Vulcan Drifter Riders

Suzuki's M109R power cruiser rumbles into its 17th year pretty much the same as it was on its 2006 MY debut. (Suzuki Motor USA/)

Suzuki has made a point of consolidating its cruiser offerings for the US market over the last few years, and the trend continues into 2024, with the brand shifting its focus to sportbikes, adventure rigs, and standard-type machines. That means the Boulevard cruiser lineup has gone pretty much untouched, and for this year, Suzuki Motor USA has just announced that two of those models, the C50 classic cruiser and the M109R power cruiser, are both returning to the US lineup without any mechanical revisions. If you read between the lines, that means color swaps and a slight bump in price for both.

No mechanical changes make their way onto the big M109R machine for 2024, and it's available only in this Glass Sparkle Black color. (Suzuki Motor USA/)

2024 Suzuki Boulevard M109R | $15,699

Weirdly wide, uniquely styled, and oddly proportioned, the M109R has been an outlier in the cruiser world since It first rolled onto US streets back in 2006. But it's got the numbers to back up its musclebike attitude, packing a 1,783cc DOHC V-twin (complete with 4.4-inch coffee-can-size pistons) good for a claimed 128 hp and 118 lb.-ft. of torque. To those no-nonsense digits you can add a 46mm inverted fork as well as a humongous 240mm tire and shaft drive to put all that power down to the ground. You get dual disc brakes with radial-mounted calipers up front but, alas, still no ABS (which might come in handy on a 764-pound bike).

The M109R's styling might be polarizing, but it's got staying power—this will be year 17 for the big bruiser, which makes its aesthetic statement via an alien-looking bullet headlight nacelle matched by an equally swoopy tail cowl, with drag bars and forward controls to complete the aggressive stance. For 2024, the bike will come only in the Glass Sparkle Black paint scheme (which we've seen in previous years) to contrast with the stout chrome fork and beefy, large-diameter slash-cut mufflers. MSRP is $15,699, or $100 more than last year.

Speaking of last year's models, Suzuki still lists the 2023 M109R B.O.S.S. edition on its US website, so if you prefer a bike with all the shiny bits blacked out, there's still a chance (and that's not to say Suzuki won't later add this bike to the lineup as a 2024-year model).

The 2023 blacked-out M109R B.O.S.S. is still available on Suzuki's US website (though it may be added as a 2024 model later). (Suzuki Motor USA/)

2024 Suzuki Boulevard C50 | $9,199

The traditionally styled C50 middleweight also returns to the Boulevard lineup for 2024, getting only a different color option this year. (Suzuki Motor USA/)

The modest Boulevard C50 two-banger carries on into 2024 with all the same classic features that made it so popular in the first place, which of course includes that attractive price point. But all the basics you need are all here: a liquid-cooled 805cc 45-degree V-twin with a single overhead cam good for a claimed 53 hp and 52 lb.-ft. of torque, fuel injection, a standard clutch, and yes, a five-speed transmission with shaft drive keeping things simple.

In fact, the bike formerly known as the Volusia is virtually unchanged in its 20-plus years of cruising the byways. The Boulevard C50 keeps on keeping on with classic cruiser styling fronted by a kicked-out fork, deep-dish fenders, and staggered, chromed, dual exhausts, topped by a wide 27.6-inch saddle and backed by a standard passenger pillion. Forward-biased floorboards, wide handlebars, spoked wheels, and lots of chrome parts—including staggered dual mufflers—make it clear this is a bike meant for mellow rumbles in the countryside, not stoplight drag races. The five wide-ratio gears move things along smoothly enough in town, though fifth gear is tall enough for relaxed highway riding.

For 2024, the C50′s colors are switched up, with Candy Daring Red paint getting the nod for 2024 (it was the hue of choice on the 2022 model as well). MSRP is up a skosh this year, coming in at a still-bargain $9,199.

The 2024 Suzuki Boulevard C50 in Candy Daring Red. (Suzuki Motor USA/)
Whitewalls, studs, and all, the touring-friendly C50T is still listed  on Suzuki's website as a 2023 model. (Suzuki Motor USA/)

For longer trips, you might want to opt for the touring-biased C50T variant which is still listed on Suzuki's US site as a 2023 model. The T adds on to the base C50 with an adjustable touring-style windshield and lockable soft saddlebags.

(Side note: Suzuki often releases final model-year info later in January, so this particular bike may very still appear as a 2024 model.)