suzuki v-strom 650?

im new to bikes, although i am working on my grandfathers xj, i want to buy a bike in a year or so, especially with then gas spikes. i would use it mostly on the highway, 55-65mph, so i can go to school and work, which is in huntsville, and the highest limit there would be 50mph. i was looking around for bike's and found the suzuki v-strom 650. im about 6'1" and 235lbs, and this bike is 648cc's, and i forgot the weight. but, after i get my license and take the safety course(s). might take the advanced later on. would this be a good bike to get? its a standard, not a streetbike. my freind rides a buell, firebolt?, and has taught the safety course, and done a commercial with harley. he has said he would take me to a parking lot and teach me the basics and some riding tips/safety. would this be a good first bike? or is it too much cc's for me to handle?

 

Well...since my Yamaha 650 is my first bike, I certainly can't say it's too big!

 

The XJ's docile handling character and forgiving nature make it a perfect first ride even for your size Munky. I would also suggest an MSF approved course to improve your odds at staying alive! How long has it been since your friend taught the course? If it has been a few years, I would steer toward taking the course. I taught myself back in '90-'93 and things have changed a bit since then. I would think twice about teaching a buddy today given all the changes although the fundamentals probably haven't changed too much.

 

According to bikez.com, the V-strom is 418 lbs, versus the XJ's 500-530 (depending on model). Didn't have any HP numbers, but it appears to be the same V-twin from the SV 650. The XJ is my first bike, but it's not even running yet, so I don't have much room to talk here. But going on what I've heard from more experienced riders, don't get a brand new bike for your first one. XJ's are cheap, easy to work on, and IMO would make a better first bike. But if you're the type that doesn't like to work on your own stuff, it might be better to get a newer bike.

I looked at and sat on a few V-stroms at the Suzuki dealership, I didn't really like the way they looked or felt, but to each his own.

Oh, and BTW, I'm 6'3" and 245, and the Maxim is one of the more comfortable bikes I've sat on.

 

i would keep the xj, but its not my bike. im just working on it. he taught the course last august. and i am taking the course as well. yeah, the xj would be a smoother ride, shaft drive and 4 cylynder, as compared to a chain drive twin. there would be no twin "lag". but if my grandfather gives me the bike, ill take it. the 650 looks to cool to pass up. i just wish it had better brakes. and that it was fixed already

 

It is a lot new a 650 though - in this case I don't think it's exactly the same as the sv engine - it's been tuned for some more low end torque.

For a first bike - the 250 ninja is a nice cheap starter - the gs500 and ex 500 are both good but not a huge step up from the 250. The sv650 and ninja 650 are both a considerable step up from the 250/500s. Both are managable by a new rider.

The dual purpose bikes (v-strom) are good beginners for taller riders - but not so good for the shorter riders.

I don't think a ss600 or above is a good learner bike at all - it's not purely a hp function either - they don't generate all that much more hp than the 650 twins - but what they do do is generate it very quickly... incredible snap to their power delivery.

Larger twins of the non-SS variety ( ie - not the TLR, VTR or RC51) are nice bikes because they are more torque orientated than their sport bike relatives... these aren't terrible bikes for an older beginner who won't treat it as a race bike.

Anyone young or impressionable should start on a bike with no more than 65hp. Above that point you get into trouble you never knew existed awfully quickly... like leaving an intersection as quickly as possible just to t-bone someone who thinks they've got time go infront of you. It happens and until you've got the skills to compensate for the wild right wrist large horsepower is only a danger to yourself... small hp bikes are not dangerous as some people will claim - they are excellent learner bikes as you have to learn to ride before you can go quickly - and by that time you should have built up the skills to live. A 250 will out perform many cars on the street - the maxim certainly will - even at it's huge 500+ lbs and sub 100hp numbers.

I do like the v-strom and think it is a good beginner bike for many people, just like the xj 650 is a good beginner bike.

Just my thoughts on that matter,
woot.

 

Woot, you have a way with words.

This is great advice. I just had to do yet another accident report on just such an accident on one of my subordinates (his second like accident in one year!). Munky, the best advice I think we could give you is get something that fits you. Your larger frame makes this selection a bit harder so when you find something that fits that you are comfortable with, that is the bike for you. Larger displacement is a bonus to the larger framed machines that fit the bigger guys but Woot is right about the little Ninja. Good, cheap beginning bike that has quick handling responses. You have a lot to crunch now don't you? Start sitting on a bunch of bikes and try to imagine sitting there for a half an hour at a time. That should make you mindful of where the pinch/pressure points are. Will your legs be cramped up? How easy is it to reach and initiate the controls? You can see where this all goes. Looks like a bit of homework for you, but don't be in a rush to buy. Try on a lot of bikes and try them a few times if you feel like it. Good luck!

 

i have a couple freinds that just started riding as well. one of them has never ridden before, and got a bike around the 900cc's. he is a danger to traffic and himself. i dont want to go big cc's, because it will go to my head. i like the v-strom, it looks good, has good torque, and meets the needs of larger guys. ive read reveiws of guys my size, and they like the bike a little more than the v-strom 1000. i saw a ninja today at school, it looked tiny to me. i would be very uncomfortable on one. i like small cars, but i dont want a small bike, nor a big one. i want one that is like me. the xj will be cool, but i dont know if he will give it to me. all he is doing is sponsoring me $$ for parts. no further agreement has been made. but, if he does give it to me, you'll have a new xj rider! i am still a little worried about technological gaps, like the brakes. but i can get used to that. i will do alot of parking lot time. snosherrif, im not flaming you, but, i dont want to go with large cc's. i dont want to risk my safety. i want to be a part of the biker community, the responsible one. i dont want to become the stereotypical 18-25yrd crotch rocket kid. a few of my freinds do that whole 100-120mph on the highway, swerving in and out of traffic crap. to keep their head son the ground, i keep asking for an agreement on their things when they die. unfortanutly my reality scare tactics dont work. i want to keep it small and safe.

 

I think the Suzuki V-Storm 650 would be a great first bike. I really like the semi-dual-purpose nature that this bike possesses. This bike will take you places other can’t. Check out the review from motorcycle-usa. It’s an excellent web site that is free and they do the same reviews that the Bike Magazines do but for free. They also have free videos along side the articles of the bikes in action.

Click on this link to check out the Suzuki V-Storm in action. It’s from there 2006 Adventure Touring Comparo. The Suzuki was the fast of the round up. http://video.motorcycle-usa.com/motorcy ... _bikes.wmv

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_P ... 385&Page=4

The link below is from the Adventure Touring Comparo.
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_P ... 850&Page=1

 

Wow, CT did a bunch of homework for you Munky. Your comfort and safety should be paramount to all else. Sno, your right on. Munky, you are your best safety device. Just because you have all the horses doesn't mean you check your brain in at the door when you go out and throw a leg astride the iron horse. I can appreciate your wish to limit your horsepower, but ultimately it matters more what you do with what you have. Your buddies have yet to wise up and I can remember bunches of similar kids pass through my classes. Every year the base safety office had us instructors sit down and look at the aftermath of all the "failures" of our efforts to educate our brothers. It was sickening. I live near Los Angeles and see the "wack" riders on a daily basis. There are clubs full of them. They think they are cool just because they can hang out together and do some pretty spectacular things (most of them incredibly risky) with like minded individuals. What they all fail to realize is that they don't own the road and are risking more than just themselves while doing it. I cringe every time I see a statistic on the road, it saddens me greatly. Most are preventable. I want you to realize that you, yes you, hold the key to staying safe and so long as you remember what you are doing, the risks involved and have the tools to manage them, your going to do alright. It sounds like your headed in the right direction by respecting the power; become its master, dip your cup, but don't ever forget what can happen when you don't ride with your brain. I'll step down off the soap box now. Good luck.

 

I agree that horsepower shouldn't matter. Stepping away form the original poster for a minute here - what is the first thing that a young male is going to do with a bike? They're going to want to know what happens when you twist the throttle. Having more horsepower just makes it more tempting... what I'm saying is that for someone who really can behave themselves horsepower doesn't matter - however - it seems the more horsepower you give someone the harder a time they'll have behaving.

I remember getting whiplash the first time I tried to grab a handful of throttle on something over 100hp... not only do those bike accelerate quickly in first gear they continue to accelerate through each gear - to get that feeling of it grabbing you buy the guts when you're deep into 6th gear is exciting but completely illegal. You hit the redline over and over in a few seconds - your foot and hand working together to notch the next gear and then you realize that you are flying... and even though the brakes of these bikes are millions of times better than the maxims travelling at this speed means you won't be stopping in the next 200 feet.

Remember that stopping distance is a non-linear relationship with speed - s you go faster the stopping distance gets significiantly larger - more to the point - stopping is related to time not distance and every millisecond you travel while stopping puts you closer to the obstical. The faster you were going the further you travel in that time and the faster you run out of room. If you're interested in my math homework on this comment and I'll post it... it is a bit scary to look at the numbers and I have no idea how I made it through some of the years on the street.

I've seen young riders twist the wrist, panic and hold it - only to go wide on the first turn. I've seen young riders target fixate and not stop when an obsticle passes infront of them. I've also seen a young rider panic stop a new SS... that wasn't pretty - it wrote the SS off and he was in really really bad shape.

I know horsepower shouldn't matter - but it seems that ( first poster not included here) the more you have, the younger you have, the more stupid decisions you're going to make. Perhaps the corelation isn't from that direction - perhaps it's more the smarter you are the more realize that a first bike shouldn't be a hugely powerful bike; that your first could even be what is considered 'underpowerered' and that you will have the rest of your life to buy a jet bike...

I realize that what I've said could be seen as an attack or inflamitory - it is just my opinion and it certainly isn't meant to be an attack... I'm not a worried mom but I do worry. I've seen a lot of bad accidents that I looked at and realized that they didn't have to happen.

For the original poster - I'm glad you are concerned about this - this is a good sign that you are the type of rider who can be responsible and shouldn't have any problem with the v-strom or the maxim. Glad to have you around - I'm sure you'll have lots of stories and questions as you rack up the miles.

Cheers all,

woot.

 

I guess I should add something.

When I first started riding I wanted everyone to ride.

Later I realized riding wasn't for everyone and would only talk about it enthusiastically when I had an interested audience.

Now I'm not anti-bike - I love to talk about bikes with bikers, however, I do play the devils advocate with new riders and those considering starting riding - I'd say that I am the type that wants to make sure you know what you're getting into, to rant and rant some more about the importance of good rider training, and to rant some more on being a smart safe rider.

Of course this may seem a bit of a do what I say not what I did... and I understand that... on the otherhand you could say I'm trying to pass along what I have to say and what I wish other people could have been around to say.

Sorry for the downers - but that's a bit more of where I'm coming from...

Rubber side down and I'll be back in the saddle in a few weeks (SUMMERTIME!)

Woot.

 

i dont have any suzuki dealers near me, id have to go to nashville or somewhere else to find the bike. i have emailed people who are selling their bikes and asking them questions. originally i wanted a buell blast. but i found too many problems. like oil burning, vibrations, numbness after riding,things like that. nice numbers on the chart, and the reveiw was a good one. it has alot of what i want. the dualality of the bike is a bonus. but i mostly like the fact it gets constant power, there is no one point, so that will definatly be a plus if i get in a situation where i need power at once. i hope to stay away from those, but it is eventual. in the reveiw it said what other owners have told me, there is plenty of leg room for a 6'0"+ guy. this bike will be used mostly for semi-long trips, 45+min trips at highway speeds. and just to drive around on my off days. plus, the price is nice for a bike like that.

 

i started savin my $$ for a bike and gear. it might be awhile though, i have a car to pay off as well. and a meatcutter&college student doesnt make big money. so if me and my g-pa sell his bike, then i might get a cut. he might just buy me a bike. i dont know. ::crosses fingers::