The secret of a successful cocktail is all in quantity. Suzuki must have had it in mind when he thought of the new V-Strom 1050XT, mixing a good part of the 'old' V-Strom 1000 with the historic DR Big, an enduro icon of the 80s, and with the DR-Z that ran Paris-Dakar in 1988 with Gaston Rahier. All flavored with a pinch of electronics at the latest.
The vintage livery that immediately takes you back to long stages in African deserts, in fact, should not be confused: the new twin-cylinder enduro branded Suzuki is a concentrate of technology. ANSA Motori has tested it on the winding roads of Tuscany, in practically all conditions that an enduro of this category will face: from mixed asphalt to the highway, from dirt roads to pouring rain. The result is a truly 'total' bike, able to extricate itself in any condition, never failing to amuse the rider.
Suzuki V-Strom 1050XT, the all-rounder who looks to Dakar
The engine, the 'classic' twin cylinder of 1,037 cc, never disappoints, confirming itself as one of the best in its category. The transition to Euro5 was completely painless. Indeed, almost beneficial: the engine has even recorded an increase in maximum power, reaching 107 horsepower, without sacrificing anything in terms of torque and 'back' at medium revs. The same can be said of the chassis, thanks to a fully adjustable upside-down Kayaba fork and a mono rear adjustable in preload and extension, which, combined with the double aluminum beam frame, guarantee stability and hold worthy of a road emblazoned.
A structure undoubtedly thought more for the road than for the real enduro, also given the choice to equip the new V-Strom with a 19-inch front rim and Bridgestone tires purely asphalt. But even if the demanding enduro, also thanks to the weight of 247 kilos in running order, is not its preferred terrain, the 1050XT tackles dirt roads and moderately uneven terrain with extreme ease, also allowing you to keep averages of all respect.
The onboard electronics, focused on the SIRS system (Suzuki Intelligent Ride System), is to be praised. The ride-by-wire electronic accelerator allows you to manage three different driving modes, corresponding to as many mappings, through the Suzuki Drive Mode Selector. The traction control is adjustable on three levels, but it can also be completely deactivated by the most skilled pilots. However, what impressed most during our test was the new three-axle inertial platform, which allows the activation of the ABS according to the bending angle. The downhill braking modulator, the combined braking, the brake force distribution as a function of the load and the assistant for uphill starts must also be mentioned.