Knut never forgot the Madura

After many years without a motorbike, Knut Brattvik from Strømmen has revived his interest, and this spring he went to Namsos to bring home the same type of bike that he never forgot, but in a slightly more powerful version. As a newly trained police officer in the mid-1980s, he cruised around Oslo on a Suzuki Madura 700. Now he has acquired a Madura 1200, and doesn't regret it for a second.

Bought brand new

"I bought it brand new in the spring of 1985, and it was used extensively for both short and long trips. During the first year, it was ridden over 10,000 kilometers," says Knut. Eventually, the family grew, and the Madura was sold, but never forgotten. Knut adds that "my job at Kripos required a lot of travel around the world, and therefore it was not appropriate to have a bicycle sitting unused at home in Norway."

• The year is 1985, and Knut poses with his brand new Madura 700

Sold new in Norway

After Knut returned home from overseas service a few years ago, thoughts of a Madura began to surface in his mind. In the spring of 2025, he swiped through finn.no, and there was his dream, or almost even better; it was a 1200 version. What more could he want? The bike was sold new in Norway, and the Madura 1200 was only sold in 1985 and 1986.

V4 with 117 hp

Knut's copy has just passed 50,000 km, and the bike's condition shows that the previous owners have really taken care of it. Knut says that "I have had it serviced, and changed the oil, oil filter, air filter and spark plugs". The bike is incredibly intact and beautiful, and without rust on the original chrome parts. The 1200 cc is significantly more powerful than the 700 cc, and the V4 engine delivers a whopping 117 hp.

Huge bottom draft

When asked if the bike lives up to expectations, I quickly get the answer that “It’s absolutely fantastic, better than my old 700cc, and with a huge bottom drag.” “Watch out for the speed cameras,” I say as Knut smiles back slyly, pulls down the visor, and lets the V4 engine experience a moment of tight wire.

Technical data Suzuki GV 1200 Madura, 1985 model:

• Engine: 4-cylinder 4-stroke, V4, DOHC, 4-valve technology, liquid-cooled
• Displacement: 1165 cc
• Compression: 10.5:1
• Power: 117 hp
• No. of gears: 6
• Front tires: 110/80 x 19
• Rear tires: 140/80 x 16
• Tank: 13 liters
• Weight: 268 kg
• Top speed: 217 km/h