Is the Suzuki V-Strom 650 or the Kawasaki Versys 650 cheaper?

It depends entirely on how you equip them, and the headline numbers mislead. The base V-Strom 650 lists at 9,299 dollars against 10,399 dollars for the Kawasaki Versys 650 LT ABS, so the Suzuki looks about 1,100 dollars cheaper. But the Versys LT includes hard saddlebags on KQR mounts and hand guards as standard, while the base V-Strom has neither. The V-Strom 650XT Adventure, which is the version that comes with luggage, lists at 10,999 dollars. Matched for equipment, the Versys is actually the cheaper bike by about 600 dollars.

Is the Suzuki V-Strom 650 being discontinued?

It has already been dropped from the European line-up, alongside the SV650 that shares its engine, largely because of emissions rules. In the United States it is still listed as a 2025 model year machine and Suzuki has not confirmed a 2026 return. That does not make it a bad motorcycle, and Suzuki's parts and service network is not going anywhere, but it does mean you may be buying a run-out bike. Use that as leverage on price rather than a reason to walk away.

Which is better for a shorter rider, the V-Strom 650 or the Versys 650?

The Suzuki V-Strom 650, marginally. Its seat sits at roughly 835 mm against about 845 mm for the Versys 650, and it is a couple of kilos lighter at around 216 kg versus 219 kg. Both are tall adventure-touring machines, so neither is a natural short-rider bike. If you are under about 5 foot 7, sit on both before committing and ask about lower seat options, which Suzuki offers for the V-Strom.

MyMoto Comparison

Suzuki V-Strom 650 vs Kawasaki Versys 650: Which Should You Buy?

These two have been the sensible answer to "one bike that does everything" for the better part of fifteen years. Nearly every comparison you will find frames the Suzuki as the budget option, because the base V-Strom lists at $9,299 and the Versys at $10,399. That comparison is wrong, and it is wrong in a way that could cost you money: the Versys 650 LT comes with hard luggage and hand guards fitted, and the base V-Strom does not. Match them properly and the pricing flips.

Photo: PekePON, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Suzuki V-Strom 650645cc · ~70hp · from $9,299

The V-twin one. Slightly more power, slightly lighter, slightly lower, and an engine character that people stay loyal to for decades. The catch is that it is a run-out model: already dropped in Europe, and not yet confirmed for 2026 in the US.

Photo: AVMOTO, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Kawasaki Versys 650 LT649cc · ~66hp · $10,399

The current one, and the one that arrives ready to tour. The LT trim includes hard saddlebags on KQR mounts and hand guards as standard, which is the entire reason its sticker looks higher than it really is.

Specs head to head

	Suzuki V-Strom 650	Kawasaki Versys 650 LT
Engine	645cc V-twin	649cc parallel twin
Power	~70 hp	~66 hp
Wet weight	~216 kg	~219 kg
Seat height	~835 mm	~845 mm
Base MSRP	$9,299 (2025 MY)	$10,399 (2026)
Luggage included	No (XT Adventure $10,999 has it)	Yes - hard saddlebags standard
Hand guards	No on base model	Yes - standard
Availability	Run-out; dropped in Europe	Current 2026 model
Best for	V-twin character, lower seat, haggling	Touring out of the box, current model

Prices are US MSRPs published by Suzuki and Kawasaki and exclude destination charges - Kawasaki lists $685 separately, and Suzuki's varies by dealer. Weights and seat heights are catalog approximations that vary by model year and market. Always confirm the out-the-door number, which is the only figure that actually matters.

The price comparison everyone gets wrong

Line up the base models and the Suzuki looks like it saves you $1,100. But the Versys LT rolls out of the showroom with hard panniers already mounted, and a set of lockable hard luggage with the correct mounting hardware is rarely under $800 to add afterwards. The moment you decide you want to carry anything - and on a bike like this you will - that gap closes and then reverses.

The honest like-for-like is the V-Strom 650XT Adventure at $10,999 against the Versys 650 LT at $10,399. On that basis the Kawasaki is about $600 cheaper, not a thousand dearer. If you genuinely never intend to fit luggage, the base V-Strom is the cheapest way into this class and that is a legitimate reason to buy it - just make the choice with the real numbers in front of you.

Where the V-Strom 650 wins

The engine, and the tape measure. Suzuki's 645cc V-twin is the more characterful motor - torquier low down, and with a beat that riders describe with genuine affection after 60,000 miles. It also makes a few more horsepower on paper, sits about 10 mm lower, and carries a couple of kilos less. None of those margins is dramatic, but if you are on the edge of comfortable at a junction, the lower seat is worth having, and Suzuki offers a lower seat option on top of that.

Then there is the run-out angle, which cuts both ways. A model being wound down is a model dealers want off the floor. If you are a confident negotiator, this is the better bike to walk in and make an offer on.

Where the Versys 650 wins

It is the current motorcycle, and it is ready to go. Buying the model that is still in production means a full model-year warranty, current-generation parts supply, and no question mark over what happens next. Add the standard luggage and hand guards and the Versys is the bike you can buy on a Saturday and load for a two-week trip on the Sunday, without a single accessory order.

The parallel twin is smoother and a little more revvy than the Suzuki's V-twin. Which of those you prefer is genuinely a matter of taste, not quality - go and ride both before letting anyone tell you one is correct.

Which should you buy?

Buy the Versys 650 LT if you want to tour and you want it sorted. Matched for equipment it is the cheaper bike, it is the current model, and the luggage question is already answered. For most people asking this question, this is the right answer.

Buy the V-Strom 650 if you love the V-twin, you need the lower seat, or you are buying without luggage and want the lowest possible entry price - and use the run-out status to negotiate hard. A discontinued model with Suzuki's reliability record and parts network is not a risky purchase; it is a bike that will be supported for many years and simply will not have a 2027 version.

Both of these are genuinely excellent, unglamorous, do-everything motorcycles that people keep for a decade. Neither will let you down. Just do not choose between them on a sticker price comparison that ignores what is bolted to the back of one of them.

Still not sure which fits you?

The right call depends on your height and inseam, whether you actually tour or just imagine you will, your budget once luggage, gear and insurance are counted, and how much bike you want underneath you. Tell the MyMoto advisor about yourself in your own words - it weighs all of that, including the regret risks most comparisons skip, asks only what matters, and builds your free personal report in a few minutes of chat.

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MyMoto is an early beta. Always verify current specs, pricing, licence rules, insurance, and local availability before buying any motorcycle, and inspect any used bike carefully. Prices are manufacturer-published US MSRPs at the time of writing and exclude destination and dealer charges.

Full Suzuki V-Strom 650 profile →
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