Author Topic: Bandit vs. V Strom (Read 12028 times)

skyrider · « **on:** May 08, 2007, 06:59:01 PM »

Anyone ridden both? What are your thoughts. The kind of riding I'll be doing on the Bandit, if I decide on it, is commuting and short day-tours. I currently have an 06' DR 650 thinking I'd spend some time off road...hasn't happened. So, looking for something more geared (not the sprocket) to highway riding.

When ya'll refer to B12 or B6, are you refering to model years of the Bandit...I need the lesson.

Sky

ZenMan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 08, 2007, 07:18:49 PM »

B12 = 1200cc model

B6 = 600cc model

I owned a 650 V-Strom before I bought my B1250 (the new '07 1250cc) and I loved it. It's got plenty of power for a 650, handles dirt and gravel roads really well, does great in the twisties, and gets good gas mileage.

I would have kept it but my SO didn't learn to ride her own bike, so I needed a bigger bike for two-up. Can't afford two street bikes. I think the V-Strom 1000 would be an excellent two-up bike though.

The new Bandit just looked too good to pass on... and I'm real happy with it. It suits me better... just an old muscle-bike guy.

CWO4GUNNER · « **Reply #2 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:15:47 PM »

I agree, I have read and heard nothing but great things about the V-storm 650 as to its lighter wight, agility and economy. Conversely I have heard mixed reviews about the V-storm 1000. What seems to hurt the 1000 is the wight and higher center of gravity with weak-comparable power to any of the in line 4 standards. At least that is what I have read and heard.
I think a V-storm 650 would be a keeper in my book in addition to anything else I would buy or sell off.

Frisk Fisk · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2007, 06:45:46 AM »

I owned a 2002 DL1000 and now own a 2006 DL650 and a 2007 Bandit 1250S. I loved the DL1000 but it was jerky at low revs and even spit a throttle body one time. after spending a lot of money trying to fix the hiccuping problem around 3800 (custom-mapped PC III) I finally sold it. It was not an around -town bike. The 650 is a good all-around bike with character and is my favorite ride. The Bandit is a hell of a lot faster and could assume "favored bike" role for me with higher, more rear-set bars, better wind protection, and a tail rack, but the 650 would still be the more practical choice. If I were still touring, it would be my choice for that activity. I should point out that the 650 has been modified for comfort and convenience and the Bandit has not (yet).

Vidrazor · « **Reply #4 on:** May 09, 2007, 11:15:47 AM »

>>I currently have an 06' DR 650 thinking I'd spend some time off road...hasn't happened. So, looking for something more geared (not the sprocket) to highway riding.<<

I was under the impression the DR is Kawi's unintentional V-Strom. If you've ever read "Motorcycle Touring: Everything You Need to Know" by Dr Gregory W Frazier, he's indirectly laying claim to that bike being the ultimate road warrior, and he should know.

That said, the V-Strom is definitely more of a street bike with some off-road capabilities. I've been talking to a few 650 and 1000 owners about them too, as I've been mulling them along with a few other bikes for a sport tourer.

They mentioned a site, http://www.stromtrooper.com, where you can get all the lowdown you want on the bikes from Strom owners.

CWO4GUNNER · « **Reply #5 on:** May 09, 2007, 12:18:39 PM »

CW magazine even did a comparison story on the V-storm 650 vs Ducati 650. The results were, for much less money the V-storm is performance competitive to the Ducati and much more maintenance free. Yup if I ever find one with couple of years on it for a real bargain, I will defiantly scoop it up.

Red01 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 09, 2007, 01:39:52 PM »

Quote from: "Vidrazor"

I was under the impression the DR is Kawi's unintentional V-Strom.

huh? The DR is a Suzuki dual sport.
From what I've read, the DR650 is a better street bike than the Honda XR650L and a better dirt bike than a Kawi KLR650. Now, I could see how the KLR might be considered an unintentional V-Strom. Kawasaki did had a short-lived intentional V-Strom in the KLV1000.

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ZenMan · « **Reply #7 on:** May 09, 2007, 03:15:58 PM »

Quote from: "Red01"

Quote from: "Vidrazor"
I was under the impression the DR is Kawi's unintentional V-Strom.

huh? The DR is a Suzuki dual sport.

Yep, I caught that too... but I knew we could count on "The Vulture" to set things straight.

Quote from: "Red01"

Kawasaki did had a short-lived intentional V-Strom in the KLV1000.

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Yep, only available in the UK and Europe, correct?

I always thought that was a strange one... did Kawasaki build that bike using Suzuki components or what? Everything is interchangeable with the V-Strom, unless I'm mistaken.

Red01 · « **Reply #8 on:** May 09, 2007, 03:59:13 PM »

It's simply a Suzuki with Kawi badges and color scheme unique to the KLV. It was part of the short-lived bike/tech share program where a few models from one company ended up in the other's line-up. Suzuki got a DRz version of the KLX110 and version of the Mean Streak cruiser. There were some quads involved in the sharing, too. No sport bikes ever crosssed lines though - and that was agreed up front. The KLV never made it in the US, but I think it was the only shared model that wasn't offered to us. Shared models were built in the parent company's facilities, so Suzuki workers somewhere were slapping Kawi markings on their product and vice-versa.

CWO4GUNNER · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2007, 02:30:49 PM »

The share program also included the DRZ400/KLX and the KX100/RM (incredible little bike). When the MVD in AZ registered my Suzki RM100 they actually asked me why it was called a Suzuki when the computer VIN info said Kawasaki heavy industries.

H2RICK · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2007, 08:20:15 PM »

I have 2 good buddies with DL1000's. One ('06) tours a lot with his main squeeze on the back.....or a bunch of camping junk if he's with the guys.....and he's quite pleased with it overall for what he want to use it for. His previous ride was an early 90's ZX7.
The other ('04) always rides solo and he owned a '99 B12 previously so he's ridden them both. He likes the DL for the torque, especially when carrying camping gear. Both these guys are 6 feet tall and weigh 200+ pounds so I guess that says something for the DL, although I'm not sure what....
I have NOT ridden a DL because I'm not a V-twin kinda guy... but I suppose I should try to throw a leg over one at the next ride 'em days at a dealer, if possible, just to see what they're all about.

CWO4GUNNER · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2007, 09:03:55 PM »

The problem is that pretty much all the new bikes are darn good these days to the point that we measure performance now on graphs to be able to detect it or have to put a bike to extreme paces to feel it. This is probubly the best time in history to own and ride a motorcycle because from here on out performance will probubly be measured in fuel economy as the price of gas will only continue to rise to $8 a gallon by the end of the decade.

Vidrazor · « **Reply #12 on:** May 14, 2007, 12:59:18 AM »

>>huh? The DR is a Suzuki dual sport<<

Yeah, rum & coke.

Still the KLR does appear to indeed be an unintentional V-Strom. And yes, the DR 650 has nothing to be ashamed of compared to the KLR, methinks. I think if you're going to do some rough and tumble traveling, the DR and KLR would be better machines than the V-Strom, although time may tell if the V-Strom may make it's own mark on such territory.

banditII · « **Reply #13 on:** May 16, 2007, 08:05:38 AM »

I've owned both a DL1000 and two 1200 Bandits. The DL has one of the best stock seats around. Bandit does too, for me anyway. If I got another DL it would be the 650 for lighter weight and lower seat height. Neither DL's would be good off road, though the 650 would be the best of the two. My Strom also had a hiccup problem. It never spit it's throttle bodies though. Only rode it 5000 miles and sold it. Some people don't like the looks of them much. I had terrible wind buffeting problems on my DL. There are fixes like windstrom.com.

daneilah · « **Reply #14 on:** May 30, 2007, 09:16:32 PM »

Last year I demo'd the Bandit 650S and 650 VStrom. I found the rides to be very different.

The VStrom feels top-heavy at a stop and doesn't pull as hard. It also seems to top out earlier.

I'd have to say the seating position of the VStrom is probably even nicer than that of the Bandit... just slightly more upright.

I preferred the 4-cylinder Bandit to the VStrom twin.

If you're planning on adventure touring, I'd bet on the VStrom, but if you're staying on the pavement, Bandit all the way