Overall Ratings ★★★★★
| Ride: | ★★★★★ |
| Look: | ★★★★★ |
| Value for money: | ★★★★★ |
In a Nutshell
The new Suzuki V-Strom 1050 was unveiled at the 2019 EICMA, with all-new retro looks, inspired by the DR Big. It was the main news at the Suzuki booth. But how new it really is? And how good it really is in this extra-crowded adventure market. We took the XT version out for a street and soft off-road ride to find out.
First of all, the engine is the same unit but reworked to comply with the Euro 5 regulations and to feel a bit more powerful. The frame and riding geometry are also unchanged, so everything feels familiar.
Everything but the dash, because the V-Strom 1050 comes with an LCD. The Traction Control, the Riding Modes, the ABS, everything is there and it’s connected to an IMU but that comes for the XT version only.
The XT version features spoked wheels, crash bars, and a lot of adventure accessories, but the suspension travel, the front wheel dimension, the non-switchable ABS, the ground clearance, are the same. So the V-Strom is still on the street side in the adventure-travel segment, no matter the version.
Watch the full V-Strom 1050 Review in the window above.
What We Liked
The weather protection is better than it seems at the first sight. The V-Strom 1050’s adjustable windscreen and fairing really do a great job, keeping you protected from the elements. The seat is ok-ish too, no the best but not the worst, either.
The Suzuki V-Strom 1050 finally comes with a cruise control, which is helpful on the highway.
It looks really cool, especially in the yellow trim. The V-Strom 1050 somehow stands out from the crowd.
It’s nimble, it’s friendly and easy to ride. It feels pretty much the same as the V-Strom 650, only it’s faster and it rides better. With all the electronics and stuff, and being quite narrow and not very tall, it’s suitable even for beginners.
What We Disliked
The suspension offers decent performance and it’s adequate for this bike – not for sporty rides, not for off-road, but it feels quite harsh on bumpy roads.
Everybody has a TFT dash nowadays, but Suzuki sticks to the LCD. It’s a bit hard to read it with all those information over there.
The engine is fast, but it feels a bit outdated.
Raw Data
| Engine | 1037cc, 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 90˚ V-twin |
| Bore x Stroke | 100.0 mm x 66.0 mm (3.9 in. x 2.6 in.) |
| Compression Ratio | 11.5:1 |
| Fuel injection, Ride-by-Wire equipped | |
| Starter | Electric |
| Lubrication | Wet sump |
| DRIVETRAIN | |
| Clutch | Wet, multi-plate type |
| Transmission | 6-speed constant mesh |
| Final Drive | Chain, O-ring type, RK525SMOZ8, 116 links |
| CHASSIS | |
| Suspension Front | Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil damped |
| Suspension Rear | Link type, single shock, coil spring, oil damped |
| Brakes Front | Tokico, 4-piston calipers, twin disc |
| Brakes Rear | Nissin, 2-piston, single disc |
| Tires Front | 110/80R19 M/C (59V), tubeless |
| 150/70R17 M/C (69V), tubeless | |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 20.0 L (5.3 US gal.) |
| Color | Pearl Brilliant White/Glass Blaze Orange or Champion Yellow No. 2 |
| ELECTRICAL | |
| Ignition | Electronic ignition (transistorized) |
| Headlight | LED |
| Tail Light | LED |
| DIMENSIONS | |
| Overall Length | 2265 mm (89.2 in.) |
| Overall Width | 940 mm (37.0 in.) |
| Overall Height | 1465 mm (57.7 in.) |
| Wheelbase | 1555 mm (61.2 in.) |
| 160 mm (6.3 in.) | |
| Seat Height | 850 mm (33.5 in.) |
| Curb Weight | 247 kg (544.6 lb.) |