Suzuki Savage 650 reviews

I bought it on June 20th 09. I have been riding the bike to work 32 miles one way. In wind and rain, and I cannot say enought about the bike. Handles well in both wind and rain, has good speed. The bike handles very well at highway speed. Show less

After riding cruisers for the past ten years, I decided to downsize to metric. I have owned Yamaha, Kawi, and Harley over the years, and I find this bike to be the overall best. The V-Strom is the Swiss Army knife of motorcycles. It does everything well in one package. I struggled between the 650 and 1000 engines, but I honestly find the 650 to be the ideal power for one-up. The bike is relatively light (lots of plastic parts), so the horsepower is adequate for commuting, weekend cruises, including interstate speeds in heavy traffic. The engine makes a bit of whiney noise, but there is enough enjoyment to make it forgiveable. I had replaced the stock windscreen with California Scientific. Noticeable improvement in wind buffeting, highly recommend. 7/8 inch grips were replaced since I found my hands would quickly cramp around the narrow stock grips. Otherwise, everything is stock. I was hung up in the H-D world, and I grew tired of throwing money into sparkle farkels. Now, if it doesn't improve performance, I won't buy it. If you are undecided about the Wee Strom, I highly recommend it as a great all purpose ride. Seating is comfortable, ample power, reliable, and it LOVES to be ridden in the twisties. If you buy one, you won't regret it. Show less

I bought this bike in June 2009 and I love it !!! It's fast, reliable and performs awesomly. I commute everyday from Brooklyn to the city and on weekends I cruise upstate NY. The Burgman goes up to 100mph easy. The acceleration is great. Show less

Have owned it for 8 months. Not one problem! Wife and I went to Bike week in Daytona March 2010, both of us are big people and the bike cruses at 80 just fine. Rode it for 7 hours. Seat could be little better in comfort area, bought a butt buffer, made a big difference. Lots of looks, lots of questions from people. Show less

I have owned more than fifty motorcycles of all types. Currently, I have a 2009 Honda ST1300 ABS with almost 2,000 miles on the odometer. I have only had it since November. I also have a 2005 Suzuki Burgman 650. I love both motorcycles, but if I could only have one of the two I would keep the Burgman 650. It is actually more comfortable for long trips and quieter on the highway than the ST1300. In the summer it is much cooler to ride because the heat goes underneath rather than onto the rider. The Burgman 650 is the most reliable motorcycle I have owned. I've had some that were as good, but none better. I've owned quite a few Goldwings from 1975 through 2005. They were good, but not as good for all around riding as the Burgman 650. In over 30,000 miles I have had no problems and no repairs, only routine maintenance, and not much of that. I've replaced the spark plugs and checked valve adjustment only one time. I'm on the third rear tire and only the second front tire. The Burgman still runs like new, gets between 47 and 54 mpg consistently, and handles great. I have never replaced the brake pads--they're still good. On a trip to Michigan from Savannah, Georgia last summer I averaged over 50 mpg running between 70 and 75 most of the time (speedometer is fast, however). This is a great motorcycle. It is my fourth Burgman 650, and I will probably buy another one after I put a few thousand more miles on this one. Out of over 50 motorcycles I like the Burgman as good as any I have owned. Show less

I purchased a 2006 650 EXE and it was lost to Hurricane Ike. I purchased a new 2009 650 EXE and it is better than ever. I sometimes choose it over my BMW R1200GS to ride around town on. Just sit down hold on and your off with plenty of power and it does well on the highway but the suspension is a little stiff for my bad back, other than that a great bike. I will probably buy another one when the time is right. Show less

A 650cc bike that's great on long distance rides; 1200 miles to the Grand Canyon, much of it between 80 and 85 miles an hour and it was smooth as glass. Gas mileage between 40-45 mpg. Fuel stops between 200-220 miles. Nice around town too. Handles well on dirt roads. I'm trying to think of something I would change, but can't. Show less

I have been riding motorcycles and scooters of all types for the last 30 years. I currently own a H.D. Softail Custom. I purchased the Burgman new and have no regrets. The storage is sufficient for me but I may add saddle bags for longer trips. I must admit I was a little apprehensive at first about going from a Harley to a scooter. I can now honestly say that contrary to what I've read, no one really looks down at the scooter rider, you still get the wave from other motorcyclist and the good comments from the public when stopped at a lite or fueling up. When I take the wife for a ride she always prefers the Burgman over the Harley citing comfort. The scoot has enough power for my liking while traveling two up and the fact that it has an auto tranny makes this scoot a real pleasure to ride. I gave a 4 in comfort only because I wish the driver back rest would go back a few more inches, I may just remove it. I average about 45 MPG. The windshield does an ok job, might swap it out but for right now I use a full face which helps block the wind. I purchased the Exec model over the regular burgman only for its ABS, and I can honestly speak from experience..IT'S WORTH EVERY PENNY! I highly recommend the Burgman Exec. I may even get rid of the Harley. Show less

3rd review at 5,000 miles. Just ran up to Sturgis, S.D. with my Burgman 8-1-09. 800 miles. (400 miles up, and 400 miles back in 1 day.) Piece of cake. Runs great, and stays up with the big bikes easy. (14 gals. @ $38.00 round trip) Wow! It was great. Still Smiling! Show less

If you have been doing your homework on this style of bike, you have read a lot of reviews that say the DL650 is a great all around performer. I wanted the safety of ABS but couldn't even think about the BMWs because of the price and high maintenance costs. I got mine to commute to work during the week and to tour two-up on weekend day trips on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I went with the V-strom and, after riding Feburary through July in cold rain and 90+ heat, I can say the reviews are spot on. The bike has plenty of power and handles so well in town or on the highway. The v-strom also gets plenty of attention at stops because nothing else looks quite like it. There are plenty of accesories available to make it your own too. They are a little tall but the low speed handling (parking lots, etc.) is GREAT (just as good as my Burgman 400) but it is better suited to someone who can flat foot it for ease of walking it or for getting on and off. The engine and transmission have a long history of reliability. Most people put on an aftermarket windshields but they are around $140 or less for a good one. don't let wind noise stop you from buying a bike. It's a bike! Your supposed to be out in the wind! Make the plunge and enjoy! Show less