New bike!

[Old Steve]

I've been without a bike for about 5 months since I sold my Honda ST1100 in Australia and came home. So I've been thinking about what I want and looking on the net and kicking tires in bike shops. I wanted:

Mid size cruiser, 750 to 900 cc, something I can place my feet flat on the ground when stopped. Wanted this size bike as I'm getting older and wanted to stay in a mid-weight range.

Instruments up on the handle bars so you don't have to drop your eyes too far from the road, I do not like instruments mounted on the tank top!

Shaft or belt drive

Non-Harley clone look, there's one brand of cruiser which I particularly hate because it has duck's arse turn ups on the bottom of the wheel guards and is obviously trying very hard to be a 'classic' cruiser.

Alloy wheels, I'm just not a wire wheel polisher.

A good pillion seat, I'm thinking of fitting a luggage rack and a trunck box with a wrap around padding for my pillion's comfort.

Foot pegs, don't like foot plates as they look too 'classic' cruiser.

So this morning I took a 2012 Suzuki Boulevard M50 in blue for a ride and went back and popped down a deposit. Will have to wait a week or so for my superannuation to clear from Australia so I can take possession. But the dealer has thrown in a pair of saddlebags and a GIVI screen, $7850 all up. Bonus is that the previous owner has drilled four 12 mm holes in each exhaust baffle and she sounds fantastic.,, so that's one job I won't have to do myself.

[Robbo]

I've been without a bike for about 5 months since I sold my Honda ST1100 in Australia and came home. So I've been thinking about what I want and looking on the net and kicking tires in bike shops. I wanted:

Mid size cruiser, 750 to 900 cc, something I can place my feet flat on the ground when stopped. Wanted this size bike as I'm getting older and wanted to stay in a mid-weight range.

Instruments up on the handle bars so you don't have to drop your eyes too far from the road, I do not like instruments mounted on the tank top!

Shaft or belt drive

Non-Harley clone look, there's one brand of cruiser which I particularly hate because it has duck's arse turn ups on the bottom of the wheel guards and is obviously trying very hard to be a 'classic' cruiser.

Alloy wheels, I'm just not a wire wheel polisher.

A good pillion seat, I'm thinking of fitting a luggage rack and a trunck box with a wrap around padding for my pillion's comfort.

Foot pegs, don't like foot plates as they look too 'classic' cruiser.

So this morning I took a 2012 Suzuki Boulevard M50 in blue for a ride and went back and popped down a deposit. Will have to wait a week or so for my superannuation to clear from Australia so I can take possession. But the dealer has thrown in a pair of saddlebags and a GIVI screen, $7850 all up. Bonus is that the previous owner has drilled four 12 mm holes in each exhaust baffle and she sounds fantastic.,, so that's one job I won't have to do myself.

Photos to come.

Nice choice Steve, i was going to suggest you had a look at a Triumph Speedmaster untill i saw you have already decided on the M50
They are a nice little unit and go well. Hope you enjoy it.

Cheers

[Old Steve]

Phone photo of the new acquisition



Wow, how'd I do that. Two different ways of attaching a photo.

[Maha]

Phone photo of the new acquisition

Haha I see the piece of shit 500cc loaner next to yours is still in use.

[Old Steve]

Haha I see the piece of shit 500cc loaner next to yours is still in use.

Maha, concentrate!! On the big picture here!! Not on the crap in the background. Better pictures to come once I get it home, and then there'll be coverage of fitting the luggage rack and trunk box once they arrive.

Trouble with the post 2010 Boulevard M50s is that they have different mounting hole centres to the C50, there are more C50s around and fewer post 2010 M50s, so manufacturers don't produce mounting brackets for the post 2010 M50. I'll have to get a luggage rack for a C50 and redrill the mounting holes to 200 mm centres (from the 8 1/2"/215 mm of the C50). As well, the saddle bags have yet a different mounting hole centre dimension so there'll have to be at least one extra hole drilled on each side for them.

[Maha]

Awesome that Holeshot added the bags and screen at not extra cost, the staff there are pretty awesome, Jamie has been there a while now. Rob is fantastic to deal with, Becks at the counter.

[caseye]

Noice bike mate, my Ratbag loves hers, we're thinking of the ol holes in the mufflers.
Great score on the luggage for nicks.

[Old Steve]

Noice bike mate, my Ratbag loves hers, we're thinking of the ol holes in the mufflers. Great score on the luggage for nicks.

Maybe they sold me the luggage for $7000, and sold me the bike for $850. There's many ways of looking at it. :-)

Hey, caseye, go ahead with the muffler drilling. Four 12 mm (the old half inch) holes in a cross on the end of each muffler. I really loved the sound of this M50, and that's the one thing I've noted in reviews on the M50, the muffler is too quiet.

Or just wait a while and I'll email you a video of the bike running so you can tell for yourself.

[mossy1200]

Maybe they sold me the luggage for $7000, and sold me the bike for $850.

Return the luggage under the consumer guarantees act claiming you expected them to hold more gear so are not suitable for the purpose you purchased them for and keep the $850 dollar bike?

[caseye]

Maybe they sold me the luggage for $7000, and sold me the bike for $850. There's many ways of looking at it. :-)

Hey, caseye, go ahead with the muffler drilling. Four 12 mm (the old half inch) holes in a cross on the end of each muffler. I really loved the sound of this M50, and that's the one thing I've noted in reviews on the M50, the muffler is too quiet.

Or just wait a while and I'll email you a video of the bike running so you can tell for yourself.

That'd be cool, we've heard ol Ewokies one with I think the same number of holes and it does Get IN!, sounds great with the mod.

[awa355]

I did the three 13mm holes in the end plates of the 250 virago. I love the deeper sharper exhaust note. I was so afraid of getting the 'plastic in the spokes' plutter plutter sound, but I love the end results.

[Banditbandit]

Nice score - well done that man