Suzuki Intruder 1400 vs Harley Davidson Sportster 1200C

HARLEY DAVIDSON is an American motorcycle company founded in 1903. Over the years, Harley has produced many remarkable motorcycles featured in many motorcycle races. In 1957, Harley Davidson launched its first motorcycle in the Sportster series, the Harley Davidson XL. This model shares similarities with the KH model. From 1957 to 1985, Harley Davidson continued to launch the XL with 883 cc or 1000 cc engines. In 1988, Harley replaced the Sportster’s 1000 cc engine with a 1200 cc. In 1996, Harley launched the HARLEY SPORTSTER 1200C (Custom) and the 1200S (Sports). The Sportster 1200 custom is currently still in production.

SUZUKI is a Japanese motorcycle company founded in 1909. Suzuki launched the INTRUDER series in 1985, creating variants with different engine sizes. The Intruder series remained in production until 2005. After 2005, the Intruder series was replaced by the Boulevard series. Over the years, slight changes were made to the Intruder 1400. The major changes involved the exhaust style, colors, side mirrors, and headlight.

The Suzuki Intruder 1400 is a chopper-style classic CRUISER. Its speedometer is attached to the handlebars above the circular headlight covered by an aluminum frame. The fender, fuel tank, and side panels are the only parts that are colored, while the rest is chrome. The wide HANDLEBAR is positioned at a height that allows the rider’s hands to rest slightly below the shoulders. The Suzuki Intruder 1400 has footrests towards the front like so many other cruisers. It has a 41 mm telescopic fork at the front with a wheel travel of 130 mm (5.9 in). It also has a single 295 mm disc brake at the front with a tire size of 110/90-19. The twin oil dumped, five-way preload spring adjustable shocks at the rear have wheel travel of 104 mm (4.1 in). It has a single 275 mm disc brake at the rear with a tire size of 170/80-15. The Suzuki Intruder 1400 comes in two color variants: black with grey and silver with purple.

The HARLEY DAVIDSON SPORTSTER 1200C is a traditional-looking cruiser that shares many similarities with its predecessors. Its speedometer is attached to the HANDLEBARS like most cruisers. The fenders and fuel tank are the only colored parts of the motorcycle. The side panels and seat are matte black, while the V-Twin engine, engine’s side panels, and exhaust are chrome. The Harley Sportster 1200C has footrests like most other Harley models. The handlebars are positioned below shoulder height. It has a 39 mm fork at the front which has wheel travel of 5.6 inches. It also has a single disc brake at the front with a tire size of 130/90B16 73H. The SPORTSTER 1200C has dual pre-load adjustable shocks at the rear which has wheel travel of 2.1 inches. It has a single disc brake at the rear with a tire size of 150/80B16 77H. The Sportster 1200C comes in three colors: midnight blue, river rock gray, and billiard red.

The Suzuki Intruder has a 1,360 cc four-stroke V-Twin engine capable of peak torque of 115 Nm @ 3,200 rpm. It has a stroke size of 98 mm (3.85 in) which helps it achieve a maximum horsepower of 72 hp. The Suzuki Intruder 1400 has a five-speed transmission system that operates on a low-maintenance shaft drive train. The Suzuki Intruder 1400 can reach a maximum speed of 104.9 MPH (168.9 km/h).

The Harley Davidson SPORTSTER 1200C has a 1,202 cc four-stroke air-cooled V-Twin engine capable of peak torque of 96 Nm at 3,500 rpm and a maximum horsepower of 68 hp. The Sportster 1200C has a five-speed manual transmission system and a belt drive train. The Sportster 1200C can reach a maximum speed of 118 mph (189.9 km/h).

The Suzuki Intruder 1400 has a seat height of 28.9 inches and a length of 2,334 mm (91.9 inches) which makes it easy for the shorter rider to operate. It has a rider and passenger that offers comfortable seating positions. The Suzuki Intruder 1400 is one of the few motorcycles with a backrest installed for the passenger SEAT. The backrest can also be used to attach SISSY BAR BAGS to provide extra storage space for long rides. The rake angle and below shoulder-height handlebars position ensure a comfortable riding position. The Suzuki Intruder 1400 is a middleweight cruiser with an overall weight of 262 kg, an overall width of 28.5 inches, and a ground clearance of 5.9 inches. This ensures the motorcycle has an excellent road grip and can be ridden by all types of riders.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200C has a seat height of 28.5 inches, making it accessible to both shorter and taller riders. It has two comfortable separate seats, one for the rider and one for the passenger. However, a SISSY BAR does not come already installed, but it can be easily bought as an aftermarket part. With the rake angle and below the shoulder-height position of the handlebars provides a comfortable riding position. The Harley Sportster 1200C is a middleweight cruiser with an overall weight of 268 kg, with stable handling even at speeds over 100 mph. The overall frame is neither too bulky nor too sleek, and the frame and riding position is designed in such a way that maximizes comfort and speed.

For sports motorcycles, the highest mileage is around 25,000 miles. However, for cruiser and touring motorcycles, the highest mileage range is between 40,000 to 50,000 miles. If the owner has properly maintained the motorcycle, then it should still perform well even at higher mileage.

The seat height of the Suzuki Intruder 1400 is 28.9 inches, which is considered an average seat height for a cruiser. However, the seat height can be adjusted by lowering the adjustable rear suspension. The Suzuki Intruder 1400’s footrests can be easily reached by riders who are5’4’’ tall.

For a beginner, the Sportster 1200C can be a bit too difficult to handle due to being a middleweight bike with a large engine, having a highly-responsive throttle, and can attain a top speed of 110 mph.

The Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 has a fuel mileage of 48 MPG (20.4 km/l), which is an ideal mileage for a middleweight cruiser.

Both the Suzuki Introduer 1400 and the Harley Davidson Sportster 1200C have positive and negative characteristics. But the main difference between them is that the Sportster 1200C is currently still in production, while the Suzuki Intruder 1400 is only available used. Examining the specs of both motorcycles, the Suzuki Intruder 1400 has better engine performance than the Sportster 1200C. However, the Sportster 1200C’s dimensions and ergonomics ensure it has a higher top speed than the Intruder 1400. Because the Sportster 1200C is smaller in size, it is easier for shorter and taller riders to handle. While the Suzuki Intruder 1400 can also be ridden by all riders because of its ground clearance and pre-adjustable rear suspension, most heavyweight riders prefer the Intruder 1400 over the Sportster 1200C.