2002 Suzuki Marauder Motorcycle reviews

After 30 years off cycles, on May 1, 2011, the thrill came back. At 62, I took the plunge and bought a 2000 Marauder (black and fully dressed), with 9,800 miles on the odometer. What a beauty! It runs great and sounds great. The only problem right now is, sharing it with my wife (I'm retired, so I own the bike weekdays and it's hers weekends). I hope to buy a second Marauder in the spring. We live in a small village, so it's not a problem to ride 2-up on our country roads and not see a car for miles. We are having a BLAST. Stay safe and enjoy your rides. I went and bought our second Suzuki in November, 2011. I spotted this ad for a 2002 Marauder and after inspecting, took the plunge. It was in pristine condition, with 11,000 miles and lots of accessories. We now look for excuses to go for a ride together. Both of us are very pleased with our Marauders, and are looking forward to many seasons with them. Show less

I recently purchased a 2003 Marauder. This bike gives me (a beginner) a great sense of security while riding it. From stop to getting into the first gear, the Marauder picks up surprisingly fast. I love everything about this bike, from the spoke-less wheels to the civilized purr from the muffler. Great price for the amount of bike I got! Show less

Most of what I researched before I bought my Marauder was accurate. At around 65 mph the engine sounds busy from too many rev's; the front end feels heavy in slow, stop and go traffic. Having said that...what a bike! At speed it handles like a dream, the shift from 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th will have the bike jumping out from under you! The gas tank is a bit small but I'm ready for a stretch at the 100 mile mark anyway. This bike does not pretend to be anything it isn't. If you want a touring bike this isn't it; if you want a stop light rocket this isn't it. Everything in between - enjoy! Show less

I bought my new 2002 Marauder in March 2003. The dealer I bought the bike from had a very good deal going on the 02 models. The bike rides better than most 1100 model bike that I ride with. I've been saving money for about a year to buy a used HD. The standard price for a used HD is around $10,000 and I've saved about 3/4 of that amount. I had enough money left over to get some things for the wife to keep her happy and off my case when I go riding with friends. If you can get a new or used Marauder go for it. You will not be disappointed with your decision. Show less

When I went looking for a new bike, I was looking for three things. Appearance, bang for the buck and fit for my 6'4" frame. I looked at several models from Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. The V-Stars look good, but were underpowered and to small. The Shadows were goo looking and had power, but were to pricy. The Kawasaki Vulcan just didn't look good. Then I came across the Marauder. This bike has an agressive stance, great paint job, lots of chrome and lot's of power from the 800cc powerplant. The biggest kicker, was the bang for the buck. It was the most reasonably priced bike for what you get. So I bought it. Sitting on the bike in the showroom it felt good. But, thats were the immediate love ended for the factory settings. The first thing I realized is that the bike needs a six gear. Secondly, it vibrates the hell out of your hands at freeway speeds. I attribute this to the lack of a six gear and the resulting high RPM's. Second was the seat. This had to go, as it is way to small and not very comfortable. Last was the sound. You would think that an 800cc powerplant that is dialed for torque would have a throatier sound, but the bike sounds like a 500cc. The one thing I cannot complain about is the power. It really scoots when you need it too. I have ordered a gel seat, vance and hines pipes, jet kit, air filter and a windshield. I rode another guys Marauder that was set up this way and man, I tell you, what a difference. The bike is definitely a keeper with the mods. I recommend the bike to anyone, even with my complaints about the lack of a sixth gear and resulting vibrations in the handlebars, the wussy stock sound and the tiny seat. Here is one last thing...Aftermarket parts are few and expensive compared to other bikes, but I look at that like I have bought a rare breed out there. Show less

98 Marauder Cranberry over cream. 6700 miles. Less then $5000 into it so far... I'll give the looks a 5. I'm on my second year with it and have put on about 3500 miles in that time. I do enjoy the bike and have found that the avenues for customizing are endless. I have put on Cobra slash cuts, new mirrors, pegs, Suzuki gunfighter seat, short luggage rack, tires, 17 tooth front sprocket, painted swing arm covers, chrome and other minor cosmetic changes. I get positive comments daily and have ridden a couple of rallys dominated by Harleys and most of them give it cudos... The ride of the bike is a 4.5 with the front fork being a bit stiff and the seats inclusive of the gunfighter being good for 150 miles max before you get a numb butt. The forks transmit the road bumps up through the bars to your hands. There is no adjustment for this. I have found that setting changing the rear shocks depending on one or two up riding can help soften this effect so that it is acceptible. The buzzy bars at highway speeds were eliminated with the change to the 17 tooth front sprocket. This drops RPMs across the gears but the bike handles it without blinking. Engine is a solid 5. Liquid cooled, easy to change the oil. Chain drive is bit louder then shaft or belt and you do have to oil the chain once in a while. No big deal. Plenty of power and no fade all day long. With the slash cuts you get a pretty awesome sound as well. I have removed the Pair valve assembly ("air filter" on the right side of the engine) and it opens up the engine to your viewing pleasure... Looks much nicer and you don't need the Pair anyway. Things I may get yet, Quick detach windshield, Mustange seat. Things I wish I could find... quick detach saddle bag supports for the few times I would put bags on it. What I tell the Harley die hards: For the price of your frame I'm riding... Show less

I've had my Marauder for about 6 months now and I've got to say that overall I'm pleased with my choice. It has loads of low end (yes, it will spin the back tire) and it's comfortable enough for a semi-long haul. I resorted to a drivers back rest, adding a windscreen, and saddle bags and I think the combination works well. The styling is great! I get the "hey nice bike" nod at many stop lights. I often ride the bike to work (from suburban Virginia to DC - about 50 miles one way). Now lets face it, Interstate 95 is nothing more that a very thinly disguised death trap. Thousands of cars going about 70mph and about 10 ft apart. I found that the Marauder maintains its stance and stability well at all highway speeds. I am confident in the handling and just a flick of the wrist allows you to get the hell out of the way when necessary. However, cruising for any length of time between 60-70mph you can't help but notice that the RPM's are up there (wish there was a tach). It doesn't complain, but you definately get the feeling that you're near the red line at about 80mph.(I wouldn't REALLY know that since it's illegal to go that fast- heeeeee) Overall it's a great ride for someone that took a hiatus for about 10 years and has decided to get back on two wheels. Oh yea, get a cramp-buster for the throttle. It'll save you from that numb, oh crap, my hand is falling off my arm, feeling you get after cranking the throttle for about an hour or so. Enjoy the road! Be safe!. Show less

Note: This review is as much about how I made the decision to buy the Marauder over any other cruiser in the 500-800cc class, as it is about the bike itself. Though I've ridden a few different bikes in casual "hey, let me tool around the neighborhoodscenarios, this is my first bike, bought after about 7 years of research and discussions with riders about what constitutes a good "beginners bike". I'm 6'3", 185 pounds, and wanted a cruiser and was in no particular hurry, largely due to some financial upheaval during those seven years! The upside of that, is that I've seen models come and go, and I've seen other models that just hang around year after year. This past January, I picked up a copy of the "2002 Buyers" Guide, and began making plans. As a beginner, I was looking for a bike that would be forgiving enough to keep me somewhat safe, but it also had to have enough power to at least let me hang out in the slow lane on the Beltway. It also had to feel good, in terms of ergonomics. Looking at all the cruisers, I never paid much attention to the Marauder, because the B&W picture in the Buyers' Guide (I presume it shows the blue/silver color scheme) just didn't do anything for me. I just flipped past the page. So I spent this past summer hanging out at the local dealers, talking to people. Everyone said "get at least a 1000cc bike, or you can't hit the highway". I borrowed a friend's Moto Guzzi, 1064cc, and proceeded to lay it down. Thankfully, the bike was okay; I got away lucky with a severe sprain in the ankle and a fractured leg. Several things conspired against me - my friend apologized, because he knew that particular Guzzi was twitchy, with a grabby clutch and a severe throttle-response problem. (Hey, what can you say about a friend who apologizes to YOU after you've laid down his bike? Truly, the man is a friend! :) That episode taught me to have a deep respect for motorcycles, and delayed my buying process until just recently. It also almost scared me out of buying a bike altogether, but I resolved to try it againﾅ So, based on that experience, I decided to set a target in the 550 - 750cc range. The goal was: 550 - 750cc, cruiser, water-cooled (Virginia never learned how to build roads - the whole northern part of the state is one big stop & go parking lot), and ergonomics. With that proviso, and more discussions, , I narrowed the roster to the Shadow VLX, the Sabre, the Yam Vstar, and the Suzuki Intruder 800. The Sabre was too fat - I felt bowlegged sitting on it. The Vstar was pretty and comfy, but it was mostly plastic, and all the dealer had was black - and I didn't want a black motorcycle. The VLX was nice, but my feet were too far forward, I'd have to replace the handlebars, and all those discussions about "too little power" kept echoing in my mind. My local dealer didn't have the Intruder 800 in stock. Last weekend, my buddy and I went to Loudoun Powersports in Leesburg VA, as part of my mission to sit on every bike. There, they had the Intruder 800, and it was a really nice bike, but the seat was hard. There was another, black bike sitting next to the Intruder, and - since I was sitting every bike on the showroom floor - I swung a leg over it. "Click!" Whatever bike I was sitting on, it was absolutely the most comfortable seat / handlebar / foot peg relationship I had sat on. A glance at the tank - it was the Marauder: the bike I had completely dissed while looking through the Buyers' Guide! As I looked more closely at it, I saw a lot of stuff I like: the speedo is way out front, where you can flick your gaze at it without breaking your traffic scan. The riser/dragbar combination is perfect for me. The rear cylinder exhaust pipe has this really sexy loop on the left side of the bike, before diving through the frame to meet the rest of the exhaust system. It's solidly built, overall. The front forks have guards over the shock seals - aesthetic as well as functional. The bike, overall, just screamed at me "c'mon, Dad, buy me and let's go ride!" I fell in love with it on the spot, and rode it home. A couple of hundred miles and one week later, here are my impressions: if you want a beginner's bike, and have a thought process anything like mine, check this machine out. Granted, the ergonomics may or may not be what you're after, but please don't make the mistake I did, and dismiss the bike based on the photo in the Guide! As I hone my riding skills (a pompous statement after 1 week, but there it is!), the bike is gentle, easy to launch, very controllable, and just inspires confidence. I'm having some trouble at low speeds, as a beginner: the bike seems a little prone to understeer - more experienced riders say that's a result of the rake and the beefy front wheel - but several of my (very) experienced friends who've ridden it all agree there's nothing out of the ordinary, and all get off it with huge grins and the comment "that is a SWEET bike!" I've been on the highway up to 65MPH in a straight line - the bike seems comfortable there, though I am not. The physicist in me realizes the bike could really use a 6th gear, but it's a cruiser, after all. I don't see any reason not to take it on the highway - there is LOADS of power available on tap; you'll just rev a little higher than your 6-speed companions. My skills to date have not even begun to explore what I feel this bike could do. It is stable throughout the speed range, and the bow wave from passing (or passed) semi's does not upset the handling. I haven't ridden it in a high-crosswind situation since I've had it. It's quiet enough, stock, to start up at 7AM in the townhouse community without the neighbors siccing the HOA on my butt (try THAT with a Sportster!), but loud enough at speed so people notice me, in the "oh, I see you so I won't hit you" model. Honestly, I'm sitting here, desperately trying (in my neophyte way) to think of anything I don't like about this bike. I wish it had a tach, but I'm sure I can find one aftermarket. I wish it had a 6th gear, but "it is what it is." I wish the foot pegs were about an inch longer: aftermarket again. I wish it had a windscreen, so I ordered one from the dealer, and he'll call me when it arrives. In sum - "yowza!" This ranks as one of the top 5 investments I've ever made, with an ROI measured not in dollars, but in serenity, happiness, and the pure joy of riding it. And y'know what? I can't imagine this bike in any color but black. It changed my perceptions of black motorcycles completely. Being the hardheaded, opinionated cuss that I am, that tells me Suzuki crafted a winner. More news later, after I've ridden it a bit more. Be safe, and God Bless America! Show less

I picked up my new Marauder on 22 Sept.........WOW!! what a ride, this was the bike i was looking for, thanks to this site and the reviews i read, i made the right dec..... Show less

Just picked up a left over 2002 Marauder yesterday,,WHEW!!!I like it!! Ive been out of the saddle for about 10 years and this bike has brought all the good feeling back that Ive been missing! My last bike was a mistake,,it was an older Harley Sportster 1977 XLCH,it looked cool,and sounded mean as hell,,but,,it constantly leaked oil and shook parts off and wasnt too comfotable,Ive looked at bikes over the past few months and even went to a HD dealer to see what they had.for 500.00 more I could have bought a NEW sPORTSTER 883..BUT,,they still shake,and while the motors are getting a little better I dont trust them,the dealers at HD sem to love to sell ya all the trinkets and add on junk too.dont get me wrong I love the paint jobs and their sounds but for the money..theyre too damn overpriced!Enter the marauder,,its gotta damn fine look,its ride is smooth and the engine pulls real nice with a good deal of torgue!! I can have miles of smiles from this Suzuki and I know shell run a long long time!! never again will I believe that only US made products were better!! to me theyre not,I dont want to be a rolling billboard either.its a shame that we have lost the edge in this country with our products but I now believe the japanese bikes and cars / trucks are a better product in the long run!! This Marauder is all the bike I need for a hell of a lot less than a HD or a new Indian etc..dont believe me?? get youre ass on a Marauder and see what IM talking about!! Show less