Suzuki VL 125 Intruder

I have had a 2006 intruder for a couple of years now

Looks and feels a big bike, people are amazed at how big when they stand next to it.

lovely chrome look, would recommend to anyone who wants a cruiser to get one.

Not the quickest but can get 60 mph out of it on the flat.

I have had my fair share of rubbish bikes from chinese to non reliable italian scooters but i have to say the suzuki vl is the best bike ive ever owned its 03 model 35000 on clock and still pulls in every gear looks the part sounds the part handling on the road is excellent 80mpg abso love it

Come back to bikes in my 40's did my CBT same day got my Intruder a 99 y reg. best thing i ever did if they had made the Intruder back in my teen days i would never have go into car's.

it had 20000 on it when i got it this year (2012) i have put a load more on. still start's first time some have said about the cold start's i find cover the engine there not a fan of the cold ;) .

one said they get averaging 79/83 mpg i have universal turnout exhaust with extra baffles. still get that big bike look and sound keep the mpg.

onto the power it's not a all rev 2 stroke engine it's a V-Twin low to mid pull power that will just pull but happy to it all day. that's not to say there slow there not despite the weight.

look's with out the hell plate "L's" there pass for a 400-600cc easy. even had one cop pull up the side to see if i was taking the pi$$ with "L's" on

would i buy a Intruder again? Yes i plan to take my DAS and get a 800 or 1400 next

We have owned this bike in the family for 6 years and I have personally ridden it for the last 2. It's a great looking little cruiser, ideal as a first bike - I actually passed my practical test on it instead of a school bike. Its economical, averaging 79/83 mpg, costs me less than £100 a year to insure and costs £16 a year to tax!!

I ride this bike in all weathers, it needs a good clean after riding in the rain a few times, but after 6 years and just over 10,000 miles it still looks fabulous. The chrome is a mixture of metal and chrome covered plastics but you cant tell the difference unless you tap them. It has good storage under the seat and looks good with leather panniers fitted.

The only real problem I have with this bike is it doeasn't like to start on a cold morning (it needs the choke regularly) and the battery needs to be kept fully charged.

Overall it's an excellent bike and does get a few admiring glances (I have been stopped at a traffic lights and asked by other drivers what cc it is!)

Im changing bikes soon for a Yamaha Dragstar, but this one will again be used by a member of the family for the forseeable future.

I have owned and ridden my Intruder for the last 2yrs it is a 1999 model i bought for 1000 with 13000 miles/kms on the clock.

i bought this bike because i wanted to do my test without paying direct access costs i was looking for a 125 cg or gn or whatever that was A2 catagory and this was all i could find in my price range that wasnt knackered lol i really didnt want a cruiser as i didnt like the laid back position being used to crossers and trails,

HOWEVER I WAS WRONG lol

ride and handling.. once you get used to it..Superb, comfortable has plenty grunt when you use the gears right (they are long gears so stay in them longer and the power 14bhp kicks in like a power band about 8000 revs)

but is also good for slow riding as there is plenty of torque (for a 125)

faster than a lot of reviews say..... theres not much real go in top gear as 5th is more of an economy gear/ overdrive ( on a 125 dont see the point it already does about 70mpg on average if you ride it easy possibly 100 mpg ?? ) if you thrash the bejaisus out of about 40-50mpg

top speed i have had is about 65mph with a passenger im 12 stone passenger about 10 stone so thats 22 stone

accelleration is quite quick (if you use the gears almost to the top so the v twin kicks in and it humms sweet) its a large heavy bike so doesnt feel as quick on the pick up as say a gn 125 single cylinder but trust me it is because my daughter has one of those which i ride as well occasionally.

two year review then

Good points.. real head turner and looks much bigger than a 125 ( same size as a 600 it handles well and if you want to get a bigger heavier 500 or 1000 when you pass your test on it then your already used to the weight

very comfortable, i have yet to experience numb bum on it whereas on other 125s i got that after 20 miles and i have done a hundred miles on this without any uncomfortability

its reliable and good on gas and sounds looks and acts like a real bike

IT IS ASTONISHINGLY EXCELLENT IN WET AND WINDY CONDITIONS AS LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY AND WEIGHT KEEP IT ON TRACK and you dont get blown accross lanes with sudden gusts

other points .... turning circle is quite large so you have to take the cones a little wider on the test (figure of eight) and its best to leave it in 2nd gear for the swerve test to reach the 30 mph required after the bend as you will need the straight line accelleration because you are not going to get round the bend as quick as a small light bike but it will do the job well as i passed my test last year.... oh and i still have the bike so that says something, im having difficulty finding something i like as much as this bike :) thinking maybe a yamaha 535 virago but for someone who didnt like cruisers this bike has converted me and i find other types lacking now especially in storage space because the seat lifts and you can get your chain and locks and luggage in there lol its a cavern :)

problems i have had

ok sometimes it just decides not to start...... it then floods so you have to wait about 15 mins then try again but to be honest its better i you can bump it then......

PROBLEM SOLVED..... if you allow the battery to depleat too much it doesnt turn the engine fast enough to kick in THE BATTERY HAS TO BE ON TOP FORM FOR THE V TWIN. i bought an oxford optimiser drip charger for 15 quid and about once a month leave it drip charging to top it up to full power (green) this solved the problem it only happens now if i have forgotten to top up the battery lol and if it is really cold i charge it over night because the cold contracts metal making the engine harder for the battery to turn...

STARTER MOTOR WENT LAST YEAR and they are ridiculously priced at £471 quid for this bike as opposed to 40 quid for a gn 125 etc :(

PROBLEM SOLVED - found an auto electricians that would REWIND AN GLUE THE MAGNETS BACK IN PLACE ( it was proper broke cos i stripped it down myself and couldnt put it back together lol)he refitted the motor and reconditioned it for £35 its a simple job if you have the tools but if you ever have this problem with a vl25 DO NOT LOSE ANY PARTS FOR THE STARTER ITS VERY EXPENSIVE.

Owned my Intruder now for a couple of months and 2,000 mies.The bike is a joy to ride,great riding position you go a long way without feeling tired and if you like cruising there is nothing touches the bike.Superb on fuel and performance and with excellant build quality this machine is value for money.My last bike was a Kymco Hipster which I thought was descent and was recommended by my CBT instructer but it It is no where near the quality of the Suzuki VL Intruder.Ifyou are going to join the "Biking Clan" then have a look at the Intruder.

i love this bike to bits, its amazing in every way, for a 125cc cruiser it goes pretty kool, runs smooth and i love the sound too, i have owned it for 5 month im only 17 and for a first bike its pretty much spot on :D

SUZUKI INTRUDER 125 K2.

I am 47 years old, 5' 10" tall around 14 stone and first time biker. I have a 31" inside leg and the bike feels comfortable and I appreciate the fact that you can get both your feet on the ground and have a stretch at lights etc.

In my 47 years I have probably spent around 15 minutes on a motorbike which was in my teens and I remember crashing that one. Considering my age and only holding my CBT for a few days I wasn't really concerned about speed and I don't fancy my back holding out with the riding position on sports bikes so I opted for a cruiser, I took my CBT on a 500cc Suzuki where I was leaning forward and after two hours riding my forearms ached, my back ached, my thighs ached, I ached.

I am also not confident enough just yet to take my full test so chose to get experience on a 125 first.

I picked up a very, very clean and tidy 2003 low mileage (7k) model locally from a private seller for £1350 and I am very pleased with it so far.

I took it on a very long run yesterday (200 miles) and it was a pleasure to ride. It cruised quite nicely at 55-60 mph and I got it up to 70 mph on the flat on the dual carriageway, it will probably do a little more in the right conditions. I won't be using it at that speed too often but it is nice to know it is capable of it if I need it. I had filled the tank up the day before (£14 around 10.5 litres) and when the trip meter read 180 miles I had to switch to reserve. Went to the nearest petrol station and filled it up with exactly £14 again. I ain't Carol Vorderman but i think that equates to around 79 mpg. This will probably get better as my riding style improves and i get used to biking and the bike.

I find that in 5th gear I occasionally had to gear down for some hills but got to the top of steep hills quite easily in 4th.

I took the pillion seat off as soon as I bought it because it won't be used and I think the bike looks better without it.

The bike does get noticed and if you are interested in turning heads then you probably will on this bike but I don't think you will get many admiring glances from serious cruiser owners. It does look bigger than a 125 mainly because of the V twin engine and the nice big teardrop shaped tank.

There is an awful lot of chrome on this bike but some of the chrome parts are in fact plastic coated chrome but you don't know that unless you actually tap it.

It has a nice sound to it but personally I wish it was a little louder.

All in all, if you are looking for a 125 cruiser then this is an great option and is probably up there with the Yamaha Dragstar and the Honda Shadow.

I bought mine for fun use and the occasional commute in the dry until I take my bike test next year and I hope to get all my money back or damn near it when I sell it. Using it like this makes it easier to keep clean and shiny. If I was looking for something for everyday use I wouldn't choose a cruiser unless i had lots of spare time for cleaning or just wasn't bothered about keeping it clean.

Right, I've ridden and lived with both the Suzuki Marauder 125 and my new bike, the Suzuki Intruder 125. So what's the difference? Mechanically and cosmetically, a lot. The Marauder has a single cylinder and the Intruder two cylinders – a V-twin. The Intruder has a lot more chrome and looks a lot better for it – more like a proper cruiser. The riding positions of the two seem very similar, though on the Marauder my crotch was nearer the tank. I think the Intruder seat is also a little lower – in centimetres – and perhaps the pedals are a smidgeon nearer. Acceleration wise, the Intruder is a bit quicker off the mark and the gears feel a bit longer. One thing that is very noticeable is the Intruder's better fifth gear – the engine doesn't sound as high-revving as the Marauder when travelling in the 35mph region. I haven't had either of them much past 45mph – they go faster – but I sense that the Intruder will not scream as much at full pelt. Maybe it's a little faster at top speed – I don't know yet. What I do know is that they're both a joy to ride. The Marauder is more stable at very slow speed and that may be due to the much fatter front tyre than that on the Intruder. But generally, they both feel similar. Heavy-ish yes, but controllable, even round tight bends. From a looks point of view, the Intruder wins hands down with much nicer fenders, some delicious chrome appendages along the side under the seat to the rear and a lovely slab of chrome on the tank housing the speedo, tripometer, lights for neutral, left/right indicators (one light for each) and bright/dip beam. Crucially, the Intruder is better built and you can see and feel it in the quality of the ignition lock (below the seat height) and the indicator switches. I don't remember seeing a choke on the Marauder but there's one on the left handlebar on the Intruder. The Intruder also has hazard flashers which I don't remember seeing on the Marauder for the one month I had it. Both are great bikes. Sadly the Intruder has been discontinued but if you were buying second hand, I'd say the Intruder is the best bet for looks alone. But it probably costs a bit more to service, I don't know, or care. Insurance is the same for both. Weight wise, they both feel much the same, the extra cylinder on the Intruder marginally cancels out the weightier front tyre on the Marauder and it's heavier fenders. So, that's it. Hope I've answered all the questions I had when deciding between the two. Happy cruising.

I bought the bike as soon as I passed my CBT and never really looked back as I've never had any issues with it. It is a very reliable and beautiful bike and amazes people when they find out it's only a 125cc engine. Everything mentioned above is what you come to expect from the Suzuki brand.

And don't be mistaken to think it's only a commuter. I have been on a number of 200-300 ride out days and it's all been taken in it's stride. If you're interested in the bike, go for it, you won't be disappointed.