I wanna C109T!!

[Boulevard Billy]

Self-explanatory. Discuss.



I think that powerplant would look good in a cruiser frame with a windshield & saddle bags. Gotta have floor boards, heel toe shifter and a light bar bright enough that the Harley riders can look like deer-in-the-headlights.

I wanna set of 3" brilliant chrome pipes sculpting around the block and loud enough to strip the paint off a tail-gating four wheeler's, bike scarred bumper. For domestic security they must be subtle enough to slide back home at three in the morning.

I wanna a cute little girlfriend that can hold on tight enough to pull a couple of negative G's on take-off and not %%%%% about the lack of a seat beyond the fender. Wake me up when it's ready!!

[BudTheGrey]

Sorry, I can't picture the 109 with a windshield & bags -- just doesn't got with the rest of the styling. Purring that motor in a different frame might work OK, but they've already got the C90T, so where would it fit in the market? They could make it more of a "sport" tourer than "cruiser"; I'm thinking of something the newer Ducatis.

[PENJO]

Originally Posted by BudTheGrey

Sorry, I can't picture the 109 with a windshield & bags -- just doesn't got with the rest of the styling. Purring that motor in a different frame might work OK, but they've already got the C90T, so where would it fit in the market? They could make it more of a "sport" tourer than "cruiser"; I'm thinking of something the newer Ducatis.

Right!!!

Dressed in that way would cross into the C90T realms. The C90T does a fine job. I really don't find yet the need for more power on the C90T, even two up. I have tried mine on the open roads in New Jersey towards the shore and even in Pennsylvania up hill to Mt Pocono (Mountain terrain). It does just fine without over exertion neither for the bike nor for us riders. I sad in the M109 with friend in the back. It didn't feel comfortable for me. I kept comparing in my mind to my C90T. If I get the M109, I am sure I will do 2up but only by need rather than intentional choice.

Also, someone posted here a picture of a M109 with windshield and bags. I believe it was from a show in Vegas. It looked cheesy. That winshield did not justice to the beauty of the M109. Doing 70s and high 80s on Rt 55 in NJ. was mighty comfortable and took no time to the shore. The bike comsumed only one bar of gas. On the way back home it took less than the full bar.
I like that M109 but the such much plastic on it and lack of accessories in the market make me hessitate to get it yet. I think of it more as a next year thing hoping for the bugs to be corrected and more goodies become available. I read somewhere about hessitation on take off. Something to probably work on at Suzuki.

[DrBob]

There may very well be a cruiser/ tourer with the 109 engine in it somewhere down the line. Suzuki committed to replaceing ALL their cruiser models 1 or 2 a year about 3 years ago. The Marauder 800 went buy-buy first in favor of the M50, the poor-selling Maruader 1600 went second in favor of the M109, and the S50 & S83 will go next, with a single model of about 1100ccs replacing both as either a mid-year 2007 or a 2008 model. That leaves the C50 and C90. The C50 is the newer model (2001 VS 1998 ), and shares the frame/ motor with the new M50, so chances are it will be the last to go, around 2010.

That leaves the C90, formerly the Intruder 1500LC. It will be ten years old in 18 months, and Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, and Triumph all have cruisers that make the 1500 look downright small. In power, size, and perfomance the ol'LC just doesn't stack up well against the Roadliner, Vulcan 2000, VTX1800, or Rocket III. I predict something with more power will replace it in 2008 or 2009.
Well, that 109 motor is plenty powerful, so it may well end up in whatever replaces the C90. It may not be the exact same motor (the 805cc was sliced and diced into three different versions for the Intruder, Maurader, and Volusia) but I bet it is close.

[BudTheGrey]

Reading DrBob's post, I have a thought. I know that right now, dealers are selling bikes like crazy, and that a lot of it has to do with gas prices. Overall, I see nearly anything that put more bikers on the road as a good thing.

The problem I see coming, though is that many of these people are buying the bigger bikes -- C90, M109, VTX, RoadLiner. If the buyer's primary mission was to save money on gas, they just made a bad deal. All the above bikes are what -- $10k and up? That's a pretty big payment book, and the best any of them get is probably 35-40 MPG, often less. Sure, it's better than the Chevy suburban, but it's a long time to pay off, even if you ride it every day.

Meanwhile, bikes in the 450c-800cc range are the ones these people really ought to be looking at, especially if they are new riders. Much better gas mileage; my C50 gets 50mpg pretty easily, and my wife's Savage turns in 65+mpg all the time. Yet, go to showroom and what bikes do you see? I understand part of it -- there's more money to be made from the sale of a C90T or a M109 or a Royal Star than from an S40, or a 700cc V-Star.

Hopefully motorcycle manufacturers will see this coming, and won't thin out the ranks of the mid-size bikes too much. I especially would dislike seeing the S50 go away. I really like that bike as second step for new riders, especially ladies. I don't see how they can get rid of the S40 -- all the dealers I talk to sell every single one they get in, it's just too popular.

Just my opinion.

[DrBob]

I have not heard any rumors about the S40, probably because it would be exceptionally hard to design a new bike to replace it that would hold the same price point. Same with the Rebel 250 and other small, entry-level bikes. But I guess eventually they will have to update or replace even these venerable models.

I hate to see the S50 go away also: I've owned at least one Intruder 800 since 1996, and still ove the one I have now. I'll probably buy a new one the last model year and keep it as long as I can.

[tronbunny]

Ok, I'll bite...
If I had unlimited funds and garage space..
Right now, I'd keep my VL800 and add an M109 to the stable.
Many times I want cruising/touring comfort and a leisurely ride.
But sometimes it's great to let loose and go for the speed.
The M109 fits that bill for me, while my husband's VTX1800R is just too darn bulky. So, yeah a C109T could probably win me over.

[BigD]

If you ask me... which you didn't , and not to fan any flames but I think the M109R is down right ugly. That horrid head light assembly looks way out of place and would be the first thing to go. There are soooo many other bikes I would buy before this one but... beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Granted, I wouldn't turn one down if someone gave it to me.

Edited after further review...
tronbunny... Your hubby has a Sweet looking VTX. It doesn't look bulky at all.