Quick look: SR75 Suzuki race team upgrades a V-Strom 800 for rally

SR75 World Team Suzuki has applied its off-road racing experience and expertise to the new V-Strom 800DE to create a new Rally Edition, which it plans to race later this season.

Building on a platform already designed to be the most off-road focussed V-Strom ever, the SR75 Rally Edition is equipped with a robust AS3 sump guard and AS3 handlebar risers with a set of RM-Z450 ‘bars.

Giving the 776cc parallel twin more bark is a modified FMF titanium exhaust system, while the standard 21” and 17” wheels have been swapped for a 21” and 18” wheel set from ENVY. They are shod with Dunlop D209RR tyres and mousses. The whole package is finished off with an SR75 Suzuki livery from GP Grafix.

SR75 Suzuki team owner, Geoff Walker, commented, “Racing RM-Zs around the world might be our bread and butter but we’re also always up for a project build like this.

“We produced the SR75 V-Strom 650XT a couple of years ago, and as soon as the 800DE was launched we were always keen to get our hands on one.

“This is really stage one of the build and we will make some more modifications before we go racing, but we think we’ve taken what was already a solid base package for an adventure bike you could hard ride off-road or into town for a coffee – it’s that versatile and usable – and turned it into a bike that can hold its own in a competitive rally.”

The UK-based team is known primarily for its success in Supercross and Arenacross, with multiple Arenacross UK titles and championships in France and Denmark, plus appearances in the AMA Supercross Championship and the FIM World Supercross Championship.

In standard form the V-Strom 800DE is off-road ready, and comes with 220mm of ground clearance, a tough steel frame with separate bolt-on subframe, and fully-adjustable suspension from Showa with 220mm of travel.

The SR75 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE Rally Edition will be on display at the Adventure Bike Rider Festival at Ragley Hall this weekend, 28-30 June, along with Suzuki’s range of V-Strom models, with on and off-road test rides available.

More information: www.bikes.suzuki.co.uk

More information on the ABR Festival: www.abrfestival.com