Ted White said:
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.