The 2015 strange bedfellows comparison now the reason why we’re calling them strange because other than being v-twins these two cruisers. Absolutely, nothing in common Suzuki boulevard m50 represents basically the essence of what cruisers bike Suzuki m50. Were say five to seven years ago they were all big fat tires chrome everywhere your wide bodywork. Everything was big and low and comfy and shiny and we’ve noticed a trend in current cruisers as represented by Tom here.
Doing my best hipster impression for the day in front of me would be the star bolt. This represents kind of the new trend in cruise they launched the bolt a couple of years ago and now they’ve got a couple of different models of it. This guy itself it’s more calf a doubt what kind of the triple tree clip-on up here? The standard footpegs had a right below you instead of out in front as on the Suzuki. It’s got kind of the old-school stuff to with the fork gaiters and we even know the original bolt was kind of reminiscent of the original Harley Sportster. They’ve just like taking that step further into a cafe type area. I really like what they’ve done with the styling of the bolt to make it a little.
I have a hard time saying it more modern because by making it more modern or more current they’ve actually gone back further than the cruiser. In terms of styling well what do we say earlier like this was old new-school? This is new old-school so what they all still kind of representation is what you can get in this price range in terms of the different spectrum of cruisers. You’ve got eighty-six hundred bucks over here eighty-seven hundred dollars on the star, yeah and so I mean $100 apiece no big deal. There performance-wise honestly they’re really close to the engine performance what you’re getting a power-wise break.
Actually it takes an enormous squeeze to get some decent braking power out of them. Surprisingly I think what we found is the rookie with its feet-forward riding position. It is a little bit easier to go and it has a hair more grown courage which is kind of surprising. The footpegs on this guy talk about ground clearance because they go outside of the exhaust pipe. They’re hanging out really wide on this bike. Since the Suzuki has a seat height that’s two inches lower than the seat height it actually has a little more ground clearance. That was the real surprise because the star is going from a sporty-er image. The Suzuki has a big couch it’s got a really comfy seat to a riding position more upright and relaxed. It is bending it into a corner I think you’d be able to keep up with the star.
Actually, in a couple of instances, the star was dragging and a little bit of worker on the corner was actually gaining on you. In terms of performance, this guy is about 50 pounds heavier than this then star. I think a big difference though it’s going to be this 19-inch front wheel on the front. It is definitely going to make for some slower transitioning but there’s too much transition before you hit that foot. The funny thing is though that the aggressive riding position because you’re leaning into it.
Actually feels harder to steer at lower speeds because you don’t have the momentum you’re just muscling it in. Once you got used to the layout of this motorcycle and the kind of forward riding position it becomes second nature. I got to tell you coming down here on the C spec was a lot of fun it was definitely the tool for sizing through narrow spaces in traffic. I think with this big wide bar I would have had it a different time. In addition to what I was talking about the four Gators you know the Suzuki has got the more modern upside-down forks compared to this one over here.
There’s no adjustment on the Suzuki but I think are suspended for the price range that they’re can’t complain. I don’t think a tube or a whole lot of shifting. The store has a nap year shift it’s a shorter throw there’s got that really light clutch pull up. This Suzuki is difficult it is a little bit heavier I like the Suzuki Instrumentation better than the stars. The round LCD on the C spec and all the bolts it’s difficult to read. In some lighting situations with where the Sun is reflecting on it or just there’s not enough contrast. It takes your attention away from the road I would have to say in terms of you know styling. I like this kind of the new old-school look at the port Gators and stuff.
This one certainly has a greater personality straight from star it then that’s also the salad exhaust. This thing sounds pretty tough this has actually got a nice little crumb coming from the stock exhaust. We should mention that there’s a difference in the final drives on these two motorcycles. The Suzuki and you have a belt drive on the C spec and one thing I notice also is you’ve got two differences and cowlings. A front headlight cowl on here with no cowl on the bolt and then you put. The passenger seat rest cowling that you will come off and then you can put a passenger well. You can’t put a passenger on it right away though because you have to buy the footpad. To purchase hook bags with the Suzuki the stream comes to stock.
I think it just comes down in sort of a thematic difference with the Suzuki everything is sculpted and round and shapely and with the star, it’s paired down and elemental. It’s minimalist trying to make everything as simple as possible what is basic as possible and that really kind. You know just an overview of what you can get in this price range when it comes to stake both the cruiser market now. I don’t want to get all ages on you but I do think that the bolt might attract. A slightly younger more aggressive rider maybe one that doesn’t have a sore lower back. I could be wrong because I know though they’re young guys that like the feet for the riding position. I do think this is a more laid-back sort of low-key cruising.
