2023 Suzuki Burgman Long Term Review, July 2023 Report

This month, we are welcoming a new member in our long-term garage – the Suzuki Burgman Street EX. You may think this scooter – sorry, maxi-scooter – is quite old, but the EX is the updated version of the regular Burgman Street 125, and it’s been on the market for quite some time.

On the face of it, it does come across as an unassuming cosmetic update, but Suzuki has done some crucial modifications to the scooter, which warrant your attention. The biggest change is the introduction of a bigger 12-inch rear wheel as compared to the puny 10-inch wheel of the regular version. It also gets some more features, which include a silent starter motor and auto start / stop tech for saving fuel while idling.

I have always loved the practicality and fun ratio of mass-market 125cc scooters, and the Burgman has always been one of my favourites. However, my biggest problem with the scooter is that it looked a bit odd. You see, the regular version has all the ingredients of a maxi-scooter, but it lacks the visual appeal of one, thanks to its small rear wheel. The EX has fixed that problem, as the larger wheel gives it a more proportionate stance. It looks so much better.

I have been using the scooter for my daily commute (52km total), and I don’t have much to complain about. It’s refined, plenty fast – it can do speedo-indicated 95km/h easily on open roads. And the handling, stability, and braking are impressive too. The ride quality is a mixed bag though. At low speeds, it should, in theory, be more absorbent of undulations and bad roads, owing to its larger wheel, but that is, surprisingly, not the case. It is quite bumpy still – maybe even bumpier than the regular version! However, most of my commute, thankfully, involves riding on good roads, and it’s not really a problem until I hit the mountain-high speed breakers in my society, that is. Then it does send shockwaves through my spine.

What I love the most about the Burgman is its fuel efficiency – it’s returning close to 55km/l! And that has brought my running costs down substantially. Let’s see if it can perform this well consistently in the long run.

Read more:

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