Suzuki Motorcycles has unveiled its MY23 range of motorcycles for the international market. One of the models that get updates for 2023 is the middle-weight adventure tourer, the V-Strom 650. The V-Strom 650 is already on sale in India. Thus, it is likely that Suzuki will bring the MY23 V-Strom 650 to the Indian market sooner than later. Though in India, the adventure tourer comes only in one variant, the international markets like the U.S. get three variants.
In the international market, the Suzuki V-Strom 650 comes in a total of 3 variants – V-Strom 650, V-Strom 650XT and the V-Strom 650XT Adventure. Let’s look at the three variants and what’s new as a part of the 2023 update.
All three variants get new colour options for 2023. The base V-Strom 650 now comes in a new Pearl Vigor Blue colour option. The V-Strom 650XT, on the other hand, gets a new Pearl Brilliant White colour option. Further enhancing the look of this colour option, are the gold-anodized aluminium spoke wheels. The top-end variant, the V-Strom 650XT Adventure, gets a new Glass Sparkle Black colour option with blue graphics. It lends the adventure bike a stealthy look and comes with contrasting blue-anodized aluminium spoke wheels.
The base V-Strom 650 variant uses 10-spoke cast alloy wheels and misses out on hand guards and protective lower engine cowl. Meanwhile, the V-Strom 650XT and the V-Strom 650XT Adventure variants come with tubeless-tyre compatible wire-spoke wheels, engine protection and hand guards as standard. In addition to this, the V-Strom 650XT Adventure variant also comes standard with hard panniers.
All variants come with a 19-inch front wheel with a 110/80-section tyre and a 17-inch rear wheel with a 150/70-section tyre. Suspension and brakes are also identical across the variant lineup. The V-Strom 650 range comes with 43mm telescopic forks at the front with preload adjustability. The rear uses a link-type monoshock with rebound adjustability as well as a remote preload adjuster. As for the brakes, the V-Strom 650 uses twin 310mm discs at the front with Tokico 2-piston callipers. At the rear, it uses a 260mm disc with a Nissin single-piston calliper. Dual-Channel ABS is standard across the range.
Powering the V-Strom 650 range is a 645cc liquid-cooled 90-degree DOHC V-Twin engine. Suzuki says it delivers strong torque in the low-to-mid range while also providing a strong top-end. As for the gearbox, it uses a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox and a wet multi-plate type clutch.
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