6 Things You Need To Know About The Suzuki Intruder Bobber
The Suzuki Intruder Bobber has made its mark in the cruiser motorcycle world, known for its bold design and performance. Here's a deep dive into its history and key features.
The demand for motorcycles surged in the past decades, with major brands introducing new models to meet the growing needs of riders. One of the most notable brands in this space is Suzuki, which produced a variety of motorcycles over the years.
Suzuki launched the Suzuki Intruder Bobber, a cruiser motorcycle, which was manufactured between 1985 and 2005. Post-2005, the Intruder Bobber was replaced by the Boulevard range, though in parts of Europe, the Suzuki Intruder Bobber name was retained in certain models. This bike was equipped with a V-twin engine with 4-stroke capabilities.
The Suzuki Intruder Bobber was first introduced in North America, with initial models such as the Intruder 700 and Intruder 1400. The latter had a 1360cc engine. These models were designed with a lower size to avoid a 45% import tariff on larger bikes in the U.S. Later, Suzuki introduced larger models to compete with Harley's 1640cc Evolution engines and Kawasaki's Vulcan 1500.
The U.S. import limit for motorcycles was set at 750cc, prompting Suzuki to modify the Intruder Bobber's engine to meet this new regulation. This model remained on the market until 1991. By 1992, the engine was upgraded with a larger radiator and bigger forks to support the new engine size.
This version of the Suzuki Intruder Bobber remained in the market until 2004. In 1999, a notable update was the black paint added to the engine. In 2005, Suzuki rebranded its cruiser line under the name "Boulevard" to appeal more to American cruiser riders, distancing the brand from the "Japanese crotch rocket" image. The Intruder models, such as the Intruder 800 and VS1400, were rebranded to "Boulevard S50" and "Boulevard S83" respectively.
Additionally, Suzuki introduced a plastic fake air cleaner on the side of the engine to hold the toolkit, a feature formerly stored in the sissy bar. Despite this change, the core mechanics of the motorcycle remained the same. Some parts, including the fake air cleaner, were swapped between the Intruder 800 and the S50 model, with certain adjustments made to accommodate the new design.
