RIDING IMPRESSION. 1997 Suzuki VZ800V Marauder
By Kit Palmer
Photos by Tom Riles
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hile we waited in anticipation for Suzuki to join the
retro-cruiser-bike craze, we
could only wonder what the bike
might look like. Surely it would fall
in line with what the other three
Japanese manufacturers are offering.
The bike would undoubtedly
have a large front tire, wrapped
around a smallish, perhaps, 16inch rim. The handlebars, of
course, would be wider than a
'59 Eldorado, oe.nd a Jow-slung
seat and fuel tank would be nearly as
spacious. Furthermore, it would be dripping in chrome, and rumble like a thunderstorm on a warm, summer afternoon.
But when Suzuki first rolled out its
new cruiser, the VZ800V Marauder, we
were a bit taken aback to see that Suzuki
chose to take a slightly different route
than tha t of the other manufacturers.
Rather than designing another '50sstyled, Hollywood night's cruiser, Suzuki aimed toward the back-street look
with a more "drag-bike" appearance.
While the Marauder does display many
of the nowstandard cruiser-bike
features, such as those previously
mentioned, the Marauder certainly has a
look all its own.
"It's designed to reflect the look and
feel of a street dragster," said a Suzuki
spokesman.
.
That it does, much of which has to do
with the Marauder's more kicked-out
front end, staggered exhaust pipes and
dual-post, non-adjustable handlebars.
(Top) The new vzlioov
Marauder from Suzuki could be the
buy of the year. At $5,999, the Marauder is a
steal, and you do get a lot of bike for the money.
(Above) The street-drag styling of the Marauder sets it apart from many of the low and slow
retro-crulsers on the market. The Suzuki comes in two different color combinations.
