Im gonna act like a whiny Suzuki owner now and cant resist pissing about this. I hate bashing anyones bike or anyone that rides anything for that matter, but WTF is it with most :smt068 V strom owners. I KNOW some of you here agree with me. I regular another forum and just dont understand the attrraction. It looks like a lowbuck SV 650/1000 Suzuki figured it could add some oddities to and call it a big trallie. I rode one and it sucked, I cant even imaging off roading one. It would seem its the best thing since sliced bread in the owners eyes. What am I missing? cheap to buy? free BJ with each purchase? I farking sick of strom this, strom that.
sorry cant help my feelings on this one. Yeah I know just shut up and ride.... Tell them that.
Who cares if Ewan Mcgregor could have rode one in Long way round. He didnt. End of discussion.
AAAAHHHHH, feel much better.
:smt023
dude i had a a vstrom 1000 and it was a awesome bike other than the FI drove me crazy after solving it i was getting 40mpg and i smelled like gas.
Anyway , suzuki fixed it in 06 and now i think its a better package but FI was the dog on my 05.
I never ridden a tiger but decided to try somehting different since i sold the strom and did not want another one so i am here.
Before that i had a bandit i put 50 k in 3 yrs and i remember everyone thrashing it too.
"I only care about what i ride and not what you are on"
That's what it's all about. I think the Strom has such a great following because they are quite easy to ride. It's been a long time, except for the GS and Tiger (Capo, etc) that a big Japanese made a capable, comfortable, sporty tourer.
Ride what you ride and ride it because you like it. It will do more for you than anyone else.
Just freakin' ride.
Hey - I will ride with anyone on anything - I don't care if its a scooter, HD, DS, sportbike, goldwing, whatever.
I respect everyone that is willing to take the risks of riding on 2-wheels..........
but...Why are so many V-strom owners like alot of Born Again Christians (no offense) that I have met - they always try to convert you and insinuate that what you are doing is wrong.
The price of entry is so cheaper .Now for me the tiger and GS were never in the picture due to low dealer network and size of the GS .
Now vstorm comes out and i buy one for 7k new kinda opens my eyes to this category.Also, my bike was one of the few that the FI issues , if not i would have still have one.
so its more to do with the ability of this category of bike as a whole.Most people who buy stroms never owned a GS or Tiger or dual sports before and are just blown away by a bike in this category.
Now i might never even get the tiger as i been looking for a used tiger cannot find one and can pick up a vstrom today for the same price and can even choose the color.
msats -
I know a guy here in Boulder that has a 2004 Lucifer Orange Tiger w/sidecases, 12k miles - I think he's asking 7k or 7.5k
He's moving and is desperate to get rid of it.
Just thought I'd throw that out there.
but...Why are so many V-strom owners like alot of Born Again Christians (no offense) that I have met - they always try to convert you and insinuate that what you are doing is wrong.
Sounds about right. I didnt mean to bash anyone, but in the words of Rambo, " they drew first blood"
Just being mean I reckon.
end of story.
Well my wife has a 650 v-strom, and I ride it in filthy weather because it is so much easier to clean than a Tiger. There is no doubt about it, it is a great bike, the Tiger does do everything better but the v-strom is still an absolutely cracking bike, no doubt about it. As for owners going on about them we probably all do it a bit, let's face it a Tiger is the dogs bollocks and everything else out there is but a pale shadow. :D
I think, like other quick fads, that the swell of VStrom opinion will slow. Not that DS riding is a fad, but the Strom hit a lot of sweet spots in the market at the right price point.
think of it this way.... Who do you hear first when something is new or an objection is raised... the small minority that might be a bit upset over it and want to change everyone's opinions or the majority that are happy with the situation.
Perhaps the strom owners are squeaky wheels - like Buell owners... have you seen some of their threads.
just $.02 on a great powder day when i'm stuck in the office....
So ...
after all your ranting about something you don't like anyway ...
why not park your butt on that Tiger and ride 1000 miles to the Tiger Ride-In ..... we don't rant .... but you will see a lot of Tigers & riders who simply 'hit the road' and enjoy it!
Hiawasse, GA in June
Durango, CO in Sept
Jasper,AR in Oct
TigerTrax
TigerRide-In@cox.net
I'm an ex Tiger 955i rider and now a V-Strom DL-1000 owner. Not going to harp on about it but the strom is such an excellent, no maintenance fun bike. I still love the Tiger and that's why I still linger here for updates, but for now the strom is my ride. Both are great bikes and it'd be dificult to choose between the 2.
What swayed me after the Tiger was written off was:
Tubeless, easy to clean alloy wheels
Best headlights and lights of almost all road bikes
Cheap to buy and run (couldn't get a SH tiger 955i for less than the 02 Strom)
Lighter, easier to ride than Tiger
Very nicely made and overall quality, firm feel and better/Neater finish that 02 Tiger
Very fun to ride and totally, utterly practical, like the tiger.
My 02pence.
Buying a motorcycle is an emotional decision. I've had V-Strom owners evangelize at me, but never condescendingly.
When I was searching for a bike, I test rode a Multistrada 1000, a V-Strom 1000, an R1100GS, and an R1200GS. All of them were nice bikes, but none of them made me smile. When I test rode the Tiger, it made me grin like a mad fool. :smt040 I almost bought one on the spot. I toss and turn at night when I know I get to ride it the next day. I love that bike, and I can't explain why. It's too tall, too heavy, too bouncy, the center stand is too hard to use, there's no under-seat (or any other) storage, and it's funny-looking. On the Tiger, those things are all endearing quirks. On any other bike, they'd make me hate the machine.
I can empathize with V-Strom owners who love their bikes, I just don't happen to feel the same way. The characteristics just don't stoke my boilers, I guess. My decision to buy the Tiger wasn't any less emotional, it just wasn't the same choice. To each his own.
I had an '03 DL1000. It was a fun bike but I simply did not like the engine. It sounded like an angry riding lawnmower with rocks in the blades. It however was a blast to ride. For me, the Tiger is all that was good about the Strom with a much better engine (the triple fookin rox) and with better components.
The dollar value is great for the Strom, that is part of the appeal FWIW. I didn't get along with mine, others are fanatic about them. To each their own and all that.
Quote from: "TigerTrax"So ...
after all your ranting about something you don't like anyway ...
why not park your butt on that Tiger and ride 1000 miles to the Tiger Ride-In ..... we don't rant .... but you will see a lot of Tigers & riders who simply 'hit the road' and enjoy it!
Hiawasse, GA in June
Durango, CO in Sept
Jasper,AR in Oct
TigerTrax
TigerRide-In@cox.net
That Colorado one sounds like a possibility, havent been there in years. any complaints if a few non Tiger riders joined in?
Curious what neck of the woods your in? ever make it out to the Ca deserts?
Quote from: "ix"<snip>the center stand is too hard to use<snip>
What's wrong with the centerstand? Just curious. I like the centerstand on the Tiger. It's nicely tucked out of the way, and it goes up much easier than some other bikes I've had.
Co is kinda far from boston :lol:
Except for styling, sound, and power delivery, I find that the DL1000 and the Tiger 955i are quite similar. Comfort and handling on both are very good. I rather prefer the power delivery of the Strom, but I suppose I'm a shameless window-watcher. I'd rather be seen on, and therefore own, the Tiger. I also loooove my Tiger's growl.
QuoteWhat's wrong with the centerstand? Just curious. I like the centerstand on the Tiger. It's nicely tucked out of the way, and it goes up much easier than some other bikes I've had.
Getting the Tiger on the centerstand is herniating, and getting it off I do my best Sisyphus impression for a while before it even budges. If there's a trick to either operation, I haven't figured it out yet. The Tiger is too tall for me to push it off the center stand while astride the bike, and it can't be ridden off. I think I'm just not big, strong, or heavy enough, and it's always going to be an issue for me. I'm a skinny guy - 6', 150ish lbs.
It's particularly disappointing after discovering last year just how easy it is to get a K1200RS on and off its centerstand. That bike is a huge, fat pig with a dearth of handholds, but it has the easiest centerstand operation of any bike I've ever used, bar none. Too bad it was no fun to ride... :roll:
Quote from: "ix"QuoteWhat's wrong with the centerstand? Just curious. I like the centerstand on the Tiger. It's nicely tucked out of the way, and it goes up much easier than some other bikes I've had.
Getting the Tiger on the centerstand is herniating, and getting it off I do my best Sisyphus impression for a while before it even budges. If there's a trick to either operation, I haven't figured it out yet. The Tiger is too tall for me to push it off the center stand while astride the bike, and it can't be ridden off. I think I'm just not big, strong, or heavy enough, and it's always going to be an issue for me. I'm a skinny guy - 6', 150ish lbs.
It's particularly disappointing after discovering last year just how easy it is to get a K1200RS on and off its centerstand. That bike is a huge, fat pig with a dearth of handholds, but it has the easiest centerstand operation of any bike I've ever used, bar none. Too bad it was no fun to ride... :roll:
I think it goes up pretty easy. You need to try a Concours sometime ... :shock:
It is a little tall to get it off the centerstand while sitting on it. I just stand next to it and roll it off. Very easy.
Quote from: "apache"Quote from: "TigerTrax"So ...
why not park your butt on that Tiger and ride 1000 miles to the Tiger Ride-In ..... we don't rant .... but you will see a lot of Tigers & riders who simply 'hit the road' and enjoy it!
Hiawasse, GA in June
Durango, CO in Sept
Jasper,AR in Oct
TigerTrax
TigerRide-In@cox.net
That Colorado one sounds like a possibility, havent been there in years. any complaints if a few non Tiger riders joined in?
Curious what neck of the woods your in? ever make it out to the Ca deserts?
No complaints here. I would bring my riding buddy from Austin who pilots a K1200 if it is cool with Jerry and the boys.
I used to be scared of the centre stand first time I did it, quite an effort!
Here's my method, even in slippers I've done this...
1.) Get off bike and put it on its side stand
2. Stand on left on bike, put down centre stand then push the bike slightly away from you untill you feel the right hand side of the stand touch down
3. Turn the left side grip/handlebar towards the tank
4. Use your right hand to grab the pillion footrest support bar where it meets the frame
5. Take a deep breath and pull back with both hands
Seems to go up pretty easily... easier than you think
Russ
Quote from: "Sofalofa2005"I used to be scared of the centre stand first time I did it, quite an effort!
Here's my method, even in slippers I've done this...
1.) Get off bike and put it on its side stand
2. Stand on left on bike, put down centre stand then push the bike slightly away from you untill you feel the right hand side of the stand touch down
3. Turn the left side grip/handlebar towards the tank
4. Use your right hand to grab the pillion footrest support bar where it meets the frame
5. Take a deep breath and pull back with both hands
Seems to go up pretty easily... easier than you think
Russ
And put
all your weight on the centre stand footpedal.....
Quote from: "jp4evr"That's what it's all about. I think the Strom has such a great following because they are quite easy to ride. It's been a long time, except for the GS and Tiger (Capo, etc) that a big Japanese made a capable, comfortable, sporty tourer.
Ride what you ride and ride it because you like it. It will do more for you than anyone else.
Just freakin' ride.
Can you give your unbiased opinion on your experience with your Tiger so far?
Would be interesting to hear it since you have something to compare it to.
Thanks!
Walt
" I toss and turn at night when I know I get to ride it the next day. I love that bike, and I can't explain why. It's too tall, too heavy, too bouncy, the center stand is too hard to use, there's no under-seat (or any other) storage, and it's funny-looking. On the Tiger, those things are all endearing quirks. On any other bike, they'd make me hate the machine. "
Perfect description of how I feel about the Tiger..
FWIW, I come from a past of 2 stroke dirt bikes, and big single DS'ers. I have ridden a few twins and fours, but this triple is just a blast.
There is also something about taking it offroad. I don't know why, but this bike feels very confident off-road. So confident that it scares me. There is no way this 500lb beast can handle as well as it feels, but I have yet to feel the Tiger's bite.
I will keep trying though!
As far as I am concerned, I got my $4k out of this thing in the last year. It could roll over and die tomorrow, and I would feel I got my money's worth.