Thanks to Dean in the UK for this review of his Suzuki Marauder 125. While we in the States don’t have such a cycle, not all who visit Seattle-Motorcycles.com live in the US.

Pros: Good looks with cheap thrills

Cons: Some bad cosmetic features like the exhaust and outdated technology

Suzuki Marauder 125

The Suzuki Boulevard is by far one of my favourite bikes to ride. It has the looks, great styling, it sounds good and it’s cheap on petrol. What more could a motorcyclist actually want from their bike? I have a Boulevard 125 build in the new millennium and I love it.

Okay, let’s start with the basics. First off, the handling is good. As with most cruiser style bikes, anyone on the big side of six foot should steer clear but anything under that you should be okay. This is because when you turn a corner you must lean and slightly pop that knee out if you’re tall. You get used to this and it’s a cool look as you lean around a bend at medium revs before gunning it.

The seat is comfortable enough for long journeys. Speaking of long journeys, the Boulevard is the perfect machine to throw a couple of side bags on and head for the road. The big fat tyre can sure take some punishment and is great for traction even when there is a light load on the back.

The tank is an okay size. It could be bigger but then gain, because this is a bike from Japan it won’t be drinking up to much fuel. The fat tins on the bike look great over the chunky tyres and have a kind of old-style look to them.
The exhaust pipe could be better. It seems to just poke out there instead of working with the bike and slinging it back like everything else. Lucky for the Boulevard, the handlebars and mirrors really give it that racy look while still being a cool, flowing ride by far making up for that matchstick exhaust.

The reliability of the Boulevard is excellent. The engine is sound and it will just keep on running for thousands of miles. At worst, you may experience some clutch trouble but that is to be expected of a bike from this era when motorcycle gearbox technology was nowhere near as advanced as that in cars.
For a good condition Boulevard from the 1990s you can expect to pay somewhere in the region of $2,500 to $3,000. However, for those of you who enjoy restoring and repairing old motorcycles you can get one for restoration that will shine up nice for under $1,000.
In summary, this is good bike. While it’s nowhere near the greatest bike it is one of my favourite because it offers something that motorcycle enthusiasts search for since their first time on  bike; cheap thrills.

The writer of this motorcycle review earned $15, and so can you!

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Kawasaki Zephyr Review

The Kawasaki Zephyr is not just a bike. It’s an icon, a trend setter and it’s naked! That’s right. This is the bike that started off the 1990s trend of naked bikes in Europe after the 1980s were dominated by superbikes draped in high-tech plastics and fibreglass. (Nb. Naked Bikes are when much of the chassis and engine are exposed giving it a meaner, street fighter look).

Kawasaki Zephyr

My one of these is a 550cc model. You can get them as far up as 1100cc but the poky four-cylinder engine gives me all the thrills I want at 400cc at half the price for gas.

The Zephyr looks ugly, but it’s supposed to. This bike isn’t for driving around hoping to turn a girls head. It is for twisting the throttle, zooming through a puddle and getting muddy water all over her. It has none of the Italian passion or the American culture gone into its design. They have simply got a body, plopped in a great engine and stuck on a headlamp. And the world loves it.

It’s comfortable too. The seat is big and spacious which is what you want when driving in the ‘sit up and beg’ position. The handle bars are fine for turning and driving at speed is easy enough for an experienced rider. There is little or no weaving when on the motorway and it can keep up with the best of them at the traffic light drag race.

There is some bad stuff about it too. This thing pretty much took Europe by storm with everyone who likes motorcycles flying up and down the French coast. For that reason, finding a used one without a torn seat, scratched engine (everyone will have a spill or two) or worn paintwork will be difficult. Never fear though. Because so many of these influential bikes were sold there are plenty of spare parts and repair kits available. You can even get the exact paint formula used at the manufacturers.

In the states, they were popular. There are quite a few available (not a widespread as in Europe) but you can still find them. For Zephyr in good condition you can expect to pay upwards of $5,000 for one. If you want one cheaper a good option can be to simply import one from Asia or Europe. Countries such as Germany literally has thousands of these things lying around in garages when people left college and became bankers.

Overall this is a good bike that will serve you well. Well worth it if you want a great bike that will be worth a lot of money some day due to it historical impact on the motorcycle world.

A used 10-speed bike, some green paint, and extra cardboard boxes is a heck of a lot less than $5,000.

It’s a circa-1990 Kawasaki ZX-7…if not in horsepower, then in spirit:

from FailBlog.org

The trusty, yet neglected motorcycle chain

On my most recent ride around the north end of Lake Washington, I’ve noticed a little lag in power. I’ve also noticed that the chain on my 2002 Honda VFR800 seems to carry a little extra slack. The Honda owner’s manual suggests that there be about 1.3″ of slack in the chain, not to exceed 1.75″ of slack. Well, my unscientific experiment (pushing the chain up next to an adjacent ruler) indicates that I’m right up against that maximum 1.75″ limit.

Additionally, I note that, according to my chain gauge, that the rear wheel cannot be adjusted rearward any more, and I believe it’s time for a chain replacement. Not a horribly expensive proposition (good O-ring chains are about a hundred bucks) but since the drivechain is a very integral component of the forward movement of my motorcycle and thus my motorcyling experience and therefore my fun and well being, it’s a task I’d not care to accomplish myself, in my carport, with my own meager assortment of tools, for the very first time, on a $5,000 motorcycle that I want to keep and enjoy for years to come. Translation: I’m gonna take it to the shop to have done.

Not my Interceptor, but darn near close

However, I wanted to read up on the science of motorcycle drive chains. An excellent website, Canyon Chasers has such a reliable primer.

First of all, why is motorcycle chain maintenance important?

A chain that is ignored will eventually fail, typically by breaking. A broken chain will many times ball-up around the countershaft and front sprocket. When this happens, your chain will rip and tear its way through your soft aluminum motor and will always result in engine damage.

Proper chain slack is crucial. Too tight of a chain can do $expensive$ damage to the countershaft. We also know that keeping a well lubricated chain is important to proper operation. However, there’s a flip side to good lubrication, and that is dirt will build up on the chain. The solution? Regular chain cleaning.

If you do this regularly, your chain will keep a high level of lubrication but will also draw a lot of dirt and you’ll end up with a really dirty-looking chain. Dirt, as I’m sure you can imagine, is very bad for a chain. A good idea is, every 3000 miles or whenever you change your oil, to clean your chain. The easiest way to clean your chain is with a rag, a toothbrush, and kerosene.

Without using a fancy factory placard on the motorcycle swingarm to determine if your chain is nearing its servicable life, Canyon Chasers offers this elementary check:

But how do you know when your chain needs to be replaced? If you go to your rear sprocket and pull straight back on the chain, you’ll be heading in the right direction. If your chain pulls away from the sprockets by much, it is probably stretched out. If the chain does not pull away and stays right on the sprocket, then the chain is not stretched out yet. Also, if your sprockets no longer look like points but a bunch of little hooks you need to replace it all.