Intruder 1400, Suzuki's Hidden Cruiser Gem with Timeless Appeal and Classic American Flair

suzuki is famed for GT bikes, GSXR's, or Bandits; but they also make cruisers. One of the longest-lived was the Intruder 1400 or VS1400 to give it its correct name. Like other suzuki's of the time, the 1360cc V-twin engine was air and oil-cooled and employed a narrow V spacing of 45 degrees, by chance the same degree of cylinder layout as a certain American manufacturer – what a coincidence!

suzuki vs1400

Starting as a four-speeder in the US market, the VS1400 soon adopted a five-speed box which maintained the first three ratios and lengthened the last two to create more relaxed and low-revving cruising. With a simple – almost elegant – design, the Hamamatsu engineers tried to hide or disguise as many pipes, cables, and fittings as possible while maintaining a clear rear end by way of the shaft and not chain final drive. Below the surface, however, things got a little more complicated.

Fed by carburetors of two different specifications any adjustments were hard due to their tucked-in location. The battery was low mounted between the engine and swinging arm and even the spark plugs were hidden as part of the styling scoring a goal for aesthetics at the cost of practicality. Starting as a “clean sheet” design, the engine employed no less than two inlet valves and one exhaust plus idiosyncratic hydraulic valve adjusters as you might find on a classic American car.

Around town (perhaps its natural environment), the Intruder was in its element, loping along and emitting an off-beat exhaust note much like a silenced version of a Milwaukee motorcycle. Out of town, the story had a different plot line. At low speeds, the raked-out steering geometry created a feeling of “dropping” into corners while at higher velocities the bike tended to pick itself up while bending and swinging.

Over a 17-year production cycle the VS1400 changed little visually save from finishes that alternated between black or colour-coded frames and silver engine finishes giving way to black for the cylinders and crankcases. Likely to only be cosmetically altered rather than mechanically, the lazy charms of an Intruder 1400 are understandably appealing. And if you want to change your bike back to standard by degrees – or simply need to keep it factory fresh – then check out the mountain of brand new and authentic spares offered on the CMS website and let's keep you cruising!