2012 Suzuki Burgman 400Z ABS from United Kingdom

Summary:

One of the best powered two wheelers on the planet!

Faults:

None.

General Comments:

A fabulous good all round maxi scooter for one or two people. It's a physically big machine, making it very comfortable for tall riders, which was a major reason I bought this machine. Previously, I rode GSX1400's and DL1000's, so coming to a scooter was a bit of a change. But not one I regret. It's fun to ride and I look forward to every ride!

The 400 from 2007 onwards was redesigned to be improved in every area. Better frame and handling, and more maintenance friendly, with a bigger engine, more power and torque, yet more economy!

I've had my 400Z ABS for 18 months now, and nothing has gone wrong. It's completely fault free. The paint finish on the bike is faultless in spite of being used throughout the winter. It cleans up just like new each time. In fact, the whole bike is very easy to look after, with ease of maintenance being its strong point. It's a DIY'ers dream bike to work on, with nothing being difficult and parts being very cheap (mostly) to buy. For anyone who cannot or does not want to do his or her own servicing, here in the UK the cost of services including parts (in 2013) are roughly as follows: 1st service £25, 2nd service £90, 3rd service £120. It may vary slightly up or down according to individual dealers charges, but that's what I'm paying while it's under warranty. After that I'll look after it myself.

The performance in every aspect can only be described as very good. It picks up from standing start incredibly quickly. For anyone interested, testing my bike by GPS achieved a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds in neutral conditions on the flat. But the engine needs to run in and loosen properly before you can achieve that. Maximum acceleration is not what these bikes are about, but I mention it to demonstrate you have enough power to take on the traffic. It cruises comfortably at 75mph with no stress at all from the engine. It will cruise faster, but if you want to cruise faster than 80mph, then you should probably consider the 650 version.

Dependable and economical. The bike averages 75 MPG (UK gallons) but can better 85 MPG easily. It's easy on the pocket for fuel.

It takes cross winds and bad weather in its stride, with good handling and road holding in wet weather. In the dry you can throw it around on the twistiest of roads with gay abandon. Suspension is of course adjustable to allow you to set the bike up. Rough roads do produce a little more bumpiness than on a big motorcycle, but not obtrusively so. I find it just as smooth to ride most of the time as any of my motorcycles. The brakes are ABS, and work extremely well with far more power than you need.

In short, I'm very pleased with the bike and won't be selling it anytime soon. Many examples here in the UK have 80,000 plus miles on the clock with no trouble experienced by the owners. One of my own colleagues covers 18,000 miles per year on his. He has not had any problems either. They are a keeper!

Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd August, 2013