Bennington Triumph Bash

My 2009 Suzuki DR650 is for sale. I bought it as a leftover in Nov. '10. Good shape with extra's. 3200 Miles.Bought me a Vstrom.

Nice looking bike Matt...so what are the extras and price? What year is your Wee Strom?

Yeah it's a lot of fun on the dirt. Handles pretty good for a 650. It has the rack, Renthal bars,skid plate,custom seat, gel grips etc. I liked it as it's a simple bike, air cooled and light. I was at my dealer(Branchville Motors) last Friday going out to lunch with my mechanic Jim Hamlin and others. One of the guys traded the Vstrom towards an Explorer. I just got drawn to it. It's more street but it will still do hard pack and gravel easily.I'll find out how well soon. Going on a 200 mile ride on mostly dirt in a couple of weeks. It's a '09.

Sounds like a decent bike...so what are you asking for the DR?

I think $4300 is a fair price. What are you doing up so early on a Sunday? Oops, I'm up too. Must be old peoples syndrome.

After milking cows for sooooo many years sleeping beyond 6am is a difficulty

I love my V-Strom, but I'm looking for a dual sport more like the DR for the next bike (to go with the DL, not instead of) to ride more dirt roads. The DL is too top heavy and big for my meager dirt skills, so I'm waiting on an older DR350 or DRZ400S.

Did you get the new DL, or an older one?

- Spad

2006 Suzuki V-Strom (the funny looking "Triumph" at the bash each year)

I bought a '09. 8000 miles on the odo. It's in mint condition with almost new Anakees. Now to add a few farkles...Any recommendations on that Spad?

When I got mine ('06), it had already been well-farkled up by the PO but I hope I'd have done the same if I did it myself. Here's what's on mine:

Corbin seat - haven't ridden stock, but this one is a two-piece seat that's good all day. Tito's Sargent was nice too.
Superbrace fork brace - never rode it without it, but handling is nice.
Caribou side boxes - basically a rack and mounts for stock Pelican cases. Best part of the whole upgrade for me, because I treat it like a two-wheeled pickup. I've dropped mine at a stop (d@mn top heavy tall bike on cambered road) and they prevented some damage to the bike and took next to none themselves. No leaks at all ever. Clamshell design can be a PITA sometimes. The PO also put a bunch of scotchlite reflective tape on them too, which I like. I like to be seen.
Headlight modulator - pretty much don't use it except in torrential downpour so people see me. I figure it's just annoying to oncoming drivers otherwise.
Rear brake light modulator - I never see this myself but like having it. It flashes my brake light quickly at first then slows to a constant on. Gives a heads-up to the tailgaters.
Grip warmers - very nice.
Handguards - stock Suzuki units. They help with the cold, and are standard on the DL1K. These can't take a fall, though.
Centerstand - very nice. I don't think it was stock
SW Motech belly pan - with the oil filter up front in the breeze like it is, I like the peace of mind this gives. Makes oil changes interesting, though.
Fenda extenda - their spelling, not mine, but like the belly pan it helps protect the vital bits from the rocks coming off the front tire.
SW Motech engine guards - they protect the expensive plastic bits in moderate, i.e. while stopped, falls. They do nothing for your mirrors, levers, turn signals or hand guards. DAMHIKIJK.
Speedo face replacement - looks _exactly_ like stock but is recalibrated to make speedo read accurately without messing with odometer. I like this. Maybe from raceratb? Not sure, but I have the PO's paperwork if you want me to check.
Madstad windshield mount - up there with the Caribou cases for favorite thing. Adjusts the windshield easily without tools. I usually keep it lower and flatter than stock which reduces buffeting for me, and move it higher & more upright in rain or cold. Two knobs and done, & more than just three positions. I made a plexi holder for my EZPass that uses the same mounting bolts and puts the pass behind the fairing.
Throttle Rocker - because my throttle hand goes numb after a while and this delays the inevitable.

I have Metzler Tourances on now, on Tito and Janet's recommendations, but they're too new to tell much about them (so far, so good). There were Pirelli Scorpion Syncs on before and they were nice.

I think that's it. Not an upgrade per se, but the PO also took off almost all the identifying Suzuki marks, decals etc. I've been thinking about what to put on the tank instead. I have a modified a BMW roundel that's red and slightly rotated (like a yin/yang) with UJM instead of BMW that may go there. One year I think I'll try to slap a Triumph badge on there and see who notices.

Hope you like yours as much as I've liked mine!

- Spad

This bike is very tempting Matt. Kind of what my next bike will be I think. I love the Scrambler but its pretty heavy for much off the pavement. Heck the Tigers are even lighter than it. Soon we'll be riding and there will ice cream to be had!