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FEATURE I SUZUKI V-STROM 800DE PROJECT BUILD
the ground, which adds con-
fidence when the terrain gets
technical.
Fortunately we didn't test
out the SRC crash bars, but
the skid plate has taken a few
knocks so far, and is holding up
well. The whole setup definitely
looks the goods. With the HRT
tail clean-up, the SRC guards,
Yoshimura exhaust and Motoz
tires, the V-Strom looks less
like a touring motorcycle and
more like a capable ADV bike.
CONCLUSION
When it comes to the mid-
sized ADV category, there are
a lot of choices, with some
that are more capable in the
dirt than others. We would put
the KTM 890 Adventure R and
Yamaha Tenere 700 at the top
of the list in terms of off-road
performance, and we would
not choose a stock V-Strom
800DE to go wheel-to-wheel
with these bikes in the dirt. But
with the modifications used on
this project, this "ADV-Strom"
would fit right in. While this
isn't a comparison, we can say
that we accomplished our goal
of upping the off-road perfor
-
mance threshold of the 800DE.
There are a lot of ways to
throw money and parts at a
bike in ways that can transform
performance, but in a case
like this, it's only a handful of
modifications that can draw
out a bike's potential. Suzuki
has built a worthy midsized
ADV contender in the V-Strom
800DE; it just needs its teeth
sharpened a little to run with
the pack.
CN
Suzuki's Traction Control
offers multiple levels including
the new G (Gravel) mode, which
is almost like cheating on loose
gravel roads. It will allow the rear
to step out enough to do a sweet
slide, but not let the rear get
away from you too easily. Add
in one of the best quickshifters
on the market and this 'Zook is a
blast on fast gravel roads.
The Scott's stabilizer is a
great addition for any motor
-
cycle that will be ridden fast in
chunky terrain and is especially
valuable on a 500-plus-pound
ADV bike. We did manage to
trim a little weight from the
DE, but we didn't tip the scales
more than a few pounds. The
Yoshimura RS-12 slip-on takes
some weight off the back end
(as does the HRT tail-tidy kit),
but we came nowhere near cut
-
ting the 40-50 pounds it would
take to bring it down to Yamaha
Tenere 700 or Aprilia Tuareg
level. She's still a big girl.
When speeds come down,
the suspension continues to im-
prove performance. In technical
terrain (fast or slow), the IMS
footpegs were much appreciat-
ed, as they provide a wider, grip-
pier stance. The 800DE already
has a nice stand-over position,
and we were glad to maintain
the stock ergonomics while
getting the steering stabilizer
stashed under the handlebar.
Another thing we pointed out
in our initial test of the stock
800DE was the relatively lower
seat height compared to other
ADV bikes. While the suspen
-
sion job did give a slight lift to
our project bike, the stock seat
still allows your feet to touch
PARTS LIST
TBT RACING https://tbtracing.com/
FULL REVALVE $600
FORK SPRING MODIFICATION $150
MOTOZ TIRES https://pacificpowersports.
com/produtcts/motoz-tires/
TRACTIONATOR DV FRONT $125.99
TRACTIONATOR ADVENTURE REAR
$242.99
YOSHIMURA
https://www.yoshimura-rd.com/
YOSHIMURA RS-12 ADV STAINLESS
STEEL SLIP-ON EXHAUST $679
SRC MOTO https://www.srcmoto.com/
CRASH BAR SET $488
PROTECTIVE ALUMINUM
SKID PLATE
$218
HEADLIGHT GUARD $89
DOUBLETAKE MIRRORS
https://www.doubletakemirror.com/
DOUBLETAKE BASE KIT 3.5 ARM $127
IMS FOOTPEGS https://imsproducts.com/
CORE ENDURO FOOTPEGS $188
HESSLER RALLYE TEAM (HRT)
https://www.hessler-motorsport.de/
TAIL TIDY
(Desert Express Rear 2.0) $95 EUR*
SLIM REAR KIT $88.50 EUR*
STEERING DAMPER MOUNTING KIT
$399
EUR*
HOLDER FOR HYDRAULIC
SPRING PRELOAD $23.50
EUR*
PEAK DESIGN
https://www.peakdesign.com/
MOTORCYCLE BRAKE/CLUTCH
MOUNT
CHARGING $169.95
PUIG USA https://puigusa.com/en
MULTI-ADJUSTABLE VISOR
2.0 CLIP-ON
$80.16
TOTAL: $3764.11*
*Estimated EUR-to-USD conversion
