That's No Baby!
The third true baby bagger put out ready-equipped for touring from the factory is Suzuki's Boulevard C50T. It gives up a bit of displacement to the Vulcan 900 and the Star 950, but it also rocks their world on price. So in a nutshell it would have been nice to have along for the ride, especially as it's a little closer to the junior league that the Honda Shadow Aero occupies. We were first asked by Suzuki if an '08 would have been acceptable (it was), but then that it wasn't available, what else would we take. Just like the other bikes in this test we said either a M50 or a C50 with Genuine Suzuki bags, shield and backrest (or whatever else they decided to tack on) would be just fine. In the end we got a brand spanking new M90 (with touring stuff). Was it manufacturer dyslexia? Was even Suzuki getting confused with their own letter-number combinations?
Given what we know from past tests of the Volusia and C90, coming in the cheapest in this test, it may have done really well and scored a first place vote or two. It's a relatively powerful machine with solid handling and a nice ride.
Not the sort to turn down a bike, we brought the M90(t) along anyhow, we just weren't taking it head-to-head with the others. While we're all for testing cruisers based on price, not displacement, the Boulevard was certainly the bastard child of the bunch. Testers (who all got a chance to ride it) were firmly split on the M, tall from short (or even medium) and aggressive from docile. Suzuki's M-Series cruisers are a blend of their racing heritage with a heavier muscle cruiser attitude. It's stretched out pose is a boon to larger riders, but even a 5'9" tester got tired of it after only a short amount of time. Our assertion in the February issue that it would fit riders of differing sizes turns out to be wrong.
The sporty handling and power was loved by folks not afraid to twist the throttle, and it will respond in kind carving corners predictably and smoothly. It sports roughly 70% more power than the bikes in this test, so it takes some throttle control to keep it happy. More laid back riders didn't like the way it folded (quickly) into turns, or way the shaft drive (backed by lots of torque) would jack the back end around.
The touring gear on the M90 was both smaller and cheaper (price-wise) than the stuff on the other converted bikes we had. The small sportbike-style flipped shield was effective at keeping the wind off of your torso and made no bad turbulence, but wasn't as protective as the others. The tall sissy bar was a nice-looking design which would rotate for some reason, comfort perhaps? The bags, however, were a total joke, good for maybe a jacket liner or lunch if you pack carefully and aren't hungry.
The basic parameters of the test for us was bikes that appeal to new riders, small riders, and experienced riders looking for a deal, and no matter what it had to be able to tour. As it only succeeds in one of those categories, we're thinking despite the huge performance advantage it still would have lost to the two "twins."
That said, at only a little more money than the Triumph, it's worth a look if you fit it's aggressive demographic. Two of our testers (both tall and hard riders) liked it better than all the test, while the others weren't quite as thrilled.
We're planning a $10k cruiser shootout for this year, and the 1200s and 1300s at this pricepoint should be afraid, very afraid. Don't worry killer, you'll get your shot.
2009 Suzuki Boulevard M90
MSRP: $9999 (base)
MSRP $11,104 (as equipped)
Engine
Type: liquid-cooled 54 degree V-twin
Displacement, bore x stroke: 1462cc, 96.0mm x 101.0mm
Compression Ratio : 9.5:1
Fuel Delivery: Fuel injection
Transmission: 5-speed;multiplate wet clutch
Final Drive : Shaft
Chassis
Front Suspension: Inverted fork, 5.1-in.travel
Rear Suspension: Single damper, 4.3-in travel, preload adjustable
Front brakes: 290mm disc, 2-piston caliper
Rear Brakes: 275mm disc, 2-piston caliper
Front Tire: 120/70-18
Rear Tire: 200/50-17
Wheels: 5-spoke cast aluminum
Dimensions
Overall length: 94.1 in.
Seat Height: 28.2 in.
Wheelbase: 66.5 in.
Rake/trail: 32.0/145mm
Fuel Capacity: 4.7 gal
Wet Weight: 723 lb (claimed)
Performance
Fuel Mileage: 26-40 mpg, 33mpg avg.
Average Range: 155.1 miles
Horsepower (Meas.): 69.4 @ 5000 rpm
Torque (meas.): 85.5 lbs.-ft. @ 2750 rpm
Quarter-Mile Acceleration: N/A