Another new week, and another new adventure bike. Such is the rise and rise of this segment, manufacturers are still scrambling to fill gaps – either perceived or real – in the market. In an ever-changing market, while much has changed, in some respects, much has stayed the same.
While we might have more adventure bikes at our disposal than most of us can even process, there is one model that has stood the test of time. It is not the latest or greatest anything, and it certainly is not much good off-road. What it lacks in features and capability, it more than makes up for in sheer practicality, but it won’t be around for much longer.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Suzuki Cycles. Whereas, the opinions are our own.
This Suzuki V-Strom Is The Forgotten Iconic Japanese Adventure Bike Still On Sale In 2025
This iconic Japanese ADV is one of the last motorcycles from the stable to pack a V-twin engine.
The V-Strom 650 Is The Most Practical And Balanced Suzuki Motorcycle You Can Buy Right Now
MSRP: $9,299
Aside from a few color changes, the V-Strom 650 has remained virtually unchanged for 8 years now. In a market segment where we are getting a new bike almost every month, this is astonishing. It is both a testament to its immense staying power and Suzuki’s reluctance to let go of certain models. With no 2026 model in sight, it seems like this will be the final iteration. Suffice to say, there is a lot of competition in this space.
Even though it is a little more expensive, the Honda Transalp is certainly worth considering. It is just as comfortable, has significantly more power, and a few additional nice-to-have features. Surprisingly, its ground clearance actually isn’t that much better than the V-Strom, and at its core remains a little more street-biased.
Chinese motorcycles have improved significantly over the past few years, and there are a couple of enticing, feature-rich options that cost less than the V-Strom. First up, we have the Benelli TRK 702. Although it has an old Italian name, it is very much a Chinese product. It has just as much power as the Suzuki, but is even more street-biased. The other option is the recently updated Moto Morini X-Cape 700. It also gets an Italian design to go along with the name, and in our opinion, is one of the best looking bikes in this segment.
The V-Strom 650 Has An Unkillable V-Twin Engine
Power: 70 Horsepower
Pretty much every manufacturer, including Suzuki, is building a 270-degree parallel-twin these days. They do a great job of mimicking the riding experience of a V-twin, but nothing works quite as well as the original. Even though it has been in production for well over two decades now, this twin isn’t going anywhere just yet. It has proven to be incredibly smooth and virtually unkillable.
More Fun, More Of The Time
Mid-range performance is the ultimate objective of just about every middleweight motorcycle currently on the market. This translates to more usable power in the real world, even if the overall peak horsepower doesn’t look all that great on paper. One look at a dyno chart will illustrate the fact that most of the torque is available early on in the rev range (around 3,000 RPM here). While this is a little later than some of the bigger parallel-twins, it builds revs quickly enough, and in reality, won’t take much longer to arrive at its sweet spot than any of the more modern bikes.
This V-Strom Might Be the Most Underrated Suzuki Midweight ADV Bike Today
The Suzuki V-Strom 800 makes you question the need for larger, more powerful, and expensive ADVs
The V-Strom 650 Offers Ultimate Versatility
What you see is what you get with the V-Strom. It has been around for so long primarily because it is simple, fun, and reliable. It is not a great-looking bike by any measure, but it offers great wind protection and a comfortable seat. It also gets important safety equipment like ABS and traction control. Few bikes can handle long-distance touring better, thanks largely to how easy it is to ride. While some will balk at how outdated its suspension and chassis look, they work just fine for a bike that only makes 70 horsepower.
It handles well, and with a wet weight of only 470 pounds, it is light and nimble enough to handle the daily grind with consummate ease. As previously hinted, it is more street-biased, but it will handle a little dirt-road shortcut as well as the odd fire road without much fuss. Essentially, it is about as versatile as a motorcycle can be, but just like any versatile bike, it is far from perfect.
Practical, But Compromised
With a seat height of 32.9 inches, it is one of the most accessible adventure bikes in its class, but this results in a meager ground clearance of only 6.7 inches. There are quite literally street bikes with more ground clearance, which is seriously limiting off-road. This is also not the only area where it compromises. In fact, it is fair to say it compromises in every single area.
It is, by its very nature, a “Jack of all trades” and, in the case of the base model V-Strom 650, it really is a “master of none.” There really are several newer, more modern alternatives that will be better at certain things, but there are very few bikes in this price range that can do everything. This is a bike that really can do everything, reliably. It just won’t do anything particularly well.