Its suddenly weird, as I look around at bikes to buy, I keep settling on Suzukis. I was a longtime Yamaha fan. Now in every category its Suzuki.
To go along with my 2004 GS500f, I now have a red 2006 v-strom 650. Will take the winter to get it just right. Its much bigger, more power, longer travel suspension, heavier. Far more aftermarket support.
The GS is more nimble and precise, perfect for what it is. A keeper.
My old SV650s felt much tighter, the DL lost that chassis stiffness feel compared to SV. The SV rushes all the way to 9k,very sexy power, the DL wants to be shifted at 7k. The DL has about 2x the available power as GS, might be 65 hp against 38 but feels like double. The throttle response is pretty bad, will synchronize the primary plates and the secondary plates. Tighten up the cables, adjust valves, and probably needs an air cleaner and new band clamps on all air fittings. Not high miles, looks real clean. Paid the same price as new GS with about $1,000 of aftermarket stuff on it.
The trailwing tires do not look like semi-dirt tires at all. They are street tires.
I also want a bandit 400, 600 and 1200. One at a time though.
I tried a TU250 the other day and it was just too small, just not enough there. If it was a 400 (like SR400) I would have bought it.
Not much to post on my GS, will ride it 100 miles each day this weekend. A guy on the V-strom forum made up extensions for his v-strom OEM handguards (that people put on GS) and I am gonna do that on my GS handguards and keep riding through OCtober in NH.
http://www.vstrom.info/Smf/index.php/topic,11691.0.html