Well I saw the new Burgman 200 today

[Mel46]

My wife and I have been waiting in anticipation for the new Burgman 200 to arrive in the United States. It arrived yesterday. We made an appointment to come to the dealer and take a test ride. Well, once we saw it we didn't want to ride it. First of all, it was on its side stand and leaned over so far that I thought it was going to fall over. I ran over to it and immediately put it on its center stand. After that my wife looked over the bike and determined that that seat looked like it was made for fat bottomed girls! Another thing she noticed was the lack of real instrumentation. It also had a small windscreen and really looked like someone had turned a snowmobile into a bike! I was really disappointed. My wife could touch the ground with her tall boots on, ones that have a 3 inch sole. However, because of its wide stance, she couldn't touch the ground with her bare feet, though she could with the Burgman 400 that was right beside it. What we had hoped for was a Burgman 400 but in a smaller size. What we saw was nothing like the B400. I asked the salesman if the accessories from previous versions would fit this one and he said he wasn't aware of any previous versions. When I told him that Suzuki has been selling the 200 in Europe for quite awhile he acted surprised. Note to self, do not buy from Mountain Motorsports ever again. Their service sucks and their sales personnel are not aware of previous versions of their bikes. In fact, he told me that the Honda 700 was selling well, but I mentioned the version they call Integra and he just blinked and asked what an Integra is. Hmmmmmm. I love the style of the Integra as apposed to what they were selling, and he doesn't even know what that version is....back to the B200, even at another dealer I would still be disappointed in it. I wonder if the previous versions have the same shortcomings as those I have mentioned. If the B200 Executive were for sale here it might have had enough redeeming qualities to have made me want to consider it. Instead, I am unbelievably disappointed.

[gn2]

Why would your wife need to touch the floor with bare feet on a scooter?
I think you are expecting too much of a dealer to know about obscure niche models which have never been on sale in your country.
By the way, the Integra is a steaming pile of shite.

[you you]

My wife and I have been waiting in anticipation for the new Burgman 200 to arrive in the United States. It arrived yesterday. We made an appointment to come to the dealer and take a test ride. Well, once we saw it we didn't want to ride it. First of all, it was on its side stand and leaned over so far that I thought it was going to fall over. I ran over to it and immediately put it on its center stand. After that my wife looked over the bike and determined that that seat looked like it was made for fat bottomed girls! Another thing she noticed was the lack of real instrumentation. It also had a small windscreen and really looked like someone had turned a snowmobile into a bike! I was really disappointed. My wife could touch the ground with her tall boots on, ones that have a 3 inch sole. However, because of its wide stance, she couldn't touch the ground with her bare feet, though she could with the Burgman 400 that was right beside it. What we had hoped for was a Burgman 400 but in a smaller size. What we saw was nothing like the B400. I asked the salesman if the accessories from previous versions would fit this one and he said he wasn't aware of any previous versions. When I told him that Suzuki has been selling the 200 in Europe for quite awhile he acted surprised. Note to self, do not buy from Mountain Motorsports ever again. Their service sucks and their sales personnel are not aware of previous versions of their bikes. In fact, he told me that the Honda 700 was selling well, but I mentioned the version they call Integra and he just blinked and asked what an Integra is. Hmmmmmm. I love the style of the Integra as apposed to what they were selling, and he doesn't even know what that version is....back to the B200, even at another dealer I would still be disappointed in it. I wonder if the previous versions have the same shortcomings as those I have mentioned. If the B200 Executive were for sale here it might have had enough redeeming qualities to have made me want to consider it. Instead, I am unbelievably disappointed.

Flipping heck, chill.

Perhaps you weren't in the right frame of mind to view the bike and it might be different next time.

[Ratster]

I don't know a thing about the B200 other than I think it's overpriced. Your opinion of Mtn.Motorsports is spot on though. Never again will they get my money.

[Tribpreper]

I wrote off the Burgman 200 due to it's reported highway MPG of 71. That would be absurd for a 200! In comparison, Honda's NC700D (Integra) is only 10% lower!

[Indyglow]

I really liked the Burgman 200 when I tried it, and I had no problem reaching the ground. If I didn't already have a PCX I would buy a B-200. The salesman at the dealership I was at didn't even know how to start the Burg, but I don't expect sales people to have much real knowledge about brand new bikes.

[Mel46]

The salesman was not the major problem I had there, though I would have hoped that he would know about all the different variations of the bike that they sell the most of. Maybe he didn't have to know about the Integra, but I also had to explain that there is an automatic version of the 700, which he didn't know. Still, it was not the salesman I was !most disappointed in. It was the B200. You ask why my wife should be able to put both feet on the ground when we are at a stop, but to me it is somewhat obvious. All streets are not equal. Some lean one way or the other. Sometimes we have to stop on the downhill side of a street. Sometimes the street is downhill at an angle. We have even had occasions where we had to stop where there was a steep angle close to a storm drain, which usually means a lot of loose gravel and sand. In that situation having to stand on her toes ended up causing her to slip, and the scooter fell over. She has a 27" inseam. The B400 had a narrow enough seat that it allowed her to place both feet on the ground when stopped. Unfortunately, it is too much bike for a little person, so we had hoped that the B200 would be very similar, which it isn't. Maybe I put too much hope in it, but when I saw the B200 Executive someone one this forum has, I was really impressed . The B200 in the showroom was nothing even close to it....and I REALLY have to wonder if that particular one that was on the floor was even put together correctly. Honestly, the side kickstand made the scooter lean so far over that it looked like it was about to fall over. No bike that I have ever seen leans that far over when the side kickstand is out. Imagine a 45 degree angle, and then add a few more degrees to that, like 10 degrees, and that is what it looked like. Even my Harley didn't lean that far over, and it was heavy. Keep in mind that these are the same people who returned my wife's scooter to her with no less than half of the Tupperware incorrectly installed, including missing screws. I had to take it apart and put it together again correctly myself (and go to the hardware store for replacement bolts). So maybe you are correct. Maybe seeing it at a different time and place will change my opinion of the B200....and did I mention that it is $4999?...for 50ccs more than the PCX 150?

[Valiant]

What was wrong with your PCX? If it's the power, you could always look into modifying it for more output .

I'd also consider using paragraphs if you're going to post a wall of text with every post >_<

[Mel46]

Ok, I am here to apologize for my review of the new 200. I saw it at a different dealer today. Aside from the fact that it leans too much with the side kick stand, and the fact that the passenger portion of the seat is too wide, I love the bike.. I was able to look closer at a B400 beside it and can say with certainty that if the side kicks stand from the B400 could be fitted onto the new 200 it would lean correctly. As for the seat, it seems to be set up for a single rider, so a custom seat would have to be purchased or made if it were to be used for 2 up most of the time. If the Givi products for the European version would work on it ( this is something I don't know for certain), then it would be well worth the money. I was correct when I said that I thought it might not have been assembled correctly at the other dealer. It looked a lot better, and sturdier, at the second dealer. Now, as far as my 150 goes, it is a workhorse. It has been used as a 2 up carrier for the last month when my 16 year old grandson came to visit, and again today when we dropped off my wife's bike for mechanical problems. I would like a little more power out of it (maybe have it reach 75 mph true instead of just 67), but otherwise it is a great little bike. If the B200 had been available when I bought my PCX 150, I would have probably bought the Burgman, not because it is a better bike. Just simply because it has more horses. All in all though, both are nice bikes. On that note, my wife's pcx is in the shop at less than 10,000 miles for clutch or clutch bearing problems. The shop has to figure that one out. It really sounded like the bearing was shot this morning when we brought it in. I hope that is not normal for these bikes. Mine only has 1,975 miles on it. I wouldn't want to look forward to clutch problems at less than 10k miles. After all, this is a Honda.

[Duggle]

The Burgman seems pretty nice. My brother in law was talking about it the other day. That would be perfect since we could ride together but I don't want us to look like twin scooters or anything.

[katschamne]

The place I bought my PCX I won't be going back to. They gave me a run around when they had to replace the belt that malfunction with less then 500 miles on it. When I had to have my first 600 mile tune up I took it to another dealer. Let me tell you a world of difference. They did the service and I got free winter storage.

I did noticed that the Burgman 200 did lean a bit far myself. I also didn't know that they had a B200 Executive.

[Mel46]

As far as I know the Executive is only in Europe. I am guessing that at $5,000 for just the regular one they wouldn't be able to sell enough of the Executives to make it worth while for them. If they had priced the regular B200 at $4,000 and the Executive at $5,000 they would probably give Honda a run for their money.

[rodsterinfl]

I looked at the Burgman 200 as well. It is very large for the power rating- my two cents. The PCX is lean in comparison. I have to admit though that the thought of riding other scoots is appealing to me as well. Not because the PCX is bad but my interest in scooters has grown. I have been looking at Vespas and Forzas and even stopped to look at a BMW 600. No place I have been allows for riding- even when I bought the PCX I could not ride it first. Then I remember my situation- that I have to be able to get it up into my truck and it has to fit in the truck bed with the tailgate closed if I plan to use it camping. I have 81 inches for length allowance. That puts me in PCX/Vespa territory. The others are BIG.

[iceman]

No test rides! How normal is that (where are you btw - what country?) I've never had a test ride, I admit, but dealers do offer them if you ask and arrange a time when the bike(s) you want to try are available.

[dasshreddar]

I looked at the Burgman 200 as well. It is very large for the power rating- my two cents. The PCX is lean in comparison. I have to admit though that the thought of riding other scoots is appealing to me as well. Not because the PCX is bad but my interest in scooters has grown. I have been looking at Vespas and Forzas and even stopped to look at a BMW 600. No place I have been allows for riding- even when I bought the PCX I could not ride it first. Then I remember my situation- that I have to be able to get it up into my truck and it has to fit in the truck bed with the tailgate closed if I plan to use it camping. I have 81 inches for length allowance. That puts me in PCX/Vespa territory. The others are BIG.

If your "truck camping" why not get something even smaller?; but my pcx does fit in my 6ft truck bed with the front wheel turned.

[strkngfang]

I think it is a good looking bike, but for what you get, it is a better deal to go for the PCX150 for 1,000 less or the Forza for 1,000 more, just my opinion. I don't see them selling a whole lot of these, except for diehard Suzuki customers who deem the 400 as too big? As far as salesman knowledge, they could care less about scooters or at least the Suzuki/Yamaha dealer near me. When I looked at the Majesty a few years back, he didn't even know what it looked like, I showed him and he had to grab a brochure when I began asking questions. Their only concerns are their crotch rockets.

[ScooterMan]

Yeah, I think the Forza over the Burgman 200 for sure. I don't care for the looks of the Burgman 200, or it's relative weight to the PCX, or it's much lower fuel economy.

But I'm still reasonably happy with my PCX.