[maybe scoot]

I learned of this site from the intruder alert site. Have been reading the forum for a few days. Went to the dealer where I bought my 2001 Intruder 1400 to set on one. Asked the salesman who sold me the intruder, to talk me out of the 650 scooter. He didn't even try. My plan was to get a goldwing, a BMW 1200LT or a ST1300 as my next bike.

I have windshield, saddle bags and lazy rider backrest. Completed the Iron butt 1000 about 3 months ago. I have learned that I enjoy touring. But I want to be able to lock all the stuff I carry and not worry about some kid taking my jacket, rainsuit, helmet, Garmon, etc while I am away from the bike.

Does the 650 scooter work for the highway? What about wind protection? Enough power? What about vibration? Is the engine the same as the V-Storm 650?

Please give me some thoughts. Thanks :wink: :scratch:

 

[pauljo]

Welcome to the forum! I've done three tours on my Burgman 650 this Summer, and I'll be leaving for a fourth in about a week. I've done a 500 mile day cruising on I-90 in South Dakota at 85 mph. I've had no problems at all while touring - and we have several members who have done much longer tours than mine this year.

The AN650 engine is totally different from the V-Strom engines (I also own a V-Strom 1000). The V-Strom design is a 90 degree V-twin, the Burgman is a parallel twin. The AN650 Burgman engine has been described as 1/2 of a Hayabusa 4 cylinder in magazine tests. It is a very smooth engine - no detectable vibration, even at idle. It is tuned more for torque than horsepower, to be compatible with the ECVT automatic. The combination of this engine and the automatic work quite well together.

Unless you are short, you'll probably want to upgrade the windscreen. Givi makes one - I tried it and didn't like it. Clearview makes at least four different sizes, and I think they are the probably best choice. I am 6'6" and I actually have toured with the stock windscreen a couple of times. With the right helmet (I used a Shoei Z-Two) it wasn't so bad. My other helmets were pretty awful in handling the windblast off of the small windscreen. If you do opt to replace the windscreen it will cost less than $150 to do so.

Although the under-seat trunk is sizable, for serious touring you'll want to consider adding a Givi trunk - or external soft luggage. I have a Givi E52 trunk on mine, and I also have a "hump bag" - like a motorcycle tank bag but it goes on the hump between the seat and the dash.

I like both of my Suzukis, but I ride the Burgman more frequently, and I've put more miles on it. I'm approaching 10,000 miles on it now (I only have 6,000 on the V-Strom, and I've owned it longer). The AN650 is a very versatile machine - and it is fun to ride.

 

[Brian]

...Does the 650 scooter work for the highway? What about wind protection? Enough power? What about vibration? Is the engine the same as the V-Storm 650?

I've taken my 650 on two tours that included mountainous terrain; one on US-2 through the Cascade Range (594 miles over two days), and one up Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Forest (350 miles in one day). and in the morning I'm riding on the Teddy Bear Run fund-raiser to Eastern Washington, 600 miles round trip.

The Burgman did fine. Plenty of power on the highways and byways, great handling in the twisties, easy to ride.

Like Paul said, the windshield isn't big enough for me but I can suffer a little until I decide to buy a replacement, and the seat could be a little longer for me (I have long legs -- 36" inseam), but overall no complaints.

As for vibration; virtually non-existant. The bike was so quiet on my first tour that were it not for wind noise I'd have been tempted to get off to see if it was still running -- not advisable at 102MPH. Yes, 102MPH (112 according to the speedometer, but we know that they lie).

If you can swing it, I think you'd do well to keep your Intruder for the times when you want to feel the raw power between your legs, but get the Burgman for the long, comfortable trips and 50 smiles per gallon.

If it's one or the other, I'd go for the Burgman -- but I'm biased.

 

[allwalk]

Greetings and welcome to the forum! :wave:

The other 2 previous post have pretty well nailed it even without being biased.

Does the 650 scooter work for the highway? What about wind protection? Enough power? What about vibration? Is the engine the same as the V-Storm 650?

Paul already explained the engine configuration. As far as horsepower Suzuki claims it gives out 55 hp. I have several friends who ride 750 cruisers that only put out 38 horsepower and they cant even begin to dream about keeping up to the 650 Burgman. It out accelerates them without even trying. The scooter design also allows for many different feet positions while riding. I find this to be very useful on those long rides being able to move my feet and sitting position. In other words I find it very comfy for long hauls. Vibration! Whats that? This machine has none and I mean none. It is so smooth that in automatic mode you feel nothing in the bike as it climbs through the pre determined gear ratios. However ....as soon as you back off on the throttle there is a rather large amount of engine braking that you will first have to get used to. I rather like this feature. I find that if I am going into a corner a little too hot that rolling of the throttle quickly and safely reduces my speed to a comfortable level without grabbing for brakes or panicking.

The 650 is also very passenger friendly with a large seat for them as well. With the addition of a backrest my passenger says she can fall asleep back there and is so comfy that she no longer uses the rails to hold onto. Not to mention that I never get slammed in the back of the head by her helmet even when I catch her off guard.

Bottom line is that this machine is small enough and nimble enough to take to the corner store or if that store happens to be 2 hours away on the freeway it will handle that just as easily.
I felt the same way as you did about kids touching my things and I love the available lockable storage. No more helmet and jacket wearing into the local Wal Mart. Best of all no more backpacks on my commute to work.

 

[Brian]

....as soon as you back of on the throttle there is a rather large amount of engine breaking that you will first have to get used to. ...

No no no! That's engine braking!

Repeat after me:

"Burgman: Engine Brakes
Harley: Engine Breaks"

It's confusing, I know, but do try to keep up.

 

[Randy]

Now that's funny, I never heard of Burgman owners breaking Harley brakes :lol:

 

[allwalk]

....as soon as you back of on the throttle there is a rather large amount of engine breaking that you will first have to get used to. ...

No no no! That's engine braking!

Repeat after me:

"Burgman: Engine Brakes
Harley: Engine Breaks"

It's confusing, I know, but do try to keep up.

DOH! SO sorry . I've just come off midnights and if you look at the time of my post it was 4:30 am.. My apologies for the misspelling.

 

[maybe scoot]

Now you all have my attention :lol: Has anyone mounted a GPS? I have the Garmin V and love it. How about the XO Roady? How expensive are the saddle bag and top case? Has anyone switched from Gold Wing?

 

[Pappy]

I learned of this site from the intruder alert site. Have been reading the forum for a few days. Went to the dealer where I bought my 2001 Intruder 1400 to set on one. Asked the salesman who sold me the intruder, to talk me out of the 650 scooter. He didn't even try. My plan was to get a goldwing, a BMW 1200LT or a ST1300 as my next bike.

I have windshield, saddle bags and lazy rider backrest. Completed the Iron butt 1000 about 3 months ago. I have learned that I enjoy touring. But I want to be able to lock all the stuff I carry and not worry about some kid taking my jacket, rainsuit, helmet, Garmon, etc while I am away from the bike.

Does the 650 scooter work for the highway? What about wind protection? Enough power? What about vibration? Is the engine the same as the V-Storm 650?

Please give me some thoughts. Thanks :wink: :scratch:

Welcome,

I see a lot of folk have already anwered the hard questions with hard facts. Sold my 1500LC and bought the Burgman 650 and TWO 50CC Honda Metropolitan scooters. You won't miss a thing. It has some weird kind of addiction I never experienced before in my 55 years. Can't put it into words. Just can't quit wanting to get on it. Would keep up with or BEAT my 1500LC as well for what it's worth. Didn't buy it for that however. It is NOT strained at 70+ MPH. If ya ride one, you WILL buy one, Mike

 

[Brian]

Now you all have my attention :lol: Has anyone mounted a GPS?...

Several members here have, and I believe one or more have posted pictures in the gallery, although maybe that was a different site (not a different Burgman Owners' site...if there is such a thing I wouldn't know about it. I'm 100% loyal to my buddies here. ) -- a manufacturers site or accessories dealer or something.

Try using the search function at the top of the page for keyword GPS; I'm sure you'll get a post or two.

When I take my trip to California and back next month I'll be mounting a Garmin and a camera. I've used both while flying and boating, and want to use them for my scooter trip.

I'll be posting the whole story in the "Road Stories" forum when I get back.

BTW, I just got back from the Teddy Bear Run. I'm just checking my e-mail and BurgmanUSA replies now, but after I shower and rest a bit I'll be posting in the Road Stories forum under "The Teddy Bear Run." I invite you all to read it.

 

[Poppy]

Good one Brian, catching the spelling. I hope you know we'll be running you through the spell check now. Spelling was alway mu worst subject.

Happy Trails
Poppy, #482

 

[Brian]

Good one Brian, catching the spelling. I hope you know we'll be running you through the spell check now. Spelling was alway mu worst subject.

I hope everyone knows I was just attempting some light-hearted fun.

I, too, am a poor speller, and rely heavily on my spelling checker, but my Web browser doesn't have one, so you may catch quite a few bloopers on my part; especially if I post hurriedly or when I'm tired.

BTW, on that vein here's a poem:

Eye Halve a Spelling Chequer

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am write oar wrong
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rear lee ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect in it's weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.

Eye Halve a Spelling Chequer
Due Ewe?

-- Sauce unknown

 

[allwalk]

:laughing3: I yous the exact same chequer on my pea see! Small world.

 

[Brian]

:laughing3: I yous the exact same chequer on my pea see! Small world.

For those who, like me, are terrible spellers, there is hope that our messages will nonetheless get across:

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

I kept stopping at the word "wrod" -- possibly because it has the word "rod" in it in the correct order -- but overall I could read it just as fast as anything else.

 

[Poppy]

Brian,
you naughty boy, I tole you I wood Be checking your spelling. You put a quote in your last post and that last word (a wlohe) in that quote was a very bad word. You best clean up your act or I will call your mother.

Happy Trails
Poppy, #482

 

[Brian]

...that last word (a wlohe) in that quote was a very bad word. You best clean up your act or I will call your mother.

:?:

I wrote "wlohe" not "wrohe" -- what's wrong with that? :wink: