Suzuki has recently launched the highly anticipated ‘Tour’ editions of their popular V-Strom adventure bikes in Europe.
The main feature of these new models is the increased luggage capacity.
The ‘Tour’ edition is consist of the newly launched V-Strom 800DE and it’s bigger sibilings, the V-Strom 1050.
The Suzuki V-Strom Tour package is available for three models – the Suzuki V-Strom 1050, Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE, and Suzuki V-Strom 800DE. The key highlight of this package is the inclusion of a full-aluminium three-piece luggage set, consisting of two side cases and a top box. With this addition, riders can now enjoy an impressive 112L of extra luggage space, ensuring that nothing is left behind on their thrilling journeys.
Considering the cost, the ‘Tour’ package is priced at an additional GBP1,500 (RM8.9k) on top of the V-Strom’s base price. Whether one chooses the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE, Suzuki V-Strom 1050, or Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE, they can opt for silver or black color options for the luggage.
Suzuki emphasizes that purchasing the ‘Tour’ edition with the luggage package provides substantial savings compared to buying the aluminium cases separately. Buyers can save GBP672.98 on the V-Strom 800DE and approximately GBP450 on both the V-Strom 1050 and V-Strom 1050DE.
Furthermore, when purchasing a V-Strom Tour edition, Suzuki’s warranty will also cover the luggage items, giving riders peace of mind and added assurance. The complete 2023 range, including the new V-Strom Tour editions, can be explored on the official Suzuki website.
The new ‘Tour’ editions of the Suzuki V-Strom adventure bikes are set to revolutionize the way riders travel, offering ample space for all their gear while maintaining the exceptional performance and reliability that Suzuki is renowned for.
It’s the “touring month” again as riders tour around Malaysia or head into Thailand.
Long-distance touring needs planning.
Here are items to make your touring experience something more safer and more fun.
The month of April is here and it’s time for some touring, around Malaysia, but usually to Thailand. Yes, it’s time for the Phuket Bike Week and Songkran (the Thai new year).
It’s during March and this month that the winds and tides hitting the Thai west coast are still benign, as the monsoon season starts in mid-May, which brings heavy rain and higher surfs (and lots of debris) to the beaches.
Songkran
Also, as the holy month of Ramadhan is in May this year, you can expect many more Malaysian riders rushing north during this month.
But long-distance touring shouldn’t be carried out without proper planning – you can’t just hop on your bike and ride to Thailand like how you ride to Karak for nasi lemak. For one, you need the necessary documentation if you ride into Thailand, and you should bring along these items when you tour.
1. Cable Ties (Zip Ties)
The cable tie is probably the most universally useful item you should never ride without. It serves almost any purpose during emergency roadside repairs. Brake pedal dropping out? Cable tie it. Bodywork came loose because the fastener had gone down the rabbit hole? Cable tie. Number plate screws fell out? Cable tie. Snapped your shoes laces? Cable tie. Etc., etc., etc.? You got it – cable tie!
Cable ties a.k.a. zip ties
2. Duct Tape
Along with the cable tie, duct tape is indispensable. It’s especially useful as a temporary repair for tears. We’ve used it on a riding boot which mimicked a “crocodile’s mouth” (the sole split open). Sealing pants legs to prevent water getting in. As a bandage by wrapping it around a piece of cloth placed on a wound.
Duct tape
3. Bungee Cords and Cargo Nets
Always ride with at least one bungee cord under the seat and use it to tie down extra luggage.
Bungee cords and cargo nets – from bikebandit.com
4. Tool Kit
Depending on your bike’s manufacturer, what’s supplied may not be enough. There are plenty of tool “packs” offered to bikers these days. Get a set that includes wrenches and Allen keys for the majority of fasteners on your bike.
Cruz Tools – from Revzilla.com
5. Tyre Repair Kit
Never, ever tour without a tyre repair kit. Along with a mechanical breakdown, a tyre puncture destroys your hopes of a wonderful holiday in no time err… flat. Get a kit with CO2 inflation canisters.
Tyre repair kit – from ebay.com
6. First Aid Kit
Almost no rider carries one, for some reason. GIVI offers a set the size of a thick wallet, so it’s easy to carry in your backpack, tankbag or waist pouch.
GIVI first aid kit – from givi.it
7. Chain Lube
The chain needs to be lubed every 400 km or so. Most makers offer them in small cans that could fit under most bikes’ seats. A chain without proper lubrication will grind down the sprockets quickly, cause the roller links to wear, besides robbing engine power and fuel economy.
Chain lube – from WD-40.com
8. Rain Gear
April may be the hottest month in Thailand, but that doesn’t mean you won’t encounter heavy rain along the way. Trust us, it rained on us on our every trip to the Phuket Bike Week. There are many brands in the market, but the best is by GIVI. They’re expensive, no doubt, but they really work and are tough (proven during the Golden Triangle Adventure).
GIVI CRS.02 rain gear – from givi.vn
9. Luggage
If you’re riding a sport-tourer or adventure-tourer/dual-purpose bike, it’s a no-brainer to install some luggage. Needless to say, having a luggage system beats strapping on a backpack or tying stuff to the bike anytime (more space for the above items too). There are many brands in the market that offer many solutions, including panniers, tank bags and top cases of different designs and materials. GIVI has the largest selection. (We’ve ridden in South Africa and Indochina with them and boy, are they useful and strong.)
GIVI V47 and V35 – from www.nativeviking.com
10. Octane Booster
You may not need this but bring a few bottles along as insurance. Thailand does have RON 95 petrol but there have been times where riders mistakenly filled up with lower RON fuel. Using fuel with an octane number lower than the recommended grade is at least detrimental to the engine’s performance, if not cause catastrophic damage. We’ve tested X-1R’s Octane Booster during the said Indochina ride and came away impressed.
It’s sport-tourers for Part 2 of the Top Motorcycles for the Touring Season.
Sport-tourers are fast bikes that are also practical.
The appeal of sport-tourers are practicality, comfort and some good speed.
In Part 1 of Top Motorcycles for the Touring Season, we’ve covered dual-purpose bikes. (Please click here for the article.) If you could recall, dual-purpose bikes are called such since they could be ridden on both the road and off-road.
In Part 2 here, let’s take a look at sport-tourers, motorcycles that combine the speed and handling of sportbikes with the practicality of touring and dual-purpose motorcycles.
LIGHTWEIGHT
There aren’t specific lightweight sport-tourers in the sub-400 to 500cc segment. In this case, we could call any bike a sport-tourer unless they are dual-purpose bikes such as the Kawasaski Versys-X and BMW G 310 GS. Case in point is the Kapcai Touring Malaysia group who equip their Yamaha Y15ZRs with large GIVI top cases and go touring. Another great example is Anita Yusof who toured around the world on a Yamaha FZ150i. Let’s proceed to the middleweight section.
MIDDLEWEIGHT
There are so many bikes that occupy this segment but we’ve picked a few.
DUCATI MULTISTRADA 950
The Multistrada 950 was born from Ducati’s decision to introduce a range of bikes that are more affordable and accessible to a wider range of riders. Consequently, the 950 is bereft of high technologies such as the semi-active suspension and single-sided swingarm of its 1200cc and 1260 brothers. But that only means that the 950 is lighter and a joy to ride without needing to think about setting the electronics.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, 90o V-Twin
Displacement
947 cc
Maximum power
111 bhp (83 kW) @ 9000 RPM
Maximum torque
96 Nm @ 7750 RPM
Seat height
840 mm
Dry Weight
205 kg
Fuel capacity
20 litres
KAWASAKI VERSYS 650
The Versys 650 has gone through many cosmetic changes with each generation, although the engine and hardware stayed the same. The current model’s design follows the distinctive look of all current Kawasaki motorcycles. The 648cc parallel-Twin is torquey and has enough grunt up top for a spirited run. The windscreen and bodywork protect the rider from windblast well enough while the long-travel suspension is comfortable for most applications. Speaking of the suspension, it features a remote preload adjuster and the seat height isn’t too tall for most riders. There are plenty of cargo solutions in the market for this bike.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, parallel-Twin
Displacement
649 cc
Maximum power
68.4 bhp (51 kW) @ 8500 RPM
Maximum torque
64 Nm @ 7000 RPM
Seat height
840 mm
Kerb weight
214 kg
Fuel capacity
21 litres
MV AGUSTA TURISMO VELOCE 800
The Turismo Veloce 800 came about when AMG pumped in some capital into MV Agusta, and signaled a small but significant change of direction in terms of product development and features. Hence, the Turismo Veloce was the first MV Agusta to feature a fully LCD instrument panel which includes all the pertinent data. Scrolling, instead of rummaging, through the menus was also thankfully painless. The suspension was also made suppler and the Lusso model includes large-size panniers. MV Agusta had also managed to get rid of the snatchy throttle. The bike still looks beautiful after a couple of years.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-Triple
Displacement
798 cc
Maximum power
110 bhp (81 kW) @ 10150 RPM
Maximum torque
80 Nm @ 7100 RPM
Seat height
850 mm
Dry weight
191 kg
Fuel capacity
21.5 litres
SUZUKI V-STROM 650 XT
The V-Strom 650’s engine has been in circulation for more than 15 years and it’s more popular than its 1000cc brethren. It’s because the 650 has a smoother and more linear power. Compared to the Kawasaki Versys 650, the V-Strom 650 is larger hence wider and longer seats. The suspension is also rather plush. It goes by carrying out its duties quietly to stage of being blamed as “bland.”
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, 90o V-Twin
The Tracer is the sport-touring version of the MT-09 naked bike, hence it is light, fast and quick on its feet. The bodywork does an adequate job of keeping wind off the rider’s torso, while the large-sized LCD panel is lifted from the Super Tenere. The long-travel suspension is quite soft.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-Triple
Displacement
847 cc
Maximum power
114 bhp (84.6 kW) @ 10000 RPM
Maximum torque
87.5 Nm @ 8500 RPM
Seat height
845 – 860 mm
Wet Weight
207 kg
Fuel capacity
18 litres
HEAVYWEIGHT
We’ve come to the top of the crop. These are the Concordes should we compare them to airliners.
BMW S 1000 XR
With the engine derived from the S 1000 RR superbike, the S 1000 XR is BMW’s weapon to attack the big bore sport-touring segment. It’s got everything here including the ESA semi-active suspension, ride modes, traction control, and panniers. That inline-Four is an ultra-flexible power unit: It’ll pull hard from just below 60 km/h in sixth gear all the way to its top speed without batting an eyelid.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-Four
Displacement
999 cc
Maximum power
165 bhp (121 kW) @ 11000 RPM
Maximum torque
112 Nm @ 9250
Seat height
840 mm
Wet weight
228 kg
Fuel capacity
20 litres
BMW R 1200 RT
For a little bit more character compared to the uber machine S 1000 XR, the R 1200 RT fits the bill nicely. It shares that same wasser-Boxer of the R 1200 GS which means torque everywhere. The RT is also well-appointed in its instrumentation and creature comforts, as well as the suspension which is again similar to GS’s. Those large panniers are… er… large and you could fit almost anything in them.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, Boxer-Twin
Displacement
1170 cc
Maximum power
125 bhp (92 kW) @ 7750 RPM
Maximum torque
125 Nm @ 6500 RPM
Seat height
805 – 825 mm
Wet weight
274 kg
Fuel capacity
25 litres
DUCATI MULTISTRADA 1260
Ducati launched the Multistrada 1260 to compete with the other monsters in the segment. (As if the 1200 wasn’t fast enough.) Well, it wasn’t about speed, said Ducati; they fitted the 1262cc DVT engine from the XDiavel to address the flat spot at 5500 RPM of the 1200 DVT engine. Surely enough, there’s an 18% torque increase at that RPM. The swingarm has also been lengthened by a significant 48mm for more stability when carrying a passenger and cargo. The S model includes a bi-directional quickshifter, Ducati Link App and electronic suspension as well as colour-coded luggage.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, 90o V-Twin
Displacement
1262 cc
Maximum power
156 bhp (116.2 kW) @ 9500 RPM
Maximum torque
129.5 Nm @ 7500 RPM
Seat height
825 – 845 mm
Dry weight
209 kg
Fuel capacity
20 litres
KAWASAKI 1400GTR
The GTR found massive popularity in Malaysia and the world over. It’s fast – having an engine derived from the Ninja ZX-14 has that effect – yet comfortable. The seating position is neutral behind that large nose and tall screen. There is plenty of storage space, too.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-Four
Dubbed “The Missile” during its launch, this bike is the epitome of leaning towards sport in the sport-touring equation. Its super-powered by the engine of the 1290 Super Duke R, punching out 173 bhp and 144 Nm of torque. But what makes the 1290 Super Duke GT such a great bike is how the bike “assists” you in becoming a better rider through the power mode, traction control and semi-active suspension strategies. But it isn’t all about speed on the GT as it’s equally docile when ridden at sane speeds in urban settings. This is one bike for riders who wish to get there quickly and have more time to enjoy himself.
Engine type
Liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, 75o V-Twin
