General Comments:

I just picked this bike up this week. I am a new rider, but the bike is very easy to drive and overall is a great bike.

I might consider de-baffling and de-badging the bike in the long run. I have seen a few posts that mention taking the Boulevard badge off the tank.. is that an easy job? Does it require repainting?

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong per say. The clutch is a little sticky to engage at times, especially going from 3rd to 4th gear. And the valve tick seems a little loud, but I have been told that is normal.

General Comments:

Overall, I am extremely happy with this motorcycle. It is my first real bike, after having owned a 250cc scooter for the last 9 months. I can't say enough about the looks of the bike.

Acceleration is great, tires are nice and smooth, and no hop that others have mentioned. Great gas mileage for me so far (avg. 45mpg right now).

Only thing that kind of bothers me is the seat. I went on a 90 mile ride recently, and I noticed that when I got off the seat, my lower back was a little numb, and I could feel a slight buzz, so I know there was fatigue because of the seat. The handlebar is perfect, no leaning forward for me at 5'10". I do think the pegs are a little to far back for my liking, and would add extenders at some point.

The bike is very stable even at very low speeds. I can keep it upright without putting a foot down at 2 mph... so weight seems to be very well balanced.

The front brake is great, however the rear brake seems a little lacking, but it is a drum. The clutch itself is very easy and forgiving even for a beginner.

Exhaust is stock, with baffles still in, and it sounds great to me. Not too loud and not too quiet.

I agree with others that at 75-80mph I am looking for a 6th gear. It could really use it, as the engine does sound like it is wound pretty well.

I wouldn't really change anything about the bike, just get a different seat to my liking and add a 6th gear.

Faults:

In 6000 miles, I can say that nothing has gone wrong with my bike. This has been the most reliable motorcycle I have ever owned, but it's not a Harley.

General Comments:

The M50 handles very well because it is basically a sports bike that looks like a cruiser. It's not heavy in the curves or turns, and it straightens back up like a bike is supposed to, effortlessly.

Performance leaves a little to be desired on a stock M50, however I have found that it's relatively easy to wake this beast up. I dyno'd the bike after adding a set of Hard Krome pipes and a Power Commander. It went from 48 HP to around 59 or 60. I'm told that a Hyper Charger or a K & N intake would make it even better. All in all, if you are looking to win races, this bike isn't for you, but if you want to beef a mid range cruiser up and get some thrills, this would be an excellent place to start.

I'd also recommend that Suzuki add a tach, especially for those enthusiasts like myself that like to squeeze HP out of a bike.

The transmission is very nice, and provides for quick and smooth gear changes, however it could use a higher gear ratio on that top gear, or a 6 speed.

The M50 ride is comfortable, but that monoshock takes some getting used to. I did like that idea that adjusting the rear suspension is very easy, and even first time bike owners would find it simple to adjust up or down depending on their preference.

Overall I'd give it a 9 out of 10... very nice bike for the price.