G'day all and seasons greetings from "Down Under". My name is Neil and I go by the username 3cav, that being short for 3rd Cavalry Regiment which was the unit I was with in Vietnam. I have only just joined this group however I have been reading many of the postings during the last week and found the topics really interesting and very informative. My story seems to be very similar to a lot of your members in that at the age of 53 I find riding my Honda VFR 750 is very painful due to back problems and a severe pain going through my left shoulder and down my left arm. I have always said that the worst ride on a bike is still better than the best ride in a car but there comes a time when one must rethink the situation and act.
I have had motor-cycles since I was 15, my first one being a 1952 Ariel 500 Red Hunter,followed by a Panther 600 single. I then did a 3 year stint in the Army where I didn't have any motorcycle at all. I made up for it once I got out and was the proud owner of a Yamaha 650. Some of the other bikes I have had over the years have been, Kawasaki: GTR 1000 touring bike, GPZ 500S twin, Z650, KLR 250 dirt bike, 250 Agriculture, (made for farmers and station owners). Ducati: 750 GT. Honda:K1 750, VFR 750 (my current bike) and various other bikes which suited my needs at the time.
One of these various other bikes I had was a Honda 250 Spacy scooter which I bought when I moved back from Darwin to Adelaide. Although I got laughed at and stirred by my mates I found the dammed thing was so handy in the city and could still pull about 120 klm/h on the freeway. It was also one of the most comfortable things I had ridden. Anyway I traded it in on my VFR which I would say has been the best bike I have ever owned, it now has 92,000 klm on it and has never had any work done it, (I do change oil and filter every 5000 K's).
I was telling one of my mates about my situation and saying my riding days might be over when he told my that he had read on article about a Suzuki scooter which had a capacity of 650cc. I thought he was having a go at me so I rang a dealer and my mate was correct. Heres the catch though, the dealers have only sold 2 in the whole state of South Australia so they don't keep any on the floor, so if you want one you put an order and by sight unseen, no test ride no nothing. I decided to do most of my searching on the Internet that's when I came across this sight. I also researched the T-max and the Piaggio x-9. The only 2 maxi scooters available here are the Suzi or the T-Max, the x-9 will be available early 2004. I think the specs for USA and Australia are the same for the Burgman 650, with the T-Max the European specs for 2004 are different to what the Aussie importers are bringing in. They gets fuel injection, twin discs up front and I think larger rims.
All you Burgman 650 riders seem so enthusiastic about your bikes and you seem very impressed with them even coming off more powerful sports or touring bikes that I think you have made my mind up for me about which maxi I will get. Summer is wasting and it's time I was throwing my leg over something, regards from Down Under.
I have had motor-cycles since I was 15, my first one being a 1952 Ariel 500 Red Hunter,followed by a Panther 600 single. I then did a 3 year stint in the Army where I didn't have any motorcycle at all. I made up for it once I got out and was the proud owner of a Yamaha 650. Some of the other bikes I have had over the years have been, Kawasaki: GTR 1000 touring bike, GPZ 500S twin, Z650, KLR 250 dirt bike, 250 Agriculture, (made for farmers and station owners). Ducati: 750 GT. Honda:K1 750, VFR 750 (my current bike) and various other bikes which suited my needs at the time.
One of these various other bikes I had was a Honda 250 Spacy scooter which I bought when I moved back from Darwin to Adelaide. Although I got laughed at and stirred by my mates I found the dammed thing was so handy in the city and could still pull about 120 klm/h on the freeway. It was also one of the most comfortable things I had ridden. Anyway I traded it in on my VFR which I would say has been the best bike I have ever owned, it now has 92,000 klm on it and has never had any work done it, (I do change oil and filter every 5000 K's).
I was telling one of my mates about my situation and saying my riding days might be over when he told my that he had read on article about a Suzuki scooter which had a capacity of 650cc. I thought he was having a go at me so I rang a dealer and my mate was correct. Heres the catch though, the dealers have only sold 2 in the whole state of South Australia so they don't keep any on the floor, so if you want one you put an order and by sight unseen, no test ride no nothing. I decided to do most of my searching on the Internet that's when I came across this sight. I also researched the T-max and the Piaggio x-9. The only 2 maxi scooters available here are the Suzi or the T-Max, the x-9 will be available early 2004. I think the specs for USA and Australia are the same for the Burgman 650, with the T-Max the European specs for 2004 are different to what the Aussie importers are bringing in. They gets fuel injection, twin discs up front and I think larger rims.
All you Burgman 650 riders seem so enthusiastic about your bikes and you seem very impressed with them even coming off more powerful sports or touring bikes that I think you have made my mind up for me about which maxi I will get. Summer is wasting and it's time I was throwing my leg over something, regards from Down Under.
