C50 trade up to 90 or 109?

[Halford]

I laughed off a friend's advice that I would soon "outgrow" my C50 and want something bigger. Now, 5 months later that appears to be the case. I'm committed to the Suzuki brand, but wondering whether to make the jump to the 90 or 109.

[frostbitevinnie]

How long you been riding? The fiddy is a great bike and very popular. I like my 90 but at times wish I had gone smaller, or at least stayed with the cc size I was accustomed to. The 109, if you are a new rider, is going to have more than double the hp and add another 200 lbs of weight. Quite a lot of bike and considering the lack of info you gave very difficult to advise. I would say regardless stay with the fiddy. Great bike, light and same stow capacity as the 90.

[DrBob]

The C109 is a hoss, expensive too. You might get a used C90 and then trade up again in a couple years when you are more used to a bigger bike, and the is a greater supply of 109s around.

[Halford]

I can get an '08 109 for about 14k all in...is that considered high?

[frostbitevinnie]

That is MSRP. We have a white one in town on sale for $9700. If you are a newbi to riding then any price would be high.

[Halford]

$9700? What town is that? Is the bike new? I've seen an '07 C90 priced at $9700 + tax here in Calgary and that's considered to be a pretty good deal.

I spent a lot of time the other day sitting on both (90 & 109), rocking them back and forth, side to side, and while I know sitting is much different than riding, I did not notice the weight difference. You asked me about my experience - I am a new rider for sure. I took some pretty intensive lessons, put myself through an additional practice regimen and have been riding around town quite regularly for the last couple months. I feel very confident on the 50, and I like the bike, but I'm looking for a little more juice on hills, passing, etc. Also, thinking of doing a short roadie or two this summer and I feel the sheer size of a bigger bike is not only going to give me the performance upgrade, but also more stability on the road. Thanks for your ongoing input.

[blackie1491]

Just how many Kms do you have on the bike.
One problem that pops up with new riders in the first year is overconfidence.
My C50 is my 4th bike and I downsized from a Wing.
At 20,000 miles, I do not feel any lack of power. The rev limit is a lot higher than most cruisers. I just read a write up on the C109, there was no road trip involved. They said the road trip would be next issue. The Mag. was Motorcycle Cruiser. The mileage was 34-37 MPG US.

I was at a dealer yesterday and he had a C109RT and a C109SE, the T was $2,602 off MSR for 11,999 and the SE was $2,102 off. The SE looked better colour wise.
VL1500T VL1500SE Corrected
What shocked me was the price for Freight $449, dealer prep $449.
There was a Nomad there with $4,100 off and Freight at $249 and Prep at $249.

There are a lot who tour 2up on the C50, so I don't think it lacks power.

2 cents

[DrBob]

Originally Posted by frostbitevinnie

That is MSRP. We have a white one in town on sale for $9700. If you are a newbi to riding then any price would be high.

That's pretty funny, considering the C109r lists for $13,800 and doesn't come in white.

[Halford]

Where are you guys located? MSRP here (Calgary) is listed at $15,600 for a naked 109.

[DrBob]

Originally Posted by Halford

Where are you guys located? MSRP here (Calgary) is listed at $15,600 for a naked 109.

Prices are higher in Canada, even when you take into account the exchange rate. In the US the C109 lists for $13,800, and the C90 for $10,500. But there is a glut of C90s, so most dealers are letting them go for about $9500.
In Canada the C109 lists for $16,000 Canadian and the C90 for $12,500 Canadian, but the other day a guy posted a link to a Canadian dealer letting them go for $9699 Canadian.

[Trapper]

Originally Posted by DrBob

Prices are higher in Canada, even when you take into account the exchange rate. In the US the C109 lists for $13,800, and the C90 for $10,500. But there is a glut of C90s, so most dealers are letting them go for about $9500.
In Canada the C109 lists for $16,000 Canadian and the C90 for $12,500 Canadian, but the other day a guy posted a link to a Canadian dealer letting them go for $9699 Canadian.

Converting 1.03 Canadian Dollars to U.S. Dollars will yield 1.00 U.S. Dollars.

The exchange is pretty well par and has been for over six months, so we Canadians are getting hosed.

[frostbitevinnie]

Originally Posted by DrBob

That's pretty funny, considering the C109r lists for $13,800 and doesn't come in white.

Sorry Dr!! It is a holdover from 07' M109 and I was off on the price $9,900. Does Vinnie get a bare azz spankin' now??

[DrBob]

As the caption in the photo clearly shows, that is not a C109.

[frostbitevinnie]

Originally Posted by Halford

I laughed off a friend's advice that I would soon "outgrow" my C50 and want something bigger. Now, 5 months later that appears to be the case. I'm committed to the Suzuki brand, but wondering whether to make the jump to the 90 or 109.

Originally Posted by DrBob

As the caption in the photo clearly shows, that is not a C109.

I realize that but was not aware that I need be specific since the original inquiry was not.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by Halford

Where are you guys located? MSRP here (Calgary) is listed at $15,600 for a naked 109.

I'm not in Calgary but I keep checking this website for curiosity and trying to get my friend to switch back to a cruiser. [6 Highfield Circle SE Calgary, AB Canada 403 243 2636 Toll Free: 1 800 665 6735]

C109R SE: $14999

C90 $9699

Halford, as far as confidence in riding a bike, I suggest reading "The Four Stages of Motorcycling Maturity by Clinton A. Buhs at Motorcycle Journal.

I test rode a C90 the other day and I think I know that impulse to up-size the bike. So I'm also tempted to a C90 or HD Street Bob* but I also know I'm not there yet.

There are seasoned riders here (e.g. DrBob rides an Intruder 800 cc) and I think they know what they're doing and talking about.

Cheers,

* I saw this bike at a trade show this winter. Didn't ride it, but it felt like it was built for me. Some day, I'm going to ride one.

[Davy]

That's a great article Elvis. I can relate to a degree what was written and agree that a lot of inexperienced riders should read this first. Probably won't do any good for some people because they have to make their own mistakes to learn. I'd prefer to learn from other's mistakes.

On Halford's original post I have to say I'm in the same boat. I've been riding nearly every day for the past 2 years. Started out with a little Kaw Vulcan 500. Three months later I upgraded to the C50T. About three months of riding that one I thought it was time for an upgrade but the wife said, "no way bub, you just bought that one." I'm glad I listened because I now know that it probably would have been a mistake to get the bigger bike at that point due to inexperience. There are tons of little nuances of riding that you experience and discover over the course of riding. When you learn certain things it makes you think in the back of your head, "wow had I been on a larger bike I may not have been so lucky". The comparison from that 500 to the 800cc bike really helped. So when I upgrade to an even larger bike it'll make me respect the power that much more.

Now almost two years later I feel it's time to upgrade and I'm unsure if I should go to the C90T or the C109T. I love my C50T but I do lots of Interstate riding (and my gas mileage is in the 45mpg range). The bike has power on the Interstate but it sure seems to rev rather high when you're doing like 70-80mph. I'm assuming that's where the gas is going. I haven't heard much about the C109T but I'm assuming 45mpg would be a blessing on that bike (and not likely). I'm unsure of mpg for the 90. This thread is the only one that I've really seen anyone comment about mpg for it. The C90T seems to be the next step because it's just a small step up in price and almost twice as much displacement. I figure if I'm pretty satisfied with my 50 and all it would take is a little more power to really make me feel warm and fuzzy then the 90 would make sense. But that's just me. Figured I would just put in my 2 cents for Halford.

[blackie1491]

Elvis, I went back out to Gateway Kawi/Suzuki in Abbotsford and the prices I qouted were for the VL1500T ($11,999) and VL1500SE ($12,299).
The SE was the better colour choice.



They come with the windshield, saddle bags, backrest, lightbar and engine guard.

This is where I bought mine 3 years ago and I know he moved on the fgt. and prep.

[Sixcb]

I just bought an S50 a couple months ago and although I've had my share of problems with it power has not been one of them and its the same 800cc engine class as the C50. This is coming from someone who has owned a GXR 1000 in the past and no it doesn't have power anything like that did but I didn't expect nor want it to cause to me it would take away from the crusiser concept if it did. I've had my S50 up over 115 mph which in my opinion is more than fast and powerful enough, if you really want more switch to a sport bike thats designed for that cause in my opinion any more engine in a cruiser is just a waste of money and fuel economy, no offense to any of you guys out there who already got 'em!

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by blackie1491

Elvis, I went back out to Gateway Kawi/Suzuki in Abbotsford and the prices I qouted were for the VL1500T ($11,999) and VL1500SE ($12,299).

Thanks Blackie, I sure will go there and check out the bikes with my riding buddy, currently harassing him to switch back to a cruiser . Roads to Mission, Abbotsford, Chilliwack etc are my fave rides.

I've got sooo much to do this week then going to Florida (who knows, might rent a bike at Daytona beach) for a week but after the first week of July, I'll be f r e e. I might drop you a line then and perhaps we could go to Gateway Kawi/Suzuki together.

Google doesn't find Gateway Kawi/Suzuki in Abbostford, do they have a website?

Cheers!

[Halford]

Geez is there no one out there who thinks this (C50 to C109) just might not be a bad idea? Has no one done this and lived to endorse it? I appreciate all of the input and I'm taking it quite seriously but I have had contrasting ideas from riders whom I've spoken to face to face. I have to make a move on a trade in this weekend. I'm looking at $5800 for the C50 and $13600 for a brand new 109. These are Canadian prices. Any more comments gladly welcomed.