2000 SUZUKI INTRUDER Complaints

2000 SUZUKI VL INTRUDER 1500LC: "FALSE NEUTRAL" BETWEEN FOURTH AND FIFTH GEAR CAUSES OVER-REVVING AND SAFETY ISSUES WHEN ENTERING HIGHWAYS, PASSING ETC. ALSO, OCCASIONALLY THE TRANSMISSION WILL POP OUT OF GEAR WHILE JUST RIDING ALONG AT NORMAL IN-TOWN SPEEDS. *NLM

TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE UNDER LOAD, ESPECIALLY WHILE TRYING TO PASS VEHICLES. *JB

WHILE RIDING MY 2000 SUZUKI VL 1500 LC MOTORCYCLE, IT HAS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR INTO A "FALSE" NEUTRAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN BOTH 4TH AND 5TH GEAR. USUALLY UNDER A LOAD, LIKE PULLING UP A HILL OR WITH A PASSENGER OR BOTH. *NLM

PURCHASED BIKE IN MAY 2002 AND PROBLEM WAS HAPPENING AT THAT TIME AS WELL AS SINCE THEN. AFTER SHIFTING INTO 4TH (AND SOMETIMES 5TH) GEAR, TRANSMISSION WILL "POP" OUT OF GEAR INTO A "PHANTOM NEUTRAL" CONDITION. THIS MAINLY HAPPENS UNDER ACCELERATION BUT CAN HAPPEN DURING CRUISING (SEEMS TO "FALL" OUT OF GEAR). THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS WHILE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH CREATED A VERY TENSE MOMENT DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. *NLM

PURCHASED 2000 SUZUKI INTRUDER VL1500 IN MAY 2002 WITH 7000 MILES ON BIKE. PROBLEM BEGAN TO SHOW UP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. AFTER SHIFTING INTO 4TH GEAR, TRANSMISSION WILL INTERMITTENTLY POP OUT OF GEAR, USUALLY UNDER ACCELERATION BUT SOMETIMES AT CRUISE, CAUSING A "FALSE NEUTRAL" SITUATION. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH CREATED AN EXTREMELY SCARY SITUATION DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. *NLM

THE VEHICLE SLIPS OUT OF 4TH AND 5TH GEARS UNDER POWER, IE: PASSING, NEGOTIATING TIGHT TURNS, AND CLIMBING HILLS. WE KNOW THIS TO BE A PROBLEM ON AT LEAST ONE OTHER MOTORCYLE OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL, WITH APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILES.