2007 Suzuki Boulevard M50, my new baby.

[ZacFields]

I finally got it today after a long week of researching, asking questions, and impatiently waiting. I brought home (or rather, my dad brought home... since I'm not fully licensed to drive a bike yet) my 2007 Suzuki Boulevard M50, deep blue color.

Here are the specs on it:

POWERTRAIN
ENGINE 4-stroke, liquid-cooled, 45° V-twin, SOHC, 8-valves, TSCC®
DISPLACEMENT 50 ci (Approx 800cc)
BORE X STROKE 83 x 74.4 mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 9.4:1
FUEL SYSTEM Fuel injection
DRIVETRAIN
IGNITION Digital
TRANSMISSION 5-speed
LUBRICATION Wet sump
FINAL DRIVE Shaft
DIMENSIONS
LENGTH 93.3 in. (2,370 mm)
WIDTH 36.2 in. (920 mm)
HEIGHT 44.5 in. (1,125 mm)
WHEELBASE 65.2 in. (1,655 mm)
SEAT HEIGHT 27.6 in. (700 mm)
GROUND CLEARANCE 5.5 in. (140 mm)
DRY WEIGHT 544 lbs. (247 kg)
FUEL CAPACITY 4.1 gal. (15.5 l)
BRAKES / WHEELS / TIRES
SUSPENSION Front: Inverted telescopic, coil spring, oil damped
Rear: Link-type, oil damped, 7-way adjustable spring preload
BRAKES Front: Single hydraulic disc
Rear: Single drum
TIRES Front: 130/90-16
Rear: 170/80-15

I'll be taking the safety course at kirkwood in late august and then getting my license. Until then I can drive it just as long as I've got someone within eye/ear shot of me on the road who is motorcycle licensed.

Here are some pix, enjoy.

Zac

[DragonUSMC]

sweet! now all you need is a leather vest and to join http://www.patriotguard.org/

Have fun man!

[JustinS]

So do you have your permit? I'm going to take the class in September sometime to prepare for next spring. I plan on buying a bike this fall / winter to take advantage of low prices. :)

I'm looking at a sport bike of some sort though, instead of what you picked up. I do like yours though, it's pretty sweet lookin'!

[ZacFields]

Jay: I actually may look into registering with that group. It seems pretty passive and I've always been a huge fan of what they do... and my bike is fairly loud. Not harley loud but when accelerating it's loud enough.

Justin: Yeah i'm taking the motorcycle safety course beginning August 19th I believe. There may even be some openings in that class if you're interested. I've heard firsthand from many guys on a biking forum that it's the best thing you could ever do as a beginner. And yah I have my permit also.

The M50 is the perfect compromise between a cruiser and a bike. it does not have the classic cruiser look to it, and obviously not the sport-bike look to it. It's just somewhere in a healthy middle-point. I love the looks of it. Can't stop going out to the garage just to look at it!

Zac

[DragonUSMC]

PGR is about honoring the people and their families at a hard time.

Its worth it man... you dont have to have a loud bike, hell there are a bunch of crotch rockets and cars. I drive the 240 at the missions i can go on. after you get your permit just go on one mission for me... thats all i ask of you =)

[JustinS]

I'm looking at taking the class in the middle of September after school starts and things have calmed down. I'm hoping it'll be cooler then also because you have to wear pants, jacket, boots, and gloves. And doing that in August, while learning, would suck arse.

I am thinking of going with a Kawasaki Ninja 650r. It's not a pure sport bike since it has a v-twin in it but it does have the styling and pretty much everything else I could ask for for a reasonable price.

http://kawasaki.com/Products/Detail.asp ... ent=photos (http://kawasaki.com/Products/Detail.aspx?id=201&content=photos)

[ZacFields]

From what I've heard, 650cc's on a sport bike is actually plenty of bike for a beginner so I think you'de be making a good choice going with the ninja.

I'm sure you've done the numbers, but since the MSRP on that bike is just a little bit less expensive than my bike I can tell you that it'll only cost you about $140.00 per month on a 5 year loan. that's why sometimes its best to go with something brand new, because it will actually be more affordable in the long run. its a lot harder to get 5 year financing on something that's used and so you could end up paying $250/month or more if you couldn't get a 5-year on a used bike.

Good luck to you though. Sport-bike's aren't my thing but I've heard they can be fun as hell. I just wanna putt around to work and school and maybe do a few road trips after I've upgraded my seat.

Zac

[JustinS]

I plan on paying in full, or as close to possible I hate being in debt and I don't want to be over a motorcycle if that makes any sense.

I am actually trying to unload my car and pick up a cheap beater for the simple fact that I only need one toy at a time. :)

[ZacFields]

^ Back before I bought this condo I felt the same way the majority of the time. Eventually you'll welcome a little bit of controlled debt (thats my personal term for anything with set payments, like a car payment etc) just because once you've got a mortgage or rent etc you'll find that paying stuff with cash is bad because it depletes too much of your savings that you could need for an emergency in the future.

But if you can afford it paying in cash is the best way to go (or at least financing it and then just paying it off over the course of 3-6 months) because you won't have to pay any interest that way.

Cheers. Bikes are a fun toy, and there's not a lot of guys our age riding bikes. When you get your license if you ever want to cruise with me just let me know.

Zac

[OldSkoolRCR]

Nice ride...Zac, Can I race it?

[ZacFields]

haha. I don't have any interest in racing with this bike. And if I did, it wouldn't be against a busa :)

I have the task of learning how to drive a clutch though.... that will be fun. Doesn't seem as hard on a bike as it is on a car though... is it?

Zac

[s13kid]

I learned on a dirtbike, i had it down after about 25 minutes. So long as you understand what to do it shouldnt be to hard.

[JustinS]

I'll let ya know Zac!

[DustinsDuster]

congrats Zac, i really dig how it looks. you'll have to start bringing that thing out to Advance as soon as you can!



I have the task of learning how to drive a clutch though.... that will be fun. Doesn't seem as hard on a bike as it is on a car though... is it?


my uncle told me he had the same problem when he was learning to drive. he said that in a car/truck, the clutch pedal and shifting just didnt make a lot of sense to him. he said he then tried learning how to ride a motorcycle and it all made sense, and all of the sudden he could drive a stick in a car as well. im sure it'll be similar to that with you, and you'll pick it right up. youre a sharp guy, and my uncle is too, but sometimes its just finding the right way to relay the info, you know?

[ZacFields]

Well I've learned that you're a lot more precise with your hands than you are with your feet. It's so much easier to ease off the clutch and feel exactly when it's starting to catch on a bike than with a car. Your uncle is very right Dustin.

I drove the bike today just through my neighborhood. My intentions were to just practice my Neutral to 1st shifs to get used to the feel of the clutch... but after one time killing it I pretty much had it all figured out, so I started driving around the neighborhood in 1st gear (10-15mph) and I found a few stop signs in my neighborhood to continue practicing the stop and go, which is essentially the most difficult part of this.

I am loving the bike. The acceleration is very good... I haven't even given it more than 50% throttle yet and I have been very impressed by how quickly it gets up and goes. I can tell that this bike will have no problem keeping up with my dad's Harley especially in the low end, but that's what I've heard many others say about this bike already.

I may bring it out to Advanced soon since it's just right down the street. I'll either have my dad drive out there with me or I'll find someone with a motorcycle license to escort me out there.

Zac

[Drifte]

freakin awesome zac!

[ZacFields]

If you want to come out and look at it anytime colton. I'm off in the evenings on saturday (today) and sunday. I believe I owe you a CR:U shirt, but I think I'll just get you your new shirt at the BBQ for free instead.

But either way if anyone wants to come check it out just give me a call. I might go riding with my dad later this evening.

Zac

[Drifte]

is it at your apt or your folks in ely. I have sunday through wednesday off.

[ZacFields]

yah it's out here at my condo in the garage. I'll be off at 4 tomorrow probably be home by 4:30 or so. You guys get bored come on out and see it.

I took it for its first "real" ride today and boy was it amazing. My dad came over in his harley and we drove the backroads all the way out to palisades campground and had some dinner (my folks were camping) and then took HWY 30 all the way back home. It was bitchin... I haven't felt a rush like that in a long long time. Except the part where some idiot in his crotch-rocket goes flying past us on hwy 30 going well over 100mph. Guys like that should die.

Zac

[Drifte]

i should be that guy. but that sounds like a awesome day. im so jealous. I just may be out their at briannas apartment. if shes up for it we will swing by. I wanna bike someday soon too, a buell fo sho.

http://www.buell.com/common/08/streetfighter/xb9sx/colors/smoke_right_front_angle.jpg

i like the in between cruiser/rocket. its called street fighter, pretty common bikes now. thats the buell xb9sx, and i want it.

[lil krumm]

if your gonna get a buell, which i would like, you cant beat a firebolt.


http://www.motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/2005_bike_pics/12r.jpg

[ZacFields]

To each his own. That bike looks good I just don't wanna lay down on a bike when i ride it. I prefer sitting up. Look where the rear wheel brake pedal is on that thing.

But I can have respect for any bike rider who is respectful to everyone else on the road. whether its a sportbike or a cruiser. It just irritates the heck out of me to see some idiot being stupid on a bike. The consequences of being stupid on a bike are pretty harsh.

Colton you should get that bike though and we can go cruisin'.

Zac

[tylers88]

that bike looks cool as hell I like how the blue has differant shades from differant angles, congrats I want a bike but my mom said not till I move out but then I'll be paying NIACC for 2 years so in like 3 years I can finally get one

[krustindumm]

haha. I don't have any interest in racing with this bike. And if I did, it wouldn't be against a busa :)

I have the task of learning how to drive a clutch though.... that will be fun. Doesn't seem as hard on a bike as it is on a car though... is it?

Zac

it is way easier on a bike. I had it figured out after the first time i started from a stop. I let it out a little quick the first time, the second time i nailed it. shifting while moving is easy too. If you ride a bicycle regularly, you just want to make sure you keep track of where your brakes are though. I nailed the front brake into a corner when I meant to grab the rear. That was a mistake you don't want to make.

[Drifte]

yeah that bike i want is a sit up style. more mx like im used to. But its also $8,500 bike...and i have just 1 more year at UNI and hopefully some cash will roll in. IM gonna try to save my money this whole next year...TRY

untill we can cruise, i know randomheros bro got a 600 and no license and my cousins have a 250 and a 1100 you guys could all cruise together.

[Stutz]

Very nice looking bike zac.

[96ranger]

I may bring it out to Advanced soon since it's just right down the street. I'll either have my dad drive out there with me or I'll find someone with a motorcycle license to escort me out there.

Zac

hey i have a bike and a license i'd def. be up for "escorting you" thats on saturday nights now right? just let me know man i'd be down

[Ashley]

its on thursday nights, i think around 6 or 630.

[ZacFields]

t-rav you work on thursdays dont you? It would be awesome if you didn't and then we could ride out to advanced or something.

I think they also have them on saturdays still (can anyone confirm this?) if so I will have a couple saturdays off coming up soon and we can set something up.

Zac

[slobalt]

Nice lookin' bike. Had an old Yamaha while I was in the service, you'll learn to have eyes in the back of your head.