Suzuki Intruder VL1500B, Manual

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5-7
Make sure that the side stand is in the
fully up position. Squeeze the clutch
lever in and pause momentarily.
Engage first gear by depressing the
gearshift lever downward. Turn the
throttle grip a little toward you and at the
same time release the clutch lever gen-
tly and smoothly. As the clutch
engages, the motorcycle will start mov-
ing forward. To shift to the next higher
gear, accelerate gently, then close the
throttle and squeeze the clutch lever in
simultaneously. Lift the gearshift lever
upward to select the next gear and
release the clutch lever as you open the
throttle again. Select higher gears in
this manner until top gear is reached.
NOTE: This motorcycle has a side
stand/ignition interlock system. If you
shift the transmission into gear when
the side stand is down, the engine will
stop running.
USING THE TRANSMISSION
The transmission is provided to keep
the engine operating smoothly in its
normal operating speed range. The
gear ratios have been carefully chosen
to meet the characteristics of the
engine. The rider should always select
the most suitable gear for the prevailing
conditions. Never slip the clutch to con-
trol road speed, but rather downshift to
allow the engine to run within its normal
operational range. The table below
shows the approximate speed range for
each gear.