Suzuki confirms 2012 V-Strom 650

Suzuki has confirmed the 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 will be on sale in Australia in Spring, expected to be around October, and though a price hasn't been nailed down, Suzuki has revealed a glut of "official" information.

In our most recent review of the 2011 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom we praised the bike's ease of use, its impeccable fuelling and predictability on the dirt. Will the new generation continue this trend?

We'll find out soon, as Mark Fattore is on his way to the international press launch for the 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 in Croatia.

Suzuki released vital statistics and details on the 2012 Suzuki V-Strom (after it was leaked last week) and a couple of figures that have emerged that caught our collective eyes. The new 2012 V-Strom 650 will pump out 68hp (50.5kW) at 8800rpm and 60Nm of torque at 6400rpm from its V-twin engine.

As mentioned previously, bore and stroke are identical to the previous bike, though new information from Suzuki reveals the engine's internals have been fettled, with the outcome being improved refinement and fuel economy rather than outright power.

Suzuki says the fuel-injected 645cc, liquid-cooled 90-degree V-Twin engine has been "thoroughly refined" and gets new pistons, a new crankshaft and also new cam profiles which are designed to deliver " greater low-to-mid-rpm range torque" along with a decent top end "for full-range riding enjoyment".

The six-speed gearbox has also been tweaked, with tighter ratios for the first five gears, while sixth gear has been kept tall for highway cruising.

The fuel tank is slightly smaller for the 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650, down from 22 litres to 20, and the brakes appear to be the same size as previously, 310mm up front and 260mm at the rear. However kerb weight is down by a claimed six kilograms, which could pay dividends in terms of agility.

On paper at least, it appears as though Suzuki has kept some of the bike's mechanical aspects relatively similar to its predecessor, perhaps aiming for an evolution of the bike, rather than a fully-blown revolution.

Perry Morison, the General Manager of Motorcycles for Suzuki Australia reckons the 650 'Strom will set a new standard in the middleweight adventure bike category, having "set the scene in the adventure touring category" with the V-Strom 1000 back in 2002.

"The latest generation V-Strom 650 ABS certainly sets a new benchmark in this category," stated Morison, "with significant refinements made across the whole machine, including six kilograms being shaved off the total weight, updated fuel injection system and reduced mechanical losses within the engine, resulting in improved fuel economy."

A three-way adjustable windscreen is a nice touch, though riders hoping for spoked wheels may be disappointed to discover that three-spoke aluminium alloy wheels are standard issue.

Take a look at the images to check out the new design, which features more integrated plastics, with black resin elements contrasting with the chosen body colours of Pearl Mirage White or Metallic Fox Orange.

Suzuki will include anti-lock brakes on the new 2012 V-Strom 650, and the bike gets a new multi-function instrument cluster with an analogue tachometer and a brightness adjustable LCD screen. Some of the readouts include ambient temperature, average fuel consumption, gear position, plus the usuals of speed, odometer and dual trip meter. There's also an LED indicator that warns riders about road freeze.

Australian specification Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS models will also come with a new transponder-type SAIS, or Suzuki Advanced Immobiliser System, designed to prevent theft via an electronic code identification system built into the key.

Stay tuned for ride impressions and more details on the changes to the new bike in due course, and feel free to put your thoughts on this page via the comments section below.

SUZUKI V-STROM 650 ABS SPECS

ENGINE
TYPE 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 90 degree V-Twin
BORE X STROKE 81.0 mm x 62.6 mm
DISPLACEMENT 645cc
COMPRESSION RATIO 11.2:1
FUEL SYSTEM Fuel injection
MAXIMUM POWER 50.5 kw @ 8800 rpm
TORQUE 60 Nm @ 6400 rpm
IGNITION Electronic ignition (transistorised)
STARTER SYSTEM Electric
LUBRICATION SYSTEM Wet sump
TRANSMISSION 6-speed constant mesh
PRIMARY REDUCTION RATIO 71/34 (2.088)
FINAL REDUCTION RATIO 47/15 (3.133)

SUSPENSION
FRONT Telescopic, coil spring, oil damped
REAR Link type, 5-way adjustable coil spring, oil damped
RAKE / TRAIL 26.0 degrees / 110mm

TYRES
FRONT 110/80 R19
REAR 150/70 R17

DIMENSIONS
FUEL TANK 20.0 litre
OVERALL LENGTH 2290mm
OVERALL WIDTH 835mm
OVERALL HEIGHT 1,405mm
WHEELBASE 1,560mm
SEAT HEIGHT 835mm
WET WEIGHT (including all fluids and 20 litres of fuel) 214kg