Launch: 2014 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 ABS

With seemingly unending and largely empty winding roads, countless mountain ranges and breathtaking vistas at every turn, New Zealand is adventure-biking heaven. That’s why Suzuki Australia chose our Tasman neighbour to showcase its all-new litre-class adventure bike contender, the V-Strom 1000 ABS – and showcase them it did.

Adventure bikes are booming in many Western markets, with just about every marque offering at least one dual-purpose option. Most offer several, with adventure models now found in just about every engine class.

Suzuki’s V-Strom 1000 first appeared in 2002, with the V-Strom 650 appearing three years later. In the years since Suzuki has sold close to 200,000 of them around the world, although sales of the smaller sibling outstrip those of its big brother three to one.

While the original V-Strom 1000 had remained virtually unchanged since its debut (fresh instrumentation in 2007 the main exception), a few years ago it ran into trouble meeting ever-tighter European emissions standards. A new take on the theme was in order and now, finally, it’s here: the 2014 V-Strom 1000 ABS.

Bikesales Network was among the first in the Southern Hemisphere to sample the new machine, with a smorgasbord of twisting roads laid on from Napier, on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, up and over the Ruahine Range to Taihape and then south to the regional centre of Palmerston North.

The route was largely sealed but challenging, with surfaces varying from good to average, with a section of gravel thrown in for good measure. This is a relatively remote part of NZ, the roads narrow and largely devoid of signage. ‘Expect the unexpected’ was the mantra suggested by Suzuki New Zealand’s General Manager of Motorcycles/ATV Marketing, Simon Meade, who was also our ride leader.

In short, the route was perfect for a tarmac-focused adventure bike, which is exactly how Suzuki is pitching its new model. With non-switchable ABS and some fairly exposed mechanical essentials (like the oil filter), this bike isn’t bound for the Dakar Rally, but for crappy blacktop – of which Australia and New Zealand have no shortage – and with a red-hot $15,490 (plus on-roads) price tag, Suzuki’s latest is sure to turn some heads.

In reinventing the V-Strom 1000 Suzuki has essentially stuck with the same general theme, while placing just about every individual element under scrutiny. The bike’s 90-degree V-twin has been subjected to far more than just a rebore. While that has indeed occurred – an extra 2mm pushing the bike’s capacity from 996cc to 1037cc – it now features new pistons, conrods, crank, twin-spark cylinder heads, slipper clutch, cooling system, exhaust system and more.

The bottom line is it produces just 2kW and 2Nm more than its predecessor, but the delivery has changed significantly. Peak torque of 103Nm is now delivered at a low 4000rpm – compare that to the old bike’s figure of 101Nm at 6400rpm. Peak power, meanwhile, is now delivered a little higher in the rev range: 74kW at 8000rpm versus 72kW at 7600rpm.

The aluminium-alloy twin-spar chassis has been revisited and Suzuki says it’s now 13 per cent lighter and 33 per cent more rigid, while the wheelbase is now 20mm longer. The swingarm alone is 33mm longer, while the distance from the swingarm pivot to the front axle has been shortened. The end result, says Suzuki, is greater high-speed stability.

The old non-adjustable Showa fork has made way for a fully adjustable 43mm inverted KYB unit and the rear monoshock is adjustable for rebound and preload, the latter via a remote wheel.

The brakes have copped a thorough update too, the four-piston monobloc Tokico calipers now backed up by ABS.

The new cooling system saves 1.3kg while the new single-muffler exhaust system shaves a further 4.2kg.

All up, Suzuki says the new model is 8kg lighter than the old one, the newie now weighing in at 228kg (wet) as opposed to 236kg.

Suzuki has thrown a number of techno niceties at the V-Strom 1000 ABS, including three level traction control (off, partial intervention and full intervention), a 12-volt auxiliary plug on the dash and a comprehensive trip computer, the latter with range to empty, actual and average fuel consumption, ambient temperature, ice warning, clock, fuel and temperature gauges, and the usual trip meters.

It also has a new screen that can be adjusted by hand through one of three angles, or set at one of three available heights with tools.

The fuel tank has shrunk to 20 litres but Suzuki claims far superior fuel economy for the new model – as low as 4.8L/100km in fact, according to World Motorcycle Test Cycle standards.

New styling, new colours, an LED taillight, new instrumentation and a new seat complete the deal, with a wide range of German-sourced factory accessories also on offer.

On paper the 850mm seat height may discourage some, but as I swing my leg over the V-Strom 1000 for the first time in Napier, it really doesn’t feel that tall. At 188cm I don’t struggle to get both feet down flat and this is thanks to the bike’s narrow mid-section, but once away I’m greeted by ample legroom and a spacious cockpit in general. The seat initially feels a little firm but it’s actually very compliant. There’s no function for seat height adjustment, which seems a little lacking by today’s standards.

The upright ride position, compliant seat padding, and broad, flattish handlebar instantly place me in control, while the light throttle, sorted EFI and ample bottom-end punch make light work of Napier’s peak hour – well, of the 10 cars I counted, anyway.

Comfy, unintimidating and user friendly – those thoughts dominated as I negotiated several roundabouts on the way out of town, but the fun stuff was just around the corner – literally.

If you’ve never experienced the pleasure of riding in New Zealand, put it on your ‘bucket list’. It seems you need only head for 10 minutes in any direction to find a fun and challenging route, with all motorcycling tastes catered for – from the racetrack-smooth sweepers of the mountainous South Island, to the generally rougher (but just as enjoyable) routes that criss-cross the undulating North Island.

Heading west from Napier into the Ruahine Range, the V-Strom 1000 ABS is in its element. The bends flow thick and fast in all manner of combinations – throw in single-lane bridges, tightening-radius corners, occasional loose gravel and the ever-present threat of kamikaze sheep and there’s plenty to keep me on my toes.

I have a faithful companion, however, in the new ’Strom. The new slipper clutch smooths any potential rear-end chatter during aggressive downshifts on corner entries, while the ABS is ever ready to catch and avoid any wheel lock-ups. The traction control is another welcome safety net; it can be altered on the fly by selecting the desired setting and closing the throttle.

The lusty V-twin churns out dependable, useable power. It excels in tighter going, its strong bottom end feeding through into a meaty midrange, but it’s devoid of any top-end rush. To be fair, for its intended market a towering top end is probably pretty well down the priority list. It’s all about flexibility at real-world speeds, and here the new V-Strom is a winner.

Mind you, our ‘real world’ speeds often saw us hovering closer to 200km/h than 100km/h, so by no means is the new V-Strom slow. Of course the extended mountain shenanigans have an impact on the bike’s fuel economy, with the trip computer’s average of 7.4L/100km hinting at the fun that was had. Carry on like that and it’s a working fuel range of around 250km, but Suzuki says more frugal use can realise a range approaching 400km – an excellent figure akin to that of the model’s smaller sibling, the V-Strom 650.

Suzuki New Zealand had the forethought to bring along an old V-Strom for the ride and a quick strop on the outgoing machine instantly revealed the newie’s gains. The old model actually feels appreciably more than 8kg heavier than the new one while its suspension is markedly plusher – certainly there’s significantly more front-end dive under brakes.

The brakes, too, are a stark contrast. On the approach to the first sharp corner I grabbed a handful on the older machine and nearly overshot – the new Tokico set-up is light years ahead in terms of power and feedback.

The steering is neutral and steady, which is to say it’s surefooted and stable but requires a decent shove of the ’bars for any sudden change of line.

The suspension is firmer but more responsive, without being overly harsh. It’s obviously tuned for the road but there’s enough travel to take the worst of the sting out of bigger bumps and potholes. The adjustors are all easy to get to and the remote preload wheel is a welcome feature, not that I feel any need to deviate from the standard settings.

The six-speed gearbox is a sweet-shifting unit – no complaints there – and the ratios are pretty sensibly spaced. Sixth gear is on the taller side – at 100km/h the engine is ticking over at just 3500rpm – but here the donk still feels comfortable enough and it places me just 500rpm off peak torque. It’s all about the midrange: keep it spinning between 3000-6000rpm and all is right with the world.

A soft-action rev-limiter kicks in at 9500rpm but there’s no need to rev the V-Strom hard. With a relatively flat top-end there’s nothing to be gained by doing so, so short shift and enjoy that midrange stomp.

I appreciate the easy, no-fuss screen angle adjustment but the standard screen is still a bit too short for my long back. A factory touring screen is also available – it’s both taller and broader.

The V-Strom took the short section of unsealed road in its stride but the Bridgestone Battle Wing tyres struggled to bite in the dry, loose gravel. Still, the V-Strom got the job done and the traction control and 19in front wheel were appreciated, even if here the non-switchable ABS wasn’t. Really, if you’re planning on factoring in plenty of dirt, there are other, more suitable adventure bikes available. ‘Adventure’ is a highly subjective term, after all.

Arriving in Palmerston North some 300km later, I feel I have a thorough grounding in this new model’s appeal. Practical, flexible, competent, comfortable – they’re all terms that could easily be applied to the V-Strom 1000 ABS. Add in that $15,490 price tag and plenty of prospective buyers are sure to take notice.

For me it’s ‘welcome back’ to a very worthy model and ‘hello’ to a classy and comprehensive revision.

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 74kW at 8000rpm
Claimed maximum torque: 103Nm at 4000rpm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed
Final drive: Chain
Clutch: Wet

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Twin-spar aluminium alloy
Front suspension: 43mm inverted KYB fork, fully adjustable
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable for preload and rebound
Front brakes: Twin discs with four-piston Tokico monobloc calipers
Rear brake: Single disc with single-piston Tokico caliper
Wheels: Cast alloy, 10-spoke
Tyres: Bridgestone Battle Wing110/80R19 front, 150/70R17 rear

OTHER STUFF
Price: $15,490 (plus on-roads)
Colour: Pearl Glacier White or Candy Daring Red
Test bike supplied by: Suzuki New Zealand, www.suzuki.co.nz
Warranty: 24 months, unlimited kilometres