The V-Strom is finally back and technicolour. With a list of reasons as long as an arm, that includes it being stolen, we finally got the chance to build, ride and film.
Two days after we finished filming episode one of the V-Strom project, some stole our bike. After time hopping between CCTV feeds looking for clues on where is might’ve gone the trail went dead and police closed the case.
It was gone.
It’s a shitty feeling when it’s a bike you love and have poured hours into making it feel a little more your own. Making the call to Suzuki, and all the parts suppliers was even more painful. Motorcycling is full of great people however, and after some logistics, emails and time I was sat in the workshop with a new V-Strom, and boxes of parts.
Between the two events, I decided on a couple of changes and then set off down the path of making the V-Strom as good as it can be for a reasonable budget. It was a journey of discovery, confusing moments and tricky bike set-up. Coercing a bike into doing more than it came from the factory designed to do is slowly drifting from motorcycling and I understand why.
From making it feel a bit crap on the road, to sitting on top of mountain loving the bike I was riding again was a beautiful journey. When it finally went back to Suzuki GB headquarters, a little pang i hit me. It’s far from being a great off-road adventure bike, but a huge part of the joy of motorcycles is the relationship we have with the, the journey they take us on and the memories they leave us with.
I grew to love the little ‘strom every time I hoped on it. It handles superbly on the road, it’s effortless to ride and I spent a chunk of time exploring on it for the sake of it. Ultimately, I think that type of adventure is perfect.
Thanks to all the companies that provided parts for this project. It’s been a joy to build.
