By NastyNils·
Motorcycle comparison · Scooter
Honda X-ADV (RC 95) vs Suzuki Burgman 650 (MY2013)
Honda X-ADV vs Suzuki Burgman 650: traffic, parking, daily miles. Here's how to choose.
You'll flip the Honda X-ADV out of D mode for a pass, and Sport or manual noticeably changes how it responds. The Suzuki Burgman 650's engine doesn't strain as it gathers speed. Its throttle stays smooth and easy to meter.
So which one do you buy?
The X-ADV has the edge if…
Daily commuting & city riding
Nose ahead: X-ADV
The X-ADV makes slightly more sense as a commuter. Don't read much into a gap this small.
Sporty riding on twisty roads
Edges it: X-ADV
Once the road starts to bend, the X-ADV noses ahead. Your own skill counts for more than a gap this size.
The Burgman 650 has the edge if…
Comfortable long-distance riding
Narrow edge: Burgman 650
Deep into a long ride, the Burgman 650 asks slightly less of your back and shoulders. A small margin, and seat fit can overrule it.
What makes each one tick
X-ADV
A single day in the X-ADV's seat can stack an office run, a dirt detour and a fast airport blast without one wish for another bike. The wide bar parks both hands over the levers, and you'll soon work the rear brake by finger, not boot. That lever earns its keep at a crawl, because you'll use it to rein in a DCT that won't feather like a clutch. Puddles mostly leave your shoes dry.
Burgman 650
Relaxed miles come first on the Burgman 650, whose CVT feeds the twin's pull to the rear wheel without a hitch. Fast corners with surface irregularities are where it shows its limits. Hit the power button and revs climb immediately, the transmission kicks back, and the sedate tourer becomes something noticeably more urgent. On a cold morning the seat's heat doesn't stop at the cushion, since the backrest carries it up to the lower back. It steers into corners wide awake.
Nils rode the Burgman 650 in the Odenwald in 2013, and in the Odenwald in 2026 (NastyNils Testride).
The Voice of Experience
What actually separates them
- The Burgman 650 has the lower seat: 29.5 in (750 mm) vs 32.3 in (820 mm).
- The X-ADV has the lower wet weight: 525 lb (238 kg) vs 611 lb (277 kg).
- The X-ADV makes more peak torque: 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) vs 46 lb-ft (62 Nm).
Which one for the way you ride
A confidence-building first motorcycle
Sits this out: Burgman 650
Too much motor for a beginner: the Burgman 650 sits this one out.
Call it even on running costs. Choose on fit, price and the one that makes you grin.
Who each one is built for
What's good, and what you'll live with
X-ADV
Strengths
- One bike for the whole day
- Storage ready to go
- Fingertip control at low speed
- Holds its line on knobbies
- Under-seat space that earns its keep
Trade-offs
- Not a true scooter for cargo
- DCT mistimes the corner you know
- Wide chassis wants longer legs
- Hard to feather at a crawl
- Limited off-road ability
Burgman 650
Strengths
- Storage for real life
- Weather simply stays out
- A seat you settle into
- Transmission modes that matter
- Sharper than it looks
Trade-offs
- Bumpy fast corners
- Cockpit feels a tier below
- Fiddly trip computer access
- Nowhere to mount a phone
- Soft, wallowy suspension
What they share
- Engine
- Parallel twin
- Cooling
- Liquid-cooled
- Power
- 55 hp (40 kW)
Where the spec sheets split
| X-ADV | Burgman 650 | |
|---|---|---|
| Seat height | 32.3 in (820 mm) | 29.5 in (750 mm) |
| Wet weight | 525 lb (238 kg) | 611 lb (277 kg) |
| X-ADV | Burgman 650 | |
|---|---|---|
| Displacement | 745 cc | 638 cc |
| Peak power at | 6,250 rpm | 7,000 rpm |
| Torque | 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) | 46 lb-ft (62 Nm) |
| Peak torque at | 4,750 rpm | 5,000 rpm |
| X-ADV | Burgman 650 | |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel capacity | 3.4 US gal (13 L) | 4.0 US gal (15 L) |
| X-ADV | Burgman 650 | |
|---|---|---|
| Front tire | 120/70-17 | 120/70-15 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-15 | 160/60-14 |
What comes fitted, what costs extra
| X-ADV | Burgman 650 | |
|---|---|---|
| Keyless System | Standard | Not offered |
| Luggage System | Option | Not offered |
| LED Headlight | Standard | Not offered |
Head to head, area by area
Both bikes on the same scale, one area at a time.
