2007 Suzuki Burgman 400 First Ride

Motoring across San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge at 70 mph I found myself repeating an already familiar phrase in my head: Remember, you're test riding a scooter.

For most riders, myself included, the scooter market gets identified by small- displacement (most often 50cc) whining machines that are fun to zip around town but aren't fit for duty out on the real roads. That perception has changed in recent years with the introduction of the luxo-scooter category, comprised of larger displacement machines capable of big-time roads and cross-town traffic. The Burgman 400 has earned a reputation as a formidable commuter and weekend warrior, so to evaluate the 2007 edition what better place to test versatility of 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 '07 with a tweaked motor, comfier ergos and improved componentry. Of the two versions, the Burgman 400 is the better seller and, in fact, is the best-selling scooter in the 126cc-and-over category. Dividing the scooter category at the 125cc mark, Suzuki presented some compelling data supporting the surprising growth of the 126cc-and-over scooter market and the Burgman's dominating position in it.

In 2005 the smaller machines still sold more units in the U.S., tallying 37,500 sales compared to the larger machines' 21,400, yet the increase in the smaller units was just 9% compared to the even healthier 21% of the larger scooters. The Burgman's numbers from 2005 were a 23% increase over '04, and taking a snapshot of 2006 thru June, Suzuki's overall scooter numbers are up 60% compared to the industry's already impressive 20% increase. Right now the Burgman 400 remains the best-selling scooter in the 126cc-and-over market.

Making its stateside debut in 2003, Suzuki prepared the Burgman for success on American shores by launching an aggressive urban marketing campaign in major metropolitan areas, including a billboard in New York's Time Square. That a scooter would be aimed at the big-city crowd is not a shock, but the demographic of Burgman purchasers reveals some surprising numbers. The typical scooter rider in my imagination is a frizzy-haired European fellow, who looks a lot like Valentino Rossi, buzzing around town craning his neck and beeping his horn while checking out the young ladies in the plaza. I had to readjust my reality tunnel when Suzuki presented its sales information and I discovered the typical Burgman 400 rider was more inclined to carry a AARP card in their wallets than a college ID.

Make sure to check out the 2007 Suzuki Burgman 400 Scooter video

It turns out the average Burgman 400 rider has 12.4 years of riding experience under 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 motorcycle owner: 12.1 years of riding experience, 38 years old, and $60,750 household income; and you don't have to be a statistics professor to draw some pretty general 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 of women riders making up the Burgman demographic, with 24% of the Burgman 400 customers hailing from the fairer sex compared to 12% of Suzuki's overall motorcycle owners. Another significant number is that extra $11,134 in income which, 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-wheeled transport.

The Burgman is something of a hybrid, with the luxo-scooter representing the offspring of a sport-touring motorcycle and 50cc scooter. The Burgman does its best to meld the two worlds but taking the controls after throwing a leg through, instead of over, the machine, the differences are noticeable right away. Claiming a dry weight of 438 lbs, the Burgman is a different beast altogether from its smaller scooter siblings, yet the low center of gravity and 28-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 to keep the machine stationary when left stopped on an incline and can be set and released with one hand.

Turn the key and the Burgman's analog tach and speedo needles flip all the way over and back, the dominant features of an impressive control panel. A fuel gauge resides on the far left of the instrument cluster with an engine temperature gauge on the right. Dead center in the cluster a clock display is positioned above the main display screen, which with the touch of two buttons below can cycle through useful info such as the ambient temperature, odometer, dual tripmeters, and the all-important mpg figures - so that poor gas-consumption-obsessed commuters, such as myself, can wax euphoric about the Burgman'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't thrill the senses in quite the same way as the Suzuki sportbikes, the Burgman's exhaust note is sturdy enough without being obnoxious. The powerplant in 2007 features an upgrade in displacement from 385 to 400cc via an elongated stroke, with the 81 x 77.6mm bore/stroke figures replacing 2006's 83 x 71.2mm numbers. Dual overhead cams supplant the SOHC configuration of 2006, and an EFI system provides a more efficient engine, with an Idle Speed Control (ISC) system eliminating the need for a choke lever. Suzuki officials were proud of the EFI system in particular, explaining how the design was derived from the venerable GSX-R lineup. Suzuki claims the improvements will provide strong acceleration, and the cleaner-burning machine employs an exhaust catalyzer with an O2 sensor to reduce emissions, making the new 400 compliant with stringent Euro 3 standards.

Take a look at the rest of the 2007 Suzuki Burgman 400 photos

Having gotten myself acquainted with the Burgman in the courtyard of our lodgings near Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, I got off the machine to play around with its adjustable backrest and explore its many storage spaces. Perhaps catering to the touring motorcycle oriented consumers who purchased the earlier Burgman, this 400 is something of a mini-tourer in its own right. The cavernous 62-liter underseat storage is up from the 55 liters of '06 and can stow away two full-face helmets with ease. Worried that I might be underdressed with just a mesh jacket I stowed a hoodie pullover in the underseat along with my small video camera and shoulder bag, with plenty of room to stash my helmet and gloves at intervening stops on our planned route. The storage space is also supplemented by two lidded cubby holes up near the instrument cluster and a glove compartment, which houses a handy DC power outlet.

Suzuki brass and Top Shelf Tours had planned out a special route to showcase the Burgman's strengths, which would take us up and down the streets of San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County for some more urban/sub-urban riding, and then head north via twisty mountain roads to our destination of Sonoma, California.

Read the Complete 2007 Suzuki Burgman 400 First Ride Article at Motorcycle-USA.com