Family addition

[kilowop]

  As the Days dwindle Down to a Precious few......I said...WHAT THE HELL........One last NEW bike.  So I picked up a Left-Over, 2022 Suzuki Base Model V-Strom 650. Lovely Blue colour, reminded me of my first "REAL" bike, a Blue and Silver '61 Triumph T-100-SS.  Going to have to add the lowering kit, since I ain't getting any taller in my old age.  A few other mods are on the list for over the winter tinkering. 360 km so far, on two rides. Got a great deal at the local Suzuki dealership as they are moving to a new location nearby, and are trying to sell off inventory so they don't have to move it. I suppose I really should sell my Collector plated '81-Suzuki 550-"T", and my 2009 Suzuki Biugman 650 Executive mega scooter.  Any offers?
CHEERS

[hardrockminer]

Very nice bike!  Congrats on the deal.  Did you buy it from Riverside?

[Steve G.]

  Well done Ron!
 Ahh the complexity of being a classic bike enthusiast whilst watching and feeling, the effects of time, the calendar. When you look at things, and the slow decline of some bike categories, the rise of others, it’s got a lot to do with ease of use. Witness the slow death in sales of the standard superbike, and the rise of the high capability ADV. I used to tour on crotch rockets, would never even consider it now.
  Al Comfort up in Sechelt. Astounding collection of Italian machinery, Japanese, German, impressive. Well he just bought a brand new Honda 125 Trail, 2023 model. Guys looked at him with tilted heads, WTF??? He summed it up “this is my end of riding life bike”. Makes perfect sense.
  Ron, you have bought a bike that suits all the needs you need plus two up riding capability. Seat height hopefully can be fixed to your needs, the bike will run trouble free for the next 20+ years.
  I’m a long ways off thinking about my last bike, I may already have it in the 1991 GS I have which will run until the next ice age , and is super easy to operate.
   It’s always nice to have a machine to tinker with, but it is not acceptable to have a high maintenance main rider for me anyways.

[Runningdog]

Ron, check if the lowering wishbones from a 2004 DL650 will work on the new models....I have a set, and they could be yours if they fit.

I just checked the parts numbers for 2004 DL650 and 2022 DL650 for the stock wishbones, and they are the same parts number...   my longer wishbones should fit on your 2022......they are yours.

[Galactica]

Congratulations Ron.  You’ll really enjoy tat bike.