Suzuki Boulevard S50 reviews

This is my first bike. I did however test ride a number of bikes before the purchase. I compared between v star (650cc and 1100cc), boulevard (s50 and the M50) and the vulcan (900cc and the bigger one 1500). The S50 is 800cc, however it was the lightest bike out of all of these and felt faster than the v star 650, M50 and the vulcan 900. It was comparable off the start to the v star 1100 but obviously not the 1500. What I like about the S50 is the size. I am not a big guy and on some other bikes, I felt it was just too big. With this bike, I like to ride curvy mountain roads and it handles and turns great, crusing at about 45mph. Great gas mileage about 50 city and 60 highway. Great price. Added windshield, sissy bar, saddle bags, and highway pegs myself. Yes it's carburated so you do have to warm it up a bit when it's really cold but like a minute at the most. In the summer, hardly any. The only drawbacks I have is that the stock seat is really uncomfortable. And I would imagine that if you are a bigger person this bike would be too small for you (I don't know how the other reviewer rides this bike @ 6'5"). The front brakes squeal on and off, I think it's the dust that gets in them. All in all, great bike for crusing around town and on weekends. It does what it's intended to do. Would I take this across country? Maybe but not with another passenger on back. Btw, I do some riding with my wife on the back (120lbs) and the seat is really small and uncomfortable for her. I do lose some power but it's still sufficient for short cruises. Show less

I've had my '07 Boulevard S50 for about 18 months. I'm a new rider and this bike 'fits' perfectly for my height and riding ability. It's quick, handles great, easily climbs hills and mountains, and can outrun my husband's big VTX. The only complaints I've had is the brakes would squeal something awful. I have since replaced them with a different 'brand' and have had no more squealing. Also, after a 3-day trip this summer, I have since changed the seat to a gel seat. Other than that I have no complaints about this bike. I just wish I could find an engine guard for it. Show less

This is by far one of the best bikes I have ever owned. Suzuki loaded it with a lot of power. I have noticed a little vibration at highway speeds and metal to metal from the front brake. Other than that this is a really good bike. At this time I am getting around 200 miles per tank full. Overall this is a really fun bike. Show less

I am a member of a prominent nationwide club that does a lot for charities that support fellow veterans. In a sea of Harley's running $15-30K, this bike still gets a lot of attention on our rides/rally's. I opted for the pearl white model and you just don't see them anywhere. I love the reliability and chopped looked. Comfort wise it's great for me even after a back surgery. The only comfort complaint is from the passenger, the rear portion of the seat is very hard. I do experience a little vibration after sitting for long periods in traffic, but it is barely noticeable. My largest complaint is the exhaust...it runs almost silently, which some riders like, but I want just a little more growl. The pipes are great looking, and I love one on each side but I need more attention for those parades. Also, EVERYTHING is chromed for you, except the oil fill cap and you can buy a chrome oil filter cover. Try getting this class bike with all those extras for the price from any other manufacturer. Show less

I purchased my new 2006 S50 last August (my third motorcycle since 1974), and have continued to be extremely impressed. My first review, at 600 miles, appeared on September 24th. My wife and I just returned from a 3-day trip to the Colorado mountains, with the S50 averaging 58 miles per gallon. It performed beautifully on the highways and mountain passes, keeping up just fine with all of the bigger machines. Although I didn't have a problem with seat discomfort, my wife did complain some. Not necessarily fans of saddlebags, we had plenty of storage space (about 62 liters) between a tank bag, tail bag and backpack. After the trip, I washed the bike at a spray carwash. So as to not damage anything, I used the presoak and rinse functions without pulling the trigger for extra pressure. The usual Suzuki Boulevard front brake squeak isn't too much of an issue, but the front end squeak is. WD40 does help, though. Cold starting is no longer a problem, thanks to my salesman at the dealership. His suggestion was to flick the throttle 3 or 4 times prior to starting, like we used to pump the accelerator in our older cars. It works every time. Neither the owner's manual or the Haynes service and repair manual mentioned this. Because my S50 is such a great motorcycle, I certainly consider it a keeper. Show less

This bike is great on the back roads and on the highway. I had it at 80 with no problem at all. It can keep up with any bike on the road. The only problems that I can see so far are a front brake squeak and the bike having such a small gas tank with no gas gauge. Other than that, I am very happy with the S50. Show less

Excellent bike! Sleek and narrow. Lots of chrome for stock bike making it very appealing. Unbelievable power and torque for 805cc's. Great gas mileage, 50 highway, 45 in town. Only complaint I have is front brake squeal. Show less

After hearing mixed reviews about the S40 and the fact I need to do 70-75mph average to work on the highway, I opted to get the S50 instead. At first glance it looked like a great bike. Also after my wife sat on it, it was a done deal. Upon taking it on the highway it accelerated to 75mph in no time. Also its ride quality was excellent considering it was raining. Smooth shifting and excellent cruise experince makes me recommend this bike to any one. See how it is easy on take off or thrustful if you want it to be. One wierd quirk is you need a screw-driver to open the tool compartment (where the screwdriver would be). Show less

This a first bike for me, I bought it as new (papers had 5Km), the bike had 90Km on it (I guess it was a Demo). My riding experience before buying it was a 2 day course to learn riding. I like that my feet are not too far to the front, the bike is relatively lighter than competitors. The gas mileage was 35mpg which is not a lot. My height sitting, I can not see the instrument light, the handle bar is in the way. And not having a rev. meter makes it little harder for a newbie to break in the bike. The ride is confortable and the bike is easy to maneuver. Very powerful, almost knocked myself off the bike trying to see how much power it has. I had one problem, when in nuetral at a stop, could not shift the gear, the lever was solid, I not sure if it is me nervous or the bike, time will tell. It is a very good starter bike, with enough power for the highway. Show less