New bike

A

afwueil

New member
I'm staring to look around for a bike and have it pretty much narrowed down between the C50 and the S50. I haven't rode in a long time and that was just a few times on my cousin's 600 street bike,but i've rode dirt bikes most of my life. I personally like both of these bikes about as much as the other.Any thoughts about the difference between the 2 (likes and dislikes). Thanks!
 
They are basically the same bike, just that the C series are a "classic" and the S is the "Sport". I got a C50T, and it is very nice.
 
The S is a lot lighter (100lbs) and has a shorter wheelbase (~4") than the C. It is also a lot narrower. This all adds up to a forgiving lightweight bike, great for those with little experience.
The C is Fuel Injected which is nice to not have the cold starts - the S50 is very cold blooded and almost always needs choke to start.

The 805cc engine in the S is more powerful than the C's 805cc, so great for the twisties and will keep you interested for a while hopefully. The S50 is a bit of a sleeper - it is the fastest V Twin in it's class and can hold it's own with many 1100-1600 cc vtwins.
I absolutely love my S50 - at this stage in my riding experience, I can honestly say that there is no other bike I would rather own right now.
Give me another 20,000 miles and I may be ready to progress to something bigger and faster - like the M109R or HD V Rod.
On the downside, it is not good for two up riding, the stock seat is horrible and the tank is only good for about 150 miles.

Lots of aftermarket accessories available for both bikes so either way you really can't go wrong. It pretty much depends on your style of riding and what you prefer the look of. Some people don't like the drag style bars on the S50 and prefer a wider bar like that on the C50.
 
Have you looked into the M50 at all. When i was looking to purchase a bike i had my mind set on the Suzuki "50" series, and researched all three. The C is too much of a classic look for me, floorboards and all. The S seemed a little too bare bones for me, so i decided on the M.

I liked the lines of the M better, and it has plenty of get up and go to keep me happy. I'm a bigger guy (6', 240lbs) and i have no complaints about the comfort, or the power.

For being new to riding on the roads, i would highly suggest an MSF course in your area. The skills you learn are invaluable. You also can get a break on insurance and gear (depending on the sponsors in your area)

Theres my 2 pennies =]
 
+1 to what orbrit said. Upgrade seat and shocks and you will be happy with the S for a long time. I just did almost 3000 miles on mine (lake michigan to Mamoth cave to smokey's). The gas mileage was great (got up to 60mpg a few times) and the passing power on the interstate is very good. I'll be adding highway pegs in the future, but honestly I'll keep this bike until my riding days are over or get the same thing when I wear this one out. The intruder is a good buy for value, economy and grins. I paid $5800 for mine new and with my upgrades (including saddle bags and shield) have $7100 in it. Hard to beat that price for what I got.
 
Take the MSF class if at all possible. Riding dirt bikes will give you very valuable experience and you'll be ahead of the curve on riding, but there is a lot of good information on street survival tactics and street riding that will help keep you safe.

As for the bikes, the S50 is a geared lower, so it is a real mover off the line. It is a bit older technology, but it is bullet proof reliable. The C50 has a bit more relaxed position and would probably be more comfortable on long days, but you sacrifice a little performance on the twisties. I would say it all depends on your personal riding style and what type of rides you think you will enjoy. I also researched all three Suzuki 50's and decided on the M. They are all good rides, get the one that feels right for you.

ride safe.
 
Thanks for all the input.As for the M50 it's a nice looking bike,but I really don't like the looks of the rear fender. The S50 looks good with the sissy bar and no windshield ,but the comfort of the C50 is really nice. As for the MSF course i'm going to call and check on it today. Thanks guys!
 
I went and sat on the S50 today. I liked everything except the handlebars. For me my hands seem a little to close together. Also my brother told me a friend of his has a bike for sale and I told him to find what it was and how much and let me know. He called me back and said it is a '86 Yamaha Maxim X 750 and the guy wanted 1800 for it,but would let me have it for 1400. I think i'll go check it out his weekend. Any thoughts on that bike. I've only found a few pictures of that bike on the internet.
 
Any 20+ year old bike is going to have some issues - do you want to ride, or do you want to spend time fixing up the bike?
I just sold my first bike which was a 1986 Honda Rebel 450. It ran pretty well but vibrated a lot.
 
:welcomes:

I really like the S50 quite a lot but IMHO, as far as specs go C50 is superior. That was important in my decision making. Also my wife liked the classic look of C50. So I bought a C50:bluethum:
 
They are different bikes in terms of look, style, rider position and performance.
For two up riding, or longer rides the C50 really is a better choice than the S50. Longer and heavier=smoother.
For riding fast in the twisties, the S50 will be superior. More power and less weight = :D

Granted most of us will never use the bike to it's full potential, so it all comes down to which bike fits you better, and which one gives you more wood when you look at it :)
 
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