You might be aware of the V-Strom SX that Suzuki Motorcycles India sells in India. But Suzuki also used to sell a bigger version of the motorcycle, a true adventure tourer, which was discontinued in 2022. The Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT was powered by a 645 cc v-twin mill and the bike had gold-finished wire-spoke wheels shod with tubeless tyres. Fast-forwarding to current times, Suzuki has globally replaced the previous model with the V-Strom 800DE, built on a new platform borrowed from the GSX-8S naked bike sold by Suzuki in international markets.
Now, the good news is that the Indian arm of Suzuki has released a teaser on its social media platform confirming the launch of the V-Strom 800DE in India soon. The news comes after the brand showcased the motorcycle at the recently held Bharat Mobility Expo earlier this year.
Also Read: Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE Unveiled At Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024
Besides the new steel frame, the V-twin mill, which also represents the ‘V’ in V-Strom has been decommissioned and has been replaced with a brand-new 776 cc liquid-cooled motor that is now a parallel-twin with a 270-degree crank. The motor is rated to produce 83 bhp and 78 Nm and comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
Also Read: Suzuki V-Strom 800 DE Spied In India: Launch On The Cards?
On the feature front, the bike is well-kitted as it comes with four riding modes (including a Gravel mode), three levels of traction control, switchable dual-channel ABS, a bi-directional quickshifter and a 5-inch TFT dash.
For cycle parts, the new generation V-Strom 800DE features an adjustable USD fork setup at the front and a remote preload adjustable monoshock at the rear. Braking is handled by a pair of 310 mm discs at the front with 4-piston floating calipers and a 260 mm single disc at the rear with a single-piston caliper. Unfortunately, unlike the previous V-Strom 650 XT, which came with tubeless tyres, the V-Strom 800DE gets a tubed setup for the wire-spoke wheels shod with Dunlop Mixtour tyres.
While Suzuki India hasn’t disclosed the launch date yet, expect it to be very soon. As for pricing, while the previous V-Strom 650 XT retailed at Rs 9.98 lakh (ex-showroom), considering the new one is a complete overhaul and packs a larger motor, expect the sticker price to be in the ballpark of 11-12 lakh (ex-showroom). On the completion front, the V-Strom 800DE will lock horns with the Honda XL750 Transalp, Triumph Tiger 900 and the BMW F 850 GS.
