What to buy

Subject: Re: What to buy Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:12 am

sonuvabug wrote:

Previously I rode a K4 Burg 400 (along with several Honda Elite 250, Honda Reflex 250 and still a Honda Big Ruclus 250). I now ride a 2005 Silverwing.

Best all around scooter for solo riding ... the Burg 400. Great looks, plenty of power for cruising or passing, very flickable when running full chat, easy to handle in slow/tight situations (over 100 lbs. lighter than the SW) and it gets my vote for the "best driveability" award. It will be first out of the parking lot, is quicker than most cruisers off the line and handles hills with ease. Finally, definitely keeps up at any highway speeds with no problems unless the rest of the group is riding silly fast.

My Silverwing has more power available and is quicker than the 400 but not as much as one would think. It too is faster than most bigger bikes off the line thanks to the auto and no gears/clutch to fuss with. It will more than hold its own at any speed and its top end is faster than the Burg 400 and many cruising/touring bikes.

The Swing has a lot more engine braking than the Burg 400 which takes getting use to and I find myself flashing my SW's brakes lights when the engine braking is slowing down the scoot just to alert the drivers behind me that I am in fact slowing down. Over time, I have gotten use to it. However, the Burg 400 has minimal engine braking which I prefer.

The Burg 400 wins in the underseat cargo area and glove box. It's just better designed and provides more usable space. Both are relatively easy to work on and perform regular maintenance work. I give the nod to the Suzuki for making the plasticware easier to take off and put on and less prone to breaking off the tabs. I also like the 4-way hazards on the Burg ... none available with the Swing. Both are vastly improved by a better windscreen over the OEM screen.

I tried and subsequently rejected the Burgman 650 as I found it heavy, too bulky and I really didnt need the "manual" tranny mode. I also don't need the potentail additional repair problems if something should go wrong ... which happens but is rarer than what some forums/posts would lead you to believe. Lastly, I rarely ride 2-up so having the additional oomph of the 650 is not an issue for me. Surprisingly the 400 has plenty of zip and consistently outperforms most metric 750's (Honda Shadow etc.)

Of the scoots I've ridden (7 in the past 6 years), I give the Burgman 400 the overall, all 'round best scooter award. Looks great, very economical (65 mpg avg.), lots of power ... especially when riding solo, and easy on the pocket book. I would seriously look at a 2007+ Burgman when comparing with a Silverwing. Both great rides ... both will do the job for your GF.

Hope this helps. ~ sonuvabug ~

Thank you sonuvabug for your review!! So now I guess its down to a 07+ on the Burgman 400, or a 07 silverwing. Being she will be riding mostly with large displacement motorcycles I'm leaning slightly to the wing but ultimately this is her decision and I can only guide her but not chose.
What would you consider a fair price for a 07 SW and a 07 400 Burg?
Once again I would like to thank all of you for your support in helping us in the right direction and this is truly a top of the line forum!

Subject: Re: What to buy Wed Aug 10, 2011 11:47 am

Ron777 wrote:

Thank you sonuvabug for your review!! So now I guess its down to a 07+ on the Burgman 400, or a 07 silverwing. Being she will be riding mostly with large displacement motorcycles I'm leaning slightly to the wing but ultimately this is her decision and I can only guide her but not chose.
What would you consider a fair price for a 07 SW and a 07 400 Burg?
Once again I would like to thank all of you for your support in helping us in the right direction and this is truly a top of the line forum!

You are welcome Ron. On my last post, I added my opinion on the gauge cluster ... this may be important to your GF. Don't worry about the B400 keeping up with the cruisers and tourers, it does so with no trouble and in fine style. I know as I ride with our local Southern Cruisers Riding Club (SCRC270) and it's not our maxi-scooters who have trouble "keeping up". Also, the 2007+ B400's also have a slightly larger engine (400cc vs. 385cc) and larger wheel so these are improvements over our 2004. Having said that, last June I rode our B400 from Canada to St. Louis MO using your interstate highway system and had no issues keeping up and "holding my own".

Pricewise ... I can't help you. The markets are so different between Canada and the USA ... the US being markedly cheaper than Canada for used motorcycles. Check out the www.burgmanusa.com site as members there can list their scoots for sale. Perhaps you'll find something there.

Also, I've personally had good luck on eBay (I've bought 5 maxi-scooters and 1 car on eBay and imported them into Canada) but I am patient and picky.

Whether its a Swing or Burg ... your girlfriend really can't make a bad choice. Don't make the mistake of pushing her into a machine that isn't right for her (read too big). That'll frustrate her and turn her off riding for good. We ride with the big bikes almost exclusively and believe me, once you get de-sensitized to the "hamster engine" jokes, we do not take a back seat to any of them performance wise.

Good Luck. ~ sonuvabug ~

Subject: Re: What to buy Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:55 am

Thanks to all who thanked me earlier in the post.

In your search, as Daboo said, try searchtempest.com. Searches craigslist over any size area you choose.

Since the discussion has slid towards a 400cc machine, don't forget the Yamaha Majesty. Personally, I still thought the B400 was quicker and more comfortable, but your GF might think differently. If I were to buy a maxi based solely on looks, I would pick the Majesty immediately.

If you are looking at the B400, they had a major re-design for the 2007 model year. The extra HP is offset by extra weight, but there is a MAJOR difference in the maintenance schedule, particularly valve checks. For that reason alone I would avoid the earlier models. If buying a 2007, check carefully for any noise from the clutch. Suzuki redesigned the clutch in later model years, but won't admit any fault or replace parts under warranty. I would focus on '08, '09, '10 models.

Somewhere amongst the posts there was a figure on the weight diff between a SW and a B400 - 150 pounds. Here are some more accurate figures:
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/honda_silver_wing_2003.php
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/suzuki_burgman_400_2008.php
http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/suzuki_burgman_650_2008.php
Weights are 439 pounds for the B400, 481 for SW, 518 for B650. I believe all weights are dry. The weight for the 2008 SW shows 540 pounds, but I think it is showing the wet weight. My service manual for the 2003 model specifies 485 dry and 527 wet for the non-ABS model. I can't think of any changes in the bike to warrant the big weight increase except that the Bikez website posted a wet weight instead of dry for the 2008 model year.

All three bikes are listed as having lengths between 89.0 and 89.6 inches.

When choosing my scoot, I rationalized the SW as being only a little heavier than the small ones, but having the engine of the largest one.

Besides, the SW has that cool twin cylinder sound. The 400's have the chug chug chug sound of a single. It's just not the same music to my ears.

To anyone who thinks the extra performance of the SW engine is insignificant, I suggest you try a J Costa variator or lighter rollers. The JC will take the 0-60 time from 8+ seconds to the low 6's. It can't be beat. I can stay with my neighbor on his 1300cc Yamaha cruiser (water cooled and fuel injected 2009 model). I couldn't say that if my bike was stock.

Despite all the above info favoring the SW, any of the machines will give good performance and value. I doubt you would go wrong with any of them, but for a first time rider (and female) I would select SW first, B400 second, Majesty third and B650 last (too much weight mostly).