[dragula07]

Hello All,
I'm shopping for a new bike after selling my Yamaha Vstar 650 last year. I just went and looked at a blue M50 and the bike looks great! It was surprisingly comfortable to sit on. I was expecting the straighter bars to be a little uncomfortable but that doesn't seem to be the case. I had my mind set on a Honda Shadow Spirit 1100 until I saw this bike. I'm a little concerned about the 800cc engine though.
I have a few questions for anyone who can help;

Is the 800cc going to be adequate enough for a 235lb man such as myself? Hardly any two up riding and I doubt that I'll ever get on the Interstate. I live on a small mountain and will be riding around here locally 99% of the time.

I read that the M50 is supposed to be a "performance" bike in comparison to the C models. Are there any added power features on the M models that aren't on the C models?

I can get an '05 blue M50 for $6900.00 out the door price (inc. tax, freight, etc.). Does this seem like a decent price? It may not matter because there only seems to be one blue M50 anywhere near me and I really want the blue one.

Thanks for any help!
Drag

 

[jaw5279]

Drag,

I can't speak to the price, but my M50 has plenty of get and go for me and I am closer to the 300 lb mark than the 200 (too much fast food), I don't think that you'll have any issues there

 

[roysclockgun]

Drag,
I ride the S50 and see no problems, in terms of power and I weigh 210lbs. I ride two up a fair amount of the time and do not notice any appreciative power drop.
Can't be too much difference in the M50. I does weigh 99lbs. more then my S50, but with a 50cu.in. engine, that should not create any great loss of power. The price sounds good. I paid FL. 6% sales tax and was very near to your quote when I bought my bike in Feb.
That said, if you have any doubts about the power that the M50 will deliver, go with the M95. I realize that the price difference could be a stretch for some folks, but that is all the more reason to get the bike you want. If you factor the price difference over the years that you intend to have that new bike, the difference shrinks quite a bit. Get what you want and need the first time out. Unloading a bike with which you are displeased is very painful to the pocketbook. If you believe that a more powerful bike will make you happier, get it! Life is short!
Steve in Md.

 

[Pinhy]

ive had my M50 since the day it hit the dealers and have never regretted my decision. Ive put 2350 miles on it is less than 8 weeks (99% back highways and curved roads) and have no issues with comfort, handling, acceleration, speed....

dont be concerned with 800cc...this fuel injected bad boy can down right get on it. also, if the C50 (exact same engine) can be heavier and be intended for 2up riding, you wont have a single issue with being 235.

if you were near tampa i would let you take mine for a ride just to prove it to you. this bike is awesome as anyone will tell you. i get people at stop lights asking me what kind of bike it is and telling me it looks awesome. i have other bikers drooling on it.

M50 is better looking than the spirit too...that thing is spindly lookin...the M50 has a tough muscle look that really has attitude on the road. im not a fan of the "blurple" color they put on it, my black is stealthy lookin for sure...but what you like is what is important.

enjoy!

.

 

[henry]

mr. drag.....ula
good question...i dont have m50 bike..but 800 cc: plennnnntyy of power..one of my best friend ..he's a general manager for tucson motorsport..he let me use one for at least an hour..that bike is very comfortable....////( sorry i'm not a sales man )..my zzr 600 for me it's a lot of power.........good luck.......remember if you reach or touch your back while you're riding..that means you are going too fast.....once again good luck.....henry/fmr: motocrosser..../tucson arizona.. thank's

 

[vzDean800]

Hi Dragula, Last year while I was in the hunt for a slighly used 1100 spirit, I "discovered" the Marauder on the show room floor at the my local dealer, I loved the look of it and the price was sure right, next thing you know I am the proud owner of a new 2004 vz800, A buddy of mine has a 1100 spirit, and off the line my marauder is quicker (which he isnt too happy about). I for one prefer the dark blue of the M50 over the lighter blue on my marauder, and every time I start it and have to let it warm up I wish I had the fuel injection that the "M" has, but still all and all I really love my Marauder, I dont think you would regret getting the M, IMHO
Dean

 

[c50tiger]

+1 on Pinhy. Get the M. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

 

[dragula07]

Thanks for all of the replies!

I called them earlier tonight and told them that I wanted the bike so they started the paperwork. They called me back to ask me something and then I never heard anything else. :roll: Guess I'll hear from them tomorrow.

When I first looked at these on the internet, I wanted the black one until I saw the blue one in person.It's a beautiful dark blue. Of course, I'll never find a helmet to match.

This bike will probably become my wife's within the next year or so and I'm going to buy me a larger one later.......probably a Harley (sorry for using that language on this forum). Now that I think about it, that's probably reason enough to get the 800 because she hasn't been riding very long.

Well, thanks again for the input and I'll let you know how my first ride goes. :smile:

 

[Texas Jay]

FWIW, I ride the 805cc engine and I'm 6'2" 240 pounds. It has plenty of torque for me. I've never wished for more power going from 0-60.

The only drawback to the bike that I've found is that it really could use a 6th gear. Cruising at 65-70 would be nicer with some lower rpm's. But that's a very minor concern. I love the bike and the engine.

It's a bit ironic ... the M50 is the "muscle" or "hot rod" bike, but the S50 is actually just slightly quicker.

 

[Trapper]

I'm going to buy me a larger one later.......probably a Harley (sorry for using that language on this forum).

The M50 will change your mind. :mrgreen:

 

[Pinhy]

The M50 will change your mind. :mrgreen:

yes, it will!

It's a bit ironic ... the M50 is the "muscle" or "hot rod" bike, but the S50 is actually just slightly quicker.

cause it weighs about 100 pounds less

 

[Texas Jay]

yes, it will!


cause it weighs about 100 pounds less

That is correct. But I think it's only a fraction of a second different in the quarter mile.

 

[Ext1jdh]

No offense to anyone who own's a Harley, but what the hell is wrong with you? why would you pay an extra ten thousand bucks for what you can get on one of our babies just as nice.

The M50 has plenty of torque and bark without being annoying. Plus, it just plain looks better than a Harley.

Anyway, every time I've been to any harley shop, its been full of the over 50 crowd. Not that there's anything wrong with that

 

[roysclockgun]

Ext1jdh did write: "Anyway, every time I've been to any harley shop, its been full of the over 50 crowd. Not that there's anything wrong with that "

The price tag precludes most tini-boppers from even looking at Harleys. That said, the reason to stay away from Harleys is not because of the aging image, but because most riders do not like the idea of leaving behind, on the highway, a trail of various and sundry Harley parts!
Seriously, Harley has never caught up to the Japanese, in terms of better built, trouble free motorcycles that are designed for riding, not parking at overcrowded biker rallies. (Bike Week Daytona was more crowded then ever! Main St. lined with HOGS, not all of which were Harleys.)
Steve in Md.

 

[Pinhy]

bike week was awesome and you are right, it was probably 50% harleys and 50% all the other bikes combined (crusiers, sport, custom..etc)

.

 

[stp1971]

Harleys are just like Corvettes,, the image and price keep both vehicles in the wish lists for many. I have had a vette,, I have also had numerous repair bills,, the cost of ownership for both Corvettes and Harleys is so high as Roy stated that the only ones who can afford them are the older crowd. Not to mention insurance.

Now that being said,, you can still step into a Harley sportster or even a base V-Rod,, but why? When for the dollar value you can get SO MUCH MORE of a bike with a Metric.

The argument of Harley's holding their value doesn't hold water anymore either. Everyone who is trying to sell one is asking that high almost new price,, but look closely at just how many are actually selling. The days of Harleys being a commodity and one having to wait to get one are over,, they are producing more and thus the market is flooded with them.

One who pays 25K for a new Harley and a year or two trys to sell it may only get 17K to 18K for it. That is a 7K to 8K loss. Where you go and buy a new Suzuki and pay under 10K and a year or two try to sell it and may only get 6K to 7K,, well I would rather lose 3k to 4K and have lower payments, dependability, and just as good looks than to have a higher priced image.

 

[inspiron]

But that Harley Street-Rod is a nice looking ride ... !

(Not that I would ever trade in my GSX 1400 for one :shm: )

 

[stp1971]

Yeah,,, I rode one at "Bike Week" in Daytona,,, those Harley dealers sure are trusting,, letting someone ride one without a license and all the people there. I almost,, and I say that literally,, almost went and bought a V-rod,, but the C-50T spoke to me more because of the price difference,, and when I went to buy the C-50T,, well the good deal on the 1500LC didn't speak to me,, it flat out yelled at me,, so you can see what my first bike is. (Street bike that is)

 

[roysclockgun]

On ebay, today, there are 1306 Harleys listed for sale. There are 470 Suzukis listed for sale. This is positive proof that anyone can own a Harley, but only the discriminating buyer owns a Suzuki.
With 1266 Hondas listed, they are not too attractive, as they, like the Harley, are too common.
The only other maker that I considered, before buying the two Suzukis that currently own, was Kawasaki. They have some very good machines.
Steve in Md.

 

[s40rider]

I have a comment. I have a Suzuki S40(new version of the savage) and I just picked it up last Sunday. I have been riding all types of bikes for over 20 years and keep wondering why nobody in these forums gives this bike any respect? This bike weighs only 50 pounds more then my dad's 1985 250 Rebel and it is a single cylinder big bore. The only bike that I think can beat me to 60 is a crotch rocket but other then that I have already outrun two harley roadsters 1300cc and many other bigger bikes. Granted the s40 is not a cross country bike but I can cruise at 75 with plenty of throttle left to pass and can do it with a passenger. Also this bike gets over 60mpg. Best of all it was 5k out the door with an msrp of 4399. I thought about some of the big cruisers but unless you plan on riding hundreds of miles on extreme freeways with 70-75 mph speed limits then they are too much bike for the money. They weigh too much and are not very easy to maneuver. They get bad mileage. The only thing that they have that I don't for thousands less is better comfort and the power at highway speeds. How many riders out of 10 would you say ride their bikes on freeways for extreme distances on a weekly or even bi-weekly basis. I would say maybe 1-2. Why not save the money and by a smaller safer bike that can beat everyone else around town if you never ride the freeways but once in awhile. I don't want to sound mean everyone has their idea of the ideal bike and sometimes the size of and height of the rider play a key role but I don't get it.