Suzuki Intruder 150 Cruiser Road Test Review

Speaking of which, it employs the same, and very likeable, 154.9-cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine and five-speed gearbox from the Gixxer. We have tested the standard Intruder which uses a carburettor for fuelling to keep the price low (Also read: Intruder 150 FI launched). As in the Gixxer, this motor produces 14.8 PS  at 8,000 rpm and 14 Nm at 6,000 rpm. Suzuki have made some subtle modifications to improve the Intruder’s mid-range like using a slightly different air-intake, larger rear sprocket and have reworked the exhaust system, too. In spite of being 13 kg heavier than the Gixxer, the Intruder is quick to gather speed and in our performance test kept pace with its lighter sibling.

In fact, it shaved off a fraction of a second by hitting 0-60 km/h in 5.16 seconds. The almost instant power and beefy mid-range make it very nimble to use in the city. The motor is one of the best in the business — spirited and refined, and doesn’t sound harsh even when strained. I just wish the dual-port exhaust had a throatier note to complement the cruiser. Gear shifts are smooth and I never faced any false shifts, making the ride more enjoyable. Power tends to taper off as revs inch towards the red-line, although the bike can maintain three-digit speeds without breaking into a sweat. We managed to hit the ton from standstill in 15.56 seconds and still had a gear to spare. Slotting into fifth allowed us to cruise to its top speed of 115.56 km/h.

Unlike many cruisers, the Intruder 150 is not just about straight-line riding and, like its sibling, is impressively agile despite all the muscular body work. It’s easily one of the easiest cruisers to ride within the city as one can weave through traffic effortlessly, even at low speeds. Interestingly, the ground clearance of 170 mm is 10 mm more than that in the Gixxer, which makes it very practical for daily use.

The 41-mm front fork and adjustable mono-shock at the rear have also been carried forward from the Gixxer, but have been fine-tuned for the cruiser. Slow-speed ride is plush as the suspension soaks in most of the road irregularities. It’s only while going over speed-breakers or broken road that the rider can’t lift the weight off the seat easily to reduce the impact since the foot-pegs are positioned far ahead.

On the highway, the Suzuki won’t fail to charm you as it remains composed and stable, highlighting the fact that it belongs to a well-engineered family of bikes. Swerving from one bend to another, the Intruder holds the line with precision and the tyres offer plenty of grip and traction so you can power your way out of corners. This enhances the rider’s trust in the machine, aiding to go faster and yet remaining surprisingly relaxed.

Braking duties are managed by single discs at both ends. It’s great to see a single-channel ABS on the bike; however, we wish Suzuki had gone the whole hog and offered a dual-channel instead to improve the anchorage some more. Having said that, our test result showed that the ABS did a decent job of reducing travel distance during hard braking. The Intruder manages to come to a halt from 80 km/h in 3.08 seconds with a braking distance of just 36.34 metres.

Having put the bike under the Bike India lens, the Intruder 150 emerges as a compact and practical cruiser which can be used every day. For me, the reliability, effortless handling and smooth engine are the biggest highlight, while the average 47 km/l fuel efficiency is another attraction. Although the Suzuki, with its Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom) price tag, doesn’t directly compete with the Avenger 150, it is threat enough to make Bajaj give the latter a major update. Meanwhile, the debate in office on the Intruder’s design is becoming even more animated…