Once and for all, Truth about Timing Chain Failure
There has been a lot of talk about timing chain failure on the C 50 Boulevard engine. I find it hard to believe Suzuki built a motor and continues to build the same motor with a timing chain weakness considering todays advances in motor technology. Any well designed motor should be able to go 100,000 miles with proper maintenance today. So here is the question. has anyone ridden their C 50 motorcycle 100,000 and did you have to replace the timing chains and tensioners. And if you did have the Timing chain problem, how many miles were on your motorcycle. Please include the year so we can look for problem years.
Thank you for participating.
I just bought a 2007 C 50 Boulevard with 13,000 miles on the clock and want to know whether I can plan on riding it another 87,000 miles without a timing chain failure or whether I should sell it at 25,000 for something better designed. Thanks and hopefully we can get to the bottom of this timing chain issue
Thank you for participating.
I just bought a 2007 C 50 Boulevard with 13,000 miles on the clock and want to know whether I can plan on riding it another 87,000 miles without a timing chain failure or whether I should sell it at 25,000 for something better designed. Thanks and hopefully we can get to the bottom of this timing chain issue
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[ QUOTE=rvcycleguy]
There are some VR members here who will slam the bike for its components and they have put down their C50 sometime ago. Take the opinion and advice from current owners and riders, not necessarily former owners.[/QUOTE]
Now that is harsh. Some of us would still have out C50 if the engine hadn't crapped out prematurely..
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There are some VR members here who will slam the bike for its components and they have put down their C50 sometime ago. Take the opinion and advice from current owners and riders, not necessarily former owners.[/QUOTE]
Now that is harsh. Some of us would still have out C50 if the engine hadn't crapped out prematurely..
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That is my assessment as well. A lot of reliability issues with those years bikes. I've only seen a couple of 07 and later suffer the same failures.
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There is no rhyme or reason as to why some bikes are dead-on reliable and others expire prematurely. I used to be in the 'it has to be a maintenance/riding style' camp. I treated my C50 like a baby. Did every maintenance item to the letter and used only top-shelf products. It didn't matter as it started burning oil and eventually self-destructed in just 4 short years. Others have nearly twice the miles I got and have never even cracked the engine to inspect their valves. It makes no sense..... So I can't tell you how your bike is going to fare long term. It all depends on what mood fate is in at the moment....
It was a 2005. It had 38,000 miles on it. The engine started using some oil ~ 20k miles. It was never a lot and I just kept it topped off. Then out of the blue, it consumed more than a quart in 500 miles. It was so bad, it was belching blue smoke out of my exhaust when I got on the throttle. I only used synthetic oil, changed at 3500 mile intervals, a new filter every other change. I even went as far as to clean out the oil sump, screen and filter every other oil change. Adjusted the valves to the middle of spec every 7500 miles. Ran a DJ drive to reduce my engine rpm and had a fuel processor installed to keep everything happy. I could not have done more to take care of the bike than what I did. I was religious about the oil and checked it EVERY time I went for a ride. It was really disappointing, because I was absolutely convinced that the cause for the early engine failure was a lack of maintenance. I was wrong.
Wow. where did this thread come from???
I don't think half of the people who were on the original discussion are here anymore...
I still miss my C50...
I don't think half of the people who were on the original discussion are here anymore...
I still miss my C50...
No. The tensioner is a ratcheting mechanism that is controlled by a spring. The service limit for chain stretch is very small and it cannot be reset. Unless you plan to do the work yourself or are getting the bike for free, pass on the project. The parts and labor will cost more than the bike is worth.
The return of the Zombie thread. It just won't die.
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