Suzuki vs Kawasaki | Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE vs Suzuki V Strom 1050XT | Visordown.com
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- čas přidán 30. 06. 2024
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Visordown.com is the #1 online motorcycle website for news, reviews, and all things motorbike with 1 million monthly users and growing.
We’re best known for covering all the latest motorcycles launches and bike industry announcements, breaking motorbikes news, first ride, and road test.
One million monthly bikers and growing! - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Versys is a sports tourer just like the ninja 1000 (not the ZX10R) and the V-Strom is a full blooded adventure touring bike that can go offroad and should be compaired against Africa Twin, Super Ténéré and the GS. The video is great but a bad choice of bike comparison :(
Stinky Llama the things is, we tried that and Suzuki claimed that wasn’t the what the bike was - basically, they don’t claim it to be an adventure bike, it’s a tourer with adventure styling - in their own words!
If we pitch this against Honda AT, BMW GS A and Ducati MTS 1260 enduro, it’s getting a hammering, and that’s not really the idea. It’s about finding bikes that are close on specs, price, application and performance and helping people find the bike they want out of the two based on what we found to be true.
@@visordown Suzuki is crazy then by claiming things that the bike can't even do properly. For me I see the V-Strom as a real adventure touring that can go offroad, it's true that it'll get butchered by the adventure touring competition but I think that's how it is, and Suzuki's false claims just to sell it I think because they know if they badge it as the likes of the other adventure bikes people will just choose a better option for them if the money allows them. But still don't get me wrong the video is great
@@stinkyllama you have to realize suzuki have there own world which is on the weird side. Just look at there katana xD that is why sales are low! And how long thede going to make the new hayabusa delays
do you even know what sports tourer is? by the height itself clearly versys is not a sport tourer. not even talking about others thing that define a sport tourer or a dual-sport motorcycle.
Ive driven versys it definitely is a mix bag btwn sport tourer(because of the engine setup) and adventure bike (it sits high with long travel suspension). But since its heavy its just a good road bike for long wide straight highway. its a damn heavy to manuever in tight roads specially at parkings. And has bad gas mileage compare to twin which is better for traveling But have to consider i4 almost dead smooth . So its really upto the buyer
I took a V Strom on an solo eight day tour of northern Spain last year for a national magazine. Loved the bike, it rides and steers like a much lighter bike, with superb smooth engine response. Just over 1800 miles covered with average fuel consumption 59.8 mpg. Great bike.
Believe you. I am looking for one.
@@RRRRefuelRideRace I have had a 2004 and now have a 2018. The '18 is an amazing all-rounder and is actually fun ride. The engine is meant for the real world, with bags of torque from about 4K through 6K, right were we spend most of our time - and I've ACTUALLY gotten 70 mpg overall on a trip! The handling is surprisingly good, specially if you toss on Michelin Road 5s or 6s. Feels much lighter than it is, and is a blast in the mountains. I never really go offroad, just unpaved fire roads, and only to get from here to there. But, I've seen many who put real knobbies on a V and kick serious off-road ass.
@@allwheeldrive Very well explained. I believe you. I never rode the Vstrom 1000 or 1050 that is why I cannot say anything. :) Drop by if you have time. You may like it.
It’s interesting how in 6 years the V-Strom 1000 went from being considered either forgettable or slightly unpleasant to look at, to being one of the most stylish bikes in the class. It has also maintained an affordable price while adding lots of tech. Well done Suzuki!
in my eyes it is a lil bit looks like bmw GS..
@@stigsstupidcousin3102 it will do! as BMW copied the beak on the Suzuki for the GS model!
I still find it rather unpleasant to look at and very forgettable, some people may need their eyes testing after this COVID-19 outbreak me thinks !
I think it's interesting how people can call the V-Strom "stylish". Makes me wonder how they dress ...
@@nickthequick they would probably strap a plastic beak on their face and wear a 'pig ugly' dress, to match the bike that has had a damn good thrashing with 'the fugly stick' 😯.
Just saying !
Versys is a sport tourer. The best comparison between the two I can give. The Versys 1000 is a Japanese Multistrada, the V-Strom 1000 is a Japanese GS.
If Versys is a sport tourer what is the Ninja 1000 SX Tourer then?
A super sport tourer?
What about Super teneré and Africa twin as japanese GS?
@@Arian36588 super tenere is an absolutely machine! Reliable. Solid. Comfortable.
Both excellent machines and I considered both before deciding on the V-Strom. The beauty with the V-Strom is with little mods in one direction you can make a full on adventure bike or mods in the other direction and make it a full on tourer or mods down the middle and make a tourer/adventure combo! Considering the price of the V-Strom being so much lower, you can use the savings to mod it out any which way you like and still have money to spare. It was an easy choice for me.
Exactly what I did. My '18 leans more toward sport touring and I've got no complaints. Awesome bike.
Japanese’s machine is as smooth as silk and the linear throttle is controllable. For the 1 liter game, the off-road performance is only as secondary as the bikes possess a little more ability in un-paved way. It is far away from the word ‘off road’. Both bikes finish and detail are phenomena. But for long distance comfort, I am choosing the Versys 1000, because of the in line four cylinder inherently offer more smooth gear shift on ride than any twin configuration cylinder.
I know ! Some reviewers looking for a dirt bike on a trailer for the highway to get them to the sand dune or forest . Well neither of these big 1000 are off road dirt bikes ! Yes taking a V Strom down a dirt road you may feel less like your going to beat apart a nice bike but your still going to think long and hard about leaving any trail !
I bought the Strom and it's just so much fun the engine just roars and flings you down tarmac with a beaming smile. I used to have GSA's which are amazing but this is several thousands cheaper with exactly the same capabilities, I'm not taking 250-270kgs off road.
Sensible and realistic 👌
There are quite a few who've put real knobbies on the V and truly rip it up. In the right hands, it can do the job in very rough stuff.
I use to own a TLS and fell in love with Suzuki's big twin. Often thought about owning a V-Strom 1000. I had a KLR for adventure riding and that machine allowed me to do half of Canada and a lot of it on dirt back roads. Sold the KLR and bought my sons Versys 650 a year ago. Great little rig.
Me: I think all it needs is double the torque and cruise control this would be the perfect touring rig.
Kawasaki: Let me introduce you to the 650's bigger brother...
i think v strom is a nice adventure bike in many terms.
At a drag race, there is always a winner. Who won? Stop using "vs" if you can't declare a winner. Use "and".
Seems it would be the Kawasaki for him.
This is a comparison of the differences between the two bikes. That is in a fact a vs situation. Let me hook you up really fast with a definition of versus
ver·sus
/ˈvərsəs,ˈvərsəz/
preposition
against (especially in sports and legal use).
"Penn versus Princeton"
as opposed to; in contrast to.
"weighing the pros and cons of organic versus inorganic produce
@@exzeaon or even Versys instead of Versus 🥴, isn't it ? I am such damn clever Dickie don't you think 🤪.
@@patmick1 i see whats you did there =)
It's subjective.
I love my 1050 XT,such a comfortable bike for tall persons (im 1,89m).
Making a 620km Tour last weekend and it was so cool. V-Strom has power,runs smooth and silent and looks SO cool. Love it.
Exactly 💯 agree
I LOVE IT TOO. DON´T HAVE IT YET, BUT I WILL (THE BLACK WITH GOLD WHEELS)!!!
ENJOY IT AND RIDE SAFE, MATE!!!! VSSSS
personally feel that V engine more refined and more weight balance on frame body. 19 inch front wheel will get more control on offroad and more precious control when u standing on seat. My choose suzuki v strom due to high reliable and low maintenance cost. Cheers
V Strom engine 26 year old design, but perfected. Versys modern engine, bit buzzy at high rpm.
VStrom better off road bike, but on road Versys is the far superior machine.
The engine is the attractive thing for me also,the fact that's a vtwin that's really refined and if you put an aftermarket exhaust on it it should sound really good
Seriously you want to take a large bulky street touring litre bike actual off road , not just the odd dirt road ? Look at the old KLR dual purpose then , which beats both these long range road bikes "off road " OR a DR 650 for dual purpose. Just DR 200 , 400 or 650 be ready to stand a lot or sit on a 2x4 board .
I wanted a big comfortable highway commuter bike that I could also take trips on with the guys. I also wanted it to remain light and sporty enough to carve up some curves on the weekend. The Versys 1000 with the 4 cylinder has this in spades, and it's done the job wonderfully. If I were doing more camping, and needed low end torque more than highway cruising, I would have chosen the V-strom hands down. You have to pick the right tool for the job. There's lots of overlap between these two, but there's enough difference to pick one for your mission.
Great music selection! :D
Excellent job.. cheers from Melbourne
Thank you!
Great video and duel,for me its all about comfort,as an previous owner of strom 650,s1000xr ,tracer 900 and gs1200 now i am thinking of this two bikes
As a former ZRX1200 owner, I am partial to Kawi inline fours. I currently own 2014 Versey 650 and 2019 V Strom 1000XT Adventure. I think the Versey 1000 leans towards sport touring, where the Strom is oriented towards adventure touring. Both are solid machines, just depends on what flavor you prefer.
i really love the zrx. such a nice looking bike. another one on the list of bikes i want to own... has to be close to 100 by now.
This is so true. :) Perfectly agree. Drop by if have time.
Nice vid. In future vids can you put engine specs on screen side by side for easier comparison and look up. i can not memorize stats while watching and have to rewind to check which is more powerful etc.
I'd love to see a similar comparison between the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX Tourer and the BMW R 1250 RS, that's one comparo I have yet to see
Versys is my choice - It looks better to me and I love the sweetness of an In-line four !
I agree with many here that this is not a great comparison. Versys 1000 is more comparable to a Multistrada, S1000XR, FJ09, few others. V-Strom can be better compared to the Tiger 900GT (not Rally), ...and not much else comes to mind.
It amazes me how so many completely miss the point of the V-Strom. It's an adventure bike with a strong road-bias, meaning Suzuki made deliberate trade-offs which many of us really appreciate. I'd bet 95% of adventure riders would never benefit from a 21" tubed front tire, which is great for climbing rough stuff and adding ground clearance, but cumbersome and impractical on the road. Or, soft long-travel suspension, which again is great for the rough off-road terrain, but makes for an unsettling twisty road ride. That's why the V-Strom has a 19" wheel that's a compromise between the street focused 17" and the off road focused 21", and stiff suspenders with more travel than a road tourer. Throw in the tubeless spoke wheel option and you have a bike that will do everything the vast majority of us will ever do off-pavement just as well as any other adventure bike, without giving up too much on road. It really is a brilliant bike.
Spot on! 👍
JRos Tiger 900 GT is about 50 pounds lighter than VStrom 1050 XT, something like 490 to 540 pounds wet. The lighter weight and electronic rear suspension of the Tiger 900 GT Pro are strong points.
@@oldtimer3824 Agree, the weight of the tiger does gain it some points. Price, reliability and spoked wheels gains the v-strom some points. I'm currently debating between the previous gen of these two (pre-owned or new leftovers). Tough choice.
Great points JRos.
I have not had the pleasure to have ridden either the Suzuki or the Kawasaki or Triumph. I am not from the UK. In the USA you would be hard press to travel the size of this great country and Canada without considering vast miles of tarmac without the possibility of service net work. Kawasaki and Suzuki are well established. Triumph, great bike and well equipped like many brands but is service limited. As appealing as some brands maybe parts and service is a reality. There are vast areas that have no network. My point is you stay with tried and true. Stop the fluff. If you want to do reasonable light off road to get to a site of interest you best choose carefully. Road bias or off road bias.
The catch of the screen on the V-Strom should be left in the middle position. If you do not lock it you can adjust it during the ride just by pulling/ pushing the top end of the screen.
Great video. Amazing bikes
Parabéns, excelente vídeo.
Both are great bikes. I chose the Vstrom for price and reliability. I can't think of a time where I need electronically adjusted suspension. That is something else that is going to break.
Suzuki forever.
Кавасаки....
Kawasaki forever
Yep!👍
Nice vid & a decent comparison. The Kawasaki seems like a better quality proposition overall but I think I prefer the Suzuki as it looks great imo & has the trump card of price. I would also like to think that V-Twin can be spiced up a bit with an aftermarket can & still have bags of change left over the Kwak.
Not sure about that. The v-twin in the vstrom is a seriously great and extremely reliable motor. Being a twin already puts it ahead of the 4 for maintainability and simplicity.
I actually own the Versys 1000 SE and you are absolutely wrong! It is very capable off road as well. Just did some of roading last weekend with the Versys and it is totally doable, no issues whatsoever. Yes I agree its main aim is at road driving, but fear not, it will not let you down on offroad conditions.
Your game, with all roadgear to smash off it potentially.
When I bought my old Vstrom XT last year I saw the Versys it the saloon that just came out and for the normal one the price was only 800 € more than Vstrom. But at the end I went with Suzuki because of Vtwin engine and 19 inch front tire that I like more and with that a bit more Adventure looking style. I would love to see Kawasaki building a Vtwin 1000 cc bike and Iam the first buyer since I love their dispay and build quality.
Great comparison video
Thanks!
Wow my dream bike ever kawasaki versy 1000 a touring bike.sending my support keep safe always in your ride my friend.
Won't be taking too much notice of this comparison since they even got the engine capacity wrong on the Versys. It's 1043cc, not 1034cc. Oh, by the way, having ridden both, I chose the Versys, since I have no intention of going off-road and just wanted a sporty full-on touring bike for me and wifey and we're both well happy with the comfort, range and equipment on the bike
I'll check out your videos and site to see if I can find any typos. I'd suggest one or two fewer commas in your comment. It would make it clearer.
I hate "comparison" reviews which don't have the balls to declare a winner.
Good review 👍
Which one is better for 2up sport-touring? I am looking for a 2nd bike to fit this criteria.
Interesting bikes, but a boring review! 😴 Reading the comments, far more interesting 🤔
I would take the suzuki simply because it's actually simple bike not much complicated 😝
Are they not just avoiding lawsuits, so they made sure you get off first before adjusting screen? Avoiding the case someone adjust it while riding and crashes, and say the system is unsafe. You know some one will do it. 🙂
Agree 100%. It might be not such a stupid decision us it seems to be.
FOR ME IT´S 2 REASONS, MOSTLY ON THE SUZUKI:
1--SECURITY.....2---DURABILITY -RELIABILITY....IT´LL LAST FOREVER WITH NO ISSUES AT ALL!!!!
Nice video, I have been driving a 2015 Versys 1000 for 3 years, at 6'4" the stock windshield created a lot of buffeting and the seat after 1 hour left but sore. Other than that great bike, but it is big. Really, it comes down to the engine between these bikes that is the major difference.
Wtxk
I've got a 2015 too and I'm 6'5". I know your pain, literally! Got a V-Stream Touring screen on mine and just bought a Corbin seat this year. Really interested to see how much the seat makes a difference
Please let me know how that seat works for you, I hope it works well.
@@robertkollath8929 worth every penny so far! Took it out for an hour over the weekend and it felt pretty solid. Definitely not as sporty as the stock seat but then again I bought it for touring. It's very comfortable and wide in the back
Thankyou a Corbin seat it is
looks like you guys ran out of footage! the same ones were repeated so many times! lol!
Very good presentation. Well done.
Vstorm is a looker! and love the Twin engine and 19inch front wheel.
While the Versey 1000 is a fine upright sport touring mount, personally I think it should be shaft driven. As an owner of a 2014 Versey 650, Kawasaki strayed away from the "Versatile System ", on the 1000. I think the V Strom is similar in purpose to the original Versy. I guess that's why I purchased a V Storm 1000xt Adventure.
But neither one has been intended as off road bikes. True taking V Strom down a dirt road seems more do able but far as 'off road' WHY would you take what is bult for paved and unpaved roads into actual off road riding where getting stuck is ending in damage to bike and rider. People who actually ride off road don't buy litre touring bikes to do it. They get a decent dirt bike or more purposefully built smaller dual purpose .
Great report. Thanks for all your hard work. I don’t own a Ninja 1000 because of the insurance cost. It never occurred to me to substitute the Verses 1000. Hmmmm....
Can you tell me how much difference you're talking about in insurance... Mine is very cheap but I'm 43 years old so maybe that's a big difference... I hear alot about big insurance rates and I'm curious how much a fully insured Liter bike is for someone else
Ex... Yamaha mt10 is about $500 a year for me fully insured
@@BracaPhoto Hi, Braca. I'm 60 with a perfect driving record and was considering buying a new Ninja 1000, but after a great deal of shopping, my cheapest quote was $1,100/yr. No other bike was even in that ballpark. By contrast, my 2016 Aprilia Caponord Rally (1250 cc) is $250/yr (advantage of an obscure bike), and I got a quote for a new MT 10 right were yours is at $540. I have not quoted the Versys 1000. TMI now, but since my wife does not like to ride, I don't really require all the carrying capacity anymore and I'm free to get a lighter, solo bike, so I'm about to decide on a MT-10. It's the high performance deal of the century. I'd add a windshield and side cases and have a very sporty sport tourer.
Such a cool video, that Suzuki looks unreal!
Nice review
Thanks!
I am sure both companies put the screen adjustments on the outside of the screen for insurance purposes. They don't want bikers trying to adjust it from the inside with one hand off the handle bar and then crash and sue the company for a poor design.
FOR ME IT´S 2 REASONS, MOSTLY ON THE SUZUKI:
1--SECURITY.....2---DURABILITY -RELIABILITY....IT´LL LAST FOREVER WITH NO ISSUES AT ALL.
Every bike is an adventure bike make do of what you have. my versys can go offroad no problems at all.
Exactly! I have Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRs on mine. Offroad is not a problem :)
Owned 2016 Versys 1000 and 2015 Vstrom 1000. Vstrom had better suspension for unpaved roads, more narrow seat, more torque in low revs. It is better adventure bike but the Versys is better sport turing. bike. Kawasaki went this way after first Gen 2012 which has more stiff and high suspension then nex Gen 2015. Cleary this two bikes are made with different ideas.
Awaiting the suzuki 1050 xt to come in INDIA which will definitely shake the Indian ADV segment
Yes
A coda to this review. I have an '18 Vee XT that I've made a bit more sport touring. It is exceptional. Very fun to ride (power, handling, brakes), and can swallow 500-mile days with total ease (if I can physically make the 250+ miles between fueling!). Spend time with one and you won't look back.
I think I'll keep my FJR1300 for a while yet.
Why is everyone complaining about the impossibility to adjust the winshield while riding, why would you do that??At which moment you say to yourself "hmmm right now I need less protection, lets put it down!", and it's unsafe to put your hand away from the steering, I really don't get it.
The Suzuki bring back the memory but I'm choosing Kawasaki for this one
It is a slightly more exciting machine to ride - it doesn't though have the looks of the Suzuki. That thing looks awesome!
@@visordown Beauty is in the eye of beholder. Good video!!
The gas mileage on the kawi offerings is atrocious in comparison.
Long stretch hi-way = kawasaki versys 1000
Windy rural road = suzuki v-strom 1000
I take the opposite: The 'Strom has an amazingly tall top gear for highway cruising, and is unusually crosswind stable for he class. A bit less wind protection, but no ADVer these days dare being seen without a full Goretex suit.... While OTOH, the Versys has the sportier, revvier, more dynamic engine and, despite being heavier, the sportier turn-in and handling.
I just traded my 1050 in on versys1000 , the reason was because of reliability problems,being the cruise control cutting out and second gear in the box also quality was not very good I got the centre stand powder coated because of rust there was rust elsewhere as well, and I only rode it in the rain twice in two years and twenty two thousand kilometres,all suzuki australia didn’t help at all, and I didn’t ride it off road,the versys is a beautiful bike in every other way.
Strange comparison. They should have compared the Verses to the standard street orientated V-Strom. Personally the notion of taking a huge bike like the V-Strom 1050XT off-road is comical. These are street bikes.
Shame Suzuki only offer all the new goodies on the XT version. If your never going to go off road (and almost no VStrom owners will), you won't need the spoked wheels, which I can tell you from experience, are a pain in the butt. Unfortunately, the basic version of the DL1050 isn't even as good as the basic DL1000 from 2019.
One of the nice things about the Vstrom vs most other Adventure bikes, was that you could get the lighter, and better on road, cast wheels. For the sort of "off roading" most people would be willing to risk on a 250Kg bike loaded down with luggage and perhaps a pillion, there's just no need for spoked ones.
If Suzuki absolutely wants to persist in keeping "the goodies" away from the "base" model, I wish they would offer an upspec "Road Sport" version in addition to the XT: With the goodies, narrower, lighter plastic luggage, and even lighter, forged wheels a-la Marchesinis.
I completely agree this was a bone head decision by Suzuki marketing to force buyers to pay $2K more for XT when most want cruise control and adjustable ABS which costs very little other than some added switches and firmware AFTER their decision to use throttle by wire. I dont want spoked wheels and crash bars when those other key features are worth maybe $500
2020 was a good year for motorcycle sales but few Suzuki dealers where I am located were stocking 1050s so they didn't sell many. I might consider replacing my 2018 1000XT but only if the price of 1050 is lowered or they made more radical changes such as more power via VVT
The Kwaka's 1,043cc, Toad, not 1,034cc.
Versys is nice, especially in typical green it is fantastic.
It is smooth, it is silent, it is silky...
Strom is rough, less sophisticated, ugly with strange colors.
.....
....
...
..
.
But Strom is reliable in all conditions and able to resist harsh treatment.
It is much more comfortable than Versys, especially for tall guys.
....and nobody would like to steal it...
Happy owner of 2016 model.... :)
The vstrom 1050 is comparable with the super tenere 1200 which was also a heavy adventure unpopular bike but doesn't make it less adventure worthy
I have a '16 Versys 1000LT and it is NOT an adventure touring bike. Gravel gives it problems.
If I would go back ti chain driven sport-touring motorcycles I would buy the Kawasaki. Such a nice bike, easy to turn, sporty and planted! But it is hard to give up on shaft drive.... 😀
Funny, because I've never had a chain (or belt) drive, and I just bought a 2020 left over versys.. guess I'm gonna need to do a tad more maintenance.
Long distances, on the island?
If the Suzuki is only a modestly capable bike off-road then I guess it comes down to whether you prefer a 2 or 4 cylinder tourer. Personally I'm not a fan of big twin engines, especially not for a road bike, though I see how they can make sense for very long rides and riders with different tastes.
I still laugh at those who buy a 1000 street bike and think they can turn it into handling like a 500 or so dirt bike or even into a dual purpose 650 . At some point they need a street long range touring bike and a full dirt bike on a trailer.
The Suzuki fits a very niche market I think in stock form it is a great handling street bike and a mild dirt road tool. Add some aftermarket accessories and you make yourself a decent ADV bike for the money. No it is not a KTM 1190 Adventure but in the right hands it will get you almost as far at a whole less money. The Kawasaki is just a road touring bike with a tinge of Adventuring styling.
This is a nice comparison of the Kawasaki versys the Suzuki 👌🏾
Thank you. I think it is a fair comparison since superficially they’re represented to the prospective market. However, each company’s existing bikes from which this innovation, the sports-tourer, were created are different. Kawasaki is an engine with wheels, while Suzuki is two wheels with an engine. It comes down to budget or brand loyalty, as I haven’t a motorcyclist who would say, ‘I prefer the bike with 15 fewer horsepower.’
i like the comfort and overall giddyup of the kawasaki.
Any bike can go off road😄when I started on bikes when I was a kid,any old bike we could get our hands on,we would ride in the woods😄most adventure bikes now never see a dirt track,they're polished and only come out on dry sunny days! The versys 1000 is a road only bike,big and comfortable, like a ninja 1000 but with long travel suspension,great for taller riders,I'm getting a new one soon,traded in my H2SX for a more comfortable riding position and after having a bike with 200bhp, I think 120bhp will be more than enough power for the road😄
I would have said the the Versys 1000 is a Sports Tourer not an adventure bike
Speed-comfort-handling-refinement: Versys
Please these bikes were made to take pillions can we have a pillion opinion.
Again another good comparison!!
This is becoming a theme, 2 in a row now!
Can you get the ultimate 3rd for the 👑?
We shall see!!
Good work guys👍🏾
Thanks for watching!
Are you best mates? 🤭😅
An interesting review, agree the Versys is 100% tourer with no offroad pretentions, it rides beautifully and has a peach of an engine, looks good too ! However, I have to say, I cannot see the logic of pitting it against the V Strom as that bike has offroad pretentions and is not a purely sports tourer as the Versys is. I would suggest to do a 3-way test, Suzuki XT vs Honda (std manual) vs Tiger GT. All these can do a bit of offroad (Honda probably the most). For Sports Tourer test, go for Versys vs Tracer GT vs Multistrada Base 950. :-)
The 'Strom may have some dirt road pretensions, but none of going off road altogether. The oilfilter makes that painfully obvious. The inherent balance of the V-Twin layout does make the front end lighter and less plowy in loose stuff, but Suzuki is, if anything, trying to reign that in (for more planted on-road handling), instead of accentuating it. In it's broad sweet spot, from highspeed freeway travel to firm'ish but bumpy dirt roads and everywhere in between, it works amazingly well. And is enough smaller than the 1200+ behemoths, to be meaningfully less cumbersome in city centers.
The downside of the Kawi is now the $$ they need to make a standard model again
I hear other people say the seat in the Suzuki is fine. And windshield you set it and forget it.. Not a big deal
Excelllentt
apples and pineapples - I Have a vstrom 1050 and my last bike was a Versys KLZ1000GT. The best bike dynamically - the Versys, easiest to live with Suzuki. The Versys has double the intervals (almost) for valve checks so if you ride a lot ..... The Suzuki luggage is far better too
Good review but is there any need for the ridiculously loud music....
With the screens I doubt manufacturers want to encourage manual adjustment whilst riding the bike. This always seems to come up, I can't say it would bother me..
Versys would be by choice.
I think the versys is more comfy for 2 if you do most of your riding two up, but its a heavy 4 cylinder engine, I went for the older style v strom 1000, not had the mrs on the back yet but it's a great road bike for solo use, and a lot lighter than my gtr1400!
Cry in my height 5.7 (175cm) i can never reach firmly ground with my feet..... Forever stuck in 600+cc ADV category... sad life
You only need 1 foot down formly on the ground. I am 177 cm and own the Versys 1000. No issues with height, so if you like these ones just go ahead and buy, stop worrying about your height
Yeh! Im 170cm height and I own a versys 1000. I can only have both tips of the feet in the ground or 1foot fully grounded. And I manage pretty well. The bike is indeed heavy, but while cruising you dont feel a damm thing cause of the smooth engine. Off-road is possible, i already done it, but only in small doses. you can do easy trails, but you cant climb big rocks.
I'm 173 cm and own a 2015 Versys 1000. No problem at all . If you like it and you can afford it, go for it.
To all of you guys. How tall you are is not giving any valuable information to compare. The INSEAM does!
@@richardhretczak536 actually it does, if you have 165 cm height you cannot have a lengthier inseam than a 175 cm one
Interesting comparo: a kawi 'sporty-tourer' vs. a suzi 'adventure bike'.
Next comparo will be a top end LandRover Disco vs. a fully loaded 911 Porsche...
'Strom vs V is more akin to Cayenne vs Panamera. Or CX-5 vs 6 tourer. The 'Strom's no offroader, and the V no sport bike.
I can't stand claimed power numbers. I know the difference between crank vs wheel, and I get variables in dyno's. Still, it bugs me. The Versys dyno's around 105hp and 70lbft, the Strom ~90/70 from what I gather.
Every single time I saw the dash on the VStrom in this video there was a stupid yellow TC light illuminated. So if you turn the traction control off, because it doesnt belong on a motorcycle like this, you get to stare at a yellow light all the time.
Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE: Is the electronic suspension any good?
I have one and it is indeed a smooth ride even compared to the concours I had before it
Interesting vlog ruined by too many adverts 🤬
Suzuki any day. Tha kawasaki is very expensive. I'm sure its lovely but after owning the previous DL1000 knowing this is even better I wouldn't even look at the versys.
for the love of me if I will understand why reviewers say the v strom engine lacks character. It's a grunty, burbly v twin with a lot of torque down low that hapens to also have a smooth power delivery. I also heard the same about the baby strom while hearing praizes about the SV 650, which I need not point out how ridiculous it is.... What is this mystical character that it's lacking ?
You forgot about the African twin from Honda 😮
Versys all day long for myself.. but you can't really compare the two 😕
The Versys's price tag is too high. The starting price is even higher than BMW S1000XR. $17999+410 destination fee compared to fully loaded S1000XR($20000), I guess I will pick BMW.
Er, Tracer 900.
I’m massively torn between the two. The V-Strom has the better fuel economy/styling, but I’ve wanted to see how smooth those Kawi i4’s are. What’s the V-Strom feel like at 80mph on a windy highway? If it’s pretty stable, I’d pick the Suzuki.
The last VStrom, which has very much the same chassis as this one, is perhaps the most crosswind stable of all the adventure bikes, along with the bigger Super Tenere. The Multistrada is planted as well. As is, surprisingly, the Africa Twin. Although, should the ATwin get knocked by a gust, it's even more stable slightly leaning over and turning. It doesn't right itself the way the 'Strom (1000) and Super Tenere (and bikes purpose built for high speed, long distance, like 'Busas, ZX14Rs, Concourse and FJR) does. Most Adventure bikes, attempting to compensate for their big size and weight, ends up making the steering too light for ultimate stability.
I bought a 2018 V Strom two years ago and it has been brilliant. Shop around for deals. The V Strom stability is excellent without luggage up to about 125mph. You do get quite a bit of turbulence but it is mainly due to the big mirrors which Suzuki seem to have changed. I have the aluminium panniers and top box and with those in place it can get a gentle weave around 100mph in long curves. It could probably be dialled out playing with tyre pressures and suspension but I have not bothered as it just feels so stuck to the road.
Suzuki 😘👍
I wish the Kawi was off road!!
So the versys has electronic suspension, but the v strom has cruise control. Buy the versys and a throttle lock I guess
It's a 1043cc not 1034 for v1
ive ridin both bikes The versys is kinda in the heavy side becoz of its inline 4 cyclinder engine
I can't beleive this video didn't include the Yamaha Super Tenere
I JUST FOUND OUT FROM A YAMAHA DEALER THAT THE SUPER TENERE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE IN EUROPE DUE TO THE EURO 5 REGULATIONS.