SuzukiSavage.com - Thinking about an Intruder

Greg Serious Thumper Offline Molon Labe Posts: 1251 Southeast PA, uSA Gender:	Thinking about an Intruder 07/27/14 at 18:37:54 I am considering a VS800/S50 or VS1400/S83. Does anyone have any experience with them? Aside from the handlebars and seat, is there a big difference between the old and new? Does the water cooled 800 perform similar to the air/oil cooled and heavier 1400?
Back to top	2002 Savage. IP Logged

Serowbot

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

OK.... so what's the
speed of dark?

Posts: 28660
Tucson Az
Gender: male

Re: Thinking about an Intruder
Reply #1 - 07/27/14 at 23:00:10

Just what I know...
Both are very Jap chopper in character...
... but different in technology...
The 800 is water cooled, more revvy less torque... feels like a Honda... refined, but lacking character... it is complex... 2 PIA air filters... hard to reach battery... not fun to work on...
The 1400, I know only from reputation... but it is powerful... by several degrees of more...

I thought about the 1400 myself... but weighting the pluses and minuses... I can't justify the added weight, cost, and complexity,... over my Savage...

Either is a magnitude much more than just a step from a Savage... the 800 in complexity, the 1400 in power...

JMHO... and I've never even ridden a 1400...

I'd take a Sportster over an Intruder 800... same power, better resale, better quality,and simpler...
I'd take the 1400 over a bigger Harley...

Honestly,... I'd take Triumph over any of them...
Grin

...

Back to top

Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh

...

IP Logged

WD

Serious Thumper
2005 No Login

Offline

Professional
"scooter
trash".

Posts: 5207
Rosemark TN
Gender: male

Re: Thinking about an Intruder
Reply #2 - 07/28/14 at 00:31:17

Have a VS800 rotting away behind the motorhome. 2 nearly invisible (and impossible to synch) carburetors that retail for over $600 each. Need to change an air filter, you nearly have to pull the engine to gain access. One minor glitch will kill power to the fuel pump (yep, it has to run an electric pump, very poor design), starter and coils. Finding said glitch is a crap shoot, the bike has close to 1/8 mile of angel hair pasta fine wiring.

Buy a nice C50 or C50T. Fuel infested, but with a much higher quality fuel pump, brain box, water pump. Considerably more reliable. Easier to service. 1000x more comfortable than the cartoon cruisers that led to it. Honda killed off the first generation cartoon Shadows and Magnas for a reason... Suzuki and Kawasaki finally got smart and dropped their knockoff versions a few years ago.

VS800 is a good shock and front end donor, nothing more. Horrid in any other respect.

Back to top

On 2 wheels since 7/87

Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom

IP Logged

Greg

Serious Thumper

Offline

Molon Labe

Posts: 1251
Southeast PA, uSA
Gender: male

Re: Thinking about an Intruder
Reply #3 - 07/28/14 at 04:30:20

Thanks guys. I'm actually leaning towards the 1400. I've never really cared for water-cooled technology on a motorcycle. The problem is, is they are about twice the money. I prefer the styling of the intruder over the standard cruiser. I'm not familiar with any other bike looks that way. Truthfully, I would just like to get a bigger bike for the highway that has a styling I want, is more comfortable than the Savage, and it while traveling at 70 miles an hour and I twist the throttle to avoid someone it actually moves.

Back to top

2002 Savage.

IP Logged

WD

Serious Thumper
2005 No Login

Offline

Professional
"scooter
trash".

Posts: 5207
Rosemark TN
Gender: male

Re: Thinking about an Intruder
Reply #4 - 07/28/14 at 08:09:07

First generation (early to mid 1980s) Honda Shadow V twins, Honda Magna and Spirit V fours, Kawasaki VN700/750, Kawasaki EN500, Suzuki VS700/750/800/1400, Yamaha Virago XV250/535/700/750/900/1000/1100.

All cartoon cruisers from J.A. Pan Inc's less than stellar early experiments with trying to bring British (Brough and Vincent) or American style bikes to market. All miserable failures other than they led to the development of Kawi VN800/1500, Suzuki C50/C90, Yamaha Star series, and Honda VT1100 ACE.

The early versions are as cramped, if not more cramped, than our cute little toy 652cc thumpers.

Back to top

« Last Edit: 07/29/14 at 23:02:35 by WD »

On 2 wheels since 7/87

Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom

IP Logged

Demin Serious Thumper Offline We need more chlorine in the gene pool Posts: 2435 Warren,Ohio Gender:	Re: Thinking about an Intruder Reply #5 - 07/29/14 at 18:54:26 I got rid of the one I had.Traded it for a Savage.Couldn't get comfortable on it.Pegs are waaayyy to close to the seat,same with the rider's position.Just couldn't make it as cool as the Savages I've done.
Back to top	Next project:finish '87 Savage custom/bobber/CHOP STYLE***DONE finish '77 Yamaha XS650 bobber Bought another one finish'79 Harley custom bobber(NEXT) IP Logged

WD

Serious Thumper
2005 No Login

Offline

Professional
"scooter
trash".

Posts: 5207
Rosemark TN
Gender: male

Re: Thinking about an Intruder
Reply #6 - 07/29/14 at 23:04:57

I always got funny looks when I borrowed Lisa's 800 Intruder. At 6'2" 240#, I was on the pillion to get enough leg and arm room to control the bike w/o massive cramps in my hips and shoulders. And her bike has 10" rise bars.

She wants a C50T. Good prices on low mileage clean used ones around here. Wish I could say the same for Kawasaki VN800As...

Back to top

On 2 wheels since 7/87

Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom

IP Logged

PerrydaSavage

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

Riding "The
Rock"!

Posts: 3522
Republic of Newfoundland
Gender: male

Re: Thinking about an Intruder
Reply #7 - 07/30/14 at 02:52:28

I (very) briefly owned a 2006 S50 Boulevard ... did not the Bike at all ... totally void of character and the battery compartment had to have been designed by the lowest paid Engineer in Suzuki's design department ... what a frustrating PITA!!

The Honda VT750DC/C2/C2B/RS, etc. are better choices, if not as fast as the VS800 ... so is Kawi's VN900C Vulcan ...

Back to top

Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by arseholes!

IP Logged

Greg Serious Thumper Offline Molon Labe Posts: 1251 Southeast PA, uSA Gender:	Re: Thinking about an Intruder Reply #8 - 07/30/14 at 04:10:20 Thanks for the additional insight.
Back to top	2002 Savage. IP Logged