SR75 World Team Suzuki has pulled the covers off a special V-Strom 650XT project, a build that sees the multiple Arenacross title-winning outfit inject a supercross twist into the middleweight adventure machine.

Unveiled today at the Adventure Bike Rider Festival, the team has taken the standard V-Strom and stripped it back to its component parts, before modifying and replacing a number of elements to boost its off-road capabilities and performance.

The standard 19” and 17” wheels have been replaced with 21” and 18” rims with bespoke Envy hubs, shod with Pirelli tyres. The whole chassis has been raised with in-house suspension mods and upgraded springs.

Ergonomics are changed with handlebar risers housing RM-Z450 Renthal ‘bars, protected by genuine Suzuki hand guards. Modified-to-fit RM-Z450 footpegs give an assured, planted feel off-road. California-based Motoseat took the standard V-Strom seat base and provided custom seat foam and ribbed cover to create the perfect shape and riding position in more challenging conditions.

Mated to SR75 modified headers, a custom FMF titanium pipe sits higher than the original and gives a racier exhaust note. There’s also a heavy duty sump guard and a lighter battery, while the aesthetic is completed with restyled bodywork to slim down the rear end and create a lighter, stripped-back aesthetic. A bespoke GP Grafix kit completes the unique look and mimics the team’s RM-Z race bikes.

SR75 team owner, Geoff Walker, “Getting to grips with the V-Strom was really exciting and it made an interesting project. Away from the race bikes we’ve turned our hands to a few projects in the past, but normally they’re older RM and RM-Z models, so this was something a bit different. The standard bike is obviously a very good, very capable mile-munching middleweight adventure bike, but we’ve just improved it in certain areas and given it a more off-road focus through our expertise. The Envy wheel set is a work of art, truly, and are absolutely bespoke to this build, and the whole look is only completed through the fine work of the crew at GP Grafix who have done an amazing job. It’s been a real team effort by our team and all of our technical partners.

“With the taller, tougher stance, the modifications to the seat, pegs, and ‘bars and heavy duty crash protection, it’s going to be a proper thing off-road, and we’ve got some big plans to do some cool things with it this summer. And for any V-Strom owners looking to recreate or take inspiration, we’d be happy to help with parts and share our knowhow.”

SR75 World Team Suzuki competes across the globe, attending events – and achieving success – in the US and Europe, and can lay claim to five Arenacross rider titles in the UK, plus multiple team championships and titles in Denmark and France.

The V-Strom 650XT is currently available with 2.9% APR over a three-year Hire Purchase or PCP agreement, with no deposit required.

ALEIX SECOND AND MAVERICK SEVENTH TO TAKE THEIR RS-GP MACHINES INTO THE PROVISIONAL TOP 10, SAVADORI CONTINUES DEVELOPMENT

Following the most predictable script, the first day of practice in Assen alternated almost perfectly between a wet and dry track. The FP1 sessions were held in full wet conditions, whereas the situation improved gradually in the afternoon all the way down to a finale with good times on basically dry asphalt.

In all the conditions, both with the rain in the morning and on the dry track in the latter part of the FP2 session, Aleix and Maverick confirmed their outstanding form, taking their Aprilia RS-GP machines into the provisional top 10. Espargaró’s second place time and Maverick’s seventh represent an excellent starting point to build a solid weekend.

In Assen, Aprilia Racing will also have the Test Team on the grid with Lorenzo Savadori in the saddle as he continues developing upgrades even in view of 2023 on an RS-GP with quite a few parts under development. Despite the huge job of trials and tests to be accomplished, the Italian rider still managed to shine, doing interesting times in the various stages of the sessions and finishing the day with the twenty-first time.

ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
"It’s always important to start off strong, so I am satisfied with these first two sessions. Especially in the wet this morning I was fast and I had a good feeling even in conditions which are certainly not my favourite. On the dry track in the afternoon, I was only able to do a few laps at the end of the session, but I still managed to find the rhythm, which actually surprised me a bit. So, we are ready to tackle any situation, although we’re always hoping for the dry, a condition in which you can really have fun here in Assen."

MAVERICK VIÑALES
"We started from the base we had in Sachsenring and we were solid here too, in the top 10 both in the dry and in the wet. I felt really good in FP2 when the track was dry. We obviously still need to improve, but the Aprilia has some important strong points. Even in the best session, we weren’t able to push to the limit because the track wasn’t perfectly dry. It would be nice to be able to do that tomorrow."

LORENZO SAVADORI
"Not too bad. We’re continuing our work, especially in deciding on new solutions. We put the slicks on very early, using a general setting that was still intended for a damp track, so when the asphalt condition improved gradually, we were unable to push to the limit. In any case, we are following our programme and we’ll keep moving in this direction tomorrow."

If you’re travelling by road, then you’re at a small risk of suffering an accident. This risk varies depending on where you’re travelling, and by what vehicle. Statistically speaking, motorcyclists are in the greatest danger. When you’re on two wheels, you’re not only more likely to be involved in a collision – you’re also more likely to suffer injury and death. While you can claim compensation after suffering a serious brain injury, you can’t easily reverse the damage.  

For motorcyclists, therefore, taking the time to identify the biggest dangers is more than worthwhile. Let’s take a look at a few of the most notorious.

Biggest Danagers to Motorcyclists on the Road

Oncoming traffic is undoubtedly the biggest danager that motorcyclists face. If you’re involved in a head-on collision, then you’ll have be exposed to twice the force as if you’d hit the same object at double the speed (assuming that you’re travelling at the same speed as the other vehicle). While passengers and drivers in cars have a lot of protective structures around them, motorcyclists aren’t so fortunate. Even a minor impact can knock you off the bike.

Junctions are another source of danger. Drivers might not have noticed you – they have multiple demands on their attention when they’re waiting to turn. That’s assuming they haven’t taken the opportunity to take out their phones.

Overbraking is something that’s likely to throw you over the handlebars. While it might be nececssary to avoid a collission, sudden stopping is something that can pose a danger in itself.

Car doors are another thing that can take you out when they’re opened unexpecetedly. This is something that’s particularly troubling in cities.

Finally, we should worry about the condition of the road surface. Grit, gravel and rainwater can all reduce your traction. Gravel in particular can cause the bike to highside – which is a sudden and often deadly rotation of the bike.

How to Avoid an Accident

The easiest way to avoid an accident on your bike is to reduce your speed. The slower you’re going, the more easily you’ll be able to react to some of the threats we’ve mentioned.

You should also be sure that you’re wearing the appopriate safety gear. This includes a helmet, as well as boots, gloves, leathers and body armor.

You should also be sure that your bike is in good condition. This means regularly assessing your tyre pressures, changing the oils, and testing the brakes. If you’re practiced doing emergency stops. It’ll be less likely that you get thrown off. We should also mention that, in a disproportionate number of motorcycle casualties, drink-driving has been a factor. If you know you’re going to be getting in the saddle, then you should limit your alcohol consumption to zero. Don’t take any chances!

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ALONGSIDE ALEIX AND MAVERICK, LORENZO SAVADORI RETURNS TO THE TRACK

A fixed presence on the MotoGP calendar since 1949, if we exclude the cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic, the Dutch track of Assen has earned the nickname of Cathedral both for the technical characteristics of the layout and the spectacular nature of the races held here. An important test that comes just before the summer break, a time during which riders and teams will be able to recover their energies and work in preparation for the championship finale.

For Aleix, the goal is to return to the podium, which has become a pleasant habit in this 2022. A new situation for him and for Aprilia, but one that has matured thanks to the great evolution of the technical package and the extraordinary speed and consistency shown by the rider from Granollers.

The Sachsenring weekend returned an increasingly solid Viñales in the saddle of the RS-GP. The process of adaptation to the Italian bike continues to proceed smoothly and Maverick is counting on being able to take advantage of a 'friendly' track like the Dutch one to close out this first part of the season in the best possible way.

Aprilia will appear at the Assen Grand Prix with a full line-up, given the presence on track of test rider Lorenzo Savadori. To whom, as always, will fall the task of continuing the development of the RS-GP.

ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
"Assen is a mythical circuit, with a spectacular layout. I am a little worried about the weather, which is always an unknown here, for sure we will find lower temperatures than at Sachsenring. Clearly I'd like to find a dry weekend but the important thing will be to arrive at the summer break with a positive ranking and morale situation."

MAVERICK VIÑALES
"The first objective here at Assen will be to continue on the level shown last week. I am convinced that we can be competitive at every track, even more so on a layout that has always suited my riding style. Also the fact that we are racing straight away is something that helps me. We have seen that starting at the front makes life a lot easier in the race, if we can get at least the second row we could really show our potential".

LORENZO SAVADORI
"For me it is always amazing to be back on track, especially when it is an iconic event like Assen. The technicians have already told me that we'll have a lot of solutions to work on, our objective remains to put miles on the clock and continue to develop the RS-GP. Maybe testing something that can help Aleix and Maverick in the second half of the championship".