[royphotog]

well I have been registered on this form for some time now but just lurking for the most part The wife has a 06 Burgman 650 that she has not ridden much so two weeks ago I decided to ride the scoot to work (45 mies freeway driving) and found that it was a jolting ride. very rough. I did some searching on this form and found that i am not the only one to find this out, so today I changed the fork oil to 20W oil.

First, it does ride better, less jarring on the front end for sure so I am happy with this mod. It turned out to be much easer then I though it would be as I have never changed fork oil before. I took the forks off, drained the old oil (ATF) and cleaned them out then replaced the oil and took her for a ride.

I find that I like the Burgman, I have a couple of motorcycles of my own, a Kawasaki ZZR 1200 and a V-Strom 1000, both of which I like for different reason, but when I ride the Burgman it's a different kind of ride. It took me a little but to get used to that left hand lever being the rear brake, but after a couple of jarring stops it normal now.

I do find that almost no other motorcycles wave to me when I'm on the Burgman. funny, do they look down on it, just because it doesn't have a clutch.. because it's step through. when I'm on my other bikes I wave to everyone and sometimes I get a funny look from scooter riders, as if they are surprised that I wave to them, after riding the Burgman I understand. They are!

 

[Derrill]

Using ATF in the forks was a trick a lot of Harley & BMW riders used in the 60's didn't know it is still being used what with quality fork oil easily available. My Burg is 1 year old and as a long time rider of large displacement bikes I am very tired of the rough ride of the scoot. I will be changing my fork oil to 20w shortly and hope for a big imporvement!!

 

[Dave_J]

Most Dexron/Mercon is about 10W. Honda Goldwings of the 80's used it.

 

[bikerdoc]

...
I do find that almost no other motorcycles wave to me when I'm on the Burgman. funny, do they look down on it, just because it doesn't have a clutch.. because it's step through. when I'm on my other bikes I wave to everyone and sometimes I get a funny look from scooter riders, as if they are surprised that I wave to them, after riding the Burgman I understand. They are!

I relate to the feeling this generates. I found similar situation when I was in NZ last year, and having been bitten by the scootering bug since my long term stay in Asia, bought a AN650K3 while in NZ seeing family for 3 months last year. I've been riding all manner of motorcycles for 33+ years (Gezzus, time flies), and have a range of motorcycles at the moment (Jetmax maxi scoot [China], Dragstar 1100 Classic [China], XT1200Z Super Tenere{Australia], AN650K7 [China], BMW K1 [NZ]). I have always waved to pretty much all two wheelers (cyclists included, since I ride cycles too). During last years riding in NZ (covered some 15000km in those 3 months), I experienced a mixed bag of responses, some riders waved on their own initiative, some only waved after I'd done so, and some didn't return the wave at all. A little disconcerting, since I figure we're all enjoying exposure to the elements, are at the mercy of other road users some of whom are quite oblivious to what's going on round them. Front on the Burgman 650 does look like a "normal" motorcycle which might explain why some other motorcyclists waved first too. Despite how long the maxi scooter concept has existed (Honda Helix - a clone of which I rode in China for 2 years), there are plenty who have never seen a maxi scooter, as I found out riding all over the North Island of NZ last year. Many a person approached me enquiring "what is that?" or "how big is that?" I had no problem sharing the luv...

 

[QuantumRift]

Yea, it's one of the things I need to do.

 

[royphotog]

road it to work today, about 50 miles on some back roads and she rides great, much improved. The other test ride was just a short few miles and this ride today confirms what I had thought the other day. Glad I went with the 20W.

10W for the ATF was what I had found on a google search. We have had the bike for about two years and to my knowledge only one other owner before us. I am surprised that someone had changes the fork oil during that period of time, I . It's one of those things that gets neglected on most bikes, and my guess is that the dealer changes it.

And on todays ride into work, passed four or five other bikes and they all waved, so maybe it ws just the other days crop of people who don't wave in general;. Who knows. I find that on my other two bikes, a Kawasaki ZZR 1200 and a Suzuki V-Strom 1000 that mos of the guys on dual sports and sport bikes wave, abut about half of the H arley guys wave.

Next thing is to get a set up for a Givi Trunk on the Burgman. I have the trunk and transfer it back and forth on the other bikes, this will make it a good touring scoot for the wife and I.

 

[Chérie]

Me not wave at hardlies, me wave only if hardlie wave to me, after all they ride very old style hum drum run of mill very ordinary hardlie, me run advance technology modern motorcycle much more advance bike and fun to ride bike. :thumbup: