[FrankieD]

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Saw my first one today.Looks like a great piece of transportation.Anyone take one for a test ride?That seat looks kinda funky,can it be confortable for long?

 

[DrifterTex]

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I have looked at the Silverwings but decided on buying a Suzuki Burgman AN400. Did that in 2006 and I love it. It is my main transportation and daily ride. I do think there are a few silverwings around here. Maybe they will chim in.

 

[exavid]

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I had a 2004 SW for a couple years until I got a chance to more or less trade it off for a Geo Tracker. The little scoot is a fine ride, very handy around down and really easy to handle in slow riding and in jammed parking lots. I rode mine on a couple of day trips with several of my Goldwing riding friends, they thought I'd hold them up but sure changed their minds. I clocked my SW at 105mph as verified with my GPS and it wasn't through at that speed, might have made it to 110mph. It's better in my opinion than the Suzuki Bergman 400 in that it's two cylinder and about 40% more power. The SW is pretty simple in maintenance and doesn't need much. The seat isn't bad, you can change the butt stop to a low back rest but I didn't feel the need. The under seat storeage is surprisingly large and the left glove box is about 20" or so deep. I sold mine because I wanted something to take the woman who hangs around here on trips up the old logging roads. She doesn't ride other than on the back seat of my SW and I couldn't see trying to ride two up on a dual sport. I got a kick out of beating HD sportsters across intersections when the light went green. Poor guys riding a bad to the bone HD getting 'scootered'. The thing is a purebred Honda, water cooled and will last for a looong time. All models are fuel injected, some have ABS.

 

[Predator]

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exavid wrote:

It's better in my opinion than the Suzuki Bergman 400 in that it's two cylinder and about 40% more power.

Are you comparing a 600+cc bike with the 400 Burgman and saying it's better cause it's more powerful?

 

[bagelboy]

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My best friend has one and has had it about 4 years. We go riding almost every Friday in the summer and fall. The thing has alot of b*lls. It is quick off the line, runs well, doesn't need alot of maintenance, and gets good mileage. I've been riding for years, and he thinks it's funny to smoke me off the line and make me catch up. From what I've seen, anyone considering this bike would not be disappointed. Of course I have 2 GL1200's, and I'm not parting with them...........

 

[exavid]

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Predator wrote:

exavid wrote:

It's better in my opinion than the Suzuki Bergman 400 in that it's two cylinder and about 40% more power.

Are you comparing a 600+cc bike with the 400 Burgman and saying it's better cause it's more powerful?

In a word, Yes. The extra steam is nice to have on the freeway and the two cylinder engine is a good bit smoother. I've ridden all three the SW, the 400cc and 650cc Bergman scooters and prefer the SW. To me the 650 was too complicated in it's drive system, it's basically a CVT but it's also electrically controlled. The 400 has a much simpler CVT system much like the SW. When the belt need changing it's going to be a lot more expensive and time consuming on the B650. The SW's mechanical transmission system is robust and simple, no electrical gremlins there. The Bergman 650 is a good bit higher priced as well. It all depends on what you're looking for in a scooter. All three of these scooters are great and really blur the difference between motor scooters and motorcycles. I've met several people who are touring on these things. A couple of guys who I met at Crater Lake were from the SF Bay area and were on their way home on their two B400s after visiting British Columbia and Glacier National Park. I came across a guy in McMinville last summer who was riding a Silverwing with a side car. He told me about a company that trikes them too.

 

[mikef]

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exavid pretty well summed it up. Bought a 2003 with ABS last year and it's a great little bike.

 

[mikef]

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I thought you were kidding about the trade for the Tracker, until I saw you pull out of the lot at breakfast. Get a good deal on the trade?

 

[LarryInSeattle]

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Three years ago I had an 03 Silverwing. I sold it after 18 months and immediately when it rode away, I knew I made a mistake. After that, I tried an 04 Honda Helix, put a side car on that, didn't like it, sold it. Bought an 06 400cc Burgman, found it not to my liking and sold it and bought another Helix. I missed the power the Silverwing had, so I sold the Helix and chased down an 06 Silverwing.

The Silverwing will be the bike that replaces the Goldwing for me. When I get to the point that I can no longer make long distance touring, I already have the replacement.

The Silverwing can tour too, just it can't do it two up very well. I like the storage under the seat.

I put a trailer hitch on my Swing and it pulls my trailer fine.

Below is my cockpit. Notice the adjustable Givi windshield.

 

[Predator]

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Thanks for the breakdown Exavid. I was curious about thetwo 650's neck and neck.



Larry, looks like your ready to travel. Any pics of the trailer hitch?

 

[Cousin Jack]

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On our European adventure, we lived and traveled in a VW camping van for eight weeks. But when we got to Interlaken, and saw the peaks of the Berner Oberland, I told my wife, "we gotta rent a bike!" So we set up a basecamp in Interlaken, and went to Thune, Switzerland to rent a bike.

By that time, we were pretty cash-short, and the only thing we could afford to rent ($500 for ten days) was a Silverwing scooter. I was rather upset, but I shouldn't have been.... once we got on it, once we got familiar with it, we enjoyed the damn thing thoroughly, and ran it through the Alps for ten days! One of the best bikes I've ever been on!

Here I am on the top of Grimsel Pass, Switzerland, with some new riding buddies. Nice people, but quiet......

 

[OTL]

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The Lady of the house hasriden SW with atowpac trike kit from med tennessee to niagra falls, tn to virginia beach and all over the smoky mountians. Never missed a beat. Keeps up just fine riding with 1800 and 1500 GW's, at least didn't hold us up any at all. And yes it will embarrasse a lot of big bikes out of the hole. And she loved every minute of it.:claps:

 

[scoot scoot]

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Haven't rode a SW but do own a Yamaha Majesty. For "scooting" around town it sure beats my GW1500. And she aint bad on highways either. Just no good with high crosswinds.

 

[exavid]

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mikef wrote:

I thought you were kidding about the trade for the Tracker, until I saw you pull out of the lot at breakfast. Get a good deal on the trade?

Sold the SW for $300 more than I paid for the '95 Tracker. It was a fun little scoot but it was taking riding time away from the 1800. The only downside, though it's probably a good thing, is that I no longer have the scooter to jump on in shorts and sandals to run an errand in town.

 

[Jluvs2dive]

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exavid wrote:

The only downside, though it's probably a good thing, is that I no longer have the scooter to jump on in shorts and sandals to run an errand in town.

That's definitely a good thing. I really didn't want to hear about you recovering from road rash my friend. :waving: I am sad that I didn't get a chance to ride it before you sold it though.:action: My only maxi-scooter experience was on the 400 Burgman I bought for my wife a few years back.

John

 

[exavid]

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I rode around the block on one hot summer day on my 1500wearing Teva sandals.

That shifter hurts upshifting.:thumbsdown:

 

[24.4ZOOM]

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I too had a Yamaha Majesty, know of a number of locals that go to Bike Week on their 'Swings with trailers in tow. I suggest going to the Maxi-Scoots website, run by dedicated scooterists for a real rundown. There are a number of folks that ride 'Swings and tour.

Patrick

 

[exavid]

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When the day comes that I don't feel I can handle the big 'Wing's weight I will be looking for another SW. Maybe the next one will have ABS.

 

[SabreJoe]

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Predator wrote:

exavid wrote:

It's better in my opinion than the Suzuki Bergman 400 in that it's two cylinder and about 40% more power.

Are you comparing a 600+cc bike with the 400 Burgman and saying it's better cause it's more powerful?

Suzuki also have a twin cylinder650 version. It has some things the Honda doesn't, like handlebar gearshift buttons, electric screen and mirrorstoo.

 

[LarryInSeattle]

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Jluvs2dive wrote:

exavid wrote:

The only downside, though it's probably a good thing, is that I no longer have the scooter to jump on in shorts and sandals to run an errand in town.

That's definitely a good thing. I really didn't want to hear about you recovering from road rash my friend. :waving: I am sad that I didn't get a chance to ride it before you sold it though.:action: My only maxi-scooter experience was on the 400 Burgman I bought for my wife a few years back.

John

John,

You are more than welcome to give mine a spin around town. I was over your way earlier in the week with it.

I ride it over half the time as it is fuel injected, so it just starts and goes. It does better in mileage and the twist and go is kinda nice. I like stepping though too.