Suzuki V-Strom Insurance

The Suzuki V-Strom 1000 — aka the DL1000 — has been in production since 2002, becoming one of the world’s most popular adventure bikes. The “V” in the name signifies the bike’s V-twin engine, while “Strom” is German for stream or power. Says Suzuki of the machine:

“Where the horizon ends, the adventure begins. Whether it’s a long-distance quest or a short-distance journey, the V-Strom is the versatile machine designed for the spirit of discovery.”

Unfortunately, the liter-size engine can make the V-Strom expensive to insure. What’s more, some owners have reported that insurance companies tried to classify their ‘Stroms as sport bikes instead of standards or dual sports — leading to very high rates.

For this reason, it’s especially important to compare policies and rates for your V-Strom — otherwise, you could end up paying far too much.

V-Strom Insurance Rates

It’s especially challenging to estimate premiums for motorcycle insurance, as different insurers classify bikes in varying categories. What’s more,  rates are dependent on everything from the rider’s age, experience, driving record, and credit score to the state, zip code, and loss statistics for a particular bike in a particular area. However, we collected sample rates from a variety of real V-Strom owners to give you some idea what to expect.

• Male, Texas, Liability only, Progressive: $43 / year
• Male, North Carolina, Liability only, Progressive: $100 / year
• Male, Oregon, Full Coverage, American Family: $288/ year
• Male, Tennessee, Full Coverage, Allstate: $298 / year
• Male, Missouri, Full Coverage, Progressive: $352 / year
• Male, Ohio, Full Coverage, Safeco: $377 / year
• Male, Minnesota, Full Coverage, Progressive: $402 / year
• Male, Virginia, Full Coverage, Geico: $403 (Progressive quoted $1500!)
• Male, Illinois, Full Coverage, Hartford: $428 / year
• Male, Illinois, Full Coverage, State Farm:  $575 / year
• Male, Virginia, Full Coverage, Allstate: $600 / year (Classified as Sport Bike)
• Male, North Carolina, Full Coverage, State Farm: $600 / year
• Male, Texas, Full Coverage, Progressive: $650 / year
• Male, Kentucky, Full Coverage: $900 / year (29 y.o. with multiple tickets)

As you can see, rates vary from less than $100 for minimum liability coverage to more than $1500! Says one veteran member of the www.stromtrooper.com:

“I tend to shop around every few years for insurance, to see if anyone has a substantially better deal…With so many people offering insurance, I’d rather check around and see what’s available before I contacted my current insurer; that way, you’ll know more about what the current market is like.”

Truly, the only way find the best deal on coverage is to shop around, comparing rates and policies from the various motorcycle insurers in your area. Fortunately, we can help.

Brief History: Suzuki V-Strom

Introduced in 2002, the Suzuki V-Strom 1000 (DL1000) is an adventure/dual-sport bike powered by a liquid-cooled, 90-degree V-twin derived from the TL1000 engine, using fuel injection developed in the GSX-R series. The bike was first marketed as an enduro sport tourer, but the V-Strom evolved more into an ADV bike over the years — particularly with the release of the 2014 redesign.

The bike remains significantly less expensive than European contemporaries such as the Ducati Multistrada, BMW R1200GS, and KTM 990/1190 Adventure. Meanwhile, the bike weighs only 500 pounds and makes 99 horsepower and 76 lb-ft of torque from the 1037cc engine — solid power-to-weight ratios for the segment.

The bike is mainly targeted at the very center of the ADV class, trying a target between the 1200cc and 650cc class. Says ADV Pulse:

“The bike was designed to hit a sweet spot of power, weight and price, making it the best value in the Adventure Touring Segment.”

Additionally, a Suzuki V-Strom 650 (DL650) was introduced in 2004 — affectionately known as the “Wee” Strom among some enthusiasts.  Now in its third-generation, the offers 66 bhp from its 645cc 90-degree V-twin and has been lauded all over the world. In 2007, none other than Cycle World proclaimed:

“The DL650 may just be the most shockingly competent machine in the world today.”

And the late Kevin Ash of MCN called it “perhaps the ultimate all-round machine.” The V-Strom 650 now outsells the 1000 almost two-to-one.

Suzuki V-Strom Coverage Recommendations

If you financed your V-Strom, your bank or finance company will make you carry full coverage, which generally includes comprehensive and collision coverage. Even if you bought your V-Strom outright, we highly recommend this coverage. While liability-only coverage is the cheapest option, it only covers damages to other parties in an accident — not damage to you or your bike.

What’s more, we strongly encourage even veteran riders to enroll in a weekend Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course — Basic or Advanced. Most insurers provide a solid discount for MSF graduates, and the skills could save your life.

Comparing V-Strom Rates

By far, the best and most effective way to lower your premiums to is to shop around for coverage. Fortunately, we can help. Enter your zip code to get begin comparing rates and policies from insurers in your area.