Shopping for a Silverwing

Hey folks, a newbie here. I currently own a Yamaha FZ1, DR 350, and a negleted but serviceable '86 150 Elite. But my knees and hips are making it tough to ride the FZ1, so I'm looking at the Maxi Scooters.

I've ridden the 650 Burgman, and will test ride a private owners 2010 Silverwing ABS tomorrow. It has 6,000 miles.

I've looked through some of your posts and threads, and haven't noticed any obvious recurring problems. Is there anything I should be on the lookout for that is particular to the 'Wing?

Thanks for your help.

Jim,

Welcome to the site. There really is nothing to be concerned about with the SWing. It is a very nice bike and very dependable. The Burgman 650 gives you more bells and whistles, and is said to be a little bit smoother, on the interstate but they also can experience CVT problems. Either bike will get you where you want to go in comfort.

You many want to go to the www.burgmanusa.com site to read about the CVT there. If you get the insurance, or warranty, I think it would cover any trouble. It just seems there are getting to be more posts about the drive train. Not to scare you off, they sell a huge number of B650 and a very small % get this problem, but if it does and you don't have the warranty it can cost you a few thousand dollars.

Tell us what you get and many when you get to ride the SWing , give us a review of both bikes, pros and cons. Thanks,

Thanks for the info.

I didn't care for the odd engine braking on the Burgman, and it seemed to drop into "nuetral" rather suddenly. If I understand it correctly, the 'Wing uses a more conventional belt drive, much like my '86 Elite, which seems bullet proof, and works just fine. The manual shift mode on the Burgman seemed superfluous. But I realize that there are a lot more of them on the road than 'Wings, which means service and parts may be more accessable and common for them.

I agree with JeffR and Jimshorts. I have a couple of friends with the 650's, not the Executive. One of these I have not ridden but he spent $2100 on the tranny once, OUCH!!

The other day, the other friend and I were riding and swapped bikes for several miles, then went back to our own bikes. Here is what I see:
1. The 650 is a more solid ride at interstate speeds and has better wind protection on your legs but the SW is no slouch for Interstate traveling. I could not tell any difference in power, they seemed equal.
2. I don't need the manual shift on the 650, but the power button is nice on steep mountain twisties, however the 650 is heavier and feels that way. I'm lazy, I like the twist and go and quick handling of the SW. Counter steering seemed quicker on the SW and this makes it easier to dodge pot holes which are bone jarring on both.
3. the running gear on the 650 is much more noisy than the SW, but the engine is louder on the SW in a pull.
4. I do not like the 650's engine breaking as it kicks out about 50 feet from every red light and stop sign, but this might be OK if you got used to it, but it will make you grab for the brakes if you're not. The SW's engine braking is smooth as silk.
5. Both bikes are very comfortable.
6. The SW is easy to work on yourself which is a no-brainer for me.
7. Both bikes were fitted with a Givi AF windshield, the best upgrade you can do to one, in my opinion.
8. I have no 2-up experience on either, so I won't comment.
9. This forum will put you in the know on SW's. These guys are very knowledgeable.

If you are looking at a SW with only 6K miles, it's not even broke in good yet. It's got ABS brakes, which my next one will have, but it WILL be a Silverwing.
Good luck

jimshorts wrote:

... I realize that there are a lot more of them on the road than 'Wings, which means service and parts may be more accessable and common for them.

I think you'll find just as many Silverwings on the road than Burgman 650s. Both bikes have had few changes for years, so you can find parts easily.

JeffR had some good words for anyone reading this and considering a Burgman 650. Read up on the issues they are having with the CVT as the bikes get close to 20,000 miles.

Chris

Thanks for the input. I've found two in my area, which I'll inspect tomorrow.

The time to buy one is when you are in front of one and it speaks to you. The good ones with low mileage go fast by word of mouth.

Good luck with the shopping. I hope you become a regular member here.

The only recurring problem I have with mine is winter, as in not being able to ride. Happy scooter hunting.

I rode the '10 Silverwing today, and found LarryB's comments to be mostly correct.

The main fault I found with the Swing was engine vibration, which brought back memories of my old Honda CB 450 (also a parallel twin). The Swing buzzed noticably when pulling from a stop, and even accelerating from 30 - 40. The Burgman 650 I rode was much smoother. The Swing seat also felt hard.

The Honda felt more planted in the corners (I was riding on some beautiful rural roads today). It didn't have that odd engine braking of the B'man. The Suzuki felt more powerful, but not by much.

Althought the fit and finish was much better on the Swing, I think I prefer the Burgman, primarily because of the smoother engine. I'll start looking for a low mileage unit, and hope for the best concerning the CVT problems.

Should any of you be interested, the '10 model is on the Nashville Craigslist, at $5,200. Also, I checked out an '08 Swing at a shop in nearby Madison, TN today. It has less than 350 miles! They have it listed on ebay for $4,980.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me. You have a nice board.

Jim
If you have engine vibration on a Silverwing, there is something wrong. Mine is as smooth as a BMW. I got away from VTwins because of this. You should ride another SW and compare the two. I like a smooth, quiet ride and the SW fits the bill just fine.

Larry, the one I rode had an annoying, high frequency buzz. It was definately the engine, not transmission or wheels. The vibration was most noticable in the seat.

If it's still available, I'll ride the other local bike on Tuesday to see if it's any better.

Compared to the single cylinder 400 Burgman I used to own I found the Silver Wing to have a fine vibration. I rode a friends and it too suffered from the same fine vibration. I felt it most through the handle bars and foot boards.

That said, it is not a nauseating, uncomfortable feel, all it really affects is vision through my mirrors, but a look over my shoulder compensates.

There are anti vibration measures that can be added/installed. Weights in the handle bars are the most common and cheapest. I have never bothered as the fine vibration doesn't bother me.

There are a few threads on here posted a while back regards handle bar weights, either use the search function or google it.