I've owned 41 motorcycles in the past 30 years, and the Burgman is one of the best. I've owned six Gold Wings including a GL1500 and a GL1800. Riding the Burgman is like riding a little Gold Wing. It can cruise easily at 80-90 mph. I have had mine up to 115 mph on a slight downgrade passing a Harley. I passed him at 102 mph and kept accelerating. When I looked down again I was going 115 mph.
The Burgman is one of the most practical bikes I've ever owned. It has good performance, is super smooth, has good storage capacity under the seat and in the compartments up front, and is quite comfortable. Because the wheels are smaller, you do feel the bumps a little more, especially at slower speeds. However, I have ridden it long distances. Last summer I rode 765 miles in one day on a trip to Michigan. I cruised at 75-80 mph most of the time and still got around 50 mpg.
I've also owned a Honda Silver Wing and I like the Burgman better. It runs lower RPMs in the normal mode and still has plenty of passing power. It handles better also because the engine is up front and it has larger wheels and tires. There are also several minor things that I like better about the Burgman. The trunk light has an on/off switch and is located under the seat where it still illuminates the trunk even when the trunk is full. When you have the trunk full on the Silver Wing the light is hidden. I like the transmission better on the Burgman and it is much smoother at take-off. The Silver Wing shakes a little when you first accelerate to take off. The Burgman feels more like a regular motorcycle when starting out from a stop.
Also, I like the final drive better because there is no belt to wear out. There is one in the transmission, but it's a short belt and will last a long time. The Silver Wing has a long drive belt which needs replacing at 12,000 to 15,000 miles or you might get stranded on the highway. I had several recalls on my Silver Wing but have had none on the Burgman and have had no problems at all. I now have 21,300 miles on the Burgman and just recently replaced the front tire. The rear tire was replaced at 11,300 and will need to be replaced again at about 22,000.
The Burgman is not for sissys and it's not for people worried about their image. It's a great all-around bike for around town and touring. It's more comfortable for two people than many larger motorcycles I've owned.
Most riders will want a taller windshield; I installed a Givi after I had about 10,000 miles on mine. I'm not completely satisfied with it, but it provides better protection from the wind than the stock windshield. <[> I'm happy to answer any questions. Send me an E-mail and I will respond promptly.
I've never considered buying the same model twice in a row, but I will most likely buy another Burgman 650 unless Honda or Suzuki come out with something bigger and better.
Reliability
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