Design and Style of
Suzuki Burgman Street
Just when you think that you have seen it all, something
different like the Burgman Street arrives on the scene. This is a bulky and
broad looking scooter that can be truly called as a muscular being with
aggressive lines running through its skin. The front of the Burgman Street does
catch your eyes with its aggressive designing. The apron houses a wide LED
headlamp cluster in the middle which is flanked by turn indicators. At the top
is a windscreen that does a good job of saving you from some of the windblast,
especially when you duck in. There is a decent amount of chrome that is fit in
subtly. Additionally you can even get chrome finish for the rear view mirrors.
The 21.5L of under seat storage is plenty spacious for most helmet sizes. There
are two pockets at the front. The one on the right can easily accommodate a
small water bottle and is quite deep. The one on the left has a lid to cover it
and also has a 12V charging socket. You can get a USB option for it as an
accessory and there is enough space inside to keep large size phones.
This time around Suzuki has decided to put an all-digital
instrument cluster on their scooter and I appreciate the move. But they will have
to put a little more work on the design considering the price premium and the
competition. The display is nice and legible and shows you your speed, fuel
level, distance covered, time and even has 2 trip meters but it does not have
the most attractive design and fonts. There are two buttons below the display,
one for switching between the two trip meters and one for resetting the trip.
While the reset button worked fine, the other button required multiple presses
to work at times. The rest of the switchgear has a nice finish but a pass-by
switch, engine kill switch and parking brake are missing from the scene. The
addition of some or all of these at the same cost would have justified the
current price. What you do get is Suzuki’s Easy Start System which is a small
convenience feature that is much appreciated.
Engine and Performance
of Suzuki Burgman Street
Powering the Burgman Street is the same 124cc air cooled,
single cylinder engine that is also seen on Suzuki's popular Access 125
scooter. Even the performance of the scooters is quite similar as the engine
has been tuned to produce the same amount of power and torque. The Burgman Street
has enough meat in the mid-range to carry itself and overtaking below 50kmph is
no problem either. If you weigh average or relatively less then you can easily
hit 75kmph from standstill in just a few seconds. Even maintaining a cruising
speed of 70kmph is no big task for this scooter. I was able to ride it at
triple digit speeds on the highway and while the scooter did not feel
completely at home at the speed, it did hold it rather well. Riding position is
also pretty comfortable with the handlebar being not too far out of reach and
the seat cushion being long and soft. The floorboard offers plenty of space
even and tall riders will like that a lot. The flexible foot position allows
for riders to perch their feet on an elevated section carved in the front
apron. This results in a position that is similar to cruiser bikes and while it
may not be of much use in the city, you will appreciate it on the highways.
We did not have enough time to test the real world mileage
of the scooter but the company claims a figure of 53kmpl. So you can get about
45kmpl on this and with a 5.6L fuel tank, you get a decent range for long
rides. While the suspension on the Burgman Street is pretty good at soaking
minor bumps and gentle speed breakers, I did feel that it could have been tuned
to provide a more plush experience, especially considering its cruising nature.
But the scooter did impress me when it came to braking. The disc brake at the
front and the drum in the rear are quick to bring you to a halt with the help
of Combined Braking System (CBS). I really liked the strong bite from the disc
brake. The tubeless tyres on the Burgman Street are also identical to the
Access. You get a 12 inches one at the front and a 10 inches wheel at the rear,
both of which provide a solid amount of grip on the road. I even had fun while
throwing this scooter into sharp corners. But the rear tyre does look a bit odd
when compared to the rest of the proportions.
Verdict
It is nice to see a maxi scooter for the masses. The Burgman
Street definitely has the benefit of distinct and drawing looks at a time when
scooter designs are almost stagnating. The convenience features such as
flexible foot position, boot space, charging compartment are all great and
thoughtful additions. However, it is the price premium that might hold some
people back. People who just want a good 125cc scooter might just opt for the
Access for its lower cost and similar (if not better) performance. As was the
case with the Intruder, you pay for exclusivity with the Burgman Street and for
what you pay, you get a solid product.