Suzuki V-Strom (VStrom) Owners Club DL250, DL650, DL1000 & DL1050

Introduce yourself => Introductions => Topic started by: matt-drummer on January 14, 2020, 15:26:18

Title: Hello
Post by: matt-drummer on January 14, 2020, 15:26:18
Hello to everyone.

I have spent many hours over the last couple of weeks reading most of the forum and thought I had better join.

I am a returning biker, haven't had one for around 18 years and never thought I would again. I bought a car in August that I don't want to use for work more than I feel I have to so I thought I would get a scooter. I have only ridden sports bikes, my last bike was a ZX7R and I passed my test (part 1 and 2 - I'm old!) on an RG125. I sat on a scooter and it just didn't feel right with my legs in front of my bottom and not being over the front wheel so I bought a brand new motorbike instead, but the wrong one.

I bought a Honda CB300R but didn't test ride as I had no gear and I was convinced it was enough of a bike, and it was.

I did no research and didn't really know anything about how bikes have changed since I bought my ZX7R new in 1998. I then started getting curious and started reading and then I rode the CB300R and realised I had made a mistake.

I didn't want a sports bike , my wife would kill me if I didn't kill myself first so I bought a new Duke 390 and then added a Duke 790, sold the CB300R and then decided I didn't want to ruin them in the winter so I looked for something Japanese for the winter, something used and that I would care too much about.

I thought I would by an older bike, something like a Hornet or Bandit but I kept reading about how good the V-Strom is. At first I thought it was a funny name and a bit of a strange looking bike but virtually everything you read is good, really good.

Then I went to the dealer to look at them and I was almost at the point of buying a new one, they were quite cheap with £1,000 off(actually cheaper than the demo they were selling!) but the salesman showed me a used one, it was perfect, so I bought it.

So, I bought a 2016 DL650 XT, it's red with about 12,000 miles, one owner, seems well looked after, they serviced it, mot'd it for a full year and taxed it for a year for me, pretty good. It has the usual XT bits plus it has a Givi screen, Oxford heated grips and a full set of aluminium luggage (it's the oem Suzuki stuff, seems good to me and nicer than the plastic Givi box I bought for my CB300R).

So far I have added a centre stand and I am waiting for my kit to arrive from Eastern Beaver to add headlamp relays.

I am really happy with the bike and I feel I got a really good deal from Orwell Motorcycles in Ipswich.

I have learnt a lot about the bike from reading the topics on the forum so than you to everybody that contributed.

Matthew.
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: kwackboy on January 14, 2020, 15:44:45
 :welcome: from  :traitor:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Dark-Strom on January 14, 2020, 17:45:26
 :welcome:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Fat Rat on January 14, 2020, 18:00:52
 :welcome:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: UK_Vstrom650 on January 14, 2020, 18:08:36
 :welcome:
Enjoy the bike  :auto-dirtbike:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Brockett on January 14, 2020, 18:17:17
Hello Matt  :welcome2: from another in  :traitor: As for Orwells they have almost all of my money but I still trust them for servicing ...
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: SuzukiSte on January 14, 2020, 18:27:49
 :welcome: :thumb:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: MartinW on January 14, 2020, 18:39:43
 :welcome:

Great Intro :thumb:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: matt-drummer on January 14, 2020, 19:17:35
Orwells, Thank you, are they good? 

They seem really nice so far and I look forward to seeing them quite often as I have two new KTM's and they are now KTM dealers.

I must say that Orwell Motorcycles have been really great actually, I feel like I have been looked after!

I bought my Duke 390 from Exeter as there were no local dealers and I was going to get my Duke 790 from the same place until I heard that Orwell Motorcycles were becoming KTM dealers. I don't think I would have my V-Strom unless I had bought the 790 in Ipswich, I would never have gone in there otherwise.
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: p47 on January 14, 2020, 19:34:06
Hello Matt,
this forum also helped me decide I wanted / needed! the v strom . welcome
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Asmith61 on January 14, 2020, 19:39:54
Hello Matt great intro  :welcome:

The waters family who own Orwell motorcycles have a very good name and I have always found them to be very fair and professional  :thumb:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Yellow Peril on January 14, 2020, 19:53:39
A hello and a welcome from Bury St Edmunds, Matt.

Bought new my V-Strom and previously a GSX1250 from Orwells and found them easy to deal with. Knowledgeable staff in all their departments, too.
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Graham62 on January 14, 2020, 20:49:31
 :welcome:
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Gert on January 15, 2020, 07:29:44
 :welcome: