List of Suzuki Motorcycles

The 2014 Suzuki V-Strom 1000 has taken on significant importance in Suzuki’s lineup. Suzuki sees the liter class adventure bike segment as an expanding market. The V-Strom 650 received major revisions in 2012, giving one of their strongest selling models (outselling the 1000 at a 2:1 ratio when both were last offered in this market) a needed, and timely refresh.

Introduced in 2002, the 1000 remained pretty much the same over the years, save for color changes and minor tuning updates, it had become rather long in the tooth. With the adventure tourer market hotting up and becoming more crowded, the 1000 was being pushed aside by the newer, up-to-date offerings from the other manufacturers. Suzuki knew they had to rethink, and redesign their 1000 to bring it up to modern standards. To do so, Suzuki began by circulating a survey worldwide of current V-Strom 1000 riders, and riders of other brands as well, to get feedback on what they liked, and what they wanted changed with the old model.

The usual wish list items, including more power and less weight, appeared in the survey results. Additionally, high speed stability with bags in place, updated styling and a greater range of Suzuki-designed accessories made the list. The 1000’s strengths in ergonomics, comfort, wind protection & agility were on the ‘don’t change’ list. Armed with rider feedback, and a studied eye on the competition, Suzuki set to creating a new V-Strom 1000. We gave you all the technical details on the new 2014 model of the new V-Strom 1000 (with a European test rider), Suzuki invited MD out to participate in a two-day, several hundred mile ride for US-based journos featuring some of southern California’s finest twisty roads. We couldn’t say no, particularly since production units won’t be in US dealerships for several more months.