P102
COMPARISON I SUZUKI V-STROM 800 & V-STROM 800DE
WHICH ONE IS
BEST FOR YOU?
As expected, the standard V-Strom 800 is
a better street bike. The lower seat height,
larger windscreen, smaller front wheel,
and radial-mounted front brakes provide
outstanding performance, especially for
a motorcycle with an MSRP of less than
$9900. For suspension without adjustabil
-
ity, the built-in settings work very well and
should appeal to a wide range of riders.
The V-Strom 800DE is not as fun or
capable of riding on the street as the
standard model, but it is the best choice of
the two if you want to do any aggressive
off-road riding. The additional suspension
travel and ground clearance, 21-inch front
wheel, and more electronic adjustability,
including the ability to turn off the rear
ABS, make it a completely different motor
-
cycle capable of ramping up the fun when
the road turns into a trail.
The "standard"
800 is a marvelous
street bike. It's very
comfortable, handles
exceptionally well,
has a great motor,
has excellent range,
and does just fine on
maintained county
dirt roads.
Despite its 21-inch
front wheel, the
800DE handles well
on the pavement.
It has a 17-inch
wheel in the back,
which is smaller
than the 18-inch
rear wheel on most
off-road-focused
ADV bikes.
