I agree and I think this might surprise a lot of people.

The 890 looks a bit funky for me. The norton 901 looks great but pretty pricey. Suzuki seems to check a lot of boxes for a good price.

Agree - the DE suspension is better than Apex. And the gearbox is worlds better than the Husky offers.

Congrats mate! Get into it 👍🏻

Thanks mate - really appreciate that! Stoked you enjoyed it

Thanks for watching! It really is an underappreciated bike I think.

Cheers mate. The bike surprised me too and it’s definitely worth checking out. 👍🏻

I have money down on a transalp but should I reconsider the DE. Test rides won’t happen where I am

​@@denniekorpi5264Someone on YT FINALLY showed airbox access on TA just yesterday mate. I've been stalking the net literally for months trying to get some clarity on this as nobody seemed to know, and the dealer claimed they didn't either because "they still haven't received their factory workshop manuals". I'd strongly urge you to take a look. Big Rick Moto I think it was. It drive the final nail into the TA's coffin for us.

Cheers mate! Stay tuned - will ride it again soon with tuned suspension and a pipe just for fun 👍🏻

It’s a lot of fun on the road. The 19” front wheel version will steer sharper but the DE is very impressive.

It’s definitely worth the seat time comparison mate

We've got to get you another drone!

Agree mate - bikes and beer day is needed.

Absolutely mate - the 650XT is a brilliant, comfortable and reliable bike 👍🏻

Cheers mate! It definetely does, but with better suspension.

Awesome, thank you!

You saved yourself some injuries by not riding dirtbikes ha ha! The CB500X is a ripper of a bike with a brilliant engine. Explore as far as you're comfrotable and enjoy every minute. Good on you for taking on the adventure!

@@advlife The CB500X is an under appreciated bike, glad to hear you think it's decent! It's just unfortunate that it doesn't have more clearance and a better suspension, but it's fully understandable that, as a budget ADV bike, that wasn't in the cards. When the time comes, it's going to be hard to part with my CB500X, but I only have room for one bike in my garage and I'm not buying a bigger house just to accommodate more bikes! However, if I win the lottery I will definitely rethink that :-)

@@alozborne I have a CB500X also. I'm looking at the 650XT Weestrom to replace it. I like everything I see with this new 800DE but for a shorter guy and older I think I'd prefer the older version. My 500 is so fun to ride...just want a little more oomph for highway journeys.

All around the Upper Hunter Valley mate 👍🏻 Mostly around Nundle and Long Flat

Next season come south to Greece with your DE and enjoy some great terrain more or less 10 days are all you need to make you come back again :) . If you do contact me to tag along

@@st3rg Really have to consider this 😄 Would be nice to visit somewhere, if i can make the time. I do hate riding highways, but maybe if i take my van and throw bike inside it, i can take the joyrney.

Thanks!

It's a Suzuki Genuine tank pad mate. Part number is 99180-25L10

Yep, got some right side heat but it didn't bother me much. Would be more of an issue sitting in traffic, but when you're constantly moving on dirt roads I rarely noticed it. Fuel range is hard to pin down as it depends on how and where you ride, but it'll do 350 kilomeres no problem. I'm going to ride it again soon with worked suspension and a pipe and I'll try to get a more accurate figure.

No way a Chinese CF Moto can compete.

I didn't do a comparison. I generally try to steer away from that unless I have both bikes with me. That said; the Tuareg is better than just about anything except maybe an 890 ADV R on proper trails. On dirt roads they both do well but over long days and long distances I'd take the Suzuki for comfort and that amazing engine/gearbox combo.

Yes I have. There's a full review on my website advlife.com.au - it's very good and an excellent package of standard equipment.

Yeah there is a bit. We rode on some very hot days too, but it didn't bother me all that much becuase we're always moving at pace. Possibly more of an issue if you're in traffic for long periods.

For just road riding I'd probably go the CFMOTO. Cruise control, heated grips and seat, and a good screen - it's hard to beat for the money. The V-Strom 800RE road version would be worth a look though and so is the amazing V-Strom 650.

Yeah I did mate and it’s pretty good. It allows for a decent amount of slide before it pulls everything in. The other TC modes are way too restrictive. I prefer riding with it off mostly because there’s such a nice feel from throttle to rear wheel.

I’d love to have both! But…the Suzuki for the engine, gearbox and comfort plus dealer support. The Tuareg is one of my favourite bikes though so it’s no easy choice.

Tuareg has tubeless tyres which is better for daily commuting.. in my opinion

Mitas E09 tyres mate 👍🏻

​@@advlifethanks mate..a little more aggressive than I think I need..I did have the e07+ on my t7 and really liked them.. one day I could ride 500 miles on pavement and the next 100 miles on forest roads

Ridden, shot and edited by me so will now buy myself a beer 🍻 👍🏻

I sold my t7 for a de800 (I'm 5'6" tall)... the de is MUCH LESS top heavy imo

@@davidgrunklee8407 thank you

The Tenere is particularly top heavy and more so than the V-Strom. That said, it's not something that ruins your ride. I'd choose the Yamaha on a straight up aggressive offroad ride, but I find the Suzuki more appropriate for the 90% of riding I do that isn’t balls out in the dirt. It's also a lot more comfortable and has a better gearbox and more exciting engine.

@@advlife thank you so much. The Tenere is definitely on my list of bikes to try along with the Tuareg.

can confirm, the bike can easily lose 20+lb with a full exhaust. If you delete evap, lithium battery it's probably 35+lb down on the stock bike. Not a lot of options for full exhaust at the moment tho. The arrow titanium collector+can is like 1300-1400. just a slip on can save over 10lb tho.

Definitely test ride both. the Norden is better for more aggressive offroad riding through the lighter feel, balance of the drop down tanks and it has cruise control which is always nice. The Suzuki has a more exciting engine and much better feeling gearbox. The suspension is pretty comparable but the V-Strom might be slightly better IMO.

Thanks! 😁

Deadset went sideways on that shit ha ha!

@@advlife Been there done that 🤪

I did mate!

It’s sitting quietly in my garage looking awesome 👍🏻

@@advlife mine as well until the next season, greetings from Toronto, Canada and thanks for the inspiration

Depends on how and where you ride and which one makes you want to ride it the most. My personal preference? Tuareg, V-Strom and T7. I'm not saying one is better than the other - that's just how my garage would look if it was my choice.

@@advlife Thanks, I'm leaning towards the Aprilia more than the others.

Too many reliability issues with the Aprillia

@@iangriffiths9930 Is that from your own or friends experience or what you've heard? What are the problems?

A guy I know of has had problems plus if you look on the forums or even KZfaq you can read that lots of people are having issues, to be fair most are not major although one that keeps cropping up is the bike just cutting out whilst on the move? Electrical probably as when the ignition switch is cycled most bikes just restart fine?. One other I don’t like is the engine warning light that keeps on illuminating for no apparent reason 🤷‍♂️. It’s a shame as the bike it’s self is excellent.

The T7 is a better offroad option but it's not as comfortable and not as good in a tourer role as the 800DE. Comparing it to the R1200GS is tricky given they feel so different. But from memory the 800DE has a lower seat height and for me its easy to get both feet on the ground. The GS seat migt be a little better but you a lot more for that small margin. The GS does have better wind protection though. The 800DE definetly goes beyond 125kph top speed.

@@advlife Thanks....i thought 125kmh seemed a LOT slow...i must've heard wrong when watchin the vid; can i ask how tall you are? i only ask as i live nowhere near ANY dealer so going in for a sit-on is a fair commitment time wise; i did have an 04 R1200GS so i know the ergos of that beast,

@@markhills3922 I'm 6 feet tall mate

@@advlife cool...you're up there with me; Thanks mate. now i need to find out where i can get a test ride on the Suzuki. i think the Tuareg is beyond what my body wants from a bike these days....

Mitas E-09

@advlife that explains how you were absolutely shredding . I own and 800 de amd I love this bike

😂😂 So rude!

Stinks as in not bright? Or not a good pattern of coverage?

@@RugerM77 It is extremely bright. Unfortunately there is almost no coverage. The low beam looks like a horizontal light saber. It's 40' wide, 2' tall and has a cut off so sharp you could shave with it. The high beam is just as bad. At a distance of about 30', the pattern is 3'x3'. It does not fill-in the low beam. Again, the cut off is so sharp you could shave with it.

@@JayBee-cr8jm I am currently considering buying a 800DE or a Tuareg 660. I was wondering if the headlights were good on the 800 due to their small size in relation to the proportions of the bike. I guess you’d have to add auxiliary lights. I commute a lot to work in the dark and I need to be able to see (my eyes are not getting any better as I get older).

@@RugerM77 I absolutely love the bike. To put that into actual context, I also owned a new 2013 Triumph Tiger 800XC, a new '09 DR650 and a new 2016 Versys 1000. I put 30k miles on the DR650, 52k miles on the Tiger and 50k miles on the Versys. The V-Strom 800DE is by far the best of the bunch. It's only short coming is the headlight. I believe the headlights could work with better optics/reflectors. I don't see that happening though since they are one piece and the "bulb" is non-replaceable. It's literally printed on a circuit. The aftermarket is somewhat shallow for these bikes but is growing by the day. I suspect by spring, if not sooner, many solutions will be available for it. I just think that folks should be aware of this issue before taking the plunge. Not everyone wants to disassemble a new bike, add $300+ in "accessory" bars and $500+ in fog-lights so they can commute to work. I never considered the Aprilia. The tubeless wheels and cruise sure are nice. It's not a lot more than the Suzuki either. Italian reliability concerns me. Good luck with whatever you go with.