The story:
I have a 2012 C50-T fully loaded and love it. It was my 2nd bike but now that I have sold the Goldwing the BLVD is my primary bike and I don't plan on getting another 2nd bike.
I ride A LOT.....to the tune of almost 20 to 25 K miles a year because I am retired and ride every day that it's not raining.
I have found a great deal on a plain 2009 C-50. What I am really interested in are the tubeless wheels but also the availability of parts for down the road as the 2009 has only 4,500 miles on it.
So, the big question:
Are the parts on those two bikes fully interchangeable?
If yes, does that sound like a smart investment for $3,000 since I plan on riding the 2012 till the wheels fall off?
Most of the parts are interchangeable. Suzuki hasn't bothered to update the VL800 in more than 20 years. The wheels will be a direct swap. The cylinder head on the 12 is dual spark while the cylinder head on the 09 is single spark. This was done more for emissions reasons than anything else. The seat design is different and the rear lamp is LED. Other than that, it is fundamentally the same bike as the first Intruder.
Keep an eye on your oil, especially with the miles you put on every year. These engines are known to start using oil with no warning and if you're not vigilant, you can run the oil low and cause it to fail. Oil brand, composition and weight don't matter as it has historically happened across all user groups.
Skrapiron, Thanks for the feedback. Very valuable information. I am a planner but on the other hand, I could just listen to my wife who says:" I don't know why you worry. Just ride it till it dies then buy another bike."
Good to listen to a wise woman! Why bother to garage a bike for several years and it deteriorate from sitting? If you create a different ride from the second bike (bobber/ cafe) and switch off riding them, then you are splitting mileage on the both of them. Having had 2- C50's and having timing chains fail prematurely on the 05 I'm not a big fan of these engines. The piston fit on them is a bit on the loose side and I didn't care for the rattle they have from piston slap. Piston slap unless severe is just annoying and not a big deal.
Very good point.....I think I'll forgo that idea and just ride the heck out of the one I have.
I read in past posts about Skrapiron's misfortune with his C50 and it seems to be somewhat of a lottery. I'm just hoping I got a good one.
Last October I bought my '08 C50, 13k miles on it. I have a friend who's a retired motorcycle mechanic, and a couple of weeks after the purchase he came over and we spent most of a Saturday going through everything on the bike. Once we were all done, he turned to me and said, "Keep the tires pumped up and the gas tank filled, keep the battery charged, check the oil level every day and change it and the filter frequently, and ride the heck out of it. If something breaks, call me. But I warn you -- I'll probably be dead before then!"
Yep that is Japanese engineering for you . Just a few words of advice
1. If using semi synth change oil every 2500 miles or annual whichever is first
2. If using fully synth change oil every 3500-4000 or annual
3. Change oil filter with every oil change (Why not costs like $4)
4. Do valve clearances every 8000 miles or so, but generally if you can hear them clicking away you're good.
5. Be sure to clean and seal the wheels every now and then. The C50 is generally rust proof but the wheels are a weak spot. A light spray of ACF50 keeps them spotless. Also remove the headlight glass and spray and/or rust treat the bowl, they tend to get some surface rust.
6. Fit a screen, lowers and highway pegs for long distance touring. These bikes are excellent for long rides at 70+ with this set up. Just remember earplugs
7. Enjoy
We all have opinions, take a little from everyone and decide for yourself. I side with Skrapiron that some of the C50's were not the best and my bike had a good semi synthetic oil and the timing chains failed. Oil quality or frequency of changes was not a factor in my timing chains failure. They should last the life of the bike, certainly 50,000 miles with normal service and dino oil.
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