Suzuki Intruder 1400 Problems – What Will Break in the Bike?

Slim, sturdy, and elegant, Suzuki Intruder 1400 is a sight to behold. But this machine is more than looks. For decades, it has been racing the US roads with a true intruder's pride and 'arrogance.' This chopper-styled cruiser is a match for Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 and Harley 1340cc Evolution models. 

With a 1360cc V-twin engine, it's adequately fortified for every possible form of riding: leisure, competitive, cross country, etc. This capability is bestowed on it by its 4-speed transmission gearbox, which facilitates easy acceleration and maneuvering. 

With this intimidating profile, it's not difficult to understand why some people think it's unbreakable. Even though their view is almost always the case, there are, however, some problems that can undermine the invincibility of Suzuki Intruder 1400. These are the few issues that can break your bike.

As a Suzuki Intruder 1400 owner, we think you will be eager to know these giant killers so that you can tame them before they become a problem. That is why we did this x-ray article.

Suzuki Intruder 1400 Problems

Your bike is a gallant 'mechanical horse,' no doubt. Yet, it's gotten some susceptibility that gives in to problems. Some of these problems are:

• Carburetor Problem
• Clutch Slipping Problem
• Fuel Pump Problemutch spring problem
• Electrical Problem

What Will Break Suzuki Intruder 1400?

Despite its ruggedness and sturdiness, Suzuki Intruder 1400 does break at some point. Worthy of emphasis, however, is that all that can break this bike are from wear and tear, and they are the same issues that constitute problems for this machine.

Let's spell them out:

1) Carburetor problem

Your carburetor's health is important to your bike's overall performance. The carburetor performs a dual function of letting in the right air and fuel, then feeding the engine with this air-fuel mixture through the intake valve. With the help of the spark plug, this (air-fuel mixture) is what burns in your internal combustion engine to power your bike.

Symptoms of a bad carburetor:

• Acceleration Difficulty: In the event of a failing carburetor, you may notice that your bike accelerates slower than usual.
• Perceivable gas smell: You can smell a strong gas odor when idle.
• Fuel economy deterioration: Your bike may begin to burn a lot more fuel, resulting in poor fuel economy.
• Discolored spark plug: Your bike will typically backfire while idling or coasting and lurches on acceleration. If you check the spark plug, it will likely be whitish, grayish, sooty, or black.

2) Clutch Slipping Problem

Clutch slipping is not uncommon with Suzuki Intruder 1400, especially when it's gotten about 20,000 miles. Not having a fully functional clutch can be frustrating and damage your bike. The clutch is built to facilitate a smooth transition between gears while your motorbike is still in motion.

This same clutch helps bring your bike to a halt without breaking the gear. But to engage the clutch, you pull/squeeze the clutch lever. This action transfers force through the clutch spring to the clutch plates underneath the engine. It is this reactionary force that is cut off when the clutch spring develops a problem.

Symptoms of a Slipping Clutch:

• Lagging: A slipping clutch may cause your bike to suddenly lose acceleration as clutch disks lose friction on the wheels. This usually results in poor acceleration, though you can still rev the engine satisfactorily.
• Squeaking: When you exert pressure on the clutch lever, you can hear a squeaking sound that is distinct and unusual. Some compared this sound to some weird grumbling noise.
• Stiff gear pedal: Changing gears may become difficult as the slipping clutch may fail to disconnect the transmission from the wheel to facilitate smooth gear changes.
• Stuck or slack clutch lever: Pulling the lever may feel loose in your hand. The clutch lever may sometimes refuse to bounce back when you release it after squeezing it.

3) Fuel Pump Problem

Your Suzuki Intruder 1400 comes with a fuel pump that motorizes fuel from the fuel tank to the carburetor. The fuel pump is needed to exert pressure to deliver the right quantity of fuel from the fuel tank to the carburetor. A faulty fuel pump may fluctuate fuel supply and make you lunge or sputter. Generally, a fuel pump can last for 100,000 miles.

Symptoms of a bad or failing fuel pump:

• Surging movement: As a bad or failing fuel pump's supply of fuel is irregular, your bike surges and jerks.
• Stalled engine: When the pump fails, the engine refuses to start.
• Irritable noise: The engine may be making a strange noise that you find irritating and disturbing.
• Fuel efficiency: Your motorcycle may start consuming fuel staggeringly more than usual.

4) Electrical Problem

This is a problem that touches many parts and devices in your motorcycle. Save mechanical devices; electrical devices are the most important in your machine. Everything electrical in your bike is crucial, from the battery to the alternator to the starter and power cables.

Frankly speaking, problems in this area can be pressurizing and disorienting, especially when troubleshooting is difficult to attain, which is mostly the case.

Let's break down this problem for ease of understanding. Know that an electrical problem in Suzuki Intruder 1400 almost definitely has its root in one of these three areas:

• Stator Rectifier
• Battery
• Alternator
• Starter Solenoid

- Stator Rectifier Issue

The stator rectifier in your bike helps generate suitable electrical current for all parts that need electricity, including the battery. It also helps the alternator to charge the battery. When there is an issue with the stator rectifier, chances are that your battery gets endangered. You may find yourself saddled with a weak or overcharged one. In a critical case, the battery may go 'stone' dead.

Symptoms of a bad stator rectifier:

• Dimmed headlight: When the rectifier fails, the voltage supplied to electric components is reduced. The headlight is the component that gives you the most obvious sign of this problem.
• Poor start: Like other electrical problems, a failing/bad rectifier hinders your bike from starting promptly.
• Firing deficiencies: A bad rectifier affects the functions of the spark plug. It causes anomalies such as 'no spark' or 'misfire.' A motorbike that is misfiring is prone to poor fuel economy.

- Battery Issue

A bad/failing battery will affect how easily your bike starts. It will also affect how effectively other electrical components on your bike function. This is because the battery is at the core of your bike's electrical system. But batteries don't just go bad. They last for three or more years when they are well maintained.

Symptoms of a Failing/Bad Battery:

• Visual signs: You don't need a multimeter if the battery is already physically deformed. A bulging battery or a cracked one has outlived its usefulness. The same can be said of a leaking battery.
• Difficulty starting the bike: A bad battery is one of the reasons it may become difficult to start your machine.
• Reduced electric component functionality: Different components that require electricity to function may not perform optimally. The headlight, for instance, may deem, while horn volume may drop markedly.
• Poor/Abnormal readings: When tested with a multimeter, a bad/failing battery will have abnormal or inconsistent readings. You may get low voltage readings like 8V, 6V, 10V, etc.

- Alternator Issue

The alternator ensures that your battery is recharged while using your bike. When it starts failing, your battery is at risk of depleting. If this continues for a long time, it is possible to end up with the case of a bad battery.

Symptoms of a Failing/Bad Alternator:

• Weak battery: Your battery keeps getting too low to start your motorcycle but will start when you jump-start it. It simply means the alternator isn't charging adequately.
• Charging problem: A bad alternator will not charge the battery as required.

- Starter Solenoid

Suzuki Intruder 1400 starting problems mostly come from a bad starter relay solenoid. This black cube-shaped electric device helps establish contact between the battery and the starter. When you turn the ignition key, the starter solenoid bridges the gap in the power relay from the battery to the starter. That way, your bike starts effortlessly.

However, posts on several forums have shown that a bad starter solenoid can break your Suzuki Intruder 1400. Do you know why? That's because a starter solenoid problem hinders the flow of power from the battery from getting to the starter. More often than not, this scenario results in a major problem with the potential to make your machine unresponsive.

Symptoms of Bad Starter Solenoid:

• Engine No cranking: Though there are many reasons why your bike may not start, a bad starter solenoid is one of the most obvious reasons for this problem. A bad starter solenoid may not complete the electric circuit well, therefore failing to supply power to the starter.
• Sluggish cranking: Your engine may crank slowly and tiredly. This often occurs when the solenoid is not out, but it's almost.

Conclusion

Suzuki Intruder 1400 has problems that may break it, but none of them is from factory or design errors. They are the usual attendant problems of old age that manifest in the form of tear and wear. In effect, you can fix any of them by simply replacing the worn-out components or repairing them. Thus, you can visit the mechanics and get your bike back on the road within minutes or a couple of hours, at most.