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EICMA 2022

EICMA 2022, held last November 8-13, had a lot in store, and it felt so good to see so many new motorcycles come to market. Things are feeling normal again. We’ll have a look at some of the highlights.

SUZUKI

V-Strom 800DE

We feel Suzuki should get the spotlight, since it has been ages since the company released any all-new motorcycles, and not just revamped models based on ageing designs — even if those dated designs were still quite sound.

V-Strom 800DE

The smaller of Suzuki’s V-Stroms, known affectionately by its followers as the Wee-Strom, is not so wee anymore. At the heart of this new V-Strom is a 776-cc, liquid-cooled parallel-twin, a layout Suzuki hasn’t utilized since it put to rest the air-cooled GS500F back in 2009.

The DL800DE’s 270-degree paralleltwin is compact, and produces 83 hp and 57.5 ft-lb. of torque, which is 13 hp and 11.5 ft-lb. more than the outgoing V-Strom 650. The engine features two gear-driven counterbalancers to smooth vibration; a slipper/assist clutch; and ride-by-wire throttle control, which enables ride modes and traction control. At 230 kg, it is, however, heavier than the 216 kg V-Strom 650, but lighter than the 247 kg 1050 Strom.