Suzuki Boulevard C50C

[Old Steve]

Thinking well ahead to the day when I think my skill level may allow me to look at a larger bike. I like the look, seating comfort, size/weight of the Suzuki Boulevard C50.

However, why do Suzuki produce most of them with wire spoked wheels? I much prefer the C50C with alloys.

Am I being put off the more common wire spoked wheel bikes just by looks? I feel a tubeless has advantages that a tubed tyre doesn't have - to fix a tubed tyre you have to take it off, a tubeless just needs a plug and a CO2 canister. Anyone ever had problems with a spoked wheel/tubed tyre combination?

Then, would it be possible to put an M50's wheels onto a C50? Or even a C50C's wheels onto a C50? I haven't even thought of the price, but the rear wheel set up of the M50 and C50C must be fairly similar to that of the C50.

[Edbear]

I do worry a wee bit about the spoked wheels on my C50T and getting a puncture. You can swap the alloys over and I've thought about doing that. Mind you, it's been a very long time since I've had a puncture in any tyre, and at 27,000km my bike tyres are still good. So I guess you have to weigh it up for yourself and decide if putting the alloy wheels on is worth it.

Gotta say the spokes look good!

[The Baron]

Interesting! Two weeks ago I would have agreed with you but..

One week ago I got a punchure on the 1150. I put a plug and co2 and then two days later had to replace that tyre $220.

Three days ago my son got a flat tyre on this bike with spoked wheels (scorpio). We had to replace the tube $19.

So there are good and bad on both sides.
I fixed mine on the side of the road - he had to be rescued.

[YellowDog]

Modern wheels are pretty good these days, whether tubed or not.

Just choose the type you like the look of best.

[wysper]

I love the look of spokes.
Sure they are a bitch to clean.
Sure, generally you can't change them on the side of the road if you puncture.

But they look the part on cruisers.
I rejected a couple of bikes out of hand when looking because I really didn't like the look of the mags. There are some nice ones out there, but not my favoured look.

If you don't like the look of them I am sure you can get mags to fit the bike you like. Just depends on how much it will cost ya.

[The Pastor]

I love the look of spokes.
Sure they are a bitch to clean.
Sure, generally you can't change them on the side of the road if you puncture.

But they look the part on cruisers.
I rejected a couple of bikes out of hand when looking because I really didn't like the look of the mags. There are some nice ones out there, but not my favoured look.

If you don't like the look of them I am sure you can get mags to fit the bike you like. Just depends on how much it will cost ya.

you can buy foam shit to put in tubes, its good for 60k/hr - enough to get you home. Never tried it on tube, works ok on tubeless.

[wysper]

you can buy foam shit to put in tubes, its good for 60k/hr - enough to get you home. Never tried it on tube, works ok on tubeless.

really? nice to know, I didn't think any of that kind of stuff worked on tubes.

[Pogo2]

The last one I had was a Kawasaki KH100EL in 1982 , but they have grown on me.

So if you do have a flattie on a tubed tyre who do call to rescue you - the AA?

Spokes certainly look good on cruisers!
PS cant go wrong on a C50/C/T BTW!

[Old Steve]

Yeah, I just don't like the look of spokes as much as mags. And I'm a little lacking in the motivation to keep my bike clean - GLORIA gets a good clean only when she goes in for a service, she gets the occaisional wipe down, but I'm doing the minor services so she only gets a good clean at the 10,000 km services. So the thought of keeping spoked wheels clean leaves me a little cold on the idea.

I've bought the book "Zen and Now" for myself for Xmas, its about a guy's motorbike trip following many of the roads that Robert Pirsig rode and wrote about in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". He mentions checking the spokes on his wheels, and the though of having to check the spokes every however often doesn't do much for any limited enthusiasm I might even have for spoked wheels.

[Katman]

Spokes.