Suzuki V-Strom 1000 is currently on sale in India but as a CBU. With demand for adventure tourers on the rise, Suzuki now plans to bring in the V-Strom 650, a smaller version of the bike, at a competitive price (thanks to CKD) which will cater to a larger audience.
The trend for adventure touring motorcycles is on the rise in India and more and more buyers seek this option when selecting their bikes which would allow for long distance riding and better off-roading capabilities. It is with this in mind that Suzuki V-Strom 650, a mid weight, sport touring motorcycle, being considered for local assembly. Coming in as a CKD unit with local assembly will make the bike highly affordable to buyers in the country.
Suzuki has not set any timeframe when the new V-Strom 650 will come to India as it could take upto a year to train technicians in India and a special assembly line would have to be created exclusively for assembly of Suzuki V-Strom 650 which could take upto two years, reveals NDTV.
Suzuki V-Strom 650 is offered in two variants in international markets – Standard V-Strom 650 and V-Strom 650XT. The difference between these two variants lies in the wheels and tyres with the standard variant receiving lighter cast aluminum wheels fitted with Bridgestone Battle Wing tyres. The V-Strom 650XT gets off-road tyres with aluminum rims and stainless steel spokes fitted with tubeless Bridgestone Battleax Adventure tyres. The two variants also differ in weight with the standard variant having kerb weight of 213 kgs and the XT weighing 216 kgs. ABS and traction control are common to both variants.
Suzuki V-Strom 650 is powered by a 645cc, liquid cooled, 4 stroke, V Twin engine offering 70 bhp peak power at 8,800 rpm and 66 Nm torque mated to a 6 speed gearbox. Local assembly will see the Suzuki V-Strom 650, slated for sometime in 2019, priced in the range of INR 6-7 lakhs
