Suzuki has opened the order books for its incoming V-Strom 800, a new road-oriented adventure bike that lowers the point of entry into the range, priced from $17,490 rideaway.
The Suzuki V-Strom 800 can be considered a more road-focussed version of the V-Strom 800DE variant ($18,590) that launched the brand’s new parallel-twin platform earlier this year.
With this positioning in mind, the V-Strom 800 swaps the 21- and 17-inch wire-spoked hoops of its 800DE sibling for more conventional 19- and 17-inch cast wheels with tubeless tyres.
The 800 is also much lower to the ground, with lower-spec preload adjustable forks offering 150mm of travel compared to the DE’s fully adjustable setup that provides 220mm of travel. The new bike should be more approachable with an 825mm seat height (down 30mm).
Other key changes include a taller windscreen, exclusive graphics (available in blue only), narrower handlebars, deleted sump guard, smaller footpegs and radial mounted calipers rather than the axial-mount setup of its dirt-focussed sibling.
Carrying over is the same 62kW/78Nm 776cc parallel-twin motor, a 20-litre fuel tank, a 5.0-inch TFT screen and full LED lighting.
Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. He also knows how to operate the big computery thing in the office. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
