Today we’re going to be doing a review of the 2008 Suzuki m109r. Before we jump into the wonderful details of this bike let me give you the quick technical spec sheet. I’m sitting on a throbbing 1800 actually 1763 CC v-twin driving a 5-speed manual into a shaft drive to the rear wheel. This bike supposedly makes about 85 plus pound-feet of torque. About 110 horsepower but that’s not really the point. It’s sitting on the 130-millimeter front and a 240 millimeter rear tire.
Let’s see I got two Pistons with on each caliper two calipers in the front one in the rear. The regular Cruiser type suspension without anything fancy going on and that’s been the chip for technical specs. The first thing that really pops in my mind is this Suzuki m109r sort of resembles a brontosaurus mixed. With a spaceship and a futuristic movie from the 60s, everything about it is just big. It’s like extra large and but you can see it’s got smooth kind of futuristic floating lines.
It’s definitely not out of place in the city or cruising down a country highway. It’s really kind of a handsome brute in its own right so you know what this looks like. The term that really comes to mind is the big sweet back Buick slammed down on some juicy torque wheels. They say that your strength is judged by or through the quality of managers by the strength of his enemies. Let’s see there’s really only one motorcycle that competes with the m109. Harley Davidson released the v-rod in like 2002 or 2003 or something like that and then Suzuki followed up with this batboy. I think the first year was o6 the v-rod makes about 10 percent less power and has about 500 CC’s less displacement. I rode a v-rod brand new one at a Harley dealer about two years ago.
I have a couple of big issues with this bike number one is the reservoir for a hydraulic clutch this is an 1800 CC v-twin that makes most of its torque. It’s got clutch springs galore and they’re really strong. It’s basically the heaviest clutch springs that you can think of because it’s such a big dorky engine. There is no hydraulic clutch which means that you have to compress those torque. Use springs with your hand there’s no mechanical assist. I got big strong forearms and I’m a righty, not a lefty. Number two issue is it’s a small one but this bike has a 5-speed gearbox.
This bike’s not as much of an issue as it says on the Kawasaki Vulcan. Vulcan is for cruising on the highway really needs a sixth gear this thing not so much. The final issue I have with this bike is it’s got a little too much plastic and it’s a really cheap feeling. The plastic just looks cheap it looks like something that comes out of Hollywood. It doesn’t have that quality feel that the v-rod but then again this bike costume was $5,000 less than a comparable v-rod brand-new up the showroom floor.
It’s really kind of trade-off thing that I’m kind of mad about is primarily the suspension on this bike is really bargain bin. A 700-pound bike you can really feel it really throws you apart over big bumps. It almost feels like a hardtail in some ways while the front end is way too soft and mushy. Every time you hit the brakes you get quite a bit of nosedive in the front. The other thing is right off the idle in first gear there are some fueling issues. I don’t know if that’s specifically in 2008 and it gets better or worse with different model years. This bike’s a little herky-jerky where you really want it to be smooth.
Let’s talk about the good things because there are lots of good things. The seating position on this bike is clamshell but it doesn’t seem to put a whole lot of stress in your back. As you can see right here is vibrating like crazy when we’re sitting in idle. If you look down while I’m riding around you’ll see that this trip bike does the same trick that Harley does. The engine mounts really kick in at about 2000 2500 rpm and it transferring a whole lot of vibration to the rider. It makes a lot easier to ride long distances so let’s get on the highway so we can take a look at how well this bike it improves. I just like to point out something that this bike is properly quick. It’s almost a sports bike and it’s not really something you expect from us from a 700 pounds plus piece.
Even with this huge power plan in it goes from 20 to 65 70 in second gear. This bike is totally subdued right now there’s not a whole lot of vibration coming through the cedar. The handlebars I feel totally comfortable sitting on the bike. This bike obviously at some point had optional wind protection obviously. It’s a naked cruiser bike so all the wind is hitting me in the chest but at the same time, it’s not unpleasant. The suspensions were really kind of leaves 120 earning for something a little higher grade. I wouldn’t think twice about hopping on this bike and going. I’m sure on the highway you probably returned some pretty decent fuel economy.
It’s not spending very high that she’s not bad even though it’s got that big rear end. Those big front tire it doesn’t wallow in the shores and you can really lean it over pretty well. It’s very smooth I mean it’s definitely not a sports bike that is not My VMAX it’s not bad at all and like it. I said it keeps it’s like a fork slide. He keeps urging you to go just a little bit faster I mean we can go 10 night that’s not a big deal. They’re just constantly pushing to go a little bit quicker and I like that I like to have to bike. I think that you know I think that’s missing in a lot of bikes especially a lot of cruiser bikes.
These bikes not boring the other thing that psychic foot props for the transmission. It is really mix expected to hear never any trouble finding usual never any hesitation never any real clunking like you’d expect from a big bruiser bike. It’s almost like they put a sportbike transmission in it. Cruiser, in my opinion, the most interesting thing about this bike. The bike itself it’s more the kind of guy that would buy this.
