BMW Sport or GT vs Burgman 650 Exec

[SteveADV]

While members of this site are predominantly those that own either the BMW Sport or the GT, so perhaps the response might be somewhat biased, I was curious....Among those that have owned the Burgman as well as the BMW scooter, what do you feel are the advantages of either over the other? Both are winners, but what do you think now that you have the Beemer scooter?

 

[JaimeC]

Never OWNED a Burgman, but I did test ride one (which is what convinced this lifelong motorcyclist that scooters were a viable alternative).

The Burgman was "nice," but I find the C650GT (and the TMAX before that) felt more like a motorcycle to me in terms of handling and agility. Sort of like the difference between the new BMW K1600GTL and the Honda GL1800 Goldwing. Same mission, different way of approaching it.

 

[SteveADV]

Yeah, I did the same thing. I really liked the Burgman but thought the engine brake on the 650GT was smoother and more refined. The other thing I preferred was the suspension of the BMW vs the Burgman. I had not driven a maxi scooter before and felt the BMW was more motorcycle-like when it came to handling.

Those are just my personal preferences. Believe me, I would get Burgman 650Exec in a New York minute if the 650GT was not available.

 

[Dale]

Owned 2 Burgman scooters 03 and 07. Both ran like tops and never gave me a problem, put about 37K between the two. Traded the 07 for a Yamaha FJR in 09. The FJR was way to top heavy and below 20 MPH you were a passenger you had no control, at 80 MPH it would cruse all day. I liked the FJR handling if you put it someplace it would go and keep it's line.

The Burgman would jump around and not keep a line going through a turn and if you hit a bump you were going for the ditch or the oncoming car. That is the reason I moved to the FJR, I learned real soon it was more bike than I could handle. Wrecked the 03 with the help of the center stand. Making a left turn on a high banked road I hit the center stand which put me off the road in the right ditch, had it almost saved when I hit a large rock in the grass and hi sided. Friend behind me said the back wheel came off the ground when the center stand hit.

Got to test ride a GT and liked it. I cornered it hard, braked it hard and said this is great so in June of 13 I took delivery. This is beyond a doubt the best bike I have ever had. Handling could not be better, it holds a line in turns It does not get blown around by trucks or cross winds, It will cruse at 80 all day long. Figured I would miss the 145 HP of the FJR but I don't, this bike has more than enough power in most cases and if it does not you should not be doing it anyway. 3K and not a problem hope it stays that way, it should BMW does it right in most cases.

 

[Doraemon]

I concur with Dale, the Burgman "Wallows" in a turn, a known issue with the suspension. like any other vehicle on the road, there are fixes, but I was not looking forward to
changing the oil/springs ect.. on the front forks. I did put on moded exhaust and Fuel controller but the electronic controlled CVT restricts the ability to use the increased HP.
The Dyno runs on a stock GT I did was 3hp (at the wheel) more than the modded burg I had.
All of that were livable, what really was a changing point for me was the Burg CVT, it seemed much more a crap shoot as to how long the belt would last. and when it went
It went expensivly. the fact that it was very labor intensive to change and more components that can go wrong, compared to the simple proven Variator that BMW uses.
If your Belt shreds on a Burgman, you have to tow it back to a garage to get changed. the BMW, is simple enough to change on side of the road (might even get a auto belt
for temp limping).

Since trading my Burg for the BMW Sport, I Love the agility straight out of the box. I can't wait for next summer to ride back out to eastern Wa to ride the rattlesnake again....

 

[Skutorr]

Rode my brothers 2009 Burgman 650 a bunch, as we would swap rides in the mountains, etc. great freeway cruiser; when we did over 1,000 miles to and from Northern California it was the bomb when I rode it, all freeway and easy sweepers.

In the Twisties? I watched him lose it from behind and cross-over the center line to the WRONG SIDE of the road on a run up Mt. Palomar (where the Sport Bike Riders go to die...) just turning his head at the wrong moment, it was THAT hard to keep a tight line on that barge. Even with HAGON rear shocks the sharp bumps were brutal. After we both test road a C650GT we both agreed that it would DESTROY the Burgman.

 

[Oldscoot]

I currently own a C600 Sport and in the past have owned a Burgman 650. They are different bikes with ultimately different purposes. For my predominant use for urban riding the Sport is a nimbler, better handling, and faster bike. You don't have to put on hernia belt to move it around either. Though very subjective, I love the look of my Sport - not so much with the Burgman. If I were riding from Texas to California over our endless highways I would chose the Burgman. It's more comfortable over distance and carries more stuff.

 

[JaimeC]

If I were riding from Texas to California over our endless highways I would chose the Burgman. It's more comfortable over distance and carries more stuff.

That's the reason BMW created TWO scooters... the C600 Sport you have, and the C650GT for the long distance rider who wants to carry more "stuff" (but still have the same spirited handling and performance lacking in the Burgman).

 

[SteveADV]

I agree. I tried both BMW uber scooters and while I really liked the C600 (the looks, handling, etc), the C650GT was more what worked for me. The differences between the two is more of a refinement of exactly what BMW designed the bikes to do rather than anything major. More fraternal twins as opposed to identical twins.

 

[Oldscoot]

That's the reason BMW created TWO scooters... the C600 Sport you have, and the C650GT for the long distance rider who wants to carry more "stuff" (but still have the same spirited handling and performance lacking in the Burgman).

If I owned a GT 650 I would certainly have concluded that it is a superior bike to the Burgman 650 for long distance touring. I was giving my opinion on the advantages of the Sport over the Burgman for sport and urban riding. But like I said - between the C600 and the Burgman 650 for touring - between those two specific bikes the Burgman would be more comfortable for long distance touring.

 

[Eccles]

Got to ride the new model Burgman 650 today on a favourite set of local twisties.
The immediate difference is that the seat is lower than the BMW's (and 530 TMax), I was able to flat foot on the machine, whereas I flat toe on the GT.

On the road it is very quiet, with none of the guttural feedback from the Beemers (which I like). It's smooth and just goes about it's business. Handling was competent, but set up differently. The Burgman will drop into a corner much more readily, almost as if you have to pick it up once tipped in. It tracked true and was not affected by mid corner lumps and bumps, keeping it's line under those circumstances. The suspension is not as compliant as BMW, being a bit more harsh after the initial bit of dampening.

It does not have the acceleration of the BMW's, sitting somewhere in-between the TMax with it's 530 cc's and the BMW, but the power delivery was smooth and linear. I did not play with the gear features, just hit the Power button and rode it just like I would the C650.

The screen is more raked and did not provide the same level of protection that I get on the 650 GT, I just make it into the bubble on the GT when the screen if fully extended. The extra buffeting on the Burgman was noticeable.

I enjoyed the ride and would still smile as I walked up to it, if it was the only ride in the garage. But the 650 GT for me was the right choice, BMW really did nail the C scoots. Quite glad I got to try the Burgman out though. No one would be sorry that they'd bought one or the other machine, if you find the BMers too tall, just go the Burgman.

 

[JaimeC]

The one feature I really like about the new Burgmans are the "power mirrors." Even though it isn't legal to split lanes or filter in 49 of our 50 states, I still think it is a really neat idea. By the way, how was the view in those mirrors? Can you see what is behind you, or are they limited to the lanes on either side and your knuckles and upper arms like the BMW?

OTOH, I think the "manual shift" feature of the Burgman is purely "marketing gimmick." I see no use for it at all. Tried it on the demo ride I took and quickly put it right back into "automatic" mode. Suzuki could easily drop that gimmick and bring the price down below that of the C650GT.

 

[Skutorr]

Today at the dealer a brand new 2013 Burgman 650 executive was on sale, reduced from $11,875 to $9,495. THAT"S a big price difference!

 

[ScooterRaton]

I owned a 2007 Burgman Executive. Here is what the big problem was for me. At 24K miles I had the clutch bearing fail. I was under extended warranty so the cost was $0. If not the repair bill would have been $3,000. At 37,000 miles I started hearing bearing noises again. An expensive bike should last more than 37K miles. Suzuki has been aware of the ECTV problems for years and decided not to do anything about it.

I have almost 10K miles on my C650GT. For me the C650GT is a better physical fit, I needed bar risers on the Burg. The suspension is far superior than the Burgman which was barely acceptable. It is more comfortable for the pillion...so I hear. Handling is much crisper than the Burg...much much crisper.

I will agree that I miss the Burgman mirrors. Not just the folding aspect but the visibility the 650s gave was great. The C650GT mirrors are poor.

 

[bill steele]

I owned a 2007 Burgman Executive. Here is what the big problem was for me. At 24K miles I had the clutch bearing fail. I was under extended warranty so the cost was $0. If not the repair bill would have been $3,000. At 37,000 miles I started hearing bearing noises again. An expensive bike should last more than 37K miles. Suzuki has been aware of the ECTV problems for years and decided not to do anything about it.

I have almost 10K miles on my C650GT. For me the C650GT is a better physical fit, I needed bar risers on the Burg. The suspension is far superior than the Burgman which was barely acceptable. It is more comfortable for the pillion...so I hear. Handling is much crisper than the Burg...much much crisper.

I will agree that I miss the Burgman mirrors. Not just the folding aspect but the visibility the 650s gave was great. The C650GT mirrors are poor.

It sounds to me if you want good mirrors get a Burgman

 

[JaimeC]

It sounds to me if you want good mirrors get a Burgman

Or a left-over TMAX... if you can still find them.

 

[SteveADV]

Yes, bike decisions should definitely be mirror-based.

Seriously though, we have been kicking this mirror thing around for awhile and all have come to the same conclusion: the mirrors could be better so a few folks added and/or devised their own solution. Watch for the 2015 model to offer an electric mirror option.

Thanks for the comparison ScooterRaton.

 

[JaimeC]

To me, the C650GT is the PERFECT compromise between the TMAX and the Burgman. The storage, comfort and practicality of the Burgman combined with the handling and performance of the TMAX. Honestly can't think of what more I'd need.

Well, usable mirrors... but I digress.

 

[rivetts]

I've owned a couple of Burgman 650s and a Honda Silverwing and now a GT. The only reasons to buy a Burgman 650 over the GT are 1 History; the B650 has a history of being bullet proof which the BMW scooters have to earn over time. 2 HEIGHT, I think BMW might have solved the problem with being tall in the saddle but when I bought my GT there wasn't a seat option that might be available today. The GT stands a couple of inches taller than the B650. I am 5'10" with a 30" inseam (pants) and I cannot stand from the seat with both feet flat footed on the ground. If you are any shorter you might have a problem backing up the bike on a slant. 3. Noise; No biggy but I find the GT is quite a bit louder than the B650 but I've gotten use to it, however at first I found it a little annoying. After 1 year of riding the GT I would buy another one if this one was stolen and the B650 would be my second choice.

 

[SteveADV]

..... After 1 year of riding the GT I would buy another one if this one was stolen and the B650 would be my second choice.

That is the type of endorsement that is more meaningful than any bike review.