SUZUKI GZ125 MARAUDER (1998 - 2011) Review

Year: 2000

Big bike feel. Loads of positive views from neighbours,friends,family and public.Great for just getting out and enjoying the open roads. It's not about the speed. Makes a journey into a great experience.

Buying experience: I bought my bike from a private owner. Only once it was home and a little work did I realise I had a real bargain. Every time I ride it it puts a smile on my face.

Year: 2008

Im a 5'8" rider weighing 94Kg. Its a lovely bike. Has great road presence and comfortable to ride. The riding position is quite relaxed. Speed. It's not the fastest 125. On a flat straight road expect 55mph as a realistic cruising speed on the flat. I've had 65mph on a downhill straight but the engine was screaming. On country roads expect 45 mph up inclines and a 50mph cruising speed. I've not had queues of cars desperate to overtake which was a worry initially. In town on 30mph to 40mph its at its best. Easy to get about and a reasonable amount of oomph. I'd recommend this bike if your not in a hurry out of town. Its fun to ride overall.

Year: 2005

Safe and a surprisingly fun first bike, low seat makes for easy handling at low speeds, you're lucky to push it above 60mph on the open road... however with a good long downhill it'll scream its way to 70. Can't speak for other bikes however (got mine with 18000 on the clock and a tough old life behind it). But if you have a budget and are prepared to do a lot of cleaning and replace a few parts then a £1000 used bike can end up drawing a few admiring looks, if that's something you're going for - I find it makes up for the endless SUVs sitting right up behind me most of the time as I plod up hills at 40... kinda...

Version: 125

Year: 1999

The GZ was my first bike, and for a first bike it was a very nice little thing to ride, it has its pros and cons and i will list them as follows, PROS, it has an amazing tank range of 300miles to the tank meaning Brighton to York could be do able on a single tank as the bike gets about 100 miles to the gallon, it is a very soft and very comfortable bike to ride and very easy to get into corners once you become used to the seating and foot rest set up, it's quite a thin bike which means filtering is a breeze, CONS, its NOT fast my one would hit 60 and that's it "but once it got to 60 it would stay there pretty well" the max i had out of it was 72 and that was down hill, it rusts pretty quickly i paid £1000 for mine and kept mine parked in and underground car park by the sea, i ended up selling it for £500 due to the damage the sea had done to it, regardless of cleaning unless it is very well stored it will fall apart, 2 up is pretty impossible, WATCH YOUR OIL i had an engine screw up on me and before i even knew the oil was low i it was broke beyond repair, i currently ride a Kawasaki Z650 and still have times in which i would like to ride the marauder.

Buying experience: private and i paid £1000

This is my first bike, I only recently passed my CBT so I guess some might say I do not have enough experience to comment on this, but none the less I love this bike. Its comfortable, handles well, very efficient with fuel. It looks bigger than a 125 and people have asked me if its a 250 (one day I will advance). As someone that had never ridden a bike before doing my CBT, I was shocked how quickly I fell in love with this bike, This was not the one I used for the CBT but I did buy it a couple of days after passing, then other than riding the Marauder around the yard for about 10minutes the first real journey I did on it was a 22 mile trip home. That was also the first time I went out on the road by my self, but I found the bike easy to ride, comfortable and safe. I would recommend this bike to any beginner, it costs more than other 125's but for those of you that like that look and style of bikes then its well worth it, I was told by someone when I was deciding about it that if my heart was set on it, I should get it, because whats the point in getting a cheaper smaller looking 125 for the sake of saving money, when ok yes the Marauder cost more, but I love it and because of that I will want to spend more time on it and looking after it. So I pass that advice onto any one buying a bike, do not just buy the cheapest you can find, you should find one you love because you will do more to ride it and look after it.

So this is my first motorcycle, I bought it for £800 and it looked fresh off the showroom floor. When using around built up areas you would be perfectly content, decent speed and acceleration to get the job done. However when you take it into the country prepare to be the bane of everyone. The engine lacks power and has you crawling up hills at 20mph with the engine screaming which isn't fun at all. On the A roads the situation gets worse, topping 50mph on the straights, getting up to about 60 - 65 downhill. However up the hills you're looking at more like 45mph. So prepare for lots of overtaking by large SUVs driven by angry middleaged men in a midlife crisis. Whilst on the A roads I experienced the most terrifying effect of cross winds. With the wind pushing me into the fast lane, you have to keep your wits about you and lean far into the wind. However I did 90mpg so the thing just sips fuel so it is perfectly cheap for the daily commute. I am 21 and pay £349 on insurance which is a drop in the ocean compared to my quoted car insurance (£1500). The comfort of the ride is brilliant, the sitting position is comfortable for long distances and the seat is well padded. However at full throttle on the A roads has the bike vibrating going straight through the foot pedals and into your legs so be prepared for pins and needles when you get off. But all in all I am content with my motorcycle, it has the look of a much larger bike and is comfortable for long distanced rides. Cheap to run and to buy so for a first bike I would strongly recommend to take one of these for a spin.

In Portugal, we ride 125cc without the stupid "L" plates. Thank God. About the bike... LOVE IT!!! I have the 2011 model and i can say its wounderfull. The only thing that lacks here is the engine, since is a 125cc, you can't expect much from it... But, oh well :) The style and riding comfort its super high! The sound gorgeous, and looks like a 800cc bike when rev it! I get more "likes" from people on the street than other old school big-bikes cruisers. Top speed (km): 85

Fantastic bike cant go wrong with it well worth the money and its great for riding to no where.

very happy with my 2006 maruader have ridden 1000 miles so far - its nippy to 50 then does slow down but as long as you keep off the faster roads its no problem. handles well and very predictable . very cheap to run i average 75 mpg . need to clean it every couple weeks but so far so good :)

I Bought my 2009 Marauder in march last year, and ive had nothing but problems with it, Before it left the Car Park its fuel injectors had gone, then its gear then its brakes then the clutch, recently the tank came loose and almost fell off, im not saying that the Marauders are Bad bikes, just that i've had nothing but bad luck with mine, and 3 mates have had similier problems with theres

I bought my Marauder new in october 2008 . I used it through the winter & regularly do a 300 mile round trip to north Wales & back its very reliable comfortable & most of all cheap to run . The only problems I have found is rust & the paint is peeling off the frame underneath the bike

This is my first bike (not technically a 'Marauder', as it's an import). I've only had it for about 6 weeks and absolutely love it. I can't really compare it to other bikes (as I don't have experience with any others) but it looks great - the only thing that gives away that it's a 125 is the 'L' plates - and it costs virtually nothing to run. I've not found any nagatives yet...

Had the Marauder since August 07 when i bought it new to use through the winter. Does get breathles after 55mph but i have seen 75 on the clock and i am 6'1 and 15 1/2 stone so it can get there. The handling is spot on and really suited for town riding. Equipment is basic but on the wee cruiser its all you need. My only gripe is the rust sets on really quick, watch underside of exaust and chain guard and keep clean of road grit.