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Old Steve
6th January 2012, 20:13
Happened to be in Hawkes Bay mid-week. From my constant scouring of TradeMe I was aware there was a 2010 Suzuki Boulevard M50 in Candy Orange Max for sale at Hastings Honda. So I bowled up and took it for a ride.

Loved the colour, if cage drivers are going to see any bike they'll be seeing this one. I've also got used to the nose fairing over the headlight now, and I think Suzuki have got the M50 absolutely right with the latest model's rear mudguard and tail-lights and two piece riders seat and pillion seat. Noticed that the side stand was nice and long, the bike wasn't leaned over too much but the side stand made it very stable when parked.

I felt immediately at home once out on the road. The seat is low and I found it's easy to handle the bike even though its 100 kg heavier than my Hyosung GV250. I also noticed the solid feel of the gear change, and how easy it was to find neutral with the engine running. Out of the built up area, WOW, what a difference to what I've been used to! Passing cars travelling at 100 km/hr was so easy, just think about it and you were past. The handle bars aren't too wide, the tall bar supports bring the bars back for a comfortable riding position. The seat on the new model is wider and very comfortable, I did quite a long ride (see below) and had no bum numbness or muscle tightness in my legs at all.

I thought that bike had everything I wanted. Alloy wheels, foot pegs, shaft drive, low seat, cruiser style, vee-twin, presence!

So I bought it, and rode it home to Tauranga.

Something funny happened half way up the Napier-Taupo Road. I came around a left hander, came close to the edge of the road with a nice little lean on, and there was a wild pig rooting around in the weeds just on the side of the road. I could've put my left hand out and smacked it's rump as I went past. It didn't even flinch, best of all it didn't run out onto the road.

My wife immediately gave the new bike a name. I was going to call her "GLORIA too", but her numberplate ends in three letters which make the sound "eek". So my wife says her full name is "Angelique", ANGIE for short (in keeping with naming my bikes after the women in rock'n'roll songs). I'm just thankful she didn't name her after Peta Mathias, the red headed cook.

Anyone want a 250 learner cruiser? GLORIA will be up for sale soon.

Below, Angie and her new owner.

Edbear
6th January 2012, 20:37
Happened to be in Hawkes Bay mid-week. From my constant scouring of TradeMe I was aware there was a 2010 Suzuki Boulevard M50 in Candy Orange Max for sale at Hastings Honda. So I bowled up and took it for a ride.

Loved the colour, if cage drivers are going to see any bike they'll be seeing this one. I've also got used to the nose fairing over the headlight now, and I think Suzuki have got the M50 absolutely right with the latest model's rear mudguard and tail-lights and two piece riders seat and pillion seat. Noticed that the side stand was nice and long, the bike wasn't leaned over too much but the side stand made it very stable when parked.

I felt immediately at home once out on the road. The seat is low and I found it's easy to handle the bike even though its 100 kg heavier than my Hyosung GV250. I also noticed the solid feel of the gear change, and how easy it was to find neutral with the engine running. Out of the built up area, WOW, what a difference to what I've been used to! Passing cars travelling at 100 km/hr was so easy, just think about it and you were past. The handle bars aren't too wide, the tall bar supports bring the bars back for a comfortable riding position. The seat on the new model is wider and very comfortable, I did quite a long ride (see below) and had no bum numbness or muscle tightness in my legs at all.

I thought that bike had everything I wanted. Alloy wheels, foot pegs, shaft drive, low seat, cruiser style, vee-twin, presence!

So I bought it, and rode it home to Tauranga.

Something funny happened half way up the Napier-Taupo Road. I came around a left hander, came close to the edge of the road with a nice little lean on, and there was a wild pig rooting around in the weeds just on the side of the road. I could've put my left hand out and smacked it's rump as I went past. It didn't even flinch, best of all it didn't run out onto the road.

My wife immediately gave the new bike a name. I was going to call her "GLORIA too", but her numberplate ends in three letters which make the sound "eek". So my wife says her full name is "Angelique", ANGIE for short (in keeping with naming my bikes after the women in rock'n'roll songs). I'm just thankful she didn't name her after Peta Mathias, the red headed cook.

Anyone want a 250 learner cruiser? GLORIA will be up for sale soon.

A fine choice you have made there my dear chap! From an unbiased motorcyclist's view, :msn-wink: the C50/M50 range is absolutely the best in the land! :first:

The Lone Rider
7th January 2012, 10:20
Anyone want a 250 learner cruiser? GLORIA will be up for sale soon.

Possibly. Will be looking for another project bike "soon".

Soon as I finish the one I already got.

Festo
7th January 2012, 10:23
Welcome to the world of Boulevard owners and riders. Excellent choice of ride and having previously owned an 06 model M50 I know that grin on your face will be there for an eternity! These are an excellent and capable machine which handles open road and around town riding with absolute ease. Still enjoying my current C50 and now have run up well over 31000 ks now and ran up 15000ks on the M50 when I had it. When it comes to the time for replacement I will trade in for the same model. These are so well designed and comfortable rides even when fully loaded. Check out cruisercustomizing website for any extras as they are so well priced and qiuck delivery from the States. Enjoy your ride. Paul.

skinman
7th January 2012, 19:42
good choice
Cruiser customizing are good.
I believe there is also a guy who builds custom exhausts (someone will know who) that may be worth checking out for different mufflers that may be cheaper than putting on a whole new system. You may think it sounds ok now but im betting that soonish you will want more rumble.
I put V&H straights on and its F....N loud. Maybe a bit too loud. IMO the factory mufflers are ugly & straight looks better.

Anyhow,

Enjoy the ride

The Lone Rider
7th January 2012, 21:13
If you're on the taller side, you might look into forward controls

There is a review of Johns forward controls in the Jan 2012 issue of Thirteen, done by Munster.

He's put on a few other parts to.

Pogo2
8th January 2012, 09:53
Good choice as others have said.

Can anyone sort out this f^&*king weather. How are we supposed to ride when its pissing down everyday.

Its the only time I've been pleased to be a work.

Roll on summer!

FJRider
8th January 2012, 11:32
Good choice as others have said.

Can anyone sort out this f^&*king weather. How are we supposed to ride when its pissing down everyday.

Its the only time I've been pleased to be a work.

Roll on summer!

Shit weather here too ... only 26 C here today ... with a bit of blue sky. A bit of wind (3-4 knots) :corn:

A few minutes of rain last night ... dam ... have to put the sprinklers on again ... :facepalm:

Smifffy
8th January 2012, 11:49
Pics dammit!!


Nice one, congrats!

Pogo2
8th January 2012, 20:01
Shit weather here too ... only 26 C here today ... with a bit of blue sky. A bit of wind (3-4 knots) :corn:

A few minutes of rain last night ... dam ... have to put the sprinklers on again ... :facepalm:

Shit stirrer there Mr FJRider!!

skinman
8th January 2012, 20:37
Hey
Old Steve
post some pics so we can drool

cheers

Rhubarb
8th January 2012, 21:13
Something funny happened .................... there was a wild pig rooting around in the weeds just on the side of the road.

Is there a Harley joke in there somewhere?


Excellent choice of bike Old Steve.

If it's the one I saw on Trade Me, the colour is superb.

Old Steve
11th January 2012, 12:38
Is there a Harley joke in there somewhere?


:laugh: Didn't have time to determine if it was a HOG, a sow or a boar. My wife was following me home in the car, and when we stopped for a break at Taupo she asked if I'd seen the pig. I told her, "See the pig, I was almost romantically involved with the damn thing!"

PICTURE INCLUDED ON ORIGINAL POST

nzspokes
11th January 2012, 12:56
Thats a sexy bike. i think I stalked it on TM for awhile.

The Lone Rider
12th January 2012, 15:42
PICTURE INCLUDED ON ORIGINAL POST

That is a great photo.

It's great to see the pride in your ride.

munster
1st February 2012, 08:46
Go the M50.

I've done forward controls, 2 inch risers, stebel nautilus compact air horn, seat is currently away getting altered, I have Bullet LED vis lights to be fitted and am ordering clear indicator lenses.

Old Steve
4th March 2012, 21:10
I've done over 3,000 km on her now. I'm really in love. And I have discovered the fun of just being able to pass cars whenever I want to.

Went on the Hamilton Toy run today and saw a couple of nice looking M109Rs. Lead me not unto temptation, they really are too big for me.

skinman
5th March 2012, 20:09
yea

i hear ya
was in colemans the other day & there was a C90 that looked pretty good 'sigh'
big enough but not massive like the 109's

Old Steve
18th March 2012, 16:39
Just the other day I clocked up 4,000 km on Angie. Still in that initial flush of joy with a new bike, but feeling pretty relaxed that I made a good choice.

The bike is comfortable, no numb bum even after a couple of hundred kms. I feel confident riding her, easy to put my feet flat on the ground when I'm stopped, she's not too heavy to manoeuver, and I feel confident cornering and stopping. I had comments made that she only has a single front disc brake and a drum rear brake, but I'm no Valentino Rossi and I ride her to my level of competency which is still a lot lower than hers.

I had a chance to use her brakes in earnest the other day. I was riding home along Moffat Rd in Bethlehem, Tauranga, and I saw the nose of a car peek out from in front of another car parked on the side of the road. I throttled off, and watched the front wheels of this car just keep turning. Oops, sphincter testing moment. Front and foot brake on hardish, nearest to an emergency stop I've had to do so far, and I pulled up about 1 metre from the driver's door of the car as the driver pulled out across in front of me and drove off up the road I'd come down. I had to pull up at a pedestrian crossing about 100 metres up the road and the van which was behind me pulled up inside me, the driver wound down his window and said, "S**t, I saw that! Silly F***ing cow, she didn't even look!" I told him that it happened to motorbike riders every day and we get special training to read the minds of car drivers. He roared with laughter and we drove off.

I do love the colour - officially Candy Orange Max. She does attract interest, and I feel the colour makes her just that little bit more visible to everyone except those pulling out of driveways on Moffat Rd, Bethlehem.

One thing I'm finding that I'd like to change on Angie is the exhaust. Suzuki have done too good a job on the factory fitted mufflers and I'd like to fit something that gave a bit more of a "be heard" factor.

The Lone Rider
18th March 2012, 17:48
One thing I'm finding that I'd like to change on Angie is the exhaust. Suzuki have done too good a job on the factory fitted mufflers and I'd like to fit something that gave a bit more of a "be heard" factor.

I've posted up modification diagrams on how to mod exhausts, under the cruiser sub-section.

Will also be covering it in the July 2012 issue.

Rosso
18th March 2012, 19:51
Just the other day I clocked up 4,000 km on Angie. Still in that initial flush of joy with a new bike, but feeling pretty relaxed that I made a good choice.

The bike is comfortable, no numb bum even after a couple of hundred kms. I feel confident riding her, easy to put my feet flat on the ground when I'm stopped, she's not too heavy to manoeuver, and I feel confident cornering and stopping. I had comments made that she only has a single front disc brake and a drum rear brake, but I'm no Valentino Rossi and I ride her to my level of competency which is still a lot lower than hers.

I had a chance to use her brakes in earnest the other day. I was riding home along Moffat Rd in Bethlehem, Tauranga, and I saw the nose of a car peek out from in front of another car parked on the side of the road. I throttled off, and watched the front wheels of this car just keep turning. Oops, sphincter testing moment. Front and foot brake on hardish, nearest to an emergency stop I've had to do so far, and I pulled up about 1 metre from the driver's door of the car as the driver pulled out across in front of me and drove off up the road I'd come down. I had to pull up at a pedestrian crossing about 100 metres up the road and the van which was behind me pulled up inside me, the driver wound down his window and said, "S**t, I saw that! Silly F***ing cow, she didn't even look!" I told him that it happened to motorbike riders every day and we get special training to read the minds of car drivers. He roared with laughter and we drove off.

I do love the colour - officially Candy Orange Max. She does attract interest, and I feel the colour makes her just that little bit more visible to everyone except those pulling out of driveways on Moffat Rd, Bethlehem.

One thing I'm finding that I'd like to change on Angie is the exhaust. Suzuki have done too good a job on the factory fitted mufflers and I'd like to fit something that gave a bit more of a "be heard" factor.

Just had my exhaust altered to make a nice deep rumble , by having the mechanic up at Warkworth Motorcycles do a partial de baffle , took out the rear baffles only and it sounds great on my new C50 , only cost $145 and I am really happy with it.
This is the second time I've had it done on C50's Boulevards .
have had 3 of them now , have also had a HD Softail heritage, and a Triumph Thunderbird but always have thought the Boulevards are the best.

Old Steve
21st March 2012, 16:44
Just had my exhaust altered to make a nice deep rumble , by having the mechanic up at Warkworth Motorcycles do a partial de baffle , took out the rear baffles only and it sounds great on my new C50 , only cost $145 and I am really happy with it.

I'm a bit shy about doing that, doesn't the fuel injection need to be re-mapped? When I debaffled GLORIA I felt as if her power had gone up slightly - the word "incrementally" springs to mind - and I got slightly better fuel consumption out of her, But carburetted I understand, fuel injected is a bit of a dark art to me.

Rosso
21st March 2012, 18:36
No , according to Aden the mechanic nothing further needs to be done , I certainly have not had any problems or changes in the performance of the bikes after he did the job .
Also one of my mates who has always owned a C50 Bully has had the same done and no worries either.
They do sound great though.
Ride safe

skinman
23rd March 2012, 19:36
the fuel injection can handle more free exhausts but if you also modify the intake then you have to get it remapped or put on a power commander or similiar. I have V&H pipes on mine and apart from the odd backfire its fine, I think the pairs valve causes the popping. Really like the look but OMG its loud

Festo
2nd April 2012, 12:11
[QUOTE=Old Steve;1130283895]Just the other day I clocked up 4,000 km on Angie. Still in that initial flush of joy with a new bike, but feeling pretty relaxed that I made a good choice.

The bike is comfortable, no numb bum even after a couple of hundred kms. I feel confident riding her, easy to put my feet flat on the ground when I'm stopped, she's not too heavy to manoeuver, and I feel confident cornering and stopping. I had comments made that she only has a single front disc brake and a drum rear brake, but I'm no Valentino Rossi and I ride her to my level of competency which is still a lot lower than hers.

I had a chance to use her brakes in earnest the other day. I was riding home along Moffat Rd in Bethlehem, Tauranga, and I saw the nose of a car peek out from in front of another car parked on the side of the road. I throttled off, and watched the front wheels of this car just keep turning. Oops, sphincter testing moment. Front and foot brake on hardish, nearest to an emergency stop I've had to do so far, and I pulled up about 1 metre from the driver's door of the car as the driver pulled out across in front of me and drove off up the road I'd come down. I had to pull up at a pedestrian crossing about 100 metres up the road and the van which was behind me pulled up inside me, the driver wound down his window and said, "S**t, I saw that! Silly F***ing cow, she didn't even look!" I told him that it happened to motorbike riders every day and we get special training to read the minds of car drivers. He roared with laughter and we drove off.

I do love the colour - officially Candy Orange Max. She does attract interest, and I feel the colour makes her just that little bit more visible to everyone except those pulling out of driveways on Moffat Rd, Bethlehem.

One thing I'm finding that I'd like to change on Angie is the exhaust. Suzuki have done too good a job on the factory fitted mufflers and I'd like to fit something that gave a bit more of a "be heard" factor.[/QUOTE Good to see you are still enjoying your ride. I, like you, have found the brakes do the job pretty well even when fully loaded. Pleased to see you survived the near miss on Moffat Rd. Have often thought the exhaust could do with a few more decibels but as yet I havn't done anything with mine. I had an oops moment when I did a ride up to Cape Reinga in November when I followed a driver through a give way in Warkworth who then decided to stop dead in front of me (after going completely through the give way) leaving me with an emergency stop just managing to avoid her rear tail light. The brakes did the job adequately especially as I was fully loaded. These are great bikes and I am sure you will get as much enjoyment as I have from mine. thr