S50 reviews / chat

[mrlmd1]

From the Suzuki site -
M50 = 584lbs. Not exactly light. Fuel injected 805cc twin
S50 = 478 lbs. 106 lbs. lighter. Carbureted 805cc twin

[patrick_777]

Weight has very little to do with how the bike "feels". My neighbor's R1 "feels" about 100lbs lighter than my Ninja 250, but it actually weighs over 150lbs more.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by patrick_777

Weight has very little to do with how the bike "feels". My neighbor's R1 "feels" about 100lbs lighter than my Ninja 250, but it actually weighs over 150lbs more.

I think your "feeler" is damaged !!! :shocked: :crackup

Once it's moving, maybe.
Just standing still.......doubtful.

[patrick_777]

Have you sat on one? I'm dead serious. The balance of the bike with the engine placement is nearly perfect. Picking it up off the side stand, I almost dumped it over the other side the first time because I was used to the weight of taking my 250r off its stand. Balance and center of gravity has more to do with how heavy the bike feels than gross weight.

Please don't call me a liar.

[Sarris]

You are correct. IMO, that's why the S50 feels lighter than the M50. I think the M feels wide and heavy.

Just my 2 cents worth.

:plus1:

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by patrick_777

Please don't call me a liar.

Sorry. Was NOT meant that way at all.
You said "feels"; that is a perception.
Perceptions can be different with neither being "wrong".

Another bad joke gone awry.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Sarris

IMO, that's why the S50 feels lighter than the M50. I think the M feels wide and heavy.

Maybe the fact that the "S" really IS a little over 100 LBS lighter might have some bearing on it ??? :shocked: :biggrin:

[dannylightning]

to me, the M50 feels much lighter than the C50 and the S50, its all about the way the weight is distributed, if a bike is top heavy it is gong to feel way heavier than it actually is. there were some Yamaha's i set on that weighed less than my bike and were smaller than the m50 but they were top heavy, and it took a lot of effort just to get it off the kick stand. the m50 is probably the best feeling bike i have ever set on. after settiing on all those bikes at the dealer, pretty much every bike suzuki and yamaha made and than going back to set on the m50 again i was like yeah this is the best bike here. and the m50 was the first big bike i had ever set on and thought wow this bike feels great.

i hated every Yamaha i set on except for the 650. that one felt pretty good. those little bikes move along pretty well for a 650, i know a couple people that have one.

[alanmcorcoran]

The Strat has a low COG and doesn't feel that heavy, until it gets past about 20-25 degrees. I wouldn't say it comes off the kickstand as easily as the Geezer, but it's no big deal.

I think once you get used to the heavier weight, you really don't notice it much. (Unless, of course, you have to pick it up.)

One thing you should be aware of when you go up to a bigger bike - if it doesn't have reverse, don't park it heading in and facing downhill. There's a sort of brake/shove, release brake technique you can use to back up a heavy bike, but it requires a lot of muscle (and weight!) (and height!) itself. I always try to make sure I park the Strat so I can get out moving forward or it will roll easy backward. If you aren't tall or particularly buff, it's tough to back a 850 pound bike uphill.

[mrlmd1]

As an aside to AC's comments, try not to park a bike facing downhill. It can roll forward and collapse the kickstand rearward and fall over. even if you leave it in gear. You may try and prevent that by setting the right hand front brake lever with a piece of velcro or a tie, but it's easier to face the bike uphill if you can. Or you could bring along a wheel chock to prevent it from rolling, put it under the rear tire maybe.
All of this perceived weight of these bikes may be in the mind of the observer, but when push comes to shove, ie. backing the bike up, keeping it from falling over, picking it up, it's the absolute weight that counts, not the perceived weight. I don't think anyone would doubt it's easier to pick up the GZ compared to the Strat, regardless of how it "feels" when you sit on it. The same goes for the S50, M50, C50, or anything else you want to mention.