Harley-Davidsons are the definitive word in cruisers for most people, and it makes sense. It is one of the oldest brands, it has been in continuous production for well over a century, and it has managed to tap into America’s psyche as few other things have. Its success meant that there were many who wanted to imitate it, so they made copies.
Cheap copies, some would call them; they didn’t have that certain something that the American Iron had. However, if you are on a budget or simply aren’t fiercely brand loyal, you can get a cruiser that proves you don’t actually need Harley money. And here it is.
The Suzuki Boulevard M109R Is The Cruiser That Proves You Don’t Need Harley Money
The Boulevard was designed to beat Harley-Davidson at its own game. Suzuki decided to make the biggest, baddest cruiser ever – and almost succeeded. If it weren’t for the likes of the Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 and Triumph Rocket 3, the Boulevard M109R would likely have been the bully on the block. Today, it does have a big engine, but not shockingly so. But it certainly offers eye-widening performance at a price that Harleys can’t exactly match.
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Price: $15,799
Harley-Davidson has corrected prices across its range, while Suzuki has stood steadfast with the M109R price over the years. It still costs just under $16,000, which is plenty reasonable for a full-size power cruiser with the kind of components it has. The price-to-power ratio is simply unmatched on the Boulevard.
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Engine
The Boulevard M109R has a 54-degree V-twin engine. It is liquid-cooled and fuel-injected, but dressed to look like it is air-cooled. This engine had some of the largest pistons in the world at launch, and they produced 123 horsepower at 6,200 RPM and 118 pound-feet at a lowly 3,200 RPM. The gap in revs between peak torque and peak power is a massive hint as to how flexible it is.
A five-speed gearbox with wide ratios feeds the engine’s wrath to the rear wheel via a driveshaft. This is an old-school engine with a cable throttle, so you have to show it the appropriate respect. In the same vein, there is no assist and slipper clutch, or even hydraulic assist for it, which is surprising for us today, but things were done differently back then. The feel might be heavy in traffic, and cable maintenance and/or replacement is necessary for a good experience around town.
10 Cheapest V-Twin Cruiser Bikes With Over 100 Horsepower
The most affordable V-twin cruiser with over 100 horsepower is an American bike priced under $13,000.
Traditional Chassis For The Boulevard M109R
A traditional steel double cradle frame houses the driveline, and Suzuki made a real effort to make the Boulevard a well-rounded product. It matched the engine’s acceleration with the suspension and brakes from a liter GSX-R sport bike. That means 46 mm inverted cartridge-type forks at the front, and a hidden monoshock with preload adjustment at the rear. Suspension travel is 5.1 inches and 4.7 inches front and rear.
The front brakes consist of twin 310 mm floating discs with radial four-piston fixed calipers, while the rear brake disc measures 274 mm and has a two-piston floating caliper. There is no ABS or electronic anything here.
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Dimensions
The Boulevard M109R is a large motorcycle, evidenced by its 95.5-inch length. The wheelbase is also very long, at 67.3 inches. Its seat height lies at 27.8 inches, but that is because of the hidden rear suspension. Ground clearance is a good 5.1 inches, and the tank can hold 5.2 gallons of gas. It weighs 764 pounds, which is quite light – it must be the lack of electronics!
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Features
This is a twenty-year-old product, and the feature set reflects it. It has part-analog, part-digital instrumentation in a very interesting combination. There is a tank-mounted cluster with speedo and most of the other information you’d expect from an instrument cluster. There is a second unit mounted on the handlebars with all the warning lights and a digital tachometer. It also has a gear indicator, which helps. The tank-mounted cluster has a digital LCD component that shows fuel and the odo/trip meters.
10 Motorcycles That’ll Shock You With Their Performance-to-Price Ratio
Who knew you could get 150 ponies for as little as $11,000?
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Competition
There are a number of good products that are priced around the same as the big Boulevard, and there is a choice of how you’d like your cruiser. There is the Harley-Davidson Sportster S ($15,999) with its modern engine and chassis and flat-track-inspired styling. Its natural competitor is the Indian Scout 101, which has many of the same features as the Suzuki, like inverted forks and a downtube chassis.
Since we’re comparing it to a Harley-Davidson, we need to focus on the Low Rider S. It costs a dollar under $20,000, but if you give it the pillion seat and two-tone paint job that the Boulevard has as standard, you’re looking at a $22,000 Harley. It has less power but more torque from more displacement, and has a six-speed gearbox as well. It has many better modern features, like ride modes and cornering functions for its traction control, ABS, and drag-torque slip control. That makes it a better ride in inclement weather.
It even has a huge accessories list, and you can easily drive its price to around $25,000 if you go nuts with the options. However, that’s the price you pay for owning a new Harley. The Suzuki will be far more reliable since it has been around, unchanged, for two decades, and you can pick one up used for a lot cheaper than the sticker price!
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Vs Harley-Davidson Low Rider S
|
Model |
Suzuki Boulevard M109R |
Harley-Davidson Low Rider S |
|
Price |
$15,799 |
$19,999 |
|
Engine |
54° V-twin |
45° V-twin |
|
Displacement |
1,786 cc |
1,917 cc |
|
Power |
123 HP @ 6,200 RPM |
114 HP @ 5,000 RPM |
|
Torque |
118 LB-FT @ 3,200 RPM |
128 LB-FT @ 4,000 RPM |
|
Final Drive |
Shaft |
Belt |
|
Curb Weight |
764 LBs (wet) |
670 LBs (wet) |
Source: Suzuki Cycles