[pdxstriper]

Hi,

Bought my first motorbike one year ago. It's a 2011 Burgman 400 that I bought new. I am in my 50's and passed on the motorcycle phase in my younger years. So it's all pretty new to me. I rode just under 3,700 miles this first year.

Concluseion: I am very pleased with this machine. It purrs like a kitten around town and is capable of flying along at 75+ MPH as long as I care to go that speed. I ride almost every weekend with 3 other guys. They ride a Goldwing, a BMW R1200GS and a Yamaha FRJ 1300. Though we are all 'older' and no one is trying to set land speed records, I find I have no problem keeping up with them under any conditions. Most of my riding is just me but occasionally my wife rides with me. I suspected that 2-up on the 400 would be a slug. We rode to the Oregon coast and the bike had plenty of power and actually seemed to ride better with the extra weight. I was very pleasantly surprised. My only dilemma is that I want to get a bigger bike but am having a heck of a time justifying it.

So overall, I am very pleased with my Burgman 400. It is a lot more machine than I anticipated when I made the purchase.

Pete

 

[Elliott Larron]

Hi,

Bought my first motorbike one year ago. It's a 2011 Burgman 400 that I bought new. I am in my 50's and passed on the motorcycle phase in my younger years. So it's all pretty new to me. I rode just under 3,700 miles this first year.

Concluseion: I am very pleased with this machine. It purrs like a kitten around town and is capable of flying along at 75+ MPH as long as I care to go that speed. I ride almost every weekend with 3 other guys. They ride a Goldwing, a BMW R1200GS and a Yamaha FRJ 1300. Though we are all 'older' and no one is trying to set land speed records, I find I have no problem keeping up with them under any conditions. Most of my riding is just me but occasionally my wife rides with me. I suspected that 2-up on the 400 would be a slug. We rode to the Oregon coast and the bike had plenty of power and actually seemed to ride better with the extra weight. I was very pleasantly surprised. My only dilemma is that I want to get a bigger bike but am having a heck of a time justifying it.

So overall, I am very pleased with my Burgman 400. It is a lot more machine than I anticipated when I made the purchase.

Pete

Well, The Burgman 650 Is bigger But only when it comes to Height and Width, The burgman 400 has a much Greater Length...

 

[Bolzen]

what's with your face

 

[Dave_J]

what's with your face

bad acne.

 

[pdxstriper]

A touch of the flu. Thanks for asking.

 

[Liamjs]

A touch of the flu. Thanks for asking.

You should get that checked out.

I suggest a full face helmet next time.

 

[Bolzen]

Probably hard not to care a rash for the law officers

 

[itlives]

I also am very pleased with the 400. Sometimes, I have this nagging that says "You know, when you hit the road, you'll want a 650" . Then, I go and watch some of micbergsma's long distance rides again on you toob. Then, I'm ok....

 

[Liamjs]

I also am very pleased with the 400. Sometimes, I have this nagging that says "You know, when you hit the road, you'll want a 650" . Then, I go and watch some of micbergsma's long distance rides again on you toob. Then, I'm ok....

I have and love both of the Burgmans, I'm very lucky. But given the choice of only one bike... The 400 is the better general purpose bike. Given that the smaller burg is a great city mount and the 650 is king of the highway, the 400 is a better highway bike than the 650 is a city bike, if that makes sense.

Combined with repairs, mileage, initial costs, storage, etc., the 400 is a more practical bike and a heck of a lot fun to ride.

 

[Desert Rat]

I have and love both of the Burgmans, I'm very lucky. But given the choice of only one bike... The 400 is the better general purpose bike. Given that the smaller burg is a great city mount and the 650 is king of the highway, the 400 is a better highway bike than the 650 is a city bike, if that makes sense.

Combined with repairs, mileage, initial costs, storage, etc., the 400 is a more practical bike and a heck of a lot fun to ride.

You'll find others like me that have owned both like the 650 more.

 

[Liamjs]

You'll find others like me that have owned both like the 650 more.

I didn't say which one I liked more.

I said the 400 was the better general-purpose, more practical bike. Which is reason enough to like it. But liking something is not necessarily an issue of practicality.

 

[Elkhound]

Never having ridden a 650, I can't say, but I echo what has been said about the 400.

 

[29534]

When I got my 400, I found my large motorcycle sitting a lot. I found I rode it only on long trips on the interstate at high speeds. The 400 was much more convenient and easier to ride and it was my normal ride of choice. After the 400, I bought a 650. I like them both but if I had both a 650 and 400 at the same time, I suspect I would use the 400 most of the time for the same reason I used it instead of my motorcycle.

 

[Elkhound]

The salesman at the dealership said that one could take the 400 on the Interstate, but it wasn't recommended. I've followed that guidelines. Interstates are boring anyway.

 

[Burgmanmaniac]

After you break in the burgman 400 it will cruise at an indicated 80 mph without any difficulty whatsoever. I cruise at 80 mph only for short distances (under 15 miles) but others report logging thousands of miles at 80 mph without any issues.

 

[Burgmanmaniac]

I too like my Burgman 400 but a burg 650 is on my must buy list later this year or next. I'll then decide which one I like better.

The AF266 windshield transforms the burg 400 for me. It is fantastic in the way it handles the wind. A must buy if you drive over 60 mph on a regular basis.

 

[Bolzen]

The 400 does not imply highway or long travel usage. What bike in this class is really aimed for that purpose? However point is it can do more than was designed for.

The 650 is clearly a long hauler and thus a winner, so no big surprise here.

So 400 can do less, but on the other hand it can do more. This is the case when less is more. Hence some difficulty in choosing.

 

[Liamjs]

The salesman at the dealership said that one could take the 400 on the Interstate, but it wasn't recommended. I've followed that guidelines. Interstates are boring anyway.

Boy was that salesman wrong. Maybe he was trying to push you towards buying the more expensive 650, which is clearly the better highway bike, but the 400 does just fine. Of the 37k miles on my 400, probably 15k is full-on 75-80+ mph freeway riding. And I know there are a lot of owners that have 10s of thousands of highway miles.

I personally like the 400 on the interstate. I think its rock solid as a mini-touring bike.

Ride or don't ride interstate as you like, but know you have the option.

 

[Burgmanmaniac]

One other very important factor in deciding on the 400 is LONGEVITY of the transmission. The 400 has a proven track record for lasting more than 50,000 miles with most going over 75,000 miles. Yes, some maint. is required but the cost is reasonable.

The Burg 650 has a questionable reliability history over 50,000 miles with the cost of a transmission setting you back as much as $4k (the value of the entire scooter most of the time).

Bang for you buck the Burg 400 has a better resale value, lower maint costs and a better reliability history. That said, the Burg 650 is the quickest scooter in the USA and there is no substitute for Horsepower.

For the vast majority of scooter riders the 400 is all we need in a bike but the 650 offers more of a good thing albeit at a much higher overall cost. Despite the SIGNIFICANT increased Cost of ownership of a 650 vs a 400 I still want a 650 (notice how I never say that I need a 650).

FYI, my Burgman 400 with the Givi Airflow Windshield is solid at 80 mph on the highway. The Burg 650 offers me the opportunity to cruise at 85 mph with enough remaining power to still pass if needed or get out of trouble.

If you do 80 percent of your riding in the city or on roads with speed limits less than 65 mph the Burg 400 is indeed a great choice.

 

[Liamjs]

For the vast majority of scooter riders the 400 is all we need in a bike but the 650 offers more of a good thing albeit at a much higher overall cost. Despite the SIGNIFICANT increased Cost of ownership of a 650 vs a 400 I still want a 650 (notice how I never say that I need a 650).

+1. I don't "need" the 650 either... But I sure am glad I have one!