Good morning YouTube! welcome – right on – I’m Chris. It is the early mornings of an 11 degree day and I am out here to reveal to you my new Suzuki V Strom 1000 bike. Yes I bought a new bike few weeks ago. You may have seen a video of me having a great debate on whether I wanted the Versys 300 k LX 300 sorry k LX 250 a ninja 1000 are the h2 s X which I didn’t know that thing is a weapon. I really would love it but to be honest the ergonomics were not what I was looking for the Suzuki V Strom 1000. Loved the ergonomics the the diversity’s 300 really liked the ergonomics as well as the klx 250. But I had a big long trip coming up as well. And I did not want to use my Zed 800 for it. Laura offered me to use her er6n for the trip which would have been nicer than my z800. Because they seat on that thing is a lot cozier than mine ergonomics are basically the same. But I was like hey if I’m in the market for a second bike. Let’s see what we can find used. So I typed in adventure bikes in the search engine on Kijiji which is what we use here in Canada. It is classifies at least not Theriot numbers all across Canada.
So, anyway I typed in adventure bikes typed in up to a certain price point. And started filtering through all the results and I found this this is a 2003. This is uki v-strom with full luggage. It needed nothing I just bought it. Brought it home put some plates on it. Here we go and I got to tell you. I think this thing is frickin ugly. I really do I don’t like the yellow. I don’t like shave the headlights but that’s about all. I don’t like about it. I freaked this bike is so comfortable. I’ve had it in some off-road scenarios. How did that freeway speed and believe me. It can handle it like it just cruises along. And it don’t want to slow down. This awesome wind protection but I do believe this part here is aftermarket. And I’m pretty sure but a handguard so it blocks all the wind off your hands. It is cold out this morning people. And I am not cold at all. I got I’m dressed for the occasion. He did, he did a sweater on. And I got my insulated textile pants and whatnot on but I am very comfortable behind this big large windscreen now.
There is am a common problem with the this year bike up to like. I think they set up up to 2004 Suzuki v-strom. This v-twin engine in the 1000. I guess not the 650 and in the 1000 the clutch baskets start making a lot of noises because they’re not supported very well. So my mechanic found a new clutch basket and something tamer. I can’t I wish I could remember but and that’s more support. There’s an extra bearing on the other end but now that there wasn’t there before. And it’s gotten rid of that problem all together but it cost me a little more. And I want to spend that was the whole point of this. So I’m in I have them a little more invest in this mic that I wanted to but I freaking love it I cannot see myself getting rid of it. Anyway so to me it isn’t really a bad investment if you’re gonna keep the bike not really not unless you’re spending more than I knew. They were a bike with newer kilometers would have cost. It maybe you might be spending but I got the full package with this thing. I got the extra little piece on the windscreen and in the full luggage. That’s worth money that’s to go and buy. That yourself is going to cost you a lot of money so yeah ergonomics on this thing like I said before. Spot on tons of leg room. I am a little bit longer in the legs. I think of my pants or 34 inseam. I have no problem touching flat foot but I still have lots of legroom. My legs are not cramped at all. So, it’s going to change the sound. It’s so cool name advisers blogging on land to crack it open. So feed an ATV bike we can go some off-road. This is really out low this back road gravel road. This boy can handle it overall. He’s got a nice meaty back tire back there.
I wish he had a had a beat here one of the front that’s something. I’m gonna have to look at you we look for Unger a little here. This plate can do it it pulls pretty hard. It’s a v-twin like a 90 degree V twin. I looked at the numbers they say about 97 horsepower and 76 torque. It’s respectful like I got getting this thing up to speed manic. It’s pretty quick and it’s got no problem cruise into any freeway speed that everybody else is going to be. If you want to go a little bit faster. It’s a pretty quick way can you get into this nice little air pocket behind this windscreen. And you don’t get beat up by that with something else. We need to comment on the the power does really come on to like 4,000 rpm. This isn’t not a lot of power under 4 which I’ve read. It was designed that way for when you’re off-road. You don’t get a big abruptness of power down low the problem. I find with this is when you’re cruising at a normal speed like say a hundred kilometers an hour. And you are all the way up in sixth year. You’re down below that 4000 so your roll on power is brutal until you get over that 4,000. Then there’s lots of roll on power so I find if myself really riding on the highway a bit here until you get over say 110 120 then 6th gear. So it almost feels like 60. Or it’s useless for daily riding unless you ride freeway everyday then.
This is a non-issue for you just. It’s just the role in power and sixth-year when you’re doing like 100 kilometers an hour. That’s that’s where I really fight a fault there but I understand why they did it because yeah. If you’re in a spot where you don’t want a lot of power. You just want to feather it over say a rogue or lock raagh then. I say frog a log or a rock or rush or you’re, you’re trying to squeeze between a couple trees. Or something you’re there’s tight spots where you run into. And you don’t want the roughness of throttle. You want to be able to feather and get out nice and smooth you know what’s been tires. That’s why they did it I just find it created a bit of a fault when you’re doing like 100 kilometers now or you lost the roll on power. The less you stay in fit then the roll on power is there the bricks are wish. I wouldn’t see they are a little bit on the squishier side. I wouldn’t say they are squishy the they stop the bike oh right like there’s nothing the complain of there’s a bit of front-end dive. See that running back there here we go again so yeah brakes are like they are going to stop you.
Let’s not get sidetracked here like they’re still good one day. I’m a little disappointed about besides having to get that clutch bag fixed is this thing does have a hydraulic clutch but it is actually a really sniffle now. I don’t know if that is the bike itself or if I need to change the oil in there that is going to be a winter project of mine on this bike. As I’m going to change the oil in that maybe change the oil the brakes. Give it a bike’s fresh filters that kind of stuff because like I have no idea when that little stuff with last done when I got the clutch basket changed. I had to get the oil change because you had to drain oil in order to clutch. So I got a brand new oil into this thing. There we’ll do an acceleration test here first gear and see it’s pretty. It’s pretty fast. It’s not the fastest bike I’ve ever put on but it’s plenty fast enough. It’s for sure never get up the hunter and look at the brake test on it for us there. A hundred kilometers an hour not bad but I hope you can hope you can see that front-end dive.
They’re not a deal-breaker but you need the softer suspension because this thing is capable of going offroad which I’ve done and it. I will do this bike has no problem doing. It is that the best at it no but it’ll do it. I have had well growler role is that you just seen her no problem at all. I’ve had it on some actual like wet dirt trails. So we make the muds a little bit slick and it did not like that but I said is strictly a street tire. That’s on the front no was she had, why she had to match the rubber front to back. He’s got a nice 80/20 off-road like 80 on 20 off road tire on the back. And it hooks up pretty good when you’re in dirt or gravel whichever but the front tire he’s still got like. It’s just a street tire maybe just replace the back because it was due. And then when the front was coming up the big deal is gonna make it match. I don’t both tires were good enough get the bike safety. So this is a scenario woman well there you have it 2003. This is a key be strong as a second bike. I don’t think I did too bad on this deal. I wish I’d spent a little less on fixing that clutch basket but I really do love riding this bike like I said. I think it’s freaking ugly. I hate the yellow some people like it. I don’t, I that’s too bright for me at least on this bike anyway. It’ll look better on something sporty. This bike should be like some close to like an army green or dark green. You know like the green that’s on the new Zed 650 s like kind of really dark non gloss green that would look awesome on here.
Something to keep in mind for future winter rentals maybe I could do something like that so what do you guys think did I make a good decision? I thought I made a good decision for the mote that I got invested into this thing. I think I hit a home run and I’m really diggin the adv bikes. They are at least this one yes this one’s fun comfortable you could ride for hours and hours and hours. Just the comfort level is so way up they are not used to it. And I can’t stop talking about it so when the review points. I can bring up to you really quickly before we go the mirrors awesome view. Like you don’t have to shrug your elbows in. They give you an awesome view about shoulder height everything. Like well outside your shoulders. The hand guards block a lot of wind like it’s cold over right now. And if I didn’t have these my hands will be freezing. These grips aren’t heated so if you’ve had the combination of this. And heated grips oh man you could ride in very low temperatures. I commented on this little extra part of the windscreen it creates a nice little bubble in here for me that I do not get cold. I come I showed you the break. I showed you a quick acceleration test.
I’ve bragged enough both the ergonomics the seat nice. And wide and lots of room here. It gets, it doesn’t get as an arrow with some bikes here. I don’t know if you can see that. I hope you can. I afraid I should mention this so about the wind my passengers complain that they’re getting a lot of wind up back there. And I don’t get any which is only that much closer to the windscreen but yeah I guess my passengers are complaining. But they get a lot of wind back there. I was wondering why that is I don’t know if this is an accurate statement. This is my opinion but if you see this bike curves nice and smoothly right into the rider. So my theory is that the wind is just following this. And coming right back in whereas on a lot of sport bikes. You’ll see them come out and it’ll be like a sudden stop. And the B and then pression for your legs sit which helps the air come out and around.
The rider it creates an air pocket in where your legs are. I think that is a large part of the problem. Like I said I’m not an expert that is just my opinion. But yeah but my pastors have complained about a lot of wind. The suspension on this thing. It’s on the softer side compared to sport bikes. It’s soaks up bumps nicely it has to because like as soon as we take off this way. It’s going to be a little bit rough and you need a suspensions gonna soak it up. This thing has a little bit bigger front tire on it it’s a 1917 on the back. Most street bikes have a 17 because they are more suitable for the street better for cornering that kind of thing 19. Gives you a little bit bigger tire for going over obstacles something like. The Africa twin has a 21 inch front tire and spoked which is even better yet for off-road use. I don’t think I’m running out of things to talk about here. Well thanks for tuning in checking out the new ride if you have been watching my channel before then you know that I was after a second bike. And now we have it I’m quite happy with it. If you’re just tuning in for the v-strom review. I got some other bike reviews that you could check out lots of other content on. The j-dog ready to check out as well. Thanks for tuning in to ride on to this week. I’m Chris like share subscribe all the goodies stuff. It’s always more content coming your way. Guys later wait I forgot my three rules. How did I forget my three rules ride safe. Have fun keep the shiny side up. Peace out! Bye. See, this is why you buy an ATV bikes, so you can write something like this. There, isn’t it beautiful?
