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Cult bike Suzuki VS 1400 Intrude

So clean, so strong, so persistent

Usually the Japanese prefer consensus. The Suzuki VS 1400 Intruder, however, went fully on a confrontation course towards Milwaukee in 1987. And it hit with force.

NOToh friendly and numerous experiments with in-line engines, the sons of Nippon gave up in the mid-1980s. If cool gliding was only allowed to work with a V-engine, then they should get it, the Americans. After initial unsuccessful attempts with over 100 hp from four cylinders arranged at a 90-degree angle (Suzuki GV 1200 Madura or Honda VF 1100 C), Yamaha then showed a promising path with the XV 1000, also for large displacements: fewer (cylinders, angles, power) brings more (number of pieces, image, coal).

Cult bike Suzuki VS 1400 Intruder

So clean, so strong, so persistent

Manufacturer

An angle drive housing as an eye-catcher. But the tiny lamp pot and the missing tachometer prove that the designers could also leave them out.

Milwaukee was able to read along with ease up to this point, but then it happened: Said connecting rods have 94 mm thick pistons and they have a 98 mm stroke. Makes 1360 cm³. 20 more than the Holy of Holies. Damn it, the Japanese were serious about intruder, in English: intruder. That is why project manager Sadao Shirasagi had American Suzuki employees on board, and they dictated a line that only Low Rider and Wide Glide had at the time.

Stretched, powerful, clean and cool. At strategic points, loving details caught the eye: polished housing of the cardan bevel drive, wire-spoke wheels (rear with the most powerful series tires at the time), high-quality fittings, huge exhaust system, ducktail. But their work did not stop at the appearance. With early industrial puffing, hissing and shooting, the V2, which is fed by two carburettors, comes out of its slips. Even before 3000 tours he unpacks the club, at around 4000 gourmets switch up to feel this wonderful blow again. Tea fourth is the end. The first Suzuki VS 1400 Intrude does not have and does not need more gear steps; later, changed noise regulations forced an encore. Little changed in the chassis and brakes over the last 25 years. You – well – are enough. In any case, they did not stand in the way of cult worship, and fat Suzie can actually offer everything from the nickname Trude to her own meetings and clubs to the noble Revell model. By the way, it looks really cute at a scale of 1:12.

Data and information

The two-cylinder four-stroke 45 degree V engine of the Suzuki VS 1400 Intruder.

Data (Model year 1987)
air / oil-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 45-degree V-engine, one overhead camshaft, three valves per cylinder, 1360 cm³, 49 kW (67 hp) at 5000 / min, 108 Nm at 3400 / min, four-speed gearbox, double loop frame made of tubular steel, weight with a full tank of 260 kg, front tires 110/90 H 19, rear 170/80 H 15, tank capacity 13 liters, top speed 167 km / h,
0–100 km / h in 5.2 seconds.

literature
Great literary outpourings on Suzuki’s epoch-making long fork are still pending. Only repair instructions are currently available in German and English. The one from Bucheli-Verlag costs 39.90 euros, the one from Clymer in
California published should be available for a similar amount.

scene
The VS 1400 has become a little quieter in recent years, and the number of spectacular conversions has decreased significantly. No wonder, the first new sales were almost 30 years ago and the last ten years. Nevertheless, the Suzuki is still part of the hard core of the custom scene, a look at the relevant catalogs proves it. Particularly rewarding: www.thunderbike.de. Anyone interested in a used Intruder today will find it from a good 3000 euros. Elaborate and well-maintained conversions can cost three times as much. Specimens in perfect original condition are rather rare.

Internet
www.vl1500.de. Links to regional IGs are also listed here.

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