Modern Vespa

OK, this could be a dangerous discussion! Let me mention I own a GT 200, a GTS 250, and an MP3 250. So you can tell I am a Vespa/Piaggio lover!

However, I have been reading great reviews of the Suzuki Burgman 400 (and 650), and would really appreciate a good discussion of why (or why not) I might want to add a Burgman to my garage? I would sell the 200, since it is very similar to the 250.

What do you all think?

Thanks for your opinions!

I don't own of Burgman but I've always heard very good things about them. Quality scoots, etc.

Adding one to your garage would make sense if you were looking for a larger vehicle. You top out at 250cc's with your current selection, so having a 400 or 650 might be a nice alternative. Adds some road presence & power if you need to take a highway/interstate for any length of time.

As a city dweller I don't think I'd ever go for anything larger than my GTS, but that is purely a pragmatic decision. If I lived outside the city and spent more time on faster, more open roads, a Burgman would be very appealing to me.

Well, that was my thought. For suburban streets, and city streets the Vespas are perfect. Getting on the freeway, and crossing the Golden Gate Bridge -especially if it is windy - the short wheelbase and lighter weight is a bit less stable than I'd like.

Beware older Burgman 400s - they ate front wheel bearing and would drink litres of oil at any speed over 65mph.

Burgman 650 Execs are apparently huge fun as a swooping touring maxi-scooter - but ultimately soul-less.

However, if you need to often travel long distances on not-too-twisty roads either would be great. Beware service costs - better to find an independent mechanic (again, apparently, as I've never owned one, but many friends do).

i had burgman 400 fever for a while, till i sat on one.....leg space cramped as compared to my GT200.

As I mentioned on another post, I had a Burgman 400 that was super reliable and virtually maintenance free for 4 years. But here is why I sold it -- it has a very heavy feel and is not an easy bike to maneuver in tight spaces. It isn't especially 'fun' to ride either. At 6' 3" it is also not as comfortable as a large wheel scoot like the Kymco People line.

As long as the op mentioned the 650 (even if only in brackets like these), I'll consider it an invite to spout-off a bit about that machine.

With 15,000 miles on each of our two 650s, I've not found service costs with the larger Burgman to be an issue (yet). All we've done so far with them is change oily fluids (I do it at home...engine, trans, and rear end) and spoon on new tires when they need them (I buy new OEM Bridgestones online, remove the wheels myself, and take both in to the local Suzuki service shop where they mount and balance them for $23 each....not a bad deal).

The 650 Burgman is supposed to have a valve clearance check at 14,500 mile intervals, (and this is a spendy procedure if performed at a dealership), but because almost none of the 650s require shim changes at that mileage, I'm not going to have it done until at least the 30,000 mile point...unless the bike starts to indicate something is obviously not right in the engine room.

Both of our 650s have been quite unfussy so far, and have cost very little (relative, of course) to operate.

Many from the smaller scooter ranks won't like the size of the Burgmans, probably both the 400 and 650, but I came to the bike straight from an 800 lb Honda VTX1800R, so it's quite the maneuverable little scooter to me, and not at all cumbersome in town. It's undeniably long (63 inch wheelbase), and undeniably lardy at 600lbs wet, but it's graceful, very quiet, and even kind of 'peppy', which is always a handy feature.

Thanks for starting this thread! I've been considering adding something like a Burgman to the collection at some point specifically for freeway-heavy trips like going up to Tahoe. While I routinely take the GT200 on the freeway - and would not give him up! - there are times where more weight, bigger wheels, and a longer wheel base would be useful.

And it would probably mean my husband wouldn't spend so much time looking in the rear view mirror of his motorcycle to make sure I've not blown off the freeway!

I've rather fancied the 650 Burgman and have been impressed with how they appear to handle as they cruise past me on the freeway. I'm reading the responses with interest!

Maybe a bigger Burgman but not a 400. I'm plenty happy with the speed and power of my 300 Super. Ride one and you will ditch the 200 in a second. The Burgman doesn't have any soul.

In my readings, and I do lots, the 650 is the one to get. You can do well over 100MPH (if you want) and it will do do 2-up on any freeway, up any hill, at any speed. It is a touring monster for the scooter world. In town, it is much longer than any of your other scoots but that is not what you are looking for. If you want a freeway touring scooter, the 650 seems to be the one to get. The Kymco Xciting 500 and the Honda Silver Wing are the only real competitors for the Burgman's in the maxi-scoot, touring class.

This is only my opinion and I could be wrong.

Rent one for a day or two maybe for a trip

I've owned thirty-nine motorcycles and one scooter.

I have some news for you, not one of them possesed 1/10th the 'soul' of a Sea Urchin regardless of the brand, type, country of origin, or cost.

The 650 Burgman displays mechanical characteristics distinctive to the type, these could, I suppose, be taken for something commonly thought of as 'Soul' by someone predisposed to finding such things in a collection of metals, plastics, and petroleum goo.

It's just a big fucking scooter, no more or less.

I just went to the web and read a number of reviews of the Vespa 300 Super.

The reviewers love it, and claim it is more stable on the freeway than the 250. Evidently the chassis is more rigid and the suspension even better.

So this is confusing me even more. Perhaps I can get a more freeway capable scooter in the 300, and avoid the plastic Suzuki?

I really need to test drive them both. I wish there were a rental facility in San Francisco, but I don't know of one. Does anyone?

Roverpal, I wasn't expecting the Super 300 to be any different on the highway than my old 250, but for some reason, it does feel more stable. I have greater confidence riding it on the freeway than I was expecting. You need to take one out sometime to find out for yourself. I usually don't spend much time on the freeway, but this weekend on my brand new just picked up Super I put more than 100 km of highway riding on it in heavy traffic. I was more than impressed with how it felt. It felt more stable and planted then my old GTS 250. It made me wonder if they did change something to make it feel that way.

Benito,

Tell me about the exhaust system on your 300. Is it too noisy?
What brand? What did it cost? What do you think of it?

Love the chrome trim~! I have got to do that.

The Leo Vince 4 Road pipe is pretty popular around here. It is definitely louder than stock which is one thing I like about it. It is also stainless steel so it won't rust like the stock pipe does. However, whether you find it too loud is very subjective, I do not find it too loud and I love the quality of the sound as well.

You can buy the pipe from our sponsor, Motorsport Scooters, they currently have at a sale price Leo Vince pipe for GTS

Since no one has put it in, try ridin a MP3 500. You get more than enough power and you still get the class. I tried the big bergi and the 500 and the honda, got the 500 because it was a great ride and a ton of fun. Sadly, the wife was unable to get used to it. But try the 500, great scoot.

In the reason not to add one of these to your garage category, the Suzuki site advertises the Burgman 650 as getting 38 mpg. Not sure if that matters to you, but that seems pretty lousy.

My wife just got an 09 Burgman 400, she loves it and won't hardly ride her Et4 anymore. It is a bit heavy feeling at low speeds but you get used to it pretty quick.I just bought a used Silverwing 600, even though it is heavier than the Burgman,it seems better balanced at low speeds.They are both fun rides that I highly endorse if you want to ride longer distances.I still plan on keeping my Et4 because it is a different kind of fun.She wants me to sell hers.

For some unfathomable reason, Suzuki is publishing 'worst case' numbers for that bike on their website. I have never managed to get my 650 down to 38 mpg. These ridiculous numbers are a point of contention on the Burgman forums too, because no one can figure out how Suzuki can arrive at a crummy 38 mpg for this machine, when virtually no one who owns the bike gets mileage that lousy. It's almost as if they're trying to sabotage the sales of one of their own machines.

Take it from me, someone with about 25,000 total 650 Burgman miles on them, the 650 Burgman's MPG range is from the mid forties to almost 60 mpg, with 50 mpg being a realistic everyday average for mixed riding. My 650 most commonly shows 49 mpg when I fill it, and my wife's 2006 650 almjost always gets about 5 mpg better than mine does, no-doubt because of here relatively light weight, and relatively light throttle use.

If you're wanting a heavier scooter with more hp and torque, take a look at the BV500. It's worth a test ride before you make a final decision.

+1

You owe it to yourself to look at everything out there that you have access to.

Personally, I believe that the Burgman has a terrific look. The problem for me is that the scooter is way too big and IMHO compromises the ease of use.
I would step into a more serious bike rather than the burgman.
Personally I don't think it compares that much.

This article claims the 300 is stiffer because of welding differences.

http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=42&article_id=804

I would love to ride one, because I think the 250 is already very stiff and stable, and I do a lot of highway riding.

The Burgman is a 'serious' bike (at least the 650 is). It's better at being a motorcycle than many motorcycles are, and of more practical use than the majority of them. It's fun, reasonably fast, economical in line with it's displacement class, a 'serious' long distance tourer, and a capable local errand runner.

It makes a lousy sportbike, and an even lousier 'poser' machine, and is probably the anti 'chick magnet' of motorized two-wheelers, but it's a 'serious' bike capable of serious things.

The 650 Burgman is one of the best all-around, mid-sized motorcycles a person could buy.

Is there any way you can test ride a Burgman, and then compare it to a Silverwing and/or T-Max?