IVE OWNED ONE OFF SUZUKI BURGMAN 400 JUST FOR 3 WEEKS RODE FOR 2 I FIND IT KICKS THE BACK END OUT WHEN TURNING ANY CORNER EVEN AT LOW SPEED NEVER MIND TRYING TO CORNER RIGHT THE CTR STAND CATCHES ON THE FLOOR IVE ALWAYS WANTED THIS TYPE OF BIKE/SCOOTER SOLD A CBR 600 FOR THIS, COMFORT ON SUZUKI IS GOOD BUT WHEN BACK END KICKS OUT DONT LIKE IT I LIKE MY ARSE ON THE SEAT NOT THE RD SURFACE JUST THIS EVENING I HAVE SOLD THIS BIKE JUST HATE IT AND A BIKE SHOP DONT WANT TO KNOW WHEN YOU WANT TO SELL MINE GONE BACK TO SHOP WITH A LOSS SHOP ONLY TOOK IT BACK IN A PX LOST £300 IN 2 WEEKS OFF OWING THIS BIKE O AND MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE OIL EVERYDAY FILLED MINE ONLY ONCE IME STAYING WITH THE BIGGER BIKE MUCH SAFER PLEANTY OF SPARES ON WEB SITES AND BIKE BREAKERS SHOULD HAVE SOME NOCKING AROUND NOT BE BUYING A SMALLER BIKE AGAIN GOOD LUCK IF YOU BUY ONE OFF THESE SCOOTERS/BIKES ---------------------------------------------------------- AGAIN SOLD ONLY OWNED FOR 3 WEEKS RODE THE BIKE FOR 2 WEEKS ----------------------------------------------------------
COMFORT, EASY TO RIDE,PASSENGER FRIENDLY
BACK TYRE KICKS OUT ,ENGINE SUPS OIL
Reviewing a 1999 model.
Suzuki Burgman 400N
Owned for 1 month.
2006 Burgman AN 400 Bought for Hubby in 2006 - And still under 6K on the clock - New being told by Main Dealer the drive belt / rear clutch shoes and clutch housing need replacing - cost £500 plus VAT. Shocking you may think - well this will be the second replacement - First carried out at just 2.3K Being told it's our fault - i.e. two up riding - way we drive - it's automatic for Gods Sake!!! Hubby is a gentle rider too .... They are clutching at straws But what can I do Help!!!!! Seems Suzuki don't want to know
Sue Anyone else out there suffered the same ? Maybe we should all join forces and try to get a fair shake
Im sorry to report a negative on the Burgman 400 03 plate but its siezed up and left me with a bill of over £1000 so beware. I failed to check my oil daily as the book said and after only 400 miles after the last oil change it siezed up due to insuffice oil. I didnt do my research on the net to find if it was a common problem but it is. Lots of riders suffer the same siezures and with extended bills for their lack of maintaneing the bike. Where the oil goes to is a mystery. It just diseapears and your left with a dead bike. After only 6k miles and 400 miles since my last oil change the burgman is dead.Be careful out there. If you want a bike you dont have to check every time you ride it on a daily basis this is not the bike for you..
Great commutor
No good if you dont check the oil daily
Just be aware of all the problems you may face in the future if you buy a Burgman
Owned for 3 years.
Having owned now 3 Burgman 400s I suppose you could say Im a burger nut. I had all the big bikes but hated the weight and lack of turning and just sheer rideability that most offered. I have an aversion to cleaning bikes as they take forever to get really clean so the burger convinced me to be a lazy rider.The Burgman has made me realise just how good riding two wheels can be and how useable they really are. If you want an all rounder that can do the shopping,go on holiday,go to the races then this is for you. Forget the huge high speed model bikes that can hit 100 in 2 seconds. Theyre never used that way anyway and they cause more problems for their riders than they should due to their sheer speed. I am due to replace my scooter this year and fancy the new model 400 but Im also thinking of the 650 as its got great writeups so whatever its going to be it will be a Burgman as their just outstanding in their performance and reliability.
Easy to ride,turn at lowspeed light.
Rear end jolting and the low windscreen
Reviewing a 1998 model.
Givi large carier and hand lits for winter
Owned for more than 5 years.
I have not yet purchased a Burgman 400 but looking at them very serously. Can anyone tell me the life of the engine? How many miles the engine will hold up to. I cannot find this anywhere. Thanks
Ive just been looking around at buying another 400 or 650 i cant believe how many years it is since i first reviewed my 400 having only owned it for 3 months, i later went on to use it as my soul transport 7 days a week i had 4 rear tyres replaced through punctures though, damn those nails, me and my wife toured the uk on it though yorkshire the lakes and scotland, it never let me down once always started forst time everytime for the two years we had it, i called out the AA numerous times because i would always leave the lights on with key in ignition over night stupid i hear you say, it was always garaged though i rode that bike in snow hail rain wind and sun, and im looking for another at the moment, if your thinking of getting one stop thinking and just get one there amazing, the only reason we got rid of ours was we needed a car and could not afford both at that time, times have changed and where getting another.
I have owned the Suzuki Burgman 400 for four years and have had no problems apart from lack of power and road handling on bad roads. My secret in coping with this is to sit upright away from the backrest until the road clears. Otherwards the backrest will hit you hard in the back. This is a fault with all scooters because; the engine is mounted on the swing arm. I have since moved up to the 650 Burgman and this is a different machine. It handles the same as a Motorbike and is in fact disguised as a scooter. It is heavy, but once on the move you would never know this, as it low speed handling is superb. Again, the fuel tank is excessively small. As for road performance, it will match bigger bike up to the speed limits at ease, to the surprise to the other machine owner, and you are not even trying. Again, the screen is to low. Nevertheless, things like that can be modified easily. The linked brakes can lock up the back wheel if you are heavy with the brakes and the ABS on the new model is a good idea. This would make a very good single touring machine with a few extras such as heated bar grips, radio, higher screen, top box and GPS. Also on a touring bike, you would need a remote canter stand, as on a long run with the weight of what I carry, it would be nice to have the ease of just pushing a button, as it is very heavy to get up on the main stand. In addition, it can be very heavy to push backwards, so position your machine in a way that does not get you into that situation. And finely, the corrosion treatment on bikes is years behind cars, the first week and the wheels and alley parts had started to corrode, which is not very good in this day and age. Still as it is, I am happy with this machine and I am planning to tour England this year and hopefully Spain on 06. Good luck to all bikers.
The Suzuki is fun to ride with smooth handling and overall easy operation. Acceleration begins when the throttle reaches 3000 RPM, which leaves no suprises when taking off. I've reached speeds of 75 mph and experienced a seemingly steadier ride. The wheels are only 14" making it somewhat difficult to see over/around the 6' wood fence at a 4-way stop in my neighborhood. I particularly like the storage both in the dash and under the seat. The ignition functions could be improved as several attempts to open the seat trunk require pushing in rather firmly on the key in the ignition and turning it right for the trunk to open. The trunk light is an added bonus. The low-beam headlights are barely noticeable, so I recommend operating with high-beams at all times if allowed. The comparable Honda Silverwing comes in a more attractive color (Burgundy), but that was easily dismissed with the $3000 savings of the Suzuki. Checking fluid levels is of utmost importance. The coolant can be found under the ignition cover. There are poorly illustrated instructions in the manual that falsely lead us to go into the glove compartment to check for coolant level. A removable plastic screw-like pin is located in the top left area inside the glove compartment that must be removed prior to pulling the ignition face off and checking the coolant level. A firm grip and pull should remove this ignition cover without using any tools that may potentially scratch the surface. Impressive tires by scooter standards as the tire tread are strategically located for tight handling around turns. Dirt is difficult to remove within and around the disc brakes and along the inside rims. Lastly, a secret tool kit is hidden under the trunk near the front underside of seat for basic maintenance.
I have been a motorcycle enthusiast all my life! With three children, went a very long period of time before I was able to get back into motorcycling. I had every intent on purchasing another Suzuki VS 1400 which I have owned previously. This Burgman caught my eye! It had features not found on ordinary motorcycles. Sort of a hybrid between a cruiser and a mini Goldwing. Last month purchased the Burgman 400. I can say as a fairly good cyclist, the Burgman is very easy to ride. Extremely quiet, no neighbors complaining of the exhaust noise. The only attribute a person will find that is different than a traditional motorcycle is the fact that with no clutch, starts are not jack-rabbit but it does accelerate smoothly to 50 mph in a surprisingly short period of time. The "biggest negative" that I can see with the Burgman, is the small diameter of the tires. It accentuates bumps, pot holes, and any other imperfections in the road. At speed, bumps can give you a good jolt on the seat. I do not have the 600 miles necessary to officially have broken in the engine. I have not had it on the highway. I have had it briefly to 70 mph with plenty of throttle left. If you plan on carrying a passenger consistently, I think the Burgman 650 would be justified as I have found that with myself and my son (420lbs) it labors pretty good.
Overall, a neat machine that has both touring qualities and great functionality. It does turn alot of heads. From the front, looks like a sport bike until you get the side and back view. Definately a scooter on steroids.
I purchased the extended warranty as I have read many comments on how the V-belt transmission fails at 12,000 miles. I guess I'll see if I rack-up that many miles.
after owning a piaggio x9125 this bike is a dream starts first time and is quiter than most 125's out there and looks as sleek as a well i dont know what just very very sleek the only problem im having is finding a decent rear tyre for it the hoops which are supplied are great but very hard to get hjold of if anyone can recomend a dealer close to liverpool or one that delivers please let me know [Log in to view email] cheers
I have the 'pleasure' of owning a 400 Burgman. I found it to be a really good machine which did everything I wanted it to do. However although Suzuki repaired the warped disc under warrenty there was not hope when the front bearings gave out at 12,000 miles, just outside the 2years! The belt then followed and as yet I have to get it done, so disappointing. I will not buy another when I get this done and gone. Not because the machine is not good but that it is so unreliable and Suzuki have shown themselves to be less than helpful. This probably the 9th or 10th Suzi I have owned and will be the last! Shame because this is a brilliant idea which failed to live up to its promise.
Tim Pestridge's report on owning a Suzuki Burgman 400:
I had always dreamt of the perfect machine for me; two wheels, able to carry me distances in comfort, carry luggage as part of a built-in design, return good mpg yet remain swift enough for quick getaways, stylish & smart with decent protection from bad weather. I thought I had seen it in the shape of the Burgman 400, especially after riding a loaned Yamaha Majesty 250 which proved very capable, if a little underpowered on motorways. Surely the 400 was my dream machine?
Looking back, it was the only time I'd ever considered buying a new machine, after owning over 50 motorbikes all bought on the secondhand market. But this thing captured my imagination, and I ordered a silver one from GT Motorcycles, Torbay, UK. A week later I waved off my Yamaha TRX 850 on the back of a pick-up and was left with one very long, very silver twist-n-go cross-breed. I stood for a long time just admiring it's sleek frontal lines and pretending I couldn't see it's not-so-pretty back end.
Neither scooter, nor motorbike, the Burgman proved a worthy design, able to cruise past bigger bikes on the motorways, user-friendly enough to encourage hopping on for short trips to load up it's under-seat storage with shopping. It was perfect. Almost.
The main trouble was that it was neither fair nor foul, a kind of jack-of-all-trades that didn't quite any mark. Once the honeymoon period was over I began to find the Burgman too long for making the most of it's scooter qualities in town, it being quite a bit longer than a Honda VFR 750. So manageability isn't it's hot topic. It is however very simple to ride. On the open-road it was sluggish compared to a motorbike with gears, and I missed the cog-swapping ability of my previous bikes. The Burgman's single gear means there is a lag between opening the throttle wide and in the engine really getting into it's gate. You just can't drop down 2 gears to power past other vehicles, and I missed that.
The pillion seat is set too far back to be useable safely, but a GIVI seat rest (pictured) improves that. I began suffering back-ache from the Burgman's riding position, (this is a personal opinion, we are all different shapes) and found the stretch to the bars a bit too much. I just couldn't get comfy, and the lack of anything to grip with your knees meant many a wobbly moment in motorway crosswinds. My 750 motorbike seemed much easier to ride over a twisty stretch of A road than this. In fact, it was one blustery trip from Bristol to Exeter with a poor friend clinging on for dear life that burst the Burgman's dream-bike bubble, as I fought the bike sideways down the M5. I was overtaken easily by an old Morris Minor, and the humiliation proved too much.
So, the bottom line is this. If you want a feet-forward bigger-than-normal scooter to keep you dry when it rains which goes faster than your average scooter, this is it. The Burgman is all about function and less about motorbiking. It will never be considered a motorbike by the masses of UK motorcyclists, and that won't change. But having owned one and ridden several thousand miles on it, I would take this bike seriously. As did the two bikers on SV650's struggling against the headwind on the M4 I caught up as I cruised past sat bolt upright without a care. It's one serious bike/scooter.
I own a Burgman 400 for 3 years now with about 40K Km. I use it mainly during summer and avoid to drive in wet. Not because I'm affraid of myself but really don't like to ear car brakes near me. I usually do a dayly trip of 120 Kms 60/60. I'm starting my 2nd pair of tyres. Apart from a main bulb replacement never had any problem. The engine is dry as well as suspension elements. I've noticed some increased vibration through the fairing with use. The brakes are superb and handling also although it's easy to go with central stand against the tarmac in a more incisive driving and with passenger it's guaranted. This is really upseting. This bike likes a smooth surface and can compete with many big bikes in serious cornering. The problem is if you have take a bump... Overall consumption stays easily in 4,2 L/100Km with only rider. I treat my bike very well avoiding very fast departures and other cruel treatments specially with summer temperatures in Portugal rising to 35/40 degrees(celsius) . I'm still using the same transmission belt and a visual inspection tells it's okay without any noticeable crack or strip. With passenger the engine is short but worst it's the cornering with central stand as mentioned earlier. The fuel capacity is ridiculous and it's not such a confortable bike has it seems. So resuming I would highligth the excepcional handling with rider only, the fantastic cornering ability, braking and the medium regime acceleration. Against I would put cornering with a passenger due to gap between the bike and the road. You really get a serious scary warning from the central stand once you lean the bike. Despite the ease of use and very good protection I'm returning to a real bike again. I had Guzzis, Kawa, Yamaha, MZ and still own a Jawa with side-car. The Burgman was my second big scooter after a CN 250 Honda...but did'nt convinced me totally. One thing I can tell you, apart from the TMAX 500 the Burgman is one of the best scooters cornering I've ever ride and much better than some of the bykes I've owned like the XJ600 or the Guzzi Lemans 750 SP. Happy and safe riding to all!!
Owned for 4 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed December 2003.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
Having now owned one of the original Burgman 400s for nearly four years, most of that time in Spain, I can say it is a mixed bag.
The riding position can be tiring after half an hour and requires constant position shifts to eleveate back ache. The fuel tank is definetly for around town use not touring 13 Lts is too small for a 400cc bike. Weather protection is good even in Spainish downpours.
The little box in the front right is usless even for sun glasses, (what the heck is it for anyway?) and the security of the main 'glovebox' has been compromised a couple of times as it's too flexible and can be 'popped'.
On the mechanical side; the silencer lasted just long enough for the warrenty to expire before falling apart inside, I find the replacement price completly astronomical and unreasonable and something Suzuki should look at in the light that their original design was crap! and has been replaced by a sturdier model now. The battery is useles unless used on long trips and I am now on my third in 15,000 miles! It requires constant attention and charging if short journies are done. I would think that with the absence of a kickstater (why?) a battery pickup point for jump starting would be usefulinstaed of having to get out the tool kit and removing the baterry cover to access the terminals, (I have modified mine). Seat cover is very poor with splits in the welded 'seams' both on the main seat and the 'bump', the sun rots the plastic and the under sheet, both becoming brittle and a sod to repair as the tear just runs and runs. sewing the seams would help a lot. Applying the front brake undependently is waste of time unless just slowing down and the comdined braking lever (left) can cause the front to lock up in the wet, putting me on the road more than once, independent brakes please!
The screens don't like the sun either and become opace in a short time.
Performance is fair for an automatic but take off can be very rough with clutch 'judder' Ride is smooth on good roads but potholes can be leathel with a stiff front end that cannot be adjusted to match the adjustable rear end. there is a big differnce between road holding and handling with caution needed in all but dry, smooth curves.
Owned for 4 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed May 2003.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
Standard screen is a joke, fuel tank too small,service intervals too short 3000 miles ! o please. Bloody good machine for all that,would buy a 500 version but they can keep the 650 its too bloody heavy by about 2 tons!
Owned for 3 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed November 2002.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
Bought a 250 Burgman in 2000, serviced as per book at Carnell!!!!!! around 13/14000 miles (just after 12000service) a £500.00 repair for a worn clutch and belt and variator parts. Chopped it in like a flash, but really missed it so bought another, a 400, guess what....13000 miles and... another new clutch , belt and other little bits,it would seem that at 12000 you will spend at least 400/500 quid, and that looks like evey 12000. think I'll get on to Suzuki GB, though I'm told they will not want to know, anyone out there had any dealing with them, offer any advice. Cheers. Brian
Owned for 1 year.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed March 2002.
Performance
Reliability
Parts Availability
Overall Value for Money
I go along with Tim's report,almost. Like him I have owned a great number of varied motorcycles. I don't agree that the Burgman is "neither fair or foul". It is quite simply, a brilliant all round machine. You must however accept it for what it is, A 400cc scooter, not a motorcycle.
I have covered 3000 miles over the winter, mostly commuting. I did get in some serious long distance stuff in the Autumn last year. The machine is with out doubt a consummate tourer and commuter. I get around 65 mpg and don't really have a problem with the performance. It fills a niche in the market, offering comfort, performance, economy and weather protection at a reasonable price. Don't knock it till youv'e tried it!
Owned for 6 months.
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