Design and style of the Suzuki Intruder 150cc

The new Suzuki Intruder is essentially a miniature version of the 1800cc beast. So you get a similar design silhouette. However, the claddings on the sides are bulkier on this bike. You get curvy and smooth flowing lines running from front to back. The big triangular headlamp upfront adds to the bulky proportions of the bike and it is bound to leave an imposing impression when out on the road. The front head light consists of a large halogen bulb accompanied by an LED projector light. The tail-lamp is full LED. The red stitching on the black seats is appealing. What did not sit too well with me was the plastic quality around the tank and the exposed wiring which could have also been tucked away in a neater manner. While the foot pegs for the pillion are decent, they could have been better if they were slightly longer. The beefy twin exhaust looks really good and is perhaps the only part of the bike to be treated with some sharp lines. Sadly the muffler doesn't do much to the sound of the bike as it emits sound similar to other 150cc bikes. I honestly would have preferred a fatter tyre at the rear to fit in with the rest of the proportions but the 17-inch 140/60 tyre that you get is the widest in the segment. The front gets a 100/80 17-inch tyre. The bike is long and low slung, and gets a decent amount of chrome sprinkled all around.

The handlebar is on the flatter side and not a raised one but that does not hinder your riding in any way. The seat height at 740mm is ideal even for short riders. Being a 6-foot tall person, I found the bike comfortable to cruise in but I doubt that people taller than me would share the same opinion. The instrument cluster is one of my favourite parts of the new Intruder as it is fully digital that displays a whole host of information in a very legible manner. You can keep track of your speed, fuel level, rpm, and there are two trip meters as well. The instrument cluster could have been positioned slightly higher.

Engine and Performance of the Suzuki Intruder 150cc

The engine found on the new Intruder has been borrowed from Suzuki's own Gixxer. So you get the same 155cc 4-stroke, single cylinder, air-cooled engine but it has been tuned to provide a better low and mid range response due to the cruiser nature of the motorcycle. It puts out 13.9hp @ 8000rpm and 14Nm of torque at 6000rpm. The Intruder is definitely quick to accelerate and finds a nice comfortable spot when cruising at 60-70kmph. The engine has been mated to a smooth 5-speed transmission that shifts effortlessly. We were riding the bike through the twisties of Lavasa in Pune so we did not get a proper straight stretch to test exactly when the bike starts to run out of breath.

What I did find out was that the bike, despite its cruiser nature, is quite maneuverable. It was able to negotiate some really intricate turns as I went through various hairpin bends and even when I was trying to navigate my way through some really bad patches of land (more on that later). This bike is going to be great for city riding where slithering through traffic is a common practice. Reaching speeds of 100kmph comes in easy and so does coming to a halt. With standard disc brakes on both wheel and ABS, this bike has been packed to the rafters in the braking department.

The suspension setup has been borrowed from the Gixxer as well. So you have the same 41mm telescopic forks at the front while a 7-step adjustable mono-shock hidden at the back. As mentioned before, I went over some really bad roads with gravel, loose rocks and potholes. The suspension setup on the Intruder easily absorbed the smaller undulations and it was only the bigger potholes that rattled it a bit . Overall, it was a very comfortable ride and thanks to the 170mm ground clearance, I did not bottom out even once. The rear tyre did a great job of giving solid grip as well. The fuel tank can accommodate 11 litres of fuel which is a bit less when you consider how big the tank looks from the outside. It returns a company claimed fuel efficiency of 44kmpl which is decent in this segment, although not the best.

Verdict

The new Intruder is definitely going to click with enthusiasts who want to own the 'Intruder brand'. It definitely has a few rough spots but the engine and suspension performance are bound to make you like this bike, especially if you are a city dweller.