Anyone go VStrom to VFR or the other way around?

I've been thinking about selling my 5th gen bike and picking up an 08 or newer VStrom. I'd like to have a bike that I can use around town (NYC) a little more without worrying about it getting knocked over or stolen. Also, with roads as bad as they are, the VStrom's suspension will probably be better suited.

The thing is, every time I take the VFR out, I feel regret because it's such a damn good bike. I've used it as a commuter, tourer, for vacations, and other stuff and it's always served me well. Everything I've read about the Strom says it can do it well also...

So I'm wondering if anyone's gone from a WeeStrom to a VFR and regretted it? Or maybe from a Wee to the VFR? Perhaps one of the members has both and can chime in?

Though I'd like to, I can't have both.

I have V-Strom fever also. Have for many years but the new one finally did it for me. I think I can swing it without getting rid of the VFR so I may have some answers for you in a month or so.

The upright ergonomics, better fuel mileage, and ease of maintenence are the attractions for me. Like most, I have invested in so many upgrades for the VFR, I cannot sell or trade it without losing my shirt.

I hear you. I finally posted the VFR for sale, but it took 3 days of looking at the ad before I finally hit the Post button. We'll see how things go...

If your going to go for a V Strom, get the 1000cc engine (Not saying the 650cc is bad). That motor has been around since the ill fated TL & is one of the best V twin motors this side of Italy. Its a pity that they stopped producing the SV1000.

I don't have a VStrom 1000 but I did just ride one at Daytona...the suspension was way too soft. The bike bobbed and weaved all over the place and it only had 1000 miles on the odometer. The second knock on it was thr engine was completely uninspiring. I'm sure that they are really good bikes and it was comfortable, but the suspension would have to be totally re-vamped to make it livable...for me anyway.

I also rode an S10...great bike, fantastic engine, very smooth, good handling, also very comfortable.

So I'm wondering if anyone's gone from a WeeStrom to a VFR and regretted it? Or maybe from a Wee to the VFR? Perhaps one of the members has both and can chime in?

Though I'd like to, I can't have both.

I have both. You probably don't want to hear this, but I like my VFR even more since I got the Wee. I can use the Wee around town and on gravel, and then really enjoy the Viffer out on the open road.

They are different. The Wee doesn't have the Viffer's rock solid feel, but it's 75 lb (IIRC) lighter with a more city-friendly seating position.

If you can only have one you'll have to weigh up the pros and cons.

Glenn

I will post back as I now have the Wee in the garage.

It is a different bike than the VFR and feels differently in motor, handling, brakes, and suspension. Whether you interpret that difference as good or bad is a matter of perspective.

All bikes are just "platforms" for me that I have to eventually develop for my use. One reason I am keeping the VFR is it is now set up the way I want it and there is nothing to do but ride it and enjoy it.

The V-strom will be the same. I wanted better fuel mileage, big aluminum top-opening bags, and a sit-up riding position. From there I will address the seat, suspension, and 'usefullness' of the bike, just as I did the VFR.

First ride, yesterday, the braking stood out as the biggest difference to me. The V-strom does not provide the initial bite I am used to with the VFR. It gets the job done but you need to start braking sooner. It improved some as I rode (120 miles) and may get a little better as miles pile on.

Second difference, and one that I shopped for, is the sit-up ride position. Even with Helibars on the VFR, my neck is bent up. Not enough to cause discomfort but enough to encourage straight ahead viewing. On the V-strom, I found myself "sight-seeing" more because turning my head side to side was very easy in the straight up position. I also feel I am sitting higher above traffic, with the better view, kind of like getting into my truck after driving a car for awhile.

Although the 650 does not have the pull one feels with the VFR it none the less gets up to speed very well. I was worried how I would feel getting onto a highway, or accellerating from a stop, but now do not feel that will be an issue. At speed, it is not as smooth as the VFR, with the v-twin vibe going on, but it is also less 'buzzy' compared to the v-four, at higher rpms. (I have two teeth added to the rear of the VFR and cruise around at about 5.5k rpm normally.)

The relationship to the seat, bars, and pegs is just fine on the V-strom and will not be changed. I have already lowered the windshield to the lowest setting and will leave it there. No buffeting for me at that position. I am going to say that the wind/weather protection is about the same with both bikes but that may change once I do a trip or two on the new one. Right now I feel I get the same amount of wind on me. Neither one is a Goldwing and that is exactly how I want it. (for comparison purposes I am 5' 8", 168lbs and ride ATGATT/Nolan N103)

Maybe this will help to answer some of your questions, comparing the two bikes. kevin

A couple other things. I like to ride standing up sometimes and it is easy with the V-strom, not so much with the VFR. Resting my butt during a longer ride, or getting a better view ahead, in stopped traffic or such is easier standing.

As long as I have had the VFR, the first bar on the gas guage is gone in 5-10 minutes of riding. On the V-strom yesterday, I rode 77 miles before the first bar went away. I know that this is purely abitrary and based on the sensor in the tank etc, etc, but psycologically, I really like that! Crazy, I know, but as I said in my previous post, the mileage/range was a big reason I chose this bike over all the others on my list.

Since I agonized over this decision, here is my story, briefly, if it helps.

Had an F650 for 10+ years. Bought a friend's 5th gen kind of on a lark last spring. Put almost 5K on it last year, and really like it. It opened up a world of multi-hour, multi-hundred-mile riding for me, which was never any fun on the Beemer. However, the VFR just does not like bad roads - and New Mexico is full of them. It wasn't just the loss of the ability to make a quick run down a forest service road to see if there is an interesting view, or take a 5 mile dirt road shortcut, but the problem that any road that is rough or sandy is really no fun on the VFR. I don't need something to ride the TAT (although I make be tempted to do a little on the Strom).

So, in the fall I sold the F and the VFR and bought a 2007 V Strom 1000 with 2800 miles on it. Sold my bikes at winter prices, but bought the Strom at winter prices so no big deal (the sensible economic solution of keeping the other two till spring wasn't going to work for my wife or my driveway). I haven't done a lot of riding on it yet, but the few hundred miles I have done indicate that it's a good solution FOR ME. Smoother and more comfortable for distance/fast than the F650, but more capable on the rough stuff, and a more upright position than the VFR. I also think it will be more comfortable for hours in the saddle, even though the VFR had Heli's and a Corbin. The V Strom is of course a blunter instrument than the VFR, and the engine isn't nearly as smooth (on the upside, a valve job is 1/2 as much work).

Part of the consideration has to do with your riding style. I rented a 1200GS last fall and while riding it on the Appalachian twisties over several days without feeling any real limitations I realized that I only used 1/2 of the VFR's sporting capability and I was giving up too much for the other half that I never used. The V-Strom is probably sporting enough for me (not planning on track days).

Be aware that the V-Strom needs some basic farkling like the VFR. The Vee (1000cc) has better suspension than the Wee (650), but it's still not great. It has a timing retard map so that you don't outrun the chassis in middle gears. Getting rid of that annoyance will cost you a timing retard eliminator (comes as part of the Gipro GPI for Suzuki), which then begets a fork brace and steering stabilizer for the chassis to handle the extra oomph. A lot of people remap the ECU to bump up the mixture at low RPM's, although since I live at 7,000 feet it doesn't run as lean for me.

Both are good bikes, with lots of internet support (like with VFR, there are two big V Strom sites).

I think your comment about NYC roads and about the V-Strom taking knocks better are both telling. But, you'll miss the VFR.

And remember:

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I had a Wee for the past year; it was my first bike. A few days ago I picked up a 5th gen VFR, so have some impressions to share in the other direction. I'm also in NYC, BTW.

Getting on the VFR, a few things were immediately felt. The position is completely different. On the Wee, I was always trying to lean more forward; on the VFR, I'm just a tad more forward leaning than I'd like to be for leisurely riding, and although I enjoy it, getting used to it has brought some nasty wrist pain in the clutch hand especially when spending time in bumper to bumper traffic. This was never an issue on the Strom. I also, like someone above mentioned, am already finding myself spending more time looking straight ahead, as it was definitely easier to browse the scenery on the Wee.

On the other hand, the brakes on the VFR are worlds better than the Wee. I can actually use one or two fingers where on the Wee 3 fingers and a tight squeeze was the norm. I feel much more confident stopping on the VFR, but on the other hand the VFR is much more sensitive to bad roads, so it balances out. With a set of Anake 2s on the Wee, I didn't care what the pavement looked like (or whether there was any in the first place), everything except mud was handled well. The PO of the VFR put on a new set of Pilot Road (1s, with a 190/50 on the back) and so far they scare me every time I lean too far (almost lost the rear yesterday in a tight turn) or hit some tar snakes. On the Wee, I was scraping pegs even in regular 90 degree city turns and always felt planted and confident.

BTW, if you get a Strom, make sure you get a fork brace. The one made by Richland Rick on the forums is MUCH cheaper than the Superbrace and from what people have said, better. It increased the ride quality immensely and it wasn't until I put one on that I felt confident to go all out in the twisties and not worry about tar snakes and such.

The stock windshield on the Strom buffets like crazy and the only ways to deal with it are the Madstat bracket (which lets you tilt the stock shield) or the shorty Euro windshield which is what I got and love it. It made riding in the summer much cooler, got rid of the buffeting, and is still tall enough that it keeps the cold wind off your chest.

The Wee, when on the highways, feels like it's being pushed. You're running 6k RPM at an indicated 80mph (which is more like 73mph actual). The VFR just shrugs it off. Also, the gas mileage on the Wee drops quite a bit when going over 70. Some people recommend going up a tooth on the front sprocket, but while it lowers your highway rpms by about 500, it takes away some of your torque and doesn't really have any effect on the gas mileage.

Still, it's definitely nice to be able to take random unmaintained side roads on the Wee. I just did a ride to Central America and back on it this winter, and it handled everything thrown at it (including a crash, costa rican potholes, a drowning, etc) like a champ and got me home. I don't think I'd trust the VFR to go there, but I've only had it for less than a week.

While I'm having more fun ripping around on the veefer right now, there are definitely things I miss about the Wee. One of them is that fact that it's butt ugly and does't scream STEAL ME. Seeing the VFR parked on my block makes me cringe a bit with the thought. Maybe putting a big ugly topbox on it will disguise it a tad :-)

A huge thank you to everyone who responded to my post. The insight and feed back that you guys provided has been great, and it's helped me with my decision.

I sold my beloved VFR last week. The cool thing about the sale was that a buddy of mine in Wisconsin bought it, and it allowed me one last ride to enjoy all the things that probably make this one of the best bikes ever made. I know that I'll regret the sale, but I've only got space for one, and if all goes according to plan, I'll be picking an 09 Wee up tomorrow.

Mazaev - getting a Givi Wingrack and keeping at least the E21s on the bike does a great job of keeping people moving and not paying too much attention to the bike. I rode with this set up for years, and my coworkers would tease me for having an "old man bike." One day, I cleaned her up, took the rack and bags off, and popped the cowl on, and they couldn't get over the fact that it was the same bike. I loved that about the VFR. I also loved putting all three bags on the back, and passing all the squids up around Bear Mountain.

I put a similar post up on stromtrooper, and got some great feedback there as well. One guy said going from the VFR to a Strom is like going from a Corvette to a Blazer, and many agreed.

Again, thanks to all who responded.