The Shaft-Drive Suzuki That Delivers 400-Mile Days Without The Bagger Price Tag
Enjoying a comfortable and therapeutic cross-country trip depends solely on the motorcycle of choice. Baggers make for the perfect middle ground between comfort, convenience, and luxury. But a well-stacked bagger today costs a fortune, hovering around $25,000. And if you want an affordable option like the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic LT or the underrated Moto Morini Calibro 700 Bagger, you’ll have to compromise on comfort and luxury.
That’s where a third option comes in: an affordable used gem. It makes more sense than ever, too, since U.S. heavyweight touring sales fell 13 percent in 2025. On that note, here’s a big-displacement metric touring bike that trades modern technology for old-school charm, comfort and reliability.
Baggers That Make Multi-Mile Days Effortless Are More Expensive Than Ever
The most popular modern and tech-savvy mile-munching baggers today include the Honda Gold Wing and the BMW K 1600 B. Both stand out for unique powertrain options, versatile dynamics, top-notch comfort, luxury, convenience, and plenty of technology features. The Honda Gold Wing uses the only flat-six engine currently on sale, has a unique chassis with a double-wishbone front suspension, and also has the only seven-speed DCT gearbox that actively adapts to riding conditions.
The BMW K 1600 B is equally enticing, powered by the only inline-six motorcycle engine on the market today. The performance curve is more grin-worthy with 160 horsepower and 132.7 pound-feet of torque. It also uses BMW’s proprietary Duolever front and Paralever rear suspension setup, which truly turns the riding experience into something surprisingly nimble and sporty. While both these all-day baggers are desirable, they demand a steep premium. The 2026 Honda Gold Wing is priced at $25,500, and the 2026 BMW K 1600 B is priced at $24,975.
This trend is also prevalent on the American side of things. The most affordable Harley-Davidson bagger is the $24,999 Street Glide. It looks cool with a sizable bat-wing fairing and color-matched, neatly integrated hard side cases. The saddle is also designed for maximum comfort and lower-back support. The most affordable Indian bagger, meanwhile, is the custom-inspired Springfield. It fuses classic styling with long-haul comfort and convenience. The next best option (the Indian Chieftain or Challenger) comes at a premium with a starting price of $27,999.
But The Gold Mine Of Used Touring Bikes Offer Affordable Surprises
Clearly, the new-motorcycle market isn’t friendly to a rider looking for a well-rounded, comfortable touring experience on a budget. That’s where the surprisingly vast world of used motorcycles comes in. If a rider is willing to choose a used bike instead of a brand-new one, then there are endless baggers that can offer a flagship experience for dirt cheap. With this in mind, here’s a hidden gem from Suzuki that offers nearly 80 percent of the Gold Wing’s long-haul comfort for less than one-fourth the price.
The Suzuki Boulevard C90T Offers Cross-Country Comfort And Luxury For As Low As $5,000
The Boulevard C90 was once Suzuki’s flagship cruiser bike, designed and built in the image of popular American big-twin cruisers like the Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe. It has a chrome-laden V-twin, a stretched-out stance, plush seating, chunky suspension and tires, and lots of charm. Suzuki essentially retrofitted the bare-bones C90 Boulevard cruiser bike with a tall windscreen and hard side cases to create the “T” model.
Apart from that, the C90T was the more expensive version upon launch, with prices exceeding $13,000 when new. Today, thanks to depreciation, this hidden gem can be had for as low as $5,000, as listed on Cycle Trader. Besides the standard, classic-vibing C90T model with lots of chrome, Suzuki also offered a custom-inspired, blacked-out trim—the C90T B.O.S.S. It swaps the flashy chrome bits for a stealthy “murdered-out” aesthetic. Apart from the visual differences, all other components remain unchanged.
Best Years For The Suzuki Boulevard C90T
Frankly, there have been no bad years for the Suzuki Boulevard C90T, since this bagger is highly regarded for its reliability and refinement. The overengineered trend of Japanese motorcycles truly bears fruit when it comes to used options. So any used Boulevard C90T bagger you choose will be a solid option, as long as it has been properly maintained.
To make things easier, we suggest you decide which era suits you better: the earlier air-cooled one or the later liquid-cooled one with slightly more power. If you want an old-school feel and more simplicity, then the first-gen Boulevard C90T models sold between 2005 and 2012 make more sense. If you want a few modern touches, the 2010–2012 models hit the right spot because Suzuki updated this era with liquid-cooled performance and refreshed styling.
Powered By An Americanized V-Twin
The Boulevard C90T packs a drama-inducing big-twin. The 1,492 cc (90 cubic inch) V-twin is a long-stroke mill with durable internals. The 45-degree engine has three valves per cylinder. Models produced between 2005 and 2009 are air- and oil-cooled. The latter (2013-2015) introduced liquid cooling and other modern updates to meet newer emission norms. In fact, the updated engine was shared with the mighty M90 cruiser.
The latter mill gets Suzuki Electrochemical Material (SCEM) cylinder plating, which helps with long-lasting durability, reduced cylinder size and weight, and improved heat dissipation. It shares a fuel injection system with dual throttle valves, which Suzuki says is derived from the 2000s GSX-R sports bike. The C90T bagger produces 66 horsepower at 4,800 RPM and 84.8 pound-feet of torque at 2,300 RPM. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a five-speed manual gearbox coupled to a final low-maintenance shaft drive system.
Underpinning the C90T Boulevard bagger is a traditional steel-tube cradle frame which adds heft and stability. This helps enhance its highway stability. It is suspended on heavy-duty 41 mm telescopic forks up front and a hidden link-type monoshock with preload adjustment. Braking duties are taken care of by dual 300 mm discs coupled to four-piston calipers up front. The rear gets a single 180 mm disc coupled to a two-piston caliper. Its chunky 150/80 section front and 180/70 section rear tires are wrapped around 16-inch front and 15-inch rear alloy wheels.
Relaxed Ergonomics And Protection Make It A Solid Choice For Riders Of All Walks
Suzuki has put a lot of effort into making the Boulevard C90T a comfortable mile-muncher. The rider sits low and relaxed thanks to a seat height of just 27.6 inches and a wheelbase of 66.9 inches. Standard footboards and tall, wide handlebars add to riding comfort.
The seat is thick, wide, and plush, offering long-distance comfort and even some lower-back support thanks to its split-seat design. Adding to its touring convenience is a tall windscreen and sexy-looking, leather-wrapped side cases. The pillion also gets a comfortable seat and a standard backrest for support.
Most of the bagger’s technology is confined to engine refinement. Notable features include the Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve System, Auto Fast Idle System, Suzuki Clutch Assist System, and a 32-bit ECM that manages engine parameters and delivers precise, efficient fuel delivery. Visually, everything is proper old-school, with an analog tank-mounted cluster.
Sources: Suzuki Cycles official website and archives, Honda Powersports, Harley-Davidson, and Indian Motorcycle.
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