Suzuki VZ800V Marauder
 |
|
| Suzuki VZ800V Marauder | |
| Manufacturer | |
|---|---|
| Production | 1997 - 99 |
| Class | [[:Category:Cruiser motorcycles|Cruiser]] [[Category:Cruiser motorcycles]] |
| Engine | Four stroke, 45°V-twin, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder |
| Compression ratio | 10.0:1 |
| Top Speed | 164 km/h / 102 mph |
| Ignition | Digital transistorized |
| Transmission | 5 Speed |
| Suspension | Front: Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil-damped Rear: Swingarm, oil-damped, 5-way adjustable spring preload |
| Brakes | Front: Single Ø310 mm discs, 2 piston caliper Rear: Single drum |
| Front Tire | 130/90-16 |
| Rear Tire | 150/90-15 |
| Weight | 207 kg / 456 lbs (dry), |
| Recommended Oil | Suzuki ECSTAR 10w40 |
| Fuel Capacity | 19 L / 5.0 US gal / 4.2 Imp gal |
| Manuals | Service Manual |
It could reach a top speed of 164 km/h / 102 mph.
Engine
The engine was a Liquid cooled cooled Four stroke, 45°V-twin, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder. The engine featured a 10.0:1 compression ratio.
Chassis
It came with a 130/90-16 front tire and a 150/90-15 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single Ø310 mm discs, 2 piston caliper in the front and a Single drum in the rear. The front suspension was a Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil-damped while the rear was equipped with a Swingarm, oil-damped, 5-way adjustable spring preload. The VZ800V Marauder was fitted with a 19 L / 5.0 US gal / 4.2 Imp gal fuel tank. The bike weighed just 207 kg / 456 lbs.
Photos
Overview
Suzuki VZ 800 Marauder
You're shopping for a new bike. You want something cool, but aren't interested
in the efficient sterility of a standard. Something you can ride slowly and
just not care. In fact, the slower you can go and still have fun the better.
Something with character, a rumbling V-twin, and gobs of torque. The ride is to
be your destination. "That'll be 14,000 dollars, sir," advises the showroom
salesman.
Whoa! You didn't quite want it that bad. How about a
middleweight? More along the line of eight thousand dollars, you think to
yourself.
A middleweight cruiser is somewhat of an oxymoron. How to
achieve that hefty cruiser feel, yet downsize the weight, displacement, and
more importantly, price? To explore this enigma we gathered five of the finest
little big bikes available: existing iron like Harley-Davidson's 883 Sportster,
Kawasaki's Vulcan 800 Classic and Yamaha's Virago 750, along with Honda's
all-new American Classic Edition 750 and Suzuki's new Marauder 800. Each one has
its own answer to the middleweight dilemma.
Speaking of dilemmas, what the heck do you do to properly
compare cruisers for a shootout? You can't just call up a racetrack and say,
"Put us down for Tuesday, we're bringing up a bunch of cruisers to test!" They'd
laugh us right off the phone. And when we called up our resident fast-guys Shawn
Higbee and Chuck Graves to see if they wanted to help evaluate the assembled
equipment, through barely stifled yawns they told us that they, um, oh yeah,
they had to wash their dogs today. Clearly it takes a slightly more laid-back
attitude toward life to truly appreciate the cruiser. So we decided to do the
typical cruiser thing -- we followed the crowds. We motored up and down one of
the world's most popular boulevards, the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, along
with a mandatory jaunt up through the canyons to the Rock Store. We rode around
town, down long stretches of freeway, and even took them on a several hundred
mile trip. All the while looking for that perfect nothing, the transcendence
from the physical, the ultimate vibe, and all that other metaphysical stuff.
So kick back, relax, and throw back a cold one. This time
we'll do all the riding.
1997 Suzuki Marauder
800
With much hoopla and fanfare Suzuki introduced four new models for their '97
model year -- GSX-R600, 1200 Bandit, TL1000 and the Marauder 800. Suzuki's
Marauder screams winner with its inverted forks, gobs of chrome, an 800cc motor,
and, best of all, a $6000 price tag. It seems you could have it all.
With motorcycles, as with life, things are not all that they seem. While it's true that the Marauder boasts some very cool features, its total package is in need of further refinement. The Marauder is based loosely on Suzuki's Intruder 800, albeit with some important differences such as a switch to chain drive over the Intruder's shaft, for smoother power delivery. While switching to a chain Suzuki also made room for a fifth gear (the old Intruder having a four-speed box). They equipped the Marauder with an inverted front end, presumably for a beefy appearance, but these forks are really not much better than any of our other bikes in this test. Most of the other differences between this model and the Intruder are cosmetic, and we approve. Its long, lean look is a welcome replacement for the slightly-dated chopper look of the Intruder. Mag wheels and miles of chrome mean lots of shine on the boulevard, as the Marauder exudes a style all its own. The Suzuki is Japanese and proud of it. Like Honda's ACE, it pays homage to the American original without plagiarizing. In fact it was second only to the Honda in the number of compliments it received. If only it was any fun to ride. Starting with a wedge-shaped seat that begins to irritate in under five minutes and ending with the worst carburation of any bike we've recently tested, riding the Marauder is a bit of a trial. Its ergonomics are all wrong for a rider of even average size, with the drag-style bars too pulled back and the pegs not quite far enough forward. If you're tall, forget it. The flat, riserless handlebars gave poor feedback and lousy control when traveling down twisty roads. Ground clearance is a bit on the meager side too, although not as limiting as the Vulcan. Have we mentioned the seat sucks? A quick twist of the throttle and you can tell this beast has nuts. Then you hit that stumble. You figure you can gas your way through it, but by the time it clears up you're already at the end of its powerband. What could be the best engine in this test is castrated by poor carburetion. Any first year engineering student could tell you that exhaust pipes of vastly different lengths are a tuner's nightmare, and such is the case with Suzuki's Marauder. Its left pipe wraps all the way over to the right to give an appearance of staggered dual pipes. Probably not helping any of this is the fact that its exhaust crossover tube is about one inch in diameter, bound to wreak all kinds of havoc with exhaust throughout. What we're telling you is that with a little tinkering (new seat, bars, control extenders, pipes and a jet kit) this could be a nice motorcycle. However, this being the Marauder's first year in production, aftermarket support is not yet in existence, so it may be a while until you can upgrade this machine. If you've fallen in love with the Maurader's looks, try waiting around outside your Suzuki dealer for someone to trade one in -- we don't think you'll have to wait long.
Source Motorcycle.com
| Make Model | Suzuki VZ 800 Marauder |
|---|---|
| Year | 1997 - 99 |
| Engine Type | Four stroke, 45°V-twin, SOHC, 4 valves per cylinder |
| Displacement | 805 cc / 49.1 cu in |
| Bore X Stroke | 83 x 74.4 mm |
| Compression | 10.0:1 |
| Cooling System | Liquid cooled |
| Induction | Mikuni BDS36 carburetor |
| Ignition | Digital transistorized |
| Starting | Electric |
| Max Power | 36.4 kW / 50 hp @ 6500 rpm |
| Max Torque | 65 Nm / 6.63 kgf-m / 47.9 ft.lb @ 5000 rpm |
| Transmission | 5 Speed |
| Final Drive | Chain |
| Front Suspension | Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil-damped |
| Rear Suspension | Swingarm, oil-damped, 5-way adjustable spring preload |
| Front Brakes | Single Ø310 mm discs, 2 piston caliper |
| Rear Brakes | Single drum |
| Front Tire | 130/90-16 |
| Rear Tire | 150/90-15 |
| Dry Weight | 207 kg / 456 lbs |
| Fuel Capacity | 19 L / 5.0 US gal / 4.2 Imp gal |
| Consumption Average | 6.2 L/100 km / 16.2 km/l / 38 US mpg / 45.6 Imp mpg |
| Standing ¼ Mile | 14.1 sec / 148 km/h / 92 mph |
| Top Speed | 164 km/h / 102 mph |