2008 Suzuki Boulevard S83 Motorcycle reviews

I bought a new leftover 2008 S83 in late summer 2009 at a great price - last one in the store. I got it for under $6,000. I had done a lot of research before I bought it. I wanted a lean, lighter weight, bigger displacement V-twin cruiser for under $10K. I was aware of the criticisms of the bike - squeaky brakes, grabby clutch, floppy low speed handling, uncomfortable seat, cramped riding position. Like a lot of 1980's vintage bikes, the S83 has a few quirks, but I think they add to the bike's character. The clutch is a little grabby coming off a stop and the brakes do squeak from time to time - so what, you get used to it. I found the other complaints to be nonissues. I find the midmount footpegs and original seat to be very comfortable, and I think that the bike handles just fine. The S83 has nice low end torque and plenty of power for passing on the highway. I only gave the S83 a 4 of 5 in performance, but my last bike was a HD V-rod that really scooted. My fuel economy was a little low at first (35-40 mpg.), but it really started to improve after about 2K miles on the odometer. Now I get 45-49 on the highway and 40-43 in mixed city-highway riding. Other than the clutch being a little grabby, my only complaint is the lean tuning out of the factory (to meet EPA standards). The bike does take a while to warm up and it hesitates a little on the low end when you first hit the throttle. I'm planning on a carb rejet at 4-5K miles - from what I hear, that should make the low end acceleration a lot crisper. The gas tank is only 3.6 gallons, but refueling every 100-120 miles is not a problem for me. The look of the bike is subjective - I love the narrow 1980's chopperesque look of the bike, and I do get a lot of compliments on its looks. My bike has the gold paint job - very nice looking. All in all, I'm very happy with the bike and I would buy it again without any hestitation. Show less