DL650

I'm considering a DL650 (tho top of my list is the SV650s - blue, obviously) - I like the looks, I like the fact that you don't have to fill it up every other day and I commute through lots of traffic every day.
But, I'm wondering how sporty it is - can it really be thrown into corners and is it possible to get your knee down on it?

Anyone got anything good or bad to say about it?

Thanks all.

many on this forum have bragged about getting there knee down on there sv so yes you can :P

Read the question! He asked if he could get his knee down on the DL!

Sorry mate, can't help.

I'd love a DL, but they are so rare on teh second hand market that they havent got down to my meager price band yet. Hoping teh recent zero % will mean a few come up next year and the second hand price will be much lower.

Tried one for sitting on - really felt comfortable.

Knee down - no idea.

I tried one and liked it. Slower than the SV, but then a different thing altogether. Would be a fab commuter, no doubt. The Americans really like them. You can throw them around just like any other big trailie but I'm sure something else would touch down before your knee, would'nt it? Anyway, the big wide bars give a nice throw it into corners feel. I must admit tho last year you could get a Caponard for similar money new. Don't know about this years Capo's.

Only probs Ive heard with the 650 are cluthch basket (but that could be the thou which seems to be a little more troublesome) and the screen giving buffetting.

DL650...

Isn't that the V-Strom 650

If so, Richie1743's old man has just bought one & he loves it... He used to have a Nekkid curvy...

Find Richie's 'Scottish rideout' thread & there's loads of pics of it there

The DL650 or VStrom 650 if you prefer is one outstanding bike. The ergo's are all day comfort in the saddle. The Wee Strom is a much better feel and much more flickable than its larger brother the DL1000 or VStrom1000. Both Vstroms are 90% tarmac and 10% enduro. Both are probably the most practical motorcycles made by Suzuki.
Cheers!

One of my local dealers had a V-strom 1000 which I'd look at longingly through the glass every Friday night (until they made me go away because I was putting smears all over their windows.) If I change my SV, it could be for a DL650 as I believe it's far more suited to my style of riding, I like to sit up and look around. I've sat on one and it feels far more comfortable than my SVS, I dawdle and don't tend to throw the bike around corners so speed is not an issue. Dunno about getting knee down though, I'm not sure the tyres are as grippy as the SV's...

I took my SVS out for a run yesterday and it should have been a perfect biking day except for the heavy traffic everywhere, speed limits (40mph over Ashdown for gods sake - not been up there for years, how long's that been there?) and finally aching back, forearms, wrists and legs because I'm always pushing myself up. I have never found the SV as comfortable as either an ER5 or CB500, unfortunately when I bought it, I didn't realise that the naked (which I should have gone for) and faired versions had different riding positions. The only time it has been comfortable has been on long motorway runs when I adopt the position it was designed for but it's not so much fun.

I've decided against fitting a bar riser kit as cutting up the handlebars is pretty terminal and could be a problem when I try to sell it. The DL definately looks interesting although impending house buying could mean no biking at all for a while

Originally Posted by Nick762

I have never found the SV as comfortable as either an ER5 or CB500, unfortunately when I bought it, I didn't realise that the naked (which I should have gone for) and faired versions had different riding positions. The only time it has been comfortable has been on long motorway runs when I adopt the position it was designed for but it's not so much fun.

I find the faired SV to be more comfy than the ER5 I had before... the seat gave me some weird pain in the groin - like some poeple have reported with the SV... guess it's down to how well you fit the individual bike, seeing as one size of bike generally has to fit everyone.

I remember one of the Bike magazine testers who had a DL650 as a long term ride saying how it was a great bike, good at everything, etc. but ugly and with no glamorous image, etc. which was the only problem. I like the look... there's a brand new black one at work now and it looks impressive in the flesh... can see the SV bits underneath but it looks bigger and more purposeful. Be interesting to take one on a trail and see how well it coped.

Thanks for all your input guys.

I was reading on some US BBS about DL/VStrom's and people on that were complaining about wind buffetting above about 70mph. Obviously I wouldn't be doing that on normal roads but on my private roads, it may become an issue.

Man, it's a tough life!

Oh, sorry for the delay in responding to all your posts - I seem to have lost the "notify when someone updates this thread" functionality!