Cranky Pete
Well-known member
I took a new Strom on a 600 km rip through Muskoka and Haliburton on Thursday.
First thoughts...
First thoughts...
- Not a conventionally handsome bike, but very striking, with great fit and finish. Better looking in person than in photos.
- Comfortable riding position, with a firm but supportive seat. One of the better stock saddles I've experienced.
- The motor has a lot of oomph. It feels comparable to an R1200GS, even though it has fewer horses. The gearing is extremely relaxed on the highway--the tach was reading 4700 rpm at 130 km/hr.
- I did find the motor to be a bit on the rough side above 6000 rpm. I ride a Wee, so I was expecting the same silky smoothness. However, I rarely found myself revving it hard. There's plenty of power in the lower rev range, and anything approaching the redline above 2nd gear puts you well into illegal speeds.
- The adjustable windshield--you can click through various positions with one hand, even at speed--is a smart design, and very effective.
- The brakes were powerful but very sensitive. A gentle squeeze with one finger is plenty.
- The handling and suspension were impressive. You can really rail through corners on this thing.
- Hard bags were too small. The one fitted around the exhaust was practically useless.
- Fuel range showed 330 km, which is about 70 km less than my Wee.
- Overall, I'll give it an A-. If the motor was smoother and the brakes easier to modulate, I'd give it top marks. Even still, it will probably be my next bike.