Motorcyclist Magazine (US) feb '15

Motorcyclist Magazine has touring article--Feb '15 that I find favorable to use of scooters---in this case Suzuki Burgman 650 used with other sport touring motorcycles. Honda is no longer in US Maxi scooter market, but Suzuki remains, so something to look at.

That's a nice looking scooter.

I had a Burgy 650, it was a nice riding bike but had a few things I didn't like. One was the occasional transmission failures they've experienced. Very expensive. I found it a pain to do maintenance due to complicated plastic and weak little tabs. I did like the ABS and the gas filler on the left rump. Other than that it was a great scooter. I prefer my BMW 650GT though. Its heated seat and grips are great in cold weather as is the electric windshield. It has ABS as standard equipment, it's only on the Executive model Burgman. The BMW has 15" wheels which make for smoother riding. The handling on the BMW is great, very quick and nimble. With the Highline option which includes the heated seat and grips the bike comes with a large BMW top box which holds more than my Goldwing did. The headlight is very good on the GT. Most of the rest are all LEDs. The GT also has a 500W alternator, plenty of power for high beams, grips, seat heater and my Gerbings heated gloves and jacket liner all at once. The BMW also comes with a three year warranty and is a bit cheaper than the Burgman.
My choices would be the BMW 650 first and the Burgman second.

Don't know how the the BMW 15" tires are smoother riding when the outside diameter of the swing tires are the same diameter as the 650 burgman and the BMW scooter. The rim size of the swing are smaller but the tire outside diameter difference are all the same , but for a milimiter or two. Check out the tire size calculation.The 400 and the 650 Burgman  other then rim size the tire dia are the same.

Plus to BMW scooter is easier REAR WHEEL REMOVAL!!----SINCE probably first Helix '86 and now to include even Vespa GTS-----removal of exhaust system to get rear wheel off is complete BS.

For me neg on BMW is there are still belt/belts in drive line

I think that 'motorcycle' magazines in general do not rate maxi scooters as touring machines but I think that they are wrong.  Who am I to know better than all the knee down journalists ?

A touring machine is what ever someone is willing to take on a trip. There have been a couple of patient souls who have made long trips on lawn tractors and roller skates. If they can do that the hundreds of people who have made long rides on maxi's certainly make these scooters 'touring' machines. My first introduction to maxi scooters was a few years ago at Crater Lake, OR I met two guys from Southern California who were on the way home from British Columbia on a pair of Burgman 400 scooters. I have ridden long road trips across the US from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans and from Canada to Cabo on my Goldwing(s) but that was the first time I ever considered scooters for trips like that. It interested me enough to buy my first maxi, a low mileage '04 Silverwing. I've since had an '07 SW, a '05 Burgman and now a '13 BMW GT. All of these bikes are suitable for touring. I haven't made a trip of more than 500 miles or so on a scooter yet because I also kept a Goldwing until recently. Currently I have the GT and a '95 K1100LT. I'm planning on taking a couple longer trips this coming season on the scooter for two reasons. One is that I'm convinced the scooter will do the job well and the other is that my knees are developing arthritis and the scooter's seating position is more comfortable for me. I have a Rostra electronic cruise control on hand to install on the scooter as soon as the warranty lapses. That should add the last accessory needed for a comfortable tourer.

John, You don't have to remove the muffler to get the rear tire off the Wing. I've never removed my muffler, but have done at least 5 tire changes.

You need a good deal of space under the bike, but you can work it off without taking the muffler off. I use a platform motorcycle lift with a removable panel below the rear wheel.

Best on SilverWing scooter rear wheel removal=follow shop manual. Think road side tire repair/replace.

Do you all know how I very easily remove my rear tire???

I ride it down to the Honda shop and go back later and pick it up.  

I won't argue about "best", but will say that it is basically the shop procedure except for removing the muffler. It's not going to break anything.  As for side of the road, I'd probably do it however I could do it - the tough part wouldn't be the muffler (5 minutes to remove) - I just presented my method which doesn't risk harming the muffler gasket (not a big deal, granted - they are fairly cheap), which I think is a good thing.  One thing I've learned about bike maintenance is that every time you remove something, you risk breaking it, so the less you remove the better. They probably know what they are doing in the factory a lot better than I do since they do it all day long, so I hate messing with their work unless necessary.

FWIW, the Integra has a chain drive and, I suspect, standard dropouts for the rear wheel - not that you can buy it in the USA, but you can buy some NC700 series bike.  I think the whole NC700 family is similar as for drive train (it's one of my gripes about the NC700 series - who wants an oily chain?).

JeffR - you have the same method of roadside repair as I do. I might do my own work at home, but I have no desire to remove a wheel on the side of the road - among other things, I probably don't have the tools to properly torque things when reinstalling. And with Honda dealerships nearly everywhere I might possibly go, I'm not all that worried (I don't ride in exotic places - just the USA).

JeffR wrote:

Do you all know how I very easily remove my rear tire???

I ride it down to the Honda shop and go back later and pick it up.  

I am with you Jeff! The small fee is WORTH it and if they mess it up I can yell at them to fix it :lol!:

Ride a lot and flats, etc happen-----not always shop available.

Just looked at my SilverWing again---removing muffler probably quicker,too. With maxicooter, good idea to carry extra muffler "packing" as dealers probably do not have them in stock. I have had wheel off at home

I have lift for work in garage.

Point: scooters and bikes should have easier rear wheel removal.....and front too.They used to including front fender brace that served as front jack.

Leave bike at shop?? NO WAY----I use the thing. When I buy new bike/scooter dealer agrees to get me on road right away or furnish sub. Walking sucks. Or I don't buy.

I have removed my rear wheel a dozen or more times On my swing without breaking the seal.For the last 40 yrs I have used successfully a 2" fibre glass tape rapped around the x pipe and held in place with a small piece of aluminum tape,and slip the muffler and tork to a tight seal . It works very well at a cost of $5.00 for a lifetime of riding.  At $12.OO for a OEM gasket seal and not have to go 150 kl the replace at the exhaust donut seal works for me.