Suzuki Burgman Street vs TVS Ntorq – Comparison Review

Gallery Introduction Looks Instrumentation and seating Performance and Handling Our take Final Scores Specifications Gear Check

Introduction

Suzuki was the first manufacturer to take the bold step of introducing an automatic 125cc scooter in India at a time when the 100cc scooters had just begun to prosper. Rather than following the herd, they identified that the audience was mature enough to consider a bigger and more powerful scooter. Even today, while the others are testing waters and experimenting with new body styles, Suzuki has gone a step further and given us a full-blown maxi-scooter.

In our last 125cc scooters comparison test, the TVS Ntorq beat the Honda Grazia by quite a margin. But there is no time for the Ntorq to enjoy the spoils, for it must now go head-on against the new kid on the block, the Suzuki Burgman Street.

Looks

There is no denying that the TVS Ntorq looks amazing. The steeply raked apron and sharp body lines, bright paint schemes and the beefy tyres tick all the right boxes for a sporty scooter. The Ntorq could have easily walked off with the title of the best looking scooter in India had it not been for the Suzuki Burgman Street.

The Burgman Street makes its presence felt from a mile away, especially in this white paint scheme. It looks elegant and suave, and guarantees a second glance even from those who care the least about the looks of a scooter. The only eyesore is the rear wheel, which looks too skinny and disproportionate compared to the rest of the scooter.

Instrumentation and seating

The Ntorq’s styling might be dramatic, but it is the instrument console that takes the cake. It has the layout of a sportbike, and integrates a bunch of segment-first features like lap-time recorder, temperature gauge, navigation system and Bluetooth connectivity. The console shows up an alert every time you get a text message or a phone call. Some might call it overkill, but credit where it is due, it certainly makes the Ntorq an interesting scooter to live with. The Burgman Street also gets a digital display, albeit with far fewer features. Nevertheless, it shows you all the basic stats including a clock and dual trip meters.

Both the scooters have an upright and comfortable riding position. However, the Ntorq boasts of a taller handlebar height than the Burgman Street, leaving ample room for your wrists while taking U-turns. With the Burgman Street, you have two options for placing your feet. You can either place it conventionally on the floorboard, or up front on the inclined foot support. While my wrist kept brushing against the knee with the former, placing the feet up front left enough clearance. While it does not affect your control over the scooter, I found this riding position comfortable only for short durations.

The Burgman Street scores high in terms of utility. There is a glovebox at the front which is spacious enough to hold today’s giant televisions that pretend to be cell phones. It even gets a 12V socket to charge your phone on the move. Mind you, this compartment isn’t lockable, and I had a couple of close calls having forgotten my phone and wallet in the compartment.

There is another cubby hole on the other side, next to the ignition switch. You can remotely open the underseat compartment through the ignition switch. And then there is the distinct LED headlamp at the front, which plays an important role in giving the scooter its street presence.

The Ntorq might fall short in terms of storage space, but it does strike back with the hoard of features. It gets an external fuel cap, which saves you the bother of getting off the scooter while refuelling. It is also the only scooter to feature a kill switch. The underseat compartment gets a USB charging point and a light. It is also equipped with a parking brake. Mounting the Ntorq on the centre stand requires far less effort than the Burgman Street.

Performance and Handling

Both the Burgman Street and the Ntorq are powered by 124cc single-cylinder engines. The Ntorq’s engine gets a three-valve head, and boasts of a higher output of 9.3bhp and 10.5Nm of torque. And this reflects immediately in the real world. Gas the Ntorq, and the spirited throttle response will see you pull ahead right away. It will maintain the lead until you hit the 100kmph ceiling, despite weighing eight kilograms more than the Burgman Street. The performance is delivered with a fair share of vibrations on the floorboard.

Mind you, it was only after the drag-run did we realise Burgman Street was the slower of the two, because of how effortless it feels under full acceleration. The Burgman Street will also hit 100kmph, although the performance delivery is a lot more relaxed and completely devoid of vibrations. Both the scooters have impressive 50kmph to 60kmph roll-on acceleration, which comes handy while overtaking.

The Burgman Street’s engine churns out 8.6bhp and 10.2Nm of torque. This might have affected the straight-line performance, but then it also helped us extract 48.8kmpl. The Ntorq’s spirited performance and the bulk took a toll on the efficiency, returning 44.5kmpl. The Ntorq also gets a smaller five-litre fuel tank, giving it a range of over 220 kilometres as compared to 270 kilometres in the Burgman Street.

The beefy tyres on the Ntorq might give it a sporty look, but they have made it lazier to steer. The narrower tyres on the Burgman Street give it a quicker steering. It is in a league of its own while filtering through traffic. Both the scooters offer a good balance of plush and sporty ride, although the Burgman Street feels more at ease tackling potholes and bumps in the city. The Burgman Street even boasts of a sharper front brake, with just the right amount of initial bite and progression. It also gets an integrated brake system as standard. The Ntorq’s front tyres grip well and the brake has adequate stopping power, although it felt spongy and lacked a confident initial bite.

Our take

This has to be one of the closest battles ever, but in the end, it is the Suzuki Burgman Street that takes the crown. Although the TVS Ntorq boasts of a bigger feature list and better performance, the Burgman Street manages to outscore it in a few other crucial areas. The Access had been one of our favourite scooters of all time, but the Burgman Street has upped the ante in this new avatar.

Photography by Kapil Angane

Final Scores

Parameters	Max Points	Suzuki Burgman Street	TVS Ntorq 125
Rank	1	2
Looks & styling	10	8	7
Ergonomics & Quality	10	6.5	6
Features & Tech	10	6	7
Engine & Gearbox	10	6	6
Performance	10	6	6.5
Ride Quality	10	7	6.5
Handling & Braking	10	6.5	6
Fuel Efficiency	10	4.5	4
Price & Warranty	10	4.5	6
Desirablility	10	7	6
Total	100	62	61

Specifications

Make	TVS	Suzuki
Model	Ntorq	Burgman Street
POWER TRAIN
Engine Type	Air-cooled	Air-cooled
Capacity	124.8cc	124cc
Max Power	9.3bhp at 7500rpm	8.6bhp at 7000rpm
Max Torque	10.5Nm at 5500rpm	10.2Nm at 5000rpm
Gearbox	CVT	CVT
Fuel Efficiency Tested	44.5kmpl	48.8kmpl
CYCLE PARTS
Supension F	Telescopic	Telescopic
Suspension R	Single-coil over damper	Single-coil over damper
Brakes F	220mm disc	Disc
Brakes R	130mm drum	Drum
Tyre F	100/80-12 (Tubeless)	90/90-12 (Tubeless)
Tyre R	110/80-12 (Tubeless)	90/100-10 (Tubeless)
MEASURES
Fuel Tank	5 litres	5.6 litres
Wheelbase	1285mm	1265mm
L x W x H	1865mm x 710mm x 1160mm	1880mm x 675mm x 1140mm
Kerb Weight	116 kilograms	108 kilograms
COST
Price (on-road, Mumbai)	Rs 76,500	Rs 81,700