Withdrawn from the catalog Suzuki France in 2009, for lack of sufficient volumes of sales and under the pressure of the standard Euro 3, Suzuki Intruder C1500T obtains liquid cooling to return this year in the form of a bagger trend. bikescatalog delivers to you its impressions with the handlebar of the news Suzuki Intruder C1500T…
Vis-a-vis a market of the French custom being attractive again – in progression of 2007 to 2011 and relatively stable in 2012 – many brands furbish their weapons in order to try to put an end to the insolent hegemony of Harley-Davidson. After Moto Guzzi and its superb California 1400 Touring, it is with the turn of Suzuki to propose an alternative to the large customs American and in particular to Harley-Davidson Switchback.
A beautiful challenge, for the Japanese constructor particularly Which puts the chances of all dimensioned to sound, by Introducing a model seducer, well designed and equipped with an excellent ratio quality / price. Besides this, Suzuki displays ambition to re conquer clearly the French custom of the market and by 2013 to become the first Japanese constructor on this segment.
The brand launches in particular about forty Intruder Centers to France, widens its range and develops a vast catalog of specific accessories. It also hopes to multiply the interactions with the Intruder clubs of the Hexagon in order to federate more and more aficionado’s goshawks of its models.
The news Suzuki Intruder C1500T quite naturally finds its place in the center of the range custom Suzuki, between “small” C and M800 and the emblematic M1800R. Hyeres direction, in the where, for a test on dryness and wet…
A look of already seen
The news Suzuki C1500T is not without pointing out the preceding of the Intruder 1500, of which it takes again the essence of the part-cycle and the base being mechanical, modernized, and more powerful, in conformity with Euro 3 and cooled by water.
It is characterized by a look more typified “bad lot” thanks to a line of exhaust, a fork, motor casings, rims, a console of tank, masks and rear view mirrors black checkmate rather than chrome. If chromium’s are done more discrete, they remain present at the level of the headlight, the cylinder heads and by small keys here and there.
This Toured version of course inherits a broad two-seater saddle in two parts, an imposing windshield and beautiful side bags (24.5 and 26 liters) covered with leather and integrated into the motorcycle. They are obviously bolt able with the single principal key, which is also used to block the direction via a lock placed behind the right tube of fork. Small hang-cough up bootable with this same key is also envisaged at the top of the left bag, in measurement or these bags are not designed to shelter a helmet.
The contractor is for its part placed close to the rear roll, on the left side, in the manner of US customs. One also notes new rims made of aluminum with seven branches, roadways of pneumatic tires Bridges tone Exedra G853 with before and G852 in the back. The broad platforms driver agrees with broad brake pedals postpone and a double selector connects chrome. The passenger has its part of retractable footrests and a simple strap of maintenance.
The console of instrumentation takes seat on the generous petrol tank of 18 liters to chrome stopper. It understands a broad analogical tachometer with gauge of digital petrol level with segments, a digital dial displaying the hour, the engaged report, the kilo metric totalizes and the intensity of retro-lighting of the instrument panel, as several indicators of which a witness of reserve.
Dimensioned lighting, Suzuki Intruder C1500T has powerful fires 60/55W with before and of a rear light with LED completely integrated into the guard back mud.
Pure Custom juice
Although directed tourism, Suzuki Intruder C1500T does not remain about it less one true custom. Once on board, the driver is found with the orders of a broad and remote handlebar (although advanced of 117.5 mm compared to M90), which obliges it to tighten the arms ahead and to bend the chest. Base is very comfortable, with an ergonomic and soft saddle with wishes, while broad foot boards make it possible to refine the position of control.
By raising the motorcycle of its side crutch, force is to note that she plays rather in the court of the heavyweights that of the middleweights. Its a few 363 kilos in functioning order indeed requires a constant attention and a small experiment during the operations at low speed where the machine quickly takes on board you with dimensions where you do not take care there.
A blow of starter awakes instantaneously imposing it V-Twin long race on 54°. The long line of exhaust to silencer in double level delivers a raucous sonority of nicest, than accentuate some gas blows felt well history to feel the vibrations of the block of 1,462 cm2. First in characteristic bottom long and Suzuki Intruder C1500T springs effortlessly in spite of its plumpness.
It should be said that with its 79 horses with 4800 tr/min and its maximum couple of 13.1 kgm with 2600 tr/min Japanese V-Twin with cylinder heads 4 valves, simple camshaft and dual ignition does not miss resources.
The city, it is not its trick
An effective system – on condition breaking up the movement well and to couple thoroughly – but which does not compensate for a staging of perfectible box, in particular downtown. Suzuki Intruder C1500T fishes there indeed by its inflexibility, forcing the driver to frequently play the selector. The second however draws long, but it encourages passing it in a third last certain mode.
Except that, the engine is found under-mode and the fact knowledge by inopportune knockings which disappear only if one continues to accelerate frankly. As a result, in urban cycle, one spends his time passing from the 2 to the 3 and conversely.
The handiness is in addition, not exceptional, which will not surprise anybody because of a castor angle of 31.1 degrees and a footing of 1675 mm. For as much, Suzuki Intruder C1500T forms part without too much sorrow of the urban traffic and honestly draws its pin from the game, on condition that remaining attentive with the additional width (990 mm in all) conferred by the side bags. The relative heaviness of direction attenuates as of the first turns of wheels and reappears only during the evolutions at very low speed.
Cut for big spaces
On the small roads of the South of France, the custom Suzuki can finally be expressed with its right measurement and make us foresee his true potential. Around 90 km/h, Japanese V-twin shows them more conciliatory indeed and generally evolves on the third and fourth reports. Besides the vigorous rise in mode propels you well, quickly beyond legal speeds if there care is not taken.
In the steep turns, the second on the other hand remains of setting in order to avoid the knockings and the knitting of intensive selector. The discrete low frequency vibrations contribute to the approval of use.
Others, at high frequency, are shown more awkward when one evolves a long time in second on minor road, numbing the fingers of the right hand. According to Suzuki, average consumption would be established around 7 l/100 km, forecasting of autonomy of approximately 260 km books included.
Camped well on its wheels of 17 and 16 inches, Suzuki Intruder C1500T is placed easily on the angle and passes easily from one turn to the other, thanks to the increased control which confers on the driver of the broad handlebar. The ground clearance proves rather correct for the category. And even if it is easy to make rub the bottom of the foot boards, it is also possible to avoid it by adopting a cast control.
The suspensions function is perfect, ensuring the driver and its possible passenger an appreciable comfort, in agreement with a soft base. It is truly necessary to pass on a major rut or a projecting connection to undergo a dry return of the back mono-shock absorber, rather powerful considering the consequent weight of the machine when it is charged with weapons and luggage.
Good out of frame, just in braking
We could not truly test qualities of the frame at high-speed, of fast tracks or a portion of motorway on the course borrowed during this test. For as much, some beautiful negotiated curves with sharp pace enabled us to appreciate the rigor of the robust tubular out of steel, obviously operational framework and designed well.
Put except for some very light jolts at the beginning of acceleration and of downshift, the transmission by gimbals functions joint perfectly and is completely made forget with use, while simplifying the maintenance of the machine.
Braking is more criticizable, Suzuki C1500T being satisfied with a simple front disc with clamp doubles piston. The right lever is thus used mainly to slow down; the essence of the power is in fact being provided by the back disc brake ordered to the right pedal, more incisive, also with clamp two pistons. Better is thus worth to apply the two breaks jointly when a powerful braking proves to be necessary.
A double disc supplemented before a system, powerful ABS would certainly not have been superfluous on this model. Lastly, the protection brought by the broad windshield proves to be effective, correctly sheltering the bust of the driver of the elements, without one having to regret turbulence on the level of the helmet.
Assessment: Embarrassment of the choice
With the return of Suzuki Intruder C1500T, Suzuki gives meaning of its ambitions of recon quest of the market French custom. Sold 13 499 €, indeed this model has all its opportunities of finding taking by making the dead end on some of technologies in vogue (ABS, Control of traction…) attractive but prejudicial at the cost of sale final.
Let us guarantee that the choice of a certain allied authenticity to Japanese know-how as regards reliability will be able to convince the amateurs of the custom kind. At all events, between the small C800/M800, the virulent M1800R and the maintaining Suzuki C1500T, the offer custom 2013 of the Japanese constructor has proud pace.
