Burgman 650

[knight2]

In defence of the 650
When I started looking at scooters I sat on a few and thought they were okay but mostly a bit cramped and the mirrors on most of them were crap I'm fairly broad so I had to move so I could see anything. Then I went into Earnshaws in Huddersfield were they had two 650 burgmans they moved one so I could sit on it. I was literally shocked how comfortable it was, plenty of room for feet knees and legs handlebars just in the right position. Nice big electric screen, electric mirrors ( which at the time I thought were a gimmick as I live in a city I soon found out they weren't)heated seats and bars, massive underseat storage. Then I got to ride one I expected it to be bumpy I've had scooters before though the last one was about 1972, it was, but no worse than I thought it would be. I rode a MaxSym 600 the same day it seemed a little better but not much. Moving it around don't have a problem with it, I did at first but not now. As for servicing it there's only a couple of panels to come of and they're easy.
It's the best motorway mile cruncher I've ever had, that includes an ST1300 I took to southern Italy and back. But certain roads and potholes the suspension cannot handle. I think Grumpys description is spot on. The stopper bolt and the transmission problems were one and the same thing.

Tech loaded bikes I have no interest in and cannot see the piont of, I don't need several different screens to tell me this that and t'other they are a novelty which I think would soon wear off.
To Bellman, you were curious to know why some one would buy one, that's my take on it and on at least 90% of the roads I'm still grining

edit, I didn't finish this properly unfortunately my favourite pillion isn't so I'm looking around. It's horses for courses mate.

[Bellman]

Glad you liked the 650 Burgman, two years with one was more than enough for me. Like every other maxi I've owned I changed the OE screen and on the 650 junked that back rest for a Givi Monorack. I didn't think much of the Burgmans electric fold in mirrors either, they were ideally placed to catch the headlight beams of the car behind at night and dazzle me, and at times I had to fold them in. I enjoyed touring two up with Mrs B but everything was so much better when I traded in in for a Silver Wing.

Losing 25 kg of weight was a bonus I felt straight away and riding familiar routes both home and abroad were way better on the Silver Wing than on 650 and 400 Burgmans especially in bad weather. So were long wet rides to get back to various ports for ferries back to the UK.

Downsizing to the Forza 300 after years on a Silver Wing was a positive step too. A single cylinder 190 kg maxi instead of the 275 kg and 250 kg of the previous two twin cylinder scooters. Riding the Forza was really not that much different to the Silver Wing performance wise as I rode it the same way. It felt very small at first on motorways but that feeling soon faded. Apart from short stemmed frame mounted mirrors the Forza 300 has no flaws and being a tech hater you’ll be unaware of how much difference traction control makes wet weather riding. It would have transformed a big heavy lump like the Burgman 650.

So here we are in Spring 2025 I’’m ready to replace the Forza. I know what I don't want and that includes upsizing again, or that current flavour of the month Forza ADV 350. I'll be poking around a couple of Essex motorcycle dealerships tomorrow after a bit of pie and mash in one of my regular haunts. I was assured a few weeks at one dealership all the 2025 models will be in the showroom for Easter. So it'll be worth a ride tomorrow just to see if they're in