Ten spoked cast aluminium wheels are an eye-catching feature for the new V-Strom 650. Not only do they give a sporty image in kin to its V-Strom 1000 ABS brother in the Suzuki Adventure model family, tracking back to the DR-BIG and DR-Z, but improves the road holding ability and reduces weight. Wheel sizes are 19-inch on the front and 17-inch on the rear, realising the perfect balance of stable and nimble handling.

Flexible and comfortable conventional telescopic forks have a forgiving character, allowing stress free long distance rides to an exciting run on twisty roads. The rear suspension is equipped with rebound adjustment and a remote preload adjuster which can be operated by hand allowing the rider to quickly setup the suspension to match the riding style or in a case of two-up riding or with a full load of luggage without any tools needed.

With the new design concept “Solid and Smart”, the new model now has an updated look. Suzuki’s original “Beak” style has been further emphasised by making it a straight line from the tip to the top of the tank, expressing the DNA from the DR-BIG and the desert racer DR-Z. Champion yellow is a new colour for the V-Strom series, relating to the off-road racing scene of Suzuki.

Contributing in giving the V-Strom 650 its striking image is the head light and tail lamp. The high and low beam of the light weight headlight is in a compact vertical configuration and realise brightness equivalent to the previous twin head lights, while when on high beam, both low and high bulbs illuminate providing a broader lit up area. The newly featured LED tail lamp, also in kin with its bigger brother, has a high visibility and contributes to weight savings.

The windscreen has been extended 9mm upwards to reduce the windblast and buffering to the body, while the shape has been changed to control the wind flow rather than to simply create a wind-free zone. By making the boundary between the protective area and the not-protective area a blur, the rider will be able to move more freely due to less turbulence and feel a natural wind flow. The screen can also be adjusted to one of three pre-set positions using four screws.