I will have had my Suzuki Bandit 600 3 years shortly and am ready for a change. It is my first "proper" bike and I've enjoyed it, but I would like a bit more weather protection, a taller seat, softer suspension and a change in engine noise. Power (although it sounds like heresy) is not really relevant; I hardly ever use all of the Bandit's 80 bhp as it is, except when overtaking 2-up. My current favourite is the Suzuki 650 V-strom which seems to answer all my criteria; has anyone any experience of these bikes or would anyone care to suggest an alternative?
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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I wish I was in the position to speak from experience, but if you are considering the V-Strom, how's about the Triumph Tiger (if the higher insurance is ok)?
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Don't buy the 650 V Strom,it'll be a big disapointment after the 600 Bandit. The 650 engine will struggle, why not buy the bigger engined version?
If you want a v twim try either Honda's Valadero, Triumph's Tiger, or Yamaha's TDM, although i've never ridden any of these.
My choice would be the Valadero, allegedly very good.
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The Varedero, V-Strom 1000 and Tiger are all very tall bikes - the TDM and V-Strom 650 are a bit lower. If you like the big V-Strom then don't forget the Kawasaki badged version - the KL1000.
The V-Stroms - esp 650 may be difficult to find secondhand.
Check the model year of any bike you are offered - I was shown a brand new 'fresh out of the crate' V-Strom 1000 last year (05), but closer investigation showed it to be an 03 model year. Where had it been for 18+ months ?
I bought a second hand TDM 900 - purely because I could ride it before handing over the money.
Good Luck !
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As I've mentioned before, my knoledge of bikes is limited, but Nick at www.forcemotorcycles.com knows his stuff.Anything there you fancy????
Seems a rare assortment of machines, the Police & military use these days!!
VB
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Of those mentioned so far the TDM is the only one I would vouch for, though why not another four, a Hornet 600 or a Fazer would feel a lot quicker than the Bandit (though need to be revved) otherwise a Hornet 900, it has a lowish seat or something like my ZRX if you dont mind the size.
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I like the look of the V-strom, too. The engine is well-proven and a bit more low-end grunt may well substitute for a few top-end horsepower. The mags I've read are rude about the V-strom's looks, but then I also like the Kawasaki ER-6...
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