Suzuki Intruder 150 First Ride Review

Gallery Introduction Quality Comfort Performance Technology Fuel Efficiency Fitness for purpose Our take

Introduction

Pros- Great handler, begs for attention, ABS is standard

Cons- Pricey, firm ride setup

Street bikes may be all that jazz today, but there are some Indians who have a thing for raked-out front, low saddle height and a motorcycle that is an extension of their personality. This is why the cruisers still have a market in India. Unfortunately, most authentic cruisers come with price tags that make them inaccessible to a middle-class guy. Insofar, there was just one manufacturer who offered entry-level budget cruisers - Bajaj. Now, Suzuki didn’t want Bajaj to rule the segment all alone. So it launched a cruiser, the Intruder 150 which is supposed to be a derivative of a legendary and far more expensive Suzuki cruiser - the Intruder 1800. But does it make sense to associate yourself to this legendary brand? We find out!

Quality

The brand Suzuki and quality usually go hand in hand. The folks at Hamamatsu are known for attention to detail and it’s no different with the Intruder 150. The quality of the panels and also the paint is really good. In fact, the finish near the instrument cluster and the exhaust is one of the best in its class. The large body panels have been neatly packed, just like the instrument cluster. The grey panel runs across the centre of the bike and complements the blacked-out design but in a subtle way. Rest of the bits like the switch gear, alloy wheels and a few other cycle parts are from the Gixxer.

Comfort

The Intruder 150 gets low saddle-height, forward-set footpegs and large rider’s seat. These aspects have resulted in a riding experience that blows you away. Comfortable ergonomics backed by a firm seat makes long hours on the saddle an enjoyable one. It’s the same story with the pillion seat. While it doesn’t offer the width, it does the job of offering good support and comfort. Plus, the large grab rail doesn’t just work aesthetically, but practically too.

Performance

Before we dig a bit deeper here, you need to know that the Intruder 150 is really a Gixxer in disguise. That means, same chassis, same swingarm and even the same rake angle. It is powered by the same 155cc single-cylinder engine. In short, it’s a cruiser with a streetfighter soul and that is supposed to make things interesting, right? Well, it does and we’re glad!

The Gixxer is known for its outstanding performance and it’s the same with the Intruder. There’s a good amount of refinement and smoothness. It gets a bigger airbox to take care of the extra weight. This motor behaves sane until 3000rpm, to keep things calm for city riding. But post that, with a bit of a grunt and linear power delivery, the bike feels lively and fast. As the revs begin to reach 9000rpm, that’s when the buzz starts to creep in on the handlebar and the footpegs. The five-speed gearbox isn’t the best one in the 150cc segment, but it does the job of keeping things exciting. Even with the extra bike weight, it is possible to ride at 40kmph in fifth gear.

When it comes to handling, the Intruder impressed us in every single aspect. It wants to be taken to the corners every single time and the credit for this goes to the chassis underneath. It holds to the line very well and that’s an uncommon thing amongst cruisers. The suspension setup is on the stiffer side and that might pose a problem for someone with a weak back in every day riding. The single-channel ABS that work on the front wheel, comes as standard and works pretty efficiently. There’s a good amount of feedback and bite from the front brake at low speeds, but not very effective during spirited riding.

Technology

The Intruder is also available with fuel-injection technology. But for that you need to shell out a couple of thousands extra. It gets LED position and tail light. The fully-digital instrument cluster is borrowed from the Gixxer. The information is well laid out and easy to read, even at night.

Fuel Efficiency

The Suzuki Intruder 150 returned 47.2 kmpl in our fuel-efficiency test. So with a fuel tank capacity of 11-litres, this Suzuki cruiser can be ridden for close to 500kms in one tank full.

Fitness for purpose

The Intruder 150 checks all the right boxes involved with cruising. The comfortable riding position, the accessible seat height and the potent motor makes living with the Intruder 150 an easy affair. Plus, with a tank range of 500kms, rider will need to stop less for refuels.

Our take

The Suzuki Intruder 150 looks nothing like its rival and that’s its strong point. Armed with a design language derived from the mighty M1800R, the Intruder 150 manages to turn heads wherever it goes. It even get stares from the fairer sex and that’s something. The all-round chassis coupled with a proven 155cc motor, makes the Intruder 150 a very tempting product. Besides that, it got ABS power and that’s a very confidence-inspiring feature to have. With a price tag of Rs 1.17 lakhs on-road Mumbai, the Intruder 150 is the best entry-level cruiser in the market.

Photography by Kapil Angane