Cheers, Stibbs!
Yep, I'm certain that they are a fine bike. Circumstances and the aforementioned proximity of the big service are the only things that have prevented me being an owner myself in the past.
Incidentally my mate Bill Dog (often on Modern Vespa) has just ridden across the middle of the USA on a 50k mile one, entirely without incident (aside from flattening he battery overnight which was his own fault, not the Burgman's

)
It's good to know that working on it is all pretty straightforward, though. Whoever ends up doing it, that's a bonus.
I don't go beyond basic maintenance myself these days, though I understand why others do their own full servicing.
For one, I don't do enough of it these days to regard myself as anywhere near as competent as someone doing it day in, day out, and I don't have access to some of the specialist equipment they do.
For two, I don't particularly enjoy it. I'd rather spend my precious free time riding than spannering.
For three, Being self employed, my hourly rates are above what I pay the independent guys I use for servicing and bigger works. So, me paying them for 4 hours work would cost me less than taking 4 hours off to do the work myself. Plus, 4 hours work for the guys I use would take me 6-8 hours.
For four, they can generally source parts much cheaper than I can, so it isn't even worth me buying parts for them to fit.
