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650 Passenger Comfort

4.4K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Jim  
#1 ·
How comfortable is the passenger when riding on the 650? Since they are sitting up higher, do they get a lot more wind?
 
#2 ·
It is going to depend on how tall your passenger is. Gail is just 5ft 1in, sitting behind my 6ft, her nose was about level with the top of my helmet. With the stock screen, she had a tremendous amount of buffeting from the front, that really kicked in above 50mph.

We replaced the screen with an xxl clearview, and now cruise in the top 70's, with no problems. The screen has been tested to 93mph and should be good for higher than that, but we don't have a need for that kind of speed. WE not I.

For the rest of it, Gail has just the right leg length to have her feet flat on the foot rests. Our trips involve a stop after about every hour in the seat, 10 minutes off the bike if just for fuel, 20 to 30 if it is coffee or a meal.

The most we have done in a day is 370 miles, over 10 hours, but we never go from A to B, we take in all the other 24 letters. In Wales we saw a sign for "Water breaks it neck". Turned out to be a waterfall, but nothing really great the day we went 40 miles off course to have a look, as we were in the middle of a drought (Meaning it has not rained here in England for 4 days). On the motorway, keep up with the traffic, on the by roads, just tootle along.

We have done a trip to Rheims, 7 days in Devon/Cornwall and 5 days in Wales on the bike, and have 7 days planned in our Lake District starting April 2nd.

Hope this helps a little.
 
#3 ·
PAssenger comfort

I was going to post the same question tonight. My wife is coming off riding a GoldWing and is a little concerned about riding on the back of the Burgman. My 650 is still waiting at the dealer so I will pick it up this weekend or next week if it warms up. I already bought a GIVI V46 case with a back pad and a larger GIVI windsheild so I hope this helps. Any comments are appreciated.
 
#4 ·
Teresa never complains about the passenger seat itself, and in fact, says that it's probably the best pillion perch of any of my motorcycles, especially in combination with the factory passenger backrest.

However!!! (There always seems to be one of those in my posts) where she has a problem, albeit a relatively small one, is that at 5' 4", she feels like she's riding a fat pony, where her legs have to conform with the wide Burgman butt and splay outward, then back inwards to rest her feet on the passenger floorboards (picture a classic, bow-legged, cartoon cowboy). She feels that her feet are resting on the very outboard segment of the footrests, and this unusual 'contortion' causes some eventual soreness.

She wishes for some kind of footboard width-extender (Listening Suzuki?), but because her own white 07' 650 will be here any week now, she'll have to settle for the pilot's seat shortly, making any passenger discomfort a moot point.

Wider passenger footboards, please, or a bit thinner 'Burgy butt'.
 
#5 ·
Over all my wife had no complaints, then I asked here what could be better. She is 5' 4"

As stock, the backrest was useless, because the sitting position was too far forward to make any use of it. I ended up redoing the seat for my wife. Now she sits about 2" farther back, and can use the backrest when she feels she needs it.

2nd., as mentioned, the floorboards were inadequate. I made my own and they ended up about 2" wider than the stock ones, and they are about 1/2" higher. Now her ankles don't get sore, and and the legs don't cramp up on a long ride. She can outlast me on a long ride, before she needs a break.

3 Options here

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The rider is always happier, when the passenger is comfortable, and feels secure.

Pics. of mods in my gallery.
 
#6 ·
Have installed a Suzuki Passenger Backrest and a Clearview XXL windscreen on my White 650. My wife is also used to riding on a 1500 Goldwing and liked the high backrest and the speakers, where she could rest her arms. Other than that, she thinks the 650 is just a scomfortable and stable as the Goldwing. The thing she missed the most was the intercom from the Goldwing. I fixed that by buying a Chatter Box intercom for our helmets. Works great and is very inexpensive.
 
#7 ·
650 passenger comfort

Also a concern of my wife's. Footrest position seems awkward for her. I noted the forum moderator installed his own to suit, and I think I better get busy and do the same. I will post a query to Jim the moderator as to what materials he used to attach the new material to the Suzuki plastic. I also installed a Corbin seat and in a week or so will put on a Clearview XL, hopefully to lessen the wind buffetting at speed.

Wayne Wallace
Squirterguy
'04 650, corbin, Clearview XL (soon)
now 14,000 miles, 1300 of them mine.
 
#9 ·
GF and I went on a 500+ mile trip this weekend. We have a stock seat and because of her anatomy, she has to use a seat cushion (aqua-aire). She also complains about the wide body and not being able to fully relax her legs. Lastly, the back rest. I DO NOT understand the design of the OEM back rest. Why does it lean so far forward? She doesn't like how low it is on the back, and despite all of that padding, it isn't supportive enough to allow her to fully lean on it. It seems to be there just to keep her from falling off the back.

I'm 6', she's 5'6" and doesn't really complain with a Large Clearview below 70mph.
 
#10 ·
Re: 650 passenger comfort

wayne wallace said:
I will post a query to Jim the moderator as to what materials he used to attach the new material to the Suzuki plastic.

Wayne Wallace
Squirterguy
'04 650, corbin, Clearview XL (soon)
now 14,000 miles, 1300 of them mine.
Sorry for the late reply, but I never received a request.

The foot rests are made from composite decking material. It starts out at 5 1/2" wide, then tapers to fit the lower shield. I did wood templates first (as seen in my Gallery)

As for fastening, when you lift off the passenger rubber foot rest, there a 2 bolts that bolt to the frame. I purchased longer ones, and used the same location. I counter sunk them into the new floorboard. I then covered the whole floorboard with a non skid material that is self adhesive. When I need to remove them (about once a year) I peel the no skid surface up, to access the bolts. I then use spray adhesive to reapply them.

Hope it helps