Finally Tried the Burgman
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 11:07 am
Well, after almost 6 years of ownership I finally rode our Burgman 400 this past weekend. I always intended to ride it, but felt a bit intimidated by the monster. After riding the PCX for a year now, I was finally more than ready to give it a try. Same basic controls; how tough can it be? We just rode around our neighborhood area so I was limited to modest speeds.
The first thing I noticed was that I was making my turns wider than usual. Definitely can't roll the throttle back as hard as I do on the PCX. The Burgman wasn't smooth at slow speeds, but had a nice pleasant low pitched hum to the engine once you were moving. No surprise that it took steep hills with ease, and it was nice to be able to apply some throttle. Definitely could leave the PCX far behind climbing a steep hill. In general, it is also a much more solid ride and I didn't feel the bumps in the road the same way. Not sure if it is just the much greater weight that keeps it solidly on the road or if it also has better suspension. I also found I was warmer on the Burgman as it has much better wind protection with its wider body.
For the type of riding I do the PCX is a great scooter. It is so light and maneuverable and feels much more like my bicycle in the way that it handles. I intend to ride the Burgman occasionally just so I have more experience and can ride it safely should I need to for some reason. The Burgman is definitely a better scooter if you need more power and it would be much more comfortable on a long ride or in windy conditions. That said, I'll happily be taking my PCX out and leaving the Burgman in the garage most days I ride.
The first thing I noticed was that I was making my turns wider than usual. Definitely can't roll the throttle back as hard as I do on the PCX. The Burgman wasn't smooth at slow speeds, but had a nice pleasant low pitched hum to the engine once you were moving. No surprise that it took steep hills with ease, and it was nice to be able to apply some throttle. Definitely could leave the PCX far behind climbing a steep hill. In general, it is also a much more solid ride and I didn't feel the bumps in the road the same way. Not sure if it is just the much greater weight that keeps it solidly on the road or if it also has better suspension. I also found I was warmer on the Burgman as it has much better wind protection with its wider body.
For the type of riding I do the PCX is a great scooter. It is so light and maneuverable and feels much more like my bicycle in the way that it handles. I intend to ride the Burgman occasionally just so I have more experience and can ride it safely should I need to for some reason. The Burgman is definitely a better scooter if you need more power and it would be much more comfortable on a long ride or in windy conditions. That said, I'll happily be taking my PCX out and leaving the Burgman in the garage most days I ride.