Well done so great reason to go for the Suzuki V-Strom 650XT would be
that you want to travel really far and what a big while without breaking the back
Yaar PD I just saw Kartikeya V-Strom review and I have to agree the V-Strom is the best
field displacement bike ADV bike.
I don’t think so man i am pretty sure you're thinking about the Versys 650, of course,
it’s the better bike but the Versys is the road bike motorcycle.
but then it's been around longer people love it the V-Strom is the viewer and more of roads entry
But then the Versys is cheaper but it has more power but it has more as tall Hie stop
it guys Stop it don’t be armchair bikers go out on road trips and settle this once
and for all
So a road trip it was to findout which is the best adventure touring motorcycle In India
Under 10 lakh rupees and both of us feeling quite confidence about our choice of bike
But before we really begin this journey Arun I think that's something that we have to address
and that's the way this Versys looks it looks so much more aggressive it's got a proper
Ninza front end I think it looks cooler of the two bikes.
Alright tend to disagree PD I feel the Versys doesn’t look that the special the
V-Strom and other end looks like a proper ADV especially in the bright yellow color
it’s gone attractive more eyeballs
And you just can't miss those bling wheels it's a bit too bright man yaa right sees the
guy where the bright blue jacket Okay okay I'm sure the Versys would much nicer in a
brighter share like Ninza grill something but then when you get on the Versys that instruments
console it looks properly model it’s compact it looks like it belongs in 2019 on the other
hand that V-Strom console it's from the nineties yeah I agree on that front.
However It has more information on Display like a temperature gauge volt meter and engine
temperature that's all of bit super flow us the thing that matter a better on the Versys
with the engine example you can adjustable without Tools just by hand just turnamls and
move up an down that means Alan Keyes and even the livers both the livers on the Versys
are adjustable while only the brake liver adjustable on the V-Strom
But taking about touch point the V-Strom has better switchgear And we can switch mode
on the move Okay makes sense talking of on the move I think we should get on the move as well
And so our journey really began the open highway stretching out before us to full
tanks of petrol wait a minute
Right now that we had to fill up
We had some lovely stretches of open road had of us we could really Check out which
of these two feel better On the highway
We haven't travelled all that much just about the 120KM so far
Yeah and I think It was necessary to it was refuel our self and this points But the journey
so far at least on the highway the Versys is just sublime I mean personally is just
so smooth.
So at 120 KPH in sixth gear, it's doing about five hundred thousand RPM and there's not
a single wipe from the engine.
On top that the motors rise to ride so easily if you want to overtake something that guesses
just goes pass traffic and it sounds fantastic, it sounds so sporty.
On the other handle the V-Strom You can’t even here it just has no character it’s
might sound characterless but that V-Strom engine has a lot of character especially great
mid-range which allow to sit that 120KMPH easily also I think that the V-Strom Engine.
It's much more refined than the Versys I mean I'll agree that it is Quite refined for a
V-twin but beyond to the 120 I don't think is more refine on the Versys but doing the
be ongoing be on 125 KPH on Indian road Okay okay I will I will give you that but this
means is not a perfect yeah I do have some problems like the Gearbook for example.
it’s a to bit flunky and while you could overtake easily but I had to downshift to
ex-side the power for overtaking and the higher speeds the Versys if you have to downshift
it feels absolutely smooth like it it is a bit of a long traveled but then it just clicks
and without Any afford and then the thought transactions on especially going on and off.
it's not great I mean it's not sure on and off but It's it's It's prime better honestly okay
the V-Strom, on the other hand, is very linear and very progressive
Which makes it even much more easier to ride and look I feel Yeah I'm sure but then the
best part of the journey was twists is coming up to mahabaleshwar and there the Versys
was just thinking but man I mean ex-short wheelbase and 17 INCH grill or biased bios
tyres that upside down fork at the front is the adjustable as well I mean it’s was inspiring
so much from terms and honestly I was living just behind man so common man I do agree that
the V-Strom as the long wheel based and it's not very Azile through the corner and it feels
the big cumbersome but I was just behind that because I was letting stay behind this honestly
we got more twisties after this.
arun due ride to Versys to find out There are no to race to it through the corner the
Versys actually feels like a ninja on steels easy to steal precise and hold that a fun.
The V-Strom is certainly stay with the corner but steering does need a lot more effort and
changing directions quickly is definitely not it's cup of tea so Arun after that ride
are you stubbly convince that the Versys here is the better handle of the two definitely
PD that the Versys has such a great handling dynamics and he clearly wins this battle.
That's point one for the Versys now to celebrate with some chai but it seems to don’t be
just drink a chai do be it’s challenge bikes with it.
Yes at lower as both bikes are quickly smooth but build off those and get them closer to
redline and you notice that the Kawasaki has distinctly less vibration than the Suzuki
So After spending a whole day riding on the highway And in the twisties I think the Versys
has really shown brightly and even when he came into the sort of narrow alloy wheels
of the diveagar And even of the crowded city streets like
it just felt that much more nimble that short wheelbase really comes with own and just feel
a much nicer bike in urban environment and top of that like even though entry we had
good weather today in the afternoon it was bit warm and the bike rain absolutely cool
it’s i agree of the Versys is the bit more cooler but the V-Strom engine isn’t that
bad and yes the longer wheelbase of the V-Strom does make it feel does at combersion in the
traffic but it has a shorter seat hight .
it makes it a good option for shorter riders yaa so in a pinch if you had a get feed
down on the v-Strom is definitely easier but I am not sure that recommended for short a riders
Because the handlebar they feel as little much stretch even of my height I was riding
of a bit like this and my upper back wents for a toss after some times the Versys does
feel a bit more comfortable than the V-Strom because the handlebar is slidder and closer to the rider
While the v-storm it feels the handlebar could have been placed to the closer to the riders
and even to the taller riders while the comfortable in the saddle of the v-storm.
And if you are can riding on the footpegs starting of the footpegs you have a hunch
of quite a bit yes agree on that like when we riding a bit on the trees today's in the
morning.
I did feel on that was calling uhh.
Ya so honestly for a short rider I am not sure if I had recommended either bike but
if I had to pick one for short riders.i think its easier to a live for a compromissors of
the Versys it's just little bit more comfortable on that sense.
Ya kind of make sense the Versys is a better compromise.
But I will consider 1.2 the V-Strom the seat itself is definitely more comfortable than
the Versys.
And not just for the riders but for the pillions as well and it definitely has the better combo
among the two agree
And additionally, the v-Strom also had the better headlights wider spread and longer though.
But honestly we did notice on this dark alloy wheel the headlights on the V-Strom doesn’t
feel as bright it’s definitely brighter it has more intensity on the Versys so i think
overall on dark unlit roads the Versys is a better bad and when to put all of together
I think the end of this day I can definitely say the Versys coming on the top.
Now ideally that should have settled things.
But the next day I don’t have to some other plans to prove just how good the V-Strom could be
So PD we had lots of fun on the beaches today and you have to agree the V-Strom is the better
bike of the two on the low stuff yes agreed that the v-Strom is better bad and the issue
comes down Versys with the tires because they are heavily road buyer so on the end and even
the gravel they just have no grip.
If you have to ride off the road, not the best options and the long wheelbase of the
v-storm was pain on the highway on the mountain twists and also in the city but overall
on the beach on sand it gave it lots of stability and not get forget this has better
kid among the two like 19 inch wheel at the front and 17 inches at the rear.
And spoke wheel are tubeless as well and not to forget these are adventure spec tires.
So while they're not proper newbies they do a good job in the dart and are pretty the decent
are tarmac two.
exactly so if you are own lack gravel roads with like rocks I would not trust the wheels
of the Versys their alloy they could possibly crack but I think the bigger concern of the
road on this bike is the pad-rally it feels the little too immediate so the back end thus
the snap out and I did keep the stand out couple of times
ya are you crazy but hey no harm no foul exactly.
And the v-Strom is the more liner throttle which makes it much more stable on the stand
and not to forget that this has got two levels of attraction control.
Which is useful for no wise riders.so ok on the dart definitely better bike but we still
have a lot of roads to cover going back to Pune and we could pully the change of mind
about the Versys then let’s find out.
You know these bikes feel so different to ride but on the paper this hardly anything
between them exactly PD because they have similar horsepower and top figure, in fact,
they exactly the same yaa and that the even show the performance figures like under breaking
the V-Strom is slightly better than the Versys but again just slightly.
and even that them equilateral figure it’s the v-storm that is marginal a had of the
Versys right here but that's bit weird because the Versys feels the peppy of the two actually
the fact that you know while launching is lot’s easier with the v-storm because the
pallidly little more linear while on the Versys it’s just want to really away.
So basically on paper, it’s very difficult to differentiate both this bikes ya absolutely
so it comes on the facts that if you want to pick between this its come on bikes characters
and that you can only find out once you have driven the bikes and they are so different
it’s in sense.
In our highway tests the v-Strom offered marginally better fuel efficiency but then the Versys
has a slightly bigger tank so its all balanced out in the end right.
Well, will no because when you start the riding aggressively the Versys comes out had in millage.
On our ride, the Versys manage 20 Kilometre per litre while the v-Strom managed just sixteen
look likes I might be able to convince the Arun about the Kawasaki after all.
So two days of excellence riding the all most at Pune now so Arun if you had to put your
own money down which of this would you buy.well if I had to put my own money it has to be
on the Versys because its much more fun to ride and that punchy motor makes it so exciting
on the highway and given up to broken roads its just flies and in the city traffic also
its more versatile so that a thing.
And I if I had to put my own money as well it would have to be the Versys because it's
just aggressive my kind of riding it is sporty its also a great tourer and in the Indian
contbasece actually a better tourer most other motorcycles like a think of.
So if I had to buy something it would have to be the Versys but again that doesn’t
answer the question that we add to ask originally which is the perfect adventure tourer under
10 lakh rupees.
You just looking for the better ADV bike under 10 lakhs its has to be the v-storm because
the Versys well that names as the Versys it isn’t as the versatile as the v-storm and
for that factors, I think the v-Strom makes a better bike.
So if you on a ride on tarmac primarily and even broken roads and some time though roads
I think the Versys is the great choice you can buy and you can own regret it.
But if you want to really go adventuring and go of the bitten bath I think the v-Strom
makes a lots more sense it has every think its need to do that and yes it is more expensive
about 75 grand more them the Versys but then you get that much more kit for that money
so i cannot justify the premium demand absolutely because getting better kit better electronic
and also it gets better for pillioners as well excitedly so if you want to tour can
tour properly in comfort in two up the v-storm also makes lots make sense.
So in that sense for a genuine adventure tourer under 10 lakh rupees, I think our pick here
has to be the v-storm.