMW owners would fall into that category.

-dman

And this just after Motorcyclist recently choose the Versys over the Wee in an equally light-weight review...

Go figure...

NFE

I did not get the same conculsion from the article. Here is a quote from the last paragraph in the article:

In the end, these two middleWeights are perhaps more different than they are similar. The Kawasaki Versys is a poor man’s Ducati Multistrada—an all-day comfortable sportbike in adventurer’s clothing. The Suzuki V-Strom is a working stiff’s BMW GS—a proper adventure-tourer that’s just a set of saddlebags away from circumnavigating the globe. Both are amply supported by the farklemarket for luggage and add-on lights and all the adventure-toury stuff, the Suzuki arguably more so. Which one of these is right for you depends entirely on what you want from a motorcycle.

Read more: http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/c...suzuki_v_strom_650/viewall.html#ixzz2E8pNhIls

I agree with you.

I read that article when it first came out and I had the feeling that the DL was more heavily weighted towards the adventure stuff and the Versys better at tar. Kinda of an extension of the KLR vs DR 650's DR better when the going gets tough.

Maybe I'm being a bit hard on the young whippers writing for Motorcyclist...

I'll go back and re-read the article.

NFE

Lotsa better bikes but none are equal....

And Cycle World gave it to the Strom. Hard to give a toss about magazine stuff.