Top speed of Burgman 650

[Parlin50]

After I bought my 650 I broke it in for about 500 miles. I had the oil changed and I put another 1000 or so miles on it. One night I decided to see how fast it would go. I was on a straight and level highway with about a one and a half mile straightaway. I got it to 110 mph. at about 7500 rpm. About a month later I tried again and this time I folded in my mirrors. I was able to go 112 mph. at about 7600 rpm. Recently I thought I would give it another try. Folding the mirrors in and getting down behind the windshield like I had done before I was able to go 115mph. at about 7800+ rpm. I figured that maybe the engine might not be as tight as it was when it had fewer miles on it and so I was able to go a little faster. Recently while riding with the Southern Cruisers Riding Club we stopped to rest and there was a lady with a 2007 Burgman 650. I asked her how she liked it and she said she loved it. There was a man on another motorcycle standing next to her that said her's was very fast too. He said she passed him one time and she had been going 135 mph. I told him my top speed was 115 mph. and he said there must be something wrong with mine. The way I figure it there is no way for a Burgman 650 to go 135 mph. because the rpm's would be way over the redline and there is just too much wind resistance. She seemed serious and the man did too but there is NO WAY she went that fast.

[Daboo]

It does seem to get up to killing speed just fine.

...after getting there, what you do with it is up to you.

Chris

[SteveE]

I have gotten my 2008 Exec to an indicated 120mph (108 true speed) by retracting the mirrors, lowering the stock windshield and tucking in close and low behind it. This was at sea level on a loooong level road. Handles surprizingly well at that speed but I wouldn't want to get caught doing it.

[Jim]

Yea, but cruising at 65 doing 4,000 rpm is nice too.

[azrider]

2 weeks ago during our Burgman club ride, one guy said he once had his up to 130 indicated. When I raised an eyebrow, he was dead serious about it. I think his only mod is the Yoshi full system exhaust, same as mine, no baffle. I don't recall which windshield he was using. if you subtract the ~10% speedo error you would be close to the 115 top speed it's rated for.

I don't think it's going to exceed 115 true speed without a little Nitrous help.

[Steve D UK]

On a recent European trip with a Givi screen fitted, top box, seat bag, fully loaded and carrying a fat git (me!), I decided to see what speed I could get to flat out. I could only get to a true Satnav speed of 99mph UNTIL I retracted the mirrors. I then got to 102mph.

[Buffalo]

I don''t think there is any way she could get to a true 135 mph. Maybe a speedometer indicated 135 down a long hill with a strong tail wind which would put her at a true speed around 122 mph. The engine just does not have enough horsepower to pull to red line in high gear.

[Steve D UK]

I agree. To get to 102mph I had to drop down to 5th.

[oldsomeman]

I am not sure at my age i really want to do such speeds on a scooter lol
I dont have to worry with my old burgie as it wont even reach the ton...........now give me the old Vellocette Thruxton 500 cc single thumper i owned in days gone by i would have passed you.....100 plus with no shield and no helmet was exciting then...but a sure as hell it would probably scare me witless now!
Mind you 100 plus in a car seems easy!

[rustynail]

Yea, but cruising at 65 doing 4,000 rpm is nice too.

I love 60mph on 55mph roads, turning out about 3800 in OD and getting 55mpg. I could do that all day, and have.

Then again, I like the power button in the twisties more. but, I tend to get crappier mpg there

[Daboo]

...Mind you 100 plus in a car seems easy!

I had a 66 VW Beetle for awhile. I suppose I should say it had a motorcycle engine in it, all 1300cc's, because a number of motorcycles need that much and more to travel on the freeway today. Anyway, I got it up to 87 mph on a slight downhill with the wind behind me. I felt very proud that it could go that fast!

It traveled cross-country just fine with all our belongings in it and even made it to the top of Pikes Peak.

But 100, 115, 135 mph...I'm not sure why it really matters.

Chris

[Rusty J]

Top speed?

"More than fast enough. And then some."

The bike itself is stable and well-planted even when it's near its drag-limited maximum speed.
Unfortunately, with the stock windscreen, it's not terribly pleasant to actually ride that fast -- the airflow is a bit unstable and it feels like someone's trying to bludgeon you off the bike with a sofa cushion. Repeatedly.

Wait, I don't know that from personal experience. That would be wrong...and dangerous!

Not a problem at any plausibly legal speed though, even with headwinds.

-Rusty

[wldbill]

I remember a rare advertisement for Rolls-Royce from years ago. Where it said "Horsepower," RR had put "Adequate." I feel the same way about my Big Burg.

[MJR]

He said she passed him one time and she had been going 135 mph.

Wow his speedo must be really off on his bike.

[convertfromVespa]

If you are looking for a higher top speed, buy a different bike.

The Burgman 650 performs well within legal speeds. It has adequate suspension, and doesn't tax the engine too much at speeds under 70 MPH.

I know that many say that the 650 is a cross between a cruiser, tourer, and sport bike. I would agree that the Burgman is flexible, but don't push it too hard as you will soon reach its limits and possibly yours. Be careful and keep the rubber side up.

BTW my '05 Burgman saw 119 MPH on the speedo and my Pirrellis started to give a burning rubber smell.

[MJR]

Be careful and keep the rubber side up.

Typo?

[johnny ro]

If you really want to go fast on a Burgman take off the windshield and lay down face down flat on the seat, wearing nothing but your skivvies, legs sticking out over the tail. Do it at Bonneville. Bet you hit a true 120 if it will rev that high.

Alternatively for raw bragging rights buy a SpeedoDR and program it to +40% and there you go, indicated 155 top speed. Cruise at 95.

[Gbjbany]

first time i used my gps it reported my top speed was 184 miles per hour ! do i win a prize ??

[convertfromVespa]

Be careful and keep the rubber side up.

Typo?

No, Freudian slip......

[Marv]

...Mind you 100 plus in a car seems easy!
I had a 66 VW Beetle for awhile. I suppose I should say it had a motorcycle engine in it, all 1300cc's, because a number of motorcycles need that much and more to travel on the freeway today. Anyway, I got it up to 87 mph on a slight downhill with the wind behind me. I felt very proud that it could go that fast!

About that time VW advertised there VW Beetle as being capable of going 67 MPH top speed. A cartoon came out showing a cop giving a speeding ticket to a VW driver going 85 MPH. His comment was "WAS I REALLY GOING THAT FAST? REALLY?

[Dave_J]

On a 2003 AN650 at the altitude of about 6000 feet, on a slight downhill, with a 1800 Goldwing busting the air in front, both mirrors pulled in, a member was pritty much called a liar when he posted that a Wyoming trooper clocked him at 122 on Ladar. As they were pulling up on the trooper, the Goldwing was pulling away. The rider DID NOT look at the speedo too much to get a top speed indacted.

[knucklehead]

In my younger days I'd already have 'topped it out'. These days a sedate 60-70 on my Burgman is fast enough for me. When I first test rode my Burgman I had it up to 95 (indicated) 'just to see what it'd do'. That was on a windy day - I was quite impressed how it handled the side gusts. I've since had it to 100 indicated and it did seem to have a little left. That doesn't much matter to me. For a scooter its fast enough - and thats all that counts. It seems to have its best pickup speed between 40 and 80 indicated. Standing starts are a tad sluggish (don't use the power button much) and after 80 its acceleration rate begins to slow quite a bit.

I rode my 2001 Harley Ultra 1500 miles the last two years I owned it and I've already got nearly that on the Burgman in two months. Riding is fun once again! It makes a large difference when I can get on a bike without wrenching my back out of place!

[hotdogdavis2]

According to Motorcycle consumer news, top speed on a burgman 650 is 101 mph and 0 to 60 is 7 seconds.

[moyaoo1]

If you are looking for a higher top speed, buy a different bike.

The Burgman 650 performs well within legal speeds. It has adequate suspension, and doesn't tax the engine too much at speeds under 70 MPH.

I know that many say that the 650 is a cross between a cruiser, tourer, and sport bike. I would agree that the Burgman is flexible, but don't push it too hard as you will soon reach its limits and possibly yours. Be careful and keep the rubber side up.

BTW my '05 Burgman saw 119 MPH on the speedo and my Pirrellis started to give a burning rubber smell.

Just wanted to say something about the 650 burgie and pirrellis. My local dealer didn't have any bridgestone tires in stock and as I had gotten as much rubber off my old tire as possible I allowed him to install a pirrelli on the rear of my bike. Thought this would be ok race cars use them so why not, walking to the mail box and returning past my burgie I noticed what at first I thought was white paint on my tire looking closer it turned out to be the steel cords showing through. grabbing my tire gauge i found that it was 1 pound under tire tire rate on side wall. Upset I called the dealer telling him my problem he said he had gotten some bridgstones in and he would replace it at no cost to me, also saying I should have gottin more life out of that tire. And yes the first thing he did was check tire pressure. When he called pirrelli to get his money back they refused saying they would not stand behind the tire because they had never tested it for the burgman 650. In short burgie ate that pirrelli for lunch.

[Daboo]

The Pirelli Diablo has the same name and look for the Burgman 650 sizes and 400 sizes...but like the two scooters themselves, that's all that is the same. The 650 size is a radial design. Every other size in the Pirelli Diablo tire range is a bias-ply. The radial tire doesn't last long, but has lots of grip. The bias-ply tire in the 400 size lasts a long time and has great grip in both wet and dry conditions.

Chris