Suzuki M 800 INTRUDER 2012 — Specifications

So, here's a proposition that doesn't lack audacity. Suzuki, with its M 800 Intruder, dared to take a risky gamble: to take the DNA of a behemoth, the fiery 1800, and distill it into a more affordable machine. The result? A custom that bets everything on style, even if it seriously cuts back on performance. We are far from the American workhorse; here, it's the silhouette that commands.

Look at it. It has that face, undeniably. That trapezoidal headlight drowned in a massive fairing, that 41 mm inverted fork shining with all its chrome, that low and stocky profile. It borrows the codes of the muscle bike without having its temperament. For just €8700 new at the time, it offered a seductive entry ticket into the world of American-style customs. Today, searching for a used Suzuki M 800 Intruder is a smart hunt for those who want this look without breaking the bank.

But don't be fooled. Beneath this bodywork that commands respect, beats a heart a little too tame. The V-twin engine of 805 cm3 delivers only 53 horsepower, and its torque of 64.7 Nm arrives very early, around 3200 rpm. It's the antithesis of a sportbike. The beast, heavy at 269 kg with full tanks, is made for placid rides, not for epic flights. The five-speed gearbox and shaft drive ensure smoothness, but with a 15.5-liter tank and a top speed approaching 160 km/h, we're talking more about urban outings or short escapes than transcontinental road trips.

Compared to a Harley-Davidson Sportster or even a Yamaha V-Star 650 of the time, the Suzuki M 800 Intruder 2005 and later positions itself as an outsider. It bets on a more futuristic design and probably more serene maintenance, thanks to its liquid cooling and injection. On the other hand, it leaves on the side of the road the purists of the big sound and devastating torque. Its braking system, rear disk-drum mix, confirms this philosophy of "sufficient" rather than excellence.

So, who rides this Suzuki? For the asphalt aesthete, the one who prefers to attract glances than to burn rubber at the traffic light. For the urban rider or the novice who wants an imposing custom without the unpredictable character and meticulous maintenance of a large twin. It's a show machine, of assumed style, that transports you more through its image than through thrills. A rational choice for a motorcycle that speaks primarily to visual emotion.