Suzuki Intruder - review of the 400 cc chopper

Japanese motorcyclesSuzuki motorcycles

To please American consumers, the Japanese company Suzuki at one time decided to produce cruiser-class motorcycles, the model range of which was called Intruder.

The first-born of this series was the Intruder 750 model, which appeared in 1985.

But since the United States at that time imposed duties on the supply of motorcycles with engines over 700 cc. cm., almost immediately a model appeared with a “cut down” cylinder capacity to 699 cc.

Two years after the appearance of the Intruder 750, Suzuki released another model in the series - the Intruder 1400.

In 1992, the Intruder 750 was replaced by the Intruder 800.

Then, after 2 years, based on the Intruder 800, the Intruder 400 and Intruder 600 models appeared.

The production of this series continued until 2005, after which the Intruder series and two others were combined into one - Boulevard .

And although now the Intruder series as such is not produced , these bikes, some of which are not “cruisers”, but “choppers,” are popular.

A special feature of this series was the identical appearance of all motorcycles; the only difference was the power unit. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish these bikes by appearance.

Next we will look at the “smallest” of this series – Intruder 400.

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Model versions

During production, the Intruder 400 was produced in two versions - VS and Classic. These versions differed from each other in class , which in turn influenced the appearance of the motorcycle.

Thus, the Intruder 400 VS was a classic “cruiser”, and the Intruder 400 Classic was a “chopper”.

If you take only these two models and compare them in appearance, the difference between them is striking . On the 400 VS, a narrow front wheel is installed, and it is covered on top with a small wing.

The 400 “Classic” has a wider front wheel, and the wing is also quite wide.

The frame of the 400 VS is clearly visible from the front side, and the teardrop-shaped tank is small in size. The instrument panel is installed near the steering wheel.

The seat is double, stepped , often equipped with a backrest for the passenger.

At the rear there is a very short fender with a brake light and a license plate mounted on it.

The 400 VS has two exhaust pipes and they are located on the sides of the motorcycle.

The Intruder 400 Classic has a larger tank and more coverage of the upper part of the frame. The instrument panel of this version is located on the tank.

The seat of this bike is also double and stepped, but it is separate. The rear wheel is covered by a solid and wide wing. This version also has two exhaust pipes, but they are located on one side - the right.

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Motorcycle Suzuki VS 400 Intruder 1994 review

The description of the Suzuki VS 400 Intruder 1994 motorcycle is in the queue for publication of the article. Announcement: Today, for almost every new motorcycle that comes into being, marketers strive to carve out their own niche. This one is a road sport, this one is a recreational enduro. But what class should we include a motorcycle that has a little bit of everything? A good bike should have a reliable engine, comfortable ergonomics and simple controls...

Suzuki VS 400 Intruder is a very popular motorcycle in Russia equipped with an average power 33 hp engine. Despite the fact that good models of motorcycles have a very respectable price, and the season for their use is relatively short, the motorcycle market is developing rapidly. And if you believe the words of dealers, then some models of recently released motorcycles are selling like hot cakes at the beginning of the season, and the models brought to Russia are clearly not enough to fully satisfy consumer demand.

A motorcycle has long ceased to be an alternative to a car, and the times when this equipment was bought only because there was not enough money for a full-fledged car are forgotten. Nowadays, two-wheelers can be called technological marvels in many cases, and their cost can be compared with that of prestigious cars.

Many people have started buying motorcycles for hobby purposes as riding or even collecting them has become a good pastime for many people. Many motorcycles, for example the Suzuki VS 400 Intruder, whose technical characteristics make it possible to call the model a prestigious brand, are in demand among both beginners and experienced motorcyclists.

Currently, it is impossible to purchase a new Suzuki VS 400 Intruder motorcycle from the 1994 model year, since their production stopped 22 years ago. At the same time, the Suzuki VS 400 Intruder has excellent technical characteristics, so many people strive to purchase, if not a new, then at least a used version.

Motorcycles with an engine capacity of 399 cc / 24.3 cu in. see, appeared as a result of long work of inventors who sought to create a model that was not inferior in characteristics to other versions of the motorcycle. In some cases, these models are not only not inferior, but also ahead of other motorcycles, as they have minimal fuel consumption and other excellent parameters.

Motorcycles from 250 to 400 kb. see which includes the Suzuki VS 400 Intruder - this is the most common class of motorcycles. In this range you already have a choice among almost all classes of motorcycles. Many people call this category the most suitable for a first motorcycle. You can purchase a moderately heavy, powerful and flexible motorcycle for relatively little money. Many people advise taking a road bike with a 400 cc engine as your first choice. We cannot completely agree with this, because such motorcycles often weigh about 200 kg and have a sufficient power reserve. If your skills in riding a two-wheeled vehicle are limited to a training motorcycle at a motorcycle school, then you should not immediately take such a device. Many beginners get into ridiculous accidents simply because they do not know all the features of operating such equipment. After all, the heavier and more powerful the motorcycle, the better you should know how to handle it in different situations. Even a monkey can just drive in a straight line (no joke).

Go to the entire range of Suzuki motorcycles, on this page you can find Suzuki VS 400 Intruder motorcycles from other years of production and information about them

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.

Estimated cost and disadvantages of the model

Suzuki Intruder 400 is considered one of the best bikes in its class. But even with this definition of a motorcycle, it is not without its drawbacks.

One of the drawbacks is the somewhat insufficient power of the installation , so there is nothing much to expect from it.

Disadvantages also include some design features, such as the installation location of carburetors and the battery.

As already said, there is no Intruder series as such, but motorcycles with this engine capacity continue to be produced, but under the name Boulevard.

As for the Intruder 400 specifically, it is not such a rare guest on the secondary market. The cost of this motorcycle now varies from 110 thousand rubles. up to 210 thousand rubles.

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Opinions about the shortcomings

It never happens that there are no disadvantages at all, no matter how perfectionist the manufacturer may be. For example, many owners complain that it is quite difficult to remove the battery. Due to the design feature, the carburetor is clamped in a narrow frame. The battery is located behind the pendulum mount, so it can be removed from below.

There is an opinion that the rear suspension is rather weak for Russian roads. But this is, rather, a complaint not to the Japanese motorcycle industry, but to some other organizations...

Photo gallery

The Suzuki Intruder 400 motorcycle is fit, with a narrow front wheel of increased radius, it seems to challenge everyone around with its outstanding appearance. And the name of this motorcycle is translated as “Stranger” or “Violator”. So what does this Japanese guy look like? Let's get a look!

Video

We invite you to take part in a walk through the city streets on a Suzuki Intruder 400, which will take 5 minutes. You just have to imagine yourself in the place of the hero of this video and feel what he experiences while sitting in the saddle of this magnificent motorcycle. Then a storm of emotions is definitely guaranteed for you.

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Comments (3)

1. m048066:
   03/14/2015 at 13:28

   In general, anyone who has owned this motorcycle for a long time can tell you that it has no weak points, it is an almost perfect machine.

   Answer

2. Artyom Nikolaevich:

   03/15/2015 at 05:08

   It’s a good beast, in general the Japanese are great, they make very good technology and the design is also so nice. The power is also visible in the cylinders - just what you need! In a word, a beast! What else can you add?

   Answer

3. Paul:

   06/18/2016 at 23:14

   The 9th photo in the photo gallery is a Suzuki Desperado, the 12th and 18th photos are Intruder 1400. I can’t say that the rest, 400, 600, 750 and 800 are practically indistinguishable in appearance))) I own the 400th version, a bomb, not a motorcycle, more than 20 years since its release , and still squeezes out the declared maximum speed. The disadvantages of this motorcycle are the frequent glitch of the front carburetor (it can be solved by replacing the carb), but not for everyone, and the design of the driver's footpegs - in a fall without roll bars, the footpegs pierce the chrome clutch cover on the right or the chrome alterator cover on the left. This can be solved by installing leg extensions or installing roll bars. Another small plus is that there is a lot of interchangeability between versions 400, 600, 750 and 800. Half of my parts are from other versions, they were installed without modifications, like original ones. Plus it’s very bold, makes it easier to find budget parts from breakdowns, etc.

   Answer

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Known problems and frequent breakdowns of the Suzuki Intruder VS400

With timely maintenance and adequate operation of the motorcycle, no special problems arise with it. Most frequent breakdowns are caused by untimely maintenance and attempts to replace worn components or consumables with something similar and preferably cheaper.

You need to pay special attention to the wiring due to the advanced age of the equipment. In particular, you need to pay attention to the connections and insulation of the wires. As an example, loss of contact on one of the generator phases is guaranteed to damage the relay-regulator, and sometimes the windings of the generator itself.