Suzuki AN 400 Burgman
Suzuki AN 400 Burgman
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Motoring across San Francisco's iconic GoldenGate Bridge at 70 mph I found myself repeating an already familiar phrase in myhead: Remember, you're test riding a scooter.For most riders, myself included, the scooter market gets identified bysmall-displacement (most often 50cc) whining machines that are fun to zip aroundtown but aren't fit for duty out on the real roads. That perception has changedin recent years with the introduction of the luxo-scooter category, comprised oflarger displacement machines capable of big-time roads and cross-town traffic.The Burgman 400 has earned a reputation as a formidable commuter and weekendwarrior, so to evaluate the 2007 edition what better place to test versatilityof the best-selling luxo-scooter than a ride through scenic San Francisco?Available in 400cc and 650cc versions, the Burgman 400 has been upgraded for '07with a tweaked motor, comfier ergos and improved componentry. Of the twoversions, the Burgman 400 is the better seller and, in fact, is the best-sellingscooter in the 126cc-and-over category. Dividing the scooter category at the125cc mark, Suzuki presented some compelling data supporting the surprisinggrowth of the 126cc-and-over scooter market and the Burgman's dominatingposition in it.In 2005 the smaller machines still sold more units in the U.S., tallying 37,500sales compared to the larger machines' 21,400, yet the increase in the smallerunits was just 9% compared to the even healthier 21% of the larger scooters. TheBurgman's numbers from 2005 were a 23% increase over '04, and taking a snapshotof 2006 thru June, Suzuki's overall scooter numbers are up 60% compared to theindustry's already impressive 20% increase. Right now the Burgman 400 remainsthe best-selling scooter in the 126cc-and-over market.Making its stateside debut in 2003, Suzuki prepared the Burgman for success onAmerican shores by launching an aggressive urban marketing campaign in majormetropolitan areas, including a billboard in New York's Time Square. That ascooter would be aimed at the big-city crowd is not a shock, but the demographicof Burgman purchasers reveals some surprising numbers. The typical scooter riderin my imagination is a frizzy-haired European fellow, who looks a lot likeValentino Rossi, buzzing around town craning his neck and beeping his horn whilechecking out the young ladies in the plaza. I had to readjust my reality tunnelwhen Suzuki presented its sales information and I discovered the typical Burgman400 rider was more inclined to carry a AARP card in their wallets than a collegeID.It turns out the average Burgman 400 rider has 12.4 years of riding experienceunder his or her belt, is 52.1 years of age, and has a household income of$71,884. Compare those figures to the rates of Suzuki's typical motorcycleowner: 12.1 years of riding experience, 38 years old, and $60,750 householdincome; and you don't have to be a statistics professor to draw some prettygeneral conclusions. For one, the Burgman ranks are made up of an older crowd.Another number that jumped out during Suzuki's presentation was the number ofwomen riders making up the Burgman demographic, with 24% of the Burgman 400customers hailing from the fairer sex compared to 12% of Suzuki's overallmotorcycle owners. Another significant number is that extra $11,134 in incomewhich, when combined with a more tempered outlook on street riding, makes the$5,899 MSRP an attractive one for those seeking a sensible form of two-wheeledtransport.The Burgman is something of a hybrid, with the luxo-scooter representing theoffspring of a sport-touring motorcycle and 50cc scooter. The Burgman does itsbest to meld the two worlds but taking the controls after throwing a legthrough, instead of over, the machine, the differences are noticeable rightaway. Claiming a dry weight of 438 lbs, the Burgman is a different beastaltogether from its smaller scooter siblings, yet the low center of gravity and28-inch seat make it scooter-like easy to control at low speeds or when stopped.Equipped with both a center and sidestand the 400 features a parking brake tokeep the machine stationary when left stopped on an incline and can be set andreleased with one hand.Turn the key and the Burgman's analog tach and speedo needles flip all the wayover and back, the dominant features of an impressive control panel. A fuelgauge resides on the far left of the instrument cluster with an enginetemperature gauge on the right. Dead center in the cluster a clock display ispositioned above the main display screen, which with the touch of two buttonsbelow can cycle through useful info such as the ambient temperature, odometer,dual tripmeters, and the all-important mpg figures - so that poorgas-consumption-obsessed commuters, such as myself, can wax euphoric about theBurgman's budget-saving fuel efficiency (but more about that later).Pulling in the rear brake with the left hand control and thumbing the starter,the Burgman's 400cc single-cylinder engine pulses to life. While it doesn'tthrill the senses in quite the same way as Suzuki's Gixxer sportbikes, theBurgman's exhaust note is sturdy enough without being obnoxious. The powerplantin 2007 features an upgrade in displacement from 385 to 400cc via an elongatedstroke, with the 81 x 77.6mm bore/stroke figures replacing 2006's 83 x 71.2mmnumbers. Dual overhead cams supplant the SOHC configuration of 2006, and an EFIsystem provides a more efficient engine, with an Idle Speed Control (ISC) systemeliminating the need for a choke lever. Suzuki officials were proud of the EFIsystem in particular, explaining how the design was derived from the venerableGSX-R lineup. Suzuki claims the improvements will provide strong acceleration,and the cleaner-burning machine employs an exhaust catalyzer with an O2 sensorto reduce emissions, making the new 400 compliant with stringent Euro 3standards.Having gotten myself acquainted with the Burgman in the courtyard of ourlodgings near Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, I got off the machine to playaround with its adjustable backrest and explore its many storage spaces. Perhapscatering to the touring-oriented consumers who purchased the earlier Burgman,this 400 is something of a mini-tourer in its own right. The cavernous 62-literunderseat storage is up from the 55 Litresof '06 and can stow away twofull-face helmets with ease. Worried that I might be underdressed with just amesh jacket I stowed a hoodie pullover in the underseat along with my smallvideo camera and shoulder bag, with plenty of room to stash my helmet and glovesat intervening stops on our planned route. The storage space is alsosupplemented by two lidded cubby holes up near the instrument cluster and aglove compartment, which houses a handy DC power outlet.Suzuki brass and Top Shelf Tours had planned out a special route to showcase theBurgman's strengths, which would take us up and down the streets of SanFrancisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County for some moreurban/sub-urban riding, and then head north via twisty mountain roads to ourdestination of Sonoma, California.
Our test ride got underway by motoring up and down the famous hills of SanFranciso and included a winding ride down Lombard Street, whose 27-degree slopeand eight switchbacks have given it the distinction of being the twistieststreet in the U.S.. Suzuki's decision to pick SF as the city to showcase theBurgman was a sound one, as nothing makes you more appreciative of thesimplicity of an automatic centrifugal clutch than when perched at a stop signheaded up what seems like a 60-degree hill. Holding the brakes and rolling onthe throttle is so much easier without that pesky clutch lever to worry about.The Burgman made mincemeat out of the most daring hillclimbs SF could throw atus, and I was impressed by the 400's steady engine delivery and CVT automatictransmission, with the powerplant more than capable of tackling the steep,daunting inclines without bogging down. The big-city portion of our rideincluded tooling around the winding roads of the scenic Presidio where thescooter excelled at handling the twists and turns interlaced with numerous stopsigns. After snapping photos it was time to hop on the Pacific Coast Highway andhead north toward wine country.Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, I kind of felt like Suzuki was cheating just alittle by providing such a scenic route to try and confuse our objectivity.Although I profess to be a sophisticated, literate member of the motorcyclepress, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that there is a little lingeringrope-belted rube inside me who gawks at all the big-city sites like I was Jethrofrom The Beverly Hillbillies. That said, while I motored across theGolden Gate Bridge, taking frequent glances to my right to take in the vistawhich included the infamous Alcatraz, I contended with one of my few gripesabout the Burgman as I experienced some high-speed wind buffeting.Right off the bat at a couple of stops, some of my fellow journalists weremurmuring about the view from behind the windscreen. Being 6'1" and with alonger torso I had to tuck down while riding to snag a peek, but there was adefinite distortion or weird magnification going on behind the odd shape of thescreen. While the vision element of the windscreen's deficiencies didn't botherme, the aforementioned wind buffeting I experienced at higher speeds did. Myhead and shoulders got battered around pretty well at different points duringour ride, and to be fair I did notice a couple of trees blowing from crosswindson a couple occasions, but the wind protection is a facet that potentialpurchasers might want to check out on their own with a test ride. On top of itall, and as a matter of arbitrary styling taste, I thought the funky shape ofthe windscreen could benefit from a redesign. An optional short windscreenshowed up on the Burgman's list of accessories, so that might be worth a try.The wind buffeting, while annoying, was by no means a deal-breaker and was easyto overlook once I opened up the throttle. The power generated by theliquid-cooled four-stroke Single is manageable and easy to apply. While Suzukidoes not make public horsepower or torque numbers on their U.S. website, if myGerman is up to snuff the power numbers on Suzuki's German website claim 33.5ponies and 26.8 lb-ft of torque (by the way, the Burgman moniker carries overfrom the model's German introduction, with the same scooter dubbed the Skywavein Japan). I had discovered the Burgman's modest but ample power earlier on thehills but it was further confirmed on the highway. As far as acceleration goes,while speed freaks won't be impressed, getting a little extra oomph to make apass was not a problem, and there were a couple times when I had to do adouble-take just seconds after hopping off a stoplight and saw the speedo hadalready hit 50 mph. The laughable generosity given to most scooter speedos isn'tso outlandish on the Burgman, evidenced by the ease of motoring up to 75-80 mphwithout any problem whatsoever. There is no question as to the Burgman's freewaycapabilities and, for those so inclined, I am sure higher speeds could bereached without problem, although I did not attempt them on the crowded PCH.Out on the open road (we didn't sample any actual interstates, but the veryinterstate-like Pacific Coast Highway comes awful close) is where I felt theBurgman most blurred the line between scooter and motorcycle. At first I foundthe conventional feet-down scooter stance to be a bit tiring and somewhatsketchy when the speeds picked up, but once I pitched my legs forward and put myfeet up on the angled forward floorboards my ergonomic reality flipped around.Pressing my feet against the forward boards the small of my back pushed into theadjustable backrest and transformed my overall impression of the seat from a bituncomfortable to relaxing. In fact on a particular stretch of less than idealasphalt the slight vibration of the bumpy surface, combined with my new-foundriding position, had me looking and feeling like the jerk at the mall gettinghis kicks by sampling the massage chair at Brookstone. The feet-forward approachhelped remedy one drawback I have against scooters because it gave me theconfidence-inspiring feel of being locked into place, kind analogous to thefeeling of stability on a motorcycle when the legs squeeze against the tank.After crossing the Golden Gate we continued our urban experience by ridingthrough the communities just north of SF in Marin County and then began the moretouring-esque portion of the route, taking California's picturesque windingbackroads into Sonoma. Leaving the big city behind, I had time to reflect on theBurgman's commuting credentials. The machine's commuter advantages are thebudget-saving 50-plus mpg fuel efficiency and easy parking. The Burgman alsohelps assist its everyman commuter chops by being idiot simple to ride. You justpoint and twist. For an able-bodied person, or even a former rider who has beenput off riding by a game leg or ankle, the Burgman would make an ideal fit for amodest daily commute. This rings true for California in particular, where I gotmy first taste of the advantages and perils of lane-splitting, and I can vouchthat the Burgman is slim enough to squeeze its way through apoplectic cagerswithout any trouble.
The riding between Marin and Sonoma went through so many beautiful twistingcountry backroads, I gave up trying to keep track of the particulars of ourroute and instead focused on the asphalt ahead of me and how the Burgmanhandled. Although the 400 doesn't showcase anything special in its suspensionsetup, sporting a conventional 41mm fork working in tandem with a single rearshock, things stayed smooth and stable on reasonable surfaces. The front forkoffers 4.3 inches of travel with the rear shock providing 3.9 inches to suck upmost bumps, and the rear shock is also preload adjustable, although it wouldtake some doing to get at it through the underseat storage area. The 400 excelsat low-speed maneuvering, and throwing it around corners with the velocitycranked up a bit, the Burgman was stable and more than adequate. The '07 upgradefrom a 13 to 14-inch front wheel helps the 400 feel almost bike-like, and Suzukiclaims the new front has increased the available banking angle to 43 degrees. Ican't verify those claims, but after spectating a couple of passes during aphoto stop, I could testify under oath that the lean angle is steep enough todrag the centerstand under more aggressive riders.The front end also showcases another '07 upgrade, as dual 260mm front discsreplace the lone disc of the 2006 model. I have to confess that at the beginningof our test ride I found the Burgman's front brake to be a bit deficient, withthe 210mm rear disc brake the more reactive and powerful of the two. While thiswas contrary to what I had expected, once I became more familiar with themachine, I was very appreciative of the smooth and consistent stopping powerprovided by the front binders. There was almost no front-end dive, and when Isimulated a couple of panic/emergency stops I was able to slow down in a hurrywith a healthy pull on both levers.My main complaint with the Burgman evaluation was that it was over so soon. Dueto a lot of stops for photos and leisurely breaks, the day had whiled away andwe hadn't quite reached the triple-digits on our tripmeters. This was a bit of alet down, as the Burgman is well-suited for medium-distance touring. Theaccessories list already includes upgrades like bungee hooks and a rearcarrier/luggage rack to increase the 400's touring capabilities, on top of extraamenities like handguards, heated grips, and a passenger backrest.Perhaps the best compliment I could give the Burgman is that as we enteredSonoma I was wishing we could just keep on riding. I did get a kick motoringinto town with a big group of scooter riders though. The poor fools hoping toglimpse the idyllic scenery of Sonoma County's wine country must have been muchaggrieved to become all at once surrounded by a legion of lane-splittingBurgmans. It was like a historical reenactment of Ghengis Kahn's Mongol hordeswith his pony-riding archers replaced by swinging mods fresh out of the bigcity.At the conclusion of our 90-mile ride, everyone's fuel economy stats weretallied with the highest in the group being a lofty 57. Almost every rider inour testing posse registered in the mid 50s, with my fuel efficiency reading aneven 54 mpg. Possessing a 3.6-gallon fuel tank the Burgman's effective operatingrange is somewhere in the 180-mile area. With a full tank an adventurous ridercould spend a relaxing afternoon exploring the backroads in comfort and manageto pack along a rather bounteous picnic in the underseat storage. Boasting asolid all-around package that forces its rider to remind themselves it is ascooter, the 2007 Burgman 400 should continue to stay at the top of the luxo-scootersales numbers.
Source Motorcycle-USA