Suzuki Burgman Street: First Ride Review

Gallery Introduction Quality Comfort Performance Technology Fuel Efficiency Fitness of purpose Our take Gear Check

Introduction

Pros: Stands out in a crowd, ample storage space, extremely comfortable, refined engine

Cons: Does not fit taller riders, steep pricing

There are regular scooters, there are premium scooters and then there is the Burgman Street; in a league of its own. Built on the humble underpinnings of the Access 125, the Burgman Street acquires its brawny looks from the Burgman 400 and 650.

And while Yamaha and Honda have tried to replicate the maxi-scooter look with the Cygnus Ray ZR and Aviator, they haven’t gone overboard with the design. The fall of a certain maxi-scooter from the yesteryear might be the reason. Suzuki however, has attempted to re-ignite that blaze with the Burgman Street.

Quality

The Burgman Street borrows most of its components like the switchgear from the Access 125, which is known to have solid build quality. Furthermore, the attention to detail amplifies the premium feel of the scooter. It gets a colour coordinated strip in the center of the handlebar that features the Suzuki logo. It also sports small mesh-like designs etched on either side of the strip meant to replicate the speakers on the bigger Burgmans. Comprehensively, the components used are of the highest quality and there are hardly any signs of ill fitment on the scooter. I was also amazed at how calm the Burgman Street is at high speeds with absolutely no vibrations whatsoever.

Comfort

Maxi-scooters are meant for long-distance highway touring. And the Burgman Street does not disappoint even with its comparatively smaller structure. Its floorboard is roomy and offers the rider two seating positions. One is the conventional posture and the other where the rider can sit in a stretched out position, with the legs placed on the slightly inclined footrests. Adding to the level of comfort is the stepped-seat which is broad and long and is able to cradle the derriere well. And, as we found out in our 130km ride, pairing the plush seat with the stretched out seating position makes for a tireless highway cruise.

The Burgman’s suspension setup is on the stiffer end which makes for a bumpy ride on crummy patches of road. Nevertheless, it manages to stay composed at high speeds and on minor undulations. Keeping up with its maxi-scooter character, the Burgman offers ample of storage space.

The front apron has a glove box on the left which also houses the optional 12V charger and a cubbyhole on the right. While both these storage spaces are large enough to swallow essentials like a six-inch phone, wallet etc.; the glove box could have been a lockable one. For added utility, the Burgman has a hook on the apron and another one under the front end of the seat. It also provides 21.5 litres of under seat storage, just half-a-litre short of the TVS Ntorq 125.

Performance

The Burgman’s 124cc, single-cylinder engine produces 8.6bhp and 10.2Nm of torque and has been derived from the Access 125. It may not be the quickest motor on the block, but it definitely is the smoothest. Even at the 100kmph mark, there was not a hint of vibration or strain from the engine. Stopping power on the Burgman comes from a front disc and rear drum brake with a combined braking system as standard. The CBS lacks feel but offers excellent initial bite and progression.

In the city, the scooter feels effortless when filtering through traffic. With an overall length of 1,880mm the scooter is long, around 15mm longer than the TVS Ntorq. However, tipping the scales at 108kg, it is also 8kg lighter than the latter.

Technology

Keeping itself on par with the times, Suzuki has equipped the Burgman Street with an LED tail lamp and all-LED headlamp. The headlamp is amazingly bright and has decent projection, however, visibility is reduced to a certain extent on corners and U-turns since it is a fixed unit. It also gets a white-backlit digital instrument cluster that seems to be borrowed straight from the Gixxer. Nevertheless, it just displays basic information like speed, odometer, fuel gauge, two trip meters and a clock.

Fuel Efficiency

The Burgman Street returned an average of 48.8kmpl in our fuel efficiency test. Combine that with a fuel tank capacity of 5.6-litres and you have a decent range of 273 kms . Similar to the Access, the Burgman Street also gets the Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) technology for better fuel efficiency.

Fitness of purpose

Suzuki has kicked-off a new segment in the premium 125cc scooter category with the Burgman Street. Positioned above the Access 125, the Burgman Street costs a premium of Rs 8,000 over the latter. The scooter is also Rs 9,000 more expensive than its closest competitors, the TVS Ntorq 125 and the Honda Grazia. Nevertheless, it caters to young urbanites who don’t mind spending an extra fee for a product that not only offers premium features but also stands out in a crowd.

Our take

While the scooter is way expensive as compared to its rivals who also offer a host of other features, the Burgman Street has huge street presence. It compiles the character of the large Burgman 650 in a small package with utmost ease and undoubtedly turns heads wherever it goes. We liked the extra attention that the Burgman Street brings but we also loved the smooth engine, and the abundant space that it offers.

Photography by Kapil Angane