Got my test ride on a 400 Burgman...Whoopeeeeee!!!.........

[Zed]

I always nod or wave to scoots too even chicken chasers.

what's a chicken chaser? Kids on 50ccs?

Hi Liam, yep noticed today when several bikers just blanked me.

Once I beat this "real biker" off the lights, knee almost down thru a tight corner, bit of filtering, stopped at next lights. He catches up, looks at me in my shoei and gortex, and asks "what do you normally ride?": he couldn't believe I was happy just on a scooter but showed his prejudices too. Expect to get blanked a lot

[Data]

Hi Zed, yep...I'm expecting it, but like many of you I don't really mind. I'll just be happy with my new wheels when I get them. As a biker I waive to anyone regardless of what they ride, I'll still do the same. I'm moving closer to placing an order with my dealer having had a further chat with my better half last night. But I need to try to beat them down just a bit more on price if I can to make my wife happy. She's lovely! yes, I really mean that!

Question please to anyone who knows: does the Burgman 400 have an oil pressure light? The dealer started the bike for me when I was kitting up and I didn't actually think to take a look at any time during my test ride. My Vstrom has one and I guess mostly every bike does now.

Ta guys.

[Dave Weller]

Best bit for me is the lockable storage space, I leave all the riding stuff under the seat, helmets in the top box, walk away and get on with the visit to whatever I'm doing.

[Harry]

I'm a former motorcyclist who has moved to scooters and I don't care how bikers react. But most are cool with it. I stopped at an ice cream stand last summer and parked next to a real rat bike ridden by a real rat biker. I was on a Chinese 150 at the time. Joking with him, I said, "I hope that you don't mind my little pipsqueak parked next to your ride." His answer was, "We're both on two wheels. F**k the rest of 'em." I liked that attitude.

I had the same reaction from a group of Harley riders as we waited to board a ferry. With my Burgman 400 I was "marshalled" with them. When I said I hope they wouldn't be embarrassed by the Burger's presence, the response was, "Well It's got 2 wheels hasn't it!"

[Bluebottle]

I would say:
- don't be too cautious with the clutch during the running in period, babying it doesn't do it any good. Get 4000 rpm on and then take it from there.

- The clutch fully engages around 4000 rpm normally but if welly the throttle wide open it can slip for longer than you would want. My experience backs up what I have heard others say, allow the clutch to lock up before booting it in order to get the best performance and clutch longevity. It is only varying the speed the throttle is rolled at, not a big noticeable pause.

- I find the best riding position is to have my feet right out in front of me rather than on the floor in a "sitting at a desk" position. It took a few rides to get used to it and it also has the advantage that you can lock yourself between the seat back and foot rests if things start to go bad. But on a long ride I use all the various foot positions to help with numb- bums and back fatigue


On my first "spirited" ride with the 400 I kept wondering why the hell the bike in front of me kept pulling away from me and then lifting off for no reason, it took me a while to remember he was having to change gear

[Data]

Thanks Bluebottle, that is stuff I need to know. I've heard some grumbles about the clutch on some model years. I was particularly interested in the second hand model (an 09 plate with 12k miles on it) that I test rode yesterday with regard to clutch operation and smoothness etc. In spite of being well overdue for service it went really well in every respect. It looked as though it had suffered a hard life too. Burgmans seem to be quite tough in many respects. One point, it felt as though the clutch was locking up fully at around 3,500rpm most of the time. Is that about right? I confess that I may not have been able to hear or determine exactly when it locked up as I was tending to go by feel through the bike and watching the rev counter. I could be wrong. I did wonder if the rollers were standard or if it had been tweaked a bit.

Just a quick repeat of an earlier question in this thread that I asked, is there an oil pressure warning light on the dash for the Burgman 400? I didn't get a chance to see as the dealer started the bike for me when I was kitting up and I forgot to check. Ta! and please chime in with any other relevant info you think I may want to know. I'm keen!!

[Bluebottle]

I don't think there is a seperate oil press. light

Somewhere in that 3500/4000 region sounds right for the clutch

Consider getting a Givi airflow screen. They are more rigid than the OEM item which I think flutters too much at motorway speeds (not sure if it causes a real wobble or just the sensation as it spills air onto alernateing sides. They Airflow also adjusts for height and the top section can be removed when it is very hot for a nice breeze. The screen and the daft 12v outlet are the only negatives that ever bothered me

Top tip - If engine has lost power since previous ride - take parking brake off

[Data]

Hi Meldrew, Bluebottle,

My Vstrom is best with the screen in the lower positions and it's quiet at any speed. Interestingly, the screen on the Burgman 400 seemed ok during my test ride. Into the wind flow or with the airflow behind me it was fine. It was the one thing I was expecting to not be ok. I wear a Caberg full face and these can be a bit noisey at the best of times but add in a noisey screen and you have a bad combination. But, even at motorway speeds the 400 screen was actually pretty quiet and my vision was very very good so I don't intend to change anything, at least not to start with. If I'm going on a fast run I always wear earplugs, if I'm feeling a bit scared, I always wear a blindfold too!!! or just close my eyes!

Thanks for the reply about the oil pressure light. I realise now the Burg has roller bearings for it's big end and balls for it's crank, so oil pressure is not a big issue as with plain bearings. I'm fairly clued up technically and can do most of the spannering on a bike, but I just don't know the Burgman as much as I want to at the moment so please forgive the inane seemingly unimportant questions. I'm just at that quest for knowledge stage as I intend to make my purchasing decision in the next few days....which incidentally is now looking immenent as I have been able to speak further with the dealer who has 'eased' the price of a new 400Zabs just a little more.

[Bluebottle]

I came here to get opinions on getting a particular model too Data, then I kipped on the sofa a couple of times and never got round to leaving

......... the top section of my Airflow came off at 70+ mph on the A1(M) in North Yorkshire last summer, hitting my helmet .........

The bike was probably trying to decapitate you to stop the moaning

Of course I have tried it my little ray of sleat; obviously there isn't much need to increase the breaze on the motorway but for hot sticky days pootling around town the top section goes under my seat.

[richie the 1st]

Best bit for me is the lockable storage space, I leave all the riding stuff under the seat, helmets in the top box, walk away and get on with the visit to whatever I'm doing.

Yes Dave i know..?? like looking round motorbike/scoot dealers as well.