2014 SUZUKI V-STROM DL1000 ABS
FIRST RIDE
P52
dipped, forcing Suzuki into ac-
tion. Having not seen a major
overhaul since its 2002 U.S. de-
but, Suzuki realized the 'Strom
1000 was due for a major redo,
but before they got started, they
did plenty of research, which in-
cluded asking previous V-Strom
1000 owners what they liked
and disliked about their beloved
'Stroms. High on their list of wish-
es was more low-to-mid power
and torque, improved high-
speed stability, ABS and traction
control, not to mention a facelift.
Their wishes came true, as did
many other of their wishes.
STARTING OVER
So what's changed? Everything
- except for the configuration
of the liquid-cooled, DOHC,
90-degree V-twin motor. Dis-
placement has been bumped up
from 996cc to 1097cc, thanks
to a 2mm larger bore. A host of
other motor changes translates
into more horsepower, and it's
pushing nearly 100 hp now. It
now produces a claimed 99.2
horsepower at 8000 rpm and 76
foot pounds of torque at 4000
rpm vs. the previous V-Strom
that featured an output of 95.5
hp at 7600 rpm and 74.5 foot
pounds of torque at 6400 rpm.
The new model retains the 11.3:1
compression ratio of the previ-
ous model.
New pistons have the same
weight and rigidity as the old pis-
tons - even with the size increase.
Suzuki went with a thinner piston
ring in order to lower the friction
on the cylinder wall, which is said
to increase combustion efficien-
cy and fuel economy.
The fuel-injection system has
also been updated and now fea-
tures 10-hole fuel injectors vs.
the previous four-hole system.
This is all about improving fuel
atomization, giving better com-
bustion efficiency and lower fuel
consumption.
Pairing the new injectors with a
dual throttle valve system makes
for a smoother power delivery
and better efficiency. While the
fuel tank capacity is 5.3 gallons,
Suzuki has yet to release an of-
ficial mpg rating.
A redesigned 6.5L air box
makes the list of new parts as well;
and the V-Strom 1000 ABS cur-
rently meets Euro3 requirements,
