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COPYRIGHT 2005 Ehlert Publishing Group
Suzuki has bulked up its Boulevard cruiser line by adding two muscle-styled motorcycles for 2005. There's the M95--essentially a lightly restyled Kawasaki Mean Streak 1600--and a new welterweight called the M50, which is loosely based on the Marauder of yesteryear. Very loosely based. Suzuki has taken the 805cc, liquid-cooled, SOHC, 45-degree V-twin engine from its best-selling cruiser and given it a new, more stable home in the M50's chassis. The Marauder's low 27.6-inch seat height and a few styling cues remain, but the rest of it has vacated the premises and left no forwarding address.
Essentially you're looking at a whole new brand. Last year Suzuki transformed its cruiser line into the Boulevards, and designated names for each bike based on styles and engine sizes in cubic inches. For instance, the M50 is a muscle bike with a 50-cubic-inch engine, equal to 805cc. Suzuki reports that with the introduction of the Boulevard umbrella, 2004 fourth-quarter sales of Suzuki cruisers increased 33 percent over 4Q 2003, so it must be working.
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Since midsize cruisers are currently the largest selling class of motorcycles, Suzuki is trying to draw younger riders by promoting the M50 as "graceful with a grudge," like Grace Jones or Mikhail Baryshnikov. True to its word, the M50 is graceful, especially around town and on the boulevard, where the low-down weight makes it easy to maneuver at slow speeds. Clutch pull is light and shifting the five-speed transmission requires little effort. The motor is smooth, and little vibration comes through the seat and pegs due to the V-twin's offset crankpins. Out on the highway, no buzziness rattles the handlebar and only a slight bit of vibration tingles the rider's bottom. Four valves per cylinder contribute...
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