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Scored a 2023 adventure model with 400 miles on it for $8500 bucks. Best bike I have ever owned.

“I can’t really find anything wrong with it…” Which kinda says it all. We DR 650 riders have been in on that little secret for decades. The Tuareg is the girl you _date._ The Suzuki is the gal you _marry._ 😉😃

That 507 lbs is with a full tank of fuel. My 800DE weighed in at 500 lbs with crash bars, aftermarket skid, bark busters, large wind screen, and 1.5 gal of fuel. The scales I used are aircraft scales that are calibrated and FAA certified regularly. I never trusted the published weight because it feels way lighter than that, so I checked it myself. Love my 800DE! I bought it over the Tenere 700 because it was way more comfortable for the long hauls without sacrificing much off road ability.

Finally, you're doing a long-term review of the 800DE. Suzuki was very wise to let you have one. Now, everyone will know how good this bike is. I did choose it over the Talp and T7.

My vote would be soft luggage for your BDR ride. Less weight and probably safer for those gnarly sections. The VStrom very underrated and Suzuki deserves some credit.

First off, I'm really excited that Ian got a hold of one to test long term!! I trust his reviews and judgement more than anyone! Ive owned 3 suzukis, a SV100S, SV650, and a GSX-S750. All of them never saw a shop other than recommended maintenance. Suzuki doesnt really innovate, but they make reliable, reasonably priced, really, really good bikes. They just have crap marketing and they dont have flash. But that is how Suzuki has always been. You'll have a fantastic time on one, and it will always get you home, and you'll save enough money to have 2 in the garage.

I'm looking forward to this series as an 800DE owner all thanks to your initial review of one. ;)

As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate engines with low end grunt that pull from really low rpm. The 800DE reminds me of my old Tiger 800 XCa, but nuanced with a different engine. I have not ridden the 800DE, but it seems to be a winner. Good job Suzuki!

Tubeless tyres would seal the deal for me. At 70 years old the last thing I want to be doing is using tyre levers on a hard wall tyre in the Australian outback in summer!

I'm so glad you got this bike for a long term test.

I've been mostly a Honda brand rider but Suzuki has been knocking it out of the park with superb engines and now updated styling on the (the Vtwins and the Parallel twins.. Best value out there for no nonsense motorcycles that with proper care and feeding will last the owners for as long as they want to ride them. My little Vtwin seems to have no limits when asked to step up. They are Cinderella motorcycles.

The Suzuki sounds great! Look foward to BDR trip footage! Cooling vest tip: soak it the evening before, stuff it in a lg freezer zip lock bag and then stick it in the fridge/freezer over night. Keep the bag for re-wetting the vest on while on the road.

I must say that I am total agreement with your impressions of the 800DE. I’ve owned one for a year and put 10k miles on it. It’s very easy to ride, stiffer springs and cruise control are on my to do list. It’s a keeper IMHO!

Tried both: The Suzuki is the better one. Only problem: It's not a Honda. Or rather: It's the bike, Honda should have built!

Woo finally! Been waiting for this to hit dealers! Can't wait to pick one up and cant wait to see how you like it!

Suzuki have a knack for making the best bikes ever! They just don’t realise it at the time (neither do we)

This is an exciting kickoff for the 800DE Adventure series. Your TransAlp series was amazing and I assume you'll use the same cruise control upgrade as for the TransAlp (?) because it was so good. (I'll bet you're not adding the tubeless setup this time.) Whoa: you have a lot of work to do to get this machine ready for the No. CA BDR in just a week! Good luck with that and don't wear yourself down just getting ready for the 2K mile trip! I'd recommend staying away from using the hard cases, as beautiful as they are, because you've already convinced me that good quality soft bags are safer, lighter and more versatile. Looking forward!!

Finally a video to show off the true potential of our bikes

Sound like you might be coming over from the Transalp daaaark siiiide🤣 The first thing I did was get rid of that 12-pound overly quiet chunk of lead muffler. The engine sounds great now. Makes a difference in the fun factor for sure. Fuel injection has handled it fine. Soft bags don't break a leg. Great video as always!

Looks like Suzuki has another winner here. I'm already seeing more of these on the road than TransAlps. I'm waiting to hear back from a riding buddy who bought one a few months ago...long time GS/GSA rider, he decided to "downsize" and bought a base Africa Twin last year, replaced it with a TransALp a few months later, and now has the DE =D

So Stoked for this series! Thank you Suzuki NA, and thank you Ian!

Excellent, been looking forward to this!

I just went and looked at a

Laughter is the best medicine when you’re twisting the throttle. Looking forward to your long-term review. Be safe out there, and enjoy life to the fullest.

Excellent review, looking forward to more on this bike. When you chuckle while riding, that’s always a positive tell. And saying you’d ride this more than your beloved r1300gs - that’s huge!

I was a long term VStrom 650 owner, 15 yrs, and I think the new 800DE is a well engineered and worthy successor. For my new bike I went with the Tuareg 660, which I absolutely love. But if I had been determined to stay Japanese with the reliability and extensive dealer network that goes along with that, I would have taken the 800DE over the T7 and the TA. Thanks for the video!

Very much looking forward to this LTR! Excited to see how you kit this bike out. As always, thank you so much for the content, Ian!

That smile at the start had me smiling lol. Keep em coming Ian

I'm looking forward to this series. the 800DE is on my wishlist

I'm so glad you're doing this long term test! You clearly liked it in your initial test, and then you (and Dork!) both went down the Transalp path.... As an old 2005 DL650 rider, it's great to see 'Zuki upping their game and I'm looking forward to this series and seeing how it fares on BDRs. Great content, please keep it up and stay cool!

I was hoping you'd review the 800 DE. I can't wait to see the whole series you do on it.

I recently bought one myself. I’m loving it so far. It’s a little vibe-y at certain RPMs but not really a deal breaker for me. Cruise control is also on my list. As for the suspension, although the springs are soft, I found that since they are fully adjustable, just adding some more preload and adjusting the damping did wonders and they feel fine to me now. (I weigh about 210 with gear) but I also don’t do anything too extreme like jumping or anything like that. I added a center stand (I bought mine from T-Rex racing) and found that it helps a lot for basic chain maintenance and stuff. I hope you enjoy the bike!

I really appreciate all you do! Your reviews have been incredible! Hank you Ian

7900 hard miles so far on mine. From Texas to Michigan and very hard off roading. Zero problems, best bike I ever had!!

I was just a the dealer looking at this same bike!!! I appreciate your honest review.

Ian, you do the absolute best adv reviews online.

So glad you're doing a long term test. Been contemplating

This is the bike i was planning to upgrade to from my CB500x and as my own retirement gift. Instead I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy a 2021 1250GS with only 800 miles for not much more. If i ever decide to downsize, it will still be the 800DE

Your tests are the best.

Definitely looking forward to your opinion of the bike. I bought mine last week. Loving it so far. So much different than the sport bikes I had before.

Can't wait to see more!

I might watch this video several times, i just like to watch this beautiful bike, Ian please make as much content as possible for this one ❤

I'd like to compliment your clear audio talking while riding, very nice. Excited to see this series

Here in Southern Nevada, I wear full dress out and I use a cooling vest. PPL say don't you get hot? Imagine riding in Vegas on the strip and you have t-shirt and shorts and a taxi/tourist takes you out. It might be 110f temp 6 ft off the ground, but that pavement is 20-30 degrees hotter. Laying there with a broken back and you can't get up, just cooking flesh. I get chills in summer time.🥶

All the bikes Ian rides, and the DE still makes him giggle.... Makes me feel better for some odd reason. I was considering trading mine in on a KTM. Think I might hold out and add the Veridian cruise. I will say, I DO NOT like the basic rider aids on my DE. End up 'off, A, off' 99% of the time. Gravel mode is okay, but I only really use it when tired / arm pumped, or lazy. Loose sand, plenty of power to get sideways and in trouble. I 100% agree on springs and re-valve. Mines just about cranked up w/ gear and camping junk. TAKE MY MONEY lol. Looking forward to this series very much good sir!

Ian, I think you are and always have been a Vstrom man. I mean that in good way as I have own a Vstrom myself. 😄 Looking forward to the next episodes!

Thanks Ian for another long review. Transalp was so informative , I’m sure this would be also very informative and beneficial for all of us. You mentioned about Tuareg 660 , which you said is superior in many ways, would you be able to elaborate more and comparing them. Your fans always looking for assurance 😅😅 All the best Ian

Been looking forward to this one!!

heard just nice things about that specimen, very cool machine in my eyes, cheers V!

I rented this bike for a couple day to tour in germany, very nice bike!

It’s one big beast ,for younger strong riders. Picking one up off the dirt might qualify you for the Olympic weightlifting squad

This will be good to watch, onthebackwheel does some great 800de content as well

Ian, your videos are the best! Thanks for doing what you do.

Really looking forward to you continuing doing your upgrades and testing of the v-strom 800. I really love your reviews and how you examine each bike and have been watching for many years now. Currently have a z900 and though it's fun on Twisties it leaves much to be desired on rides any longer than 2 hours for me due to getting older (50) having a somewhat tall frame at 6 for 2 and back issues. Been eyeing the new 800 for awhile and have been seriously thinking about an adventure bike that can do freeway, canyons and a really good amount of off road. The Suzuki I feel may very well be the 1. Looking forward to your further review and mods on this machine.

Great video Ian, really looking forward to it, we don't get much info on this bike compared to others. On the cooling vest, as you said yeah gas station, even a clean river if offroad, pretty much anywhere I have access to water

I purchased that exact bike about 1.5 months ago and loving it so far. I traded in my 15 vstorm 650 and its a big improvement in almost every way. The new 800de feels lighter to me than thr 650. Glad to see more long-term reviews online.

Your microphone does an incredible job blocking wind noise. I'm on edge between this and the Tuareg. You can find great deals on Aprilia since they've been out for a few years. Good luck on your trip Ian!

Amazing bike! I'd definitely buy one if and when i upgrade my CRF300L. Thanks Ian for the, once again, fantastic and thorough video.

I test drove it last weekend. The no cruise control was the only gripe for me. Can't wait to see you fix that. Liked it more than the 1050 DE for sure.

Brilliant review Ian. So thorough as always. 👍🏼

Hey, I hadn’t heard you have health issues. I hope these don’t regress and you’re ok, you are such a big part of so many viewers lives. Go easy….from UK

If all goes to plan I'm getting one of these later this year, can't wait

Sorry about the health issues! I hope you get better!!!

I agree with some of the other commenters. Soft luggage is the way to go offroad. Hard luggage is cool and very practical, especially if you're in a city and need a system that locks. But I agree that it just makes going offroad more dangerous.

I"m also on the list for cruise control coming in August if all goes well. Been loving my 2023DE Adventure. I would recommend soft luggage solution or review a few options that could work best with the stock pannier setup. I've tried my Nelson Rigg Enduro bags...but they really don't easily install and kinda small and the rear fender hooks interfere with the OEM topbox going on. So I've been substituting my giant loop Klamath. Thanks for taking on the Suzuki. Cheers!

Every time I have my mind made up, another video comes out... AFA cooling vests, I've been using them for over ten years. A couple if things... Carry a 2 gallon zip lock bag to keep it in. Not only does that take care of putting a wet vest in your luggage, but you can put the vest in the baggy, and fill it in a gas station bathroom to rehydrate. The other thing is, don't use it with mesh. Wear a solid textile jacket with the vents (preferably shoulder or arm) open. exhaust out the back and you have a nice swamp cooler effect. And I'm sure you're aware, they don't work well in high humidity.

Nice exatly the video series I wanted!

Hey Ian, looking forward to your build. The DE is really an underrated and misunderstood platform. I agree on many of your points. Here's something not many folks have realized. I'll caveat the next part by saying I only have about 6-or700 miles on the T7, so take that for what you will. Thousands on the DE The T7 was designed with anti squat technology, meaning it was designed (per Yamaha) to charge through things and which makes carrying the front end over obstacles like puddles, rocks, ruts and limbs really hard without flooring it amd dumping the clutch. That design feature is counterintuitive for what I want in an adv bike. I want to be able to crack the throttle and carry the front over obstacles. The T7 is more narrow, but taller than the DE. The T7 only has about 3/8 of an inch more ground clearance though. It carries it weight very high. The DE is the opposite, it is wider, but feels several inches lower to the ground, despite only giving up 3/8 of an inch of ground clearance. Not spec sheet measurements, but rather real world measurements. Have someone sit on either, take the measurement, do the same on the other bike. We came up with 3/8of an inch. Sometimes spec sheets are difficult to trust bc manufacturers do things differently. Some take measurements empty of all fluids, some don't. Some crank the preload all the way up, some don't. For me, and my friends we want real world stats in real world conditions. That's what matters to us, not numbers on a piece of paper. I am planning on getting an 18inch Excel rear wheel (and21front) which will bring the ground clearance between the DE and T7 almost identical. Also will be doing something with the suspension. I haven't decided what direction to go. Leaning towards the Hessler long travel kit, which will increase the front travel to 9.8 inches, and a matching shock. The problem with going that route is the top heaviness will increase, and I do not know if I want that. I have other options though. I am lucky where I live in western North Carolina and Ohlins amd Cogent Dynamics are both about an hour from here. So I may get the bike valves and sprung as opposed to the long travel kit. My approach to this bike has been much different than what most people would do. Since this bike is a new model, I decided to leave the bike in 100% stock form until the warranty is up. Will only change things if I need to. Have dropped the bike dozens of times doing things on it that I shouldn't have been, but haven't damaged anything including levers. I figured, if the bike will stay together for a full year of what I will put it through, it will then be worthy of dumping 10k into. Once you figure Mosko reckless80, tank bag, handguards, 1k-3k in suspension, header and slip on, pegs, hangaurds, wheels and spokes, smaller crashbars (my oem welds on the crashbars have hairline fractures), GB Racing stator, waterpump, and clutch cover, cruise control, fasst flexx bars, steering stabilizer, hessler rally seat, ecu map, dna airbox mod kit and plate cover, +2/3 tooth larger rear sprocket, snall rear rack, trex short windscreen, folding metal tipped gear shifter, stonger brake pedal with folding tip, tail tidy and aux lights it is actually probably more than 10k in modifications. I'm not interested investing over 20 thousand dollar on a bike if that bike can't make it through a year of what I'll put it through. If everything works out well, I plan on staying on the 800DE for awhile. I'll just get a new one every 3 years and switch the parts around. If a better handling, more reliable, more versatile bike hits the market, I'll switch it up, but for now the 800DE checks off the most boxes. It doesn't mean the bike is without faults. There are plenty. It is a handful to turn around on a double track alone. The extra weight does show in that situation. The seat, while good is a bit too wide imo, it's borderline hideous. The factory mirrors produce a ton of noise. The headlight is laughable. Terribly soft suspension, I turn the PL all the way up, increased the compression, added heavier fork oil with a tiny bit more fork oil to stiffen it up, and it helped some, but it's still too soft for the pace and terrain I like to go. Be safe out in that heat Ian. Looking forward to your build and hope you enjoy the process. Thanks for bringing us along for it.

I own a Tuareg ( mostly thanks to you !), and i would trade it for the V strom if i had to, the Tuareg is great and i live in europe so dealerships are less of an issue than over there, however the motocross-style seat really hurts my butt on long road trips. I had the opportunity to try out the V strom thanks to a friend, and the seat is freaking couch. I was surprised though, the wind protection is much better on the Tuareg compared to the default V strom windshield Since the Tenere has the same seat shape than the Tuareg i wouldn't consider it at all, and the transalp is cool but it looks awfully bland and tasteless in my opinion, the v strom just has a lot more personnality to its look than the Honda. Plus, thanks to you I know both the Suzuki and Tuareg are far more rookie-friendly for maintenance as I do plan to do it myself once the warranty expires

Love your content. I am a very happy with my vstrom. I have just broke 20k km in the last 10 months. The Skid plate that's stock plastic one works surprisingly well, the suspension is soft but not bad and since most places where I ride is Blast Rock this actually is a good thing because the bike doesn't bounce all over the place, granted I will probably replace the springs when I do the seals to something more for my weight. Its also a very easy bike to ride and the power delivery is smooth as butter. The clutch is very good and sturdy and I abuse the living crap out of it and still good. Chain and sprocket are also very good. I opted for the SW Motech WP-L for soft paniers and they are awesome. The air filter is an easy accessible place. I have also ordered the Veridian CC. Now the bad or disliked things Heat is the only issue that bugs me but due to your recommendation I now wear Baja S4 instead of my Carlsbad. The Accessory bars that you have are kinda crap they will bend quite easily after 2 or three down on hard surface. The wind protection is kinda meh. My seat also leaks, I have one of the seats that leak (stiching is not water proof) it is getting replaced under warranty. OEM brake pads are pricy and they only last about 13k km. I added the Chigee AIO5 which is an amazing piece of kit but expensive (reach out to them maybe they can give you a review unit) Bark busters finally are releasing the 800 DE option as Suzuki in its wisdom change the bar ends bolts. I really have nothing bad to say about this bike I am looking to order Huzar can for a little more sound. This bike gets best mileage at about 140km/hour, the fuel gauge is very conservatives. I get about 420-440 km if I push it. The low speed assist is kinda annoying and kinda good depending on situation. I have a lot of seat time in this bike off road and on road, it loves around 6-7k rpm the engine just sings and is a tractor in off road situation. Quick shifter is much better after transmission is worn in at about 10k km, 1 to 2 is a bit clunky but everything else is fantastic, I even use it off road. Any way thats my long post.

Thanks Ian for that awesome review, I guess the Suzuki V Strom doesn’t get the credibility that it should very good value for the money. It looks like a good bike. Looking forward to the other videos thanks.

I use a two gallon zip lock bag to put my cooling vest in, then add about a pint or so of water. I usually carry enough along for one refill but that depends on where you’re going and availability of water. Add ice to that zip bag to really cool you off too. Have a great trip on that Ian!

Cooling vest: use a 1 gal zip lock bag and a bottle of water. Can carry it in the bag, soaked, as you head out in the morning then put it on when it gets hot. Re-soak it with dedicated water bottle as needed. If heading out of a hotel, ice is nice :) If boondocking, you can can use any water you can find. Did white rim trail last august on a knobby shod GSA. It was friggin hot. Works really well in the desert, totally worth the weight! Oh yeah, dry it out every night if you can. Can get funky pdq....especially in the bag.

I have one of those cooling vests and I found to just buy a bottle of water 8 oz's will do. lay the vest down on the pavement and slowly pour the water over the the vest. Try to spread the water around on the vest as you slowly drizzle the water on to the vest. This method worked very well for me in 90 degree weather.

I have a 2023 DE 800 Adventure that I just got back from Alaska on. 25,000miles on the bike and the only thing missing is cruise control and stiffer springs. Looking forward to you updates & reviews

I bought one about a year ago. I would recommend an aftermarket pipe. I have the Yoshimura slip on. That and a high flow air filter really uncorks the bike.

Love this guy!

Hi Ian. i use a cooling vest. from my understanding they work best with coat that isnt mesh. because the mesh coats will allow air to dry the vest. where if you a more of a solid coat it will slowly dry the cooling vest. Great video. always look forward to your videos.

I bought this bike earlier this year and have been loving it. Definitely interested to see the modifications and how they change the bike. I’m most interested in cruise control, tire choice, and if there are any weight reduction modifications done. Also really interested in any suspension tuning or modifications for off road duty. Looking forward to watching the bdr videos

Really like the colour scheme and I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts as it is on my list alongside the Honda Transalp, Moto Guzzi V85TT etc…. Certainly is looking like a good contender in the middleweight category from your initial thoughts so I will be watching the rest of the series with interest especially how it performs on your BDR ride which is exactly the type of ride I will be looking to do….. PS I would personally go with soft luggage for your trip, less chance of damage etc 😊

A friend has the Aprillia and is very pleased with it, so far. Not enough miles to be sure yet. But the dealer network is the elephant in the room for sure. We’re all waiting to see how it goes for him, before we commit. Ian, you can be our guinea pig.

Great review dude.. subscribed.. I really like this bike and it would be my pick over its competitors.. 😊 Pete 👍

800de has progressive front springs as standard, so increasing the compression and preload should be enough. For further trips, I recommend the accessory windscreen. the original suzuki costs little and provides good protection. I'd love to see the cruise control test.

I chose the 800de over the T7 because it is much easier to drive offroad (due to the low center of gravity), it has a better, fully adjustable suspension, and on the road it offers better performance and systems that the Yamaha does not have. The Transalp was eliminated due to poor suspension, incorrectly located air filter and poor off-road traction control.

Thoughts regarding cooling vest. I rode across country from GA and did ID BDR with a cooling vest. I ended up shipping it back home with some other stuff before the return leg because I stopped using it. Taking off my shirt and necker and soaking them did same thing without all the weight and inconvenience of lugging the vest around. My riding companion had same experience. To each his own but don’t ignore packing and weight implications of the vest - they take up space and are heavy when soaked. If you do take it I suggest bringing a big ziploc bag for soaking and packing.

I like it! Might have to get this one!

Great video and have a best of rides !!!

Suzuki have always made reliable bikes that are easy to ride. I still own my SV650S that I bought new in 2001 and one of my favorite bikes of all times is a DRZ400S. Back 15 years ago when I was still in my 40s, I used to do BDR type of riding on a DR350S and later on a DRZ400S. It is only in recent years that I moved to more sophisticated, less reliable European bikes. Don’t get me wrong, I love my 890 ADV, but it had and still has many annoying problems for a 2023 model.

Once I hear your laugh I know its gonna be good..LOL! I look forward to the long term.

Thanks for all your reviews and videos. I really like the death Valley ride. Anyway, I've had my 23' 800 DE for a few months now and agree with everything you've said about the bike's handling and love the torque of the engine. Seat height and more torque in the midrange are what sold me. I'm also on the cruise control list. Very curious to see what you choose tire wise. I'm thinking about the TKC 80 front and either the Tractionator Adventure rear, or the Dunlop Raids. Good luck and I hope you beat whatever health challenges you have. J.

Great review as usual. I think it may help some by showing yourself sitting on these bikes for body position and leg-reach to the ground. Another thing missing is showing yourself riding, with either a drive-bye(another camera man) or drone footage.

How's the seat, centerstand, heat control, horn, night lighting? Oxford heated grips. Suzuki had the time to check all the others out. Where's motor made? Service, oil, fluids, how easy. Power accessories, access to battery? Set of Clearwater lights. Racetek respring maybe revalve suspension. Soft for BDR. Sterling and friends have rode that, some pretty tough. Good vid

Try the Helite airvest with toggle cord. Its easy to put on over your jacket and allows normal airflow to your upper body. Only 2 issues, you have attach the cord to the side frame of the bike and remember to connect it, and if you take the vest off at a stop, remember to put it back on. I stopped for a break, took off the vest and hopped back on my bike and rode 50m and only then remembered I had the vest with me which was back on the bench seat.

I just traded my KLR 650 for a leftover new 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE last week! What a difference! It was like going from a tractor to a Mercedes AMG. Night and day differences in handling, shifting, braking, power (more than DOUBLE the power), etc. I love this bike! I just bought the factory engine guards and the bigger windscreen that I will install this week. Looking forward to your adventures on this bike, Ian! Especially anxious to see what kind of cruise control you will be installing. I would like to make that modification as well. 👍

Full disclosure, I own a Transalp. I looked at the Suziki and agree it does not feel very top heavy compared to the T7 or my Africa Twin I had. But numbers don't lie. 500 plus pounds was a deal breaker for me. As usual another great review, but I think you love for the color yellow is swaying you some 😃 As you mention the extra $1,300 for the version you have is a great value. Keep the content coming

Beautiful bike, reliable. I prefer the V85TT for the same money. 850cc 75hp, tubeless tires, adjustable suspension, skid plate, CC, heated grips, 6.1 gallon tank, shaft drive and panniers and top box. Easy to work on and bulletproof engine.

I wanna say run the hard luggage, but theres a reason. Yes the soft luggage is normally the way to go but the people buying this specific model most likely arent going to be immediately pulling off the hard luggage and swapping to soft luggage, there gonna keep the hard because its new and they just paid for it. Itd be good to see how it performs with it because thats how the bike was sold. Either way love the video cant wait to see the BDR trip!

Regarding the cooling vest, I just took one on a ride from Phoenix to Anchorage. I used one of those extra large 1-2 gallon ziplock bags and use hotel/campground water to rehydrate it.

Take the hard bags to see how they hold up to a real off road adventure. Most people who get this bike will keep the hard bags so it's more relevant to use those. Great review and looking forward to the next one! Also (crazy idea) but how about a drag race between the Beemer, T7, TA and DE? Would be a bit challenging to organise but could be cool