What You Need To Know Before Buying a Burgman

The following are features or quirks about the Burgmans that new owners typically are surprised / annoyed with. To keep it in perspective, all items listed here are either tolerated by tens of thousands Burgman owners, or are easily changed.


Be aware that any major malfunction of almost any motorcycle will require a lot of down time. It's not uncommon for a Motorcycle to be in shop for several weeks. The problem is compounded in Burgmans since many technicians have not worked on these bikes, a result of low production numbers and generally good reliability. It seems that especially with number of sensors on the 650 model, it takes a while for technicians to work through the various diagnostics. In addition, many shops do not carry spare parts for the Burgmans, thereby necessitating ordering parts and adding another week to any repair work.

There are many forum members that use their Burgman as their primary mode of transportation with success. Nevertheless, it would be unreasonable to depend solely any one piece of complicated machinery when say, a livelihood depends upon it.

Please keep in mind that such factors as comfort and truly subjective. Negative attributes about the seats, windshield, suspension, and wind protection should be taken with caution, as all motorcycles have these issues and are resolved on individual basis.


Good

• Relatively trouble free with easy maintenance.
• The CVT belt is made of a durable composite metal & epoxy resin that has no service interval specified by Suzuki.
• There are 3 modes for the CVT: full auto, manual (selects between specific "gear" ratios) and power (keeps in the CVT in a "lower gear"). All modes can be switched to and from at a stop or on the go, and at any speed.
• No clutch and no gear change: You are always in the correct gear, you can NEVER STALL, rider attention can be focused on entering and executing the turn rather than worrying about setting yourself up in the correct gear for the corner, and discovering mid corner in a blind turn that you have the wrong gear.
• The final drive is composed of a series of gears, there is no chain to lubricate or belt to break. Simply change the oil once per year.
• Rear brake: Brake is hand operated rather than foot operated, allowing much finer and precise control of rear braking. As a result, the Burgman can turn in much tighter than equivalent capacity motorcycles, and is a lot easier to control, and safer in slow speed cornering. There is virtually no risk of locking up the rear wheel compared with a typical motorcycle - even without the ABS option.
• Rake/trail: Burgman 650 has the right combination of rake and trail to handle the majority of real world riding situations. While it is not as fine a handler as dedicated sports bike on a high speed tightish turn, it is a fine, and easy handler on your average freeway on/off ramp, and typical street corner or mountain road.
• Overall Performance: The above combination of traits in the Burgman 650 rewards the average rider - unlike sport bikes which exaggerate (and do not tolerate) a rider's inexperience - and allows them to ride relatively better than they would on other bikes

Bad

• The windshield is too short/thin, which often gives riders wind buffeting at the helmet level.
  • Solution: Many aftermarket windshields are available
• The seat can be intolerable to some, as with any motorcycle. Sufficient break in of around 1,000 miles should be completed before making a final decision. The seat also functions as a cover for the mechanics underneath. This causes the shape of the seat to look deceptively thick in padding.
  • Solution: Several aftermarket seats are available. In addition, numerous and inexpensive seat pads will work.
• The seat height is 29.5 inches, but because of the width of the seat it may make it difficult for riders with short inseams to reach the ground. Despite the seat's padding looking very thick (see above) there is actually only 2 to 3 inches of padding and doesn't give a lot of room for shaving down to make the seat height lower.
• There is no neutral, as the driveline is engaged via a centrifugal clutch.
  • Solution: Don't start the engine until you are in a position to safely move forward. Use the brake lock when idling. Don't blip the throttle.
• The 650 is known for having heavy engine breaking. The throttle should be treated more like a rheostat where closing the throttle has a direct effect on vehicle speed. Because of this and the lack of a manual neutral, low speed maneuvering can be difficult to master for some riders.
  • Solution: Practice low speed maneuvers. Many have had success dragging the rear brake, or switching to manual/power mode.
• The final drive uses straight cut gears that induces a turbine like whine at higher speeds. Suzuki has mitigated this by adding a final drive cover and thick padding to attenuate the whine.
  • Solution: Use synthetic gear oil to decrease the intensity of the whine.
• The speedometer's accuracy is off by approximately 10%.
  • Solution: Calculate the actual speed mentally or use a Speedohealer device.
• The bar end weights are notorious for being difficult to keep in place, and it's not exclusively Burgmans.
  • Solution: Aftermarket bar end weights are available. Since most people desire a larger diameter grip anyway, get rid of the bar end weights altogether and replace the grips, with something like Kuryakyn grips.
• The CVT belt rarely breaks, there are reports of it lasting nearly 100,000 miles. However, the labor cost of replacing the belt often exceeds the value of the bike. Although the belt only costs $300, the entire drivetrain must be removed from the bike in order to gain access to the CVT belt.
  • Solution: Perform the break in according to Suzuki's recommendations. Avoid Jack-rabbit like starts. Essentially, the CVT belt is very durable, but if it is a concern for you, these are simple things to do to maximize its lifespan.
• Valve Stems: Only '07+ models have angled valve stems on the rear tire. The relatively small rims and large brake rotors make access to the valve stems difficult.
  • Solution Install angled valve stems at the first tire change, or simply using a gauge with an angled inlet.
• Suspension: Is notoriously harsh, from a combination of low suspension travel (4.3in front, 3.9in rear) and components that are not top of the line. The front springs are progressively wound. The rear shocks are not serviceable. Keep in mind that even Gold Wing owners spend thousands of dollars to improve their ride.
  • Solution The front suspension can be remedied by changing the fork oil to a heavier weight, and/or adding a spacer to effectively increase the preload. Many aftermarket upgrades are available that dramatically improve the ride, even for the passenger. See the 650 Suspension page.
• The 650 is big and heavy. This particular feature is equally a pro and con. The size and weight lends itself to stability at highway speeds: numerous forum members have reported complete smoothness even at speeds above 100 mph. At 62.8 inches, the 650's wheelbase is only 4 inches shorter than a Gold Wing 1800. The weight of the 650 is much greater than Suzuki reports: a round 630 pounds. It's important to remember that one of the biggest defining characteristics of the 650 is the low center of gravity, which is much lower than conventional motorcycles since the weight of the gas tank is under the seat, and the engine and drivetrain is nearly completely horizontal and at the bottom. The only time the weight and size really become an issue is when maneuvering the bike with the engine off. The 650 is a favorite of leg amputees, with no issues of handling the bike's weight.
• There is a 4 gallon gas tank, the mileage range is typically around 180 miles in warm weather.

Need contributors for this info.



Need contributors for this info.

Sources:
http://burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=381237#p381237

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