Suzuki Intruder 1500

In 1998, Suzuki came out with the Suzuki Intruder 1500, also known as the LC 1500. This was a big fat cruiser style motorcycle and unlike anything Suzuki had done before. From 1985 up until the 1500 was released all the models in Suzuki's cruiser line (including all of the intruders, the marauder, and the savage) were lean, mean , and very chopper-esque. While this particular style worked well for the company, they decided it was time for something different.


Enter the LC 1500

When I say "something different" I do not necessarily mean different from everybody else, but rather mean different as a departure from the intruder line. The other members of the Japanese "big four" had had fat, classic style motorcycles in production for several years. Among them, Honda and Kawasaki were leading the classic pack with Yamaha lagging somewhat behind.

The letters in the LC 1500 are a bit of a mystery. To my knowledge, Suzuki has never admitted to what the LC stands for, but many believe it stands for legendary classic or legendary cruiser.
Regardless of the actual designation of LC, to say that this particular cruiser is a classic in its own right would be an understatement.


Size Is Everything

Weighing in at nearly 700 pounds with full tank of gas, the 1500 is an absolute heavyweight and just like a heavyweight champion boxer, this big cruiser is not afraid to flaunt its size. It is large in all aspects from front to rear and side to side. If you are familiar with the Suzuki Intruder and how thin and streamlined that motorcycle is, then just imagine going to the other end of scale and you've got a good idea of the sheer girth of the LC.

While a cruiser this large may appeal to some, others would say that it is just too big. If you have never sat on one, then the seat height of just under 27 inches sounds enticing...until you consider that the seat itself is 16 inches wide! For the short-legged riders (and I myself fit into this category) straddling one of these is akin to straddling a bull. The low and wide handlebars may also prove to be a tad challenging for those with shorter arms (myself included here as well!). However, if you are a bigger person and find that other motorcycles feel almost toy-like, then you definitely owe it to yourself to check out the Suzuki Intruder 1500.

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Suzuki Intruder 1500

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Suzuki Intruder Hand Grips

When you talk about accesories for your Suzuki Intruder, what do you think of first? I'm betting you don't think of Suzuki Intruder hand grips, do you? No, I bet you think of getting some motorcycle saddlebags, or maybe some new Suzuki Intruder handlebars, even. You probably entertain the idea of getting a custom paintjob for your gas tank, don't you?

But I would be surprised if you gave the handgrips much thought. You should though, and here's why:

Suzuki Intruder Hand Grips

There's nothing wrong with the stock handgrips that come on the Suzuki Intruder. In fact, I rather like them. They look good, they feel good, and they're comfortable enough on a long ride. But what if you want to customize your stock Intruder grips? Or worse yet, what if you find a great deal on an older Intruder (say, a 1986 Suzuki VS700 Intruder) and the rubber handgrips are torn up or rotted away? There's only thing you can do:

Buy new Intruder hand grips, of course!

But what kind do you buy? You can get replacement handgrips from a dealer, but I find that most dealer only replacement parts are too costly when you can just as easily get something with a lot more personality in the aftermarket segment.

Where do you get these new Intruder handgrips? From anywhere, really. I would look online for them, though, as you'll probably find them a lot cheaper from an online dealer than you would from your local Suzuki dealer.

What Suzuki Intruder Hand Grip Choices Do You Have?

You can get hand grips made specifically for the Suzuki Intruder. I've seen some great looking grips out there that are Intruder specific. All the way from solid chromed metal with maybe some nice, etched designs to chromed grips with rubber inserts to keep your hand cushioned from vibration and afford a little extra grip.

For that matter, if you really like them or you're trying to restore your motorcycle, then you can always go ahead and get Suzuki Intruder stock replacement grips, as well.

There are, however, other choices available. As long as the diameter is the same, nearly any grip will work.

What Grips Fit A Suzuki Intruder?

Because the Suzuki Intruder handlebars are one inch diameter, this means that in addition to the Suzuki Grips made for the Intruder, you have a huge selection of custom handle grips made for Harley's (which also have one inch handlebars) to choose from.

While the accessories for the Japanese cruiser market have come a long way over the last ten years or so, from what I can tell, there hasn't been much support for the older style cruisers, especially the Suzuki Intruders. It's a shame, really, but it's good to know that as you're a little bit mechanically inclined you can find plenty of Intruder accessories for you motorcycle that aren't neccessarily made for the Suzuki Intruder.

And when it comes to handgrips and handlebars, thanks to Harley there's a bucket load of them available.

So next time you're out looking for new accessories for your Intruder, make sure you don't overlook the handle grips. Take a good look around online, too. You'll find plenty of resources for your Suzuki Intruder Hand Grips.

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Suzuki Intruder Hand Grips

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Suzuki VS800 Intruder

After the success of the last two incarnations (the Suzuki Intruder VS700 in 1985 and the Suzuki Intruder VS750 in 1987, to be exact) Suzuki stepped it up a notch and released the Suzuki VS800 Intruder in 1992.

Entering the 800 Class

After the 750 had a good run of five years Suzuki decided to step it up a notch. They added another 50 cubic centimeters or so to the proven 45-degree v-twin and found that they had a real contender for the mid-size cruiser class on their hands.

Like the previous models, this Intruder featured four valves per cylinder (a pair of intake valves and a pair of exhaust valves). This innovation (which may have been somewhat common in the sport bikes of the time but was virtually unheard of in any of the chopper-style v-twin motorcycles) allowed for a smaller engine to produce more power by using its fuel more efficiently, thereby utilizing all of its available power to drive the pistons, crankshaft, gears, and finally the drive shaft and rear tire.

Big deal, you might be thinking, after all, all motorcycles put their power to the rear wheel!

That's true, but not all motorcycles are able to harness as much useable power as this might VS800.

In fact, for a shaft driven and water-cooled motorcycle (the water system adds more overall weight and the drive shaft takes more power to operate than a chain) that only possess eight-hundred cc's, it packed a big punch when it came to acceleration. Indeed, given the right circumstances, it could even out perform its big brother, the Suzuki VS1400 Intruder!

A Few Changes

Aside from a few minor tweaks made to the cosmetics of the Intruder that are not worth dwelling on, the new 800 version received two significant changes. One is the aforementioned increased engine size. The other is purely cosmetic but in many riders' opinions takes the Japanese cruiser from okay to perfect. The change? Suzuki increased the diameter of the front wheel from 19" to 21". (This would change again years later when Suzuki decided to change the Intruder brand and replace the name with a letter and a number, but that's neither here nor there right now.)

This Intruder Remains the Same

As I said, other than the two big changes mentioned previously, this particular line remained largely intact with the introduction of the VS800. The engine stayed water-cooled; the narrow, clean, uncluttered profile remained unchanged; no new changes were implented to the exhaust system. Likewise, the intake system kept the traditional carburetors as opposed to going fuel injected. By and large, this new cruiser was the same motorcycle albeit with a larger engine and bigger tire.

But then, when you have something that works, why fix what's not broken? And judging by the amount of these cruisers you see on the road there are many riders who feel the Suzuki VS800 Intruder needs absolutely no fixing.

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Suzuki VS800 Intruder

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What about my suzuki VS700 intruder?

I was asked a question the other day by a motorcycle rider friend of mine that I had not seen in many years. He asked me:

What about my Suzuki Intruder VS700?

Did I still ride it? Did it still look the same? Was it still a hot looking customized Japanese cruiser?

Yes, yes, and yes, I answered him.

But those three answers weren't quite the truth... You see, while my Intruder still looks the same and is still a hot looking customized Japanese cruiser, I unfortunately haven't been able to ride it lately... Why? Because the last time I tried to take it out for a spin, it wouldn't even start. I looked at the engine and discovered the rear carburetor was just spitting and overflowing with fuel. Turns out I need to replace the diaphragms and possible the needles as well. Unfortunately, this is a long, time consuming and not altogether inexpensive project.

Now, it wasn't an entire lie... I still ride, just not this particular custom Suzuki Intruder at this particular point in time!

Still, the question did get me thinking: Here I am telling all of you about these great motorcycles but I haven't told you anything at all really about mine. For all you know, I might not even have a ride, let alone a cool one!

So where were we? Oh yes, what about my suzuki VS700 intruder? I'll tell you: it's awesome.

The Suzuki Intruder Handlebars

It's a 1986 model and while it originally had the drag bar I replaced it with the ape-hangers handlebars (not true ape hangers, mind you, but styled after them--in fact, these have the look but are much more manageable) that came on other models of the same motorcycle. Many people prefer the dragbars but I myself like the look and feel of the chopper-style bars.

The Wire Wheels

It also has the true aluminum wire wheels as opposed to the mag wheels made to simulate wire wheels. While this makes for more expensive and labor intensive tire changes (because not only do you have to the tires but you need to also replace the innertube as well), I feel the trade off is much more than worth it when it comes to the aesthetics of the overall package. Afterall, you don't put mags on an old school styled chopper/cruiser!

The Custom Paintjob

The factory paintjob was black and let me tell you, when I say it was black, it was black! The gas tank (obviously); the frame; the radiator cover; the front fender; the rear fender; the side covers--all a glossy black. There's nothing wrong with this color scheme, but I wanted something a little more "me," a little more "custom." So I took it apart, sanded everything down, repainted it a nicer colored-black and then added traditional flames to the front fender, side covers, and gas tank. On the rear fender, I added my own little logo using the same color-scheme as the flames. All in all, it turned out to be a real looker!

The Chrome

Now when I bought this motorcycle it wasn't in the best of shape, but it wasn't bad, either. Like most older model motorcycles, though, the chrome left something to be desired. It was pitted and the bare parts underneath were either rusted or corroded. The chromed plastic pieces left something to be desired as well. After fixing everything else, these parts looked even worse! Unfortunately, as you all know, refinishing chrome motorcycle parts is not an inexpensive adventure by any means.

So I had a bit of a brainstorm.

Instead of refinishing them, I painted them flat-black! The engine cases, the valve covers, the triple trees, the risers... Much to my surprise, it started to look so good that I continued the theme and customized the rest of the Intruder in midnight accents whether it needed it or not. I think this more than anything made the ride stand out from the crowd!

The Extra Stuff

I got rid of the ugly back fender and replaced it with a unique fiberglas one from Highway Hawk. I don't know if they make it anymore, but instead of having one huge breaklight, it's got two nice round ones that tuck in under the fender. I also removed the sissy bar. I changed out the square mirrors for some oval mirrors. I also got rid of the two-into-two stock exhaust and threw on a two-into-one DG/Hard Krome guarnanteed never to blue slashcut system. A new seat and a set of saddlebags and a toolbag later and I was in imported hog heaven!

Until I can get my camera working and get some pictures up, from now on, whenever anyone asks me, What about my suzuki VS700 intruder? I can point them to my Suzuki Intruder Resource blog and they can compare this post with my stock Suzuki Intruder VS700 post to get an idea of jsut what can be done to a not so ordinary cruiser with just a little imagination.

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What about my suzuki VS700 intruder?

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Suzuki Intruder VS750

Ah yes, the Suzuki Intruder VS750. While the original suzuki intruder vs700 had claimed its share of fans with its good, clean looks, for many it still lacked one important ingredient: power.

Now, Suzuki answered many riders' wants by giving them all the power they needed when they unveiled the mighty Suzuki Intruder VS1400 in 1987. The only problem was that while the 700 was definitely a mid-sized cruiser, the 1400--with twice the engine--was definitely in a league of its own, and therefore, not really a "replacement" for the smaller Intruder.

Granted, the physical size of the two motorcycles was not much different, but for a lot of people wanting just a little more power, the bigger Intruder was too much. Plus, the price difference was enough for many riders to stick with the original 700.

Suzuki must have realized that while their new model did well for those looking for a big, affordable, chopper style cruiser, it still did not give the mid-size crowd what they wanted. Either that or they had plans for the replacement motorcycle all along because in 1988 they came out with the Intruder VS750.

There was no denying that this new entry was the replacement motorcycle that many were hoping for. Those who wanted a little more power (but not gobs of it!) were rewarded with about fifty extra cubic-centimeters. This may not seem like much, but when a motorcycle is relatively light to begin with, an extra 7% displacement can make a world of difference.

Perhaps the best feature of this new and improved model was that other than in increased engine, the Intruder didn't change much at all. It was still water-cooled and shaft-driven and most importantly the clean lines and uncluttered design that drew the attention and admiration of many in '85 remained intact.

The open road was now once again open whether ridden by one rider with no extra gear or luggage strapped on or by a rider and passenger loaded down to the threshold with all kinds of items for a weekend long cruise.

Of course, not everyone wanted to or was able to take to the highway like that. For those tooling around town (either by choice or by circumstance) the new motorcycle proved to be just as nimble as its previous incarnation and the extra power was nice to have on hand when a quick twist of the throttle could have meant the difference between a clean getaway and a nasty collision with a car operated by an oblivious driver!

With riders from both camps (middleweight advocates and heavyweight enthusiasts) satisfied, it would be another four years before a new model in the Suzuki Intruder line emerged. Until then, the VS750 enjoyed would enjoy its spot in the middle as only a cruiser with class could.

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Suzuki Intruder VS750

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Unleashing the Suzuki VS1400

In 1987, due to increased demand from riders wanting more power (you can read a little bit about my beliefs as to why by clicking here: suzuki intruder vs700), Suzuki unveiled its new cruiser, the VS1400 Intruder.

With this new motorcycle, it was quite obvious that not only did the head honchos over in Japan listen to Intruder owners' cries for a bigger engine--they took it to heart. Indeed, two years (or three, depending on how you count them) after the first Intruder hit our shores, Suzuki introduced the second model in the Intruder line: the VS1400, effectively doubling the displacement of their maiden model's nearly seven-hundred cc's.

This was a good thing for several reasons.

Firstly, with a bigger Intruder, riders who liked the looks of the mid-size cruiser but did not feel that it was up to the task of handling an operator, a passenger, and a full load could now buy a "big twin" that had plenty of torque and horsepower to spare.

Secondly, now Suzuki had two motorcycles of similar style that sat neatly into two separate categories: mid-size and "big-bike." This worked well to their advantage as it allowed people to choose between a "'round-town bike" or a big highway motorcycle. Of course, both models being small, nimble, and powerful for their size, it really came down to a matter of preference as they were both suited well to most any kind of riding.

And thirdly, even though the 1400 was twice the Intruder of its forebear, it was nowhere near twice the price. This meant that it was a truly cheaper and powerfully viable alternative to the American "big boys." In other words, it was no longer just an eye-catching chopper-style cruiser wrapped around a small engine--this time around, it had the attitude to go with the look.

The 1400 shared many qualities with its smaller, though older, sibling. They both had 19" front wheels and 15" rear wheels; they were both shaft driven; they shared almost the same low-slung profile; and they both had v-twins with exhaust pipes that ran down each side of the motorcycle.

One major difference was that while the 700 was water cooled, the 1400 was not. This was a big plus for those riders who were skeptical of having a motorcycle with a radiator mounted in front of the engine. In fact, many of them felt that liquid cooling should be kept out the two-wheeled crowd altogether.

Now, while this new Intruder was not water cooled, it was not entirely air cooled, either. In place of the radiator was a smaller type of cooler: an oil cooler. This combination of air and cool oil worked well to keep the engine from over-heating. And while the fact remained that there was still a radiator of sorts mounted on the down frame it was nowhere near as offensive looking as a full size one.

While this big displacement motorcycle answered many riders' requests for more power, it was still not a "replacement" for the VS700, but rather a first entry into heavyweight territory. Those expecting a more reasonable replacement with a bit more oomph would have to wait another year, but for everyone else, the Suzuki Intruder VS1400 an unexpected gift of torque-y goodness.

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Unleashing the Suzuki VS1400

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Introducing the Suzuki Intruder VS700

The Suzuki Intruder, a cruiser-style motorcycle, has been around since 1985. The first version was named the VS700. This model was the first of its kind from Suzuki built specifically to compete with, and offer a cheaper alternative to, the big American motorcycles. Besides a lower base price and country of origin, the Japanese motorcycle sported three major differences from it's American counter-part: Its v-twin style engine was water cooled and not air cooled; both the engine and transmission were housed within the same case; and power was transferred to the back wheel via a shaft drive instead of a chain.

Despite these differences (or perhaps even because of them) people all over the US began taking notice of this new breed of imported motorcycle. No longer did riders who wanted the good looks of the American cruiser but could not afford the high price tag have to go without. Even more so, those looking for a new motorcycle that was relatively easy on the wallet did not have to settle for a generic sport bike or even a run of the mill street bike. Indeed, now they could have something with style and class; something that did not just get them around town but begged them to be ridden out on the open highways as well. In fact, I would bet that many a relationship was put to the test when it came to having to choose between weekend long rides through the open country and staying at home for a quiet dinner with a loved one.

The smart riders, though, quickly learned that they could have both worlds if only they would take their loved one with them. While this likely did not save all relationships (some, we all know, are of course doomed before they begin), it surely made plenty that much stronger. There isn't much that can bring a couple closer together than eight hours on a motorcycle!

Now, for those of you who don't know, Intruders have a rather small profile. They are clean and lean and many of their stylings hail from the looks and lines of choppers from the late 60's and 70's. Being small and streamlined means that there is little place to store things when going on an overnight trip, especially when two people are involved. Luckily, saddlebags, fork bags, and luggage racks are easily attached and give room to store enough necessities for two people for an extended three-day weekend.

All this was well and good, save for one problem: at 699cc's, many people felt it was slightly underpowered for rider, passenger, and a full load of camping gear. Luckily, the manufacturers and designers overseas listened to their customers' feedback and upped the ante with their next model in this venerable series which will be the subject of our next post, Suzuki VS1400.

Until then, I hope you've enjoyed this introduction to the Suzuki Intruder VS700.

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Introducing the Suzuki Intruder VS700

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