Suzuki DR650SE vs BMW G310GS

[KenDittrick]

I post a fair amount here (over on Hexheads) but am looking at another bike that I can ride in more local and distant type of different dirt and gravel roads as well as bush cut lines (in Canada these are brush slashed roads originally in a grid pattern for survey and oil exploration).

Right now, being a BMW fan I started looking at the 310 but couldn't help but notice that a Suzuki DR650 is available about the same cost (CAD ~$6,300 for the Suzuki and ~$6,600 for the BMW). I am pretty familiar with the Suzuki brand having previously owned a 650 Vstrom in the past.

Looking for the thoughts of everyone on pros and cons...

[Visian]

Looking for the thoughts of everyone on pros and cons...

Greg Drevenstedt of Rider Magazine says that the WeeStrom is the one bike to have if you can have only one. They used to say that about the GS before those bikes got big, heavy and expensive

I honestly can't think of any downside to that bike, other than you may find yourself on the receiving end of some looks down the nose...

However, I can't say it would be ideal for those "brush slashed" roads... but you'd probably get through it. As far as that goes, they have a pretty darned nice adventurized model of that bike.

[OldCamper]

I have no experience with the 310 but it does look nicely finished, especially for a bike made in India by TVS. I have put more than 40k miles on a dr650, though. It is an excellent machine, very reliable and easy to maintain and remarkably smooth for a big single. I especially like the gear driven counterbalancer and threaded adjuster valves.

[KenDittrick]

Greg Drevenstedt of Rider Magazine says that the WeeStrom is the one bike to have if you can have only one. They used to say that about the GS before those bikes got big, heavy and expensive

I honestly can't think of any downside to that bike, other than you may find yourself on the receiving end of some looks down the nose...

Yeah, I am familiar with that - and personally I really didn't like the look of the headlights on the WeeStrom - just struck me as weird.

[jconway607]

A few years back I read a story about a guy who rode literally around the globe. He's pretty famous, as I recall. He used several different bikes of various brands. I can't remember how it was all worked out. There were Harley's, BMW, and Japanese bikes. I seem to recall for the Suzuki Vstrom he had taken an spare alternator, which he never needed. The only bike out of all of them that never broke down on the entire trip was the V Strom. I've always remembered that.

[Visian]

Yeah, I am familiar with that - and personally I really didn't like the look of the headlights on the WeeStrom - just struck me as weird.

My apologies, I misread your post. You're talking about the Suzuki dual sport thumper.

I lost count of how many people I've seen riding those things on world tours because they're so reliable. Right up there with KLRs.

That bike would be better on the brush cut roads you mentioned.

[BC1100S]

I lost count of how many people I've seen riding those things on world tours because they're so reliable. Right up there with KLRs.

That bike would be better on the brush cut roads you mentioned.

Ditto.

[powwow]

For the kind of riding you're describing, a DR650 would be pretty hard to beat. Reliable, easy to maintain, huge availability for aftermarket mods, reasonably smooth for a thumper. I had one for a few years, loved it and still regret selling it. Pro Cycle will become your new best internet order house.

The only negative in my mind of the DR650 is the weight, if you really plan a lot of off-road riding. With fuel (especially if you add a longer range tank), it's pushing 400 lbs. While that may not seem like a lot based on the weight of most BMW's, if you're picking it up a few times (riding off-road, you WILL be picking it up) on a steep dirt road with poor footing, you'll know what I mean. For comparison purposes, there are several guys on ADV Rider currently doing RTW rides on KTM 500 EXC's...they are about 265 lbs with full fuel load. My off road bike of choice is a KTM 350 EXC, although it wouldn't likely be the bike I would want if I needed to do a lot of pavement. I'm fortunate to have virtually unlimited forest road riding about 2 miles from my house. It's around 250 lbs.

All in all, if most of your planned riding is well maintained gravel or dirt roads, the DR650 is a good choice.

[KenDittrick]

Great info so far from everyone, glad to see the only real downside for either bike would be weight for the true off road riding. I do still require a street legal machine and am trying to keep the cost down which these bikes do. Next stop, our local motorcycle show this weekend to have a close look at each of them.

[swall]

I have put 40k miles on my DR 650 and it has been a good machine. Rode it to Alaska, James Bay and Labrador. My other ride is an R1200R.

[Omega Man]

A while back I had purchased a DR650- new. I had high hopes for the bike but it had a “surging” issue that would make you car-sick when driven at local speeds. The dealer was useless as was Suzuki corporate. I finally had to have a local shop work on it which cost me around $200 out of pocket.
Once I had the repairs done, it ran great. The seat is the same as a lot of the similar looking bikes and tough on the (my) butt.
Many times I have thought of a DRZ400 purchase as it seems like a perfect combination of engine, power and weight. Past Suzuki experiences have prevented me from moving ahead with one. Maybe a lightly used one that I wouldn’t feel bad about making it run well- if needed.
OM

[KenDittrick]

Hmmm... we do have pretty good Suzuki support here per last last bike from them. Yes I want to try out that seat. It looks like a squared off fencepost compared to the 310's seat.

[36654]

Hmmm... we do have pretty good Suzuki support here per last last bike from them. Yes I want to try out that seat. It looks like a squared off fencepost compared to the 310's seat.

For less than $300 you can get an aftermarket replacement seat to upgrade.

[Visian]

Many times I have thought of a DRZ400 purchase as it seems like a perfect combination of engine, power and weight. Past Suzuki experiences have prevented me from moving ahead with one. Maybe a lightly used one that I wouldn’t feel bad about making it run well- if needed.
OM

Fuel injection really is a wonderful thing.

If I had a dollar for each time I saw some rider kicking the daylights out of a DRZ400 and then futzing with the carburetor because it refuses to start, I'd be a rich man.

[swall]

I used a 0.025" washer to raise my needle. Ended the surging problem.