cruiser to bergman?

G said:

I currently ride a V* 650. Im interested in anyone’s comparison of the Burgman650 that may have come over from a cruiser. It’s very important for me to get a bike that’s smooth "no engine vibration through the bars, seat or foot rest" at higher cruising speeds such as 75-80 mph. I’ve read numerous posts stating that the Burgman in smooth, but smooth in comparison to what.

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Smooth in comparison to anything. I've owned 17 motorcycles and several scooters. I had a Honda Shadow VT1100 several bikes ago. I've also owned a Goldwing. I currently am approaching 14,000 miles on my Burgman 650. On several tours this Summer I cruised at 75-85 mph all day on my AN650. There is simply no vibration at any speed from idle to top speed.

G said:

If I do switch over to the Burg I want to make sure Im happy with it. I just want a smooth, practical and versatile ride that offers great weather protection, is reliable with minimum maintenance. Something I can ride to work on all week then take cross country the next day. Be honest please.

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You couldn't do better than a Burgman 650 without going all the way to a Goldwing. Big price difference there. For long straight cruising days, the Goldwing is better, but the Burgman is capable. Around town, the Goldwing is overkill, and through the twisties, the Burgman is a lot more fun. The ECVT automatic works really well in any riding environment - something the Goldwing currently doesn't offer. I still own, ride and enjoy a motorcycle, but the Burgman sees a lot more road time.

My past experence was a Suzuki GT750 25+ years ago.
I can honestly say this is smoother as far as any vibration goes. There have been Goldwing riders riding them, and the concensus seems to be very favorable.

The only drawback would be the smaller tires on the scooter. Standard motorcycle sized tires will ride and take the bumps better than scooter tires.
The suspension is at it's best when fully loaded, as far as a comfortabe ride.
Some members have done some modifications to best suit them.

The smoothness of the engine and drivetrain is excellent. There are many "Road Stories" that talk of 6,8, and even 12-16 hr runs in 1 day. I did about 1,200 miles in 5 days with my wife, and I had NO vibration issues.

As mentioned earlier, the suspension could use some attention if your riding solo. 2 up it seems to be fine. Riding solo, I could do 1-2 hrs pretty well before taking a break, riding 2 up, I can go 3 hrs. (time for gas anyway). Most of us are older(40+), so back pain issues, are more of a concern (suspension and seat).

Again, not to sound goofy (probably will anyway), but the smoothness of the drivetrain is almost "electric"

It is largely the difference in wheel diameter. I also felt that the rear shocks lacked sufficient damping. Replaced the shocks with Ikons. Can't do anything about the wheel diameter. The Pirelli's were really a surprise. Biggest single improvement in ride that you can make. I just wish they'd keep them in our supply chain. With the Pirellis and the upgraded shocks, I'm pretty satisfied with the ride. The Burgman 650 will never handle the rough stuff as well as my V-Strom though. 19" front wheel, 17" back wheel, and longer suspension travel. I used to think about upgrading the V-Strom suspension until I got used to riding the scooter. Now it is about the last thing I would spend money on.

With a few tweaks, you can get the Burgman 650 suspension to work about as well as most cruisers (which typically have short travel suspensions too). In fact, it is less prone to bottoming out than my Honda 1100 Shadow was - and that was a real "ouch" when it occurred. But it will never equal the sport, sport touring, or full touring motorcycles, which have both bigger wheels and longer suspension travel.