The forgotten iconic cruiser that will still be for sale in 2025

History is littered with products that have faded away. Sometimes that’s because they are bad products. Often it is precisely the right products that are unlucky enough to come on sale at the wrong time. But every now and then a product comes along that defies time. It’s not just the right product at the right time; it appeals to an audience regardless of when it’s on sale, and backs it up with good features.

These qualities start with great looks and performance, and move over the years to reliability, low cost of ownership and ease of maintenance. It helps if the looks are also resistant to new trends. It’s not often that such a product can keep sales going even without mechanical updates, but here is one such motorcycle that is exactly this. Here’s the forgotten iconic cruiser that’s still for sale in 2025.

The Suzuki Boulevard C50 is the forgotten iconic cruiser that will still be for sale in 2025

Price: $9,299

Suzuki is known for some iconic motorcycles – Hayabusa, anyone? – including the fair share of cruisers. The performance of the Boulevard M109R exceeds that of some more expensive machines twenty years after its launch, keeping it in the spotlight. In its shadow is the smaller Boulevard C50, which is a great product in its own right. It doesn’t share much with any other model in the Suzuki range, and yet it sells enough for the manufacturer to keep it on sale despite not getting any mechanical updates.

The Boulevard C50 has all the modern technology you need for a good driving experience, such as fuel injection, liquid cooling and shaft drive, without losing the traditional charm of an old-fashioned cruiser. This strange combination of modern reliability and vintage vibes makes the Suzuki Boulevard C50 the forgotten iconic cruiser that is still for sale in 2025.

Why we chose the Suzuki Boulevard C50

• Been the same for a long time

• Don’t set the sales charts on fire

• Still a good buy for a wide variety of riders

• Has reliability like you wouldn’t believe

• The end shaft drive makes it maintenance free between maintenance visits

• The liquid-cooled engine with fuel injection is extremely flexible

Suzuki Boulevard C50 engine

Significantly modern engine and trouble-free drivetrain

Suzuki bicycles

At the heart of the Boulevard C50 is one of the most reliable powertrains of the moment: a 45-degree V-twin mill with liquid cooling despite its chrome and fin-like appearance. It has a low compression ratio, fuel injection and 4 valves per cylinder from a SOHC head. Peak power of 52 horsepower comes at 6,000 rpm, while peak power of 51 pound-feet arrives at a much lower 3,200 rpm, making this a very flexible engine. This is also why it has a wide-ratio five-speed transmission, with a particularly tall fifth gear for highway cruising. Suzuki opted to give it a driveshaft, making it one of only two middleweight cruisers to opt for this type of final drive. The other cruiser is the Honda Shadow.

There’s no throttle here, but Suzuki’s SDTV technology is present. This inserts a second set of computer-controlled throttles, in line with the cable-operated throttles opened by the twist grip. These secondary valves ensure smoother fuel delivery and keep the idle speed high during cold starts.

Suzuki Boulevard C50 engine specs

Suzuki Boulevard C50 chassis

Traditional to a fault

Suzuki

While the engine is relatively modern, the chassis side of the Boulevard C50 shows its age. The steel frame with double downtube is no surprise; some modern cruisers also adopt it for the potential for customization it offers. The hidden rear shock is a surprise, as a dual shock setup is usually cheaper and also helps with a lower seat height.

If you compare the seat height of the Boulevard C50 to that of competitors such as the Honda Shadow, which use a dual rear shock absorber, you will notice that the Boulevard C50 is higher. Conventional forks with ‘beer can’ covers are provided up front. The braking system consists of a front disc gripped by a two-piston floating caliper, and the rear has a drum brake. ABS is not even available as an option.

Suzuki Boulevard C50 chassis specifications and dimensions

Suzuki Boulevard C50 Features

Bare bones by today’s standards

Suzuki

The Boulevard C50 attaches great importance to reliability, and it firmly believes in that saying “The more things there are, the more things can go wrong”. As such, it doesn’t have anything impressive by today’s standards when it comes to features. The instrument cluster is mounted on the tank and is dominated by a large analogue speedometer at the top. We do like the windshield wiper-style fuel gauge. At the very bottom is an LCD screen that provides information such as mileage and gear indicator. A touring-specific variant called the Boulevard C50T is also offered by Suzuki. For an extra $500 it offers a windshield, passenger backrest and saddlebags that make it more touring-friendly. Mechanically, however, it is identical to the standard Boulevard C50.

Suzuki Boulevard C50 Striking features

• Hidden rear monoshock

• Suzuki dual throttle valves

• End shaft drive

• Tank mounted, partly digital instrument panel

Suzuki Boulevard C50 Competition

Both old and new products

Kawasaki

The Boulevard C50 may have the most interesting product mix as its competition. On the one hand, there are traditional cruisers like the Boulevard that have been around just as long. The Shadow ($7,949) is the most popular and was recently updated with a rear disc brake and ABS. It also delivers the best value due to its base price of less than $8,000. Kawasaki’s traditional cruiser is the Vulcan 900, and this is closest to the Boulevard in price and spec, although unlike the Shadow and Boulevard it prefers a belt final drive. There’s also the Yamaha Bolt R-Spec, which uses an air-cooled engine and an old Sportster-like design to great effect.

Harley Davidson

The modern cruisers are an interesting mix: Harley-Davidson offers the Nightster, which is a great option, but it doesn’t compare to the Boulevard. It has a high-revving liquid-cooled engine and a trellis frame, giving it modern manners at the expense of traditional feel and charm. The Honda Rebel 1100 is similar, but opts to use a 270-degree parallel dual powerplant. However, it is also the only cruiser available with an automatic transmission.

The Indian Scout Sixty Bobber sits somewhere between the Harley and the Suzuki by offering a liquid-cooled V-twin engine in a double cradle frame and a five-speed transmission. All three modern machines are equipped with ABS as standard. The Nightster also adds traction control and cruise control. However, the Rebel 1100 has the most extensive functionality: cruise control and a 5-inch TFT color display for slightly less money than the two American cruisers.

Suzuki Boulevard C50 vs Rivals