The Suxuki VX800. Classic or failure?

The Suxuki VX800. Classic or failure?

The Suzuki VX1990 produced between 1996-800 was a strange machine with a great idea behind it. His engine came from the only beautiful custom bike that ever came from Japan: the VS750 Intruder. The engine got a three mm larger bore, the diameter of the carburetors became 2 mm larger, the crankshaft was moved from 45 ° to 75 ° and the coupling was simply converted again to cable operation. The block ran very nicely and provided sufficient power - 63 hp - to be pleasant on the road. The final drive was done with a cardan.

The first naked

With the VX800, Suzuki brought the 'naked' motorcycle back to the nineties. The appearance of the machine did not appeal to everyone, but the beautiful Vtwin block ensured that not much was grumbled in any case. In the beginning, the grumbling was only about the single front brake and the slack front suspension. There was also some discussion about the design of the wheels.

Meanwhile classic?

Meanwhile, quite a few surviving Suzuki VX800 's 25 + ers have become classic. The comment about the survivors deserves some explanation. The Suzuki had a few points of attention. For example, the floats had a tendency not to close. That way quite a few VXsen died because the contents of the gas tank ran into the block. And compressing a liquid is impossible. The fuel tap must therefore be closed after every ride. Oh yes: the distribution chain often stopped after such an 20.000 km. We have now also reached the point that the rust, for which the Suzuki was not insensitive, has been able to cause serious damage to the frame. Separate bulkheads in the dampers are also a thing. Add to that the quality of the plug connections used in the early nineties and the wiring was not thought to last forever.

Key unfriendly

The VX was also not very key friendly. To replace the spark plugs you needed fingers like tubifex or a broad experience as a gynecologist. And set valves? That was often forgotten in connection with the same problem. To remove the chrome cover above the starter, the rear cylinder actually had to be released.

Only malheur?

Is it all doom and gloom with the Suzuki VX800? No, it is not. Because if the thing drives, he does it very well. The Suzuki VX800 does not look bad, it sends out better depending on how you drive it and the only thing that we absolutely recommend is to put better springs in the front fork. The Suzuki VX800s are currently rock bottom in terms of price.

Costs little

The one that we used here as a service bike for a while was one of those at the time just under 15 years old. The machine had belonged to an 82 year-old and had run such an 15 km in 8000 years. 1200 euros was deposited for that copy. Currently, the VXs cost between the 500 / 1750 euros in asking price and the parts supply via donor bikes is reasonable to good. New parts are, to the extent that they are still available, of course firmly priced.

So go crazy this fall: Buy a Suzuki VX800. Such a V twin is a nice thing, and you no longer have to write it off.