Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128379
Reinventing the PHO~~,B~~~:yNl~N" Af7l e rican Cruis e r W th its strong range of high-tech c1assleading motorcycles, such as the GSX-R, RM-Z and RM ranges of motorcycles, Suzuki has been very successful selling motorcycles in America. However, the one segment of the market that Suzuki wants to expand is its cruiser range. Cruisers are key to American market suc- cess, and the only way for the brand to grow was to reinvent its image and update its line of motorcycles. Last summer at Suzuki's dealer show in Las Vegas, the company introduced the Boulevard line of cruisers, apparel and accessories to its dealers. At the time, many of the bikes that were in the lineup were simply rebadged existing models, but this year, four additional new models were launched. In addition to the M50 you see here, Suzuki launched the M9S, C50T and C90T models. The "M" represents Suzuki's "muscle" line of performance-oriented 46 MAY 25,2005 • CYCLE NEWS cruisers, while the C50T and C90T are touring versions of the "classic" range. "We put a lot of time, effort and research into identifying what cruiser riders really want - and then put all this information to good use by creating a whole new brand of cruiser called Boulevard," Suzuki's advertising and press relations manager Glenn Hansen said. "We've been thrilled to see all of our hard work payoff. Cruiser enthusiasts have really responded to Suzuki Boulevard, and we're eager to add even more models to the line this year." Like its primary cruiser competitors such as HarleyDavidson and Yamaha, Suzuki realizes that there is a lot more to the cruiser segment than just the motorcycles. The packaging of the cruiser image through accessory and apparel sales is just as vital to the company's marketing as the bikes themselves are. "The introduction of Suzuki Boulevard results directly from dealer requests for a Suzuki-exclusive product lineup that will provide increased traffic and sales success within the cruiser segment," explained Mel Harris, vice president of Suzuki's Motorcycle/Marine Operations. "The same resources that have brought industry-leading success to other Suzuki product lines like the QuadRunner ATVs and GSX-R sportbikes are being harnessed for the new Boulevard cruisers - advanced product technology, competitive pricing and compelling marketing." Since the introduction of the Boulevard brand last summer, Suzuki has turned its cruiser sales around in a hurry. The company's fourth-quarter sales for 2004 were up 33 percent, and cruiser sales for the company have climbed 29 percent in total since the launch of the new Boulevard brand. Suzuki completely dominates the sportbike market in America but currently holds less than 10 percent of the cruiser market share, and that is something it would like to