[Chief_O.]

Okay so most of you know my deal. I have someone who is going to buy a bike for me because of my poor credit. Well here is the deal. It has come down to two choices. I can either get a 2004 Volusia 800 (new) or an 2004 Burgman 400 (new). See we are buying as a group. My father-in-law and his brother are getting the VL800's and the price tag on them is 5600 plus tax. The Burgman 400 is roughly the same price. I was trying to get a 650 out of the deal but since it is almost 2000 dollars more than what they are getting the money source is not really wanting to pay that much more. He is kinda wanting to stay right around what his bike is gonna cost. So I need input. I know the 400 is a great bikes as well. But I am 5'11'' and 290 lbs and I don't want to get too small a bike. If put in my situation what would you do? VL800 or the Burgman 400? 400 will suit my riding style. It is not like I plan on going on the interstate or anything. Mainly back and forth to work and some general riding. Wanted the 650 but in my situation beggars can be choosers. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you can offer.

 

[chuck807]

The choice is ultimately yours. But if I were in your situation... I'd look at the traffic to/from work for the daily commute. If its a lot of bumper to bumper, stop & go traffic, I'd go with the scooter and not have to deal with shifting. Other than that, the rest is personal preference.

 

[pauljo]

The scooter has that handy underseat lockable storage, plus the gloveboxes. A lot handier... Cruisers are basically useless for carrying stuff. You can add small saddlebags, but they don't compare with the scooter storage.

 

[Chief_O.]

I guess my big concern is the scooter size and my size. Will it be a problem. It will just be me riding no 2 ups. On a side note I have found a used 03 650 with 4500 miles for $5900 near my area and a used (although not indicated in the ad) 2004 650 pretty close for $6500.

 

[chuck807]

I guess my big concern is the scooter size and my size. Will it be a problem. It will just be me riding no 2 ups. On a side note I have found a used 03 650 with 4500 miles for $5900 near my area and a used (although not indicated in the ad) 2004 650 pretty close for $6500.

If you mentioned the used 650 for $5900 as a possibility... go for it!! Hey, you never know what kind of hand life is going to deal you at any time, meaning there may be a point you'll want to ride 2-up and the 650 will handle it. You may need to cruise the freeway out of necessity one day and the 650 will handle it. As for the 400 handling your weight, it shouldn't be a concern. But to give you an example of how the 650 rides with a load of 330+ lbs (me and a passenger riding 2-up), it has zero problem. At that weight load, I had it up to 105 mph (indicated) with plenty of room to spare. Those bikes are reliable, so a used one shouldn't be a concern (unless it was wildly abused and/or neglected).

 

[billmeek]

I know the 400 is a great bikes as well. But I am 5'11'' and 290 lbs and I don't want to get too small a bike.

I'm 6 feet / 230 pounds and ride the 400. I eventually will do something to give myself a little more legroom. Not much extra is needed. I've had a few 200+ mile days of riding with no problem. Most of my riding is 4 lane / interstate at 65 - 75 MPH. The 400 handles it no problem. That said, there has been a few times I wish I had purchased the 650. On 2 lane roads with several curves and short passing zones, it would be nice to have the extra power to pass. The larger wheels would handle rougher roads much better.

If put in my situation what would you do? VL800 or the Burgman 400? 400 will suit my riding style.

I could have bought a cruiser too. I knew I wanted a maxi scooter and bought one. I had intended to buy the 650 too. Ended up with the 400. I may eventually buy a 650. But I don't see myself trading in the 400 for a couple of years (or until the 650 Executive is available in the US).

It is not like I plan on going on the interstate or anything. Mainly back and forth to work and some general riding.

You say that now, but once you're riding I suspect that will change. You'll find yourself out roaming the roads much more than you intended.

If you can't find a local dealer to let you test ride a 400, come up to Fayetteville, TN (to visit your family) and I'll bring my 400 over for you to try out. That should help you make your decision.

 

[Chief_O.]

I feel as if I am on a perpetual roller coaster so many ups and downs. I have found a brand new 650 for 6596 plus taxes and a 139.00 fee of some kind which comes out to right around 7200 OTD. This is the best deal I have found yet on a new 04 model. This dealer in fact has 4 of them. They have 2 silver and two black. I have passed this info on to my father-in-law who in turn will pass the info on to the "money source" for approval :wink: or disapproval . So if he approves hello 650 if he does not it will be hello 400. I have decided that I have waited this long on a Burgman and even though I may have to get the 400 I am not going to change my mind at the zero hour (aka last minute) The storage space, gas mileage, quietness, auto tranny are all pluses for me. Guys at work think a scooter is silly but hey I am not buying the thing for them. Plus when they see what the old scooter can do they may be surprised. Most just see a scooter and think of a bike that looks "geeky" and only will do 40 mph top speed down hill. I will put that image to rest with the guys at work.

Again thanks for all the support yall have given me. Hopefully soon I will be posting about riding experiences and /or problems (hopefully not). So until then I will be continuing my roller coaster ride.

 

[danee]

some more selling points....

Chef your issues have been right in line with mine. When I purchased a 650 some time ago.
The one main point that might help the 'money man' is the cost of insurance.
I paid approx. $140 per year with a view extras on my insurance for the Burgman vs "alot more for a cruiser or VStorm". (quoted the insurance agent)
I fit about the same profile as you do with a little more weight involved and if I would have gone the 400 route I do not feel that I would have been as happy as I am now.
There was also the issue of your wife and motorcycle vs scooter issue. Has that changed any? Can she add her feelings for or against the cruiser.

Get others to do your begging for you. :wink:

One last thing...Cruisers have more parts to break off! :twisted:

 

[Chief_O.]

Well I got the price down to 7047.02 OTD price for the 04 650 Burgman. Only thing is the guy who is buying the bike is paying with a credit card thus he/I will be charged 3% extra which is roughly 211.00 more. So we will see what happens. May just go with the 400 which will be cheaper, better gas mileage, lower insurance , will still do 80 to 90 mph and I may try to get a maintenance agreement of some kind where I will not have to worry about paying for the scheduled oil changes / adjustments for the first year or so. Is there not somone out there who got such an agreement when they bought their Burgman? How much did it cost and how long is it good for?

 

[billmeek]

.... I may try to get a maintenance agreement of some kind where I will not have to worry about paying for the scheduled oil changes / adjustments for the first year or so. Is there not somone out there who got such an agreement when they bought their Burgman? How much did it cost and how long is it good for?

Paul did. See his 5th post in the topic :

http://burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1705

 

[philtag6000]

I have a 04 Burgman 400.
In Vancouver, BC, insurance goes by engine size, 400cc & under
is alot cheaper. 401cc to 750cc almost doubles (thats why I sold my 02
Honda CBR600F4i)
The Burgman 400 is great in the city, but on the highway or 2 up, there's
not much passing power. So, if you're looking for cheap city transportation, get the 400. If you want more power and do alot of 2up,
get the 650.

 

[DonRich90]

Chief, we've all been following your desire for a Burgman and your financial situation for some time now. Hopefully, you've found a possible solution that will allow you to finally join us in riding our Burgmans. But it now seems that you haven't yet made up your mind as to which Burgman will best suit your riding/financial conditions.
I'd highly recommend that you be totally honest with yourself as to which bike you should purchase. We can all make recommendations and give you our opinions but you best ride both bikes before making a decision.
While the cost is certainly a factor, don't make your decision based on that alone. If the 400 doesn't fit you physically or the performance is less then what you need, you'll never be happy with your purchase. You'll probably soon be looking for a replacement which, in my experience, is going to cost you even more money than if you bought the 650 in the beginning. If the 400 is comfortable for you and it has sufficient power for your needs, then go ahead and buy it and enjoy it.
If you decide that you'd really rather have the 650, is there any way you can come up with $2,000 difference? Whether the guy is giving you the money for the 400 or it's a loan, I don't think he'd mind if you paid the difference.

Don
If you feel that the 650 is