The Suzuki Madura was a cruiser motorcycle with a V-four engine, sold in 1985 and 1986. It came in 1,200 and 700 cc versions and was Suzuki’s answer to Honda’s Magna and Yamaha’s V-Max.
Suzuki Madura at a glance
| Sold | 1985 and 1986 |
|---|---|
| Engines | 1,165 cc and 700 cc V-four |
| Model codes | GV1200GL, GV1200GLF, GV1200GLG, GV700GL |
| Rated power, 1200 | 117 hp |
| Tested rear-wheel power | about 89 hp |
| Valvetrain | V-four with hydraulic lifters |
| Clutch | hydraulically actuated, self-adjusting |
| Final drive | shaft |
| Rear suspension | monoshock in a single swingarm tube |
| Quarter mile, 1200 | 11.753 seconds at 115.08 mph |
| Built | 5,099 |
History of the Suzuki Madura
An answer to the Magna
The Madura was created as a response to Honda’s Magna V4 muscle cruiser and as a direct competitor to Yamaha’s V-Max power cruiser, also launched in 1985. Like the Magna it was a V-four cruiser offered in two sizes: a 700 and, where the V65 Magna made 1,098 cc, a 1,165 cc big model called the 1200.
Engineering
The engine used hydraulic lifters, which cut maintenance and avoided the cam wear that troubled most of the Magna range, although despite the extra 100 cc the Madura made no more power than the V65 Magna: 117 hp rated against 116, and about 89 hp at the rear wheel in road tests. The bike also had a self-adjusting hydraulically actuated clutch, a low-maintenance shaft final drive and a monoshock rear suspension whose single swingarm tube also carried the driveshaft. The riding position was a low scooped seat, swept-back bars and foot controls 14 inches ahead of the seat centre.
Performance and a short life
Cycle recorded a quarter mile of 11.753 seconds at 115.08 mph for the 1200, against 11.86 seconds at 115.86 mph for the V65 Magna on the same day; Cycle Guide got 11.36 at 117.18 mph, and Motorcyclist a corrected 11.47 at 117.6. The 700 cc Madura ran 12.89 seconds at 102.68 mph in Cycle World. Despite the numbers, production stopped after two years, with 5,099 Maduras built.
Design and features
- V-four muscle: 1,165 cc and 117 hp, aimed at the Magna and V-Max.
- Hydraulic lifters: maintenance-free valve gear.
- Shaft drive and monoshock: low-maintenance running gear.
- Rare today: only 5,099 built in two years.
Suzuki Madura versions
- GV1200GL / GLF / GLG: the 1,165 cc Madura 1200 in its model years.
- GV700GL: the 700 cc version.
The Madura was part of Suzuki’s 1980s cruiser push alongside the Intruder, and its V-four layout is unique among them. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.
Video: 1985 Suzuki Madura GV1200GLF Start up and Walk Around
Video by W0CYC-Ham Radio Endeavors on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki Madura, English Wikipedia: history, engineering, performance, production
