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1986 suzuki cavalcade


saddlebum

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Anyone Familiar with this bike. A friend of mine is looking at one with the intention of maybe buying it, so he asked me about. but other than having seen the odd one I know next to nothing about it. If anyone can give me some pro's and con's about it that would be great. I think they are asking about $4,000 canadian and I believe it has about 40,000 KM on it. The bike is apparantly in mint shape with lots of extras.

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Ben,

The other night we were at Bike Night at Quaker State, and I saw a guy sitting on his Suzuki Cavalcade.

I had not seen one in years. He loved it, it has some really good features on it like an air adjustable seat and backrest. All I can say is he loved the bike, and he had had Gold Wings, Harleys and a First Gen Venture.

 

Yama Mama

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Somewhat dated style but I think they are good bikes. Our very own Ambassador, Wildhair has a couple of them I think and has put a lot of miles on them.

 

I believe Stators were an issue with the earlier ones, but the gas mileage is incredible. Wildhair said he would get over 50 US MPG on the interstates.

 

Two friends of mine have 86's and they love them, little problems.

 

I was looking at them before I got the Venture.

 

Brad

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Guest Swifty
Somewhat dated style but I think they are good bikes. Our very own Ambassador, Wildhair has a couple of them I think and has put a lot of miles on them.

Wildhair rode the Kawasaki Voyagers. Did he do Suzuki too?

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I was looking at a neighbors but went 1st gen instead. I remember when doing research that fuel pumps were an issue. Neighbors bike needed one too. It's still sitting in his yard. Also when I was looking 1st gens were much more avail on Craigslist. Parts could be an issue if you needed something quick. Hydraulic lifters are a nice feature.

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Anyone Familiar with this bike. A friend of mine is looking at one with the intention of maybe buying it, so he asked me about. but other than having seen the odd one I know next to nothing about it. If anyone can give me some pro's and con's about it that would be great. I think they are asking about $4,000 canadian and I believe it has about 40,000 KM on it. The bike is apparantly in mint shape with lots of extras.

 

They have a web site like us devoted to this bike,I had one and it goes like Hell !!!!:225: . Check out the site it will tell you all that is good and bad(not much).

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  • 8 years later...
I just picked up an 86 Cavalcade LXE as a project bike.It needs a drive shaft repair. I am trying to get it ride-able.It is a gorgeous bike loaded up.Suzuki answer to a Gold Wing .

https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=118431https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=118428https://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=118430

 

 

Nice find Ray, love how you move it around.

 

Mike

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Bike looks beautiful, I have its little sister. Look up "tracy plug" there is a fix that needs to be done on the secondary to keep oil in it. When you change oil you have 3 places to drain, motor oil, secondary oil and rear oil. Take good care of the secondary they are hard to find and replace. Otherwise they are great bikes, you will love the power that motor puts out and yes it does have hyd valve lifters, no adj. needed. Hope you can get it running without too much trouble.

 

Craig

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Cavalcade1.jpgcavalcade2.jpg

Nice find Ray, love how you move it around.

On the ground it looks like this. I have a bike dolly for moving it around. The forklift is my trademark. Every bike in the last ten years has been picked up by my forklift. I am ordering a drive shaft for it. Ben got all my Venture parts and Bike.He must be having a ball with it all. lol hehehehe

 

Mike

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It is the nicest touring bike I have ever enjoyed, 3rd is amazing, 4th is a well tuned gear, always ready to buffer, it seems endless... But man that 3rd gear just loves to run. You'll never get the sense of exhausting it.

Smooth ride and drags board willingly on skids plates.

Lots of mass movin down the way, passes trucks like there standing still effortlessly even on cruise. Bars are superb, mine have some mods to grips and mirrors. The original windscreen and the only one I ever kept stock.

 

Truly a bike for all weather riding.

 

Now a word of caution, these engines will develop stuck rings over the resting seasons.

 

I still have mine and won't give it up.

 

I hear the owners group is still up, I think under new management.

 

Yes the stators were a little light still available but, with modern lighting today not really a problem. The replacements have higher outputs but, so do they have lighter gauge, pay me now or pay me later...

 

The T-plug we called it was a solid fix. The T-brace was also a necessary do. then built by a fellow called Tracey.

 

The carbs are 32's so lots of torque but mileage wise not so good.

 

These were the most expensive production bikes of their day, during the Reaganomics years and didn't sell so the 5B invested by Suzuki was a fail, I think there were 3 lockups due to the plug fail early in the launch, if you still have the rubber one then it must be changed.

 

Cadecountry was still in business last years nice easy to deal with prompt shipping to us here in Canada..

 

The headrest tho is somewhat of a scrambler being the old Ford type best keep it low.

 

One embarrassing comment about these, when they lay over, and man do they, what a Btch to stand her, she just sits there as tho she on a hidden side stand! Slow rolls is not her thing,,,lol

If you need help letme know;)

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I thought of another thing, the hydraulic adjusters can give you a bit of a problem when the engine hasn't been run..

The problem is the nipples get plugged with oil solids from not being flushed!

Now you can run seafoam thru the crank case to help resolve this it will take some time and miles but, usually they'll pump back up.. I can send a pic of one if you need to looksee

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Bike looks beautiful, I have its little sister. Look up "tracy plug" there is a fix that needs to be done on the secondary to keep oil in it. When you change oil you have 3 places to drain, motor oil, secondary oil and rear oil. Take good care of the secondary they are hard to find and replace. Otherwise they are great bikes, you will love the power that motor puts out and yes it does have hyd valve lifters, no adj. needed. Hope you can get it running without too much trouble.

 

Craig

Thanks for the interest.I have to do a drive shaft repair. I will change the swing arm bushings as well. I know about the tracy plug but I may ask you for more info. I have always wanted one of these bikes.This bike was garage kept and is in amazing shape.The plastic work is durable and not affected by sun.When I get it all cleaned up I will take better shots of her.

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It is the nicest touring bike I have ever enjoyed, 3rd is amazing, 4th is a well tuned gear, always ready to buffer, it seems endless... But man that 3rd gear just loves to run. You'll never get the sense of exhausting it.

Smooth ride and drags board willingly on skids plates.

Lots of mass movin down the way, passes trucks like there standing still effortlessly even on cruise. Bars are superb, mine have some mods to grips and mirrors. The original windscreen and the only one I ever kept stock.

 

Truly a bike for all weather riding.

 

Now a word of caution, these engines will develop stuck rings over the resting seasons.

 

I still have mine and won't give it up.

 

I hear the owners group is still up, I think under new management.

 

Yes the stators were a little light still available but, with modern lighting today not really a problem. The replacements have higher outputs but, so do they have lighter gauge, pay me now or pay me later...

 

The T-plug we called it was a solid fix. The T-brace was also a necessary do. then built by a fellow called Tracey.

 

The carbs are 32's so lots of torque but mileage wise not so good.

 

These were the most expensive production bikes of their day, during the Reaganomics years and didn't sell so the 5B invested by Suzuki was a fail, I think there were 3 lockups due to the plug fail early in the launch, if you still have the rubber one then it must be changed.

 

Cadecountry was still in business last years nice easy to deal with prompt shipping to us here in Canada..

 

The headrest tho is somewhat of a scrambler being the old Ford type best keep it low.

 

One embarrassing comment about these, when they lay over, and man do they, what a Btch to stand her, she just sits there as tho she on a hidden side stand! Slow rolls is not her thing,,,lol

If you need help letme know;)

Thanks for the insite patch. I did not realize people loved these bikes as much as I do. This is a LXe. It is totally jammed.I want to update the radio maybe.Is there any point to that?

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I thought of another thing, the hydraulic adjusters can give you a bit of a problem when the engine hasn't been run..

The problem is the nipples get plugged with oil solids from not being flushed!

Now you can run seafoam thru the crank case to help resolve this it will take some time and miles but, usually they'll pump back up.. I can send a pic of one if you need to looksee

Please send it please.

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Thanks for the insite patch. I did not realize people loved these bikes as much as I do. This is a LXe. It is totally jammed.I want to update the radio maybe.Is there any point to that?

 

 

What do you mean "totally jammed?

 

I'll send you any engines pics you want..

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And, just thinking back be very careful when taking the rear wheel apart, there is a sleeved spacer in the hub it should be check for ware or signs of spun bearings. This part too gas a replacement also once made by Tracey.. Hard one likely to find, but again cadecountry may have a good one if needed. Also I've seen them with the spacer washers mixed or missing.

The stem bearing are common, just reference the bearing number and you'll find it off the shelf any parts store... 750???

I had provided cadecountry with the number so I know he's selling them too..

 

say hello for me if you talk with him

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