STriders
06-04-2006, 11:02 PM
What
Impressions of riding a Suzuki DL650 from long-time ST1100 guy, and some
observations on the dual-sport genre in general.
Why
Because I think a liST such as this could stand some exposure to some
alternatives once in a while. And it's been awhile since I earned my keep
and submitted an unsolicited product review.
By Whom
The above-mentioned ST1100 guy; been on the liST since 1996 or so. Looking
down the throat of 58 years old; 34-inch inseam; weight about 210, I think;
I keep losing the same 5 pounds repeatedly. Not born on a bike; new to the
endeavor in late 1985. Experience: a few tens of thousands of mile on
pavement, mostly on my second ST, a few miles on dirt roads (mostly out of
necessity due to several states' national summertime pastime, Road
Destruction; a few miles on shifting desert dune sands by virtue of the MSF
Dirt Bike Course (the first one that actually was a "go" in all of New
Mexico); a generally hyper-conservative rider due to the fact that I'm still
smarting from The Crash of '97, and DOE wants to know about any of my
officially-recorded indiscretions--seems there's something about this
security-clearance thing; consequently considered slow by most.
Background
Linda and I were entrusted with a friend's Suzuki DL650 (aka the V-Strom,
often called the "Wee-Strom" to distinguish it from its somewhat large
sibling the DL1000, also called a V-Strom) for about a week while he was
away attending to professional and family matters. It's all very legal, and
we do expect his return to reclaim the bike, but he also entrusted to us his
registration and insurance papers. Having been intrigued by the prospect of
dual-sporting, having known several on the liST who have over the years also
hobnobbed with the dual-sport fraternity, and having been somewhat desirous
of navigating backroads (the good graded gravel ones over Colorado mountain
passes, as well as being what I have imagined to be a bit more stable on
"roads" Colorado is trying to restore at least temporarily by ripping them
down to bedrock and beginning anew), I embraced the opportunity to put such
a beast (albeit a somewhat diminutive one) through some of its paces, given
my limited familiarity with the breed. We do admit to lusting after the
R1200GS Adventure, but would probably be just as happy with a KLR650 or an
XRsomething-or-other. We are also surveying the market for STudley's
successor. We still have an occasional hankerin' to tour, but would also
like to have other options for non-paved roads, & etc.
Anyway, this was an '04, farkled with BMW/Bosch/JohnDeere socket, heated
bar-grips, a bar-mounted GPS attachment, and a few "custom" things. None of
these features was tested for this review. The owner had also attached an
Iron Butt license plate frame--I am not a member of the association, and I
didn't get asked about it en route.
I reiterate that this is a set of observations and impressions, not a
detailed technical dissection a la Motorcyclist or other mags.
The Route...
...was about 110 miles today. Now, if you'd like to get out your Street
Atlas and follow along...
From my house south via NMSR556 (Tramway Blvd) to NMSR333 (part of old 66
and the easternmost end of Central Av); east to the bustling village of
Tijeras; north on NMSR14 through Cedar Crest, San Antonito, the old mining
towns of Golden, Madrid (pronounced "mad'-rid", not as the place in Spain),
and Cerrillos; east on Santa Fe County Road 42 to the quiet northern New
Mexican village of Galisteo; thence south on NMSR41 to Stanley; thence west
on NMSR472 (which becomes Torrance County Road 16, then Frost Road after it
crosses NMSR344); thence to the junction with NMSR14 near San Antonito,
retracing the route back home. The kicker: Santa Fe County Road 42 has
several miles of non-pavement. So this was a test of the bike's performance
(and mine) on moderately civilized dirt (at least, as much civilized as New
Mexico gets).
I left at about 8 AM, stopped at the Cedar Point Grille for andouille
sausage + mushroom omelette topped with cheddar, black beans, and sour
cream, with sides of home-fried potatoes (with a touch of green pepper and
onion), and sourdough toast. The trip was leisurely, as I had standing
orders to take pictures with the new digital camera (but that might be a
separate product review). The gear I wore might be a one or more separate
product reviews also. I will say that my CTB's were still quite stiff,
albeit not new; this of course presented issues not so much with shifting,
but more so with braking. It was warm here today--in the low 90's, clear
and bright, but I kept reasonably comfortable in my gear, the
nervousness-factor of riding a borrowed bike and riding on dirt (this time,
by choice) notwithstanding. The ride itself might soon be posted to the
off-topic liST with photographs.
The Bike...
...was a bit quirky at first. Lurchy, as might be expected with a
chain-drive. When I rolled off the throttle, there came a point at which
the throttle would imitate falling off a cliff, rather than rolling.
However, we reconciled our differences after a the first few miles of
stop-and-go to get out of town, and the ride was remarkably smooth. The
seating position was quite comfortable, not quite bolt-upright, but not
canted forward either, as on the ST.
Cornering on pavement seemed steady, as long as I could get clutch,
throttle, and rear brake going together as they should. I never quite got
it down to be as smooth as I would have liked--maybe another day. The first
few starts were a bit dicey as a result, and grabbing a handful of brake at
a traffic light brought me to the famous point of impending skid once--my
only near-dump the entire trip ("you're not in ABS-Land anymore, Toto").
Cornering was steady, as I said, except for that patch of gravel--and--well,
you know, it is a bike, and that moment was good for at least a raised
eyebrow or two, but nothing worse than that. Acceleration was good for what
the bike was--I can only wonder if under the circumstances the big V-Strom
might have been a little overwhelming at the time, given my limited
experience with true dual-sporting.
Now, the true test of dual-sporting: the end of-pavement, where the road
continues...
I was pleasantly surprised when I left the pavement, both about the bike and
myself. I confess to having dreaded this stretch of road (although Linda &
I had scouted in the truck previously). Most of the unpaved section was
washboard--continuously for several miles. Occasionally, stretches of
smoother gravel were welcome. A rock outcrop of the Madera Limestone over
which the road had been "built" (bulldozed?), however, was not, and
introduced a minor side-hill component that V-Strom took in stride.
Actually, the washboard transmitted the vibrations through the bars but not
to the seat. I had to concentrate to not put the bars into a death-grip,
and all was well. I had been warned not to expect the on-dirt performance
of a bike more suited to dirt-riding as a specialty, but I found myself
getting up a bit over 30 mph (the posted speed was 35) and even passing some
cages. As many will know instinctively, the ride over washboard gets a
little smoother and more stable at higher speed. However, caution was in
order due to the ever-changing character of the roadbed. The road was
mostly straight, with a few minor curves, but was anything but level. Up
over one rise only to descend into a valley; repeat for several miles.
Michelin "Anakee" tires with which the bike was shod performed as well
off-pavement as a suppose non-full-up-knobbies could. I do understand that
dual-sporting is a compromise.
Near Galisteo the pavement resumed. The trip home was a bit breezy. While
the wind was not sufficient to blow me from one side of the lane to the
other, I noticed the wind. But then, the ST1100 "responds" to crosswinds
similarly.
Conclusion
Could I tour on this, or a similarly purposed bike? Certainly. Would I
want to? I have not yet decided--I obviously have not experience the
cross-country long-haul on a dual sport, as has its owner. Am I turned off
by dual-sporting? Not a chance. I could get used to this. But would I
spend >$16K for a 'GS? Therein lies the tale not yet told...
Steve Lambert
Albuquerque, NM
STOC#zerozerothreezero, & etc.
"Three hunters went out this morning. We continued our voyage, and during
the day broke our mast by steering too close to shore. [At least I didn't
break anything today during my 'voyage'.] In the evening we encamped on the
south side near lead mines [all I saw on my trip were coal and turquoise
mines, and those are pretty awesome]; when our hunters came in with seven
deer."
--Sergeant Patrick Gass, June 4, 1805
Impressions of riding a Suzuki DL650 from long-time ST1100 guy, and some
observations on the dual-sport genre in general.
Why
Because I think a liST such as this could stand some exposure to some
alternatives once in a while. And it's been awhile since I earned my keep
and submitted an unsolicited product review.
By Whom
The above-mentioned ST1100 guy; been on the liST since 1996 or so. Looking
down the throat of 58 years old; 34-inch inseam; weight about 210, I think;
I keep losing the same 5 pounds repeatedly. Not born on a bike; new to the
endeavor in late 1985. Experience: a few tens of thousands of mile on
pavement, mostly on my second ST, a few miles on dirt roads (mostly out of
necessity due to several states' national summertime pastime, Road
Destruction; a few miles on shifting desert dune sands by virtue of the MSF
Dirt Bike Course (the first one that actually was a "go" in all of New
Mexico); a generally hyper-conservative rider due to the fact that I'm still
smarting from The Crash of '97, and DOE wants to know about any of my
officially-recorded indiscretions--seems there's something about this
security-clearance thing; consequently considered slow by most.
Background
Linda and I were entrusted with a friend's Suzuki DL650 (aka the V-Strom,
often called the "Wee-Strom" to distinguish it from its somewhat large
sibling the DL1000, also called a V-Strom) for about a week while he was
away attending to professional and family matters. It's all very legal, and
we do expect his return to reclaim the bike, but he also entrusted to us his
registration and insurance papers. Having been intrigued by the prospect of
dual-sporting, having known several on the liST who have over the years also
hobnobbed with the dual-sport fraternity, and having been somewhat desirous
of navigating backroads (the good graded gravel ones over Colorado mountain
passes, as well as being what I have imagined to be a bit more stable on
"roads" Colorado is trying to restore at least temporarily by ripping them
down to bedrock and beginning anew), I embraced the opportunity to put such
a beast (albeit a somewhat diminutive one) through some of its paces, given
my limited familiarity with the breed. We do admit to lusting after the
R1200GS Adventure, but would probably be just as happy with a KLR650 or an
XRsomething-or-other. We are also surveying the market for STudley's
successor. We still have an occasional hankerin' to tour, but would also
like to have other options for non-paved roads, & etc.
Anyway, this was an '04, farkled with BMW/Bosch/JohnDeere socket, heated
bar-grips, a bar-mounted GPS attachment, and a few "custom" things. None of
these features was tested for this review. The owner had also attached an
Iron Butt license plate frame--I am not a member of the association, and I
didn't get asked about it en route.
I reiterate that this is a set of observations and impressions, not a
detailed technical dissection a la Motorcyclist or other mags.
The Route...
...was about 110 miles today. Now, if you'd like to get out your Street
Atlas and follow along...
From my house south via NMSR556 (Tramway Blvd) to NMSR333 (part of old 66
and the easternmost end of Central Av); east to the bustling village of
Tijeras; north on NMSR14 through Cedar Crest, San Antonito, the old mining
towns of Golden, Madrid (pronounced "mad'-rid", not as the place in Spain),
and Cerrillos; east on Santa Fe County Road 42 to the quiet northern New
Mexican village of Galisteo; thence south on NMSR41 to Stanley; thence west
on NMSR472 (which becomes Torrance County Road 16, then Frost Road after it
crosses NMSR344); thence to the junction with NMSR14 near San Antonito,
retracing the route back home. The kicker: Santa Fe County Road 42 has
several miles of non-pavement. So this was a test of the bike's performance
(and mine) on moderately civilized dirt (at least, as much civilized as New
Mexico gets).
I left at about 8 AM, stopped at the Cedar Point Grille for andouille
sausage + mushroom omelette topped with cheddar, black beans, and sour
cream, with sides of home-fried potatoes (with a touch of green pepper and
onion), and sourdough toast. The trip was leisurely, as I had standing
orders to take pictures with the new digital camera (but that might be a
separate product review). The gear I wore might be a one or more separate
product reviews also. I will say that my CTB's were still quite stiff,
albeit not new; this of course presented issues not so much with shifting,
but more so with braking. It was warm here today--in the low 90's, clear
and bright, but I kept reasonably comfortable in my gear, the
nervousness-factor of riding a borrowed bike and riding on dirt (this time,
by choice) notwithstanding. The ride itself might soon be posted to the
off-topic liST with photographs.
The Bike...
...was a bit quirky at first. Lurchy, as might be expected with a
chain-drive. When I rolled off the throttle, there came a point at which
the throttle would imitate falling off a cliff, rather than rolling.
However, we reconciled our differences after a the first few miles of
stop-and-go to get out of town, and the ride was remarkably smooth. The
seating position was quite comfortable, not quite bolt-upright, but not
canted forward either, as on the ST.
Cornering on pavement seemed steady, as long as I could get clutch,
throttle, and rear brake going together as they should. I never quite got
it down to be as smooth as I would have liked--maybe another day. The first
few starts were a bit dicey as a result, and grabbing a handful of brake at
a traffic light brought me to the famous point of impending skid once--my
only near-dump the entire trip ("you're not in ABS-Land anymore, Toto").
Cornering was steady, as I said, except for that patch of gravel--and--well,
you know, it is a bike, and that moment was good for at least a raised
eyebrow or two, but nothing worse than that. Acceleration was good for what
the bike was--I can only wonder if under the circumstances the big V-Strom
might have been a little overwhelming at the time, given my limited
experience with true dual-sporting.
Now, the true test of dual-sporting: the end of-pavement, where the road
continues...
I was pleasantly surprised when I left the pavement, both about the bike and
myself. I confess to having dreaded this stretch of road (although Linda &
I had scouted in the truck previously). Most of the unpaved section was
washboard--continuously for several miles. Occasionally, stretches of
smoother gravel were welcome. A rock outcrop of the Madera Limestone over
which the road had been "built" (bulldozed?), however, was not, and
introduced a minor side-hill component that V-Strom took in stride.
Actually, the washboard transmitted the vibrations through the bars but not
to the seat. I had to concentrate to not put the bars into a death-grip,
and all was well. I had been warned not to expect the on-dirt performance
of a bike more suited to dirt-riding as a specialty, but I found myself
getting up a bit over 30 mph (the posted speed was 35) and even passing some
cages. As many will know instinctively, the ride over washboard gets a
little smoother and more stable at higher speed. However, caution was in
order due to the ever-changing character of the roadbed. The road was
mostly straight, with a few minor curves, but was anything but level. Up
over one rise only to descend into a valley; repeat for several miles.
Michelin "Anakee" tires with which the bike was shod performed as well
off-pavement as a suppose non-full-up-knobbies could. I do understand that
dual-sporting is a compromise.
Near Galisteo the pavement resumed. The trip home was a bit breezy. While
the wind was not sufficient to blow me from one side of the lane to the
other, I noticed the wind. But then, the ST1100 "responds" to crosswinds
similarly.
Conclusion
Could I tour on this, or a similarly purposed bike? Certainly. Would I
want to? I have not yet decided--I obviously have not experience the
cross-country long-haul on a dual sport, as has its owner. Am I turned off
by dual-sporting? Not a chance. I could get used to this. But would I
spend >$16K for a 'GS? Therein lies the tale not yet told...
Steve Lambert
Albuquerque, NM
STOC#zerozerothreezero, & etc.
"Three hunters went out this morning. We continued our voyage, and during
the day broke our mast by steering too close to shore. [At least I didn't
break anything today during my 'voyage'.] In the evening we encamped on the
south side near lead mines [all I saw on my trip were coal and turquoise
mines, and those are pretty awesome]; when our hunters came in with seven
deer."
--Sergeant Patrick Gass, June 4, 1805