Suzuki X-5 Invader
SUZUKI X-5 INVADER
No Shrinking Violet, This Second Son
AS ANY SECOND SON will tell us, it's tough to compete with an older and bigger brother, and the game is even tougher when you've got the oldsters pulling for Number One. Such is the dilemma facing the X-5 Suzuki; everyone knows the X-6 is a heck of a guy and the family has formally relegated the smaller sibling to number-two position. We're not necessarily champions of the underdog, but our interest was aroused at the rather unusual advertising approach for the X-5. Could it be that this was really an elaborate scheme to boost sales of the already popular X-6? If this was the intent, it would seem that the plan has backfired, because the X-5 is going to take a big bite out of the buyer apple in the months to come.
The truth of the matter is — and all kidding aside — that a formula is beginning to emerge for sport motorcycles involving displacement, size, weight, performance and cost that is characterized by the new X-5. Its 200cc won't scare off anyone who follows racing closely enough to know that hairy 250s often see off the big bikes; it's equally as comfortable for a six-footer as it is for the sixfooter's five-foot-two wife; at 270 pounds, it is nimble without feeling frail; it will "turn a quarter" quicker than the family sedan and maintain day-long highway speed without whimpering; and it costs about as much as a medium-priced color TV.
The chassis of the X-5 reflects the same sensible approach of the X-6; the frame is an all-new, double-loop design, narrower and lighter than the X-6, employing gussetting at such strategic points as the steering head and the swing arm mounts — those points most affected by the side loading forces that cause chassis flexing. The design is a testimonial to those heads-up engineers who know that it doesn't take heavy forged junctions to make a good frame. The front suspension is basically the scheme used on Suzuki's 150, but this can certainly not be considered a shortcoming or even a potential point of criticism; the X-5 is less than 20 pounds heavier than the 150 — for which the forks were more than adequate. The rear units are the same as those on the X-6, and in combination, front and rear suspension offer an excellent ride and excellent road feel. As proof that the suspension — and this includes the stout, forged fork clamps — is up to the job, we mention that the X-5 was rocketed through a favorite flat-in-fourth airborne dip that, despite its reputation for being a suspension sorter, has virtually no bad effects on the bike. The X-5 maintained its line as though it had never left the tarmac. Overall, the X-5 is one of the best handling motorcycles we've tested and even has the edge in this respect over its larger stable mate.
One of the X-5's many strong points is its brakes.
CYCLE WORLD ROAD TEST
Dimensionally they are hardly outstanding, and from a design standpoint, they are typical of what we've grown to expect from Japan — double leading shoe in front and single leading shoe behind. In practice, however, they're a different matter. The rear stopper is a wholly adequate item that is more than up to the normal demands of touring, and the front brake really invites trust and confidence. We discovered that it can be used hard and repeatedly without hint of fade and always has that extra margin that tells us that brake technology is a step ahead of tire technology: in a word, the rider can safely compensate for "over-cooking" going into several turns in succession without losing traction feel.
Suzuki's approach to the X-5 engine — that of scaling down the X-6 rather than scaling up the S-32 150cc twjn — is to be applauded. While this strategy is not unknown, it is certainly, and sadly, all too rare: there are sufficient overstressed pieces running about today — between frequent overhauls — that began life years ago as smaller displacement versions of their short-lived successors. Nor, on the other hand, is the X-5 a battleship for crossing rivers: it is a trim, sturdy and totally functional piece of packaging that has enough design margin to allow it to operate at its limits without coming unstuck.
The engine is surprisingly conventional — with reference to its piston-controlled ports. And judging from the astonishingly wide power band of this under 12-cubicinch two-stroke, we would have to say that the more sophisticated aspiration schemes are not yet home free in their domination of modern design. Suzuki's well-known Posi-Force lubrication system is, of course, employed on the X-5, and it is fundamentally the same arrangement used on the X-6. The oil is pressure fed to the outboard main bearings, is then captured in a dish on the outboard flywheels where it is transmitted through the hollow crankpins to the rod big ends, and is then thrown onto the cylinder walls and finally reduced during combustion and ejected along with the exhaust gases. The center main is lubricated by oil from the transmission, sloshed up and into a U-shaped trap that overflows into the bearing cavity, where a return passage directs the oil back to the transmission. The X-5 one-ups the old system in that it has pressure oiling to the piston skirts through small orifices at the base of each cylinder. We were mightily impressed at the thought that has gone into this system, to the extent that stamped shroud looms cover and protect all of the oilways that are external to the engine.
The exhaust system on the X-5 has several things going for it, the least of which is not its efficiency. All the way through the range, and particularly at peak revs, the engine runs cleanly and unrestricted. It s doubly curious that a system this good is fairly quiet, so much so that one is constantly skeptical of the bike's very accurate speedo. And, as if this were not enough, Suzuki did away with the goo-seeping joints from head pipe to muffler by making the units one-piece.
The X-5's fuel feed system is an interesting piece of engineering and one we believe to be unique to motorcycles. Basically, it does away with the nasty habits usually associated with motorcycle fuel systems — fuel spilling, crankcase flooding, and a generally untidy appearance from tetraethyl stains and collected dirt — by incorporat-
ing a vacuum-operated check valve integral with the gas tap. The valve is connected to the left intake manifold by a reinforced rubber line. When the engine is not running, everything stays tightly closed; however, when the engine is running, the pressure drop in the intake tract evacuates the diaphragm cavity and causes the fuel tap to be opened. The fuel tap operating lever for selecting either main or reserve supply also has a "Prime" position in which the diaphragm is opened mechanically to permit refilling of the float bowls if they have been drained for any reason. A final refinement in the fuel system are the altitude-compensating jets. U. S. Suzuki performed extensive field tests with the X-5 and happily reports that the jets do just what they were intended to do — permit the engine to run as strongly at 5,000 feet as it does at sea level.
In an effort to price the X-5 competitively, Suzuki dispensed with a couple of luxury items found on the X-6, the tachometer and sixth gear. The former is an available option but the latter is not. Its absence can't really be criticized, however. Fifth gear is a comfortable
cruising overdrive and the overall spacing is excellent. The transmission is an all-indirect type and, consequently, only the gears being used at any one time are transmitting power. The rest sit quietly by, not absorbing power or using themselves up, and wait their turns. The selector operating arc is a bit long; this results from the length of the arm which is comfortable with boots but somewhat distant for conventional shoes. The positive-stop downshift neutral is annoying only at first: it doesn't take long to program one's head for that second stab when downshifting from second to first, and after that it becomes a welcome thing while waiting for stop lights.
Workmanship and finish on the X-5 are good and we were particularly impressed with the care that has been taken in polishing the alloy engine covers. They more closely resemble pieces found on a custom, rather than on a production bike. All in all, the X-5 is a collection of well integrated, superb detail designs that reflect a great deal of time, thought and planning. We rather believe that Suzuki have another winner in their line-up. ■
SUZUKI
X-5
$575
