Complete newbie here!

[Blacklantern6...]

Just made the leap from 125 Scooter (Honda Vity) to a lovely looking 2004 Cherry Red Suzuki GZ125 Marauder I managed to pick up for 400 quid!
I have not used her to commute yet (I live in East Yorkshire on the coast and the weather and roads are scary), but have taken her for a few spins and she growls....

Have any of you guys had this bike and what are your thoughts?
I also would appreciate any tips or things to look out for (I have discovered the battery is an issue and she doesn't like hills....).
Anyway I will keep you posted and thanks for reading.

[Spamalittle]

My OH started her bike career on a Marauder

It’ll definitely not break any land speed records but it's a perfectly functional, really comfortable and good looking bike. Looks a lot bigger than a 125cc and sounds bigger than one too.

Will top out at about 55-60mph on the flat with a max of 65mph rattling along with a tail wind. As for hills, best get off and push. Either that or fit some pedals!

The GZ has the same single cylinder engine as a VanVan so if you give it regular oil changes it should keep plugging away for years. Being a Suzuki the finish is not great and the chrome takes a bit of polishing to keep looking good – but I suspect at 11 years old/£400 it may not be looking its best (no offence). The yolks usually rot pretty quickly and the OH’s suffered a fait bit of corrosion on the frame and exhaust but keep the thing lathered in ACF and you’ll be reet.

Otherwise we didn’t really have any real mechanical/electrical problems as the bike was brand new. Only repeat complaint was that it was tricky to find neutral but I'm putting that down to noob status. She ended up getting rid of the GZ after a couple of years to buy a VanVan – because, well, VanVan!
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Story so far: RV125 VanVan > SV650 > Indian Scout > Triumph Thruxton, SV650 (again) & CG125

[Skudd]

We all start somewhere and anywhere is better than no where.

Welcome and enjoy the banter/help/abuse/pervy stuff.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Rogerborg]