Feel like riding a new middleweight adventure bike in the spring and eyeing the 2015 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT ABS? Good, because the bike has received its European base price and you can probably start booking your test rides. Want to take it home? Apply for Suzuki’s attractive financing plans or ready a €8,990 check for the base model.
It was of course very nice to see Suzuki back to a more sensible approach when it comes to adventure bikes. Even though their flagship liter-class V-Strom is still stubbornly using cast wheels which are worth less than nothing (give or take) on rough roads, we were delighted to meet the 2015 model year V-Strom 650 XT ABS and take a bevy of live photos of it at EICMA 2014. Back then only the US price was known, but now we know how much will it cost to take it home.
In the US, the base version was introduced with a base price of $10,399, which was kind of nice, provided the do-it-all character of the bike, with its good fuel economy and all-rounder worthiness. Those in search of a no-frills bike which can go the extra mile after the asphalt ends now have one more choice, even though they’d still have to pick more off-road oriented tires. Anyway, for badly paved roads, fire roads, moderately-hardcore trails and other places like these, the 2015 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT ABS can definitely do.
The bike is offered with ABS as its name says, plus various trim options, such as the Adventure or the “inter-urban” ones. The latter introduces an under-engine protector, a central stand, hand guards, vario windscreen and a 42-liter plastic top case with a passenger backrest. Again, a pretty decent trim if you’re more of a city rider and are not planning longer trips.
However, if you do, the Adventure Aluminium kit is a more appropriate approach, and it will only set you back €900. For the extra cash you get alu panniers to put you in line with the rest of the “big boys”, an aluminium bash plate, engine guards, a 12V outlet and heated grips. Of course for any of the available versions, you get the beak under the iconic dual headlight, whether you like it or not. You can also check out this more detailed story about the “Suzuki beak thing”.
Now, that the house of Hamamatsu took the first step in this direction, we can only hope that the motorcycle shows this fall will also bring a similar upgrade for the V-Strom 1000, even though we don’t get our hopes high for 21” front wheels.
Google News