[jazzme]

Hello,

I am going to buy a burgman 650 that is a fact. However I have read a lot of information on these bikes and I have learned a lot of information from this site. From this I know that I will not even consider an 03, because of its inherent problems. It seems that the 04's also have the same problems with the dieseling sounds and all that goes along with this. So I have decided that mine will be an 05. However, I have read that there have been some changes to the gearing on this model along with other added features. What I would like to know is this, what are the gearing or mechanical changes that have been made. Does anyone know if this has been in an attempt by the Suzuki Gods to correct this dieseling problem.
I will be a first time rider and want to be in a problem free relationship with my bike. I do not want to purchase a bike that I know I will have to fix a few months down the line. And by the way I will be one of those riders that are very much bothered by the dieseling noise. My husband has been a goldwing rider for 20 years and I have been the spoiled passenger. We have test ridden the 03 and the 04 and each have had the sound, I noticed it instantly when the bikes were started up. On the used 03 it was loud and on the 04 it was at once detectable.
Any replys to this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks :wink:

 

[NormanB]

Hi Jazzme

Welcome to the forum :hello2:

Well I do not have a 650 and not many people have an 05 yet!

The Suzuki fix to 'sort' the dieselling noise on current models does not appear to be wholly and completely successful - from what I have read.

I do not know what gearing changes you refer but I would be sceptical if they are either significant or material in designing this noise out over and above the above 'fix'.

Ear plugs are good! :wink:

 

[billmeek]

Welcome to the BurgmanUSA forums. Glad to have you join us.

I have read that there have been some changes to the gearing on this model along with other added features. What I would like to know is this, what are the gearing or mechanical changes that have been made. Does anyone know if this has been in an attempt by the Suzuki Gods to correct this dieseling problem.

The only mechanical changes information I've seen that comes from Suzuki is on the media site at :

AN650K5 @ Suzuki Media

They list "New transmission Over-Drive feature for better fuel economy at highway speeds" as once of the new features. There has been some speculation on the forums about how it has been implimented. Unless Suzuki releases more information, I guess we'll just have to wait and see once the '05 650s are out.

 

[JohnnyDeath]

Hi and Welcome to The Forum!

No one is 100% sure about the 05 changes so let me write about my 04 AN 650.

Yes it has the slight dieselling noise, but I have never been bothered by it as this is still the quitest bike I have ever had the pleasure to ride.

I bought my Burgy in July and have over 2000 miles on it and it keeps getting better. If you want a reliable bike I think the Burgman is the way to go. Many members of this forum have put many more miles on than I, and all seem more than satisfied.

I struggled with the decision of what to buy. I went shopping for a medium to large cruiser but saw this BIG SCOOT and decided to research the Burgs. This forum has been invaluable and was the last stop in my search.

Along the way I conversed with many bike & scoot owners. Everyone liked the bikes they had but only the Burgman riders where sooo darn passionate about them. In a nice way, not like some of the "passionate" Harley riders, most of whom get this look in their eyes after a little test ride on my 650. One even said of the scoot "This is almost too nice! It aint no scooter!".

I can not stress enough the great ride and storage and just all around feeling of PURE JOY that hits me each time I cruise around.

 

[pauljo]

Hi Jazzme,

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your first post! :wink:

The "diesel noise" is inherent to the design of the drivetrain on the 650. The '03s did it louder - and Suzuki provided a fix that quiets it down to the level of the '04s. It is not a reliability issue at all, just a slight nuisance - and it only occurs when idling. I did have the "fix" done on my '03. The noise that remains doesn't really bother me. But I would be quite surprised if the '05s don't do it also - I'm almost certain that they will.

There are rumours that overdrive gearing has been added to the '05 AN650. This has not been confirmed to my satisfaction yet. I am waiting until someone actually can buy one, and report back on that. The current 650's have no problem cruising at 80 or 85 mph all day long, but gas mileage does suffer some at those speeds. I typically get 48 mpg, but will drop to 40 mpg at sustained high speed when touring - overdrive could help to improve mileage in that situation, and could possibly improve mileage overall. A lot depends on how OD is implemented. If it doesn't kick in until 70 mph, then there would be no improvement in mileage up to that point.

Overall, I wouldn't hesitate to buy an earlier model if you can get a good price on one. I have put 11,800 trouble free miles on my '03 and enjoy riding it very much. But if you can't get a satisfactory discount, then you might be wise to wait a bit longer and find out what changes the '05 model actually does have when they hit the showrooms.

 

[roy_ryall]

Jazzme, it seems you may have formed some ideas about the Burgman from your reading that you may want to explore with this group and other groups to help you in your decision.

“03 inherent problems”. I can not recall any reoccurring or large number of problems reported with the 03s. I am one of the few 03 owners that had a speed sensor problem. I can say my problem and the problem of the other two 03 owners I reported on are isolated problems and may have been due to all three bike having equipment added to the bikes or dealer prep. My point is reading about problems on the internet can be miss leading. If a problem reported by large numbers of posters then changes are, it is an inherent problem with the bike.

Both the 03s and 04s have the “dieseling” noise. I, like you, are waiting to see if the 05s have the same noise. We may find out next week when Biketoberfest occurs next week in Daytona. Suzuki should have the 05 650 available for test rides. Some Burgman owners have said they will report on any changes on the 05 650 they see in Daytona, including any transmission final ratio changes. It would not surprise me if the “noise” is still in the 05s since Suzuki believes it is not a problem that will produce any failures. However, I would not let the “noise” stop me from getting another 650 regardless of the year I end up with. The noise only occurs when it is idling and after you ride a 650 for a short time you will more than likely not even notice it. Also, 650 is nicest scooter you can buy.

All bikes have isolated problems. If you think back on your 20 years of GoldWing riding, I would guess you will find some isolated problems GoldWings have had. Having owned a GL1800, I can think of a few problems GL1800s had reported about them, but I would say the GL1800 is a reliable bike. So far, like the GoldWing, the 650 appears to be an overall reliable bike.

Good luck in your research

 

[vfdcaptain]

Jazzme,

After several months of reading all the good things about the 650 on this forum, I finally got a chance to ride one today.

Wow! It was everything that the forum members said it was.

With only 1800 miles on the bike, I found it to be smooth, very quiet and it accelerated in a manner unlike any bike I have ridden in the last 39 years.

If there was a dieseling noise, I didn't hear it...maybe because of the huge smile on my face!

Reg

 

[DonRich90]

It seems that the 04's also have the same problems with the dieseling sounds and all that goes along with this.

Hi Jazzme! Welcome to the Forum.
I've had my '04 650 since May and have almost 3,000 miles on the odometer with absolutely no problems. It does have the "diesel" sound but only at idle. Once you rev the engine beyond idle, the sound goes away. As far as I am aware, "all that goes along with this" is just plain fun.
I'm quite confident that the Burgmans are just as reliable as any Japanese bike on the market today. Even the Wings have had their share of problems such as alternator failures, cracked frames, etc. But, that sure doesn't stop people (like your husband and myself - I've had 2) from riding and enjoying them for years and many thousands of miles with little or no problem. '03. '04 or '05, go for it and have fun!
Don

 

[Burger Bob]

Well, Jazzme, you've read all of the above comments by now, I don't suppose one more will make any difference, but here goes. I've had my Burgie a little over a year, during which time I've put on over 18,000 glorious, trouble-free wonderful miles. I have not had one suggestion of a problem, nor do I expect one for many, many miles to come. Idle noise, what idle noise? I wear ear plugs! Buying a Burgman is something you will not regret.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Brian]

I wouldn't be put off by the so-called "dieseling noise" -- it's just an inherent aspect of having a train of several gears for a final drive; when idling there is some backlash due to lack of load. If the gears were made to closer tolerances to eliminate the backlash, then they'd wear out sooner.

As Paul mentioned, there was a "fix" made -- it was a change in a bushing or something like that if I recall -- but it really didn't do all that much.

If our Burgmans were as loud as Harleys and Magnas and the like, we'd never notice the idle noise; but since they're not, we do. It's just part of being different.

As far as reliability goes, I've had my '03 650 since June and have put more than 7500 miles on it, including a trip from Canada to Mexico and back home in six days of riding. Except for almost running out of gas due to missing a fuel stop, and getting infested with ants when parked for two days in San Diego, my journey was trouble free.

By all means, wait for an '05 so you can have the latest and greatest, but don't do it because of fears about older models having significant problems -- they don't.

 

[jazzme]

Wow, Thanks

I have just read all of the responses to my original post, and I find myself sitting here grinning. Simply because I am very surprised at the amount of replys. Thankyou.
I am aware of the "fix" for the dieseling sound. Can't go through this site and not come out informed! And I literally went through the entire site!!!
Its just that I dont want to go through that at all fix it stuff with a new bike! But as you have all said its just part of the bike. So I guess you all have contributed to easing my fears somewhat. I will not fret about it so much anymore.
I will only complain about the lousy color choice, and consider a paint job for my bike.
But as one of you said, by all means wait for the 05's to get the latest and greatest!!!! I guess that is what I will do and if I am not moved by all of the new features, maybe then I will look back to an o4.
Thanks again for all of the input.
Jazzme

 

[Helix]

Re: Wow, Thanks

I have just read all of the responses to my original post, and I find myself sitting here grinning. Simply because I am very surprised at the amount of replys. Thankyou.
I am aware of the "fix" for the dieseling sound. Can't go through this site and not come out informed! And I literally went through the entire site!!!
Its just that I dont want to go through that at all fix it stuff with a new bike! But as you have all said its just part of the bike. So I guess you all have contributed to easing my fears somewhat. I will not fret about it so much anymore.
I will only complain about the lousy color choice, and consider a paint job for my bike.
But as one of you said, by all means wait for the 05's to get the latest and greatest!!!! I guess that is what I will do and if I am not moved by all of the new features, maybe then I will look back to an o4.
Thanks again for all of the input.
Jazzme

Jazzme,
Welcome! I am also a new member. Got my Silver 04 Burgman 650 September 02, 2004. Just turned over 1,800 miles. Just got back from a chilly Iowa fall evening ride of 48degrees, but I was warmed by the excitement this crazy scooter brings. I have owned a number of crusiers and touring motor cycles and the Honda Helix, but this is probably the funnest scooter/crusier/touring 2wheel machine I have ever owned. Yes she does diesel when stopped, but crack that throttle and just smile!
you shouldn't be disappointed........Stay safe the deer are running......

Helix :lol:

 

[lycheed]

Jazzme,

The 650 is a good choice. It was introduced in 2002 and has basically had no changes in it's eniter life because it is so good at what it does, and there is no competition. It has some overlap with a SilverWing 600, but that is more city orientated than grand touring orientated like the 650. It has a large overlap with the BMW R1150RT and STX1300 but has an electronic CVT gearbox, and half the displacement. It is right up there with the best sports Tourers.

Speaking of the SilverWing: last year a Japanese rider found that his handlebars had come loose at 75mph causing a full recall. Marry this to high speed handoing problems ou'd think that people would steer clear of the SW600 - well, it still outsells any other 500c plus scooter globally.

Speaking of the BMW R1150: almost 1200cc of engine that struggles to produce 85bhp and can barely run above 100mph and with serious vibration above 4,500 rpm. Still sells very well. "It's a twin" I hear you say. So is the AN650, which performs similarly with identical weight and half the displacement.

Speaking of the Honda Pan-European STX1300: one of the best engines (145bhp V-4), looks and ergonomics of the sports Tourer world. However, it had problems conducting engine heat to the rider through the seat and tank. Honda eventually made a quick fix after pretending to not know of the problem. It still sells very well and is certainly on my shopping list for the future.

I have never consider the diesel noise a "problem" - compared to the ownership experiences of the competition it is a nice problem to have. :wink: It more a character thing, and something you barely notice after the first couple of rides.

Buy the best model that you can afford. If you can afford ABS, go for that. That is the one area where the SW600, R1150RT and STX1300 beat the AN650 as a true allrounder and sports Tourer.

Good luck.

 

[wilder days]

Jazzme,
I have a suzuki intruder 1400. I still love the bike. bought it in '02. Now, with all that power, two BIG jugs of all sorts of torque. At 45-55 mph, it sounds wonderful, just chugging down the road. BUT....try taking it up past 65, and it vibrates like crazy. I've had it up to 90 once, but for only a few seconds. Shakes way too much for any comfortable ride. It also has a high pitched metalic sound starting at 58 and runs till past 65. Its irratating as hell. Never could get suzuki to fix it. Never gave me a problem though.
I guess what I'm getting at is, big engines don't necessarly give you what you want. I have all that power, but can't ride it much past 70, without rattleing my brains out. Its a great bike for "lumbering" down a country road, but not what i'd want for any long trips.
The burgman650 is what I'll be trading my 1400 in on next spring. They have BLUE again !!! I'm so excited.

 

[Brian]

...I have a suzuki intruder 1400....try taking it up past 65, and it vibrates like crazy. I've had it up to 90 once, but for only a few seconds. Shakes way too much for any comfortable ride....

That's interesting. I wonder what exactly causes that.

Those who have read my posts for a while know that this past summer I had my AN650 over 100MPH (112 indicated, to be exact) on two occasions, and it was humming along smoothly; it just couldn't go any faster.

Since I love touring, I may have to get a Gold Wing someday for really long trips, and keep my Burgman for around town and shorter tours. But it sounds like a cruiser or sport-tourer wouldn't be any better than what I have now.

 

[jazzme]

To wilder days

Thanks for the input. You said something that really caught my attention. BLUE. You say they have it again. Are you sure, is it the same blue as the 03? What website did you find this info on. Or did you get this info from some other source, please let me know.
I still plan on buying a new 05' Burgman. It seams I will have time to wait for any new model/mid year model, as I have just had spinal surgery and recovery may prove to be much longer than expected. If I had to buy a silver or black I would have it painted but if I could get it in a blue ......
Have a great day
Joyce

 

[billmeek]

Joyce,
The 2005 650 on the Suzuki media site lists the colors as silver and blue along with photos of those colors. In 2004, the blue color of the Burgman 400 changed to a darker blue. I would 'guess' the blue for the 2005 would be a slightly different blue from the 2003's. Take a look at the media site above to see a picture of the 2005's.

 

[Robert]

I've got an 03 650 and I haven't fiddled or fixed anything other than putting a taller windscreen on (I have to dothat to every bike I own). I haven't noticed the "dieseling noise", just comments from bicycle riders about how quiet it is. The thing is that the bike's exhaust is so quiet that you hear other things. Shut off your motorcycle going down the road and you'll hear tire noise, disc brakes, chain noise and all sorts of other things that you would never notice. There isn't anything abnormal or wrong about any of them - you just don't normally hear them. With the Burgmans, the exhaust is very quiet, and the bodywork muffles the tire noises - so what sounds you do hear are the gear noise from the transmission. It's nothin compared to the dry clutch on a Ducati, or even the gear driven valves on some Honda's... I did buy a mercury switch brake light to mount because when you roll off the throttle the bike slows down dramatically without using the brakes - but I haven't mounted it yet.