Anybody have any experience with the S-40?

[burkbuilds]

First let me say, I love my GZ and I've put over 10,000 miles on it this year. I was on it almost every day even through the Winter (which is fairly mild here in North Georgia) only using my truck when the AM temp was below 18 degrees. It has been very reliable, and easy to ride and maintain. Most of my trips were in the 20-40 minute range one way.

I've ridden it back and forth to Atlanta a few times (250 mile round trip for me)and it's not really the bike I want to do that trip with on a regular basis for a couple of reasons. First, if I try to keep up with traffic on 75 it's a losing battle and my gas mileage drops into the high 50's. Second, if I go 55-60 I feel like I'm gonna get run over by all the faster traffic, and it takes "forever". Third, it's just not very comfortable even with my seat modifications, after 4 + hours of riding, I'm beat.

Now it looks like I'm gonna be making that trip every week for the next 3 + years, so I'm thinking about something with a little more top end but I don't really like "big" bikes and I like the cruiser style, it fits me pretty well physically. So I'm wondering what an S-40 would be like, it's got twice the hp of my GZ and still gets over 60 mpg highway according to Suzuki's website. It's pretty similar style and size wise to the GZ but I don't know much about the bike. Anybody have one, once had one, know somebody who has one? If so, what did you think, was it reliable, how does it do on the highway at 75 mph, what type of gas mileage did you actually get on it? How is it's maintenance record, any problems I should know about, any negatives on the bike? Let me know what you know, thanks.

[Easy Rider]

How is it's maintenance record, any problems I should know about, any negatives on the bike? Let me know what you know, thanks.

I don't know much.....except that it is a little taller than the GZ, has a slightly higher center of gravity and I personally don't like the drag bars on the newer models. I believe that the reliability is rock solid, pretty much like the GZ. It would certainly keep up with the traffic better.

My personal, biased recommendation is the Honda Shadow VT600; last year of mfg. 2007.
Only about 100 lbs. more than the GZ, reportedly gets about 55 mpg (but I can't vouch for that yet) and it runs real nice.

Might also consider the Suzuki S50; think there are a couple of other 500-600 small twins but can't remember what they are at the moment, by Kaw and Yamaha, I think.

[primal]

I wouldn't mind having an S40, but honestly, if you're wanting a highway bike, I'd opt for something with two cylinders. The Marauder and Intruder 800s (I can't remember which is the S50 and which is the C50.... or M50?) are really nice bikes.

[roncg41677]

This might help. (http://www.motorcyclesurvey.com/reviews/suzuki/ls_650_savage/) :)

I don't have personal experience, but everything I've seen or heard about the S-40 is that it is not enough of a step up from the GZ for what you want. It's simply not a good highway bike; you'll run into a lot of the same issues, although not quite as much as the GZ, of course. I think you want the next one up (S-50, 800 cc). You'll lose a bit more MPG, but that's the price you pay if you want highway capability. Both are very reliable from reviews/other forums I've seen.

Keith

[Water Warrior 2]

Birkbuilds, I seriously think you will regret a S-40 at least once a week for 3 years. You need something a little more highway friendly with more comfort for your body. The S-40 is a good bike with only one factory wart that I know of after lurking on other forums. A small to mid sized V-twin might be a better choice. Keep us informed of what you look at and we'll pick it apart for you. lol. :biggrin:

[burkbuilds]

Okay, hey thanks, great advice so far. I've checked out some of the web sites you guys recommended and here is what I'm comparing now. Please keep in mind that I'm a college student (admittedly a 45year old one) but still, this means I've got to stretch my dollars both operationally for the bike and purchase price until I can graduate and re-enter the world of full time employment.

I am looking at these bikes: Honda VT 600C Shadow: Suzuki S-50 Boulevard (800cc) and a Kawasaki Vulcan 500LTD : I'm still thinking about the Suzuki S-40 Boulevard too though. Please tell me how you think these bike compare for the use I plan to put them too.

[dannylightning]

that Vulcan is supposed to be fast and a lot of fun, it has the ninja500 engine tuned to be on a cruiser. i like that boulevard s83 that is a 1400 cc if i remember correctly, they got a new one at the dealer here marked down to 7k not sure what they go for used, might be able to get a good deal on one. that bike is made to fly

for a bike good for all kinds of riding i think the Vulcan or the S50 would be a really good choice if you can find a good deal on one. or possibly the shadow

those 600 shadows are super cool bikes if you ask me, drove one and loved it, not sure about top speed but i hear it is about 90mph but a little slow to getting up to 90, a lot of people would recommend something with a little bigger engine.

how much highway driving do you plan on doing if any that may be the question to help decide what bike to get..

i don't want to ride on the highway, if i don't end up halving to sell my gz cus i need the money i think i'm just gonna keep that till it dies and not worry about getting a bigger bike. when it finally dies than ill move up .. at least that is how i see it at the moment. cant beat the gas milage..

[burkbuilds]

I do love the 70 mpg I get on the GZ, and for around town it's my first choice but the comfort level on that ride to Atlanta is not something I want to do every week, it's kinda grueling for me with my back and all. Even at 2000 miles a month use, the difference in the fuel cost for the Vulcan or the Honda VT600 at 50mpg and assuming a gas price of $3 per gallon is only going to cost me $35 more a month than I'd pay for the GZ. Even at $4 a gallon the increase over the GZ would be about $46 per month, and I'd gladly pay that for an improvement in comfort and the ability to keep up with traffic on I-75. Besides that, when I've driven that run on the GZ and tried to keep her as topped out as she'd go, my mileage dropped to around 58mpg, which isn't much different than the Vulcan, and probably less than the S-50 and I was probably only averaging about 65 mph. Any of these bikes will save a lot of fuel compared with my truck at about 20 mpg highway which would cost me another $215 more a month than the GZ (assuming 70 mpg) at $3 per gallon and about $285 more at $4 per gallon.
Yes, I am assuming gas is going back up to at least $3 -$4 a gallon in the next year or less.

[Water Warrior 2]

In your location I would be looking for water cooling for those really hot days on the road. A drive shaft would be less labor intensive overall too. Don't know your finances but try to find a M-50, it is an FI bike. Better seating than the S-50 for longer rides. Good luck searching.

[Easy Rider]

I am looking at these bikes: Honda VT 600C Shadow: Suzuki S-50 Boulevard (800cc) and a Kawasaki Vulcan 500LTD : I'm still thinking about the Suzuki S-40 Boulevard too though. Please tell me how you think these bike compare for the use I plan to put them too.

I think you are in the right ballpark and now you are down to what fits you best and what becomes available that you can afford. Any of them would no doubt do the job.

Are you on a tight time schedule for your Atlanta trips? Guess I should have looked at a map; US 41 north follows 75 pretty closely into Atlanta. I'm assuming it does going south too. Until you start getting really close in, that is a good alternative.......but takes a little longer.

If you can endure 2 straight hours on the GZ seat, then you are to be commended.....for an iron butt !! :shocked: 2 hours was my absolute max. and that was with a gel seat pad. MUCH better if you can stop just for a couple of minutes each hour to stretch.

[burkbuilds]

Easy, I didn't do the entire stretch without stopping, but even stopping once an hour I was still pretty uncomfortable by the end of the trip down. I could take 41 South, but as you noted, it stretches my time out by at least 30%, although it is a much prettier ride than the interstate but time will be an issue, in my head anyway.

Water Warrior, the M-50 does look like the ideal bike for this, but I think it's out of my budget range quite a bit. The S-40 is more in the area of my budget, especially if I could find an 07, or 08 model without many miles on it, but I think you guys are right in saying I would probably regret it if I went that route and had to ride it week in and out to Atlanta.

The more I've read and looked on line today, I think I've got it narrowed down to two bikes. One would be the Honda VT600 like Easy found, love the looks, really nice bike the other would be the Kawasaki Vulcan 500. I really like the looks of the Honda better, but I like the Vulcan's 6 speed transmission for the highway and the 4 gallon tank gives me more options for when want to fill up. I don't like that the Vulcan is a higher compression motor and probably requires higher octane gas though. Several reviews I've read say it's a smoother, less vibration ride than the Honda, and the seat comfort seems to get good reviews on highway trips. I can pick one of those up new for about $5500 at the dealers, or used with low miles in the $3300-$3800 range it looks like.
Those two would be my first choices, if I can't find what I want in those models, my third choice would be the Suzuki S-50. Anything much bigger than those three models is pretty much out of my price range and besides, I don't really like the feel of the bigger bikes, just seems to bulky and awkward to me. Maybe a few more years of riding and I won't feel that way, but I do now.

[dannylightning]

In your location I would be looking for water cooling for those really hot days on the road. A drive shaft would be less labor intensive overall too. Don't know your finances but try to find a M-50, it is an FI bike. Better seating than the S-50 for longer rides. Good luck searching.

M-50 is nice... it was the specil edition i checked out.. not sure if there is any difference in the regular and special edition besides the color.. it felt a lot like the gz to me as far as the way it was balanced it really didnt feel any heaver than when i get on my gz and stand it up even tho it is heavier. some of those big bikes i get on and its a chore to get it off the kick stand.. i cant stand the feel of most of the bigger bikes either but i loved the m50 only big bike i have got on and liked...

if i remember correctly the s50 and the m50 were pretty close in price. how ever the dealer had a lot of their bikes marked down too. dont remember if the m50 was on sale or not..

[Easy Rider]

....... in my head anyway.

I like the Vulcan's 6 speed transmission for the highway and the 4 gallon tank gives me more options for when want to fill up. I don't like that the Vulcan is a higher compression motor and probably requires higher octane gas though.

It is funny how thinking too much can often get you INTO more trouble than out !! :shocked:

Regardless of how many gears you have, I think you end up (in top gear) in pretty much the same place. I didn't think I would like the 4 speed but I really DO. It'll do 60 in third easily....and it's not broken in good yet. I suspect the total HP is similar with the smaller motor having higher compression and maybe a higher red-line. I'd be surprised if the 500 didn't run on regular; certainly mid-grade. I can see situations already where I would like to have an extra gallon in the tank but if it gets 50 mpg, that's about 100+ miles per fillup and that would be around 2 hours.......stop required anyway.

My local dealer has a couple of Vulcan 500's on the floor. On special, I think for a few bucks UNDER $5K. Slightly higher seat than the Shadow, I think.

[primal]

Vulcan 500s will most DEFINITELY run on regular octane gas. I honestly don't know of any bikes, even race replicas, that actually REQUIRE using a high octane fuel. Maybe one of the more exotic bikes like Ducati, but certainly none of the Big 4.

Easy is right about the gears. When an engine has as much torque as a v-twin (even a 600cc one), then its much easier to have fewer but taller gears.

[burkbuilds]

Good points about the gears, hadn't really thought about it, but your right, that 6th gear is not an "overdrive" so the final ratio is probably pretty much the same as Easy's 4 speed, just more shifting to get there. Glad to hear I won't have to run high octane if I get one of these.

Just found a 2007 with 1200 miles pretty close to home at a dealers for $3999 I think I'll look into that this week. How does that price sound to you guys? Would you consider trading in the GZ or do you think I should just sell it outright myself?

I do like the idea of the 4 gallon tank, that means I can leave home, stop at a rest area instead of a gas station, go on to school, leave school and then look for gas. If I have to stop for gas in less than 125 miles, I'll have to fill up somewhere close to Atlanta and my choices, and wait time in line at the pumps might be a headache. Plus, when they had the gas shortages last year, Atlanta was out fast, and my daughter who lives there had a hard time finding gas, and had to wait in line for hours. Didn't have that problem here close to home, so I'd much prefer filling up here before I leave and not having to worry about buying gas in Metro Atlanta.

[dannylightning]

the more gears = more shifting. i think a 4 speed sounds nice

[Easy Rider]

Just found a 2007 with 1200 miles pretty close to home at a dealers for $3999 I think I'll look into that this week. How does that price sound to you guys? Would you consider trading in the GZ or do you think I should just sell it outright myself?


Depends a LOT on your situation. Sounds like you would have to sell the GZ FIRST in your situation and by then, the "new" one might be gone.

Check Kelly and NADA and Edmonds (sp?) for prices. My guess on net price with trade in would be at least $2500; probably a little more.

You should really press for a test ride. If you ride IN on a bike and look like a responsible individual with money, that shouldn't be much of a problem with a used machine.

Good luck!

[burkbuilds]

Thanks Easy, I will press for a test ride before I buy a used bike especially, although I'll admit that I bought my GZ off the internet without ever even sitting on it.
I also noticed the local Kawasaki dealer has an 2008 Vulcan 500 sitting in the window and marked down with a hand written sign indicating they are willing to negotiate the price a little. They had it listed for $5300, but it is a 2008 even if it's never been ridden so I think they'll go lower, and they might even take my GZ as a trade in for part of the down payment. Any thoughts on that?
By the way, thanks for everybody's input, you guys have really helped me sort through a lot of issues and avoid some choices that I think I would have been kicking myself over if you hadn't spoken up!

[Water Warrior 2]

Nothing wrong with a new 2008 sitting in the window. Might be a real bargain if you negotiate well. The Vulcan 500 is a proven bike with a nice 2 cylinder engine that works well.

[Arkygs250]

Burkbuilds,

I have to put my vote in for the vulcan 500. I moved up to this bike from my GZ and can not believe the difference. I found my 98 model Vulcan on Graigslist for $1,200 with 23K miles on it. I was a little skeptical buying it because of the mileage but it ran like a scalded dog and $1,200 is hard to beat. The Vulcan has around 47 hp the GZ has around 20. The Vulcan will run 80 plus MPH on the interstate all day long with power to spare. Top speed is said to be over 100MPH. It is a fast bike for a cruzier. It is said the 500 will beat most of the 750cc class bikes and even a sportster 883. I even did a 1 hour 2up riding trip with my girlfriend on a local highway and the vulcan had no problem keeping up with the 1500cc suzuki we were riding with. The seat pretty comfortable for a stock seat. I get about 52 mpg on 87 octane fuel. The bike is water cooled which is a bonus. It is a chain drive but so what. I had to replace the chain when I bought the bike. Cost about $100. Now it is ready for another 23K miles. I don't think you would like the 4 speed transmission on smaller bikes. Not enough power between the gears. The Vulcan' s 6 speed transmission and power of the parallel twin engine is the perfect combination for this bike. Read the reviews on this bike. It is hard to find and negative comments. Good luck!

[dannylightning]

Thanks Easy, I will press for a test ride before I buy a used bike especially, although I'll admit that I bought my GZ off the internet without ever even sitting on it.
I also noticed the local Kawasaki dealer has an 2008 Vulcan 500 sitting in the window and marked down with a hand written sign indicating they are willing to negotiate the price a little. They had it listed for $5300, but it is a 2008 even if it's never been ridden so I think they'll go lower, and they might even take my GZ as a trade in for part of the down payment. Any thoughts on that?
By the way, thanks for everybody's input, you guys have really helped me sort through a lot of issues and avoid some choices that I think I would have been kicking myself over if you hadn't spoken up!

well here is the deal about a trade, not sure about motorcycle shops but car dealers try to rip you off on trade in's but it cant hurt to try. i read some reviews on yahoo about one of the local motorcycle dealers here and one review said this one dealer will even buy bikes out right and pay a pretty good penny for them. so it cant hurt to take the bike down there and ask. you can always negotiate about the trade in price too. once i traded in a truck and they wanted to give me 500 for it, i told them 1500 was the least i would take and wouldn't buy the new 10k dolor truck unless they gave me at least 1500 and they did. it was old and ready to fall apart and had a big dent in the door. so i was happy with the 1500 trade in.

i would stick the bike up on craigs list ans see how that goes and if you still have it when your ready for the new bike see what the dealer offers. remember first get the trade in price locked in and than negotiate on the new bike price...

[burkbuilds]

Arkygs250, thanks for your input about your experience with this bike! I think I'm pretty settled on trying to find one now, I've put in some quote requests to a couple of dealers, (nobody's open around here on Mondays)and I'm hoping to hear from them tomorrow. One dealer near Birmingham still has an 07 that's never been sold! I checked Blue book values on my 05 GZ and it's right around $1500 for trade in value. If they'll give me that, I'll probably take it just to save the hassel of selling it myself. I only paid $2100 when I bought mine, and I've put 10K miles on it, so $1500 would be okay for a trade in value. I also checked with my insurance agent on the cost difference to insure an 07, 08 and 09. The 07 with full coverage would run me $270 a year, the 08 $300 but the 09 would run $413!! Yikes!!
I cleaned up my bike this afternoon when I got home, waxed it and polished the chrome so it is ready to go if somebody wants to make a deal with me on a new Vulcan 500! I'll let you know what happens!

[Easy Rider]

They had it listed for $5300, but it is a 2008 even if it's never been ridden so I think they'll go lower, and they might even take my GZ as a trade in for part of the down payment. Any thoughts on that?


I'm pretty sure my dealer has a special on '09 Vulcan 500's for $4995 so you should be able to get it for that at least.
So......$5000 minus a 1500 trade in is $3500. I think if you could negotiate $3500 OUT THE DOOR, it would be a good deal.

Good luck. If you can't find a Honda Shadow, I guess a Vulcan would be a good second choice!!
:shocked: :roll: :biggrin:

[burkbuilds]

So I ended up buying an 09 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD last night. Traded the GZ in on it and drove it home around 7 pm. Posted pictures and info under "Sold my GZ, bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD" if you'd like to see the pics.

Thanks again for everybody's advice, it was very helpful!