My first (and only) bike was a Suzuki DL1,000 V-Strom. It was a great bike and totally trouble free, with plenty of power. As a distance road bike it was phenomenal, and I loved it on the twisty roads. I ran it on a few dirt roads and a cow pasture and it did ok. It was big and tall and heavy, but if you put your nuts up by the fuel tank and let the back end do what you want it was ok. I think the DL650 would be better for more dirt, but I loved the power of the 1,000. If I bought another bike I would lean toward a more dirt focused model, just because I think they look fun for running around town. I was commuting 75 miles one way on the Strom, so it made a lot of sense.
