Whew! I thought you guys would tear me up!
Actually, it is just in the last couple of years that the Super-Scooter class has evolved. They are really more of a step-through motorcycle than a traditional scooter. The Burgman 650 has an intelligent CVT automatic that can also be shifted manually as a 5 speed - it works so well in auto mode that I rarely override it. The engine is 1/2 of a Hayabusa, mounted parallel to the ground. It is fuel injected, runs great on 87 octane gas like the V-Strom, and very smooth. Rated at 55 hp. The Burgman 650 has about the same wheelbase as my DL1000, but it weights more - it is not a smaller machine. The center of gravity is lower on the scooter. Twin disk brakes up front, 1 disk in the rear.
There is a 56 liter trunk under the seat and 3 glove box compartments in the dash. I've added a 52 liter Givi trunk, and also bought a hump bag - like a tank bag that rides on the hump between your feet (which is really the engine access hood). So luggage capacity is similar to my V-Strom (which has the factory Kappa luggage set plus a good expandable tank bag). It's just that the underseat trunk on the Burgman is a lot handier than the clamshell side cases on the Strom - I have carried 2 cases of pop plus several plastic grocery bags under the seat with no problem.
There are some guys doing their own maintenance. I ordered service manuals for both the Burgman and the V-Strom earlier this week. Obviously, the main issue is that there is more bodywork to remove to access things on the scooter - the bodywork has some screws, put also utilizes those infamous pushpins that we find on the V-Stroms. There are three oil compartments - engine, transmission, and rear drive. Final drive is a series of 5 gears - it is unique - not chain, shaft or belt. Valve adjustments are shim-under-bucket.
Tires are very wide, low profile, radials. There isn't much of an aftermarket selection yet. But aftermarket is ramping up. I have a Clearview windscreen on mine (the stock one was awful - but not as awful as the stock V-Strom screen). Givi makes trunks & mounts for it. I have Koni shocks on the way - I've been hoping they'd arrive today. I also ordered a Remus exhaust for it this week (I have Remus cans on my V-Strom too). Soon I'll have a scooter that doesn't sound like a Buick
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The scooter stigma thing has really not been an issue. This thing always draws folks to it when I stop for a break, and they are fascinated with it. I had a guy in a new Corvette roll down his window at a stoplight to ask me how I liked it. I was walking out of a bar with my riding friends (we went in there for some chicken livers for lunch, not to drink). Some Harley guys in full poser garb were at a table by the door. One said, "Who's riding that Suzuki"? I said I was. Geez, they asked me questions about it for about 15 minutes - they thought it was cool. My riding friends don't care if I show up for a ride through the twisties on my V-Strom or the Burgman - I keep up with the group either way.
The Burgman does well in the twisties, and it is very stable on the highway - what it lacks is top end - its pretty much all done at 100 mph, but it will accelerate fine up through the high 90's. It's not as fast as a V-Strom, but it is fast enough to be fun.
For anyone who has an interest, there is a forum very similar to this one at BurgmanUSA.com (no leading www).
Now, back to regular (V-Strom) programming...
