Suzuki VZ 1600 Marauder

2004 Suzuki Marauder 1600 (VZ1600)

New naked performance...
Building on the proven performance and good looks of the hot-rod Marauder 800, Suzuki brings you the bigger and badder 2004 Suzuki Marauder 1600. The combination of aggressive power, sporty handling and a dynamic looks makes the new Marauder 1600 a winner on any boulevard.

Motivation for the 04 Marauder 1600 comes courtesy of a rubber-mounted, liquid-cooled, SOHC, four-stroke, four-valve-per-cylinder V-twin. The powerful engine utilizes a compact combustion chamber, digital fuelinjection system with dual 40mm throttle bodies and dual-plug digital ignition. The result is precise engine response and gobs of torque.

A close-ratio five-speed transmission conveys horsepower to the rear wheel via a low-maintenance, dualhydraulic air shock-equipped shaft drive system. Up front, 43mm upside-down cartridge forks offer unmatched handling while sportbike-style, six-piston discs provide stopping power. Rear brakes consist of a single-disc setup.

Styling for the new Marauder is pure hot-rod, from the aggressively styled, oversize headlight to the sleek 4.5- gallon fuel tank. Completing its sporting chic exterior is the sculpted rear fender with exotic-looking taillight treatment and multi-reflector turn signals.

What's it like?
You could be forgiven for thinking the term "performance cruiser" is an oxymoron, though I do have to say the idea has a fair bit of merit. Mostly because the majority of V-twin cruisers out there are not exactly what I'd describe as beacons of good performance and handling. In fact, some of them are downright ordinary.

So where does the Suzuki fit into this? Your average Hayabusa owner isn't going to get a fright from it, but the Marauder gets off the line in a very convincing manner and, corner to corner, has more than adequate poke for the majority of riders.

Top speed is nothing to write home about: we got around 180 before acceleration dropped into the 'dignified' rather than 'frantic' range. That's probably enough for this kind of bike, as the feet forward seating potion is hardly ideal for high-speed punting.

Brakes are sensational for a cruiser and would be regarded as more than respectable on anything. This, and the fitment of sticky Dunlop Sportmax rubber as standard, does a lot to encourage confidence in the machine.

 Clutch and gear action were pretty good, while the shaft was about as unobtrusive as you could hope for. Shifting was typical big-twin stuff - positive, but requiring a slightly slower action to get it right every time.

When you look at the ultra-low seating position, it doesn't take long to work out that something had to be sacrificed to obtain it, and that's cornering clearance. It's okay but way short of what the chassis could otherwise cope with.

The suspension does a respectable job of keeping this pretty heavy machine (290 kilos claimed dry - or about the same as an equivalent Harley) under control. Damping is on the plush side and the rear end travel is short enough to get caught out on bigger potholes.

Steering, despite the long wheelbase, is actually quite good. There's a bit of effort involved, but it doesn't suffer the remoteness that some cruiser front ends exhibit.

Overall finish is good and the bike scored quite a few compliments for its looks. Fuel consumption was around the 15km/litre mark, depending on how hard the throttle was twisted.