Suzuki 1050 V-Strom SE 2024 — Specifications

Sport Explorer. That's what the SE suffix plastered on the flank of Suzuki's big adventure tourer stands for. Not a two-tone collector's special edition, but a reworking of the in-house nomenclature: SE for road-oriented adventure bikes, DE for those with an eye on the trails. A clear, almost surgical distinction that says a great deal about how Suzuki positions its adventure range today. And this 1050 SE, with its 242 kg fully fuelled and its seat perched at 855 mm, makes no pretence of tackling Moroccan boulder fields.

This 90-degree L-twin is a familiar engine. Its history stretches back to the TL models of the late 1990s, and it has since become entrenched in this 1037 cc displacement that Suzuki has discreetly rounded up to 1050 since the third generation. That hasn't stopped it from evolving seriously in step with successive emissions regulations. To meet Euro5, engineers revised the compression ratio to 11.5:1, enlarged the injection throttle bodies from 45 to 49 mm, and reworked the camshafts. The result: 107 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and 100 Nm at 6,000 rpm. Peak power arrives 500 rpm higher than the previous version, maximum torque also comes in higher up the rev range, yet the overall curve remains generous and usable. Sodium-filled exhaust valves, a 15% more efficient radiator, and a new oil cooler round out this thorough development work. This engine has the reliability of a blacksmith's hammer, and that is precisely why it commands respect.

Up against an Africa Twin that exceeds 100 horsepower with a considerably more sophisticated three-cylinder engine, or an R 1250 GS playing in a different price bracket with its 136 horsepower, the V-Strom doesn't win the horsepower war. Nor does it go looking for one. What it focuses on is standard equipment. The bi-directional quickshifter, the 6-axis IMU, three traction control modes, three engine maps, Hill Start Control, cornering ABS, the refined cruise control, the 5-inch colour TFT screen shared with the Katana and GSX-S 1000 GT: everything previously reserved for the XT version now comes as standard on this SE. The windscreen adjusts without tools, the centre stand is included from the outset, and the seat height is adjustable. This upward levelling didn't come free — the price followed suit — but at €15,399, reviews of the Suzuki V-Strom 1050 SE generally converge on the same conclusion: the equipment-to-price ratio remains hard to argue with in this segment.

The aluminium twin-spar frame hasn't changed since the previous generation. The 43 mm upside-down fork with 160 mm of travel, the remote-reservoir rear shock, 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels shod in 110/80 and 150/70 tyres: it's the same skeleton, slightly heavier. This weight gain isn't concentrated in the frame or the braking system — twin 310 mm discs with radially mounted four-piston calipers up front, a 260 mm disc at the rear. It's spread throughout, the cumulative result of all the added equipment. Nothing off-putting for the intended audience: the discerning touring rider who travels solo or two-up, covers 500 kilometres in a day without complaint, and recharges their GPS from the 12V socket tucked under the passenger seat.

For anyone weighing up the price of the Suzuki 1050 V-Strom SE, the answer depends on what you expect from a maxi-adventure tourer. If the goal is to claim the highest power output in the segment or to kit yourself out with the latest adaptive radar, you'll need to look elsewhere and open your wallet wider. If, on the other hand, you're after a robust and well-tempered engine, comprehensive standard equipment with no option boxes to tick, and a machine built as much for daily use as for long-distance touring, the V-Strom 1050 SE remains a compelling proposition. It doesn't overwhelm anyone — it convinces through its coherence.