M/C upgrade suggestions

[XTremo]

I had a Strom 1000 back in 2006.....very nice bike indeed.

Just seemed to lack a bit of character though.....it had the sort of bland feel you get with Hondas.

Great motor on it though.....but as with most Suzukis the build quality leaves a lot to be desired....too much tacky plastic.

For a tourer though they're a good bike!

 

[dxh24]

Its time for an update:

2011 V-Strom 650:
I rode this yesterday evening. Nice and tall. Liked the ergonomics, seat height etc.(I am 6 ft, 205). The bike had only 800 miles on it and had suzuki OEM side cases and a bags connection tank bag (with a 12V outlet inside). But the ride itself was disappointing. It seemed under powered above 50 mph and seemed to hesitate a lot. It could be the bike as I think the FI was not working smoothly. Probably due to a faulty battery as the guy had to use a battery starter to start up the bike. It was also extremely twitchy. If I was constantly accelerating the bike did ok, but if I held it steady at 5k rpm above the 3rd gear it felt like the engine was gasping. The friction zone on the clutch made the FZ6 feel like a automatic honda civic It made low speed maneuvers tricky. But I did like how it handled corners and tight turns in a parking lot. Once I got it above 20 it seemed very smooth.
Overall very disappointing, but I was still thinking it might be worth a shot. The engine specs were 66hp and 44 ft lbs torque.

2008 V-Strom 1000:
I called this guy after testing the 650. I was reluctant to move up to a liter bike, but I wanted to at least try it out. So I went in this morning. Here is the description from the ad (Givi top case (stop light) and side cases, Givi crush bars, skid plate, center stand, v-stream windshield, original windshield, raised bar, denali fog lights, heated grips, new tires last fall).

The ride was top notch. It has 101hp and 74 ft lbs torque. I got the FZ feel at higher speed and the twin torque under 50. The clutch seemed just right (more forgiving than the FZ) and was a lot less work. I was not able to do that many low speed turns - but I felt very confident with how it leaned in. I think I found my next ride.:rockon:

I have put in a deposit with the owner and wanted a day to think it over. The price is $6600. You guys reckon that is a good value for a bike with 9k miles and good condition?

Not sure I'd pay near that for a bike with 9k miles.... A quick search of cycle trader and Craigslist tells me you can get one with similar miles for about a thousand less. See if you can't knock 500 bucks off the price if your hearts set on this one .. And never be afraid to walk away

Good luck !

 

[redFazer]

Can you post a link? I looked around and I found this to be the best deal. The price includes givi cases, touring windscreen, heated grips, fog lights and 12v outlet.

The fact that it is setup fully for touring is a big plus for me, since my trip is coming up in 3 weeks. In addition the bike has been ridden regularly which is a plus, I could see the difference between this and the low mileage DL 650. I wish I could find one cheaper, but I havent seen one with all the goodies within 250 miles of Chicago.

 

[dxh24]

It does depend where you are, doesn't look like much near Chicago like you said, but I'd still try and knock 500 off the price unless you already agreed to it.

http://m.cycletrader.com/listing/2007-Suzuki-V-Strom-1000-110335748

Seems like there's loads in Colorado lol... Also check over at ADVrider forums and the strom forums (think its Stromtroopers.com) often times good deals come up on fully farkled bikes.

Think I saw the bike your looking at on Chicago CL and if that's the bike it looks like a gem! If the extras are worth it to you pull the trigger, although I'd personally try and get the price knocked down a few hundred (I'm a tightwad with money lol).

 

[FIZZER6]

Post pics and info on the V-Strom 1000 you are looking at. Seems like a tad high on price to me as well but if it has accessories you want anyway it may be well worth it!

 

[redFazer]

This is the ad - 2008 suzuki v-strom 1000

I bought the bike yesterday. It has all the stuff I need for my upcoming trip so that is a big bonus. I did not find anything comparable within driving distance. Hopefully the ride is worth the money.

I rode it home last evening with all the boxes. A guy in a Harley chatted me up at the light They don't even acknowledge me if I wave when I was in my FZ6. I already miss the Fazer, this bike is bigger and low speed travelling was a bit tricky.

I am still holding out hope that my insurance will let me buy back my FZ6 so that I could fix it up (once the total it).

 

[Ssky0078]

Looks good, have fun, ride safe

 

[FIZZER6]

This is the ad - 2008 suzuki v-strom 1000

I bought the bike yesterday. It has all the stuff I need for my upcoming trip so that is a big bonus. I did not find anything comparable within driving distance. Hopefully the ride is worth the money.

I rode it home last evening with all the boxes. A guy in a Harley chatted me up at the light They don't even acknowledge me if I wave when I was in my FZ6. I already miss the Fazer, this bike is bigger and low speed travelling was a bit tricky.

I am still holding out hope that my insurance will let me buy back my FZ6 so that I could fix it up (once the total it).

Congrats, looks nice!

Did you get it for a lower price than $6,600?

You'll love having a top case. I have a trunk on my touring cruiser and I can do all my grocery shopping on that bike!

 

[SweaterDude]

good luck with the trip and nice ride.

 

[dxh24]

Pics have and will continue to be demanded of you until you produce them, and no, Craigslist pics don't count

Welcome to adventure motorcycling

 

[redFazer]

Ride report after 75 miles. Definitely more fun as a commuter. The low end torque makes it a lot easier on my wrists, the FZ6 clutch this is not.

But out on the highway, it was a different story. It had a touring (V-Stream) windshield installed, which made handling and wind buffeting very dicey. Around 90mph+ it was a tiny bit wobbly. More than anything I was a bit spooked as I expected a very stately ride. It also has a rough/dead spot around 2800 to 3500 rpm.

After some goggling, I ordered a fork brace to stiffen up the forks. Mirror extenders to reduce some of the wind buffeting. Switched back to stock windscreen to see if that makes a difference. Gonna take her out tomorrow again.

So far, I still miss the FZ6's effortless handling above 100, maybe this is a sign that I should slow down. I also did my first grocery shopping with the top case, can't believe I lived without it so far!!

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Hello Everyone


Here is what I am looking for.

1. At least 200 miles on a full tank of gas. Preferably a minimum of 40mpg and 5 gallon tank. (the FZ6 tank was close to perfect)

Fuel capacity and range is a very big factor for me as well! Stopping for fuel every 150 miles or less is just ridiculous.

 

[Ready4Launch]

Here's a run of the FZ8 with R1 cams (nickname the R779 mod LOL) That was with the stock exhaust and TB slip-on. Now we put my exhaust on and the bike pull much better. The tune is pretty much done, just need another ride or two to double check the data.

The bike peaked at 107 HP and with the smooth at 5 as about 102-3 WHP with 55 ft.lb of torque with the TB exhaust. But if you look at the graph you can tell the exhaust is restricting the HP on top... Now with the new Marthy Exhaust the mid range did improve right away, even before the tune.

We should get the bike on the dyno next week or so. My buddy is out of town for a couple of days now. I think we can get very close to 110 WHP.

I'm not saying the FZ8 is a better or not bike than the FZ1. Just like the FZ6R, it's built on the cheap end of the scale... but the price tag is interesting.

So if you do the work yourself, you can get the exhaust kit, cams and PCV fro a hair over 1K. That's good for about 20HP. Considering that quite a few FZ1 owner upgrade their suspension for R1's Not sure if it comes into the equation if you compare the bikes. Looks like they fix some of the issue on the 2013 version. On a review they were saying the front end is fine but the rear still need some work.

So yes, if you compare the FZ8 to a FZ1 on paper the FZ1 is a much better bike. But the way I look at it is the bike look sharp (if you like naked bike) and with the R1 cam mod it put the bike within R6 HP with more torque... all that under 11K! (doesn't sound that slow when you look at it this way)

So it all come down to draw the line between what you want, what you like and what you actually need. They are all good bikes if they fit your needs.

That's what I'm working on now... Unless $hit hit the fan in the next few months, I should have a new ride in my garage later this year. Still not sure what yet... so many nice bike! :BLAA:

EDIT: Here's a run of a 2013 FZ8. That's the next project... tuning the Marthy Exhaust for the non-R1 cams. Hoping to get close to 100 WHP.

Does ANYONE have more information related to this R779 conversion???? Googling R779 conversion does nothing but bring you back in a circle to these same forum threads. Looking for more detailed parts info.

 

[Marthy]

Been a while... there's a very detailed list in the other house on the R779. Should also have some info here somewhere...

All I remember is

Intake 102 & Exhaust 105 degree of lobe center. I do not have the fuel maps anymore... since I got the FZ09 instead.

 

[Monica A]

Honda VFR800 - heard good things, have no experience

My hubby loves his 2005 VFR800. Look for a good used one 5th or 6th Generation. He rode a newer one and wasn't impressed. We have gone on some longer rides. 1500+ miles, 2100+ miles, etc. He has a Givi top case and on longer rides he straps a duffle bag to his passenger seat for covers, rain gear, tools, etc. He carries that stuff for me too. :cheer: He put on a straight bar to make the seating position less aggressive and a new seat. The stock seat was uncomfortable for him. I've ridden it. It is about the same seat height as the FZ6. The VTEC has to be experienced to be appreciated. Let's just say, hold on when you hit 7k rpm. He keeps up with all of our friends on sportbikes (Ninja X-9R, BMW 1000RR, GIZZER 750, R1 M, Ninja ZX-14) in the twisties too. He usually can go 200+ miles on a tank. Not sure of the size. Close to 5, I think. I would have probable gotten one if we found a good used one. I prefer the look of the 5th Gen, but I had to have something different than my hubby. lol The VFR is super narrow. We have filtered in California traffic before. He was more comfortable on his VFR than I was on FZ6 slipping between all those big SUV's.

I would recommend my2006 Triumph Sprint ST1050 too. For all the reasons above. Comfortable seating with stock bar (I think it has risers on the clip-ons), tons of torque! I bought it used with an upgraded seat (I don't know the manufacturer). I have stock saddle bags on it with plenty of room for gear for 10+ days of riding. The only thing it might be hard to find a used one. I haven't reached the top speed of 165, but I'm close... The previous owner got to 160. My previous bike was the FZ6. It was a good move for me. It's a little more expensive than an FZ6 but worth it in my opinion. It ticked all the boxes for me that the FZ6 didn't. Mainly torque. I can go 225 miles on a tank with aggressive riding. It has a 4.7 gallon tank. I have heated gloves, so I think the battery/alternator is good for accessories plugged in. It came wired for a GPS, etc. but I don't use that stuff for hubby took it off. We just bluetooth iPhone GPS into the ScalaRiders on our helmets if we need directions to get somewhere.

Good luck on your new bike search. Let us know what you end up buying.