Suzuki says goodbye to traditional V-twin with new V-Strom 800DE

Suzuki unwraps new 800cc V-Strom at EICMA

The Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori or more popularly known throughout the world as EICMA, traditionally, is the epicenter when it comes to the first public appearance of new motorcycle models.

For Suzuki, it was also the perfect place to unveil their newest middleweight adventure bike contender: the V-Strom 800DE.

Goodbye V-twin

When the first Suzuki DL 1000 V-Strom was introduced in 2002, it was powered by a 996cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine. In fact, the “V” refers to the bike’s V-twin engine configuration, and “Strom” is the German word for power. Since then, all Suzuki V-Strom adventure bikes are traditionally powered by a V-twin engine, including the 650cc version.

For 2023, Suzuki will be using a newly-developed 776cc liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin engine which is claimed to be capable of producing 86 PS of power and 74 Nm of torque.

Suzuki adds that this new engine has a similar power delivery character to a V-twin, thanks to its 270-degree crank and use of the Suzuki Cross Balancer.

Electronics

On the electronic side, the new V-Strom 800DE has 4 riding modes which include Gravel Mode for off-road, traction control, 2-mode ABS, throttle by wire system, quick-shifter, and Low RPM Assist which prevents the engine from dropping the RPM too low on instances like slow-moving traffic or making a U-turn.

Other features include a 5-inch TFT screen, and off-road-friendly 21-inch/17-inch front and rear tires. The fuel tank capacity is 20 liters, the seat height stands at 855mm, and the curb weight is 230 kilograms.

Philippine availability and pricing are yet to be announced by Suzuki PH.