My Intruder has served me well, but...
Written: Feb 02 '05
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Pros: Nice looks
Shaft Drive
Overall reliable
Cons: Three speedometer cables in 55,000 miles
Clutch starts to slip after 15,000
High speed wobble
The Bottom Line: I wouldn't buy another Intruder to commute 2,500 miles/month on.
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| nursebob3428's Full Review: 2000 Suzuki INTRUDER 800 |
This is my fourth Suzuki. I've been pleased by the shaft drive (the other three were chain drives), but the handling and reliability have been lacking. And, when I've needed to get replacement parts from Suzuki, the wait has often been interminable. At this point I expect a 2 - 3 week wait for almost any OEM part.
I bought a '97 new off the lot in 2000. Since the purchase I've put 55,000 miles on the bike, and rebuilt the engine once. I have to take responsibility for not frequently checking the oil level (I currently drive 2,500 per month), which may have led to the engine rebuild. On the other hand, the low oil indicator never complained... Rebuild cost half of the retail price of the bike (around $5,500 for a new bike).
The main irritants:
1) The seat will kill you if you ride more than a couple of hours. On a 1,000 mile trip this summer I had to include extra padding to survive the 6 - 8 hour rides I'd planned.
2) High speed wobble - at speeds over 70, expect the bike to wiggle. Very unsettling in curves, especially if it's windy. Make sure to get radials; the OEM Bridgstones are the worst. I've had a good experiences with Dunlops and Metzlers I've also heard from other Intruder owners that a steering damper is a very good idea.
3) The speedometer cables have been problematic. After an hour or so at 70, expect the needle to jump between 60 and 80. Take the average...
4) Small tank - as others have noted, expect to stop every 100 miles. Of course, with the seat, you'll welcome the chance to get off the bike.
5) Handling - I can't count the times I've scraped the footpegs. Don't expect to take this bike through twists and turns heeled over.
What I like:
1) Styling - lots of compliments; it's a nice looking bike.
2) Reliability - With the exception of the smoked engine at 30,000, which may have been my fault, it's been reliable. I've not been stranded anywhere.
3) Shaft drive - I'll never ride a chain-driven bike again.
4) Water cooled - I don't stress over sitting in traffic. And I'm not interested in lane-splitting. There's already enough adrenalin in my life - I'm a nurse in a cardio-vascular ICU.
What's next? Probably not another Suzuki; too much frustration with slow turn-around on parts. And, I want a bike that will go 100,000 miles. I don't think that's what Suzuki is targeting.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 5,500
Condition: New
Model Year: 1997
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Epinions.com ID:
nursebob3428
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Reviews written: 1
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