Middleweight V-Strom?

MIDDLEWEIGHT V-STROM?

This year’s best belt for the buck? No doubt, Suzuki’s TL1000-egined V-Strom. So why not a middleweight spin-off of the highly competent adventure-tourer powered by the little-V-Twin-that-could from the SV650? Such a machine could compete with BMW’s F650GS Dakar, yet cost much less than its Munich-made counterpart. “Not likely,” offered an American Suzuki spokesman, despite artist’s conceptions making the Euro-mag rounds.

“That market is generally calling for a more touringoriented bike with a bigger engine to ride two-up with saddlebags. The SV650 as it stands right now sells extremely well, and there are other niches that Japan wants to fill, niches that are probably more important to them than, say, a smaller V-Strom.” Matthew Miles