Suzuki M 800 INTRUDER 2017 — Specifications

Is the silhouette of a muscle bike enough to make a motorcycle? Suzuki attempted the experiment with the M 800 Intruder, and the answer is ambivalent. Faced with the increasing power of anti-pollution standards, this model was discontinued after 2016, joining the ranks of disappeared machines. Its fate recalls that of the Suzuki M 800 Intruder 2005, another version that marked its time before fading away. The market for Japanese customs is no longer what it was, and the end of this 800 cc symbolizes a chapter closing.

However, its concept had logic. In the world of Americanized big V-twins, an aggressive aesthetic is often coupled with an intimidating engine. Suzuki decided to separate the two. The M 800 Intruder takes the face of the 1800 colossus, with its embedded trapezoidal headlight and its 41 mm inverted fork that gives a technical look, but it sheds the excessive power. The engine is a 805 cc V-twin, developing only 53 horsepower and 64.7 Nm of torque. Compared to its big brothers, it loses over 70 horsepower and nearly 80 kg, its wet weight being 269 kg. The result is a motorcycle that aims to be accessible, a show without the constraints. The injected twin is polished, it pulls gently from 3200 rpm, but it will not propel you into ferocious accelerations. Top speed is around 160 km/h, enough for the road, not for the drag strip.

Technically, it's classic Suzuki. The steel tube double cradle frame, the shaft drive, the mixed braking system (disc at the front, drum at the rear) and the 16 and 15 inch tires constitute a robust but unsurprising platform. A seat height of 700 mm and a 15.5-liter tank make it an easy-to-live-with machine. Its audience? The beginner who wants a custom without the stress, or the urban dweller looking for a defined style with a docile engine. On the used market, the used Suzuki M 800 Intruder can represent a good compromise for entering the world of bikes without breaking the bank.

The price of 8299 euros, at the time, was its main argument. It positioned itself as an economical alternative to the high-end custom, with nearly 6000 euros difference with the 1800. But this economy also has its limits. The low compression ratio of 9.4:1 and the modest power leave the motorcycle behind compared to more lively competitors. It is a parade, a silhouette that rolls. For those seeking the essence of the muscle bike, it lacks muscle. For those who just want the appearance, it does the job. A motorcycle of compromise, ultimately, that found its niche before regulations closed the door.