Is the 2023 Suzuki DE800 Vstrom Better?

[@doublex632]

The weight can be heavier as long as the seat height is lower, that's my two cents. thanks

[@barebonesmc]

I understand what you are saying, but a low seat height doesnt help picking it up on a muddy track or steep incline :-) all depends on your use as i said in the video

[@l.a.raustadt518]

Own and ride 2 Vstroms 650/1000 first gens. Love to ride this one and see for myself. In reality as I age out of heavy bikes probably be better setting up a DR650. Wish I could parts bin my own. Know what I need in a bike.

[@barebonesmc]

I can relate to that and is why my series 1 650 has stood the test of time, have often thought about how much weight I could actually shed off it. I even jokingly talked about taking a 3" hole saw to the chassis rails at one point lol

[@ComfyDadShoes]

If it’s wet weight, it makes sense with a larger tank and beefier frame. Also, seems like Suzuki’s less concerned with capability like the Tuareg and more concerned with being and endlessly rugged and reliable bike!

[@barebonesmc]

but it had an endlessly rugged and reliable bike that weighed 30kg less with a V-twin engine which is technically always heavier than a vertical twin, why is it heavier? and why has the vstrom 650 kept getting heavier year on year? the extra weight didnt make the later 650 strom more rugged than the first did it? cheers for watching mate

[@garethkelsey-evans7418]

Looks straight down the middle compared to the other bikes and will be very easy to live with. Very nice.

[@barebonesmc]

Id agree on easy to live with, I just think it could have been more, especially for what looks a fairly high pricetag compared to the Honda Transalp and Yamaha Tenere, cheers for watching

[@midhungopan9270]

On paper i can agree with you on most cases and on paper the new 800cc motor has 2 counter balancers too resulting in even smoother engine than other japanes rivals... let's see once it hits the tarmac and off-roads...yeah the weight is on the higher side but heavier GSX S750(even heavier than its elder sibling GSX S1000) ...instantly surprised me once i rode it handles brilliantly the weight vanishes on the go,suzuki's weight balance is amazing

[@barebonesmc]

the moving weight isnt the issue. i use mine off road so its the pick up weight on mud that bothers me as inevitably they go down at some point, glad you enjoyed the video, cheers

[@mcmann2760]

Great job brother. Hard to understand why it weighs more than the 650XT (V-Twin).

[@barebonesmc]

the only reason i could see is if they made it lighter it would steal more sales from the 1050, so they only made it a bit lighter, but i recognise i can be cynical lol

[@richardhretczak536]

They should’ve kept 19” front wheel and tubeless tires. How many owners will go off road and to what extent?

[@barebonesmc]

agree on the tubeless bit but personally i would prefer the 21 inch front. as to going off road. my 650 strom has been trudging around off road for over 12 years now. the most we have had on 1 off road run was 34 Vstroms and a few other bikes, through 8 hours of riding through 8 fords averaging about 15 mph on the day we spent so much time off road. if the buyer doesnt ride off road then why buy any adventure bike? just buy a road bike instead

[@Ian-bq7gp]

What people forget is that just because of the tech sheet , name and hype they believe the competition like KTM are better bikes. They don't always see that the servicing, costs, network and spares prices and availability is so important as well as those models being well used and abused over years and in some cases well over 100000 miles and are reliable, very strong and well made like in the case of Suzuki. The new transalp is no ew just like the Suzuki de800 and the KTM is quite expensive and should be the best on specifications like horsepower but I've had Suzuki's a lot and find them to have great engines and gearboxes . Honda's have a great reputation and the 700 tenere certainly is a great engine and bike. It's down to price and taste and those v Strom 650 are very competitive on price and reliability as is the 1050 v Strom. The 800 is like the old Paris Dakar Suzuki's in styling and are good on paper but over £10000 isn't cheap to buy. KTM spares will be KTM prices like BMW. Maybe also they need very strict servicing and may not be the best bike day to day but 105 bhp is great but the Chinese made model may have some quality issues with not passing things like thread guage tests for example even if they look shiny etc. With Japanese engineering it IS the world's best .

[@barebonesmc]

not going to argue with most of that lol. the weight thing bugs me though because I can see absolutely no reason at all why the new parallel twin should be heavier than the 650 v twin strom. or indeed why the newer 650 vstrom is always heavier than the last model. that isnt progress to me. I dont think ive ever heard anyone say ooooo, that old series 1 650 vstrom needed to be built a bit heavier or stronger lol. they were built out of girders so why do they keep getting heavier? it might only be a bit each year but that makes the 2022 model about 12kg heavier and with a smaller fuel tank than my old series 1 vstrom is. if it was lighter i would buy the new one tomorrow but the weight has been my only complaint in over 12 years of riding the 650 really, Cheers for watching and for the comment anyway mate, ride free

[@mrsilbo6499]

Totally agree with you. I've had 2 KTMs, both had issues & they weren't that great either. Japanese build quality is unsurpassed.

[@stevecrocker6904]

@@barebonesmc : the latest Vstrom 1050 XT's have put on lots of beef since I bought my 2014 Vstrom 1000 new in 2014. That's one reason I traded (after 7 years of total reliability and fun riding) to a KTM 790 Adventure. I'm fully prepared for the possibility of less reliability (so far with 12,000kms it has had no issues) and took a gamble to purchase a bike around 20kgs lighter than my old Vstrom (with its options). And the KTM came with Cruise Control and Tubeless rims - important to me as a 70 year old who rides long distances here in Australia, mostly sealed road but taking dirt/gravel short cuts wherever it cuts distance and improves the scenery

[@barebonesmc]

@@stevecrocker6904 Fingers crossed mate, id get crucified if i bought the 790 purely because of the pillion seat lol. but yes, as with many others the Vstrom's did just get overweight. Why does progress take us backwards? Ask how many people wanted a lighter 650 with better suspension? and then tell me honestly you think Suzuki are listeing to customers? Cheers for watching, and enjoy the ride 🙂

[@marcalampi5036]

Seems to me the Suzuki designer's knew what they were doing, money was spent on this bike.it has a rigid chassis, it shouldn't be flimsy. It's torquey, fuel efficient smooth, robustness, durable, built for the long haul and comfortable, good range and enjoyable. people should be able to live with it day in and day out. It's a serious motorcycle as well, a do everything motor bike. Seems like Suzuki did it's research and didn't miss the point. I myself would take a small risk and buy one.

[@barebonesmc]

I don't disagree with your point as such, as I said in video it depends on your use. I just think it would be a much better bike at 200kg and don't really understand why they chose to build it so heavy. For example, the series 1 650 Vstrom was 189kg dry with a 25kg liquid weight. so around 15 to 20kg lighter and built like a proverbial brick sh*t house, a parrallel twin engine should be lighter than the Vtwiin too, so why make it heavier? for any positive impact that might have on the highway it will seriously impact the off road performance

[@Errol.C-nz]

@@barebonesmc @barebonesmc the 20yrs old tdm900 makes more power & torque & 190kg with cast wheels.. 20kgs can be stripped off that bike easily.. so why did they rehash a T7 700 worse in every way.. not to mention the mt07 & xsr road versions & their amaturish tube frame design.. again compare the tdm 900 platform & engine with the mt07 side by side.. a big backward step in every way.. yamaha really missed the boat especially with the xsr, vs the rz350 chassis now that would be a retro bike.. corporate politics & individual ego's.. this is just Suzuki hopping on a trend bandwagon theyll regret dropping the V-twins

[@barebonesmc]

@@Errol.C-nz sounds about right, and yes, the trend spreads wider than suzuki. a sad time, just hoping some new companies start to shake it up. not talking about specific bikes but for example, i love the fact CF Moto have stuck a 4 year guarantee on the bikes they build from KTM parts when KTM will only put a year with clauses on the same tech, its about time the industry started moving forward again. evolution should NOT make things heavier lol

[@philipodeny1129]

@@barebonesmc The CFMoto 800MT is a little heavier than the Vstrom 800DE, at least on paper, but is likely cheaper. Having said that, I'd love to hear your comparison of these two bikes...

[@davidefland1985]

I like it but they should of added CC. If it’s gonna cost 12k u might as well spend a little more and buy the 1050DE or a Triumph 900 tripple

[@barebonesmc]

i agree its over priced for what it is, but Suzuki often do that and then discount it later. Being honest, I think they were so scared of costing sales of the V-Twin Vstroms that they missed the mark. they didnt want to make it more powerful in case it cost 1050DE sales and they didnt want to make it too cheap or it would cost 650XT sales

[@mrsilbo6499]

Should suit my purpose admirably. Mostly road, very occasional light off road. No Bluetooth connectivity (hurrah!) and the horn button is in the right place - Honda please note. I test rode a Tuareg last summer & I really wanted to like it. But it was way too blinged up for me & the wind noise was so bad, I cut short the ride.

[@barebonesmc]

What puts me off the Tuareg is all the electronic trickery lol, cheers for watching mate

[@mrsilbo6499]

@@barebonesmc I spent over 30 years in technical roles in IT & telecoms, so actually, I love technology. But not all those distractions on a bike. Who the hell wants music & calls when they're riding? Quickshifter & sat nav (on my phone anyway) yes, but are you really that good a rider to need a hundred different suspension setup permutations? Thought not.

[@barebonesmc]

@@mrsilbo6499 I am a bit of a nerd with suspension setup i have to admit 🤣🤣But it can be taken too far, ease of use is the big one and i hate menus on anything lol. give me a real speedo any day. i wonder how many tft screens will still be working in ten years time ?

[@mrsilbo6499]

@@barebonesmc Fair point, well made, sir.

[@barebonesmc]

@@mrsilbo6499 nice chatting mate

[@gtpits]

It is fun to speculate, but does not help in the end, until someone starts riding this thing. Big questions are; can you shut traction control off fully, if not this thing will be impossible in sand. The other thing is does it reset to road and abs full every time you switch off (stall) like the tiger? No mention of cruise control anywhere for this bike, without it it s simply not what they are selling it as..KTM 890 R (what I own) is the most stable bike I have ridden on dirt, just wish it was made by Suzuki…the Japanese manufacturers made their mark in the early days by taking other manufacturers poorly executed ideas and making them work…maybe make a japanese KTM 890!

[@barebonesmc]

hi n cheers for watching, there are some things that you only get after riding but others are more tangible regardless. that weight is my biggest complaint. there is no cruise control as standard, it will probably be an added extra in time i imagine as the throttle is ride by wire so theres no reason not. re "the Japanese manufacturers made their mark in the early days by taking other manufacturers poorly executed ideas and making them work" maybe that is where Kove will make their mark. the Chinese firms seem to be listening to the market better than the japanese and europeans at the minute. ride free my friend

[@stevecrocker6904]

no, the Vstrom supposedly denotes "versatile". Apparently riders spread the V = engine configuration myth

[@barebonesmc]

I thought the Strom bit came from the German "stream" so does that mean we all own verstaile streams? or V-Twin Streams lol, It is what it is mate, regardless of what suzuki originally said the V-Twin engine is synonymous with the Vstrom name, as i said in the video, that may change in the future, but for now to me its just a DE800 🙂 but i acknowledge im a pedant 🙂Cheers for watching , and enjoy the ride 🙂

[@williamrae9954]

DE800 17" rear wheel....and it's aimed at the BMW 800GS,not the Tenere,different bikes!

[@barebonesmc]

why aim a new bike at beating an out of date bike that has a limited and falling market share? and if they used a 17" rear i'd simply ask why on multiple levels. the tenere stole the market from the other middleweights. that is the bike they need to beat if they want to make serious sales surely?

[@williamrae9954]

@@barebonesmc What do you see in the Suzuki v Yamaha advertising bumph...one is an adventure tourer, 2 up,the other has Pol Tarres using it as a trials bike,you wouldn't subject a passenger to sit on the 6x2...totally different machine objectives, ie,17" tyres are easier to find in places like Corsica(from experience).

[@barebonesmc]

the seat is a big part of why i didnt go for the Tenere, so i'm not disagreeing as such, at least on that point. I can't comment on Corsica, but 18" is more common in general for many tyres. marketing material is all based on half truths anyway, we all know that. thats why I try to look beneath the marketing. Perhaps you could explain why Suzuki thought it was better to make it heavier than all its competition though? that is its biggest downfall afterall

[@victorherrero4790]

How can you say that is better or not if you have not ride it?

[@barebonesmc]

cheers, in reality no one can until it is ridden, but that hasn't stopped all the videos being published on here, The video looks at what will make it better or worse in very basic ways such as the chassis geometry, suspension and weight. these are facts we have. No they dont tell the full story, but they give people a better idea of what the motorcycle is about.

[@victorherrero4790]

@@barebonesmc ok, fair enough..cheers

[@stefanjepp6612]

The mayor disadvantage of the DE 800 is its weight! Apart from that it is an interesting bike! Between the Honda transalp and the DE 800 there will be the price to distinguish the two. I hope the Honda will be cheaper. This might come true,as the hornet is about 1000 Euros cheaper than the Suzuki 8 s

[@barebonesmc]

​@@stefanjepp6612 id totally agree really. the weight is its big downfall and it has a lot of competition. Not many Hondas cheaper than the equivalent Suzuki either🙂

[@tomg6284]

The Aprilia kills it, for less money.

[@barebonesmc]

yep, in most ways it probably does, poss not so good on the motorways and if im right aprilia made the mistake of welding the rear subframe on didnt they? that is a major bugbear for me with most of the big ADV bikes

[@mrsilbo6499]

Have you tested a Tuareg? I *hated* it, when I really wanted to buy one.

[@barebonesmc]

@@mrsilbo6499 all the tech just puts me off. more to go wrong

[@dtogo4286]

@@barebonesmc exactly

[@appymarley]

I thought Suzuki had left the shell suit colour schemes in the eighties makes it look like big bird off sesame street..and how have they managed to add that much weight...poor effort

[@barebonesmc]

pmsl re shell suit comment but its true 🙂 and yep re weight, think they lined the tyres with lead🤣🤣🤣

[@guestappearance3211]

All those conclusions from marketing material, ffs

[@barebonesmc]

thats all anyone has right now mate. unless youve got one tucked away as a special pre production unit???

[@stevecrocker6904]

specifications can tell us a lot if conveyed by people who know and understand them. Most of us are fairly happy to mostly ignore them as a dark art

[@Errol.C-nz]

Suzuki's marketing people.. like ALL current superficial marketing people.. Budweiser being a prime example of outta touch marketing.. totally loose relavence & context especially when it comes to labelling as in this case V-Strom.. as originally & since refers to the V-twin.. to quote Wiki.. "The name V-Strom combines V, referring to the bike's V engine configuration, with the German word Strom, meaning stream or current.". as relates to the bikes setup & PURPOSE.. The DE800 is a P-Strom & contrary to EVERYONE elses claims that parallel twins are lighter than V-twins.. bollocks.. case in point proven.. Suzuki (like Honda with their cb500x being a small bore 700/750.. wth would you Honda make an under powered overweight dirt track adventure bike heavier than most thousands ffs!) totally missed the boat.. Aprilia set the beanchmark with their 100kg 75hp sxv550).. detune/retune THAT BIKE & what a sweet smooth LIGHTweight tourer for the smaller riders.. IT CAN BE DONE so why on gods earth don't they care too.. this DE like Hondas CB-x are selling you pigs.. like you say.. pick them up on muddy terrain.. look back at Yamah's TDM's 25+ years ago not to mention xtz750 Tenere the REAL DEAL of the 80s.. generally out perform these in the field.. where is "progress" ?.. definitely NOT in the foundation machine.. forget the ancilliaries & accessories tinsil, they can be added to any base bike

[@barebonesmc]

The SXV is one of the stand out bikes of the modern era for me. bonkers little thing. and yep as you know i agree on the use of the word progress. if evolution is real then why are so many people getting dumber lol cheers for watching mate :-) ride free

[@WhatTimeIsIt369]

Haha! I feel your contempt. Contempt of which I share. My take on your question of why they won't make the right bike that is being asked for is, as always, because of money. If they sell you the one "unicorn" bike and you are happy with it then why would you either need to modify the *%*^* out of it or buy more than one bike. They want aftermarket parts being bought and they want you to have to buy more than one bike to suit the purposes we request. However there is a wake up call coming for them on the more off road side of things from KOVE. Not everyone will want this bike either but it is what so many are asking for. It's just too bad that it isn't Japanese to begin with. But I think most people that love bikes always need one more anyway. I always have a list of at least five that I think I need. We certainly have first world problems.

[@barebonesmc]

@@WhatTimeIsIt369 very well put mate 🙂and yes, i am hoping Kove are one of the companies set to shake up the pot 🙂

[@emersonhonorato5561]

Eu quero.

[@mvmixingstudio]

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