Quote from: red_philYeah good plan on the sit test.

I have read that a better seat on the SV is required if your going on long trips.

Here is what my butt tells me.
GS (with stock seat)- Quite uncomfortable after two hours.
SVS (with stock seat ) - Same as GS, maybe worse.
SVS (with OEM gel seat) - Butt hurts after 3.5 - 4  hours. At this point wrists start to hurt just as bad.

These rides had a 20-30 minute stop somewhere in the middle and consisted of at least 25% serious twisties.

It all depends on both your body and how you hold yourself on the bike.  I've done a 6-hour trip on the SVS, and all that hurt by the end of the day was the back of my neck.  I've done days of close to that length on the GS, and it's the inside thighs that ache from holding me up.  However, I have bad knees, so I have to take my feet off the footpegs and wave them around after an hour or so.  In that way, the F650GS was the better long-trip bike, and it had a seating position that was very similar to the V-Strom, so try a sit on a DL650 while you're looking.  I'm getting an F650CS to keep one cushy/comfy bike in the stable.

It is good to be young.   I probably need a full day rest to recover if I ride for 6 hours.