Opinions on DL1000 V Strom as an 850 replacement

[Brendan W]

I am replacing the GS850 with something newer and there is a 30000 mile 2004 DL1000 available locally.
At this point I want pillion comfort and reliability. I don't mind wrenching, just don't need to do more than reasonable.
Doing less than 2000 a year and a lot of that is two up on back roads taking in the smells and sights.
I suppose my question is, can the DL1000 be as comfortable and reliable as the 850 was and what to watch for?
I'm aware of the chudder, lean FI and screen buffet issues.

 

[Nessism]

You might want to search out bwringer for an opinion. He has, or had, one and has posted here discussing it a time or two.

 

[RichDesmond]

I am replacing the GS850 with something newer and there is a 30000 mile 2004 DL1000 available locally.
At this point I want pillion comfort and reliability. I don't mind wrenching, just don't need to do more than reasonable.
Doing less than 2000 a year and a lot of that is two up on back roads taking in the smells and sights.
I suppose my question is, can the DL1000 be as comfortable and reliable as the 850 was and what to watch for?
I'm aware of the chudder, lean FI and screen buffet issues.

At 30,000 it's just nicely broken in. Many DL1000s over 100k, quite a few over 200k, and at least one over 400k.

I've had a DL650 since 2006, when I bought it new. Great bikes. Like almost every other bike I've had it needed a better seat (although the 1000 is marginally better than the 650 in that regard) and a better windscreen, and some suspension work.

Other than what you already know there really isn't anything to be concerned about,

 

[fastbysuzuki]

My son-in-law has had one for many years he loves it, he found a guy in the uk that does a modification to the clutch basket to eliminate the chudder stuck On a screen deflector.

 

[Suzukian]

These bikes are very nice. Much thinner than you GS850, but gobs of torque, and you could get the seat recovered, or look for an aftermarket if you find it too uncomfortable. It will handle a lot better than your 850 did.

 

[Runningdog]

Seven years ago, I went from an 850 to something I hoped would be more comfortable (for me) on the highway: Concours 1000. Mistake, met all the expectations, but like riding a furnace in the summer. Five years ago, found a 2004 DL650 that needed the fuel pump bypass, and did that for less than $50. Still very happy with the choice. A DL1000 is a very good choice if one is of a larger stature than I, but if you are in the 5'10", 175lb range, the 650 is more than sufficient.

 

[Brendan W]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. It is appreciated.
Been to see the DL1000 and it's a great machine. It starts and runs like a champ, no sign of clutch chudder and charging fine.
I can flat foot on it, felt a bit top heavy with Mary on the back.
At heart we are naked bike types. The DL has too much plastic for our taste. The dealer got us looking at an R1100R and a Kawa 750 Zephyr, Mary's preference.
Above this one on a wall rack was a very nice CB200, our first bike that we took to Paris when we had less sense
It's a 96 MY like this one

 

[Suzukian]

Never liked the clunky gear shifting on the BMW's and the care you have to take down shifting with the shaft in line with the crank. Upkeep costs are more, unless you do the work yourself, Certain BMW's really deprecate inn value quickly. I've found the price between private sales and dealer sales to be quite different. Gotta get the bike you like. 98 H.P. or the Suzuki, 76 to 79 H.P. on the BMW, that's a big difference, especially riding two up. The BMW's dry weight is 2 lbs. more than the Suzuki's Wet weight! The Suzuki is a breeze to tune up. There have been a few times I came close to buying a BMW, and they are nice bikes, but the weight, low power, and potentially dangerous handling (which can be mitigated by not downshifting through turns) always had me go the other way. If I was going to get a RS100, with the full fairing, well, the classic nature of that bike would tempt me. I'm still keeping an eye open for a deal on one of those. The new ones haven't progressed technologically enough, and the horsepower specs are disappointing. IMHO

 

[Brendan W]

N Gotta get the bike you like.

They say that in spite of all our spreadsheets, every decision is ultimately emotional
On paper the Strom was clear leader.....
The 1100R followed us home. We went for a ride at dusk in 29F. Bones still cold this morning.
I had an R100RT thirty years ago and got quite comfortable with the agricultural shifting an relatively low power.
The fairing was just too much.
This bike is light years ahead in suspension and many other areas.
With non servo brakes, single spark and cable operated clutch and what looks like the M94 transmission, I hope I've dodged some potential headaches.
Anyway with only 31000km on the clock we can expect a long time before wear is apparent.
Now to get started on a full inspection and service. Horn doesn't work and the oil filler cap weeps a bit.

 

[joe penoso]

I ENJOYED READING ABOUT DECISION MAKING PROCESS. PRETZIL LOGIC?
THANKS
joepenoso

 

[Suzukian]

Well if you owned a BMW before (wish would have been nice if you had mentioned it), I would and do hardily agree with your decision. BMW's, either you love them, or don't care for them much. I almost purchased an RS1000 but the guy just wanted $3K too much. I couldn't budget him on price. I ended up buying another motorcycle, and went back to BMW dealer some months later. (a quite famous BMW dealer in Connecticut, THE place to buy a BMW because of his service) and the bike had dropped in price by 1000's of dollars. I was told they were going to ask the owner to take it back because of lack of interest. This was a "Yellow" RS. I didn't even know they came that color, and there were a couple of chips in the paint. If it had been Silver Blue, I think it would have sold quickly, but it wasn't in perfect condition. The bike you showed seems pristine. I hope you enjoy the many miles you will get out of it. 19K miles isn't a lot of a BMW, or V-Strom, for that matter. I can never go down in horsepower though. Normally I would not comment in a thread like this but you invited the comments. I don't think you could have gone wrong with either decision.

Personally, having gone with a Kawasaki ZZR1200 with only 4385 original miles on it for $2400 dollars (hard to believe, I stumbled into an unadvertised private deal), I think I have found my last bike. Handles like a dream, and has way more horsepower and torque than any sane person could use up, 145 hp at the rear wheel. It's great to have that power on tap when someone tries to cut you of, or you have to get away from the "pack" of cars that seem to engulf you. Any of these motorcycles will do that quite easily. The best of luck. Classy looking bike too!

 

[Brendan W]

Thank you. I was thinking this might be my last bike until the dealer told me the previous owner was eighty when he hung up his boots.
He was supposedly a stickler for maintenance. We'll find that out in the next few weeks.
I seem to have fixed an issue with the ABS self check. Looks like it's just a voltage problem. There is a relay mod to take it offline during cranking but I imagine it is better fixed by getting the basics right.
Has almost new Metzler rubber and new looking Hagon shocks front and back.
Seat has gone up to the highest, tool kit all there and the puncture repair kit.
The previous BMW was the only bike that put me on the side of the road, twice. A spark plug cap exploded and I limped home on the other pot and the carbs decided to overflow and gave me cold boots. Someone had lined the tank with red stuff and it just kept coming and coming. How it got past the three inline filters I don't know.
A niggle with the Strom was the ongoing stator issues and the clutch. If you believed the stuff online you would think bikes were dropping like flies.
Likewise the BMWs are supposedly munching their way through drivetrains and gearboxes.
It's hard to find a test for reasonable in all the internet stuff.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

They say that in spite of all our spreadsheets, every decision is ultimately emotional
On paper the Strom was clear leader.....
The 1100R followed us home. We went for a ride at dusk in 29F. Bones still cold this morning.
I had an R100RT thirty years ago and got quite comfortable with the agricultural shifting an relatively low power.
The fairing was just too much.
This bike is light years ahead in suspension and many other areas.
With non servo brakes, single spark and cable operated clutch and what looks like the M94 transmission, I hope I've dodged some potential headaches.
Anyway with only 31000km on the clock we can expect a long time before wear is apparent.
Now to get started on a full inspection and service. Horn doesn't work and the oil filler cap weeps a bit.

I love the '98 R1100R I bought this year. A really great machine.

 

[Suzukian]

1998 seems to be a good year for many different types of vehicles. It surely was for Subarus. I owned two 1998 wagons that both saw over 270K miles on them, and I gave them away running, not blowing any smoke.

I just turned 65. I still have my first bike, my 2nd bike, and the ZZR1200 I purchased last year. I worked for many dealerships, so I rarely had to buy my own bikes, as I was always given a dealer supplied bike I got to drive many brand bikes, as I could grab interesting used ones too.

The ZZR1200 has an amazing amount of horsepower and torque, yet, it can be driven extremely civilly. It's comfortable, has a huge gas tank, and there are tons of parts available for it.

I'm happy you found a bike you like. I'm in the same place, it's a good feeling. I will be leaving all my bikes to my son, so I know where they'll end up. I have modified my ZZR1200 much, different calipers, forks, rear suspension links, I lowered the bike 1" inch. I have a set of Genmar Handlebar Risers and will probably e buying a double bubble fairing for it. Then it's done, Good luck with your bike. I pulled a sidecar for many years. I've always wanted to make a trike, but now the conversions you see on Gold Wings, something cruder, with a Bobber look.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

The BMW was a good choice, Brendan. Looking forward to hearing about your time on it.

 

[Suzukian]

I found it interesting what you wrote about the ABS. I use d to buy Mercedes Benz cars to fix and flip. I did quite a few, some that if I had held onto, well, I'd be much better off right ow. I would say that 85% of the problems was the German car manufacturers fetish with using relays to turn on relays, or multiple ones, and tracking which one was bad was a nightmare. However, the cars being so consistent, I could get these cars for half of their private selling price, and fix the electronics in a day. If you get any electronic problems 9 times out of 10 it will be a relay. I'm an Electronic Technician, I would take the relays apart, and find that the contacts were just dirty. File them clean, and the problem was fixed. If the contact pads were too burnt or pitted,I would replace the relay, but the diagnostic would be done. I made a lot of money off of those cars. If you bring the bike in for repair, tell them ahead of time that you want any part replaced returned to you. Most states make you request this and write it down on the service contract.

 

[Cipher]

They say that in spite of all our spreadsheets, every decision is ultimately emotional
On paper the Strom was clear leader.....
The 1100R followed us home. We went for a ride at dusk in 29F. Bones still cold this morning.
I had an R100RT thirty years ago and got quite comfortable with the agricultural shifting an relatively low power.
The fairing was just too much.
This bike is light years ahead in suspension and many other areas.
With non servo brakes, single spark and cable operated clutch and what looks like the M94 transmission, I hope I've dodged some potential headaches.
Anyway with only 31000km on the clock we can expect a long time before wear is apparent.
Now to get started on a full inspection and service. Horn doesn't work and the oil filler cap weeps a bit.

get a k1300 and realize the joy of owning the perfect motorcycle. Aint got no tractor gear box is click click click.
oddly the suzuki clutch issue you mention and the poster whos son had it repaired the UK dude fixes a number of nasty clutches and the K1200 and to a degree 1300 are helped by him as well.
Personally I think a lot of the vocal detractors spewing clutch hate are old squids doing rocket launches from standing stops. Grow up boys the things were not made to be abused. My little 550 pulls the teeth back on its front sprocket as a result of squidly shifting at redline in all gears. cept 6th itll only pull 9500 in 6th.
NNo folow up on the 750 Zephyr? iirc they were the last of the I4 UJM kawasaki bikes. Air cooled and one imagines perfected to the degree their configuration allowed.

 

[Cipher]

I found it interesting what you wrote about the ABS. I use d to buy Mercedes Benz cars to fix and flip. I did quite a few, some that if I had held onto, well, I'd be much better off right ow. I would say that 85% of the problems was the German car manufacturers fetish with using relays to turn on relays, or multiple ones, and tracking which one was bad was a nightmare. However, the cars being so consistent, I could get these cars for half of their private selling price, and fix the electronics in a day. If you get any electronic problems 9 times out of 10 it will be a relay. I'm an Electronic Technician, I would take the relays apart, and find that the contacts were just dirty. File them clean, and the problem was fixed. If the contact pads were too burnt or pitted,I would replace the relay, but the diagnostic would be done. I made a lot of money off of those cars. If you bring the bike in for repair, tell them ahead of time that you want any part replaced returned to you. Most states make you request this and write it down on the service contract.

I have never had my ABS kick in on a bike.. Ive had the traction control do it twice and its a freaky disturbing thing though one assume nicer than spinning out.
ABS is a pure joy in winter in autos dear lord the first time I had i kick in during a blizzard with snot slippery roads its blew my mind. full though unresponsive steering and no loss of control.
The shop class boys in grade 11 god how they knew everything. It was 44 years ago but they actually believed they could modulate brakes faster than an abs system.
same knobs who disable DRL alas.
as for Merc complexity Road and Track or Car and Drive had a snippet article ages ago on that. They used an instance of an extra link in the rear suspension which made a profound improvement in keeping the wheels on the pavement. It was beaautiful.

 

[Suzukian]

I must say I really enjoyed working on German cars. Once you understood the logic, you saw the concept carried out through all their cars. The most money I made on a car was a 1975 British Racing Green with a Cognac tan leather (MB-Tex) that had a piece of the passenger floor rotted out. I got the car for $1200 dollars. I had a friend weld in a section of the factory floor replacement panels, as the rest was so solid. I sole that car two weeks later for $8000 dollars. The person I sold it to was the father in law of a friend of mine. Two weeks ago, he told me his father in law still drives it, it is garage kept, and it runs like a charm. That car is worth a lot of money today.

I'm a bit old fashioned when it comes to brakes on bikes. I don't like ABS, and I have never locked up my front wheel. I know some people who love it, I'm in the other camp. I drove a Honda VF800, the driveshaft version, and the ABS was horrible. I didn't know what end of the bike was doing what, and yet, it did not feel cohesive in braking. I rode with a side car (a Velorex) for about 5 years, all 4 seasons. That bike would drive through 5" inches of snow with no problem. It was a joy. I should have never gotten rid of that sidecar, especially seeing how much they go for today. I had the model below, with the fuly controlled 3rd wheel. It had a drum brake in there, but I never hooked it up. Talk about stability on ice and snow! Behind the seat was a trunk lid, and all that space was available.

 

[Brendan W]

This is the first machine with ABS for me. As long as it behaves itself I'm okay with it. Who knows it could save a low speed spill some day on a muddy,leafy lane.
It's not the servo system so there is the option to remove it. The brakes are incredible. One finger and it's like dropping an anchor and maybe that's a reason for the ABS?
Gear changes getting better, seems like it's a matter of adapting to the motor. I'll probably have it figured out but still won't be able to explain it.
There is an MRA touring screen with adjustable slot but no matter what I do the noise at head level is too much. I think it will be coming off.
We don't ride more than an hour and never faster than 100kph.
Mary reckons the 850 seat is better Who would have thought?
I sometimes think I should have kept such and such like the Z650. They are fetching three times their new price now. Somehow in these dreams the reality of forty years of storage never interferes.