Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom Adventure Bike Performance Information

The old DL1000 got a big overhaul in 2014, and it's better than the old one. But it is terrifyingly under-damped and wiggles around when pushed. We've tweaked it into something seriously confidence inspiring.

The old Suzuki DL1000 got a big overhaul in 2014. The pre-2014 1000 wasn't a patch on the DL650, but we are pleased to say the new model is much better, and it's a contender for tarmac and light gravel adventure at a bargain price.

After a short ride it was obvious that the suspension couldn't keep up with the huge 1,037cc V-twin motor. Owners report plenty of white knuckle moments on the road and gravel; it struggles to hold a line in the corners and has an overall un-damped, boat like, generally terrifying feel.

A quick run on the suspension dyno confirmed our first impressions were correct. Many revalves and dyno runs later, the end result is a much more confident feel that allows the rider to open the throttle and dive into corners without fear. For up to 100kg riders we don't replace the springs, there is no need. The problem really is the lack of dampening.

Suzuki DL1000 VStrom 2014+ Forks

The forks are quite an unusual design, and we rely on the shock dyno to diagnose designs like this with great results.

"Just taken the V-Strom 1000 for a ride post Teknik working on the suspension. My instructions were set it up for dirt road touring. The result was great, took out all the small corrugations from the road and bigger hits that I used to brace for now handled those fine. The end result was a better ride with much more predictable steering and handling particularly on the dirt, but also sharpened up handing on the tar.
Thanks for your help, bike has been transformed."
- Steve Hamblyn
2015 DL1000

Suzuki DL1000 VStrom 2014+ Shock

The mighty V-Strom 1000 is ready for adventure after a suspension dyno tune and revalve. Set specifically for your weight and how you want to use it. We've added real damping the whole way through the stroke, stopping the bike from wiggling and wallowing about through corners.

For some extra money, we also offer a range of replacement adjustable aftermarket shocks from Yacugar and TFX.