[JKerstinJ]

Why are so many people concerned about no neutral? Do you need to turn off the Burgman everytime you stop at a red light or for a bridge to go up and down?

I drive a small scooter now, 150cc, but I think the same would apply to the Burgman. I can start without the center stand down. I warm up at idle and just hold the brake.

Maybe I'm missing the point. I am planning to get the 650 VERY soon. Is there something I should be considering here? Is there neutral in manual mode? Is it possible to walk the bike when it is turned off? How would one move the bike backwards, say in a parking situation?

My husband's Yamaha is manual. If I need to move it in the garage I just shift into neutral and walk the bike. :?

 

[Jim]

No we're just old and spoiled. I have about 5,000 miles on mine and maybe started it 4 times in the centerstand. I just sit on it kick up the side stand and start it, the wife gets on and we go. I have no problem pushing it on a level surface.

 

[billmeek]

I think it's just former motorcycle riders missing the ability to 'blip' the engine. How many can say they've never sat and revved the engine a bit after starting up? Not me.

 

[Pinwheel]

I'm concerned about neutral I guess due to the bike I currently own. Until the rejet was done, it needed a 10-20 minute warm up.
When I stop at lights I put it in neutral when talking to hubby or rev the engine up at him so he can hear my pipes. LOL
guess if I try that when I finally get a berg, I might take off quicker than expected. <g>

 

[Randy]

The warm up on the Burgman is really not a problem, they are fuel injected and can be ridden off
right after start up--Well maybe a few seconds to get the oil going.

 

[Brian]

I'm concerned about neutral I guess due to the bike I currently own....When I stop at lights I put it in neutral when talking to hubby or rev the engine up at him so he can hear my pipes.

The Burgmans go into "neutral" (CVT releases through an automatic clutch) when you are stopped. You can walk them about, back up, etc.

Just don't rev the engine so people can hear your pipes; there's nothing much to hear, and you'll find yourself leaving the area unexpectedly.

 

[ajwood]

There is concern about the 650 having no neutral because it has quite a bit
of drag through the drive train while pushing the bike with engine off.

At 500+ lbs, the 650 is hard enough to manuever around a parking space.
Then, having the drag of the constantly coupled drive train, pushing the AN650
up a grade or hill can test the tensile strength of your hands and joints.
The warning implied is about never-ever to run out of gas on a 650 because
the human strength required to get it into a gas station may exceed what
is humanly possible.
Simply backing up a Burgy AN650 is best done with the engine off because
additional tugging from a running 650 will raise your blood pressure.
When you test ride a new Burgman AN650, note that after starting up on the
center stand that the rear wheel will start to spin and its odometer
will start racking up milage before you go anywhere.

The 400 releases the inherent coupling from the rear wheel when the engine
is off, so that you'll live another day to push your Burgy around.
Like a NASA space shuttle, it's not the 2,000 mph that's hard, it's the last 2,000 miles
back into the Vehicle Assembly Building.

I've owned both the 650K3 and 400K3 and can tell you that all the whoop
about the 650 having more power and blah blah blah is exactly that once
you're reduced to powering a 650 yourself.

 

[abm]

My first day on the 650, I kept trying to clutch and brake and shift. 30 years on standard bikes....

I actually blipped it good one day at a stop light and went right over a Audi TT hardtop. Felt like going over a big speedbump.

 

[NormanB]

My first day on the 650, I kept trying to clutch and brake and shift. 30 years on standard bikes....

I actually blipped it good one day at a stop light and went right over a Audi TT hardtop. Felt like going over a big speedbump.

:lol:

.. more details would be great ( a video would be better!) :wink:

 

[Brian]

There is concern about the 650 having no neutral because it has quite a bit of drag through the drive train while pushing the bike with engine off.

Simply backing up a Burgy AN650 is best done with the engine off because
additional tugging from a running 650 will raise your blood pressure.

I've had my 650 for two months now. Racked up more than 3500 miles. Never had a major problem backing it out of a parking stall or anything like that. Never had to shut off the engine first. My blood pressure is fine.

I've owned both the 650K3 and 400K3 and can tell you that all the whoop about the 650 having more power and blah blah blah is exactly that once
you're reduced to powering a 650 yourself.

I quess the secret is not to power it yourself for any great distance. That's what the engine is for.

Watch your gas guage and mileage, keep it well maintained, and don't sweat the lack of a true neutral.

I am planning to get the 650 VERY soon.

See the thread "Special Suzuki Financing." How does $99 per month for 60 months sound?

 

[Al Davison]

neutral would be nice

I'd like to have it but, I can live without it. It would be nice on some long hills to just be able to coast better.

That said, where I live it is very hilly and you can get yourself into some "interesting" jams if you aren't careful how you park. I'm not a little or puny guy but pushing my 650 backwards up a steep incline (like at the bottom of a driveway) is murder! I think I'd rather have a reverse than a neutral but I'd want the reverse electronicall governed to limit it to about 2mph. :lol:

 

[Jim]

I agree Al,

I would trade neutral for Reverse also, if given the choice.

 

[ajwood]

Brian sez:
..."See the thread "Special Suzuki Financing." How does $99 per month for 60 months sound?"...
---

It dawned on me that all Suzuki would have to do is plant some marketing
go-go's on this website and any negative feedback would never fly.

I know what it's like to slip on rocks while pushing back an overweight 650.
That's why, after the 15th time of experiencing an AN650 almost leaving
my hands while I pushed it, I traded for a properly balanced 400.
Not only was my AN650 a bitch to roll on people power, the #@*!
left running board would occassionally come into contact with my right
calf while walking the bike for a distance.
Get too far away and the AN650 will leave without you.
Get too close and the AN650 will put bruises on your right calf muscle
with the floorboard.

---

Al Davison,
I looked into the AN650's engine braking system and have come to the
conclusion that as smart and as precise the tranny is, Suzuki has made
the centrifical clutch a purely dumb mechanical device.
If someone would come up with a different spring set for the clutch shoe
engagement, then maybe that would cure the 1800 rpm launch syndrome
plus disengage the shoes at higher speed while slowing down.

Having an AN650 jerk slower at 17mph while in stop & go traffic requires
brake lights at least.

 

[BobG]

The warm up on the Burgman is really not a problem, they are fuel injected and can be ridden off
right after start up--Well maybe a few seconds to get the oil going.

Hi Randy,
Why does the owner's manual say otherwise?

 

[pauljo]

Metric bike owner's manuals have been quoting the same lame advice in certain categories for years. They never change, it seems. If you look at the recommended shift points for a manual transmission motorcycle - they are simply ludicrous. Nobody rides that way - and it is not good for the drivetrain if you did - you'd be constantly lugging the engine... Much the same can be said for the recommended break-in rpm limitations - they are not realistic, nor required for modern engines. The warm up advice has probably not changed since the days of overly lean carbuerated bikes - which would not run worth a darn until they were sufficiently warmed up.

There IS some useful information in the owners manual, but there is also some useless advice. You can't, unfortunately, take the whole thing as gospel. I realize that is confusing for a person who is new to this scene, but I've seen this over and over for the last several decades. The Japanese build excellent riding machinery, but they persist in providing:
- inaccurate speedometers
- sleazy quality toolkits
- silly advice in portions of the owner's manuals

It wouldn't cost them much to correct all of that - but none of those things affect sales, so there is no incentive for them to do so.

 

[Brian]

Brian sez:
..."See the thread "Special Suzuki Financing." How does $99 per month for 60 months sound?"...
---

It dawned on me that all Suzuki would have to do is plant some marketing
go-go's on this website and any negative feedback would never fly.

You may rest assured that I, at least, am not on Suzuki's payroll.

However, your so-called negative feedback often strikes me as petty whining. Most people will acknowledge that no bike is perfect for everyone, but may be good for some. But when talking about the 650 you always seem to come up with garbage like this:

...I traded for a properly balanced 400.

Not only was my AN650 a bitch to roll on people power, the #@*!
left running board would occassionally come into contact with my right
calf while walking the bike for a distance.

Get too far away and the AN650 will leave without you.

Get too close and the AN650 will put bruises on your right calf muscle
with the floorboard.

If someone would come up with a different spring set for the clutch shoe
engagement, then maybe that would cure the 1800 rpm launch syndrome...

Having an AN650 jerk slower at 17mph while in stop & go traffic...

I've never had any of these problems. Why are you spending so much time pushing your bikes? What is the "1800RPM launch syndrome"? Why was your 650 "jerking" in stop-and-go traffic; aren't you skilled enough to maintain proper throttle control?

Last but not least, I find the balance on the 650 to be great. It is "properly balanced" for a bike of its size and power. But then, I learned to work within the bike's parameters. I guess not everyone has that skill. :roll:

 

[drspencer48]

No neutral start up or idle

I have to agree with Brian. I've had some major medical issues over the last couple of years, and can't go any great lifting or pushing.

I chose the Burgman 650 over a used Gold Wing or similar bike because of the weight factor. It weighs about the same as my 92 R100RT, about 500 lbs not the 700 - 800 lbs that a comparably comfortable 2 wheeler touring bike would be.

As far as backing up on gravel, or having to push the bike without power, it sounds like a lack of foresite on your part to get into those situations. I've been riding since 1965, and haven't had any problems like that in a long time. It sounds like some planning and preventive maintainance might be in order.

 

[NormanB]

Re: No neutral start up or idle

[snip]
As far as backing up on gravel, or having to push the bike without power, it sounds like a lack of foresite on your part to get into those situations. I've been riding since 1965, and haven't had any problems like that in a long time. It sounds like some planning and preventive maintainance might be in order.

Hey give the guy a break - anyone can make an error of judgement - I mean - even me - I made one once. :wink:

The fact is the 650, nice though it is, is a lardy arse machine that is difficult to manhandle backwards up a slight gradient. I believe it is the heaviest Suzy in their range bar none.

A 'limited' reverse gear would be the best (and probably the most popular and useful option) available on the 650 - certainly better than manual gear selection. :idea:

Or failing that a winch!! :wink:

 

[JKerstinJ]

I got my AN650

I picked CLYDE, my new AN650, up on Tuesday. I named him Clyde because he is the Clydesdale, as in big horses, of scooters.

So far so good for the riding. I had to push him a little, going forward, to get out of the garage and backwards to get out of a parking space. I didn't have any problem in either direction.

I have no intention of running out of gas, so I'm not worried about pushing long distance as others have spoken of with their scooters.

The balance seems fine to me. The engine breaking is strange. I have found if I give a slight bit of throttle while I am slowing down it's not noticable. Is that OK to do? On curves I slow a bit earlier so I don't feel that breaking while entering the curve. With the Vespa I didn't have to do that. Maybe once I have ridden for a few weeks I will find a better solution.

I'm having a great time on CLYDE Now I start planning for accesories. Any suggestions :?:

Janine

 

[pauljo]

Re: I got my AN650

The engine breaking is strange. I have found if I give a slight bit of throttle while I am slowing down it's not noticable. Is that OK to do? On curves I slow a bit earlier so I don't feel that breaking while entering the curve.

Yes. The smoothest technique is to roll the throttle down a bit - rather than closing it entirely. This is key to smooth riding in the curves as well as stopping. You learn to modulate the throttle, rather than turning it on/off.