The Suzuki Boulevard S40 (formerly Suzuki LS650 Savage) is a lightweight cruiser motorcycle manufactured by the Suzuki Motor Corporation for the Japanese domestic market, and exported to New Zealand, North America, as well as to Chile and other countries. History Manufactured and marketed as the Savage from 1986 to 2004, the motorcycle was renamed for model year 2005 as the Boulevard S40. The LS650 has remained unchanged except for minor cosmetic changes, receiving a 5 rather than 4 speed transmission in 1993. With a weight of , Suzuki markets the S40 as "an entry-level model to the cruiser line." With a seat height of 28 inches and flatter handlebar, the bike is suitable for shorter riders. Competition The LS650 Savage was the first cruiser manufactured by Suzuki in 1986. The Kawasaki Vulcan 400 entry-level cruiser with a V-twin engine was introduced the same year as the Suzuki Savage, and the Vulcan 500 LTD with a parallel-twin engine was introduced in 1990. One of the few small cruiser motorcycles available with a shaft drive as an alternative to either chain or belt final drive, the Yamaha Virago 535 was introduced in 1987. Honda launched the Shadow VLX, with a 583 cc V-twin for the 1988 model year to compete with the single-cylinder Savage. The Savage's persona was a bike that stayed out of harm's way, with a torquey engine (although underpowered for its displacement) that made few demands on the rider. Compared to the discontinued Buell Blast, which had a 30 c.i.d. single-cylinder engine with somewhat heavier vibration, the S40 is a more versatile and less expensive entry-level motorcycle. The Boulevard S40 fills the gap between less powerful 250 cc entry-level cruisers and more powerful twin-cylinder 500-650 cc cruisers. The S40's smaller competitors currently are the Yamaha V-Star 250 and the Honda Rebel 250. Although some consider the S40 too powerful for a novice motorcyclist, the bike's light weight and low seat height make it ideal for beginners who feel that 250 cc bikes are just too small. The S40 has larger shaft-driven rivals in the Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom, as well as the Honda Shadow Spirit 750, which boasts its "super-low" 25.7-inch seat height. Similarly, the Sportster XL883L "Low," and later "SuperLow," are Harley-Davidson's starter bikes. Two enduring competitors are motorcycles with air-cooled single-cylinder engines that have been in production even longer than Suzuki's S40: Royal Enfield's Bullet, and Yamaha's