[mumbles]

Has anyone ever had an Intruder 800 or know someone with one that can share their thoughts. Or maybe compare it to a Vulcan.
I've always liked the way they look but just had bad experiance's with Suzuki's in the past and I'm getting the itch to try one just to kick around town. They seem small but will be set up for solo riding.

 

[417vulcan]

yes, my uncle had one and that was gonna be my next bike after my 500 but instead i bought my Custom. they are very quick bikes, im pretty sure it would walk away from my 900. the downfall for me was two things: first, just the overall size, it was too small for me, but then again i'm 6'4" and 260lbs. second, was the shaft drive, probably just my personal preference but i prefer a belt drive

 

[fritzi93]

Are you talking about the old Intruder 800 or the more recent ones, they're very different.

Yeah, I had one, mid-90s vintage, I forget what year. Wouldn't have bought it but it was a good deal (used) and it does look kinda cool. I'm 6' 3'' and it was just too small. Fixed a few things on it and sold it.

Okay, if what you want is a stoplight dragster, it'll do. It'll beat any v-twin out there off the line, at least that I know of. It would have handily beat my 800 off the line and it's no slouch. I surprised myself and pulled a wheelie with it first day I had it. It's geared real low and mine only had 4 gears; it was uncomfortable and tiring to ride at over, say, 70 mph. AFAIK, it also came with a 5-speed transmission. (Of course it isn't in the same league as a sportie, but for a v-twin it's quick). The shaft drive is prone to jacking. I didn't think it handled well, but I was not a good fit for it.

Oh yeah, keep an eye on anything that *might* come loose, 'cuz it will. Not like my 800 at all in that regard, which has everything torqued screaming tight. My Intruder's mirrors vibrated badly and nothing I did made them settle down. Also unlike my VN800B. The stock saddle is narrow and not comfortable.

Hmm, I guess that sounds pretty negative. Hey, it's real thrusty little ******* and it looks nice. The guy who took it off my hands , well, his eyes lit up when I fired it up for him (It had Cobra Slashcuts). He took it around the block, which made me a little nervous. He looked a little shaky when he got off. He paid me what I asked without trying to bargain with me.:tongue:

 

[Snowdust]

My son has one, and yes they are quick. I can spank me 0-60. It is a nice looking bike. Lots of "real" chrome. I'm 6'1" and miss my forward controls compare to it. Other than that, I do enjoy riding it.

 

[mumbles]

yes, my uncle had one and that was gonna be my next bike after my 500 but instead i bought my Custom. they are very quick bikes, im pretty sure it would walk away from my 900. the downfall for me was two things: first, just the overall size, it was too small for me, but then again i'm 6'4" and 260lbs. second, was the shaft drive, probably just my personal preference but i prefer a belt drive

The size of the Intruder is somewhat of my concern also. I'm 5'11 and 170lbs. I like the fact that they seem really agile and light.

 

[mumbles]

Are you talking about the old Intruder 800 or the more recent ones, they're very different.

Yeah, I had one, mid-90s vintage, I forget what year. Wouldn't have bought it but it was a good deal (used) and it does look kinda cool. I'm 6' 3'' and it was just too small. Fixed a few things on it and sold it.

Okay, if what you want is a stoplight dragster, it'll do. It'll beat any v-twin out there off the line, at least that I know of. It would have handily beat my 800 off the line and it's no slouch. I surprised myself and pulled a wheelie with it first day I had it. It's geared real low and mine only had 4 gears; it was uncomfortable and tiring to ride at over, say, 70 mph. AFAIK, it also came with a 5-speed transmission. (Of course it isn't in the same league as a sportie, but for a v-twin it's quick). The shaft drive is prone to jacking. I didn't think it handled well, but I was not a good fit for it.

Oh yeah, keep an eye on anything that *might* come loose, 'cuz it will. Not like my 800 at all in that regard, which has everything torqued screaming tight. My Intruder's mirrors vibrated badly and nothing I did made them settle down. Also unlike my VN800B. The stock saddle is narrow and not comfortable.

Hmm, I guess that sounds pretty negative. Hey, it's real thrusty little ******* and it looks nice. The guy who took it off my hands , well, his eyes lit up when I fired it up for him (It had Cobra Slashcuts). He took it around the block, which made me a little nervous. He looked a little shaky when he got off. He paid me what I asked without trying to bargain with me.:tongue:

The one I'm talking about is a 2006 S50 (Intruder 800).
I wouldn't have ever imagined that it would spank the VN800 of the line. I heard that they are quicker than their big sister the Intruder 1400.
What do you mean about the shaft drive is prone to jacking?
My wife had a Suzuki Savage 650 and it also vibrated everything loose including the mirrors. LOL

 

[mumbles]

My son has one, and yes they are quick. I can spank me 0-60. It is a nice looking bike. Lots of "real" chrome. I'm 6'1" and miss my forward controls compare to it. Other than that, I do enjoy riding it.

What year is your son's Intruder and does he ever say that he feels the need for another gear when doing some hwy riding. A friend had mentioned this before.

 

[fritzi93]

Shaft Jacking:

The shaft effect, also known as elevator effect or shaft jacking, is a phenomenon occurring in shaft-drive motorcycles. While accelerating, the rear suspension stiffens and the machine lifts itself, when decelerating the rear suspension is compressed giving the opposite effect. It is considered to be a drawback to some traditional shaft-drive designs.

Like others have said, lots of chrome.

Here's a video:

1999 Suzuki Motorcycle VS800 Intruder 1/8 mile Drag Racing timeslip 0-60 - DragTimes.com

 

[Snowdust]

What year is your son's Intruder and does he ever say that he feels the need for another gear when doing some hwy riding. A friend had mentioned this before.

I think it's a '96. Got it with 3000 miles and looks like new. No more buzzy than my 900. It's a light bike so wind bothers him a bit more than mine.

 

[Uncle Wulf]

Has anyone ever had an Intruder 800 or know someone with one that can share their thoughts. Or maybe compare it to a Vulcan.
I've always liked the way they look but just had bad experiance's with Suzuki's in the past and I'm getting the itch to try one just to kick around town. They seem small but will be set up for solo riding.

I've never ridden a VS800, but I just sold my VS1400 after 4 years and 36,000 miles. Conventional wisdom among Intruder riders is that the 800 is buzzy at speed, and gets blown about quite a bit by the wind. It's very capable of highway travel, from what I've heard. The design is pretty much unchanged since they hit the market in about 1986 or so. The motors are pretty much bulletproof. I know a fellow who put 138,000 miles on his before it finally died.

The size of the Intruder is somewhat of my concern also. I'm 5'11 and 170lbs. I like the fact that they seem really agile and light.

I'm your size. 5'11, 180, 34" inseam. By all accounts, the VS800 is more cramped than the VS1400. Assuming there's any truth to that, you will want either forward controls or highway pegs.

You might want to poke around over at intruderalert.com. Lots of Intruder-specific info available over there. Also, I see you're in Houston. There's quite a contingent of Intruder pilots in Texas. Somebody local to you will have one that you can look over for mods and such.

 

[mumbles]

Fritzi: 9.012 @ 74.7mph is pretty good in the 1/8. I like that. Wonder how the vn800 would do?

Snowdust: Other than regular maintenace has the bike have any known downside to them. I quess every bike has there goods and bads right.

Wulf: Gotta check out IA, haven't been there in a while. Used to have a c90 a few years ago but after replacing the stator 3 times it was time to let her go. I'll see if there's any folks around this side of town.

 

[fritzi93]

Fritzi: 9.012 @ 74.7mph is pretty good in the 1/8. I like that. Wonder how the vn800 would do?

Snowdust: Other than regular maintenace has the bike have any known downside to them. I quess every bike has there goods and bads right.

Wulf: Gotta check out IA, haven't been there in a while. Used to have a c90 a few years ago but after replacing the stator 3 times it was time to let her go. I'll see if there's any folks around this side of town.

I dunno, I got nothing to back it up beyond a gut feeling. Maybe if one looked hard enough they could find a head-to-head comparison. I just feel certain the Intruder would beat a VN 800 in 1/8 mile.

Everything was a little cramped on my bike. The battery, for instance was low down behind the engine and not easy to get to. But I don't really know if the newer ones are like the mid-90s ones in all ways. 12-15 years is forever in bike design.

 

[meanie]

I had the 800 Intruder for 5.5 years before I bought my Mean Streak and currently, my wife has it. Mine was the '96 as is her's now. I can only say one bad thing about it....when it's cold, it's very temperamental. Once it's warm, that thing will jump off a line like a jack rabbit. Yes, it does beat the 1400 off the line and in the quarter. I've ridden it through several states on many vacations and it has perform flawlessly.

The only other minor issue, and I do mean minor, is the tank size. At 3.2 gallons, it can be a bother if you're on a long ride and you have to stop every 120 miles, which is what I hit before switching to reserve. Then again, many riders stop around that time anyway and in your case, it's a toy for the city area, it may not be a bother.

A maintenance issue is the battery placement. It can be a PITA since it's entrance is from the bottom. You must connect/disconnect the terminals from the open slots on each side, then drop the battery down. When installing, you put it in, then make sure the cable's eyelet is in view, then insert into the post.

I can vouch for those with height. Though, I never gave the height issue any concern, until I bought the Streak, then I realized how small it was. The small size is a reminder when doing the maintenance on the wife's 800. The weight is about 450lb with full tank and you will feel a bit of push on a windy day.

As for the newer S50 compared to the 800, it was more of a name change than anything. Most of the bike is still the same. It's been a great seller for Suzuki which is why they keep in on the line.

The shaft drive is not an issue with me as most of my bikes have been shaft. They are the lowest maintenance of all three systems and fairly indestructible, but also lowest in torque.

Overall, if your size isn't a major concern or you are willing to modify it to fit you, you'll have a solid piece of machine, IMO.

As Wulf indicated, the Intruder Alert forum has a bunch of devoted riders and they are good people who will help you with any issue.

 

[kumite]

The Intruder is a very nice bike. Fast. Good looking. my wife had hers for 2 years and over 15,000 miles before going with her Kawi 900. Her observations are as follows

Great trouque. Much better than the 900.
LIght. 44o lbs
A little top heavy. This was an issue with her 5'3" frame.
It is narrow and compact. Not a tall man's bike for sure.
Narrow front tire 80-90 made it follow grooves on the road. Not dangerous but squirmy. Avons helped.
Carborated and as such a little cold natured.
She did not think it was buzzy at highway speeds.

Great gas milage. Of course you need it with a 3.2 gallon tank.

Hope this helps.

R. Todd

 

[mumbles]

Thanks guy's for all ya'll's reviews,

I went and checked the s50 out today. Turns out the seller left out that the chrome was pitting and the fork seals were leaking and just oxidation throughout the entire motorcycle. Then he goes on to say that the oil had just been changed but when I took a look at the filter it looked like it hadn't been touched in a year or so.
I went ahead and passed up on it but we'll keep an eye open and see what else pops up.

 

[deanevo]

Some good feedback here.
I read also at some blogs, that the chrome of Intruders isn't the best quality.
For the small gastank, a bigger 1400 gastank will fit on a the 800 withouth any issues..

 

[mumbles]

Thanks for the info buddy, Yeah the chrome wasn't in all that great condition being a 2006 model.

 

[Dethbed]

I recently purchased an S50. I've also owned a Vulcan. I like the feel of the thinner, lighter Boulevard, and it seems like it is built slightly more solid than my Vulcan was (less plastic, more get up and go, etc.) I could do hours and hours on both bikes, but the Boulevard is more fun, kind of like the difference between driving a van and a compact car. Sure, they're both comfortable, but one is going to be smaller and easier to handle. That's the Boulevard (Intruder). I'm 5' 11" and 1856 lbs and the S50, with it's mid-controls, feels very comfortable to me.

There are a few other things to be taken into consideration. The S50 is shaft driven. Big plus. The Vulcan had a clock and a gas gauge. Plus one for the 900. It's a tough call, but I'm happy with my current ride.

 

[deanevo]

That sounds like the mumbles bike to me!

I recently purchased an S50. I've also owned a Vulcan. I like the feel of the thinner, lighter Boulevard, and it seems like it is built slightly more solid than my Vulcan was (less plastic, more get up and go, etc.) I could do hours and hours on both bikes, but the Boulevard is more fun, kind of like the difference between driving a van and a compact car. Sure, they're both comfortable, but one is going to be smaller and easier to handle. That's the Boulevard (Intruder). I'm 5' 11" and 1856 lbs and the S50, with it's mid-controls, feels very comfortable to me.

There are a few other things to be taken into consideration. The S50 is shaft driven. Big plus. The Vulcan had a clock and a gas gauge. Plus one for the 900. It's a tough call, but I'm happy with my current ride.

 

[meanie]

I'm 5' 11" and 1856 lbs and the S50, with it's mid-controls, feels very comfortable to me.

HOLY CRAP! Are you sure it can hold you?:shock::wink: