Introduced as the bad-ass brother of Suzuki's M109R, the Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. carries forward into MY20 with its 109 cubic inch (1,783 cc) engine. Yeah, B.O.S.S. stands for 'Blacked Out Special Suzuki', but I'm gonna call it 'Blacked Out Super Sweet'. It might not be the fastest cruiser on the market, but it is definitely a power-cruiser and it really wants to go when you let out the clutch.

2015 - 2020 Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S.

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 - 2020 Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S.
  • Engine/Motor: V-Twin

Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. Design

I don't usually go for blackout because it can look so much like a guy went to the hardware store and bought a can of black matte spray and did it himself; but when done right, it is elegant indeed. Carried forward without much change from the 2014 M109R and M109R Limited, the 2020 version does blackout in style. Over a dozen parts normally painted or chromed -- the mirrors, handlebars, clutch and brake levers, handle switches, front fork outer tubes, steering stem head, tank cover, air cleaner cap, clutch and magneto covers, cylinder head and side covers, final gear case, mufflers, brake calipers, and jiffy stand -- are blacked out to give the Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. an almost sneak-into-the-night stealthy look.

Instrumentation includes LED indicator lights integrated into the top of the headlight cowl, a digital tach and gear position indicator. The analog speedometer and LCD odometer, dual trip meters, fuel gauge and clock are mounted on the tank. With a respectable 4.9-gallon fuel capacity, you have ample legs for around town or trips up the highway.

Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. Chassis

The Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. takes full advantage of the Suzuki Advanced Sump System (SASS) to reduce engine height and lower the crankshaft position, and in turn, lower the center of gravity. Lower center of gravity means better handling and less upper body strength needed to wrestle the weight off the jiffy stand, and makes it less tippy at parking-lot speeds.

The 46 mm inverted front forks, with their race-proven cartridge internals and 5.1 inches of travel, reduce the unsprung weight of the fork components better than traditional forks. This gives you a smooth ride and reduces wheel bounce, especially in the corners where you really need it. Of course, with that fat-fat 240 rear tire, there'll be no peg draggin' here, but plenty of straight-line stability and ample contact patch for superior traction.

Front Suspension/ Travel:

46 mm Inverted telescopic fork/ 5.1 inches

Rear Suspension/ Travel:

Twin-Sided Swing Arm with link-type, oil-damped, coil spring/ 4.6 inches

Wheels Composition:

Aluminum

Front Wheel Width:

3.5 inches

Rear Wheel Width:

8.5 inches

Front Brake:

Dual 310 mm Hydraulic Disc

Rear Brake:

275 mm

Tires Front:

Dunlop® 130/70R18M/C 63V, tubeless

Tires Rear:

Dunlop® 240/40R18M/C 79V, tubeless


Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. Drivetrain

Powered by a 1,783 cc, four-stroke, two-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 54-degree V-twin, the Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. utilizes the Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve system (SDTV) with 56 mm throttle bodies. Couple that with a dual-intake, three-piece, two-gallon airbox with dual air cleaner elements, and that will maintain optimum air velocity for smooth roll-on at even low to mid-range rpm.

The engine contains 4.4-inch pistons -- which are quite huge in this day and age -- in bores lined with Suzuki's Composite Electrochemical Material (SCEM). This race-proven material provides excellent heat transfer and tighter piston-to-cylinder clearances. Suzuki claims the pistons, "…are one of the largest reciprocating gasoline engine pistons being used in any production passenger car or motorcycle…" and I believe them.

Bolt this to a five-speed manual transmission and this baby is giving you a whopping 118 pound-feet of torque at 3,200 rpm. This gives you plenty of power off the line and ambitious roll-on anywhere in the powerband.

Engine:

Four-Stroke, Two-Cylinder, Liquid-Cooled, 54-Degree V-Twin, DOHC 4 Valves Per Cylinder

Displacement:

1,783 cc

Bore x Stroke:

4.41 inches x 3.56 inches

Compression Ratio:

10.5-to-1

Maximum Torque:

118 pound-feet at 3,200 rpm

Maximum Power:

128 horsepower at 6,200 rpm

Fuel System:

Fuel Injection

Starter:

Electric

Transmission:

Five-Speed Constant Mesh Manual

Final Drive:

Shaft Drive


Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. Pricing

MSRP is $15,199 for a MY20 B.O.S.S., which is just a skosh up from last year. That's a lot of bike for the money, make no mistake about it. Suzuki gives you a 12-month warranty on the new M109R B.O.S.S., which comes in two two-tone colorways: white-over-black with orange trim and monochromatic gray-over-black.

Model ID:

VZR1800

Warranty:

12-Month Unlimited Mileage Limited Warranty

Color:

└ 2015:

Pearl Bracing White / Glass Sparkle Black, Candy Daring Red / Glass Sparkle Black

└ 2016, 2017:

Pearl Vigor Blue/Glass Sparkle Black, Metallic Matte Fibroin Gray

└ 2018:

Glass Sparkle Black/Candy Max Orange, Metallic Mystic Silver/Glass Sparkle Black

└ 2019:

Pearl Glacier White/Pearl Vigor Blue, Glass Sparkle Black/Candy Daring Red

└ 2020:

Pearl Glacier White No.2 / Glass Sparkle Black, Metallic Oort Gray No.3 / Glass Sparkle Black

Price:

└ 2017, 2018:

$14,999

└ 2019:

$15,149

└ 2020:

$15,199


Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. Competitor

With its bullet fairing and sweepy looks, it's pretty clear that Suzuki is taking a stab at the U.S. market, which means a stab at the reigning king, Harley-Davidson. The MoCo just underwent a huge shakeup last year and resurrected its old FXRT as one of its Softail models, and I think its a good fit for the B.O.S.S.

Instead of a bullet fairing, the Sport Glide mounts a mini-batwing up front, and I'd be lying if I said I preferred it to the outlaw bullet on the B.O.S.S.. Both lead the way with inverted front forks that not only look strong, but actually are stronger than the old standard forks and make these rides look like serious business. The Sport Glide's Softail frame necessarily gives it some very dated lines that the B.O.S.S. can't quite match, but there's only so much you can do against the look of the Softail's clever swingarm arrangement.

Though all modern and inverted and such, neither bike offers any sort of adjustments at the front suspension in spite of the fact that I know Suzuki has adjustable stems sitting on a shelf. Shame. Adjustable preload at the rear end is the only adjustment for the rear end across the board, but ABS protection comes standard on the Sport Glide alone with no such option on the B.O.S.S.

One place Suzuki really gets it right is in the engine department. Yeah, it's mainly hidden behind the fat exhaust pipes and water-buffalo radiator, but the size is right with a 1,783 cc V-twin driving the thing with 118 pounds o' grunt. That's right sports fans; a twin cylinder import that, inch-for-inch, puts out more torque than Harley's 108 pound-foot Milwaukee-Eight engine, even if it doesn't look as cool doing it. Will that difference register on the heinie dyno? Barely, but there it is anyway.

Of course, price is Suzuki's biggest strength against the $18,599 tag on the Vivid Black Sport Glide, and that advantage increases by another four Benjamins if you go for one of Harley's two color options. In the end, the B.O.S.S. will probably make an OK alternative for someone trying not to buy a Harley.

He Said

My husband and fellow writer, TJ Hinton, says, "This definitely looks like a decent multi-purpose bike that could handle grocery-getting missions as well as light touring. The power from the engine easily makes it comparable to sportbikes, but the relaxed rider position created by the forward controls affords a more laid-back posture and style of riding. I don't really care for the gray paint, but the white/black/orange kicks ass.”

She Said

"This is a ballsy bike. With 118 pound-feet of torque, it just wants to go. You don't even need the throttle, just let out the clutch and the bike leaps out of the gate. It is a very wide bike, at least that's how it feels. I felt like I had my legs wrapped around a barrel. Maybe taller riders won't notice it so much, but us shorties might feel like we need a little more of a straight shot from saddle to ground. The sound from the stock pipes is surprisingly nice and throaty."

Suzuki Boulevard M109R B.O.S.S. Specifications

Engine & Drivetrain:

Engine:

Four-Stroke, Two-Cylinder, Liquid-Cooled, 54-Degree V-Twin, DOHC 4 Valves Per Cylinder

Displacement:

1,783 cc

Bore x Stroke:

4.41 inches x 3.56 inches

Compression Ratio:

10.5-to-1

Maximum Torque:

118 pound-feet at 3,200 rpm

Maximum Power:

128 horsepower at 6,200 rpm

Ignition:

Electronic ignition (Transistorized)

Fuel System:

Fuel Injection

Starter:

Electric

Transmission:

Five-Speed Constant Mesh Manual

Final Drive:

Shaft Drive

Chassis:

Front Suspension: Travel:

46 mm Inverted telescopic fork/ 5.1 inches

Rear Suspension/ Travel:

Twin-Sided Swing Arm with link-type, oil-damped, coil spring/ 4.6 inches

Wheels Composition:

Aluminum

Front Wheel Width:

3.5 inches

Rear Wheel Width:

8.5 inches

Front Brake:

Dual 310 mm Hydraulic Disc

Rear Brake:

275 mm

Tires Front:

Dunlop® 130/70R18M/C 63V, tubeless

Tires Rear:

Dunlop® 240/40R18M/C 79V, tubeless

Dimensions & Capacities:

Overall Length:

95.5 inches

Overall Width:

34.4 inches

Wheelbase:

67.3 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.1 inches

Seat Height:

27.8 inches

Curb Weight:

764 pounds

Fuel Tank Capacity:

4.9 gallons

Top Speed:

110 mph (est)

Details:

Model ID:

VZR1800

Warranty:

12-month unlimited mileage limited warranty.

Color:

└ 2015:

Pearl Bracing White / Glass Sparkle Black, Candy Daring Red / Glass Sparkle Black

└ 2016, 2017:

Pearl Vigor Blue/Glass Sparkle Black, Metallic Matte Fibroin Gray

└ 2018:

Glass Sparkle Black/Candy Max Orange, Metallic Mystic Silver/Glass Sparkle Black

└ 2019:

Pearl Glacier White/Pearl Vigor Blue, Glass Sparkle Black/Candy Daring Red

└ 2020:

Pearl Glacier White No.2 / Glass Sparkle Black, Metallic Oort Gray No.3 / Glass Sparkle Black

Price:

└ 2017, 2018:

$14,999

└ 2019:

$15,149

└ 2020:

$15,199


Further Reading

Harley-Davidson Sport Glide

See our review of the Harley-Davidson Sport Glide.

Suzuki

Read more Suzuki news.