'08 Boulevard 400? What the heck?

[kelli kannibal]

I'll have to see written verification of that. With paw print verification.

[Camillus Fly]

....he could scan and post it...but can you read Pug?

[HAHA! randomness]

No, but I think my Dalmations can...

[jrg]

The 400 would be similar in performance to a V-Star 650.

[doug l]

I believe you'd run circles around the 400 with the V-star 650. The V-star is only 2% heavier, but makes 37% more torque. It also makes peak torque at only 3000 RPM, while the 400 needs to rev to 6000 RPM for peak torque.

But this is typical of the small-displacement versions of the Suzuki cruisers. In countries where they use graduated motorcycle licenses, the whole point is to prevent newer riders from getting on fast, powerful machines. In Japan, for example, you have to first get a license that only allows you to drive a 124cc or smaller bike. After taking another round of school, taking the test again, and paying a big fee, you are allowed to upgrade to a 399cc or smaller license. After yet another round of lessons, taking yet another test, and paying yet another large fee, you can upgrade to a license that lets you drive a bike over 400ccs. The fee for the large cc license is about $900, and from what I hear the pass rate for the skills portion of the 400CC+ license test is about 10%. So most folks just get the small or mid license.
Even the large CC bikes in Japan suffer: a 750cc bike can not have more than about 75HP (about 60% of what a US market 750 sport bike has), and a 1000+cc bike can only have about 90 HP.
All this explains why there are models, like the Boulevard 400, that never see this side of the Pacific, while there are "made in Japan" models sold here that the Japanese themselves can never buy.

[AliceMischief]

wow,can u say trade up next year?as soon as u got used to that youd be lookin for bigger and better...m50?

[Future Mrs. W]

I actually saw (here at Fort Riley, KS) a couple of weeks ago a bike that had C25 on the side panel. I guess it sort of looked like a Boulevard. Was staring at the must larger cooler looking bike next to it so I didn't get that great of a look. I wonder if that is another 400 styled bike. If I see it around here again I will take a picture. Pretty sure the dude on the bike will be like what the hell, but oh well...

[Kousik]

A C25? Interesting. Being Fort Riley, that would make sense.

[x Fall_Out_Boy x]

In the translation of the Japanese page at the very bottom is the phrase "proposal".

I wonder if it isn't a mock up that is being pitched to Suzuki.