2014 Suzuki Boulevard S40 from United States of America

Summary:

Just a reliable, fun bike with a surprising amount of muscle

Faults:

Really nothing has gone wrong. I've not had to do any repairs as such. Just maintenance and upgrades.

General Comments:

People keep calling it a starter bike. When I had my first 650 in 1972, that was considered a pretty decent sized bike. Unless you plan on doing real highway riding (it's just too light when those trucks buzz by you), the bike will do pretty much anything you like. I live in a small town in Kentucky and have LOTS of nice rolling country roads. Most of my riding is 50-65 on them, and the bike will do that all day effortlessly.

It is a very fun bike to ride, easy to sling around.

Pros:

Easy to maintain if you have some basic wrenching skills. Even if you pay for it, valve adjustments are way cheaper than the shim/bucket method that most bikes now use. It's air cooled with a single carb.

Oil changes are a breeze.

Negatives:

Cam chain adjuster is bad design that could easily be fixed, but Suzuki won't do it. If you get the bike, plan on getting the Verslavy mod and preventing an expensive failure down the road.

Petcock is problem prone but very easy and cheap to replace with a Yamaha Raptor 660.

Seat is hard on your butt. Plan on getting some sort of accessory like an AirHawk or gel or something in that line. Makes a big difference for long rides.

Stock tires are mediocre; research and get better tires when they wear out.

(pro & con) - While the bike comes from the factory WAY too lean, it is easy to rejet the carb which makes a significant difference in the bike's performance. Along with that I recommend ditching the stock exhaust. It is very quiet, but far too restrictive. With a rejetted carb and a Jardine slip on, mine runs much better and has noticeably better pickup. 0-65 is nice. I have no trouble keeping up with my Harley riding buddies.

Suggestions if you buy this bike: Because it is virtually unchanged for decades there is a large pool of owners out there with a lot of experience on them. Suzukisavage.com is the best resource for knowledge & support I have ever seen for a bike. It has made ownership of this bike so much easier and nicer.

I have seriously looked at a number of other bikes and I can't bring myself to give up my S40.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 26th July, 2018

2014 Suzuki Boulevard S40 from Canada

Summary:

I like it lot. I would recommend this bike for new/old riders alike

Faults:

So far, I've had only one issue, squeaky drive belt. Repair was $280.00 Cdn.; seemed high to me.

General Comments:

I really like my S40. I am 5'8", 31 inch leg. This bike hauls my 205 lb. carcass around no problem. I find the size and weight very manageable. The reliability and low maintenance are also appealing.

The initial purchase price was manageable for me, it was previous year stock, so I shaved $800 off, I bought it for $6,200 cdn. all tax included.

So far I'm on the factory supplied battery.

I add Seafoam to the full tank for winter storage; last spring it fired up quickly.

I just got new Michelin Commander 2 tires for it; I can't wait to see how it rolls with those on it. The reviews for those tires are very favorable.

The seat is broken in, not as hard as it was when new. I really like the styling of this bike. It corners and leans very nicely. I also like the quiet exhaust tone. I enjoy the occasional backfire, it adds to the character.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 21st January, 2018

2014 Suzuki Boulevard S40 from Canada

Summary:

Great city and back road bike that can still take on the highway

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Pros:

Very light bike.

Decent gas mileage, averaged 47.5 MPG on a recent highway trip and have got as high as 61 MPG (U.S. gallons).

Probably the easiest bike to ride I have ridden, and I have owned 14 motorcycles.

Very easy to service.

Cons:

No trip meter.

Speedo on the gas tank.

Rear suspension could use another inch or two of travel.

Overall a good bike. The idle mixture is too lean from the factory, but easily fixed. Re-jetting the carb makes the bike accelerate better and run a bit smoother. The bike looks sharp with its huge single cylinder. It will hit 80 mph fairly soon, but you are approaching its limit. Consistent speeds of 70 mph are no problem. At 55-60 the motor feels as though it is at a fast idle, just putting along, but crack the throttle and you are up to 75 with no effort.

Plenty of low RPM torque due to the long stroke. You don't have to shift up and down much in traffic. It corners very well for a bike that is "cruiser" styled.

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd May, 2015

21st Jun 2015, 18:07

I have owned my 2005 Suzuki S40 (with low miles) for a few months now. I have also owned several motorcycles (some larger and smaller). I couldn't agree more with this review. It performs much better than you might expect considering some lukewarm reviews on the net. It's powerful for most driving, and with a pipe change, it sounds amazing (think 60s BSAs and other Brit singles). It has decent ground clearance and with its somewhat short wheel base, it handles very good. Alas, if you happen to be a male rider, please change those baby bars and put some bobber style bars on that thing! I love this bike!

28th Apr 2016, 05:19

The little S40 really reminds me of the British singles as well. There is a definite "wow" factor with the big jug sitting out there for the world to see. I think Harley would do well to dust off their old blue prints of the Knuckle Head and make a single using one of those jugs with a bit more bore.

8th Sep 2017, 02:08

I thought of something like that - more like the old sport single application with long-term quality.