New DL1000 Now farkled up

[Jacksnipe]

Now sorted the new DL, with Givi Bash Plate, Barkbusters, Hepco & Becker crash bars and center stand, Givi Alloy Top Box frame/plate, Givi Airflow screen and Bash plate/box, R&G Side stand plate.

Only done a few miles on this cracking bike, no slow speed problems just  a  typical V twin, but fueling seems to be well sorted. Issues IMHO with engine braking and low speed manoeuvres  could be lack of familiarity with this type of bike.

This is a great bike and seems at the moment underrated by the press, they did this with the Versys 1000 and now a number of jounrno's are rating that bike as "Bike of the Year " !

Perhaps this will happen to the DL1000.

WM

[UK_Vstrom650]

Sounds good but...

 

[Monkey]

Aye get the pictures up !!!!

[petestrom]

+1.

[tallpaul]

+1 to pictures. It may just be the kick up the arse that makes me sign up for a Veek of my own!!

[Jacksnipe]

I will oblige later tomorrow when I fit the Givi Spot lights. It does look the dogs now and the build quality on the bike is the best Suzuki I have seen in years. I would go as far as to say IMHO better than a GS, which contains 80 % Chinese made components apparently. My Veek has Made in Japan stamped all over it!

WM

(I am aware made can also include assembled and you never know where bike components are sourced from)

[Jacksnipe]

I regularly use some great bikes, in particular my GT 1300 with superb brakes, however the DL's are easily as good if not better. Now starting to do a few running in miles on the DL and nothing but praise so far, I get the impression this bike has not been given a fair hearing both by some journo's and dare I say it some naive owners

WM

[Simmo24]

Sounds perfect !  I bought the Desert model, added the Givi Airlflow screen/Givi bash plate/the alloy top box plate (nice piece of kit by the way)/Givi hugger and small Givi tanklock tank bag. Bike is pretty much where I want it to be now and the engine seems to be getting better all the time the more miles I get on it.
Absolutely cracking bike   <!-- s:) --><!-- s:) --> 

Cheers
Simmo

[arran66]

I  love mine fantastic bike

[Jacksnipe]

As promised, photos of my DL with its Nitron NR1 fitted. These are IMHO the best value and if you are going to do any upgrade on this bike, this is the most bang for the bucks.

WM

[Vic929]

Made good job fitting preload adjuster very neat looking

[Jacksnipe]

The look of both the red version and my white DL on the photos included in this post are impressive. I do not buy bikes on looks but it looks far better than the market leader, the unwieldly GS ?

JS

[porter]

Beaut is in the eye of the beholder and all that. I think the GS looks much better! No I don't own one, I've a white vee2 like you. I just got a remus can off ebay so that will get rid of the washing machine on the side! Like your givi sump, Suzuki plastic one looks pk but not much use.
Over winter I'll fit new tyres and put some rim tape on (not sure red or white)  get a smaller tinted screen (mra maybe) and hopefully it'll look better

[Chris Harnan]

Forgive my total stupidity but what does the Nitron NR1 give you that the OEM shocker does not?

Kind regards

Chris

[Jacksnipe]

In a nutshell the upgrade gives you quality suspension. If you compare the two products stock and the Nitron, the stock looks like it was made by KTel (Cheapo Manufacturer of 80's Kak) it is pressed metal and weedy in comparison. The Nitron is beautifully made of quality components, but the point is it is not how it looks it is how it performs. With up market suspension it is not the fact you can no longer feel bumps and road imperfections(There are enough on our crap roads) it is how the bike handles them, the recovery time and planted feel is way above stock. Forget all the fancy cans a suspension upgrade is the only performance upgrade worth it IMHO.

An example if you like a mate followed me on the DL on his FJR, his with stock suspension. We were on Peak District roads I was making progress on some naggery roads without uppsetting the horses and the locals, his words and he is a capable rider "No way could I keep those corner speeds up on those roads as I would have been off or on the other side of the road"

JS

[stevecro]

hmm! I checked Nitron's site and there was no choice for anything other than "road/track" or "road" when I'd only consider upgrading to shocks more suited to "road/off-road".

I'd confess to finding the standard shock absorbers fine for everything I've thrown at her so far but it would be nice to have a road/off-road option if I change the stockers at around  the 50,000 kms mark

[Jacksnipe]

Stevecro, Your stockers will be well past their SBD at 50000 KM. They will be past their best at 30000 KM.

Nitron do do an Adventure Bike shock, ask them about the DL1000, all that being said if you are doing a lot of off road there are more suited bikes than the DL for that.

JS

[stevecro]

OK, thanks. Will contact them.
Re: better off-road bikes - sure, I have a modified DR650 for the gnarly stuff. I don't like to shy away from doing gravel and moderate dirt on the Strom though. I think it hones/maintains the skills (hence bash plate and raised ride height and bar risers). Outside our cities it can save 100 kms joining one bitumen road to another 

[Jacksnipe]

I know what back roads you are referring to in your locality. I have been to Aus a few times and have fond memories of blasting down from Alice Springs one afternoon to catch the Sunset at Ularu. I checked the Nitron website and can confirm they do at least two versions of adventure shocks for the new DL1000.

My bike was the bike Nitron used to get the product right, and whilst it was there all the variations were fitted to it, including the adventure variants.

JS
 

[stevecro]

yes.
Did it on the big bike this time - through Kings Canyon and the back way to Alice Springs via Yarapinta Drive / Mereenie Loop road, 140 kms of it sand and gravel. Avoided that boring 130 kph tar bit called the highway
The Vstrom did it in a breeze.