The biggest letdown with metric cruisers is their struggle to recreate the old-school charm and the rumbling V-Twin's aura synonymous with heritage-rich American motorcycles. Chrome overload, sheer road presence, and head-turning drama are elements--these are things American cruisers have always aced. And metric cruisers have traditionally failed to match. Once place where metric cruisers don't lack, however, is performance.
That clearly shows if you look at the lower end of the market, mainly under $20,000. You'll barely find any "powerful" American-made bikes in that space with major compromises. Just look at the Harley-Davidson Sportster S, for example. It neither has the large dimensions or old-school charm of OG Harleys nor does it boast a seriously large engine with oodles of torque and horsepower.
On the flipside, there are many mighty metric cruisers under $20,000 promising better packages. In terms of sheer performance, there's a Japanese cruiser that makes well over 100 horsepower and has a lot of chrome. It also scores high on "old-school" charm and promises a simple yet exciting ride experience. This handsome cruiser is from Suzuki and is a fine example of times when Japan made better cruiser bikes than America.
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9 Suzuki Boulevard M109R Is The Most Powerful Cruiser Under $20,000 Power: 128 HP Close
The Suzuki Boulevard M109R is a unicorn in the cruiser segment. It is rare to find 100+ horsepower old-school-oozing cruisers under $20,000. And here we have a classic-vibing metric cruiser with 128 horses. In the hefty and low-slung cruiser world, this is proper top-spec performance. The reason Suzuki Boulevard M109R is so affordable for the performance it packs is because it has remained unchanged since its inception in 2006.
This can be considered both a boon and a bane. The advantage is that this cruiser has a tried-and-tested platform where much of the surprises have come to light. This has helped Suzuki refine the package--similar to sharpening a Katana blade. It's quite old, but very precise. The disadvantage? The technology and features are medieval compared to its more modern rivals, be it from Harley-Davidson or Indian Motorcycle.
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Rivals Harley-Davidson Sportster S Indian 101 Scout Indian Sport Chief Harley-Davidson Low Rider S The Suzuki M109R Deploys A Massive 1,783cc Engine
However, even by 2024 standards, its gigantic 1,783cc V-Twin packs a lot of drama. In fact, the Boulevard M109R (or the Intruder M1800, as it's called internationally) packs the world's largest pistons, not just among motorcycles but even cars. It even dwarfs the 2024 Triumph Rocket 3 Storm's 110.2 mm bore engine, the biggest displacement engine ever fitted on a production motorcycle.
This big, burly V-Twin surely reminds us of the air-cooled American Vs. But Suzuki has refined its liquid-cooled V-Twin with technology features derived from the Gixxer sports bikes. Accordingly, you have an eight-valve, short-stroke engine that revs gloriously to a 7,500 RPM limit. To reduce vibrations, Suzuki uses staggered crank pins and balancer shafts. Optimizing performance and aiding its gigantic pistons is a dual-throttle valve system with 56 mm bodies.
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It also flaunts a compact dry sump that helps rescue engine heat and improve the center of gravity. Feeding this "refined" cruiser air is a three-piece air box with air cleaners on either side. The spark plugs are special, too. When cruising, each spark plug is controlled by separate maps that fire simultaneously. But when you twist the throttle hard, the firing becomes staggered.
Engine Specs
Configuration
V-Twin; Liquid-Cooled
Displacement
1,783cc (108.8 cu-in)
Bore X Stroke
4.409 in. x 3.563 in. (112.0 mm x 90.5 mm)
Compression Ratio
10.5:1
Fuel System
Fuel Injection
Lubrication
Semi-dry Sump
Torque
118 LB-FT
Transmission
5-Speed
How Fast Does The V-Twin Suzuki Boulevard M109R Go? Top Speed: Over 100 MPH
The biggest enemy of any cruiser is its weight. It's no different with this Suzuki as well. With a curb weight of close to 800 pounds, the Boulevard M109R is a muscular elephant. But it still showcases the grin-worthy performance, thanks to its meaty torque output of 118 pound-feet, which peaks at 3,250 RPM.
With a sturdy shaft drive and a gigantic 240-section rear tire, Suzuki ensures the M109R pulls hard. The most powerful under-$20,000 cruiser -- the Suzuki Boulevard M109R -- has a top speed of 120 mph despite its restrictive 5-speed gearbox. If only Suzuki had updated the 2025 Boulevard M109R with a six-speed gearbox to squeeze more top speed on those long highway stretches.
Why The 18-Year-old Suzuki Power Cruiser Is Still Relevant A Power Cruiser That Is All About Raw Power And Tire-Smoking Torque
Harley-Davidson cracked the code of building an affordable modern power cruiser in 2021 when it launched the all-new Sportster S with a liquid-cooled V-Twin. But guess what?! Suzuki did that in 2006 with the Boulevard M109R. This feat alone is enough for this oldie to be relevant today. In fact, Suzuki does a much better job of hiding the "sporty" and "modern" side of the M109R Boulevard than the new Harley and Indian offerings.
For a sophisticated V-Twin metric cruiser that has not been tweaked since its launch, its insane power and torque figures are still top-tier in 2024. Even the all-new 2024 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST, with the most powerful production, Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin, is less powerful than this Suzuki. How's that for a stat?
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As for other mechanicals, Suzuki underpins this land yacht with hardware coded to extract every ounce of its "sporty" potential. The burbly V-Twin sits in a high-tensile steel double cradle frame. The suspension setup comprises 46 mm inverted front forks and a mono-shock at the rear with pre-load adjustment only. And you have 5.1 inches of travel at the front and the rear gets 4.7 inches.
Braking duties are handled by fully floating twin discs up front with dual-piston calipers derived from the GSX-R of the time. The rear gets a single disc with a single dual-piston caliper, meanwhile. The only evidently outdated element that sticks out on this Suzuki is its tiny instrument cluster that frankly looks like a classic wristwatch.
A Certified Head Turner With Classic And Muscular Design Features
The M109R is a gigantic motorcycle with a longer wheelbase than the Triumph Rocket 3 Storm (66 inches). The design is curvy and muscular, with chunk front forks, a chrome-laden engine, and an exhaust system, elevating its visual appeal. The headlight cowl and the rear quarter that houses the tail lamp are the only design elements that don't quite go with the whole "muscle" vibe.
The low-slung single-seat setup is also accessible for shorter riders. The footpegs are forward-biased, and the drag handlebar sits closer to the rider, courtesy of cool 10-inch brushed aluminum risers. So the rider's triangle is mostly relaxed, with a slight forward bias for the upper body.
Dimensions
Wheelbase
67.3 inches
Length
96.5 inches
Width
34.4 inches
Height
44.5 inches
Ground Clearance
5.1 inches
Seat Height
27.8 inches
Top Powerful Cruisers Under $20,000 Close
The "outdated" Suzuki Boulevard M109R is in a league of its own. Regarding the power-to-price ratio it offers, there is only one cruiser that comes close -- the Harley-Davidson Sportster S. This modern cruiser is a lot sportier with a lot lesser curb weight, a shorter wheelbase, and a more nimble riding character. The Harley has seven fewer horses than the Suzuki metric cruiser, though, and the torque gap is even wider. Also, it is still more expensive than the muscular M109R.
Indian also has a similarly priced cruiser in its arsenal. The all-new 101 Scout is the most powerful Indian Scout ever made. Using a similarly sized V-Twin like the Sportster S, the Scout 101 is a fine blend of muscular charm, modern technology, and grin-worthy performance. It is, however, the least powerful of the trio. It weighs just under 550 pounds, which is eons better than the Suzuk, however.
The bottom line is that Suzuki Boulevard M109R still packs the most drama, old-school charm, and sheer road presence among the three; for a very affordable price tag. It's outdated, yes. But Suzuki has engineered its big-bad V-Twin so well that this 18-year-old metric cruiser's age is irrelevant in this face-off!
Suzuki Boulevard M109R Vs Rivals
Model
2024 / 2025 Suzuki Boulevard M109R
2024 Harley-Davidson Sportster S
2025 Indian 101 Scout
Price
$15,699 / $15,799
$16,999
$16,999
Engine
1,783cc Liquid-Cooled V-Twin
1,252cc Liquid-Cooled V-Twin
1,250cc Liquid-Cooled V-Twin
Power
128 HP
121 HP
111 HP
Torque
118 LB-FT
93 LB-FT
82 LB-FT
Curb Weight
764 LBS.
502 LBS.
549 LBS.
Top Speed
120 MPH
143 MPH
120 MPH