Spartan, Sensual, and Stable
Written: Jul 19 '04 (Updated Jul 19 '04)
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Pros: great looks, stable smooth ride, high quality manufacture and generally very well engineered
Cons: no storage, poor helmet lock, servicing difficulties, unreliable fork-lock, for smaller riders not behemoths
The Bottom Line: An excellent machine, just what I was looking for. I commute and fair weather ride but I'm a family man. It carries my wife or child with no problems.
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| guidinglight's Full Review: 2000 Suzuki INTRUDER 800 |
OK I am smaller than most of my biker cohorts (5'6"/160lbs) and this has made buying the right bike difficult. I am sick of feeling I am on the wrong horse. That is one of the reasons why I have been ecstatic since getting my '87 Intruder.
This is a dream to ride. I am also older and the idea of loud pipes and ostentatious riding is behind me. I like being able to come home on my classic looking chopper without having to wake my neighbors. I have been riding for 35 years so forgive me if I have nothing to prove to others about how I ride.
I have the stock dual left/right side exhaust and the only time I worry now about getting burned is when I put my feet on the highway pegs and my ankle is too close to the pipe. I have seen a lot of conversions with dual side pipes and the passengers are far more likely to experience a burning sensation (you too if not dressed right).
Also if aftermarket pipes are not properly tuned to the bike then you can get deceleration problems with popping and backfiring but this is not a problem with the stock pipes and carb balancing is critical to smooth performance.
My bike may have the jet kit (I have not been able to confirm this yet) but if it does then it might explain my great acceleration and general performance. I have heard from other owners this is a great mod for older bikes.
This bike's radiator and water cooling system make it reliable to ride in city traffic (though why go there I can't imagine) but I must say I miss having a tool kit and storage area. I see why some other owners modify it with fork and saddlebags.
The bike doesn't carry the passenger helmet well and this is about all I can complain about.
I have not owned this bike long and I bought it used in near perfect condition. The used bike dealer I got it from here in upstate New York has honored his warranty and installed a new clutch and minor parts under his tab in my first weeks of ownership. The bike has all the power I need for tooling around on the mountain roads here in the rural area upstate where I live. I have had no problem when I get on the highways but I do kind of keep searching for 6th gear (there ain't one).
I have Pirelli tires front and rear and I do not have any difficulty with cornering or stopping. I do not find the front tire too small at all but I would have liked to add a dual disk braking system someday and this cannot be done with the stock forks. On my older version the rear brake is a drum.
I also find the basic maintenance on the bike to be a little tricky and suggest that everyone here also join the Intruder Alert Club at:
http://www.intruderalert.com/cafe/index.cfm
I found the folks there very friendly and informed when I was searching for data on this bike. One of the minor gripes that they addressed for the do it yourself'er was the question of a center-stand; there is none on the stock bike. This makes some maintenance and cleaning issues a little harder than they need to be but you will find plans for making a service stand at that site.
When I am riding I am glad not to have one but when I am changing the oil etc I want one. Another aspect that bothers me but I have mixed feelings about is the battery location. It is in front of the rear tire at the bottom of the bike and very difficult to work on and check but on the positive side it is one of the design aspects that makes the frame so narrow and comfortable for smaller folks like me (and many women riders).
I am getting maintenance manuals on this bike and I might add a review on them when I receive them. This is a complex machine on the inside even though it is simple and elegant on the outside. I went nuts searching for the fuses when I got home the first day and the starter fuse blew unexpectedly.
I did get over it but I still miss kick starters. God I sound like old Model T&A's owners I met as a kid. :(
My bike is the VS 700 and I suggest to those of you buying the older bikes to look carefully at the title because the 700 and 800 cc versions are visually identical from that time period. The smaller model was manufactured to beat tariff laws passed in the mids '80s. The 700 class was smaller than the 750 restriction and didn't get tagged with the tariff costs but a lot of folks pass off their bikes as 800's when they are just 700 cc's.
I have a junker as well and I am going to rebuild the motor to 800 cc as I rebuild that one into a custom chopper. The stock chrome on this machine is good quality and the hydraulic clutch is easy to adjust to. The overall look is very close to a 90% scale Harley Sportster without the large Air Intake (it is hidden under the seat) and without the chain/belt drive (the Intruder has a drive shaft).
For those unfamiliar with a drive shaft bike, a minor warning; torque turns. You will need to adapt to the fact that going into a tight turn will be different left and right if you hit the throttle. This is common knowledge to BMW riders and easy to adapt to but requires that you pay attention when first making the transition.
Basically in the turn when you accelerate there is a torque effect that lifts you out of right turn and lowers you into a left turn. I hope I got that right as I am dyslexic :)
A few minor points to end this. My bike came with the Mustang seat conversion and it is worth the expense to those needing a new seat. It is much more comfortable than the stock seat for both me and the passenger.
Speaking of passengers, this bike does significantly change its performance when adding someone behind you and the shocks may need to be adjusted (they can be easily) to better fit the load based on their (and your weight) also the smaller engines notice the load and do not perform as well at all on the highway or serious hills.
They do just fine if you are following the speed limits but if those you're riding with are wearing *crotch rockets* then expect to get teased when you catch up.
This is a spartan machine and do not expect too many frills. If you are planning to go cross country I hope you have a good back pack and are willing to dress the bike up with bags because it doesn't carry much stock. There are not many bothersome idiot lights and no tach but there is a lot less to break and it gets great gas economy for the class. I am getting about 65 MPG.
I hope everyone finds this helpful if you are considering buying the bike and if you already have one...
I'll C-Ya on the road.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2000
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1987
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Epinions.com ID:
guidinglight
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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