The call of the open road, the thrill of exploration, and the allure of far-off destinations have always been the hallmarks of motorcycle adventures. Gordon Stuart has been lucky enough to travel some of the world’s greatest roads by motorcycle, from the Dalton Highway in Alaska, The Verdon Canyon in South East France, to the Lofoten Islands in Norway and the F roads across Iceland.   

As part of his ongoing quest to ride across The Arctic Circle in every country possible, at the start of 2020 Gordon settled on the V-Strom 650XT as the perfect bike for his next planned adventure to Arctic Finland as well as plenty of day trips around his native Northumberland, and weekend runs to Scotland.

Gordon had ambitious plans, 4,000 miles in nine and half days from home in Newcastle to Arctic Finland via Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, popping into Norway on the way home just because. Utilising his personalised champion yellow V-Strom with silver Givi outback trekker side cases, Gordon set off from Newcastle to catch the ferry to the Netherlands from Hawrich in Essex, some 326 miles away.

After the rest of an overnight ferry, Gordon docked early into Rotterdam at 8am on day two, ready for what turned out to be a punishing day in the saddle. Blitzing through the picturesque Dutch countryside and the distant cityscapes of Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Apeldoorn, Gordon was in Germany before noon with 150 miles in the bank. It was another 280 miles across Germany to the Northern town of Puttgarden where he would catch a ferry to Denmark.

Progress was stalled upon hitting major roadworks on the Bundesautobahn 1. Sweltering in the sun, low speed filtering became a chore, slowing progress, making the arrival into Denmark late. Even though the sun was starting to sit low in the sky he pressed on for Sweden, crossing the iconic Øresund Bridge from Copenhagen into Malmo, offering breathtaking views of the Baltic Sea – entering Malmo around 10pm, 545 miles done and 30 shy of the planned mileage.

The final leg of the journey North took him into the wilderness of Finland. The landscape evolved from lush forests to vast tundras and crystal-clear lakes, and not a motorway since Germany. The weather in Finland was cold and wet, up there with some of the worst conditions he had ridden – on par with Iceland in 2018 and Norway in 2011.

Thankfully the final day north saw the weather ease but the roads narrow. This northern wilderness was bathed in perpetual daylight, creating a surreal atmosphere, especially witnessing the midnight sun inside the Arctic Circle, which marked the pinnacle of this adventure and the fourth time Gordon had crossed the Arctic Circle by motorcycle.

The route home took in more of the delights of Finland, as well as the seemingly never-ending forests of Sweden, and a small visit into Norway to enjoy some of the amazing roads and landscapes.

Gordon said of the trip, “My V-Strom 650XT was the perfect motorcycle for the trip and never missed a beat. There was a great amount of power and range in the engine, even when fully loaded with my camping gear, and it was light and nimble enough to really enjoy the Scandinavian roads and mountain passes. The fuel-economy was fantastic which was a helpful benefit considering current fuel prices across Europe. Comfort was good, too, with some long days in the saddle. Needless to say, I can’t wait for my next V-Strom adventure.”

Find out more about the V-Strom 650XT.

Suzuki is bringing a fleet of new and iconic models to Motorcycle Live 2023, which takes place from 18-26 November at the NEC in Birmingham.

The firm’s entire product range will be on display, including its new-for-2024 models, alongside the fresh metal that joined the lineup this year.

That includes the award-winning GSX-8S and its adventure-shaped sibling, the V-Strom 800DE, both of which use the new 776cc parallel twin engine with a 270° crank, with an abundance of torque, and a comprehensive suite of electronics.

Both flavours of V-Strom 1050 – the 1050 and 1050DE – will also populate the adventure bike section of the stand, as will the venerable V-Strom 650XT, while the 8S will be joined by the GSX-S1000 and SV650 in the street bike section.

Powered by the same superbike-derived inline four-cylinder engine as the GSX-S1000, the revered GSX-S1000GT sports tourer will make an appearance, shown in its new colours for 2024, as will the iconic Hayabusa, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024.

Making up the scooter section will be the trio of new 125s – the Avenis, Address, and Burgman 125 Street EX – and the Burgman 400, the original maxi scooter. Flying the yellow flag in the off-road corner will be RM-Z machinery, including race bikes from renowned supercross team and bike builders SR75 Suzuki. Their special, supercross-inspired V-Strom 650 will also be on display.

Visitors to the show will also be able to test ride a number of the models on display, with a fleet of Suzuki’s learner legal machines available in the Try Ride section, while experienced riders can sample the delights of much of the range out on the roads.

Harking back to Suzuki’s heritage will be a number of icons from the firm’s vintage fleet,, including the Team Classic Suzuki Katana and GSX-R1000 K1 endurance racer, with famous faces stopping by throughout the show, including BSB legend John Reynolds.

During the show Suzuki can be found in hall four, on stand 4D20.

Tickets can be purchased here.

Launched alongside the new V-Strom 800DE at Eicma in 2022, the GSX-8S is a brand new bike in every sense, featuring an all-new parallel twin engine, new chassis layout and futuristic styling. A tubular steel subframe, aluminium swingarm, 43mm upside down front forks and rear shock from KYB, lightweight aluminium wheels, and wide aluminium ‘bars provide the perfect blend of stable roadholding, agility and all round manoeuvrability.

At the heart of the 8S is the long-stroke 776cc twin providing punchy torque with three rider modes to match the rider’s style and a bi-directional quickshifter allowing for crisp changes. The patented cross-balancer system and 270-degree crank ensure that the GSX-8S suppresses vibrations creating a smooth riding experience, while also delivering a V-twin esque character and feel, while the 5-inch colour TFT dash, aggressive looks and agile handling complete what MCN have dubbed “the new middleweight king”.

Suzuki has rolled out a new ‘click-to-buy’ scheme on its 125cc scooter range, giving customers the opportunity to buy online via the official Suzuki website, with orders fulfilled by their local dealership.

Making the buying process quicker and simpler, the scheme is available on the newly-launched Address 125, Avenis 125, and the Burgman Street 125EX, with just a £99 deposit required.

Hitting the ‘click-to-buy’ option from the respective model page or by visiting buy.bikes.suzuki.co.uk, customers enter their postcode before selecting their preferred colour option, after which they will be prompted to choose their nearest dealership with their choice of model and colour in stock and available.

Once the customer has added their details and payment information for the £99 deposit, the order will be fulfilled by the dealership in the usual way.

All three of Suzuki’s new 125cc scooters are engineered to provide comfort, practicality, and outstanding urban performance while also delivering excellent levels of economy and efficiency, but they do so in their own way and with their own style, giving customers the option to enjoy their city, their way.

They are powered by the proven Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) engine; the air-cooled, single-cylinder powerplant that currently powers over five million Suzuki models worldwide. All three scooters allow customers to ‘go further on a fiver’ by achieving an impressive 148.67mpg* fuel consumption figure and produce just 44g/km of CO2 emissions. At the same time, they still deliver powerful acceleration, with peak horsepower and maximum torque delivered at low rpm.

For more information on Suzuki’s scooter range, click here.

*Official WMTC figure.

The summer’s list of demo machines also includes the GSX-S1000 and GSX-S950, as well as the GSX-S1000GT – the best-selling sports tourer of 2022 – the updated Katana, the Burgman 400 maxi scooter, and the iconic hyperbike, the Hayabusa.  

Joining the test ride fleet from the 8th April will also be the all-new GSX-8S which features a new 776cc parallel twin and equipped with a quickshifter, colour TFT dash, power modes and multiple traction control modes.  

(Note that bike availability will differ from one event to another. Customers are advised to speak to their local dealer in advance of the event to check availability and to pre-book.) 

Away from the test rides, Suzuki staff will be on hand to provide information on the firm’s full range of models and current offers and incentives. Additionally, individual dealerships will also provide extra entertainment and activities on the day, such as refreshments, special guests, offers on clothing and accessories, and motorcycle health checks.

A new adventure bike zone will give V-Strom owners the chance to take their bike off-road, as well as test ride the new V-Strom 1050DE and all-new V-Strom 800DE. The zone – free to enjoy over the weekend – will include expert tuition, a skills area, and a test ride loop through woodland and undulating terrain.

Out on the roads local to Cadwell Park, visitors will be able to test ride other models in Suzuki’s on-road range, including the new GSX-8S, GSX-S1000GT, GSX-S1000, and the iconic Hayabusa.

Joining in the fun will be the likes of three-time British Superbike champion John Reynolds, former National Superstock 1000 champion Taylor Mackenzie, and former 500 Grand Prix racer and British champion Steve Parrish.