There's no doubt that Suzuki hit it big when it launched its 2023 lineup of middleweight machines. The Japanese manufacturer was previously criticized for lacking innovation and dragging its feet by making use of decades-old technology. Needless to say, the brand was given a much-needed lease on life with its brand new lineup.
Gone is the 650cc V-Twin found in the SV650 and V-Strom 650, and in its place, a new 776cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, parallel-twin engine with an output of 83 horsepower and 57 pound-feet of torque. On top of the refreshed performance, Suzuki has also thrown in a bunch of cutting-edge tech features such as an up and down quickshifter, traction control, LED lights, and a full-color TFT display. That being said, it's clear that the V-Strom 800DE and GSX-8S are going to be huge hits, and the fact that the aftermarket for these two bikes is rapidly growing is sure to help with this success.
Speaking of aftermarket accessories, one of the first things a lot of us change when it comes to our bikes is the exhaust system. Akrapovič is by far one of the most popular brands in the world, and the Slovenian company has just released a brand new slip-on exhaust system for the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE. Naturally, aftermarket exhausts do three things – manufacturers of such caliber as Akrapovič ensure that their exhaust systems eke out extra performance from the engine, while significantly reducing weight. Any noise gained from such accessory is simply seen as a byproduct – ideally.
Let's face it, a lot of us fit aftermarket exhausts on our bikes mainly because of the sound. That said, all this may soon change given recent developments in the aftermarket industry, but that's a topic for another story. In the case of the Suzuki V-Strom 800DE, Akrapovič's new slip-on system is completely homologated to ECE and Euro 5 standards, so there's no worry about it being legal in European countries.
As for the performance side of the equation, the brand makes some impressive claims: 23.6-percent lighter, and a bump of one horsepower and one Newton-meter (about 0.7 pound-feet) of torque. To achieve this light weight, Akrapovič made use of a lot of titanium and carbon fiber, like it always does in its exhaust systems. The system is also easy to install, given its slip-on nature. It makes use of existing hardware, and mounts directly to the stock manifold.
As for pricing and availability, the flashy exhaust system from Akrapovič will obviously command quite the premium. Though the brand has yet to announce official pricing, we can expect it to command at least around $1,000 USD, as this is Akrapovič's pricing for exhaust systems for similar models such as the Yamaha Tenere 700 and Aprilia Tuareg 660.
