Faults:

Regular maintenance is the only expense I have had with this motorcycle: tires, battery, a chain, brake pads and tune ups.

General Comments:

The motorcycle has been on multiple long trips of one to two thousand miles. I have added a fairing with driving lights, a travel trunk with park lights, and saddle bags with park lights.

The Suzuki cruises with much bigger bikes and in most cases will accelerate or pass right with them. The Marauder would pull the front wheel off the ground if the engine was throttled up close to the limiter before the clutch was released, before the addition of the traveling accessories. The seat was uncomfortable on a long ride or trip until I added a driver's backrest. I would like to have a better seat and I wish there was a complete exhaust system available for the 1997-1998 Marauder 800, instead of a slip-on muffler.

Faults:

Gearing was wrong: replaced front and back sprockets:

Chain wear seemed excessive: a chain per year.

Safety switch on the kickstand was an issue from the beginning.

General Comments:

Have driven this bike everywhere. From Michigan to Florida twice, and Kentucky and Tennessee. It isn't a comfortable bike for long hauls, but is VERY reliable.

It is WAY too expensive to do serious motor work. I seized the motor, and have spent $3,000 to rebuild it.

For mechanics it is an odd motor. 38mm crank and having to match hone the case bearings.

BUT, I couldn't have found a better quality and looking bike for the price to repair it.

Faults:

Nothing! Unbelievable how mechanically perfect it still is at 42,000 miles! I don't abuse my bikes, but I ride them hard to get where I am going! Can't break it!

General Comments:

One of the best bikes I have ever owned! Best bang for the buck! Usually first year bikes have problems and bugs.. not this one! Good Job Suzuki!

I have been riding for 30 years and have owned many bikes.. street, dirt, you name it, I have rode it, tested it, cruised on it and worked on it, but I have never had a more durable machine!

Seating was a bit of a problem where comfort is concerned, but a gel pad insert sewn-in fixed that! With a low seat height, inverted forks, monster 130-90 front tire, it grips and corners exceptionally well! Not too dangerously powerful for even entry riders, but it still moves out good! Want a Reliable, Tough, Safe Motorcycle? Buy a VZ-800, you won't regret it!

Matt Wrighter.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

What fun this bike is, at 50bhp as standard you could never take it to Santa Pod, but what a joy it is to ride.

Am immense amount of torque allows you to pull this bike from 25mph in top gear and literally accelerate away.

Once you have the right tyres on this bike, it will handle like a dream, seems to prefer either Metzeler ME880, or in my case Bridgestone Exeddra tyres. Forget any others as they appear to make the bike handle like a jelly in a washing machine.

One warning, once you have made your purchase, be prepared to spend even more money on extras, yes the bike cost me £2,500 second hand, and in 18 months I have spent nigh on another £1,500 on custom parts or performance improvements.

Never fails to turn heads due to the large amount of chrome on it, but be warned, the chrome you see is mostly chrome covered plastic. This is good in some ways as this means that the chrome will never flake as there is no metal underneath it to create dampness, but if you drop it, the panels crack and that's the end of it. Obviously the engine parts which are chromed are metal, but the adornments like side panels are not.

One downside is spare parts, Suzuki announced earlier this year that they were stopping making after-market parts for the Marauder. Although there is still stock left, this can only last so long, and I am finding except for the engine parts, which are still available, I am looking on various web pages for panels etc.

Having said that, if I carry on at this rate, there will not be much left of the original bike anyway - see that custom bug kicks in again - but again be warned, custom parts are not cheap, but they are definitely worth it.

The seat is the first thing to change, affectionately known in Marauder circles as 'the brick'. It will give you and your passenger a very numb bottom after 30 miles or so, and as some kind of idea, a comfortable replacement can cost anything from £150-£400.

A replacement exhaust to give it that 'meaty' sound and a bit more power, is anything from £200-£400.

Forward controls to make those long rides a little more comfortable are £200.

There you are, £1,000 already in the blink of an eye, and that is before you even start on the frame, paintwork, or the engine.

In my opinion, it's definitely worth it. There are not a huge amount of these on the roads, and if you can get one - do so, I do not think you will regret it. Just make sure you have an understanding partner, as it will take over part of your life.