Looking for a reliable mid-sized adventure tourer? The V-Strom 650 just might be what you’re looking for
A few Suzuki dealerships in India have confirmed that they have started accepting bookings for the standard V-Strom 650 for a token amount of Rs 50,000. According to the dealers and our sources, both the V-Strom 650 and 650XT will be making it to India. However, dealerships are only accepting bookings for the standard V-Strom 650, which will be launched next month, for now, while the V-Strom 650 XT’s fate seems a bit uncertain. These bikes are expected to be priced between the Rs 7 lakh to 8 lakh mark and will be direct competitions to the Kawasaki Versys 650.
The road-going version is known as the standard V-Strom while the more off-road-focused variant is called the V-Strom XT. Going from the feature list available abroad, it gets adjustable traction control, easy start system, ABS as standard, and a three-way adjustable windshield. Like its sportier cousin, the GSX-S750, the V-Strom is equipped with ‘Low RPM Assist’ which essentially adjusts the engine speed during low speeds and smoothes out the power delivery during acceleration, helping the bike avoid the possibility of stalling.
While Suzuki hasn’t mentioned any power figures, we do know that both the bikes share the same 645cc, liquid-cooled V-twin engine. The 19-inch front and 17-inch rear aluminium spoke wheels from the 2017 variant have been carried over, wrapped in Bridgestone Battle Wing tyres. The backbone of the tourer is a twin-spar alloy frame sporting long-travel telescopic forks up front and a monoshock unit at the rear. The rear suspension receives rebound and preload adjustability.
Braking duties are handled by twin front discs with Tokico 2-piston calipers and a single Nissin disc brake at the rear. Both bikes have similar 835mm seat height, although this could change considering the average rider height in our country.
The V-Strom 650 XT, being more adventure-focused than its competition, the Kawasaki Versys 650, gets Bridgestone Battlax Adventure tubeless tyres, handguards, and a well-designed engine cowl. The V-Strom 650 XT weighs in at 216kg, 3 kg heavier than its standard variant, due to the added kit, but exactly the same as the Versys 650. All said and done, the Versys 650, priced at Rs 6.5 lakh (ex-showroom), is significantly cheaper than its Suzuki rival. The V-Strom 650 will be Suzuki’s third big bike to be assembled in India after the Hayabusa and GSX-S750.
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