Review of the Suzuki Intruder 1400 (VS 1400, Boulevard S83) motorcycle

Review of the Suzuki Intruder 1400 (VS 1400, Boulevard S83) motorcycle

I drive a '98 Intruder 1400. Here's my description of it:

1 - the engine with 15(20)W50 oil does not overheat even in the heat of 32-35C in traffic jams.

2 — The engine is basically non-lethal. For 10K that season there was not even a hint of any malfunction. It starts always and everywhere, even on the shittiest gasoline, even when the decompressor valves are not adjusted and have gaps a few millimeters from the norm, the decompressor chambers are clogged with dirt, the engine will still start. Has the battery died? It doesn’t matter, in third gear it starts wonderfully from the pusher.

3 - Vibration. It is there, almost like a Harley. But it only exists when you fill up with bad gasoline, the engine barely pulls and shakes.

4 - The rear suspension is only suitable for driving alone and sometimes it breaks, but at the same time it is good in that it allows you to lay the bike down until it catches with the plug even on the roughest road.

5 - Cross-country ability. She is some kind of Endurian. Once, on a sandy forest road, I buried both wheels and completely sat down on my belly. I taxied out without even getting off the motorcycle.

6 - Consumption. 4.3-4.6 liters on the highway, depending on the quality of gasoline, at an average speed of 120-140 km/h.

7 — The main disadvantage: EXTREMELY “unreliable” electrics... this is expressed in the fact that the terminals on the battery can be slightly unscrewed.

8- if you decide to buy, first of all look at the rubber pipes of the intake valves that come from the carbs. If they don’t look perfect, feel free to ask for at least 20 pieces, as new ones cost 7500-8000 rubles each. Also look at the battery charging relay (tester). Measure the compression with the electric magnet of the decompressor turned off, it must be at least 12 kg and must be the same in both boilers, if not, don’t ask for discounts, just leave, it’s not worth buying such a thing.

The Intruder 1400 is actually a perfect motorcycle, a cult engine, IMHO. Its only disadvantage is that, like other Japanese cars, there is no technical aftermarket and tuning like the X-D (((If there was something like that, a laborer could well lay claim to a motorcycle that will last a lifetime.

Actually, I’ll write about my feelings about owning the Intruder 1400.

Tenure period – 3 years

Total mileage - ~20000km

Longest trip ~3200km

What I liked:

Dimensions. It's easy to ride a motorcycle in city traffic. He is not as clumsy as his classmates.

Power. Dynamics are simply excellent. It seems like a chopper is conducive to relaxed driving, which you can easily do on it, but when you need to, you can quickly get to the point.

I really liked the long fourth gear (from 1991 there was a 5-speed gearbox). That is, its range is very large from 60 to maximum speed (>165 squeezed).

Thanks to the large cubic capacity, riding in a column when you need to match someone (walking from the side, walking in front) is not at all annoying. If earlier on your Shadik 750 you had to constantly either accelerate, clicking the speeds, then slow down, again clicking the speeds, but if you put the second number on it, it’s a bummer. Driving the Intruder, even with the second number plate, is not at all annoying. The speed is easily damped by the engine, I let go of the handle, slowed down the motorcycle, unscrewed it - quickly picked it up, sometimes there are rare shifts.

Minuses:

The passenger backrest was a little strained. On my previous motorcycle it was higher, wider, there was clearance between the seat and the back. Hang up the passenger's helmet, fasten the strap and go for a ride. Here the back is narrow, there is no clearance, if you put on a helmet, firstly, it dangles, and secondly, you can’t fasten it, there is a chance of losing it. Actually a so-so joint.

I was very unhappy with the size of the tank at this consumption. The tank is 13 liters, the average consumption on the highway is 6.5 liters/100 km (after cleaning the carbs, synchronizing and replacing the air intakes ~6.3), that is, 200 km to a dry tank.

The protruding side shock absorbers are not conducive to the use of conventional flip-over panniers; the panniers should be sloping backwards, as it were, simple ones will skid on the shock absorbers and will certainly quickly kill themselves. Of course, it was possible to order cases directly for the motorcycle (their selection is not large on ebay and yahoo), but this is a limitation of freedom of choice :gamer4:. I ticked the box for myself that I want the next bike with larger panniers. The front brakes are a little sluggish, but that’s a plus, the wheel doesn’t lock at the slightest excitement, which apparently only worked to my advantage.

The engine doesn’t start very well in cold weather, but I think it’s not just this Japanese guy, I’ve heard such complaints from many.

For a note: There is no problem in bringing new spare parts from Japan, but you don’t always have the finances for new ones and then we start looking for used spare parts/tuning, so everything is bad with them on the Japanese Yahoo, they simply aren’t there, sometimes something slips through, but few. So search on ebay.

Reliability.

During the entire period of use, there was no reason to get into the engine. It worked without failures or complaints.

Service.

I changed the oil every 5-6 thousand. I poured mineral water. Almost 4 liters come in. The oil filter has a fine thread. It was not possible to find a car analogue. We had to buy original filters first (damn expensive).'

Replaced the seals on the fork. Replaced the air filters. Everything was delivered without any problems. I skated about 10k on the KingTire on the rear wheel. The rubber is pretty oaky. She doesn't have much grip.

Actually, I still have positive emotions about the motorcycle. But a person like a skatina gets used to everything, so I got used to the dynamics of the Intruder. I just wanted to change the device and have it satisfy the boxes that I had set for myself.

PS: I think so

At first, I took the Boulevard S83 to drive in the area that suits it best, which is the city. Around town, the 1360cc engine is very refined, cultured and easy to drive, with plenty of comfort from the rest of the bike. First gear, which you shift into when a red light turns green, opens up the throttle generously, and if you want to cruise at that speed, second gear will allow you to watch the cars gradually shrink in size in the rearview mirrors.

On the highway, however, the bike's styling flaws really start to show. For example, the handlebar forces you to slow down in the wind, and the comfortable saddle has little free space to change the riding position of the driver.

Aside from the styling of the bike, which has some flaws that show up on the open road, I was fascinated by how well the rest of the bike performed. The big V-twin, while not a powerhouse, is both smooth and quiet, and it clearly feels at home when operating low in the powerband. In fact, some of the best times I've had on this bike have been when I've opened the throttle almost to the limit and let the bike rev, and trust me, it's built to rev. At the top of the powerband, the speed slows down a bit, so you'll want to take advantage of the low- and mid-range power to allow yourself to enjoy yourself and have a good time.

What I like most about the S83 engine is that, although it delivers quick, counterbalanced performance, the power delivery remains smooth and vibration-free.

Another thing that makes the ride enjoyable is the sound, and I have to say that many cruisers have a good exhaust sound, but driving the Boulevard S83 is like watching a mobile home theater. She is just as stunning!

I'm mostly talking about the engine because this cruiser, or should I say chopper, was built around its engine, and that's what makes it so cool. But the rest of the equipment is also important, so I should mention that the front and rear suspension help keep the bike stable on the road when leaning hard. This allows you to quickly go around corners, while reducing the danger to a minimum.

Shifting through all five gearbox speeds is very smooth and doesn't require any effort, although this monster does require a suitable throttle opening before playing with its shifter.

The brakes are also important and they also do their job flawlessly. Cruisers are usually quite heavy and require powerful braking systems, but with a dry weight of 535 pounds, the S83 is not a car to intimidate when stopping suddenly.

The motorcycle's moderate weight also makes it easy to handle in most situations, so you won't have any problems riding this Boulevard model.

My conclusion is simple, if you like it, you should have it. I don't see any downside to buying this bike, just the opposite. It has more than enough power to satisfy any biker's demands, and the same can be said about the amenities. Its cool chopper looks turn heads, and while the riding position makes road riding a bit windy, the bike's overall performance is excellent.

Brief history of the model

1987 - start of production and sales of the Suzuki VS 1400 Intruder model. The motorcycle produces 71 hp. power and 112 Nm of torque. Has a 4-speed gearbox. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe, Japan). Factory designation: VS1400GLPH, ​​VS1400GLFH.

1988 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe, Japan). Factory designation: VS1400GLPJ, VS1400GLFJ.

1989 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe, Japan). Factory designation: VS1400GLPK.

1990 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe, Japan). Factory designation: VS1400GLPL, VS1400GLFL.

1991 - The motorcycle lengthens and becomes taller. In the version for European countries, a 5-speed gearbox appears (instead of a 4-speed). Last year of production for Japan. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe, Japan). Factory designation: VS1400GLPM, VS1400GLFM.

1992 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPN, VS1400GLFN.

1993 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPP, VS1400GLFP.

1994 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPR, VS1400GLFR.

1995 - Canadian versions of the motorcycle also receive a 5-speed gearbox. The motorcycle produces 64 hp. power and 113 Nm of torque. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPS, VS1400GLFS.

1996 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPT.

1997 - American versions of the motorcycle receive a 5-speed gearbox. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPV.

1998 - the motorcycle produces 60 hp. power and 105 Nm of torque. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPW.

1999 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPX.

2000 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPY.

2001 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPK1.

2002 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPK2.

2003 - no significant changes. Last year releasing for the European market. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America, Europe). Factory designation: VS1400GLPK3.

2004 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Intruder 1400 (North America). Factory designation: VS1400GLPK4.

2005 - The Suzuki Intruder 1400 model is discontinued, and it is replaced by the Suzuki Boulevard S83 version for the American market. Model: Suzuki Boulevard S83 (North America). Factory designation: VS1400K5.

2006 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Boulevard S83 (North America). Factory designation: VS1400K6.

2007 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Boulevard S83 (North America). Factory designation: VS1400K7.

2008 - no significant changes. Model: Suzuki Boulevard S83 (North America). Factory designation: VS1400K8.

2009 is the last year of production of the Suzuki Boulevard S83. Model: Suzuki Boulevard S83 (North America). Factory designation: VS1400K9.

Specifications

As for the technical part of these two versions of the Intruder 400, they are identical. This bike has a power plant with two cylinders arranged in a V-shape.

They are cooled by a liquid system. The power system consists of two carburetors.

At first, this motorcycle was equipped with a 4-speed gearbox with foot shift.

Later, a 5-speed gearbox was installed on this bike. The drive in all versions was carried out by cardan transmission.

All the main features of the Intruder 400 are listed below. The information provided is relevant for the 400 VS version; the differences in overall dimensions with the 400 Classic version are minimal, so they are not indicated.

Specifications

Technical characteristics of Suzuki VS400 Intruder and Suzuki Intruder 400 Classic:

Specifications

Specifications

Technical characteristics of Suzuki VS750 Intruder:

VERDICT

Behind us are about 600 kilometers, which my friend and I drove, alternately changing motorcycles. The pace of movement, as we expected, was set by life itself, to a greater extent by motorcycles. It is most comfortable to drive at a speed of about 80 km/h, anything higher is only for overtaking, and is still in the order of experiments.

First of all, we had an absolutely wonderful trip. If we were riding on any other vehicles - high-speed tourists, sportbikes or something else, we would fly by like mad, quickly and stupidly. And only torn scraps of emotions associated with the road would remain in my head: there was a treacherous turn, there was a dangerous overtaking, here someone jumped out from the side, and I had to urgently dodge.