M50 - Motorcycle-Journal Forums

t69drummer · 01-31-2006, 09:57 PM

Anyone have any comments on the handling of th M50. It's going to be my first bike.

Thanks!

Tony...

jackM50black · 01-31-2006, 10:17 PM

To me, its a little hard to talk about handling of M50 without comparing it ot other bikes. But I have to admit I only test rode two other bikes, the S50 and the Kawasaki Vulcan 750, both of which are based on much older designs from the 1980s, and both those bikes are considered to be the sporty, more performance oriented cruisers in comparison with Suzuki C50, M50 for instance. The M50 is not quite as light and responsive to those two bikes. But the M50 is bigger, fit me better, and had a different ride characteristic... that being smoother yet powerful. The M50 has features that the S50 did'nt have such as EFI (no choke on the M50), shaft drive, and cast alloy wheels, plus other features I liked. Still, the Vulcan 750 had most of those same features, but had a couple of ergo issues that I did'nt like, such as how I had to spread my legs wider on the bike's hot pipes, but the V750 did have a higher seat height that was better for me in some respects.

You can tell, I focused on those three bikes, although I briefly considered Honda Shadow, Kawasaki 800, and Triumph Thruxton 900 (as the "odd bird" choice just to keep things interesting). Anyway, I chose the M50 and haven't regreted it, even though I did not choose the sportiest performance options that I had before me.

Good luck with your choice, I think if you get the M50 you won't be sorry, but do consider other bikes... there are some good cruisers out there in the mid-size, mid-performance range.

Rickster · 02-01-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t69drummer

Anyone have any comments on the handling of th M50. It's going to be my first bike.

Thanks!

Tony...

Are you male, or female? How old are you? How big are you? Have you taken a motorcycle safety course? Do you have any riding experience?

t69drummer · 02-01-2006, 08:50 AM

Male, 32, 5'10" 165 lbs.
I took the class and got my license last fall. The only riding I've done was right after I got my license I borrowed a friend’s bike for about two weeks. (1980 Suzuki GS 850)....

Tony...

Fishpart · 02-01-2006, 11:19 AM

Mid Size cruisers the M50 came out head and shoulders above all other 800cc bikes in every report or story I've read.

Atlas68 · 02-01-2006, 12:06 PM

I tested a few other bikes as well, finally narrowing it down to the Honda Shadow and the M50. As far as bang for the buck, M50 has more to offer (EFI, inverted forks, shaft drive, alloy wheels...). With regards to handling, although the M50 is a physically larger bike than others in its class, it doesn't feel big at all. In fact it feels quite agile. The bigger presence is actually a bonus when highway riding or 2 up. The M50 is my first street bike, and I have no regrets at all. It handles awesome IMO and is a great bike to ride.

t69drummer · 02-01-2006, 12:40 PM

Thanks Atlas68, How much did you pay for yours?

Tony...

Atlas68 · 02-01-2006, 01:04 PM

Our US friends are going to have fun with this

...MSRP is $8899 CAN, give or take...Bought my bike last October, and my dealer credited 550 because of my MSF course. So I think it was around $8350. He was the lowest price I could find. Most dealers didn't have any 06's so my selection was limited. HTH. Can't recall if you stated already, but where are you located?

t69drummer · 02-01-2006, 01:09 PM

I'm in Chicago, The lowest I've been able to get a dealer down to is $6,600 out the door.

I'm trying my best to go lower but I don't think I'm going to get much better...

Tony...

Rickster · 02-01-2006, 01:25 PM

In my experience, most new riders have most of there problems with, starting, stoping, and low speed turns. The M 50 is very easy to control in these situations. It has a low seat height, a very easy and smoth clutch, wide bars, and a user friendly power band. The only real down side to the M 50 for a first bike is it's a bit on the heavy side. Even with all this being said, I would still recomend that you buy a smaller used bike to ride for a few months. There is a physological factor that enteres into play, if you are setting on a brand new bike, you are going to be more worried about dammaging it. Quite simply, you don't need the extra distraction.
A smart shopper, should be able to buy a used bike, ride it for a few months, and than sell it for the same he paid for it. The Suzuki Savage has started many a new rider down the road to motorcycling enjoyment.
Good luck on what ever you decide to do. I will say this about the M 50, when, or if you decide to buy one, it should satisfy you for many years to come.
Check out www.larsonscycle.com they have the "M 50" for $5999. I have delt with them many times, always a good experence. It would be about a 8 hour drive for you. They are located just north of St Paul Minnesota.

t69drummer · 02-01-2006, 01:38 PM

Thanks for the suggestion Rick, I was going to buy a used bike originally, but after I looked at what was available for the cost, I figured it was worth the money for new. Plus I want to ride to work a lot and I don't want to worry about breakdowns. I hear what your saying about the psycological factor, but I don't think I'll have a problem with it...

Tony...

Lexcruiser · 02-01-2006, 01:53 PM

I bought my M50 a few months ago as well. '06 black, $6800 OTD. It was the best price for my area... $6600 OTD for you doesn't sound bad either. But you'll prob find the best deals (if any) around this time. Once spring comes around when everyone is looking for a bike, you'll have less bargaining power.

Also, the M50 is my first bike. Not much else to compare it to since the only other ones I've ridden were the 250's @ the MSF course and my friends Shadow 750. All in all, I'm extremely happy with my purchase. Did a 70+ mile run last wknd from backroads to highways, low-speeds to hi-speeds. Handling was great.
Hope that helps.

jmelvin · 02-01-2006, 02:15 PM

Tony,
I bought my '05 blue M50 in July 05 and gave $6450 OTD for it. I also purchased the 48 month extended warranty, I wasn't going to but I refused to buy it for the price it was being shown to me ($850). After telling the salesman not to waste my time because he couldn't bring it into my interest range anyways he asked what I'd give for it. I told him I'd give $400 or I wasn't interested. He ran his "numbers" and offered it for $475 so I bit and figured I could have tossed away that much in a month or so anyway on something more dumb. (The OTD price of $6450 does not include the extended warranty) When looking at my paperwork the dealership backfigured the cost of the bike based upon my chosen OTD price and the bike alone sold for about $5100 but they chose to include setup fees, tax, title and shipping in their back calculations to get the actual sale price of the bike. The tax rate where I bought my bike is about 8.5% plus the title fees are based upon bike value and not upon a flat rate.

I based my OTD offer upon what I could pay for the bike at Honda East in Maumee, Ohio which advertises on Cycle Trader since they don't charge for freight or set up fees and usually have a really low price which they will honor if you are in the area. I'm in Phoenix and thought I'd save myself the hassle of trying to buy back home and ship it here, but if you can get a better deal somewhere else you can likely have your bike shipped to where you live (in U.S.) for about $400-500. Know what you want to pay for the bike and what is not acceptable and be prepared to walk away and get your bike somewhere else if you don't get the price you want. The Suzuki warranty is good nationwide and you can always take your bike to any Suzuki dealership you want for service (if for some reason you need it).

I have about 11,000 miles on my M50 now with no problems and I love the bike. It is the first for me as well and I have no need or desire for anything else. Let us know what you get and how you do on pricing.

Rickster · 02-01-2006, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t69drummer

Thanks for the suggestion Rick, I was going to buy a used bike originally, but after I looked at what was available for the cost, I figured it was worth the money for new. Plus I want to ride to work a lot and I don't want to worry about breakdowns. I hear what your saying about the psycological factor, but I don't think I'll have a problem with it...

Tony...

I made an edit to my last post that you might have missed

Uechi Kid · 02-01-2006, 06:39 PM

My wife is thinking about getting a bike of he own and she has been looking at the M50. I think it's a great mid size bike For men and women.

tlwisner · 02-02-2006, 07:58 PM

When you are buying your first bike, you are buying the bike you are going to learn to ride on. A lighter, nimbler bike can impart better riding skills to a new rider. A heavier bike with heavier steering isn't as easy to ride when you're just starting out. Many folks skip right to the bigger bike, decide riding isn't that great after all (it's not fun if you're not good at it), and sell their shiny new bike at a big loss with few miles on it - when they could have taken a little time and started off on a better learning machine and developed skills that would make larger and heavier bikes really fun.

batman · 02-02-2006, 08:14 PM

I bought my blue 06 M50 last Dec.
I have never ridden a bike before, and I was scared to death that I am going to have a problem riding any thing bigger that my $300 schwin bicycle..... I am totally surprised how well it rides. I truly thought that its larger size will be a problem for a newbie... nop, it was not.
I have almost 1,200 miles and loving every moment of it.... Riding this thing is the first thing on my mind when I get back home from a long day at work....

go for it man....

BSF · 02-04-2006, 10:58 PM

The M50 has a little bit of weight to it which I think is a good thing. If you buy a bike that is too light and with too high a center of gravity you will get blown around at any type of speed which can be very uncomfortable for a new rider. The steering on the M50 is actually on the light side (some have said it feels heavier when you add some sort of a windshield). I have been riding for over 20 years and IMHO the M50 is the perfect bike for anyone, experienced or not, that is not looking for serious performance and is not riding more than one hour each way on a regular basis.

Idaho · 02-06-2006, 08:44 PM

My first motorcycle was the '05 M50. Got it the end of June '05 and put 4100miles on it in 3 months. For me it is amazing, I love it. I am 6'1" at 185 lbs. and I have 0 complaints about it. Goes as fast as I want to go and never gave me a problem. Not to mention it looks just plain awesome. I decided to get a larger bike because I wanted to make some mods and would rather do that to a bike that I feel I would have for a longer time. Buy the M50 and don't look back, you will not regret it. Have fun.

Maestro · 02-07-2006, 08:11 AM

I have a dog-eared copy of the November edition of Twowheels magazine, which contains a review of the M50. The writer, Jeremy Bowlder, presumably makes a living reviewing lots of cruisers (10 in that issue) so I figure his opinion is worth sharing.

Here's what he has to say about the handling.

None of the engine performance is worth a pinch, if you can't get it to the ground, however, but Suzuki has made big strides in this department as well.

The Maurauder was no slouch, but the M50 feels smaller, shorter, and far more nimble. The 41mm upside-down forks work well despite the rake, but the real gains are hidden under the seat. The rigid rear end styling conceals a clever rising-rate linkage and vertically-mounted, seven-way preload adjustable single spring/damper unit.

Traditional cruisers, with the laid-forward twin rear shocks might look the part, but the angle of the shocks is all wrong for bump absorption. Basically, the more vertical the shock, the better it works. Lay them forward and the forcers are working against the shock absorber shaft and the dreaded stiction comes into play. It's hardly an exaggeration to say that cruiser handling has been has been transformed by the adoption of the Harley-style Softail set-up.

The M50 is no exception. At speed across Bells, where cresting curves seriously test suspension and the others seriously test ground clearance, the M50 tracked straight and true. Towards the apex of some of the longer, faster corners, the tyre, chassis and suspension package could be made to wind up, resulting in that tell-tale cruiser oscillation of the `bars as the front tyre feels like it's rolling around its contact patch. At that point, you have two options: ride through it with a big grin on your face, or back off and watch the scenery. It's never scary, just a cruiser's gentle (and friendly) reminder that you're not Shawn Giles and that the bike is no GSX-R...

Around town, the M50 could be made to scrape its pegs and, let's face it, frightening the horses by leaving a shimmering arc of discarded hero knob through roundabouts and crowded intersections is a part of the joy of cruising; yet on the open road, I barely managed to skim a peg.

01-31-2006, 09:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
t69drummer Newbie Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 14	M50 Anyone have any comments on the handling of th M50. It's going to be my first bike. Thanks! Tony...

01-31-2006, 10:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
jackM50black Looking for trouble Joined: Jan 2006 Bike: Suzuki Boulevard M50 Location: Hillsboro, Oregon Posts: 258	Good Choice if thats what you go with To me, its a little hard to talk about handling of M50 without comparing it ot other bikes. But I have to admit I only test rode two other bikes, the S50 and the Kawasaki Vulcan 750, both of which are based on much older designs from the 1980s, and both those bikes are considered to be the sporty, more performance oriented cruisers in comparison with Suzuki C50, M50 for instance. The M50 is not quite as light and responsive to those two bikes. But the M50 is bigger, fit me better, and had a different ride characteristic... that being smoother yet powerful. The M50 has features that the S50 did'nt have such as EFI (no choke on the M50), shaft drive, and cast alloy wheels, plus other features I liked. Still, the Vulcan 750 had most of those same features, but had a couple of ergo issues that I did'nt like, such as how I had to spread my legs wider on the bike's hot pipes, but the V750 did have a higher seat height that was better for me in some respects. You can tell, I focused on those three bikes, although I briefly considered Honda Shadow, Kawasaki 800, and Triumph Thruxton 900 (as the "odd bird" choice just to keep things interesting). Anyway, I chose the M50 and haven't regreted it, even though I did not choose the sportiest performance options that I had before me. Good luck with your choice, I think if you get the M50 you won't be sorry, but do consider other bikes... there are some good cruisers out there in the mid-size, mid-performance range.

02-01-2006, 12:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
Atlas68 Sit speling cheker Joined: Jan 2006 Bike: 2006 Blue M50 SOLD '05 Anniversary Edition VMax #1878 Location: Vancouver B.C. Canada Posts: 1,728	I tested a few other bikes as well, finally narrowing it down to the Honda Shadow and the M50. As far as bang for the buck, M50 has more to offer (EFI, inverted forks, shaft drive, alloy wheels...). With regards to handling, although the M50 is a physically larger bike than others in its class, it doesn't feel big at all. In fact it feels quite agile. The bigger presence is actually a bonus when highway riding or 2 up. The M50 is my first street bike, and I have no regrets at all. It handles awesome IMO and is a great bike to ride. __________________ Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength. SuperTrapp Exhaust

02-01-2006, 01:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
Atlas68 Sit speling cheker Joined: Jan 2006 Bike: 2006 Blue M50 SOLD '05 Anniversary Edition VMax #1878 Location: Vancouver B.C. Canada Posts: 1,728	Our US friends are going to have fun with this ...MSRP is $8899 CAN, give or take...Bought my bike last October, and my dealer credited 550 because of my MSF course. So I think it was around $8350. He was the lowest price I could find. Most dealers didn't have any 06's so my selection was limited. HTH. Can't recall if you stated already, but where are you located? __________________ Rudeness is a weak man's imitation of strength. SuperTrapp Exhaust

02-01-2006, 01:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
Rickster Throttle Jockey Joined: Oct 2005 Location: St Paul Mn Posts: 3,138	In my experience, most new riders have most of there problems with, starting, stoping, and low speed turns. The M 50 is very easy to control in these situations. It has a low seat height, a very easy and smoth clutch, wide bars, and a user friendly power band. The only real down side to the M 50 for a first bike is it's a bit on the heavy side. Even with all this being said, I would still recomend that you buy a smaller used bike to ride for a few months. There is a physological factor that enteres into play, if you are setting on a brand new bike, you are going to be more worried about dammaging it. Quite simply, you don't need the extra distraction. A smart shopper, should be able to buy a used bike, ride it for a few months, and than sell it for the same he paid for it. The Suzuki Savage has started many a new rider down the road to motorcycling enjoyment. Good luck on what ever you decide to do. I will say this about the M 50, when, or if you decide to buy one, it should satisfy you for many years to come. Check out www.larsonscycle.com they have the "M 50" for $5999. I have delt with them many times, always a good experence. It would be about a 8 hour drive for you. They are located just north of St Paul Minnesota. Last edited by Rickster; 02-01-2006 at 01:40 PM.

02-01-2006, 08:50 AM	#4 (permalink)
t69drummer Newbie Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 14	Male, 32, 5'10" 165 lbs. I took the class and got my license last fall. The only riding I've done was right after I got my license I borrowed a friend’s bike for about two weeks. (1980 Suzuki GS 850).... Tony...

02-01-2006, 11:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
Fishpart Fourth gear and illegal Joined: Apr 2005 Bike: 2007 Harley Davidson Electa Glide Location: York, Pa Posts: 783	Mid Size cruisers the M50 came out head and shoulders above all other 800cc bikes in every report or story I've read.

02-01-2006, 12:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
t69drummer Newbie Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 14	Thanks Atlas68, How much did you pay for yours? Tony...

02-01-2006, 01:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
t69drummer Newbie Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 14	I'm in Chicago, The lowest I've been able to get a dealer down to is $6,600 out the door. I'm trying my best to go lower but I don't think I'm going to get much better... Tony...

02-01-2006, 01:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
t69drummer Newbie Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 14	Thanks for the suggestion Rick, I was going to buy a used bike originally, but after I looked at what was available for the cost, I figured it was worth the money for new. Plus I want to ride to work a lot and I don't want to worry about breakdowns. I hear what your saying about the psycological factor, but I don't think I'll have a problem with it... Tony...

02-01-2006, 01:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
Lexcruiser Kickstand Operator Joined: Oct 2005 Bike: '06 M50 Black - SOLD :( / '07 Triumph Daytona 675 - New hotness! Location: Central NJ Posts: 262	I bought my M50 a few months ago as well. '06 black, $6800 OTD. It was the best price for my area... $6600 OTD for you doesn't sound bad either. But you'll prob find the best deals (if any) around this time. Once spring comes around when everyone is looking for a bike, you'll have less bargaining power. Also, the M50 is my first bike. Not much else to compare it to since the only other ones I've ridden were the 250's @ the MSF course and my friends Shadow 750. All in all, I'm extremely happy with my purchase. Did a 70+ mile run last wknd from backroads to highways, low-speeds to hi-speeds. Handling was great. Hope that helps.

02-01-2006, 02:15 PM	#13 (permalink)
jmelvin Seat Tester Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 98	Tony, I bought my '05 blue M50 in July 05 and gave $6450 OTD for it. I also purchased the 48 month extended warranty, I wasn't going to but I refused to buy it for the price it was being shown to me ($850). After telling the salesman not to waste my time because he couldn't bring it into my interest range anyways he asked what I'd give for it. I told him I'd give $400 or I wasn't interested. He ran his "numbers" and offered it for $475 so I bit and figured I could have tossed away that much in a month or so anyway on something more dumb. (The OTD price of $6450 does not include the extended warranty) When looking at my paperwork the dealership backfigured the cost of the bike based upon my chosen OTD price and the bike alone sold for about $5100 but they chose to include setup fees, tax, title and shipping in their back calculations to get the actual sale price of the bike. The tax rate where I bought my bike is about 8.5% plus the title fees are based upon bike value and not upon a flat rate. I based my OTD offer upon what I could pay for the bike at Honda East in Maumee, Ohio which advertises on Cycle Trader since they don't charge for freight or set up fees and usually have a really low price which they will honor if you are in the area. I'm in Phoenix and thought I'd save myself the hassle of trying to buy back home and ship it here, but if you can get a better deal somewhere else you can likely have your bike shipped to where you live (in U.S.) for about $400-500. Know what you want to pay for the bike and what is not acceptable and be prepared to walk away and get your bike somewhere else if you don't get the price you want. The Suzuki warranty is good nationwide and you can always take your bike to any Suzuki dealership you want for service (if for some reason you need it). I have about 11,000 miles on my M50 now with no problems and I love the bike. It is the first for me as well and I have no need or desire for anything else. Let us know what you get and how you do on pricing.

02-01-2006, 06:39 PM	#15 (permalink)
Uechi Kid Fourth gear and illegal Joined: Sep 2005 Bike: 04 M95, Yamaha VStar 650 Location: Antioch, Ca. Posts: 744	My wife is thinking about getting a bike of he own and she has been looking at the M50. I think it's a great mid size bike For men and women.

02-02-2006, 07:58 PM	#16 (permalink)
tlwisner Throttle Jockey Joined: Apr 2004 Bike: '05 Boulevard C50 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 3,208	When you are buying your first bike, you are buying the bike you are going to learn to ride on. A lighter, nimbler bike can impart better riding skills to a new rider. A heavier bike with heavier steering isn't as easy to ride when you're just starting out. Many folks skip right to the bigger bike, decide riding isn't that great after all (it's not fun if you're not good at it), and sell their shiny new bike at a big loss with few miles on it - when they could have taken a little time and started off on a better learning machine and developed skills that would make larger and heavier bikes really fun. __________________ Tim Wisner AMA, SCRC Happiness is something we create

02-02-2006, 08:14 PM	#17 (permalink)
batman In Training Joined: Dec 2005 Bike: 06 blue m50 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 100	I bought my blue 06 M50 last Dec. I have never ridden a bike before, and I was scared to death that I am going to have a problem riding any thing bigger that my $300 schwin bicycle..... I am totally surprised how well it rides. I truly thought that its larger size will be a problem for a newbie... nop, it was not. I have almost 1,200 miles and loving every moment of it.... Riding this thing is the first thing on my mind when I get back home from a long day at work.... go for it man....

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

02-04-2006, 10:58 PM	#18 (permalink)
BSF Where Am I ? Joined: Jan 2006 Bike: M50 Location: WPB, Florida Posts: 26	The M50 has a little bit of weight to it which I think is a good thing. If you buy a bike that is too light and with too high a center of gravity you will get blown around at any type of speed which can be very uncomfortable for a new rider. The steering on the M50 is actually on the light side (some have said it feels heavier when you add some sort of a windshield). I have been riding for over 20 years and IMHO the M50 is the perfect bike for anyone, experienced or not, that is not looking for serious performance and is not riding more than one hour each way on a regular basis.

02-06-2006, 08:44 PM	#19 (permalink)
Idaho Seat Tester Joined: Aug 2005 Bike: 2004 Blue Marauder 1600 Posts: 77	My first motorcycle was the '05 M50. Got it the end of June '05 and put 4100miles on it in 3 months. For me it is amazing, I love it. I am 6'1" at 185 lbs. and I have 0 complaints about it. Goes as fast as I want to go and never gave me a problem. Not to mention it looks just plain awesome. I decided to get a larger bike because I wanted to make some mods and would rather do that to a bike that I feel I would have for a longer time. Buy the M50 and don't look back, you will not regret it. Have fun. __________________ 2004 Blue Marauder 1600 www.CruiserCustomizing.com/Idaho

02-07-2006, 08:11 AM	#20 (permalink)
Maestro Newbie Joined: Feb 2006 Bike: C90 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 17	Article excerpt relating to M50 handling I have a dog-eared copy of the November edition of Twowheels magazine, which contains a review of the M50. The writer, Jeremy Bowlder, presumably makes a living reviewing lots of cruisers (10 in that issue) so I figure his opinion is worth sharing. Here's what he has to say about the handling. None of the engine performance is worth a pinch, if you can't get it to the ground, however, but Suzuki has made big strides in this department as well. The Maurauder was no slouch, but the M50 feels smaller, shorter, and far more nimble. The 41mm upside-down forks work well despite the rake, but the real gains are hidden under the seat. The rigid rear end styling conceals a clever rising-rate linkage and vertically-mounted, seven-way preload adjustable single spring/damper unit. Traditional cruisers, with the laid-forward twin rear shocks might look the part, but the angle of the shocks is all wrong for bump absorption. Basically, the more vertical the shock, the better it works. Lay them forward and the forcers are working against the shock absorber shaft and the dreaded stiction comes into play. It's hardly an exaggeration to say that cruiser handling has been has been transformed by the adoption of the Harley-style Softail set-up. The M50 is no exception. At speed across Bells, where cresting curves seriously test suspension and the others seriously test ground clearance, the M50 tracked straight and true. Towards the apex of some of the longer, faster corners, the tyre, chassis and suspension package could be made to wind up, resulting in that tell-tale cruiser oscillation of the `bars as the front tyre feels like it's rolling around its contact patch. At that point, you have two options: ride through it with a big grin on your face, or back off and watch the scenery. It's never scary, just a cruiser's gentle (and friendly) reminder that you're not Shawn Giles and that the bike is no GSX-R... Around town, the M50 could be made to scrape its pegs and, let's face it, frightening the horses by leaving a shimmering arc of discarded hero knob through roundabouts and crowded intersections is a part of the joy of cruising; yet on the open road, I barely managed to skim a peg.