New Suzuki Vstrom 1000

[True Grip]

^
Funny! In all fairness the beak started with Suzuki if i remember correctly.

 

[la-motor]

^
Funny! In all fairness the beak started with Suzuki if i remember correctly.

Yes...This is where it all began in 1988

 

[greg the pole]

besides exhaust the seat still looks the same as before and not too improved. as a long time wee owner I would be excited about the new V, but it does not have shaft drive or comfortable passenger accommodations.

you're right on some counts, wrong on others.
The frame, motor, and maybe the swing arm may be similar, but that's where it stops.
Suzuki had to play catch up with the others, and finally join the TC, ABS, maybe mallard looking bike world ::025::
suzuki goes for bottom dollar, and must do improvements, shaft drive is not one of them. nothing wrong with a decent chain, i'll last 35-40km, before changing a set. hell my shaft drive seals let go on my st at 35 km. Nothing is guaranteed or bomb proof.
Would I go back to a chain, no I would not.
that said, there's quite a few good things going for this bike. the electronics, decent looking suspension, seating position etc..
price point should be decent as well, due to keeping the cost of extras down (shaft drive for example)
I had a vstrom, and put a corbin seat on it, best seating position I ever had. but those are things that you as the new owner need to change on pretty much every single bike that's purchased.