Honey, they shrunk THE BURGMAN
At Suzuki’s 2018 Burgman AN400 model launch in late summer 2017, Mikko found it ‘thoroughly enjoyable to ride’. Fast forward to 2018 and the scooter is now in the UK – time for a spot of ‘real world’ testing.
My first impression of the 2018 Burgman is that the scooter is smaller – and it is, having lost a little length, width and weight (although it’s still a little heavier than it was on release in 1998). Having ridden older versions in the past, it would also appear that the new stepped seat pushes the driver’s position a little forward; that’s not a problem on short daily commutes, but I’ll wait to be convinced on whether it affects comfort on long journeys; Suzuki says the seat itself is 20mm thicker than on the old model, so that should help with ‘numb bum’ syndrome.
Something else I suspect has shrunk (although I couldn’t find any
reference to it in the tech specs) is the underseat storage space – Suzuki claims you can get two helmets under the seat, albeit one of them being a ‘Jet’ style. There is some other limited storage available, which consists of two storage compartments in the front legshields, one of which contains a 12v DC power outlet.
If the Burgman’s stature has shrunk slightly, the front wheel has actually gotten bigger; the rear wheel remains at 13 inches, but the front wheel is now 15 inches (maybe this is part of the reason that the seat height is up on the previous model, sitting at 755mm)?
Style-wise there have been several changes; to match the weight loss, the Burgman also gets a more compactlooking upswept front windscreen (tool adjustable). The restyled front end brings a sharper, edgier look, enhanced by the dual LED headlights with integrated LED running lights and indicators. At the rear, there are independent LED combination lamps which incorporate the rear indicators.
On the dashboard you’ll find large analogue speedometer and tacho dials; the accompanying digital display unit provides you with a plethora of information courtesy of an odometer, dual trip meters, a fuel gauge, coolant temperature, average fuel consumption, ambient temperature, a freeze indicator plus a clock. Another feature is Suzuki’s ‘Eco Drive’ indicator (a warning light that flashes on and off to tell you just