Having just Googled idlehammer, and subsequently read related threads on other forums, I find it incredulous that this issue has been ongoing for over 10 years. Why haven't Suzuki addressed it? My 2015 AL4 has had a couple of services, and I have not as yet noticed the idlehammer, but from what I gather it could develop at any time.
It may well not have any impact on the longevity or reliability of the engine, but who feels comfortable with a knocking bottom end at tick over? Suzuki must be aware of this as I have read about improvements at various stages during the V stroms production life, and I may be wrong but doesn't the new 2014 engine share little with the outgoing one? And yet we still have Idlehammer!