Burgman as a Luxury Touring Rig?

No comparison between the ST and the Burgie. I had an ST1100 and now own 2 Burgmen - one is my daily commuter and the second (actually the first) my adventure bike.

I put on around 10,000 miles a year commuting and similar on the two or three big rides I do each year. One big ride I did in 2008 was over 25,000 miles (with over 3,000 miles of dirt/sand) and the Burgie lapped it up..

The Burgman has much more storage space, handles far better (easy turn in / transitions in the twisties) and is far more comfortable due to big screen, high bars, wide comfy seat and huge range of different seating / foot positions.

Tyres last twice as long on the Burgman - 1 get around 15,000 miles out of a rear and only half that on the ST.

Only bike you will find more comfortable is a Goldwing - no other scooter compares.

I have an 05 burg 650. It would be a fine long distance tourer and it can be ridden hard in the corners like a sportbike. Heck, you can even take it off road! It'll do pretty much anything you ask of it.

The manual thumb shift is a gimmicky feature that you'll probably try once and never use it again. It's silly if you ask me. Same with the power button. The power button is ok if you want to get the jump on a car or harley next to you at the stoplight but the added engine braking when you slow is really annoying.

I've installed an alarm, am/fm radio w/ipod input and 2 speakers, radar detector, stebel air horn, rear box, LEDs in the mirrors connected to the turn signals and more.

You can pick up a low mileage 2005 and newer for less than $4000 if you're vigilant.

Yeah, it should be a great touring scooter. It is easy to ride, smooth and quiet engine.

Only con with the bike is the suspension and the weight. It could ride a lot better and be lighter. But the CG is very low, so it is very easy to handle or even pick up if you ever have to.

I decided to get a BMW R1200GS/Adv for the long ride. My legs are just a bit long for the Burgman. After an hour on it, my knees are aching. The GS/A is more comfortable for me for long periods of time and I can stand up on the pegs dirt bike style to stretch out. The suspension is amazingly good too. Bumps that loosen the fillings in my teeth on the Burgman are just completely soaked up by the BMW. The 9-gallon fuel tank offers huge range, but it adds to the top-heaviness. That's 50 lbs of gas when full.

Even though it is a bit lighter than my Burgman 650 exec, the GSA is top heavy and a little harder to handle and a lot harder to pick up.

I had one and I really liked it. Weather protection was even better than on my FJR. the only drawback is they are heavy. Don't tip one over, the smaller tires make getting it upright a bear

I have had three 650's, and had one of them up to, as measured on the GPS, 126mph. I have ridden as much as 9 hours in a single day, and the only things I would change would be the windshield, and maybe the seat. Depends on whether I',m planning any more 9 hour days. I was fine up to about 5, but after that.......

126 MPH on GPS? They'll actually get to those speeds? Damn, not bad at all!

My 400 was at 96 gps when I passed a guy and I was still accelerating when I let off the throttle after the pass. I was amazed how quickly the silly thing took off from 70ish. It was the first time I'd asked for power to pass and boy did I get it. I would expect that the 650 would have it over the 400 b at least 20mph.

Your dog will likely love it



My longest ride was 900 miles in 14 hours. It handled it great. The last hour of each 3 hour stint would find me getting a bit squirmy, but a 10 minute break for fuel cured me. A new seat and an XXL shield could have made it more comfortable - but I found myself arriving home at 1:00 am - ready to go another few hundred miles if I had do. I've never felt that way on any other of the 17 bikes I've had so far.

The suspension could use work. But almost all bikes could. Even my DR650 with miles of suspension travel needed work. There are options out there. But so far so good.

When I ended up riding to Seattle to San Fran via Highway 1 from Leggett to Fort Bragg - there was no other bike I would have rather been on besides a big-bore supermoto - and riding that for the rest of the trip would have SUCKED.

You're pretty good. I usually have trouble remembering the details of my dreams when I wake up.

Thats pretty good for a 400! I'd been told the 400 tops out at like 85-90 MPH on GPS on here before and won't get near 100 MPH. But maybe it can?

I am switching from an ST1300A to a Burgman Executive for long range touring. Any high mileage Burgman's out there? I'm wondering about high mileage reliability??

The Tmax is more stable at long highway speeds cause of the larger wheels and tires, and the larger tires matched with the suspension can handle the rough roads better than a Burgman, but the advantage the Burgman has is it can handle a passenger riding on the back better than the Tmax.
The York scooter club won't let me join because I own a Tmax, but at the same time they allow Kymco's, Honda Gold Wings and even a few Kawasaki crotch rockets!

I feel like singing a song:
I am soooo alone with my Tmax
alone is where I will always beeee!
I ride the lonely road with just my Tmax and meee!
Alone
Alone
Alone is where I will always be

:huh

Tons of info at the burgmanusa.com forums.

The bike is generally reliable. Most people have few problems with it. Some things can be very expensive to fix, like a major CVT problem. However, such issues are rare. Mostly just standard maintenance of tires and fluids, battery and a couple of little Burgman quirks here and there.

Why, they don't think Tmax is a scooter? What do they think it is then?!?

Don't know, I traded the 2007 Burgman in on a new 2009 BV 500 since I found that the maxi scoot/cruiser position really doesn't suit me or my husband very well. We both prefer the more upright sitting position and easier to change positions for bottom and feet on the Italian style but I had no doubt I could have gone over 100 on it. I have on the BV but it gets a little head wobble around that speed that I don't like so I try to keep it closer to 80 than 100 but many of the roads we ride are 60-70 and I do not want a speeding ticket so reserve the higher speeds for passing when they'll usually forgive you if they catch you.

Hmm, that makes it sound better. You should be able to get 100 MPH out of a 400 cc motor.

Definitely the suspension, and seat, could do with improvement.

The good news is that there's fine weather protection and 55ltr space under the seat. Add on a Topcase, or a trailer, and you can carry more luggage:

Google for Images with the "Suzuki Burgman and trailer" search term. I've been slack and havn't yet uploaded my webpage & pics to my present ISP, but two versions of my own trailer are on show through Google itself --- just don't try to go to the source at this stage.

(NB. I now have a Topcase and my trailer is awaiting its next make-over.)

I may be heading in that direction myself.

Checking out a 650 Burgie this week.

I plan to add a trailer hitch and this trailer eventually.

If a 200cc bike can pull this trailer over the Rocky Mountains then the Burgie should.

One may think so, but the power delivery from various 400cc engines can vary quite markedly.

Care to match up a Honda VT400 Shadow against a . . . . XJR400R (not to mention against a well-maintained '80s CB400-Four)