New member

[hammersfan]

Hi, I don't curently own a Burgman but I am wanting to get one for my wife and eventually will probably get one too. I currently ride a Suzuki C90 .
I live in Ontario Canada and am a member of The Suzuki Owners Club Of Norh America.
Cheers
Nick

[Chet_Benson]

Which one you thinking about getting the 400 or the 650. Depending on the size of your lady as to weather she would be suited to a 650. They can be rather hard to handle if they do not fit the person.

Welcome the the site.

[hammersfan]

I'd say she weighs about 170 and is 5'8" but is long legged. if there is not a lot of weight difference between the two then I'm starting to think maybe she should get the 650. What do you think Chet?

[Daboo]

First, welcome to the site from a wee bit west of you in Puget Sound, just east of Mt. Olympus.

I'd suggest your wife try sitting on both Burgman models, even to try moving both around a bit on the showroom floor. I've read of members needing help to get their 650 out of parking spots because there was a slight downhill angle to where they were parked. One member in England even got a hernia...or at least he blamed it on the bike and not on anything else. She may feel like it isn't an issue at all. In which case, I don't want to get into an arm wrestling contest with her!

There's an obvious difference in power, but much depends on how much you "need". The 400 will get supposedly to 105 mph. That's enough to handle freeways in some places of the country. Contrary to the motorcycle marketing world, you don't need a car engine to ride on the freeway. And by not riding a bike with a car engine, you can get some really nice gas mileage...like mid-60's.

But one of the other reasons to simply look at both bikes, is that one will appeal to her, and the other won't. The looks up close are different. The dash is different. The seating position is different. The seat on the 400 is lower (yet has plenty of room for her to stretch out)...and it will allow her to put her feet flat on the ground. The 650 might have her a little more on the balls of her feet. So one might feel more comfortable to her than the other.

There's only so much you can pick up in getting our opinions and reading reviews. The rest is something only she can determine by looking and sitting on each bike.

Chris

[Leo38]

Nick - where in Ontario are you?
(hammersfan ....... West Ham?)

[Buffalo]

I'd say she weighs about 170 and is 5'8" but is long legged. if there is not a lot of weight difference between the two then I'm starting to think maybe she should get the 650. What do you think Chet?

There is quite a weigh difference. The 650 is about 200 lbs heavier.

There are also a lot of other differences in them. The 650 is a parallel twin and the 400 is a single. The 650 has a computer controlled electronic CVT and the 400 has a traditional variator controlled mechanical CVT. The 650 has a wet clutch and the 400 has a dry clutch. The 650 has double clamp front forks and the 400 has single clamp front forks. The 400 is configured more like a traditional scooter with the engine and CVT mounted in the rear on the swingarm. The 650 is configured more like a traditional motorcycle with the engine and CVT mounted forward in the frame. Either way works but they create a slightly different feel in the way the two bikes handle. I own one of each and enjoy both.

[Chet_Benson]

I'd suggest your wife try sitting on both Burgman models, even to try moving both around a bit on the showroom floor

That is what I would suggest. The two scooters are like night and day, very different.

[brandonc_mail]

The reason I got a scooter was she wanted to learn to ride and thought it'd be fun for the both of us- I retired from 2 wheels over 15 years ago... but I wanted to get something I thought worked well for both of us. My wife is 5'10' I'm 6ft 170lbs... and she weighs less- I settled on the 400 as it can accomodate us both- even 2 up, but most importantly is light enough still for her to comfortably learn and push around in a parking lot or gas station. While the 650 isn't that much bigger- I do think the extra height and weight isn't ideal for starting out- but that's just me. I don't find myself wanting more power- and I used to ride 1340cc Harleys. The 400 is plenty quick and fast- and love the 60+MPG!

[Chet_Benson]

Not only the weight but the 650 is geared and you are pushing a lot of drag.

[Scootertrash]

Don't rule out the Honda Silverwing, We own both a 650 Burgie, and the 600 Silverwing, also a very capable ride only just a tad smaller physicaly all around.

[Driftwood]

I would go along with everything said before. Both the Burgmans have their followers, and they are not like chalk and cheese, rather like toffee apple and cake. Both sweet in their own ways but somewhat different from my experience.
A 650 is very heavy to move around, the reason for my downsizing to a 400....I got fed up at my age from hurting my back and hips pushing the machine.
If the 650 had been as heavy (light!) as the 400 I would have kept it...I liked the engine, the sound, the comfort, the heated seats and grips....all to no avail when you are nursing a painful back! You also have to consider the problems of picking up the bike should it fall over, or indeed getting it on the centre stand itself.

Since you've never ridden a Burgman I would like to suggest a 400 to start your riding and at a later date consider upgrading to the 650 once you have the fundamentals under your collective belts. The 400 is a very capable user-friendly bike and some consider it the best of the Burgman range. In one of our bike magazines in the Uk it has seriously been considered as an alternative touring machine to the big tourers like Harleys, Pan Euros, BMW's. I am preparing to do just that soon, and the Burgman has enough storage for the long haul, especially if a topbox is fitter too.

Go to a showroom, ask to manhandle the 2 bikes, put them on the stands, and off the stands, sit on the front and rear seats to check for legroom, arm-stretch, look at the controls, and try to take each one for a test ride. You'll find the 650 a beautiful machine, and the weight falls off it once on the move, but you have to consider how to deal with parking, making sure you're not paddling whilst sitting on it....and can you actually get your feet on the floor safely when staionary?

Choosing the right bike takes time, but don't expect to get it right the first time. That's what makes buying a bike so exciting, in my mind.

Enjoy what you choose, and in the choosing, as I'm sure you will.

Good luck with the selection and road testing....and take care on the road

DW

[mike1nw]

I had a 79 Shovelhead, 97 Shadow VT1100, and 05 Concours (Wow- fast bike) and just bought a Burg 400 after looking for "mid-sized" bike. It is a pleasant surprise. I test-rode a 650, nothing wrong with it, but the 400 is all I need. Good luck