V-Strom - Opinions wanted

BT 020's YKIMS

Aye, I agree, quite good bikes. I find that a lot of people have made
their minds up that only the Tiger and the GS are worth looking at in Big
Trailees. Personally I think that is because the BM gives a snob value and
the Tiger is British, all others are tarred with the 'Its ugly as sin'
brush. I've ridden A V Strom, a Tiger , A GS adventure and two Varaderos.
I would put them in order as Vara/Strom first. I'm not bothered which but
SWMBO didn't like the pillion on the Strom so it places it down the list
for us a little. GS next but I wasn't that impressed and Julie's words
were 'Its Fucking ugly, you're not having one of those'. Perhaps I had
been seduced by all the hype and found it wanting IRL. The Tiger came last
for me although Julie liked the pillion position. It just didn't float my
boat at all.

 

I've only ridden the Tiger and the GS. I liked the Tiger, a lot, because
of the engine. Almost every triple ever built has some sort of charisma.

The GS I liked even more. Not fast - definitely not fast - but it had
soul as well, and I loved the handling.

What I don't like about the Jap super-trailies is that all seem to look
excesively bulky. They all seem to have huge globular fuel tanks and...
well, just bodywork that does them no favours.

The Varadero and V-strom are in-line vee-twins, for Christ's sake. They
should be narrow. OK, so you want a big fuel tank, but somehow they seem
to make the entire bike as wide as a Zed Thirteen.

The Tiger, and especially the BMW, sem to have the same amount of
essential kit - weather protection, big tank, decent seat, etc - without
looking like they've been on a steroid course.

 

Yes... if I went that direction would most likely stick 020's on it.

Ta for that.

 

Nice review - the decision is getting easier.
Last question(s):
My SO if quite small and light - how comfy is the back seat for this spec?

 

A Tiger was definitely on my shopping list, but I couldn't find a
local dealer (did I mention that I am lazy?), so took what I could
get with some likelihood of support. Of course, now I've moved down
to Edinburgh there is a Triumph dealer in the locality, but it's too
late now. Maybe I'll get around to trying one out before the end of
the year.

BM's are simply out of my price range - I may drive one of their
cars, but the bikes are ludicrously expensive for what they offer
over a VStrom etc. A Varadero? Dunno, it just doesn't seem to have
much character. Perhaps that's what I like about the VStrom/KLV -
it may not offer anything to excess, but it does it all quite
capably and looks different enough to grab attention from all the
sportsbikes parked in the bays in Edinburgh - hopefully without
being so desirable that the local thieves make it a target.

 

On Tue, 8 Feb 2005 08:10:02 +0000,

And what makes it worse is that so much of the bulk is just
plastic...

The only problem I have with the width on the KLV is the handlebars
when filtering. I've never worried about my knees or other body
parts. So it's not really any wider to ride than any other trailie.

 

Ah, there I can't help you. I never take pillions. However, if you
can get the suspension sorted out (the back end starts off too soft
at factory settings, even for solo), it looks comfortable enough.
The front seat is so well sorted that I could ride all day if the
fuel tank permitted it - unlike the SV where I felt cramped after
only fifty miles or so.

 

Blag a ride on one, they are very good bikes, If you were east lancs way
you would be welcome to CIHAGM mine. One of the Varadero forum guys has
just got a front preload adjuster machined up which will sell for ~£80 to
help those of a larger disposition.