[Ted White]

For those of you who might care to read it, my article on the Burgman is currently in an online magazine. http://www.bisbeemarquee.com/.

Click on Herr Burgman, or Ted White (under regular contributors or columns, I forget which).

The Editor, Ellis Heckman, found a great image of the Burgman. I have no idea where he encountered it. Maybe he made it up.

Enjoy.

 

[abm]

Click on Herr Burgman, or Ted White (under regular contributors or columns, I forget which).

Enjoy.

Ted,

thompson was always pro-bike in all of his monographs - speaking often of the Vincent Black Shadow, and riding his Triumph across the golden gate bridge. I think Bill Burroughs might have had a few things to say about bikers.

 

[billmeek]

Great article Ted! Been looking forward to reading it. Can we also look forward to a Burgman update in the Bisbee Marquee?

Bill

 

[Ted White]

ABM:

I write a humor column. None of it should be taken seriously. Re: Hunter, I never met him, though several of my friends were friends of his and used to visit him up in Woody Creek. I read his books and loved them.

I pulled the three names off the top of my head because they would have made such impossible bedfellows. I've also read William Burroughs, and yes, he would have had something to say about bikers.

 

[Ted White]

Bill:

You bet. Riding a Burgman around is tantamount to riding a real elephant to the supermarket. People come out and gawk. Amazing. Lots of stories.

Guy today said he thought it was a new version of the Goldwing. He has a Goldwing. When I got done with the schpiel, he said he was going to buy one as he was 65 and it hurt him to throw his leg over his bike (bad back). He kept walking around it and saying, "By God, they done everything right."

 

[Stormsteed]

Never mind.

 

[migz123]

Nice article Ted :thumbright:

 

[allwalk]

:notworthy: Thanks for the chuckles. I enjoyed your column.

 

[dancote]

Motorcyclists Anonymous

Ted,

I share the same affliction. Perhaps we should start a support group.

My first bike was an Indian at age 16. My garage currrently houses the Burgman, a Harley, and a VW trike. Along the way, I've fed my addiction with a constant parade of 2-strokes, 4-strokes, scooters, sidecars, sport bikes, tourers and off-roaders. Tried to break the endless cycle once by buying a sports car (240Z). Didn't last a year.

Oh to be Jay Leno so I could still have them all.

Regards,

Dan

 

[Invincsum]

Loved the article

Ted,

Two well-gloved thumbs up on your column. I had to laugh at the 12-step descriptions, right on the money. :lol: As we say (with all due respect), "Thanks for sharing!"

Bryna

 

[pauljo]

Ted,

I read the article. Based on your track record, you'll probably sell the Burgman in a few months. I hope that doesn't happen though, because it is nice having you in this group.

I'm just curious where you got the 40 hp figure for the Burgman 650. I thought I saw 55 hp quoted for the 650 in one of the road tests I'd read (40 hp sounds more like the 400 model). I know you are not a tech writer, but I'm just curious.

Anyway, it made me surf the web a bit, and although I did not find any specs giving horsepower figures, it DID result in the discovery of the Gustafsson windscreens. I really gotta see one of those things in florescent orange or purple tint. Hey... You are in the market for a windscreen I think... :lol: Actually, it is probably a fine windscreen, but the list of available tints kind of takes ones breath away...

 

[Ted White]

Pauljo:

Motorcycle Consumer News' current issue (May) rates it at 37.5 hp with 58.6 lbs of torque. I just round it off to 40.

City Bike didn't give horsepower, but said it cruised effortlessy at 85-90 mph and, on the flat, with no wind, a lightweight rider attained a GPS verified 117 mph. "handling a bit twitchy at that speed, but manageable."

You're right, I'm not a techie.

Both mags liked it.

 

[pauljo]

Ted,

I am somewhat disappointed - thought we had 55 hp all along.
MCN is a pretty good publication though.

Oh well, maybe my Remus exhaust brings mine up to a true 40 hp.

 

[Ted White]

Pauljo:

Considering what the Remus cost, you should get to 40hp easy.

What sort of difference did the Remus make on your V-Strom?

(BTW, what did the Remus cost for the Burgman?)

 

[pauljo]

Ted,

The V-Strom gained 10% in both peak horsepower and torque. The dyno curves were much smoother too after the Remus cannisters were installed. Seat of the pants impression on the road matched with the Dyno readings - smoother and more powerful. And it sounds wonderful. No remap of the Fuel Injection was done either - the performance gains were simply from changing the exhaust.

I got a very special deal on the Remus for the Burgman. I was their first "test rider" in the USA. They let me have it for $270 and they paid shipping, with the understanding that I send them pictures and a full report. I think that is about $100 off of the normal price for the aluminum unit. The carbon fiber unit is more expensive. I did not have dyno runs done on the Burgman, but it does feel more responsive. I wouldn't be surprised if it also got a 10% boost - which would put it at 41.25 hp, based on a 37.5 hp starting point.

 

[Ted White]

Pauljo:

I, too, have heard (or read?) claims of 50+ hp for the AN650. It's not an unreasonable number for a 650cc motor. The 650 V-Strom, for example, develops 62 hp but only 42.2 lbs of torque? How odd that the Burgman develops 58.6 lbs of torque with less horsepower. Probably because it's tuned to do so.

Let me guess about the Remus: Made in Germany? Noisy? Good noisy or bad noisy?

BTW, have received mucho e-mails from Herr Burgman readers who don't know squat about two-wheeled transportation devices, but want to know where they can find one. I want a check from Suzuki.

 

[pauljo]

How odd that the Burgman develops 58.6 lbs of torque with less horsepower. Probably because it's tuned to do so.

Let me guess about the Remus: Made in Germany? Noisy? Good noisy or bad noisy?

I think the torque output is probably important because of the way the CVT works. It anchors at a set rpm, and lets the transmission provide the acceleration. Horsepower is usually max at higher rpms, so with a manual transmission, you can use your gears to stay in the (horse)power band. Also, the Burgman engine does not rev very high compared to many motorcycle engines. I bumped into the rev limiter yesterday using manual mode.

Remus - made in Austria. The cannister for the 650 is their GP Revolution model, which is different from the Remus Grand Prix cannisters on the V-Strom. The GP Revolution has a removeable silencer. Not easily removeable, mind you. You have to drill out a retaining rivet (required by European laws). Then I had a tugging match with the silencer. I was not strong enough to win that one. But I am smarter than a **** silencer, you see. (Marginally so, but smarter nonetheless.) I removed the cannister from the exhaust pipe, stuck a length of broom handle up its rear end, and gave it a few good whacks with a rubber mallet. I won that time.

With the silencer in place, the sound is not at all loud, but you can feel the performance advantage. The sound is just slightly louder than the stock muffler, and a bit sportier.

With the silencer out, the sound is outrageously loud. Harley straight pipe loud - maybe louder. It was embarrassing when I got on the throttle to pass a car, or accelerating away from a stoplight in town. Not nice. Made my ears ring.

But again, I am smarter than a silencer. I looked at the silencer. The back end of it was crimped to restrict exhaust flow. The back two or three inches also had score marks incurred during our tugging match, so I figured that was where it was hanging up. I took a reciprocal saw and cut off the back 3 inches of the silencer. I could now insert & remove it by hand. I reinstalled it using a screw and washer kit that the distributor sent me. Sounds nice. Louder than when fully silenced, but well within socially acceptable limits.

If I were to do it again, I'd just leave it alone with the silencer in place. It's lighter than the stock unit, it looks better, it sounds a little better, and it makes more power.

But as the first "test rider" in the USA, I just had to satisfy my curiosity and try it without the silencer.

 

[migz123]

Although I'm not entirely sure about the figures on the Burgman (so I could be wrong), but I would guess that tHe difference in reported hp figures is probably the result of the difference between what Suzuki (or most manufacturers) would release as measured hp at the crank of the engine vs actual output measured on a Dyno machine from the rear tire. THat difference can vary widely, but most often the hp measured at the rear tire will be 10-20% lower than the power measured at the crank.

 

[pauljo]

I would guess that tHe difference in reported hp figures is probably the result of the difference between what Suzuki (or most manufacturers) would release as measured hp at the crank of the engine vs actual output measured on a Dyno machine from the rear tire. THat difference can vary widely, but most often the hp measured at the rear tire will be 10-20% lower than the power measured at the crank.

By gosh, you are onto something here!

My V-Strom was about 30% less on the dyno than the figure Suzuki quoted for it. Of course, it only had 600 miles on it at the time too, so it wasn't fully broken in.

55 hp minus 30% would be 38.5. I think the gap would be less than 30% for a fully broken in machine, but chances are that the machine the magazine tested was pretty new, and the engine and drivetrain were still a bit tight.

Close enough. Now I can sleep nights again. :wink:

 

[Franklin]

Nice Piece, But

Funny article, but you all don't have editors or proofers up there? People in America rider motorcycles because of the "loaner" image? What, we ride borrowed bikes?