Suzuki VZ-R INTRUDER M 1800 R 2015 — Specifications

It's easy to overlook it, but in the grand ball of fixed-ratio behemoths, Suzuki has maintained its position with a weapon as massive as it is atypical. While the Kawasaki VN2000 and Honda VTX 1800 have since passed away, the VZ-R Intruder M 1800 R, it, still resists, a bit like the last samurai facing the advance of modern cruisers. Its heart, a 1783 cm³ V-twin, is no longer the largest, but it remains a brutal piece of watchmaking. With 125 horsepower at 6200 rpm, it sends a clear message: here, we don't just bet on low-end torque, we also want fury in the revs.

This engine is a mechanical curiosity. With a bore of 112 mm, monstrous for the time, and a relatively short stroke, engineers clearly sacrificed suppleness on the altar of pure power. The result is that the torque of 158.9 Nm is solid, but it is mainly the energetic delivery after 3000 rpm that surprises on a machine of this size. The shaft drive adds a touch of refinement and solidity, very appreciable for this type of machine intended for long, straight roads. Alongside, a Harley 1250 Muscle or a Triumph Rocket III Roadster play in another league, often more focused on character than on raw numbers.

Visually, the M 1800 R assumes a post-apocalyptic side that sharply contrasts with the restrained classicism of the category. Its huge 240 mm rear tire, its bulging tank and, above all, its 43 mm inverted telescopic fork, a rarity on a custom, give it the look of a dragster ready to fight. The braking system, with its 310 mm discs at the front and radial calipers, inspires confidence, which is not negligible when you have to stop 347 kg fully fueled. The seat height of 705 mm makes the beast accessible, even if its weight is felt at low speed.

Who rides this Suzuki? Certainly not the beginner, frightened by its mass and its power delivered with a certain liveliness. It is the motorcycle of the enthusiast of large-displacement Japanese motorcycles who refuses folklore and seeks a technical and nervous alternative to American productions. At nearly 14,000 euros, it is not cheap, but it offers a unique experience, a mixture of mechanical brutality and stylistic audacity that no longer exists much elsewhere. It doesn't do lace, but for those looking for a custom that goes off the beaten path, it remains a fascinating proposition, and above all, terribly temperamental.