FYI Got my new issue of Rider Magazine today. They do a quick review of the big scooters and mention good & not so good points of each. Burgman came out fairly good! May be worth buying a issue! I may have missed this if someone has already posted this info.
Burgman? BMW? Honda?
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I take motorcycle reviews of scooters with a grain of salt. The testers are accustomed to riding high performance motorcycles. They see things from that perspective and it skews their evaluation.
When I decided to buy a maxi-scooter, I went about it a little differently. I went to brand specific forums to see what owners thought of their rides and the problems they were having, keeping in mind that they like what they have. I had BMWs for years so I was already a member of the forums and I went to Silverwing forums as a guest and I joined 2 Burgman forums.
When I decided to buy a maxi-scooter, I went about it a little differently. I went to brand specific forums to see what owners thought of their rides and the problems they were having, keeping in mind that they like what they have. I had BMWs for years so I was already a member of the forums and I went to Silverwing forums as a guest and I joined 2 Burgman forums.
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BMW Scooter is a NO GO for me...
:tongue6:Yesterday I had the chance to see up close a 2014 BMW scooter. They look pretty cool in some respects. But, I hate the mirrors! Look like antennae. Also, the little instrument cluster sits there like a box they had to bolt on at the last minute. But the techno appearance when it is on is cool. As far as the fit, well, I could not flat foot it. I had to support it almost on my tip toes. Pretty high in the inseam if you ask me. I don't think I could safely carry a passenger under those conditions at a stop light. My inseam is 31" by the way. I don't think that 15" rear wheel makes that much difference. It also had heated grips and seats. Nice feature. The backrest is not adjustable like the Burgmans. The transmition is not multi stage like the Burgmans either. All in all I love the look of the seat. Real rich looking leather appearance. If I want a BMW scooter I will buy the badge on eBay and glue it to the side of my Burgman. I told the salesman I might consider it when my Burgman wears out and he said I would never wear it out. He used to sell them before coming to this dealership. I'm sure it is a good machine and I could over look the little things but the tip toe thing makes it a no go for me.
:tongue6:Yesterday I had the chance to see up close a 2014 BMW scooter. They look pretty cool in some respects. But, I hate the mirrors! Look like antennae. Also, the little instrument cluster sits there like a box they had to bolt on at the last minute. But the techno appearance when it is on is cool. As far as the fit, well, I could not flat foot it. I had to support it almost on my tip toes. Pretty high in the inseam if you ask me. I don't think I could safely carry a passenger under those conditions at a stop light. My inseam is 31" by the way. I don't think that 15" rear wheel makes that much difference. It also had heated grips and seats. Nice feature. The backrest is not adjustable like the Burgmans. The transmition is not multi stage like the Burgmans either. All in all I love the look of the seat. Real rich looking leather appearance. If I want a BMW scooter I will buy the badge on eBay and glue it to the side of my Burgman. I told the salesman I might consider it when my Burgman wears out and he said I would never wear it out. He used to sell them before coming to this dealership. I'm sure it is a good machine and I could over look the little things but the tip toe thing makes it a no go for me.
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I have a 29" inseam and I couldn't come close to reaching the ground on the BMW. With the way it is made, I don't think there is a way to lower the seat or make a different seat that is low enough to make a difference. Anyway, I have been a member of the BMW forums since the mid 90s and I have been following the scooters. There have been several issues with them and some interesting maintenance recommendations. One member had an engine issue and he has been waiting for months to get the necessary parts to repair it. The drive train had the CVT belt and a chain final drive that is in an oil bath. The maintenance schedule includes:
The basics are Maintenance Schedule BMW C 650 GT & Sport
1,000km (Running-in service) (600 mile)
- engine oil + filter + set strainer
10,000km (Engine oil service) (6000 mile)
-engine oil + filter
20,000km (Minor service) (12000 mile)
-engine oil + filter, CVT belt + roller bearings, air filter and etc.
30,000km (Engine oil service) (18000 mile)
-engine oil + filter
40,000km (Major service) (24000 mile)
-valve adjustment, engine oil + filter, gearbox oil, rear axle oil, air filter, spark plug, CVT belt + roller bearings, chain + sprockets, gaskets + oil seals + O-rings and etc.
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Rider Magazine review
This would have been a great opportunity to show other riders that these "Maxi-Scooters" are not just "toys". Coming off a Kawasaki Concours and two Suzuki V-Strom 1000s, I'm having a blast on my 2007 Burgman 650. I bought it used in mid-July with 2,300 miles and now have over 6K.
Oh well.
Quick review is putting it mildly. I was very disappointed in how they basically re-stated what I could already read in the dealer brochure, plus what they could have gathered on a 1-hour ride. The Burgman page was 3/4 photos and 1/4 text. (The "Conclusions" page is even less text and more photos than that!) Of course, they had room to mention the make and model of each helmet, jacket, pants, and boots on all the riders. No 1/4-mile or 0-60 stats or day-long-comfort info. I wrote a letter to the editor basically stating what I just said and suggested they should have done a 1,000-mile overnighter to see what these bikes can really do.
This would have been a great opportunity to show other riders that these "Maxi-Scooters" are not just "toys". Coming off a Kawasaki Concours and two Suzuki V-Strom 1000s, I'm having a blast on my 2007 Burgman 650. I bought it used in mid-July with 2,300 miles and now have over 6K.
Oh well.
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Maybe they did drop it from the UK but it is here in USA. I found a few other BMW's I would rather have than that scooter and they were not all big bikes either. Remember, this machine has a Kymco power plant. It is good but when I buy BMW I would like it to have more BMW in it!
I've used that process myself.
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As a long time BMW fan and rider, I think BMW lost their way with their smaller vehicles when they introduced the F series in the mid 90s. It was built by Aprilla with a Rotax engine. I don't consider a single cylinder vertical engine and a wet clutch with chain drive a BMW. The engine was also a twin cylinder on later bikes that was initially made in mainland China but later made in Berlin. Some had chains and others had belts. The Kymco powered scooters have an enclosed chain drive in an oil bath.
The larger BMWs still have shaft drive but the dry clutch is quickly disappearing with the water cooled boxers and the transverse engine K bikes.
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IMHO the largest showstopper is the mechanical CVT, but the lack of storage also draws down.
On the other hand, the suspension is reported to be much better than the Burgman's. Suzuk should find out what BMW has done and copy it ASAP
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I don't know about North America, but here in Australia BMW requires annual inspections on top of the distance based services. The annual inspections are mandatory if you wish to retain your warranty, must be performed by a genuine BMW dealership, cost roughly the equivalent of a minor service and are payable in addition to the service cost.
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Really? You mean Suzuki should also raise the seat height to the same as the BMW?,
........ because that is the price BMW riders pay for the extra suspension travel.
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