Suzuki Burgman Street: The man amongst the boys



After tasting mass success with the Access 125, Suzuki decided to add a premium touch to its scooter line up in India and to do that, it went the maxi scooter way. It took essential design ques from its internationally renowned Burgman 650 maxi scooter and put them on the tried and tested Access platform. So is the Burgman essentially an Access with some bulked up body panels or is there more to it? There's only one way to find out. Hop on and ride.


The Burgman looks nothing like any scooter available currently in the Indian market and in a good way. The design oozes masculinity. The large body panels add muscle to its front end. The wide led headlamps complement the overall front face. The design flows seamlessly to the generous seats and ends into a wide rear, again complemented by led tail lamps. All in all, it's a handsome design and the Burgman does feel larger and more premium than most of its rivals. The best place to look at the Burgman though is from the rider's seat. The handlebars are independent of the head light and the instrument cluster. This not only makes them good to look at but also very light to turn. From the rider's POV (point of view), you get a good look at the all digital instrument cluster which shows up all the essential information like the speed, odo, trip and clock. For the "connected" generation out there, the Burgman also comes with bluetooth connectivity and gives you useful updates like call notifications, turn by turn navigation, etc. on the go. iOS users will have to wait to get an app though, since the Suzuki app currently is only available on the Google Play Store. That shouldn't be a deal breaker since it's a software thing and should be made available soon by Suzuki. Coming back to the rider's POV, there is also a short, transparent front visor which looks chic to look at. Doesn't do much in terms of wind protection but completes the maxi look of the scooter. The seat is wide, long and very well padded and sculpted. The handlebars are low and set slightly away from the rider, again giving you ample space to stretch out. Talking about stretching out, the floorboard is very generous and has enough place for you to stretch your feet out for a cruiser or in this case, a maxi scooter like experience. All in all, the Burgman scores very high in terms of design, quality, fit and finish.


Coming to the heart of the matter. This already peppy and refined 125cc, 2 valve, single cylinder motor has become even peppier and smoother in its BS6 avatar thanks to the addition of fuel injection. The throttle response is crisp and immediate and though it doesn't produce the highest power and torque figures in its segment on paper, the way the Burgman accelerates off the line is unmatched except for its platform cousin, the Access. The engine is rev happy and eager. The power delivery is linear and only starts to taper off towards its top speed. From what I understand, this motor is extremely frugal too and if ridden with a light right wrist, can deliver a mileage of over 50 kpl through city conditions. In terms of braking, the Burgman gets a front disc and rear drum braking set up. The bite from the front disc is sharp and brings the scooter to a halt without hesitation. The 90 section, 12 inch front tyres grip well and so do the 90 section 10 inch rears. The suspension is taut and doesn't give you the same bouncy feeling that you get on the Access. It gobbles up most potholes with ease. However, larger potholes and the rear 10 incher begins to show its limitations. The front handlebar gives the rider a very motorcycle like feeling while riding the Burgman and if you're coming from a sports bike, you are going to enjoy this feeling. 


Practicality is where this Suzuki hits the ball out of the park. It gets two large cubby holes upfront, one for a 1 litre water bottle and an enclosed one for your mobile phone, wallet, etc. The enclosed cubby gets a USB charging socket so you can charge your phone on the go. If you get a call, it will show on the dashboard thanks to bluetooth connectivity. If it's important, stop the scooter at the side of the road, easily access your phone from the cubby and answer it. The enclosed cubby also ensures that your stuff remains weather proof, especially during monsoons.  The underseat storage is massive. More importantly, it is deep. This makes this the only petrol powered scooter (apart from the Access again) in the Indian market to comfortably gobble up a full faced helmet. There's also space given under the seat to neatly tuck in your book papers. You can unlock the seat from the ignition key itself and don't need to dismount and slot the key into a separate slot to unlock the seat. The fuel filler cap though, remains under the seat and you don't get an external one. In a way, this also prevents water from trickling into the fuel tank during monsoons. The Burgman also doesn't get a rear brake lock. Well, there's no excuse for that.


Summing things up, the Burgman is a very mature product from Suzuki's stable. It's mature in the way it looks, the way it feels and the way it rides. There is ample space for the rider, the pillion as well as luggage and knick knacks. The only gripe I have with Suzuki is that 10 inch rear wheel. Competition from TVS does trump the Suzuki in terms of ride quality and handling. If you can live with that, the Burgman is the perfect.... wait a minute.. what about the Access? The Access essentially is everything that the Burgman is, isn't it? It also gets an external fuel filler cap and a rear brake lock. Should one save up some money and simply go for the Access then? Well the Access is utilitarian in its design and also in the way it behaves. If your rides are short and purely for work and no leisure, sure, go ahead with the Access and you won't regret it. But if you appreciate good design, good space, good ride quality and good comfort, the Burgman justifies every single rupee it charges not just over the Access but also over its competition. It really stands head and shoulders above the rest in its segment. You have to experience it to believe it. So if you are in the market for a 125cc scooter, do give this one a glance. You might just want to give it a second one as well.

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