2001 Suzuki VZ800 Marauder from United States of America
Summary:
A joy to own that won't break the bank
Faults:
Nothing wrong in the design or build of the bike. The only thing is that you will feel like you are on a scavenger hunt to get the extra goodies for it like extra chrome (how much is enough?), lightbars etc. Suzuki has discontinued most of the accessories for this bike. I understand that all the mechanical parts are and will be available for quite some time.
The good news is that Suzuki put a lot of chrome on this bike to begin with, and some of the Boulevard (replaced the Marauder) stuff will fit. So it is pretty cool looking for the extras, and I am having a lot of fun surfing the net and checking out dealers for the leftovers.
I have had a different experience with the seating versus most, which is in the 2001 version the seating is fine. I will not be changing the seats any time soon unless a steal comes along (and it may).
General Comments:
Very smooth acceleration, handling and overall enjoyability. As a entry or mid level cruiser, this bike deserves some attention from the V-Star 650 and Honda Shadow 600 crowd.
Suzuki has done an excellent job on fit and finish. The drag bars set the tone for the raked design, that gives you enough room for a perfect sitting position, and still gives you the sense of being in total control of the bike. This is a winner for the market it was targeted for, and the bike has a unique look to it, that makes it stand out from the crowd.
It has plenty of power for its size. The inverted fork front suspension and bigger tires effectively dampen most bumps while still having a fair amount of responsiveness.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 12th April, 2006
23rd Oct 2006, 07:30
Dear sirs,
The only thing you left out is how good this motorcycle is, and the fact that it was designed to be almost maintenance free. It does require 3000 mile maintenance for valve adjustments, but otherwise you are good to go.
As far as the dress up items, you are on the spot there for you really have to look hard for them or send out the stock parts to have them chromed.
As far as the seat, Suzuki makes a gel seat which is around $200.00, but is well worth the money for the looks are fantastic and it's comfortable when broken in.
Otherwise your article is good and should mention the good price for this motorcycle.
Thank You,
R.Hughes
Salem, VA.