Get 2 months free TH-cam Premium with this link! bit.ly/YTPremiumD This bike is actually for sale in Lilburn, GA! Tell him Doodle/ Carolyn sent you facebook.com/marketplace/item/771859654895949/?mibextid=6ojiHh
Glad to see the Japanese cruisers getting some love! We picked up an ‘05 Boulevard M50 this summer for my wife as her first bike. It’s perfect for her. Small enough to learn on but big enough that she won’t outgrow it anytime soon.
"Outgrowing bikes" is not a real problem. If you can't explain what you can do with a bigger bike that you can't with a smaller bike, you haven't outgrown it.
My son started on a Rebel 250. He “outgrew” it. As he gained riding experience, he wanted a bigger, more comfortable bike, extra power to keep up on highways, more torque for a passenger… We didn’t want the same thing to happen to my wife.
I've been riding for just over 2½yrs and have a 2001 Honda Shadow ACE 750 as my first bike. After owning it I'm convinced you can get a great cruiser that's just as reliable or more then any Harley. I'm sticking with Japanese cruisers
I ride a 99 Ace 750. I mostly agree however my neighbor let me borrow his 95 Dyna ( Evo engine) and OMG I can’t get the experience out of my head It’s like going back in time and experiencing Americana from back in the day and I absolutely fell in love. I still have my Shadow but I can’t stop thinking about that Evo powered Dyna. I need me an older Harley Asap!!
Great to see the C50 get a good review. I have an '09 model fitted with National Cycle's fork lowers, quick release screen and hard saddlebags, plus replaced the stock seat with one from Mustang. Additionally I added a riser to bring the handlebars just a bit closer to my little T-rex arms. The bike has been an enjoyable and reliable ride for years now and has handled everything I can throw at it without missing a beat. Nimble in the twisties (and yes, it's easy to ground the foot plates if you push it hard) and comfy for cruising. It's a wide bike though with those handlebars so filtering through city traffic is not really an option. At freeway speeds (100kmh+ , a bit over 60mph) you'll get a lot of wind pressure without a screen in place. It's rideable for short distances but can get pretty fatiguing after a while. At 60 you won't notice it and 80 is pretty easy too. Doing lots of time at 100kmh you'll also start to notice the vibration through the foot boards that you wouldn't get on a larger capacity bike. It's not terrible, just noticeable and is something else that over time will get a little fatiguing (my definition of "a little time" is probably something like 4 hours plus non stop in the saddle). It was my first bike with footboards and the heel/toe shifter and I quickly grew to love those features! At the time I was tossing up between the Yamaha XVS650, Kawasaki VN900, Honda VT750 and the Suzuki C50 and if I had my time again, I'd still choose the C50 :)
My first and only bike - so far - is an 06 C50. I inherited it from a mentor and close friend, so i freely admit my bias, but i absolutely LOVE this bike after a year of riding. He had put a luggage rack and some bags on it - the latter of which vanished in the 3 years it was in storage, so once i got it running, i put a new pair on. They are on the smaller side, but i probably could have gone just a little bigger. But between those and a solid backpack, i rarely use my car anymore, even to get groceries. It's absolutely brilliant. And, being an older guy, I love the more classic cruiser look. I just got the brakes done in advance of my first true long-distance trip with it. Hopefully I feel the same after I get back!
I could get groceries on my Multistrada but I use my car. The only thing I do with the bike is get out of the city ASAP and have fun. Bikes are too dangerous to me to risk things like going to work or getting milk. If I'm going to die on a bike, at least I'll be doing something I wanted to do, instead of something I was obligated to do.
@@aluisious I get you there. I was living in Phoenix when I first started riding and surface streets there were a nightmare. I moved south to Tucson and it's a much better pace of life. Streets surfaces are absolute trash, but other drivers are FAR better than Phoenix.
@@nikisaunders2634 yes, really. People get killed sitting in their cars at intersections, never mind sitting on your bike when some car flips over the median and slams into you. Roll your eyes elsewhere, fool.
I have friends (a married couple) who have toured the lower 48 and a portion of Canada on a Kawasaki 900 Vulcan. They loved it. I know of others who have put a LOT of miles on a Yamaha Bolt. Thanks, Doodle and gal pals.
A friend and I purchased C50s and decked them out as touring bikes for a road trip around the country back in 2013. We chose them after quite a bit of research because of their high reliability and longer wheel base (we pulled a trailer, and a long wheel base is good for that). The bike is so comfortable to ride that we would need to get fuel long before we felt like we needed a break from riding. We both got quick release windshields and saddle bags, so we could quickly revert to a more basic cruiser set up. We both still love those bikes so much we never intend to sell them.
I've had all sorts of bikes including a road king. When I borrowed a mates Boulevard for a weekend I was really surprised at how comfortable and nible it felt, while also feeling like a proper full size cruiser. They're so cheap on the used markets too!
My first V-twin was a 2009 Suzuki Boulevard C50SE. In 2009 Canada, SE meant cast wheels, bags and windshield (no studs). Coming from a Honda Magna, this bike was a dream with its fuel injection and shaft drive giving it the smoothest ride. As you said, it is an outstanding commuter and I even started touring with it. It excelled at short trips but, after a couple of long distance tours, I decided to upgrade to a true touring bike that filled in the shortcomings of the Boulevard, like heated grips & seat; cruise control; and extra storage.
Nice little video on the C50. I was 58 y.o. when i cam back to rding after a 30 year hiatus. I purchased a 2005 C50 and added the parts to get it t to add fork lowers o a C50T. Road it 18K in 1 year commuting to work and touring on weekends with the wife. Pros: Very comfortable aft adding a mustang seat and a backrest. We did some 500 mile days on it, Cons: Head buffeting at speed. Had to add fork lowers and that cured it. Valve adjustments were next to imposable with my big hands. Other then that all good great little machine. Sold it to my buddy's wife so she could ride with us after a year and bought a new Harley Electra glide Classic. That was well more to my liking but at about twice the price but more bike and more comfort. Again great review.
I bought a 2005 C50T way back in 2011 for only $4K and kept it for 10 years and put many happy miles on it. It’s a great value even new for someone wanting a comfortable light weight cruiser and touring bike. I moved on to a Heritage and now ride a BMW 750 GS but I have fond memories of my Boulevard. I wish they would improve the brakes, add ABS and equip it with cruise control but those were my only complaints. Thanks for a great review of this motorcycle.
I learned the hard way a long time ago about riding very far from home on a bike with tube type tires. I wouldn't ride more than 50 miles from home on a bike with tube type tires. I have owned a lot of bikes (over 40) and I have had a LOT of flat tires. Mostly on bikes with tube type tires. And when you have a flat on a bike with tube type tires, it means a tow truck. I've only ever had 2 flats on bikes with tubeless tires, and both times, simply putting a bottle of Ride On in the tire and reinflated it solved the problem. I do carry a plug kit, just in case. I have also almost been killed a couple of times when a tube type tire blew out at high speed on the highway. When a tube gets punctured, it pops like a balloon, and goes flat instantly. Tubeless tires almost always lose air very slowly. I have found objects sticking in my tubeless tires while inspecting them at home, that had actually punctured the tire. Those objects had probably been in the tire for hundreds of miles. The same thing that punctured the tire sealed the puncture. That is not going to happen with tube type tires.
If I was to buy a Bonniville I would have to have spoked wheels that would be tube type tires, my DR 650 has tubes like MegaBruceC says I can repair it with a patch. I had a front tire go flat on 750 Honda I did not know it was flat until I took an offramp and tried to negotiate a turn at the light. I would rather not have a flat but I don't think it would necessarily mean a crash.
my father-in-law bought a C 90 in 2005, the first year for it. The 1500 cc version of the bike here without the touring package. With a brand new bike and it was the one that he put me on to learn how to ride motorcycle motorcycles. Took me out in the middle of nowhere on a country road with two giant drainage ditches on either side and said don’t crash it. Lol Well, that was about 20 years ago now and he still has that bike. He put a Mustang seat on it with a back rest but otherwise it’s fairly stock and we keep up on the maintenance. Good number of miles on it, and it still gets great gas mileage and runs like new. Chances are good. It’ll be my inheritance at some point. Just add it as one more bike in the stable, but it makes an excellent long distance touring bike. The C 90 has the fuel tank under the seat instead of in the usual spot, so the center of gravity is very low even though it weighs quite a bit more than the C 50 . but all in all at this point, a Suzuki Boulevard is an unsung hero of the metric cruiser world. A great way to get an excellent cruiser bike for not a lot of money on the used market these days.
I recently bought a low mile '07 Suzuki Boulevard C90T Black, with Cobra pipes and a G-Man fuel tuner. It fits my 5'6" frame better than my Yamaha Stratoliner (good for tall riders) and my Yamaha Royal Star Venture (tall seat height and high center of gravity). With its hydraulic lifters, fuel injection and air/oil cooling, the maintenance is minimal and it's pretty reliable by design. It handles well at highway speeds and in parking lots, and it gets up and goes for a low compression 1500cc 3-valve motor. With the Cobra pipes it sounds really good. Keep up the great work Doodle and be safe!
My former partner moved on from her Rebel 450 learner to a C50T. She loved it. We took a couple of long trips and it did everything well. Speaking of slippers, I had a Suzuki GSX1100G for many years which Cycle World described as a "roadgoing sofa". Some spring and shock upgrades transformed it into more of a 2 wheeled Lexus.
@@ss_whole - 85k is possible with no issues besides clutch and getting the front brake pads and rear brake drum addressed due to normal wear. As long as a person keep up with their routine maintenance, the bike will last them for years.
I sold my Goldwing SE back in the spring, currently looking for a smaller bike. The reason for selling was because of the weight, definitely gonna take this bike into consideration when I buy a new one.
@benb6535 Right now I'm just looking at all possibilities,, trying to determine which bike will suit my needs for what I want to do. My last 3 bikes have been Goldwings. I enjoy cross country traveling. Just can't handle the long distances that I once did.
@bobbybarnes408 For what it's worth, I'm a newer rider, about a year and a half now, on a 2006 C50t. Touring was my goal going in, but I found on some test rides that a goldwing or electra-glide was too big a jump from the 250cc bikes that I rode during my MSF course. I've been very happy with my bike, and I have done several multi-thousand-mile road trips on it. Doodle's point about the saddlebags is something I agree with, so I added some tsuyaku hard saddlebags and a Viking tour pack on a Wompus rack. It still won't haul as much as a full bagger of course, but it has been enough for me, often supplemented by a large backpack strapped onto the back seat. I hope that helps. Happy hunting and riding.
Personally, I'd look for a used C90T. 1500cc vs. your goldwing(assuming the 1800). Above 70, I'd imagine the c50 lacks passing power, especially by comparison of the gl.
The C50 is a great bike to start with.... It's good for short and LD rides. Back several years ago when I got back into riding I bought a used LC1500 (now it's a C90) and was a great bike!!! The only short comings was a small gas tank (4.5 gallons) and like many Asian bikes some issues with the electrical system but with the help of a great forum found on Delphi Forums can easily work around these issues. The LC stands for Lounge Chair.... and YES when you lean you will scrape floor boards. Thanks Doodle, be safe and Blessed!!!!
I have an 06 CT50. It has fuel injection, drive shaft, gear indicator. Great Bike! The only thing I don't like is it does not have a main stand, and the bike has a sightglass to determine oil level. It's a team effort to check the oil.
Right!?!? It's my first bike, so I wondered if my sight glass was broken somehow until I first saw it strapped upright on a trailer. Love the bike though!
I have a HD FLHT 96cu, that's my 'serious bike', my everyday/local etc is a 2013 C50T. Everything you found is exactly how I feel about the wee suzook. It's easy in traffic, comfortable, has 'enough' power to be a distance ride, as long as you remember it is 'only' 50bhp and 60-70mph is it's comfortable touring speed. It's a off the highway bike, for exploring those quieter backroads and enjoying a relaxed ride. (BTW make sure you get the shaft greased up, they have a problem where Suzuki didn't grease them and the splines can wear). Other than, it's relaible, comfrotable, and yup, just like putting on a pair of slippers. If the C50 HAD to be my only bike, I would be 'ok' with that.
I went from a 450cc bike to a C50T. I loved that bike! I rode it for a year before I moved up to a Goldwing. The bags and a wind sheild make long distance rides so much more enjoyable.
I had a 2008, and I loved it! I took it through the MSF Sport bike course while getting my rider coach certs on Whidbey Island Wa. I wore the wear pegs off of the bottoms of the floorboards along with the mounts that they went into. Had to purchase entirely new floorboards later when the rubber insert flew off on I-5. Eventually outgrew it and moved up to an Indian Roadmaster. Loved the blueish/purplish iridescent paint on the bike. Keep the stories and rides coming Doodle!
I LOVE my '08 M50. It's my first cruiser, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I just love it. It's a little different than the C50, it has footpegs instead of floorboards and a little different styling etc., but it's the same guts. I'd still like to upgrade to a Wing some day, but I'm not in a hurry. This baby is making me happy every time I roll out of the driveway.
I have an '09 M50. The looks on the older M50s are super cool. They have a unique classic muscle cruiser look that doesn't really exist in the new market today. I actually prefer them to the updated design that brought the M50 closer to the C50 styling. Like you said, the old M50 is the type of bike that makes you smile every time.
They're great bikes. I'm on my second Suzuki M800 (M50 in US). Very comfortable for day rides. Fast enough on highways, and handle really well. I'm so glad you all enjoyed the C50.
Looking on line the 4.1 gallon tank gets a range of around 150 or 160 miles .. I would like to see a range of 190 to 210 miles for the long hauls .. I love the shaft drive for care . I have gone on trips with friends on this bike and they have all said how much they love the thing .. The seat needs to be replaced at 30 K miles ..Not a very big problem :) Thanks for the clip and glad you had a great time ..
Sissybar bags are a staple for cruisers with bags. Kurakyn makes them, Saddlemen, there's a huge array of options. I kind of prefer those to a permanent top box, they're easy to toss on, they are securely mounted and when I get where I'm going, I grab the bag, grab my pannier liners that have been stuffed with my stuff at home and just walk away, unloading the bike in a literal 10 seconds.
I just got a 2010 Yamaha V strom 950 with 1,200 miles. Love it! Been riding for four years with 2012 Honda Phantom Shadow that had 1,750 miles. Keep up the great videos.
I'm always puzzled how a 14 year old bike can have 1200 miles. Any bike I've bought had 600 miles by the end of the weekend. Otherwise, what's the point?
I've talked to some Harley owners that were previous owners of japanese style cruisers like Hondas and Suzukis and like the CT50 in the video, all admitted they were great running bikes and cheaper to own. So why they switched over to Harley? The only thing I can come up with is they simply got bored with a perfect running bike and got seduced by the Harley brand name everyone else was riding. Its human nature to want to be part of a large group instead of being a loner.
I bought a brand new C50T in January. I’ve put almost 5,000 miles on it in 10 months. It’s a great commuter and a fun distance bike. I think it might be my favorite bike.
I had a Bully M50, same engine and frame, but more of a muscle cruiser layout. I loved it. That 800cc power plant is a sweetheart, I toured and camped with mine. Loved it so much I got its even bigger brother, the M109R to replace it. Power I think is similar to a sporty 1200 because its water-cooled, you get much more bang per CC.
I have one in my garage and I have softail deluxe as well, c50 is bigger in every way, only not the engine displacement that is smaller, so it could not be considered as small, it is much lighter, but it is bigger than most HD bagers, maybe bigger than all of them.... ;-). it is great bike, I mostly choose it rather than HD.... for all the reasons you have just said ;-). enjoy and be safe.
I ride an '07 Honda VTX 1300...I would put it up against almost any Harley made around that year. Yeah, it has a few chromed plastic pieces where Harley has metal, but it still has a single-pin crank and can sound comparable to a Harley, given the right exhaust (but it can't idle as low due to oil needs). But I tell ya, the reliability and quality of the parts that truly matter are hard to beat on the Honda. The VTXes are classified as large motorcycles, but mine has a wet weight of 630lbs, so it's not bad at all. And I love the twisties on mine...I scrape the pegs constantly in the foothils and mountains of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. It's a great bike, and is actually pretty easy to learn on...but the 1800 version, probably not so much.
I had a 2007 Honda VTX 1300 also. It was the best motorcycle I ever had. I put over 100,000 miles on it before I bought another bike. Nothing ever went wrong with the motor or transmission or clutch in all that time. You can buy these bikes on the internet that have something like 7 thousand miles for about 3,000 dollars and they will last for 25 years. It's the best value known to man. (or woman). I only bought another bike because at age 66 I decided to get a lighter bike cause they are easier to push around and such. My "new" bike is a 2014 Honda CTX with a manual 6 speed transmission and a factory frame mounted fairing and a trunk. It weighs like 485 pounds and is really fun cause it's so flickable and nimble and with the 6 speed and light weight it is almost as fast as the VTX. Only drawback is on really windy days you get pushed around a lot on the highway. You can ride the VTX in a hurricane and you won't get blown off of the road. Oh well, there are pros and cons to everything...
A Suzuki Volusia 800 was my second bike. Loved it because of the low seat height and it was affordable and had enough power for two up riding. I sawa used ST1300 though and the Volusia went bye bye.
When I got back into riding I bought an M50 to see if I was gonna be ok with cruisers. It's a great starter bike and gave me 2 1/2 years of trouble-free riding. I sold it to my neighbor and still see it all the time. I moved on to a Yamaha Stratoliner and now a Harley Softail Slim.
I rode mainly off road, but 20 years ago I picked up a 2004 vlx600 for $3k to ride with my friends that stopped off road riding. I have had a license since I was 15 but in 56 years of riding I have had two street bikes. So I bought the little 600 on lark to ride with my friends that quit the dirt. Over the last 20 years I have test rode bigger bikes from Honda, Indian, and HD, but none are as easy to ride as the little vlx600. It will pull me and my wife at highway speed all day and the mustang seat gives us more room than the other bikes we tested. By myself, I can flick it through back road twisties like I would off road on my cr250r yet it will just cruise till the tank runs dry. The point is you might not need a 1000 lb behemoth to be comfortable on the road.
I rode a C50T for 13 years, both 2 up and solo. If it wasn't for the fact that I needed to transition to 3 wheels I would still be riding it. Loved my C50T!!
I ride a 2004 Yamaha VStar 650, which feels very similar. I sometimes wish I had a little more power, but overall, the bike is quite comfortable and I've ridden it around town and on road trips. Reliable, light, and comfortable.
Im so old I remember when a 900 was considered a big cc motor. I have owned just about every brand. Every style of bike. So far out of everything my favorite is my 2012 Vstar1300 Tourer. Smooth as silk. Comfortable. Plenty of power and looks great.
I had the 2001 Volusia and it was a great bike. Easy to work on and even back then I got looks and thumbs up thinking I was on a Harley. I put some shotgun D&D Chrome pipes on mine and it made the sound intoxicating. I unfortunately sold it with 800 miles on it but I'm always nostalgic when I see one.
One other hint for my rider enjoyment. When entering a freeway, I accelerated to 70 in 4th, then shifted into 5th. It pretty much stopped me from searching for 6th. Also, at 70, it had plenty of guts to pass, at 80, not so much and if you are braver than I, downhill with a tail wind it will reach 100 indicated which is about 95 real.
Used to own a purchased new 2017 for 3 years. In my opinion, the best cruiser/touring bike for beginners who have no plans on going sport or adventure, and desire to gain confidence. I ended up changing out the stock seats for Mustangs, added highway bars (Lindby Customs), Kuryakyn foot pegs, Kuryakyn handgrips, Viking saddlebags, and a Tsukayu fairing. In those 3 years I'd logged 53k miles, and never had any mechanical problems except for clutch replacement at 27k miles. Traded it in in 2020 for a 2020 Kawasaki Vaquero. Traded it in due to interstate speeds buffering issues that the factory windshield and Tsukayu fairing couldn't solve, wanted cruise control, a 6th gear, AM/FM radio, a bit more road weight, a bit more beefer girth, and anti-locking brakes. Had I did mostly local non-interstate riding, I would've kept the Suzuki.
Best bike ever Japanese manufactured. I have 2007, no issues just changing engine oil and gear oil frequently, never went to any mechanic for any issues, best road presence,road grip, best pickup, mine within seconds crosses 90 mph, great thing is it looks far bigger than 800cc, and there is no monogram for cc on bike, so mostly people take it as 1300 or 1400 cc, great reliable bike.
We have a C50 in our garage, its a great 'little' bike, can do 80mph all day. I ride a v4 Venture 1300, and my son the C50 and he keeps up. Such good value for money. I rode its brother the Marauder 800 and loved its engine.
I'm a 5'4" male and bought an old Boulevard M50 as my first bike a couple of months ago. Absolutely love it so far. It's a great daily commuter for those who don't mind something a bit bigger and heavier than a typical naked bike. I initially ignored the Boulevards because I thought 805cc sounded crazy for a beginner bike, but they're cheap and abundant on the used market, and introduced fuel injection relatively early compared to their cruiser competition. The throttle response is extremely tame, so despite the displacement, it feels very appropriate for beginner riders.
I don't think they are forgotten. But maybe not as spoken of. I've had two VL1500/C90 this years. An awesome and comfortable cruiser. I did a 1000mile trip on one of them last year. The C50 is too small for me, but it's a great bike as well. This is An awesome video as always. And the trip to Devil's Triangle was really cool. I've shared it with some female friends.
The Boulevard and Shadow are both excellent bikes especially for new riders and people on a budget. I sold my Shadow to my best friend and ride a Triumph now but I still ask him if we can trade bikes sometimes.
Sometimes I miss my Honda Shadow Aero. It was a 750 and was so easy to ride. Not too loud. Very efficient and I did take it on small tours for a weekend or so. It was very comfortable and very maneuverable. Not a lot of power but did what I needed.
O doodle, you are so right!! These bikes are just like slippers, so comfy feels like home. I had a honda shadow 750 very similar to this bike and i just loved it. Keep up the banger content doodle 🎉👌
Good information! I don’t know much about motorcycles but I am getting educated from your channel. Thanks for putting this video together, loved it. Yeaaah badass👍🤙
My first bike after a short break from riding was an ‘06 C50 which I rode for a few years then moved up to a 2012 Yamaha VStar 1300 Tourer and now my 2020 Road King. Ride safe!
I love my Suzuki Boulevard M109r it has been an awesome bike to ride. I prefer the C90 or C109 cruisers since I am 6'6" tall but the Suzuki Boulevard series of bikes are pretty darn good for the price. Thanks for showing the Japanese cruisers a bit of love!
i love my scout, but it is definitely not something I'd take on a long trip. Rear suspension travel isn't great. Also, the folded over riding position isn't the best for long haul trips.
5’3.75” tall? Doodle McNoodle, I don’t think anyone would challenge u ifn u claimed 5’4”. And look at u being all motorcycle savvy/confident when u were talking w/the girls. Leaning on the windshield like a ….. dare I say, a BOSS (and I don’t mean Blacked Out Suzuki Special). Its about time - atta girl.
I rode a Honda VTX 1300 over 100,000 miles. It still ran well when bought a different bike. Before that I had a Yamaha V-Star 650 and it was quite a lot like that Suzuki c 50. I also had a Suzuki Savage 650 at one point. About the only "problem" I had with the Japanese Cruisers was simply that they were all 5 speeds. That is the one thing Harley does better is that most of them are 6 speeds. The metric cruisers are good bikes especially if you like the back roads,,, meaning the 65 mph roads. All my metric cruisers ran at a little higher rpms than I really liked when I was going 80 on the interstates.
My 60+ year old neighbor has one of these. She is a brand new rider and was sold this by another biker friend of hers. I am 6'5" and when I stand next to this thing even I think it looks HUGE. It is way too much bike for my neighbor in terms of size, weight, and maneuverability. I'm not saying that she couldn't grow into something like this but it's definitely NOT a beginner bike. I think it's something that every rider should work up to, just like you did. Also, the size of the bike doesn't really come across on video. Even your big Harley baggers don't look that huge on video compared to their in-person size. It's very wide across the tank and very beefy. I know because I had to help her pick it up when she dumped it next to my mailbox.
I have a very similar Kawasaki Vulcan 900. I couldn’t care less about the looks, but the ergos work pretty well for me. The v-twin configuration results in a king wheelbase with olenty of leg room, the seating position is pretty good, and the windshield does a good job of blocking the wind. The standard seat isn’t great, but I replaced mine with a Mustang custom seat, which is much better.
"Are you getting this bike to look at it, or are you getting it to ride it". Fifty fifty equal my buying principle for anything. If not riding, then you still have inspiration and decoration.
Yes. The 800cc c50t boulevard is an awesome cruiser because of its lightweight easy to handle. It’s not an expensive motorcycle. I can also drive it aggressive through the twisties in NC mountains and it handles well. Yes it may not have all the bells a whistles, less things to fix. Drive safe Doodle. Marco G, I got to go for my ride…..
Anyone who rides baggers does so for exactly the reasons you all listed. The ability to sit on it riding for hours and just climb off at the other end like it was nothing is unmatched by any other style of bike. That's why we ride them. Unmatched comfort. Your weight comfortableness will vary, but the ride will be comfortable no matter which one you choose. So just pick one that you can feel comfortable on after "2 minutes", and enjoy riding whilst relaxing. I personally love an Ultraglide, but I ride smaller cruisers too, and am particularly fond of a little 250cc Yamaha 250cc which whilst a bit small for long touring is a lightweight beautiful beast that you can throw around on small country roads.
My main bike is a 2016 M50 / boulevard/ Intruder we call it in the UK. I have put on 10k miles in just over a year and love the comfort. It lacks speed compared to other cruisers such as the vulcan s. It does what a cruiser should and well. I much prefer it to a 1500 Intruder which I find too long and heavy. Great video.
The triumph T bird 1600 is the nicest ride with tons of low down torque. Theres a 1700cc also but its surprising it wasnt more popular in usa as theyre solid reliable well built as the one i rode was 2011 with 18000 miles on it immaculate.
I have a 2019 Yamaha Bolt 950. I love it. I have a 2005 Harley 1200 Sportster that is broken. I've been riding for over 50 years. I also have a 2024 Yamaha Zuma 125 scooter for around town . It's great.
I've been riding since 1962 and my favorite touring bike was my 2010 Suzuki VStrom 650. I could do 600 miles in a day at 80 to 85 mph through the Colorado Rockies on the weekends regularly. It was plenty fast and comfortable and carried my weekend trip needs. It wasn't as fast as my 1982 Honda Magna V45, but who really needs a 12 sec 1/4 mile at 110 mph? I've never owned a bike over 750cc or 550 lbs and never saw the need for one despite being 6'2" and weighing between 190 and 250 lbs at various times.
I met an old(er than me) dude at my local trailhead who had a Boulevard C50. He wears them out and then buys a fresher used one every few years. I think that back in the day we called these the "Intruder".
I've got a 2010 C-109R that I absolutely love, and daily here in Sydney Australia. Before that I had a '99 Intruder 1500 (C90) which I also used as a daily. The metric cruisers are hugely underrated, and do cop a bit of flack from the Harley die hards, but I don't care, cause I bought it for me, not them. Also, at about half the cost of an equivalent Harley (at least here in Oz), you have to make a really bad choice to buy one that won't at least match a Harley on just about any test you can think of. If I ever get to the point where I need to replace my bike, I'll just buy another Boulevard, cause for my money, there's not much better value bikes out there.
I owned a 2018 Suzuki C90T. I absolutely loved that one. It had great power and two spark plugs per cylinder, a v twin. It’s got all the power you’ll need. And by the way, you can use 87 Octane. I then road a Yamaha 1300 V Star. That one had less power than the Suzuki C90T a 1500cc motorcycle. Now here’s a Suzuki C50. How’s the power on this motorcycle?
They make bags for my Ducati Diavel, but I just couldn't do that to her. I wish I lived close enough for you to do a test ride on the Diavel. It's low to the ground and has a fun level of power and well... it's a Ducati!
I have the 2016 c50 T that I use to commute to work (a one hr ride both ways), have the luggage rack on back, back rest, an true after riding my springer heritage on weekends, I over throw the boulevard on its floor board in corners, because of the light weight difference. Getting ready to put my third set of tires on before winter. I live in Ohio an no I don't store bike, I'll ride if no snow or ice on roads.
You should try a Honda ST1300. Super comfortable mile muncher, 270-300 mile range, great on the twisties, people log 250k on these all the time. I have one and just love it.
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This bike is actually for sale in Lilburn, GA! Tell him Doodle/ Carolyn sent you facebook.com/marketplace/item/771859654895949/?mibextid=6ojiHh
I rode a Honda 1100 shadow for 9 1/2 years. It weighed in at about 585 lbs. I put 102,000 miles on it
I put 118,000 miles on a 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 750 that I bought new. A broken cam chain destroyed the engine.
Glad to see the Japanese cruisers getting some love! We picked up an ‘05 Boulevard M50 this summer for my wife as her first bike. It’s perfect for her. Small enough to learn on but big enough that she won’t outgrow it anytime soon.
"Outgrowing bikes" is not a real problem. If you can't explain what you can do with a bigger bike that you can't with a smaller bike, you haven't outgrown it.
My son started on a Rebel 250. He “outgrew” it. As he gained riding experience, he wanted a bigger, more comfortable bike, extra power to keep up on highways, more torque for a passenger… We didn’t want the same thing to happen to my wife.
@@aluisious lol
I've been riding for just over 2½yrs and have a 2001 Honda Shadow ACE 750 as my first bike. After owning it I'm convinced you can get a great cruiser that's just as reliable or more then any Harley. I'm sticking with Japanese cruisers
I ride a 99 Ace 750. I mostly agree however my neighbor let me borrow his 95 Dyna ( Evo engine) and OMG I can’t get the experience out of my head It’s like going back in time and experiencing Americana from back in the day and I absolutely fell in love. I still have my Shadow but I can’t stop thinking about that Evo powered Dyna. I need me an older Harley Asap!!
I've owned one for several years, I love it. It takes my wife and I two up anywhere we want to go. Never a single hiccup.
Great to see the C50 get a good review.
I have an '09 model fitted with National Cycle's fork lowers, quick release screen and hard saddlebags, plus replaced the stock seat with one from Mustang. Additionally I added a riser to bring the handlebars just a bit closer to my little T-rex arms.
The bike has been an enjoyable and reliable ride for years now and has handled everything I can throw at it without missing a beat. Nimble in the twisties (and yes, it's easy to ground the foot plates if you push it hard) and comfy for cruising. It's a wide bike though with those handlebars so filtering through city traffic is not really an option.
At freeway speeds (100kmh+ , a bit over 60mph) you'll get a lot of wind pressure without a screen in place. It's rideable for short distances but can get pretty fatiguing after a while. At 60 you won't notice it and 80 is pretty easy too. Doing lots of time at 100kmh you'll also start to notice the vibration through the foot boards that you wouldn't get on a larger capacity bike. It's not terrible, just noticeable and is something else that over time will get a little fatiguing (my definition of "a little time" is probably something like 4 hours plus non stop in the saddle).
It was my first bike with footboards and the heel/toe shifter and I quickly grew to love those features!
At the time I was tossing up between the Yamaha XVS650, Kawasaki VN900, Honda VT750 and the Suzuki C50 and if I had my time again, I'd still choose the C50 :)
My first and only bike - so far - is an 06 C50. I inherited it from a mentor and close friend, so i freely admit my bias, but i absolutely LOVE this bike after a year of riding. He had put a luggage rack and some bags on it - the latter of which vanished in the 3 years it was in storage, so once i got it running, i put a new pair on. They are on the smaller side, but i probably could have gone just a little bigger. But between those and a solid backpack, i rarely use my car anymore, even to get groceries. It's absolutely brilliant. And, being an older guy, I love the more classic cruiser look.
I just got the brakes done in advance of my first true long-distance trip with it. Hopefully I feel the same after I get back!
I could get groceries on my Multistrada but I use my car. The only thing I do with the bike is get out of the city ASAP and have fun. Bikes are too dangerous to me to risk things like going to work or getting milk. If I'm going to die on a bike, at least I'll be doing something I wanted to do, instead of something I was obligated to do.
@@aluisious🙄 really
@@aluisious I get you there. I was living in Phoenix when I first started riding and surface streets there were a nightmare. I moved south to Tucson and it's a much better pace of life. Streets surfaces are absolute trash, but other drivers are FAR better than Phoenix.
@@nikisaunders2634 yes, really. People get killed sitting in their cars at intersections, never mind sitting on your bike when some car flips over the median and slams into you.
Roll your eyes elsewhere, fool.
I have friends (a married couple) who have toured the lower 48 and a portion of Canada on a Kawasaki 900 Vulcan. They loved it. I know of others who have put a LOT of miles on a Yamaha Bolt. Thanks, Doodle and gal pals.
Don't forget about the Kawasaki Vulcan, just picked up an '09 900 and it's a blast!
A friend and I purchased C50s and decked them out as touring bikes for a road trip around the country back in 2013. We chose them after quite a bit of research because of their high reliability and longer wheel base (we pulled a trailer, and a long wheel base is good for that). The bike is so comfortable to ride that we would need to get fuel long before we felt like we needed a break from riding. We both got quick release windshields and saddle bags, so we could quickly revert to a more basic cruiser set up. We both still love those bikes so much we never intend to sell them.
Curious about the trailer. I have a 2006 C-50.
@@almikelipscomb What kind of information are you looking for?
I've had all sorts of bikes including a road king. When I borrowed a mates Boulevard for a weekend I was really surprised at how comfortable and nible it felt, while also feeling like a proper full size cruiser. They're so cheap on the used markets too!
My first V-twin was a 2009 Suzuki Boulevard C50SE. In 2009 Canada, SE meant cast wheels, bags and windshield (no studs). Coming from a Honda Magna, this bike was a dream with its fuel injection and shaft drive giving it the smoothest ride. As you said, it is an outstanding commuter and I even started touring with it. It excelled at short trips but, after a couple of long distance tours, I decided to upgrade to a true touring bike that filled in the shortcomings of the Boulevard, like heated grips & seat; cruise control; and extra storage.
Nice little video on the C50. I was 58 y.o. when i cam back to rding after a 30 year hiatus. I purchased a 2005 C50 and added the parts to get it t to add fork lowers o a C50T. Road it 18K in 1 year commuting to work and touring on weekends with the wife.
Pros: Very comfortable aft adding a mustang seat and a backrest. We did some 500 mile days on it,
Cons: Head buffeting at speed. Had to add fork lowers and that cured it. Valve adjustments were next to imposable with my big hands. Other then that all good great little machine.
Sold it to my buddy's wife so she could ride with us after a year and bought a new Harley Electra glide Classic. That was well more to my liking but at about twice the price but more bike and more comfort. Again great review.
I bought a 2005 C50T way back in 2011 for only $4K and kept it for 10 years and put many happy miles on it. It’s a great value even new for someone wanting a comfortable light weight cruiser and touring bike. I moved on to a Heritage and now ride a BMW 750 GS but I have fond memories of my Boulevard. I wish they would improve the brakes, add ABS and equip it with cruise control but those were my only complaints. Thanks for a great review of this motorcycle.
I learned the hard way a long time ago about riding very far from home on a bike with tube type tires. I wouldn't ride more than 50 miles from home on a bike with tube type tires. I have owned a lot of bikes (over 40) and I have had a LOT of flat tires. Mostly on bikes with tube type tires. And when you have a flat on a bike with tube type tires, it means a tow truck. I've only ever had 2 flats on bikes with tubeless tires, and both times, simply putting a bottle of Ride On in the tire and reinflated it solved the problem. I do carry a plug kit, just in case. I have also almost been killed a couple of times when a tube type tire blew out at high speed on the highway. When a tube gets punctured, it pops like a balloon, and goes flat instantly. Tubeless tires almost always lose air very slowly. I have found objects sticking in my tubeless tires while inspecting them at home, that had actually punctured the tire. Those objects had probably been in the tire for hundreds of miles. The same thing that punctured the tire sealed the puncture. That is not going to happen with tube type tires.
I'm old school, I prefer the tube tires as you can do a repair pretty much anywhere I always carry a tube repair kit and a small compressor.
If I was to buy a Bonniville I would have to have spoked wheels that would be tube type tires, my DR 650 has tubes like MegaBruceC says I can repair it with a patch. I had a front tire go flat on 750 Honda I did not know it was flat until I took an offramp and tried to negotiate a turn at the light. I would rather not have a flat but I don't think it would necessarily mean a crash.
my father-in-law bought a C 90 in 2005, the first year for it. The 1500 cc version of the bike here without the touring package.
With a brand new bike and it was the one that he put me on to learn how to ride motorcycle motorcycles.
Took me out in the middle of nowhere on a country road with two giant drainage ditches on either side and said don’t crash it. Lol
Well, that was about 20 years ago now and he still has that bike. He put a Mustang seat on it with a back rest but otherwise it’s fairly stock and we keep up on the maintenance.
Good number of miles on it, and it still gets great gas mileage and runs like new. Chances are good. It’ll be my inheritance at some point.
Just add it as one more bike in the stable, but it makes an excellent long distance touring bike.
The C 90 has the fuel tank under the seat instead of in the usual spot, so the center of gravity is very low even though it weighs quite a bit more than the C 50 .
but all in all at this point, a Suzuki Boulevard is an unsung hero of the metric cruiser world. A great way to get an excellent cruiser bike for not a lot of money on the used market these days.
I recently bought a low mile '07 Suzuki Boulevard C90T Black, with Cobra pipes and a G-Man fuel tuner. It fits my 5'6" frame better than my Yamaha Stratoliner (good for tall riders) and my Yamaha Royal Star Venture (tall seat height and high center of gravity). With its hydraulic lifters, fuel injection and air/oil cooling, the maintenance is minimal and it's pretty reliable by design. It handles well at highway speeds and in parking lots, and it gets up and goes for a low compression 1500cc 3-valve motor. With the Cobra pipes it sounds really good. Keep up the great work Doodle and be safe!
My former partner moved on from her Rebel 450 learner to a C50T. She loved it. We took a couple of long trips and it did everything well. Speaking of slippers, I had a Suzuki GSX1100G for many years which Cycle World described as a "roadgoing sofa". Some spring and shock upgrades transformed it into more of a 2 wheeled Lexus.
I've rode a c50t since 2012 love it
Have 85000 miles on it with no big issues
8500 or 85,000?
@@ss_whole -
85k is possible with no issues besides clutch and getting the front brake pads and rear brake drum addressed due to normal wear. As long as a person keep up with their routine maintenance, the bike will last them for years.
I sold my Goldwing SE back in the spring, currently looking for a smaller bike. The reason for selling was because of the weight, definitely gonna take this bike into consideration when I buy a new one.
If you want to stick with a Honda, check out a Shadow Aero 750
@benb6535 Right now I'm just looking at all possibilities,, trying to determine which bike will suit my needs for what I want to do. My last 3 bikes have been Goldwings. I enjoy cross country traveling. Just can't handle the long distances that I once did.
@bobbybarnes408 For what it's worth, I'm a newer rider, about a year and a half now, on a 2006 C50t. Touring was my goal going in, but I found on some test rides that a goldwing or electra-glide was too big a jump from the 250cc bikes that I rode during my MSF course.
I've been very happy with my bike, and I have done several multi-thousand-mile road trips on it. Doodle's point about the saddlebags is something I agree with, so I added some tsuyaku hard saddlebags and a Viking tour pack on a Wompus rack. It still won't haul as much as a full bagger of course, but it has been enough for me, often supplemented by a large backpack strapped onto the back seat.
I hope that helps. Happy hunting and riding.
check the kawas also
Personally, I'd look for a used C90T. 1500cc vs. your goldwing(assuming the 1800).
Above 70, I'd imagine the c50 lacks passing power, especially by comparison of the gl.
The C50 is a great bike to start with.... It's good for short and LD rides. Back several years ago when I got back into riding I bought a used LC1500 (now it's a C90) and was a great bike!!! The only short comings was a small gas tank (4.5 gallons) and like many Asian bikes some issues with the electrical system but with the help of a great forum found on Delphi Forums can easily work around these issues. The LC stands for Lounge Chair.... and YES when you lean you will scrape floor boards. Thanks Doodle, be safe and Blessed!!!!
I have an 06 CT50. It has fuel injection, drive shaft, gear indicator. Great Bike! The only thing I don't like is it does not have a main stand, and the bike has a sightglass to determine oil level. It's a team effort to check the oil.
Right!?!? It's my first bike, so I wondered if my sight glass was broken somehow until I first saw it strapped upright on a trailer. Love the bike though!
@garyadkins9496 the CT50 does every thing well. Great balance, handling, temperature runs cool. It's awesome
I sit on the bike with it upright and then snap a photo of the oil sightglass with my phone to check it.
I have a HD FLHT 96cu, that's my 'serious bike', my everyday/local etc is a 2013 C50T. Everything you found is exactly how I feel about the wee suzook. It's easy in traffic, comfortable, has 'enough' power to be a distance ride, as long as you remember it is 'only' 50bhp and 60-70mph is it's comfortable touring speed. It's a off the highway bike, for exploring those quieter backroads and enjoying a relaxed ride. (BTW make sure you get the shaft greased up, they have a problem where Suzuki didn't grease them and the splines can wear). Other than, it's relaible, comfrotable, and yup, just like putting on a pair of slippers. If the C50 HAD to be my only bike, I would be 'ok' with that.
I went from a 450cc bike to a C50T. I loved that bike! I rode it for a year before I moved up to a Goldwing. The bags and a wind sheild make long distance rides so much more enjoyable.
I had a 2008, and I loved it! I took it through the MSF Sport bike course while getting my rider coach certs on Whidbey Island Wa. I wore the wear pegs off of the bottoms of the floorboards along with the mounts that they went into. Had to purchase entirely new floorboards later when the rubber insert flew off on I-5. Eventually outgrew it and moved up to an Indian Roadmaster. Loved the blueish/purplish iridescent paint on the bike. Keep the stories and rides coming Doodle!
I LOVE my '08 M50. It's my first cruiser, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I just love it. It's a little different than the C50, it has footpegs instead of floorboards and a little different styling etc., but it's the same guts. I'd still like to upgrade to a Wing some day, but I'm not in a hurry. This baby is making me happy every time I roll out of the driveway.
I have an '09 M50. The looks on the older M50s are super cool. They have a unique classic muscle cruiser look that doesn't really exist in the new market today. I actually prefer them to the updated design that brought the M50 closer to the C50 styling. Like you said, the old M50 is the type of bike that makes you smile every time.
I agree. I saw a new one at the dealership and it's nice, but not the same classic cool.
They're great bikes. I'm on my second Suzuki M800 (M50 in US). Very comfortable for day rides. Fast enough on highways, and handle really well. I'm so glad you all enjoyed the C50.
Looking on line the 4.1 gallon tank gets a range of around 150 or 160 miles .. I would like to see a range of 190 to 210 miles for the long hauls .. I love the shaft drive for care . I have gone on trips with friends on this bike and they have all said how much they love the thing .. The seat needs to be replaced at 30 K miles ..Not a very big problem :) Thanks for the clip and glad you had a great time ..
Sissybar bags are a staple for cruisers with bags. Kurakyn makes them, Saddlemen, there's a huge array of options. I kind of prefer those to a permanent top box, they're easy to toss on, they are securely mounted and when I get where I'm going, I grab the bag, grab my pannier liners that have been stuffed with my stuff at home and just walk away, unloading the bike in a literal 10 seconds.
The C50SE ✨ 3:11 but with a pillion / passanger seat + bigger saddlebags with matching tribal flame paint job ❤
I just got a 2010 Yamaha V strom 950 with 1,200 miles. Love it! Been riding for four years with 2012 Honda Phantom Shadow that had 1,750 miles. Keep up the great videos.
Suzuki V Strom or Yamaha Tenere. I'm confused
I'm always puzzled how a 14 year old bike can have 1200 miles. Any bike I've bought had 600 miles by the end of the weekend. Otherwise, what's the point?
The C50 was my first. Love it! Easy to ride and super comfy!
had two c50's and c90 boss road one c50 on a week long 1700 mile trip great ride. c90 was the best all around bike i have owned
I've talked to some Harley owners that were previous owners of japanese style cruisers like Hondas and Suzukis and like the CT50 in the video, all admitted they were great running bikes and cheaper to own. So why they switched over to Harley? The only thing I can come up with is they simply got bored with a perfect running bike and got seduced by the Harley brand name everyone else was riding. Its human nature to want to be part of a large group instead of being a loner.
My buddy got back into motorcycling in his early 60’s and bought the C50. Loved it so much he moved up to the C90.
I bought a brand new C50T in January. I’ve put almost 5,000 miles on it in 10 months. It’s a great commuter and a fun distance bike. I think it might be my favorite bike.
I had a Bully M50, same engine and frame, but more of a muscle cruiser layout. I loved it. That 800cc power plant is a sweetheart, I toured and camped with mine. Loved it so much I got its even bigger brother, the M109R to replace it. Power I think is similar to a sporty 1200 because its water-cooled, you get much more bang per CC.
I have one in my garage and I have softail deluxe as well, c50 is bigger in every way, only not the engine displacement that is smaller, so it could not be considered as small, it is much lighter, but it is bigger than most HD bagers, maybe bigger than all of them.... ;-). it is great bike, I mostly choose it rather than HD.... for all the reasons you have just said ;-). enjoy and be safe.
I ride an '07 Honda VTX 1300...I would put it up against almost any Harley made around that year. Yeah, it has a few chromed plastic pieces where Harley has metal, but it still has a single-pin crank and can sound comparable to a Harley, given the right exhaust (but it can't idle as low due to oil needs). But I tell ya, the reliability and quality of the parts that truly matter are hard to beat on the Honda. The VTXes are classified as large motorcycles, but mine has a wet weight of 630lbs, so it's not bad at all. And I love the twisties on mine...I scrape the pegs constantly in the foothils and mountains of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. It's a great bike, and is actually pretty easy to learn on...but the 1800 version, probably not so much.
I had a 2007 Honda VTX 1300 also. It was the best motorcycle I ever had. I put over 100,000 miles on it before I bought another bike. Nothing ever went wrong with the motor or transmission or clutch in all that time. You can buy these bikes on the internet that have something like 7 thousand miles for about 3,000 dollars and they will last for 25 years. It's the best value known to man. (or woman). I only bought another bike because at age 66 I decided to get a lighter bike cause they are easier to push around and such. My "new" bike is a 2014 Honda CTX with a manual 6 speed transmission and a factory frame mounted fairing and a trunk. It weighs like 485 pounds and is really fun cause it's so flickable and nimble and with the 6 speed and light weight it is almost as fast as the VTX. Only drawback is on really windy days you get pushed around a lot on the highway. You can ride the VTX in a hurricane and you won't get blown off of the road. Oh well, there are pros and cons to everything...
Its a beautiful machine!
I think it looks great.. these are so cheap here in New Zealand aswell. 😊
A Suzuki Volusia 800 was my second bike. Loved it because of the low seat height and it was affordable and had enough power for two up riding. I sawa used ST1300 though and the Volusia went bye bye.
I haven't ridden the Suzuki but I have loved time on the Kawasaki 800 bagger.
When I got back into riding I bought an M50 to see if I was gonna be ok with cruisers. It's a great starter bike and gave me 2 1/2 years of trouble-free riding. I sold it to my neighbor and still see it all the time. I moved on to a Yamaha Stratoliner and now a Harley Softail Slim.
I rode mainly off road, but 20 years ago I picked up a 2004 vlx600 for $3k to ride with my friends that stopped off road riding. I have had a license since I was 15 but in 56 years of riding I have had two street bikes. So I bought the little 600 on lark to ride with my friends that quit the dirt. Over the last 20 years I have test rode bigger bikes from Honda, Indian, and HD, but none are as easy to ride as the little vlx600. It will pull me and my wife at highway speed all day and the mustang seat gives us more room than the other bikes we tested. By myself, I can flick it through back road twisties like I would off road on my cr250r yet it will just cruise till the tank runs dry. The point is you might not need a 1000 lb behemoth to be comfortable on the road.
C50 nails it's proportions next to other larger bikes, it doesn't look like a smaller bike. So much fun.
I rode a C50T for 13 years, both 2 up and solo. If it wasn't for the fact that I needed to transition to 3 wheels I would still be riding it. Loved my C50T!!
I ride a 2004 Yamaha VStar 650, which feels very similar. I sometimes wish I had a little more power, but overall, the bike is quite comfortable and I've ridden it around town and on road trips. Reliable, light, and comfortable.
The Suzuki Boulevard looks the best to me out of all three. Love the two tone Dr. Pepper sparkle.
Im so old I remember when a 900 was considered a big cc motor. I have owned just about every brand. Every style of bike. So far out of everything my favorite is my 2012 Vstar1300 Tourer. Smooth as silk. Comfortable. Plenty of power and looks great.
I had the 2001 Volusia and it was a great bike. Easy to work on and even back then I got looks and thumbs up thinking I was on a Harley. I put some shotgun D&D Chrome pipes on mine and it made the sound intoxicating. I unfortunately sold it with 800 miles on it but I'm always nostalgic when I see one.
One other hint for my rider enjoyment. When entering a freeway, I accelerated to 70 in 4th, then shifted into 5th. It pretty much stopped me from searching for 6th. Also, at 70, it had plenty of guts to pass, at 80, not so much and if you are braver than I, downhill with a tail wind it will reach 100 indicated which is about 95 real.
Used to own a purchased new 2017 for 3 years. In my opinion, the best cruiser/touring bike for beginners who have no plans on going sport or adventure, and desire to gain confidence. I ended up changing out the stock seats for Mustangs, added highway bars (Lindby Customs), Kuryakyn foot pegs, Kuryakyn handgrips, Viking saddlebags, and a Tsukayu fairing. In those 3 years I'd logged 53k miles, and never had any mechanical problems except for clutch replacement at 27k miles. Traded it in in 2020 for a 2020 Kawasaki Vaquero.
Traded it in due to interstate speeds buffering issues that the factory windshield and Tsukayu fairing couldn't solve, wanted cruise control, a 6th gear, AM/FM radio, a bit more road weight, a bit more beefer girth, and anti-locking brakes.
Had I did mostly local non-interstate riding, I would've kept the Suzuki.
Best bike ever Japanese manufactured. I have 2007, no issues just changing engine oil and gear oil frequently, never went to any mechanic for any issues, best road presence,road grip, best pickup, mine within seconds crosses 90 mph, great thing is it looks far bigger than 800cc, and there is no monogram for cc on bike, so mostly people take it as 1300 or 1400 cc, great reliable bike.
We have a C50 in our garage, its a great 'little' bike, can do 80mph all day. I ride a v4 Venture 1300, and my son the C50 and he keeps up. Such good value for money. I rode its brother the Marauder 800 and loved its engine.
Aww... this made me nostalgic for your early videos. I might go back and watch some...
And you may not be swoll, but you're mad strong!! 💪
You know it!! 😂
I'm a 5'4" male and bought an old Boulevard M50 as my first bike a couple of months ago. Absolutely love it so far. It's a great daily commuter for those who don't mind something a bit bigger and heavier than a typical naked bike. I initially ignored the Boulevards because I thought 805cc sounded crazy for a beginner bike, but they're cheap and abundant on the used market, and introduced fuel injection relatively early compared to their cruiser competition. The throttle response is extremely tame, so despite the displacement, it feels very appropriate for beginner riders.
That motor loves to rev..... pulls strong.
I don't think they are forgotten. But maybe not as spoken of. I've had two VL1500/C90 this years. An awesome and comfortable cruiser. I did a 1000mile trip on one of them last year. The C50 is too small for me, but it's a great bike as well.
This is An awesome video as always. And the trip to Devil's Triangle was really cool. I've shared it with some female friends.
The Boulevard and Shadow are both excellent bikes especially for new riders and people on a budget. I sold my Shadow to my best friend and ride a Triumph now but I still ask him if we can trade bikes sometimes.
Sometimes I miss my Honda Shadow Aero. It was a 750 and was so easy to ride. Not too loud. Very efficient and I did take it on small tours for a weekend or so. It was very comfortable and very maneuverable. Not a lot of power but did what I needed.
O doodle, you are so right!! These bikes are just like slippers, so comfy feels like home. I had a honda shadow 750 very similar to this bike and i just loved it. Keep up the banger content doodle 🎉👌
A Doodle day is a good day! 🎉🎉
Good information!
I don’t know much about motorcycles but I am getting educated from your channel. Thanks for putting this video together, loved it.
Yeaaah badass👍🤙
Great content good review of the Suzuki boulevard thanks again for sharing
My first bike after a short break from riding was an ‘06 C50 which I rode for a few years then moved up to a 2012 Yamaha VStar 1300 Tourer and now my 2020 Road King. Ride safe!
I love my Suzuki Boulevard M109r it has been an awesome bike to ride. I prefer the C90 or C109 cruisers since I am 6'6" tall but the Suzuki Boulevard series of bikes are pretty darn good for the price. Thanks for showing the Japanese cruisers a bit of love!
i love my scout, but it is definitely not something I'd take on a long trip. Rear suspension travel isn't great. Also, the folded over riding position isn't the best for long haul trips.
Thanks, Doodle! Another great video!
5’3.75” tall?
Doodle McNoodle, I don’t think anyone would challenge u ifn u claimed 5’4”.
And look at u being all motorcycle savvy/confident when u were talking w/the girls.
Leaning on the windshield like a ….. dare I say, a BOSS (and I don’t mean Blacked Out Suzuki Special).
Its about time - atta girl.
I rode a Honda VTX 1300 over 100,000 miles. It still ran well when bought a different bike. Before that I had a Yamaha V-Star 650 and it was quite a lot like that Suzuki c 50. I also had a Suzuki Savage 650 at one point. About the only "problem" I had with the Japanese Cruisers was simply that they were all 5 speeds. That is the one thing Harley does better is that most of them are 6 speeds. The metric cruisers are good bikes especially if you like the back roads,,, meaning the 65 mph roads. All my metric cruisers ran at a little higher rpms than I really liked when I was going 80 on the interstates.
I have a c-50t 2009 model, and it is a great bike, shaft dr. 53mpg. A good bike !
My 60+ year old neighbor has one of these. She is a brand new rider and was sold this by another biker friend of hers. I am 6'5" and when I stand next to this thing even I think it looks HUGE. It is way too much bike for my neighbor in terms of size, weight, and maneuverability. I'm not saying that she couldn't grow into something like this but it's definitely NOT a beginner bike. I think it's something that every rider should work up to, just like you did. Also, the size of the bike doesn't really come across on video. Even your big Harley baggers don't look that huge on video compared to their in-person size. It's very wide across the tank and very beefy. I know because I had to help her pick it up when she dumped it next to my mailbox.
I have a very similar Kawasaki Vulcan 900. I couldn’t care less about the looks, but the ergos work pretty well for me. The v-twin configuration results in a king wheelbase with olenty of leg room, the seating position is pretty good, and the windshield does a good job of blocking the wind. The standard seat isn’t great, but I replaced mine with a Mustang custom seat, which is much better.
I ride a 2006 suzuki c90 bolavard 70,000 miles runs and looks great!
"Are you getting this bike to look at it, or are you getting it to ride it". Fifty fifty equal my buying principle for anything. If not riding, then you still have inspiration and decoration.
I'm so glad you rode the triangle. It's more fun on a fast bike but I cruise it too.
I owned one for a couple years. I'm 6' 3" and it was comfortable for short trips.
Yes. The 800cc c50t boulevard is an awesome cruiser because of its lightweight easy to handle. It’s not an expensive motorcycle. I can also drive it aggressive through the twisties in NC mountains and it handles well. Yes it may not have all the bells a whistles, less things to fix. Drive safe Doodle. Marco G, I got to go for my ride…..
I like the way you approach different bikes. the positive perspective is contagious. have you tried a BMW R18 Transcontinental?
My first bike and I am a 6' tall man. I loved it and miss it. While it was small I fit on it just fine.
Anyone who rides baggers does so for exactly the reasons you all listed. The ability to sit on it riding for hours and just climb off at the other end like it was nothing is unmatched by any other style of bike. That's why we ride them. Unmatched comfort. Your weight comfortableness will vary, but the ride will be comfortable no matter which one you choose. So just pick one that you can feel comfortable on after "2 minutes", and enjoy riding whilst relaxing. I personally love an Ultraglide, but I ride smaller cruisers too, and am particularly fond of a little 250cc Yamaha 250cc which whilst a bit small for long touring is a lightweight beautiful beast that you can throw around on small country roads.
I've got a C90T, love it
My main bike is a 2016 M50 / boulevard/ Intruder we call it in the UK.
I have put on 10k miles in just over a year and love the comfort. It lacks speed compared to other cruisers such as the vulcan s.
It does what a cruiser should and well.
I much prefer it to a 1500 Intruder which I find too long and heavy.
Great video.
The triumph T bird 1600 is the nicest ride with tons of low down torque. Theres a 1700cc also but its surprising it wasnt more popular in usa as theyre solid reliable well built as the one i rode was 2011 with 18000 miles on it immaculate.
My first one was c50. Loved it!
Bravo doodle always the best content and skills blessings
I have a 2019 Yamaha Bolt 950. I love it. I have a 2005 Harley 1200 Sportster that is broken. I've been riding for over 50 years. I also have a 2024 Yamaha Zuma 125 scooter for around town . It's great.
I have one and I love it. Along with a Gold Wing and a Honda VFR
I've been riding since 1962 and my favorite touring bike was my 2010 Suzuki VStrom 650. I could do 600 miles in a day at 80 to 85 mph through the Colorado Rockies on the weekends regularly. It was plenty fast and comfortable and carried my weekend trip needs. It wasn't as fast as my 1982 Honda Magna V45, but who really needs a 12 sec 1/4 mile at 110 mph? I've never owned a bike over 750cc or 550 lbs and never saw the need for one despite being 6'2" and weighing between 190 and 250 lbs at various times.
I met an old(er than me) dude at my local trailhead who had a Boulevard C50. He wears them out and then buys a fresher used one every few years. I think that back in the day we called these the "Intruder".
I've got a 2010 C-109R that I absolutely love, and daily here in Sydney Australia. Before that I had a '99 Intruder 1500 (C90) which I also used as a daily. The metric cruisers are hugely underrated, and do cop a bit of flack from the Harley die hards, but I don't care, cause I bought it for me, not them. Also, at about half the cost of an equivalent Harley (at least here in Oz), you have to make a really bad choice to buy one that won't at least match a Harley on just about any test you can think of. If I ever get to the point where I need to replace my bike, I'll just buy another Boulevard, cause for my money, there's not much better value bikes out there.
I owned a 2018 Suzuki C90T. I absolutely loved that one. It had great power and two spark plugs per cylinder, a v twin. It’s got all the power you’ll need. And by the way, you can use 87 Octane. I then road a Yamaha 1300 V Star. That one had less power than the Suzuki C90T a 1500cc motorcycle. Now here’s a Suzuki C50. How’s the power on this motorcycle?
Came for the Doodle on a motorcycle, stayed for the hips.
Both make quality content 🦆🪿
They make bags for my Ducati Diavel, but I just couldn't do that to her. I wish I lived close enough for you to do a test ride on the Diavel. It's low to the ground and has a fun level of power and well... it's a Ducati!
I have a 05 Suzuki Boulevard M50B
I enjoy riding it there's nothing wrong with it.
I have the 2016 c50 T that I use to commute to work (a one hr ride both ways), have the luggage rack on back, back rest, an true after riding my springer heritage on weekends, I over throw the boulevard on its floor board in corners, because of the light weight difference. Getting ready to put my third set of tires on before winter. I live in Ohio an no I don't store bike, I'll ride if no snow or ice on roads.
Michio Suzuki the founder of Suzuki motorcycles has a beautiful back story and will make you feel good about riding a suzuki ! Mine is a v-strom
You should try a Honda ST1300. Super comfortable mile muncher, 270-300 mile range, great on the twisties, people log 250k on these all the time. I have one and just love it.
it sits high
Your vids are always great. 😊
I had a 800 Suzuki Volusia, and I loved it.
We all fell in love with Whitney! ❣️