Duck's new ride...Weeeee Stom (extra e's)

[QuacktheDuck]

And a fine one it is... The extra e part is a must as this thing is so fun! Wow so where do I start...woke up at 6:30 am today (Sunday!!) because I was more excited than a 5 year old on Christmas Eve. When I finally got my bike and started it up, put it in gear and rolled off, I couldn't find my footing for a second...guess I was so used to the forward position of the M50 and it's been awhile since I rode anything "sporty." It was sorta embarassing since there were a few people standing around waiting to pick up their bikes...oh well .

First impressions, this thing feels light, regardless of the 418 lb dry weight, it feels alot lighter. The steering is super light and turn in is sharp and crisp. The bike has alot of ground clearance (to me anyways) and it likes to lean. I admit the skinny 110 f and 150 r tires didn't convince me initially that they'd grip the road but I was wrong. This bike is also very stable at speed, potholes don't upset it in the slightest bit. I was purposely going through cracks and potholes in the road to find out what would upset this thing, the same potholes that jolted me off my M50's seat on several occassions. Well this rode them like a lexus...smooth. The motor is very smooth too, almost too smooth haha, and the exhaust note is low and very quiet, again to the point of being too quiet. But all that just exemplifies what the v-strom is...smooth yet powerful with excellent handling and road manners.

My coworker summed it up best, it's the motocycle version of the porsche cayenne. Sure it may be ugly but it goes like hell (i wasn't even pushing it hard due to the break-in period but i can already sense how quick it is), turns sharp and grips tenaciously. Yet despite all the on road performance it doesn't seem afraid to enter any dirty stuff. I can literally stand up while riding, it's great. Ergomonics are excellent, among the best I've ever sat on as far as bikes go. The windshield is also excellent, being adjustable is just a plus. Next to no buffeting.

I made the wise decision to sell my M50. My fears would have been correct if I just bought the strom and had 2 bikes...the M50 would not get much seat time. Also I find it funny, with my M, I wanted to rush and customize it with exhaust, intake, etc etc. Even with the sv, I was wanting to do the basic mods and what not to have it stand out. The strom just doesn't call out such a response from me, in fact the only mods I'm looking at are the crash guards, center stand and luggage. It's so good as is, the thought of putting an exhaust or anything out of the ordinary "essentials" doesn't seem proper. The strom is just that damn good. Potential buyers beware...this thing is addicting...makes you just want to get out and ride.

[QuacktheDuck]

Quack quack!

[Trapper]

As Monty Python would say "You lucky, lucky, bastard!"

[drgibson]

Nice... Very nice.

[MagnumForce]

Sounds like an improvement to me.

[Louis]

Nice!

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by QuacktheDuck

And a fine one it is... The extra e part is a must as this thing is so fun! Wow so where do I start...woke up at 6:30 am today (Sunday!!) because I was more excited than a 5 year old on Christmas Eve. When I finally got my bike and started it up, put it in gear and rolled off, I couldn't find my footing for a second...guess I was so used to the forward position of the M50 and it's been awhile since I rode anything "sporty." It was sorta embarassing since there were a few people standing around waiting to pick up their bikes...oh well .

First impressions, this thing feels light, regardless of the 418 lb dry weight, it feels alot lighter. The steering is super light and turn in is sharp and crisp. The bike has alot of ground clearance (to me anyways) and it likes to lean. I admit the skinny 110 f and 150 r tires didn't convince me initially that they'd grip the road but I was wrong. This bike is also very stable at speed, potholes don't upset it in the slightest bit. I was purposely going through cracks and potholes in the road to find out what would upset this thing, the same potholes that jolted me off my M50's seat on several occassions. Well this rode them like a lexus...smooth. The motor is very smooth too, almost too smooth haha, and the exhaust note is low and very quiet, again to the point of being too quiet. But all that just exemplifies what the v-strom is...smooth yet powerful with excellent handling and road manners.

My coworker summed it up best, it's the motocycle version of the porsche cayenne. Sure it may be ugly but it goes like hell (i wasn't even pushing it hard due to the break-in period but i can already sense how quick it is), turns sharp and grips tenaciously. Yet despite all the on road performance it doesn't seem afraid to enter any dirty stuff. I can literally stand up while riding, it's great. Ergomonics are excellent, among the best I've ever sat on as far as bikes go. The windshield is also excellent, being adjustable is just a plus. Next to no buffeting.

I made the wise decision to sell my M50. My fears would have been correct if I just bought the strom and had 2 bikes...the M50 would not get much seat time. Also I find it funny, with my M, I wanted to rush and customize it with exhaust, intake, etc etc. Even with the sv, I was wanting to do the basic mods and what not to have it stand out. The strom just doesn't call out such a response from me, in fact the only mods I'm looking at are the crash guards, center stand and luggage. It's so good as is, the thought of putting an exhaust or anything out of the ordinary "essentials" doesn't seem proper. The strom is just that damn good. Potential buyers beware...this thing is addicting...makes you just want to get out and ride.

Congrats Dennis!! Excellent looking bike.

(Why izzit a certain amount of us M50 guys like that bike?)

[lexxter]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

(Why izzit a certain amount of us M50 guys like that bike?)

I can only speak for myself, but I think the m50 is a great bike. It just looks a little better than it performs. It's great for cruising, but the excitement factor of the Strom has it beat. The Strom performs better than it looks!

[blackie1491]

[C2W?]

Congrats on the new ride Duck.....Hang on it only gets better!

[QuacktheDuck]

thanks all for the kudos guys . nightwolf don't worry im taking it very easy...in a way it's like learning to ride again, especially learned in the shop's parking lot when i couldn't find the footpegs and was a wee bit wobbly (no pun intended) givi engine guards are on the way, and im going to order the handguards as well in the next couple days.

As for the m50, it is a great bike and i do miss seeing it around and feel the low vibrations through the ground as it idled through the jardines. I wish my dad still rode motorcycles so I could have just given it to him and we could ride together, but unfortunately i had to choose one, so i made my choice and stand by it. Heck in a perfect world we'd prolly have 4 bikes each right?

[Rickster]

The Stroms are great bikes. No doubt about it, they spoil you from wanting to ride anything else. Even if I had 10 bikes in my garage, the Strom would still almost always be my first choice.
The seat on the 650, and 1000 are interchangeable, but the 1000 seat is an inch taller, and (I think) a bit more comfotrable. If you have at least a 32 inch inseam, you still should be able to flat-foot it. There are always 1000 owners looking to trade for the shorter 650 seats. Just a thought. Look in one of the V Strom forums if you are interested.

[RampageRider]

Oh what a nice ride, I was looking at one yesterday, yep a really nice ride.

[QuacktheDuck]

lol 30" inseam here even though I'm 5'9 ish. I'm on the balls of my feet right now. I read the suzuki touring seat is an inch shorter...if that's true I might be picking one up in the near future. I have a tall torso but shorter legs, wish it was slightly the other way.

[Trapper]

Originally Posted by QuacktheDuck

lol 30" inseam here even though I'm 5'9 ish. I'm on the balls of my feet right now. I read the suzuki touring seat is an inch shorter...if that's true I might be picking one up in the near future. I have a tall torso but shorter legs, wish it was slightly the other way.

Yer like me, gotta hem your shorts , eh?

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by QuacktheDuck

lol 30" inseam here even though I'm 5'9 ish. I'm on the balls of my feet right now. I read the suzuki touring seat is an inch shorter...if that's true I might be picking one up in the near future. I have a tall torso but shorter legs, wish it was slightly the other way.

I'm with you 5' 9" with a 30' inseam. I put the lowering links, and the 650 seat on my DL 1000. With my riding boots on I can flat foot it.

I heard the touring seat is an inch shorter too, but not an inch shorter than the 650 seat, I heard it's an inch shorter than the 1000 seat. Let me know if you find out for sure.

Another trick for getting a lower seat height is to cut the bumpers on the bottom of the seat in half. If you don't want to cut them, you can take them out all together, but it will make your seat loose.

I tried a Corbin seat that another guy had on his 650, and even though it is the same height as the stock 650 seat, it's wider in the front, so sitting on it, is like sitting on a 1000 seat.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by Night_Wolf

5'7" with a 32" inseam

Braggart!!! Long legs, short body, you don't wear pantyhose do you?

[QuacktheDuck]

Originally Posted by trappercase

Yer like me, gotta hem your shorts , eh?

lol, nah i just wear em long

rickster, thanks for the tip on cutting the rubber bumpers. it seems like they were made to be cut in half because of the crease in between the sections, but that helped a good amount! i think i'll be pretty comfy at the current position.

[Atlas68]

Very nice ride Quack. I like the Strom as well and considered it when I was shopping for a bike. The looks didn't really grab me but the comfort and feel when seated on the bike did. It just has such natural riding position. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to ride one prior to buying my M50.
I still love the M, but my curiosity is still there.
Thanks for the feedback. It's nice having reports from someone who has a knowledge of both bikes. Enjoy your new toy, and keep us updated.

[QuacktheDuck]

thanks atlas, went for a ride today...loving it more by the minute. can't get over the cornering ability of this thing and the ease of cornering to boot!

would have went for a longer ride today but i was awake since 3 am...did the los angeles acura bike (bicycle) tour, same route as the marathon but 2 miles shorter (i believe). Pretty fun though it should have been longer. Two wheels, motorized or not are a blast...