bit of a disappointment

[old pete]

been for a first ride on my newly acquired 400 burgman 09 model and it's clearly not for me. i did 150 miles on my usual A and B roads and it did the job perfectly. the problem is, until recently i've been riding a cbr600 and a vtr1000 and my riding style is brisk. so attempting to ride at a reasonable pace on the burg was a little scary when the front let go a couple of times due to the engine out the back. anyways, called in my local ish bike haunt and there's a crashed silver wing in there and the ergonomics are perfect for me. the owner told me to avoid the 650 burg as it's too heavy for my old man legs. so i'm on the lookout for a wing if anyone has one. a few scrapes etc are not a problem as long as it's mechanically sound

[old pete]

although it might still be a good idea to sit on a 650 burg. anyone have one around the west wales area?

[MrGrumpy]

Oh dear. However, I suspect that you won't find the Silverwing much better handling wise, though the engine is lovely! I'm not the greatest Burger expert, but I believe that people have had success improving its handling with modifications to the suspension, eg better rear shocks, fork inserts (eg Hyperpro). I'm sure there are specialist Burger websites that might be worth researching.
The Burger 650 IS very heavy, though like the Tmax, the weight is carried very low down, so its easier to manage than you might expect. I bought one after my disastrous purchase of a Pan European, and the Burger felt like a moped compared to the top heavy Pan, whilst the actual weights aren't much different! The big Burger is a bugger to push around when cold though!

[old pete]

the 650 burgs look like great bikes but the horrendous repair costs put me off should anything go wrong

[Deleted User 18446]

Be better on a tmax or just slow down adjust riding style to suit the burger .Id give it rest of summer

[old pete]

waddyamean, slow down!!!?? speedings in my genes! but as you say, i'm going to enjoy riding it for a while as i'm in no rush to change as it's great fun to ride within its limits. besides, T maxes are too pricey and i have a couple of 750-4 restorations i'm spending money on

[2wheelover51]

Old pete,
If you want a great handling scoot, the best (in my limited experience) is the Yamaha TMax. It's light compared to the Silverwing and 650 Burger, and is excellent around the twisties.
I would say comparable to many normal bikes. On a recent spirited ride on my 2012 Burger 400 I found it impossible to hold an accurate line around tight bumpy bends at higher speeds.
But that's not really what they're made for. On the other hand, comfort, weather protection and storage are all excellent. I think you'd find the TMax is pretty good. On the same ride the TMax was stable on the same bends at 10-20 mph more, before it got a bit wallowy, but I was pushing it past it's comfort zone. Horses for courses as they say.

[MrGrumpy]

I didn't want to say 'buy a Tmax instead', but now others have....!

[capitano]

Whereabouts are you, Pete?

Dave Weller ( a regular on here,) has a nice Silverwing he may be selling.

Dave is in Kent.

[old pete]

i'm in carmarthen where the M4 ends, so fair trek to kent! i'm hoping to test ride one this coming week in thunder road, bridgend which is what i should have done first, i guess