2023 seems to be the year of Suzuki’s reaffirmation. At the 2022 EICMA show, the GSX-8S (which we tested last year) and the V-Strom 800DE were the highlight of the Japanese brand’s presentation, which unveiled two completely new motorcycles, both of which set the benchmark for their respective ranges. So let’s talk about how we felt at the controls of Suzuki’s new medium-sized trail bike.
Suzuki withdrew from all speed competitions on the premise that it wanted to invest heavily in the global market and the V-Strom 800DE is part of that investment. With the trail segment being one of the most hotly contested in the world, for example in Portugal, the Japanese brand wanted to show that the withdrawal from motorized competitions is paying off for consumers.
INLINE OR V?
The answer is in-line, but it doesn’t look like it. The truth is that Suzuki wanted to maintain the sound and, above all, the behavior of a V engine with this new 776 cc block. To do this, it has created a 270º crankshaft offset, thus allowing combustion times to resemble those of its famous 90º engines. And the sensations that the engine transmits are all similar to what we’re used to from a V-block, with elasticity at low and medium revs, without the rougher behavior at low revs, repudiating vibrations that can be considered normal when riding a V-block. But, like the GSX-8S – since the engine is exactly the same, although it has about 1 hp more – the V-Strom 800DE also suffers a little at higher revs, where you can clearly feel that it “lacks air” due to the EURO5 restrictions. However, the response of the 84.3 hp is very good, along with the 78 Nm of maximum torque, allowing you to ride with few gear changes, relying on the “brute force” of the new Suzuki engine.
CYCLICALLY SPEAKING…
As we’ve mentioned, this Suzuki V-Strom 800DE has a completely new set-up, and along with the engine that Suzuki wants to make a benchmark, there’s also a completely new frame – the same as the GSX-8S – with a subframe and swingarm that are unique to this model. This is to make this bike more capable for rough terrain, even though the Japanese brand describes this V-Strom as more geared towards paved roads. The acronym DE indicates that this is a Dual Explorer, which is why Suzuki has equipped this bike with fully adjustable Showa inverted front suspension and a rear monoshock, also Showa and fully adjustable with a click wheel that is always welcome for quick adjustments.
In addition to an excellent 220 mm of travel at the front and rear for forays off-road, we can also count on exemplary handling on the road. The base settings will quickly call for a little tweaking when we pick up the pace, and are clearly geared towards comfort, fulfilling that purpose well. Still, with a little nudge at the front and a few clicks at the rear, the V-Strom 800DE becomes a totally different bike to the one that comes out of the box, and for the better. You know when it feels like everything is working in harmony, from the engine to the suspension, brakes and frame? That’s what you feel as soon as you make a small adjustment to these suspensions. But the best thing was that we felt that, with more time, patience and knowledge, we could get even more out of the V-Strom, showing a lot of potential for fine-tuning. And even with its 230 kg – a little more than the competition, also due to its 20-liter fuel tank – this bike didn’t show any modesty in the transitions between corners, revealing plenty of agility and a willingness to corner quickly and with very precise trajectories even with the 21″ wheel at the front.
But what about off-road? Well, it was a short ride, but we were able to see that the potential of the suspension and the rest of the bike remains, and there are valuable electronic aids for those who are less experienced, or who simply don’t want to risk so much – but we’ll get to that. It’s worth mentioning that the brakes on Suzuki’s new medium-capacity trail bike proved to be totally adequate for the bike’s capabilities, with good feel and power at the front and rear, with two 310 mm discs at the front and a 260 mm disc at the rear. Note only for the ABS, which proved to be somewhat intrusive at the front in level 2 (the highest), even in situations where you wouldn’t expect to feel it, thus making the ride more enjoyable with level 1 activated on the dashboard.
THE AIDS
As good as the whole package is, it’s unthinkable these days to think of a motorcycle with more than 80 hp and 700 cc that doesn’t have electronic aids, and good ones at that. Knowing this, Suzuki has not spared this V-Strom 800DE. Through the 5″ TFT panel we can control three different engine maps and four traction control intervention modes, with Gravel mode being the “extra” that we don’t find on the naked model, thus offering a more controlled off-road rear wheel slip with the help of this bike’s “brain”. And we can say that it works very well, even on very loose terrain, providing plenty of confidence.
For the more adventurous, it’s also possible to disable traction control altogether. But the aids don’t stop at acceleration, with the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE benefiting from switchable ABS on the rear wheel, as well as two levels of intervention. The bidirectional quickshifter is fitted as standard on this bike and is also one of the new V-Strom’s plus points.
THINKING AHEAD
The new Suzuki V-Strom 800DE reinforces the idea that Suzuki knows how to make motorcycles very well, it just seemed to be going “a little soft”, or having some trouble finding the right direction. With the GSX-8S and V-Strom 800DE, the Japanese brand is not only preparing for the future, but also marking the present.
The two new models are ready to take on the competition, and the V-Strom 800DE is definitely well equipped with features that make it an option to consider when looking at medium-cylinder trail bikes. What’s even better is being able to look at this bike and realize that it’s based on a foundation that has room for improvement and to offer more models from Japan. We look forward to seeing it.