800 Vstrom cast wheels

[Oldleathers]

Hi all
I wonder if Suzuki is going to have a 800 Vstrom with cast wheels like the present line up?
Oldleathers

[Joe Rocket]

I asked a similar question here in TBOB:

https://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=41694.msg428240#new

[porter]

I hope so, I'd not be interested otherwise.

[vstroman]

I think the 800 could be an ideal bike with the cast wheels, just that bit of extra power over the 650, 
be nice too if there was an option to add cruise control to it though it's not a deal breaker for me.

[Fishtail]

The 800 is a wide and long bike. Just saw one on the bike show at the NEC, going to be a bit different to the feel of the current 650.
It looks a lot chunkier than the new 1050

[Dirtbiker Martin]

I had a look at the new 800 at the NEC yesterday, they told me it was going to be 235kgs and a budget price of 10k
 

[Fishtail]

Pics from NEC of 800DS and 1050 compare and contrast. A parallel twin versus a V. Parallel makes it wider. Also surely it’s now a P-Strom

[porter]

That weight is disappointing.  I think the base model 1050 is 236kg kerb weight.
My 1000 is quoted as 228kg but feels heavier, to me anyway.  That is without crashbars, mainstand, handguards etc so more like 240kg loaded.
I want a lighter bike next time and at that weight I think the 800 is out.

[vstroman]

The base model 1050 with cast wheels would be a better bike than this new spoked wheel 800 for most people I think, more power roughly same weight,
only thing the engine on the 1050 still has the rattly clutch problem,
surely they'll offer a cast wheel model of the 800?
I just can't see the point of these tubed spoked wheels on a heavy bike that's never going to see any serious off roading apart from green lanes and gravel driveways that most any bike can handle.

[NeilM]

I have the same impression as everyone else on this thread.

I think the 800DE is a little misplaced in the UK as we just don't have the miles and miles of gravel roads that exist in places like America. Take the Chinese bikes into account (love em or hate em) and this sector starts to get pretty crowded.

That said, the Africa Twin with a wire 21" front wheel sells well, but not to me, I think it is too tall and I suspect the 800DE will also be taller than I am happy with and I'm not a shorty I'm just over 6'1".

My impression is that the 800 will run alongside the 650 for a year, maybe two and if a more road focussed 800 is released I may well give it a try, but although it's good to see truly 'new' models from Suzuki, I can't see me getting rid of my 650 anytime soon.

[graingerblaze]

I’m very glad Suzuki are still developing bikes given their main focus these days are scooters and cars like the Swift for the Indian market. Having left racing I wasn’t sure how much effort Suzuki would put into developing new bikes given they only had 7 years left to sell dinosaur fuelled engines.

That being said, I think the 800 is a missed opportunity. It will be a good seller in the USA, as many have said it is geared up towards green lanes. But it’s weight!!! I thought the 650 was a porky for off road use, but damn the 800 is heavy.

So it’s too heavy for real off road use. The wheels are not ideal for touring and no matter what you intend to do, lighter is better for handling, fuel consumption… just moving around in your garage.

If they bring out a smaller cast wheel version, that will help. But given the weight, I would look towards the Honda Transalp for your every bike in one option, the Yamaha T7 for off-reading and the bigger brother 1050 for touring.

Good luck to Suzuki but please say your developing some electric bikes before the 2030 ban… you can’t keep being late to the party 

[Rusty Nuts]

Am I alone in thinking the 2030 deadline might turn out to be somewhat aspirational and flexible?

[kwackboy]

No, you're not ... 

With the "special operation" in the Ukraine and other global issues, I don't see it happening.

Happy to be proven wrong though...

[The Doctor 46]

 graingerblaze. I agree with the weight issue with (so called) off road inspired bikes and in my opinion even the 650 strom is too heavy but, isn't it strange that the the big GS's are so popular? Not only are they heavy out of the crate, there is another ton of bolt on's that are loaded onto them, to say nothing about luggage. I had a 1150 GSA and a wet track was as off road as it got (except for a couple of times). 

The only bike I've felt comfortable to through at the dirt was a XR250R.

Edit:  And another thing, how come we have to fit a footplate enlarger to a (so called) off road inspired bike because the OEM is so small? It's not even that the manufacturer makes any money out of it because it's the aftermarket that usually provides the fix.

[graingerblaze]

I hope you're right Kwackboy, as electric bikes are not there and the ones that are on the market are daft prices.

I had a go on a friends Harley livewire the other week and it was amazing! The silence is something you have to experience, and the torque is great... but the cost and only 110-mile range. POINTLESS! If it was sub £13k and did 200 miles+, then it would be a real alternative to many bikes out there, but at £25k plus to do just 100 miles is just silly. My friend is loaded and loves tech gimmicks, plus he has a garage full of lovely bikes so it's just another toy for him. For most though, their only bike needs to be useable and not cost more than a family car.

Battery tech will improve. The company I work (Toyo Seikan in Japan) have developed batteries for the next generation Tesla's and China's Great Wall that charge from flat to full in under three minutes and give an average hatch a range of over 600 miles. The most important development is the materials, as they have removed lithium to make them cheaper and more cost effective. It will be another 2-3 years before they hit the market, as I'm currently designing their new factory to manufacture these batteries for the European car industry. They will make present electric cars look like dead weights. If they can put these into bikes, then electric bikes will take off... eventually. the 2030 ban is not far away in development time, so I also doubt the ban will come into force, but deadlines are good to force development and focus minds.

[The Doctor 46]

Do we have the electrical capacity to charge all the electric vehicles planned for 2030? I mean power generation not charge points.

[Rusty Nuts]

Nine of it. Generation, distribution, charging points. Fantasy land.

[Brockett]

Of course, I have to accept that already being  , in 2030 I will be eighty two, none of this will matter much to me, but you never know.... Anyway in my overly exposed opinion there is no chance ordinary folk, like me, will be able to afford electric vehicles by then. There just isn't enough of the stuff the batteries are made of and scarcity will raise prices beyond what most people can aford. It will be like Victorian times when the wealthy had horses and carriages and the rest walked or peddled a bike.  Then there's the very poor prospects for the UK economy which mean everything from abroad will cost more and more as the pound goes down coupled with the failure of all political parties to have any kind of recovery plan that does not rely on intensive wishing, hoping and guesswork. When (if) the ban on new car sales come into force the price of used cars will rocket followed by car thefts (you know it) and read the same for motorcycles. Governments do not have to ban motor vehicles, they only have to make it very expensive to reduce use and ownership. Before 2030 I expect to see above inflation increases in road tax and fuel duty and outright bans on older, less environmentally friendly models. Meanwhile local authorities can reduce speed limits (they are already doing this) in order to slow traffic and in doing so increase electric vehicle ranges. Also expect bans on IC engines entering Urban areas.   I shall do my bit oh! yes. I put my bikes on SORN from October to April.

[Bobmc]

This bike doesn’t excite me at all I had an F800GS for about 3 months and hated the engine. I will sticks with the V configuration

[graingerblaze]

Was just browsing the net for the new 800 DE’s competition… the Triumph Tiger 850 is £9.5k and 192kg dry. I would guess when wet weight is taken into account, it will still be lighter or at least equal. Plus that’s with the great tried and tested triple lump and Triumph build quality, which looks pretty good over the last few years. I think Suzuki may have issues if they plan to sell around the £10k mark… I think they will need to be sub £9k