RIDING The change in riding position took a bit of personal adjustment. The geometry and footpeg placement are quite different to what I’ m used to, but after a few commutes to work, it all started to click. My confidence grew fast and before I knew it, I was keen to stretch its legs further afield. One thing I appreciated straight away was the tyre setup. This bike came with a set of Bridgestone AX41s, an adventure tyre I already knew and trusted from off-road riding. Safe to say, I was stoked with how they performed both on tarmac and loose gravel. The grip was consistent and they added that extra layer of confidence when heading into unsealed forestry roads.

Another standout feature for me was the traction control. It’ s not something I thought I’ d care about much on a smaller bike, but it made a real difference on sketchy sections. On gravel, you can let it slide just enough to have fun, but the bike stays surprisingly composed. It handles a light drift like a champ, which makes for some seriously good fun without the risk of things getting too loose. That said, if there’ s one thing I’ d love to see, it’ s the option to fully turn off the ABS system. For proper off-road riding, it would be great to not have the ABS system trying to fight you when braking harder into turns. A toggle-off feature would take it up a notch.

SMALL WITH A BIT OF PUNCH For a 250, the V-Strom surprised me with how responsive it feels. The engine is smooth and easy-going when you want it to be, but twist the throttle and there’ s a decent amount of punch. It’ s not going to win any drag races, but it has more than enough go to keep up with traffic, overtake when needed and keep things engaging on back roads. I’ d even say it has a slightly aggressive edge, in a good way, which keeps it fun.

KIWI RIDER 93