Test drive: everything you need to know about the Suzuki Burgman 650

Suzuki Burgman 650 price

But it only seems so until you check the currency characteristics of a Japanese scooter and discover that the price of a new Suzuki Burgman 650 in Moscow is a whopping 10 thousand US dollars.

I can already hear your misunderstanding “How much?? After all, I can buy a good used car for this money.” Yes, it’s true, the cost of the Japanese is too high, both for a scooter and even for a sports motorcycle, but later in the article you will find out why such a price is justified.

You can buy a used Suzuki Burgman 650 for half the price. This, of course, will not be a 2021 model, but, for example, 2013.

However, the Burgman is generously equipped by two-wheeler standards. This elite 650 Executive maxi not only has an electronically adjustable screen and heated handlebar grips, but also a heated seat, a 12-volt power outlet, an adjustable backrest and even mirrors that rotate at the touch of a button - useful in the city and not available on many flagship motorcycles.

This year the Burgman receives its biggest update in a decade, including fresh styling, new gauges and many minor tuning tweaks. Suzuki insists the new bodywork is sharper and more elegant, but the difference is small and the plastics still look bulky. A pair of small glove boxes have been added next to the larger compartment that closes into the fairing, and the footpegs have been redesigned to allow the rider to more easily reach the ground with his feet.

liquid-cooled 638cc Suzuki Burgman engine power has changes in the fuel injection unit and other internal parts, which helps improve fuel efficiency. The scooter's clutch has been redesigned to reduce frontal drag and allow the Suzuki 650 to accelerate more easily. The modernization took place in response to feedback from owners of previous models.

As before, the transmission system allows the driver, using buttons on the left side of the steering wheel, to switch the transmission from automatic to manual. Many Burgman owners first try to use the mechanical version, but later opt for an automatic variator.

The Suzuki Burgman 650 engine produces very decent power without making loud sounds or any vibrations thanks to proprietary silent blocks installed in a steel tubular frame. It’s very pleasant to feel how, when you turn the throttle, you press into the back of the seat and without any problems you can bypass the taffy on the highway in front of the metropolis.

The steering geometry is a bit sporty, which helps in city traffic and on twisty country roads. At the same time, the steering wheel floats more or less at higher speeds.

The three-caliper disc brake system performs reasonably well, although the updated ABS system kicks in a bit too early. The soft suspension gives you a superior maxi scooter ride and the huge under-seat luggage compartment provides space for two helmets, making the Burgman one of the best scooters for carrying luggage.

Judging by the reviews of the owners, the disadvantage of this Suzuki model is the small adjustment range of the electronic screen and its low placement, as well as poor heating of the steering wheel grips. An average fuel consumption of 4.7 liters per 100 km provides a range of 250 km on a filled 15 liter tank. Not bad, but not ideal, as for Executive. To spend the stated amount of gasoline, you need to drive in Eco mode (green indicator on the control panel).

Despite this, after a redesign and a slight reduction in price, the Suzuki Burgman 650 outperforms its competitors in the market. The Yamaha T-Max and Aprilia SRV850 maxi scooters are almost the same in price but are not as well equipped. BMW's C600 and C650 models cost more than $10,000 with heated grips and seats.

Test drive: everything you need to know about the Suzuki Burgman 650

It's not often we test maxi scooters, but I personally have particularly fond memories of the Suzuki Burgman 650: it was on it that I set my first Iron Butt personal record, riding 1,000 miles in 17 hours, and then, over the next two years, I did 55 thousand km on the roads of Europe and Russia. We did this test for MOTO a year earlier, in 2008, and it was this test that gave me the idea to buy a “burger”.

MOTOGONKI.RU, March 8, 2015 — Editorial by the author, significantly revised and supplemented with real facts

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As a preface

Winter and summer - one color! Together with Suzuki Burgman 650

After this test, I became seriously ill with Burgman, and this illness (love?) has not gone away to this day. Even after I changed my personal bike twice and decided on my priorities, fate gave me a couple of chances to make sure that the Burgman 650 is the horse I need. Possibly a second motorcycle in the garage. My acquaintance with it began with this very test drive of the brand new Burgman 650 Executive, continued in the spring of next year, when I bought the same one for my garage, but from 2005, and immediately, a day after that, I “flew” it to Finland (on business , and at the same time rode along the delightful paths of Lapland - only 3500 km). The next year I made the first 12,500-kilometer climb to the west, and repeated it in the second half of the year. And he did the same in 2012, after which the scooter found a new owner - they tore the moped and my hands away from me the same day I posted the ad!

In the summer of 2014, after a minor breakdown of my main horse, I asked friends for a Suzuki Burgman so that a long-planned trip of about 8000 km along the route Moscow-Brno-Munich-Milan-Matterhorn-Moscow would not be lost. Honestly, I don’t regret at all that I went there in a “burger”. So…

A long time ago…

In 2008, almost all maxi-scooters presented on the Russian market were in the caring hands of test pilots of the MOTO magazine. At the end of the season, we got to the main piece on the scooter chessboard - without exaggeration, the king in its class, the huge touring Suzuki Burgman AN650A in the Executive configuration. According to Suzuki, the 2008 model was supposed to outshine all competitors in its functionality, design, practicality and size. After my first test drive of the AN650A in May, there were no doubts about the functionality and size, but I personally had doubts about the practicality of the device. To refute or confirm these fears, we took the brand new Executive and went on a short two-day trip.

Test drive Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive

The Burgman AN650A is the ultimate motorcycle package a rider can imagine. In the “base” there are brakes with ABS, a windshield servo drive, mirrors that “fold” at the touch of a button, a comfortable backrest for the passenger, and, of course, a gearbox with the unpronounceable name SECVTTM. Everything is here for extremely comfortable, incomparable piloting – from the first to the last meters of the journey. Suzuki never tried to create “their own Goldwing”, they did something more - the Burgman 650 Executive.

Easy engine starting is guaranteed. A 32-bit on-board computer is responsible for this, controlling the ignition system and injector. The processor has enough processing power to run Windows, but all of it is focused on making the ride easier.

Sports car? Spaceship? No, Suzuki Burgman 650!

Driving a Suzuki, it feels like you are inside some kind of racing or airplane simulator - so many buttons, screens!.. While the engine is warming up, you want to touch everything and understand how this or that system works. Fortunately, all Suzuki motorcycles and scooters officially supplied to Russia are supplied with accessible instructions in Russian (something I missed so much when working with Italian bikes). Five minutes of quick study of the manual is enough to delve into the control of all the “tricks” of a low-flying tourist starship.

On the right remote control there is a switch-kill, glass servo control, emergency lights and starter

On the right remote control, in addition to the starter and ignition switch buttons, the windshield control is compactly located - only two positions: glass up and down, the servo drive operates almost silently, but the effect, especially at good speed, is felt instantly. Looking ahead, I want to say that I removed the glass down only once, before going to the car wash. The rest of the time the “burdock” was raised to the maximum possible height.

Test drive Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive: automatic transmission control panel

The left remote control is simply replete with multi-colored switches. Control of the light, engine and “ears” is concentrated here. Burgman in the LX configuration (the former abbreviation for “executive”) is famous for its ability to “become a little narrower” at the right moment: one press on the blue lever and the huge mugs of the mirrors fold, due to which the overall width of the scooter is reduced by almost 30 cm. However, This option has one side effect: when weaving through a traffic jam, you usually use the side lights or blinking hazard lights to indicate you are in heavy traffic. Burgman has turn indicators built into the mirrors and located on the outside, so that when folded they are simply not visible! Plus, you yourself have no control over what happens behind you. But the dimensions of the AN650 are not childish - the body length is 2 meters 26 cm, the width of the front fairing is 70, and the rear is 60 cm. Having tried both, I chose the option with wide-open “ears”: it’s more familiar and you don’t relax.

The Suzuki semi-automatic control is located on the left console. Almost all manipulations have to be done with just the thumb of the left hand. I stumbled around in the parking lot - it’s unusual, it’s annoying, I have to be distracted - definitely, this requires a certain skill... I left flirting with the “manual” mode of the box for last, so as not to waste precious time learning a device that was completely new to me. Addition in the new edition: manual gear shifting is the most empty idea in this scooter, useless, impractical - EMPTY - forget about it!

Test drive Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive

Let's hit the road! My first route on the Burgman was laid through the picturesque places of the Moscow region. I devoted the entire first day to finding the weaknesses of the Suzuki - well, it’s impossible that the maxiscooter doesn’t have weaknesses. However, after running 200 km on the odometer on various types of roads, I came to the conclusion that not a single unpleasant emotion remained in my head. Having completely become accustomed to the dimensions and behavior of the “burgher” on the road, I decided to test its speed characteristics. In general, there are a couple of interesting emotions that are firmly ingrained in my brain: it seems that under you is not a 650 cc 4-stroke motorcycle, but a huge diesel engine. The comparison is absolutely spot on: the sound of the 2-cylinder 8-valve 638 cc Suzuki is reminiscent of... a regular bus, some kind of Icarus. Especially when changing gears – nostalgie!.. Who didn’t dream of driving a bus as a child?

Unlike the Ikarus, the Burgman AN650A is capable of serious feats. The acceleration dynamics of an almost 250-kilogram colossus will not impress the owners of Japanese “plastics”, but the linearity of the power growth diagram will make you think seriously. The Burger easily passes the 140 km/h mark, then it takes some time for the Max to accelerate to 185 km/h.

Engine Suzuki Burgman 650

Maximum torque of 62 Nm is achieved at 5000 rpm. The terrain where we tested the maxiscooter in 2008 reminded us of the eastern Carpathians on the border of Slovakia and Ukraine: a fairly narrow two-lane highway, a lot of small ups and downs. The Burgman, despite its mass, easily climbed the hills near Moscow without having to increase the revs. All this in “standard” driving mode. There is also a “Power mode”, that is, a “high power mode”: the gear is increased only after peak power is overcome (after 7000 rpm). In the “standard” this happens much earlier, which makes it possible to reduce gasoline consumption.

Addition: in the real mountains the situation is slightly different.

In the mountains, especially at an altitude of more than 1500 m, an engine with a robotic variator will seem like nothing to you. In other words: on the passes, where the same “squishy” Suzuki V-Strom 650 easily swallowed the “spaghetti” turns - up, on the Stelvio Pass - one after another, I had to roll into full throttle, physically feeling how the system swallowed gasoline - it There was so much lack of direct drive to the rear wheel!..

Mount Matterhorn (Matterhorn) exactly on the border of Italy and Switzerland - conquered in the summer of 2014. On Suzuki Burgman 650

Otherwise, on smooth highways the Burgman is as good as most road bikes and cars. Over 100 km, the Burgman consumes 4.7 liters, in “powerful mode” up to 8. When driving in a mixed cycle, when you turn the “Power” button on and off for a short time, the average consumption rises to 6.5 liters.

Real speed of Suzuki Burgman 650

limited by the laws of physics, and the dashboard shows an overestimation of +15% (more than all other motorcycles and scooters). The fact is that the speed sensor is installed inside the box; it shows a very relative speed, depending on many parameters... use GPS, it doesn’t lie! The true peak values ​​I achieved on an empty, unloaded scooter on the Berlin-Munich autobahn were 187 km/h according to GPS, with the speedometer needle lying somewhere on the right side, behind the o, and fuel consumption exceeding 12 l/100 km. The maximum comfortable speed for traveling with luggage and/or a trunk does not exceed 170 km/h: usually, the hand on the trigger usually rests in the “open fully” position and so on until the next refueling.

My Burgman 650 at the 2010 FIM Rally in Belgium - 2750 km from the garage in two days

In general, behind the wheel of the Burgman 650 I feel more like a motorist than a motorcyclist. This is a special feeling, and it seems that those riding nearby are accepting the game: the scooter does not provoke the pilot to rush away from everyone, although it can do this - to the surprise of those gathered - very easily. Nevertheless, if you drive 120-130 km/h, it’s very comfortable on any road, even in and around Moscow. But on the autobahn, where the left lane is clearly “160+”, this scooter lacks 15-20 hp.

Maybe manual mode will help? Cruel bummer! How inconvenient the manual control of the Suzuki turned out to be... Let me emphasize once again: all the buttons on the left remote control have to be frantically “stomped” with one finger, which means shifting gears up and down, indicating “turns” and honking - in the city this is more annoying than it makes life easier . In addition, you have to closely monitor the tachometer; it is very difficult to judge the engine speed by the rich sound of the “icarus” exhaust: 5000 or already 7500 - it sounds the same. I press the yellow button, switch to full automatic and return to the world of “comfort and dryness”. Let the wise electronics monitor the correct gear shifting, but I’d better make sure that the skin of the “burger” is not spoiled by another frisky fellow on the “nine” who suddenly taxis across the solid line.

There's something I haven't talked about... Yes, the most important thing - what makes Burgman so exceptional.

Suzuki Burgman 650 chassis: the engine lies inside the frame, in front; rear wheel on pendulum drive

Since 2005, Suzuki has paid special attention to the straightness of its motorcycles. Excellent directional stability of scooters of the SkyWave and Burgman series is the calling card of the Japanese plant. Executive is no exception. Large “live” weight, cast wheels 15 and 14 inches in diameter, “motorcycle” 120 mm front and 160 mm rear tires, a space-size aluminum frame and, most importantly, a separate swingarm of the rear wheel. The secret to the Suzuki Burgman's rigid chassis is that the engine is not a load-bearing element, as in most maxi-scooters. Here it is rigidly fixed inside the frame.

What is not a solution is original know-how. The swingarm is also attached to the frame, and the rear wheel is driven by gears rather than a belt. It is the work of the gears - inside the engine and in the transmission - that creates this “carus” sound, which does not at all affect the performance and reliability of the design.

Under the saddle - 55 liters for any luggage: this is a huge space!!!

Like any “tourist”, the AN650A is rich in luggage capacity. The main “box” with a volume of 55 liters is located under the seat, and this time there are no tricks: the trunk is so well designed that during the test it coexisted with a stuffed 40-liter photographic case, an additional helmet, gloves, and a 60-centimeter telescopic monopod for the camera, tools and a stack of manuals in six languages. According to the instructions, in this “closet” you can hide two full-size integrals and “some accessories” without any tricks. In addition, there is an additional compartment for small items on the front panel of the scooter.

You can hide anything in the depths of the plastic body kit

The glove compartment, equipped with a standard car cigarette lighter, will fit two pairs of motorcycle gloves, 5-6 medium-format phones or keys to Fort Bayard - the whole bunch: on the right side there is a recess of 20 centimeters. And that's not all! To the right of the tidy, there is another hatch - a compartment for very small items. The keys to the Bayard didn't fit there, but the keys to the garage were just right.

Update.

In 2014, the price for a new “executive burgher” came close to 600,000 rubles - this is the most expensive stock “maxi” on the market. In this price range there is plenty to choose from, even among the “big” bikes. But is it worth racking your brains with comparisons with motorcycles? No. But to think about comparison with the BMW C650GT maxi-scooter - yes! I will say on my own that I drove a BMW last year and this year for a total of 5,000 km, and the C650GT seemed to me more... nimble, sporty, playful, compact. But it depends on what you take it for. Test drive the BMW C650GT in the coming days!

But on the used motorcycle market, the Suzuki Burgman 650 in various trim levels is still very attractive. So, in mid-2014, a maxi-scooter 2005-2008 model year. in excellent condition from Japan or America could be bought for 140-150 thousand rubles. For 200-220 thousand rubles it was already possible to find a Burgman purchased in Russia from official dealers 2008-2012. Update Mode Off

Burgman has long been more than just a maxi-scooter. If it loses to its mid-sized competitors in the city due to its dimensions and weight, then on long trips this transforms into its main advantage: it has no equal in terms of the ease of “non-stop flights” on asphalt roads.

San Bernardino was closed... to cars, but we can drive past the barrier!

It is also completely useless to “apply” it from different angles to “luxury tourists”, looking for weaknesses and “scooter” diseases in the “burger”. In terms of design and capabilities, this machine can be placed in a separate class of motorcycle technology and through this prism we can look at how the class of touring motorcycles will develop in the future. It is known that Honda has already begun implementing a plan to equip its “cruisers” with automatic transmissions.

Total - supplemented and updated with operating experience from 2009-2015.

Now, from the perspective of almost 100 thousand km traveled behind the wheel of a Suzuki, I would exclude this phrase: I would not recommend the Executive for everyday use, especially in a large city such as Moscow. - WRONG! In general, the scooter is very conducive to dynamic driving around the city, although it seems “too plump” at first. It is wider than the Honda Silverwing 600, but only slightly, and practice quickly puts everything in its place: over the years of operation, I have not hit a single car or obstacle with either the mirror or the side!

Element AN650A is an “easy” Eurotrip along the route Moscow-Prague-Vienna-Milan-Moscow, and further to the southwest, to Barcelona and Aragon. 1000 km per day is not a problem for this scooter, trust me. It provides incredible comfort to the pilot and passenger, due to which both get tired an order of magnitude less than in the saddle of a road bike. The average speed on a Suzuki Burgman 650 with the window raised high is in no way inferior to the speed of, for example, my Suzuki Bandit 1250S, but there is a significant limitation - the volume of the gas tank, which is why I have to make stops every 200-220 km. Personal record at one gas station - 320 km at a pace of 90-120 km/h on a German Shell Super.

Pros:

+ Style +100500 + Exceptional comfort in any situation + Huge luggage capacity under the seat + Incredibly smooth ride + Excellent, well-designed mirrors + Full power accessories (servos for mirrors, windows, heated handles and seats - since 2008 in the database) + Average cruising speed 150 km/h on the highway + Large selection of spare parts at dismantling yards and service centers + Low cost of consumables

Minuses:

— Soft brakes and suspension, requires adjustment for the driver — Insufficient engine power and losses when going uphill — In models up to 2005. plastic drive gears - need to be replaced with metal! Since 2005, all models have already been included in the basic set. Although I didn't notice any difference.

What else can you add?

The standard Burgman windshield is tall enough to protect a pilot up to 180 cm tall. But I still ordered an upgrade from America from Clear Shields (+2 inches in height). The American glass turned out to be much thicker than the standard glass, withstood a good fall, did not crack or break, but was only slightly frayed. It is smoother and makes it easier to look forward through it in case of rain.

The position in the saddle is what makes the Burgman 650 versatile: you can stretch your legs forward or put them upright on the platforms, move your stiff buns without leaving the sofa. Plus, the driver's backrest is flexible and can be moved forward or backward by 20mm, providing more or less space on the throne.

I had been bothering with installing side panniers for a long time, but it turned out to be a pointless undertaking. Mounts for the Suzuki Burgman 650 can only be ordered from SW-Motech, but for which panniers? The width of the scooter is quite large even without panniers, but with plastic cases it loses maneuverability in traffic jams. I chose the combination of a large GIVI rear case with a capacity of 53 liters in combination with a waterproof saddlebag with a capacity of 76 liters. As a “carrying bag” I bought a comfortable vestibule handbag from the same GIVI. The total volume of transported luggage was (including underseat space) 180 liters. In fact, we only had to use it all once, when we went to the FIM Rally in 2010 - with tents and sleeping bags.

Test drive Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Suzuki Burgman Executive AN650A

Year of manufacture: in the photo - 2008 Dry weight, kg: 245 Length, mm: 2260 Width, mm: 810 Seat height, mm: 750 Wheelbase, mm: 1595 Gas tank volume, l: 15/3 Ground clearance, mm: 130 Engine: in-line 2-cylinder, 4-stroke Timing: DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder Displacement, cm3: 638 Dimension, mm: 75.5 x 71.3 Compression ratio: 11.2 Max. Power, hp at rpm: 54/7000 Max. Torque, N*m at rpm: 62/5000 Power system: multi-point injection Cooling: liquid Starting system: electric starter Clutch: centrifugal Gearbox: automatic, with manual gear shifting Main gear: variator, rear wheel drive - gears Frame: steel diagonal Front fork: telescopic, oil-filled Diameter of stays, mm: 41 mm Rear suspension: aluminum double-sided pendulum, with adjustable oil-filled shock absorbers Front brakes: two 260 mm discs, calipers with 2-piston floating caliper, ABS Rear brake: 250 -mm wheel, with 2-piston floating caliper, ABS Front tire: 120/70-15 Rear tire: 160/60-14

Brace yourself people, summer is coming!!!

The first version was published in MOTO magazine, autumn 2008, then in a revised form - MOTOREVYU, 2010. Here is another revised and expanded version of 2015.

Photos by Dmitry Tyurin, Nikita Kolobanov and Kirill Chernyshev

Technical characteristics of Suzuki Burgman 650

If you are looking to buy a maxi scooter at this price, then the updated Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive offers an attractive combination of performance, functionality and practicality.