XT or standard 650

[mrp192]

The brakes are adequate, you get used to them and they work OK.
The under cowling is worth getting. After 40,000 miles the front of my engine is still perfect, but I have to clean plenty of crap off the front of the cowling after each ride. They sometimes come up really cheap on eBay, but it needs the fittings as well.
The other thing to think about are centre stand and hand guards. The hand guards with Oxford heated grips mean you can go quite a long way into winter with normal gloves.
Enjoy your new bike.

[deecat]

 Totally agree about the centre stand the dealer has one in stock that he is putting on the bike for free.
 I have some Oxford grips  that I took off the 1000 ,so I will be putting them on the 650 along with some Suzuki hand guards, just wish I had taken the ones of the 1000 before I sold it!

After stripping down the Honda today I had a sort out in the garage where I found some Rox risers and Pro-taper bars that might fit the 650 as long as they are not to tall.

On another note I ran the 1000 without the charcoal canister near the tail section, in order to give me room for my puncture kit and compressor have other 650 owners done this without any issue?

Got my train ticket booked for the week after next, so I will be popping up to Stockton on hopefully a sunny day !! to collect the bike.

[deecat]

It was not a sunny as I had hoped ,with some light rain but I have now got a V-strom in the garage again!
I have been going through my parts that I took off the 1000 and I can cut and weld the Givi pannier rails to fit the 650 and also make some new brackets for the MRA screen but my big disappointment is that my custom seat from the 1000 will not fit.
Going to take the wife out on the weekend so that we can see how the bike fits us.

[AdvntureSi]

Interesting thread, as I am looking at a 650 to poss replace the early model Varadero 1000 that I find a bit weighty , but like its grunt..
Good info here.. thank you

[alan29]

Quote removed

I went from the Varadero back to the 650 Strom. Loved the motor on the Vara but hated the weight (top heavy too!) Have toured Europe two-up on the Strom with no issues at all. Love 70mpg!

[AdvntureSi]

Thank you..
70mpg?? Really??  Blooming heck.. 

[stewmax1957]

Only two gripes with ours, rock hard seat, which we had re-upholstered and wind blast
new Puig screen cured that, Givi airflow screen didn't work,  now delighted with it .
[/quote]
Have the new XT and love the spokes, comfier ride and looks great IMHO. Needing  a new screen and don't know which to go for, I like the look of the PUIG and interesting and good that you find it helpful

[deecat]

I have been tight and I am seeing how many parts from my 1000 I can get to fit the 650.

I was gutted that my custom seat from the 1000 did not fit so I have just dropped a seat off with a local company to have it altered for better comfort before we go on holiday.

I managed to cut and weld the Givi pannier rails which saved me buying any more and I made some more brackets for the MRA screen.

As I could not bend the new brackets as tight as the originals the screen sits 15mm further out than it should but this has proven to give me a quieter ride as it looks like I am getting air flowing on the outside and the inside of the screen ,possibly cancelling out the noise.
This is the first time that I have had as many bugs splattered on both sides of the screen.

I am now 800 miles in to the bike and I am happy with it ,especially as I have changed the pads for EBC  HH which have improved it.