A stiffer chassis and larger 15-inch front wheel increase the Burgman 400’s stability at freeway speeds. Photo by Julia Lapalme.
Odometer: 619 miles MSRP (as tested): $8,099
OK, you long-time Suzuki Burgman owners are probably thinking that 619 miles isn’t much for a long-term report, but try to finish reading this before you bombard our email inbox with tales of your cross-country trips and high-mileage Burgmen. The 400 was all-new for 2018, and it’s a testament to how good it’s become that we put more than 500 miles on our test bike in just a few short weeks.
The styling is updated, comfort and wind protection upgrades make it more pleasant to ride and a stiffer chassis and larger 15-inch front wheel increase stability at freeway speeds. Power output is similar to before but the liquid-cooled, 399cc single with four valves and twist-and-go CVT transmission have been refreshed for more torque down low, better power delivery off idle and a throatier growl from the airbox (which some us felt was a bit loud).
Underseat storage holds 42 liters, or one full-face and one open-face helmet.
Despite the updates it weighs a claimed 15 pounds less and gets 12-percent better fuel efficiency–our test bike averaged 50.2 mpg over three fill-ups, with a high of 61.4 and low of 45.1, and an average range of more than 180 miles from its 3.6-gallon tank.
The windscreen is smaller than before but said to be more aerodynamic, and though it’s been some time since we last rode an earlier 400 it does seem like wind protection is up and noise down. Nevertheless Suzuki offers a larger screen for the Burgman 400, as well as a top trunk, which would be a welcome addition to its 42 liters of storage under the seat.
Large storage pockets flank the Burgman’s parking brake and ignition console. One includes a 12V power outlet, but neither pocket locks.
With its nimble but stable handling, excellent ABS brakes, spry power and linked single rear shock that provides a firm but complaint ride, we found little fault with the 2018 Burgman 400, and with 619 miles on the clock almost everything in our initial reports in the June 2018 issue and here still stands, with the exception of the new fuel economy figures above. We’d also like the lumbar support to adjust farther back for the taller among us, since it can’t be removed entirely without modifications.
At a $2,950 savings over the larger Burgman 650, the 400 may be the Goldilocks just-right maxi-scoot for a lot of riders who want a lot of luxury and performance in a smaller, more maneuverable size.
Motorcycle sales are continuing their slide and even picking up pace with a 14.6% drop in the first quarter of 2019.
It’s the biggest quarterly drop since the slide began in 2017 and cause for concern.
Some of the sales decline could be due to the uncertainty in the economy owing to the impending Federal Election.
According to data released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), 18,438 motorcycles, ATVs and scooters were sold during the first three months of 2019.
That compares with 21,599 for the same period in 2018 when sales were down 13.4% on the previous year. Sales results for the full year of 2018 were down 8.7%.
All categories were affected by the tumbling pace of sales except scooters which were up 29.6% from a low base eroded over the past few years.
Pace leaders and losers
Honda was the overall leader with a 21.8% share of the national market, but a 17.4% drop in sales.
Yamaha was second with a 20.8% share (down 8.4% in sales) and Kawasaki with 11.8% (-6.8%).
Road motorcycles fell 19.2% as Harley-Davidson returned to the lead again with a 19.1% share even though Harley sales continued to plummet 17.8%.
Yamaha was second with 18.2% (down 8% in sales) and Honda with a share of 16.6%, but down a whopping 37.9%.
I’ve been lucky enough to have had the run of the Piaggio Museum twice – once soon after it opened, in 2000 and again in 2015, after it had been remodelled. Most of the images here are from the most recent trip although I have included a few shots of individual machines from my first visit.
Phil returns to the Piaggio Museum in 2015, following a visit in 2000
The museum opened in March 2000 in what used to be the company tool shop in the factory in Pontedera, near Pisa. The 3000 square metres of floor space displays just about every Vespa model ever built plus a range of Gileras and other Piaggio items such as the Treno MC2 de 54 electric rail locomotive from 1936 (Piaggio was the first company in Italy to build stainless steel rail stock, in the 1930s).
Piaggio Museum
One particularly nice touch is the way the company archives are housed. You literally are able to walk through the company’s history!
Piaggio Museum
Piaggio Museum
Two famous bikes greet the visitor inside the entrance. The record-breaking 1937 500 Rondine Carenata and the 1939 500 Rondine GP (click here for the full feature). The Carenata used one of the six bikes acquired from CNA in 1936 as its basis.
Piaggio Museum – 1937 500 Rondine Carenata
A longer frame, modified wheels and the fully enclosed fairing (developed in Caproni’s wind tunnel) were fitted. In October 1937 Piero Taruffi set an absolute speed record of 274.181kph with the bike, then in 1939 a one hour record of 205kph.
Piaggio Museum – 1939 500 Rondine GP in the background
A re-creation (using the original furnishings) of Corradino d’Ascanio’s studio – including the MP6 prototype.
Piaggio Museum
Some overall views of the museum interior.
Piaggio Museum
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The 1943-44 MP5 prototype designed by engineer Renzo Spoiti. Known as the “Paperino” (Donald Duck) the MP5 saw very limited production (about 100) before it was superseded by the first Vespa (the MP6 prototype in the background).
Piaggio Museum – M5 prototype and Vespa M6 prototype
Possibly the most valuable scooter in the world! In 1962 two Spanish students embarked on a trip from Madrid to Athens on their Vespas. At their first stop, in Cadaquez, they met Salvador Dali – who proceeded to decorate their scooters!
Piaggio Museum
This 125cc green machine, piloted by three riders, set 17 world records at the Mothlery circuit in France in April 1950. They included: 1 hour – average speed 134kph, 100 miles – average 129.7kph, 500 miles – average 123.9kph, 1,000km – average 124.3kph and 10 hours – average 1,094km.
Piaggio Museum – The 125cc ‘green machine’ took 17 world records in 1950
One of my favourite shapes! The Siluro was designed in 1951 to break the standing kilometre world record. In February on the Rome-Ostia motorway, rider Dino Mazzoncini broke the record with a time of 21.4 seconds and an average speed of 171.1kph. The very organic design (by Corradino d’Ascanio) used a 125cc water-cooled 2-stroke with twin horizontally opposed pistons that made 17.2hp at 9,500rpm.
Piaggio Museum
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The single example of the Vespa Alpha was built for use in the 1967 film “Dick Smart, Agent 2007”. A 180 Super Sport was modified by Piaggio and the British Alpha Willis firm to not only be roadworthy but to also fly and operate underwater!
Piaggio Museum – Vespa Alpha
The very large scale model built in 1977 to promote the launch of the “New Line” models at the Paris Show.
Piaggio Museum – A large scale Piaggio model for the 1977 model unveiling at the Paris Show
Traffic getting too much for you? You need one of these! The Vespa 150 T.A.P. (Truppe Areo Portate) was built by Piaggio’s French licensee (A.C.M.A.) to meet a French specification to equip paratroop and Foreign Legion units.
Piaggio Museum – Vespa 150 T.A.P.
Approximately 600 were constructed between 1956-9. They were fitted with a 75mm recoilless cannon with 6 rounds, 2 jerrycans and a small trolley. (2000)
An Ape used as a fire fighting unit.
Piaggio Museum – Fire-fighting Ape
A couple of competition scooters. L: 1947 Vespa 48 Circuito. R; Vespa 48 Corsa.
Piaggio Museum – Competition Vespa scooters
Off road scooters! 1951 125 Sei Giorni (Six Days). One of nine factory entries that won Gold at the 26th ISDT held at Varese.
Piaggio Museum – Off-road scooters too
1985 T5 Paris-Dakar.
Piaggio Museum – 1985 Vespa T5
1955 Vespa moped prototype.
Piaggio Museum – A Vespa moped prototype
Vespa trophy cabinet.
Piaggio Museum – Plenty of trophies to the Vespa name
The cost of living is driving more riders to smaller motorcycles and scooters, says Hartford Australia who is importing small-capacity Taiwanese machines.
Ballina-based importer Joe Fisher says scooters and learner bikes have “gone crazy” despite a slow market.
“I come from a time when the industry was formed on XL250s and Belstaff jackets,” he says.
“We see a healthy return to this time where the cost of living is pushing more and more people to find cheaper alternatives to get to work.
“We think the LAMS (learner-approved motorcycle scheme) market is the growth area for the immediate future of the industry.
“I regularly travel between Brisbane and Sydney and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many get-to-work bikes in every town I pass through.
“It is indeed encouraging to be involved in our efforts to expand this market.”
Hartford range
Hartford Classic
So Joe is importing the Classic 250 ($4799 +ORC), and the 125cc Sienna (#3399) and 300cc Vita ($6199) scooters. The Sienna comes with a one-year warranty and the others with a 24-month warranty.
Hartford Sienna
Hartford Vita
They will be followed by liquid-cooled 450cc adventure and naked bikes later this year.
Adventure
Naked
The sole Aussie distributor is working on setting up a network of non-franchised dealers “willing to give us a god shot”.
He hopes to start with dealers on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane.
Joes has been involved in the industry since 1975.
“I think I’ve pretty well seen the good the bad and the ugly of the industry over that time,” he says.
“To keep the motorcycle companies off our case for as long as possible, we have formed a company (Aussie Motorcycle Imports Pty Ltd) as the importer and distributor of this new brand of Hartford under my personal name.”
If the Australian Greens had their way, we would all be riding electric motorcycles like the one above by 2030 and would foot the bill via government incentives.
Their plan includes:
Australian Greens transport spokesperson Senator Janet Rice announced the plan after the final report of her Select Committee on Electric Vehicles was released.
Greens rewards
“The Greens are the only party with a real plan to get Australia in the fast lane so that we can reap the rewards that will come from electric vehicles,” she says.
She doesn’t say what the rewards are, but with the current electric supply problems, labouring our system wth more electrical products could put us all in the dark.
The Greens also don’t mention anything about the environmental concerns of electricity from our coal-fired power plants and the disposal of batteries.
Their reference to “strong vehicle emissions standards” probably means faster acceptance of Euro standards.
The Greens would have us follow countries such as Sweden which is among the world leaders in EV adoption with more than 50,000 plug-in vehicles registered and a plan to have a 100% fossil-fuel-free vehicle fleet by 2030.
That’s not a reference to just new vehicles coming into or made in the country. That’s ALL vehicles.
That would mean a total ban on riding all motorcycles, except electric bikes like this!
Bolt electrics
Johammer J1
BMW electric C-Evolution scooter
Honda Riding Assist-e
Meanwhile, the Greens want the government to incentivise motorcyclists and drivers to buy EVs.
“The government has a choice to get Australia in the fast lane, but that means hitting the accelerator with ambitious targets and incentives to drive the uptake of electric vehicles,” Senator Rice says.
In the end, the motorist pays for those incentives through taxes, so where’s the incentive?
Yamaha’s 2019 XMAX 300 scooter has arrived with the popular scooter retaining the same attractive price that it boasted in 2018, $6999.
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
The XMAX 300 features motorcycle-type forks, a large 15-inch front wheel and 14-inch rear, alongside a compact chassis, providing this Max family scooter with agile handling, while retaining a high level of comfort.
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
An efficient liquid-cooled, single-cylinder 292cc Blue Core engine is matched to a twist-and-go V-Belt automatic transmission, offering effortless performance ideal for mid-week commuting through the congested urban jungle, or even a weekend escape into the countryside.
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
Standard XMAX 300 safety features include ABS and traction control, as well as the convenience and security of smart keyless ignition.
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
Borrowing DNA from Yamaha’s top-of-the-range TMAX scooter, the high-tech appearance of the XMAX 300 is achieved with full LED twin-eye headlights, and a third central LED light which illuminates when high beam is activated. The tail lights also feature LED bulbs.
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
The instrument panel consists of an easy-to-read analogue speedometer and tachometer with a central multi-function LCD display. A handlebar-mounted control switch allows effortless scrolling through the displays.
2019 Yamaha XMAX 300 – Matt Silver
Generous underseat storage is roomy enough to hold two full-face helmets or a heap of gear or groceries, ensuring everything can be stored securely in the scooter, or that the XMAX 300 is capable of handling shopping duties.
After several years as a trendy merchandise and clothing brand, Italian-origin Lambretta has returned to our market with a range of scooters, topped by the V200 Special.
The range includes V50 and V50 Special ($3590), V125 and V125 Special ($4290), V200 and V200 Special ($4990) and limited-edition Pirelli ($5390). (All are retail prices and do not include on-road costs.)
Lambretta Pirelli Limited Edition V200 Special
That’s very competitive for an Italian-origin scooter that comes with a steel body and frame, LED lighting, USB port, Bosch ABS and Pirelli tyres.
While the elite scooterist congoscenti may argue that the modern Lambretta is not truly Italian, what automotive company is truly a complete product of their origin nation?
Cars and bikes are made all over the world with components from a host of nations. Even Harley-Davidson now makes some motorcycles in India. And Italian scooter competitor Vespa is making more and more models in Vietnam.
Lambretta began in the fashionable Lambrate division of Milan in 1948, a couple of years after Vespa.
The company is now owned by the Swiss Lambretta Consortium and the Austrian KSR Group.
Design flair
Their scooters feature reliable Taiwanese SYM engines and are designed by Austrian company Kiska who also design for KTM, Husqvarna and CFMoto.
When I picked up the V200 Special from Urban Scooters in Newstead, Brisbane, it immediately reminded me of a 1970s Lambretta I rode around London.
Same sleek design with that aggressive, masculine, bomb-style rear shell and an aura that reeks of Quadrophenia attitude.
About the only difference is the absence of a gear shifter on the left grip and a flex fender that turns with the wheel rather than a fixed fender. However, true believers can also choose a fixed fender version.
To remind the rider of its origins, the name “Lambretta” is simply stamped, painted or stickered everywhere.
It feels sturdy with a steel semi-monocoque body and plenty of steel parts and aluminium front grill, handlebar components and trim.
The V200 Special controls feel a bit notchy, but the paint, badges and details are all good quality.
The LED taillight with integrated indicators is an absolute work of art. I wonder how they got that through ADRs!
My only concern with the design and finish is the rear mud flap extension that looks like an add-on, while the panel around the number plate looks like a piece of trim is missing.
The V200 has audible indicators that beep to remind riders to switch them off. That’s a good safety feature as many riders forget to cancel their indicators and then wonder why motorists drive out in front of them at intersections!
It did get a little annoying after a while and some may prefer to disconnect this feature.
V200 power
The 169cc SYM single-cylinder engine has just 8.8kW of power and 12.2Nm of torque.
It needs to be fed some revs before taking off, but it responds smoothly and quickly. It hits 60km/h in about four seconds which is ample for around-town duties.
The air-cooled engine requires oil changes every 3000km with a major service every 12,000km.
Those frequent oil-change intervals might lead some owners to skip maintenance, especially time-poor commuters.
The engine is linked to a continuously variable transmission as used in many scooters and small cars.
CVT doesn’t have gears as such but keeps the engine revving in its sweet spot and smoothly adjusts the final ratio to accelerate.
Some twist-and-go scooters snatch when engaged, but this has smooth power delivering, allowing for confident feet-up u-turns.
Out on the 80km/h roads, it buzzes along nicely without vibrating the mirrors or sending a tingle through the bars. If pressed, it will get up to highway speeds, but labours on hills.
Despite being a single-cylinder engine, it doesn’t feel overly stressed on the highway, nor noisy, thanks also to the belt final drive.
Ride quality
While original Lambrettas had leading link suspension, these feature conventional telescopic forks with a single rear shock.
It rides ok without any clatter or wild head-shake, and it copes quite well with most potholes.
However, the 12-inch wheels don’t like the big hits and send kickback through the bars.
Brakes are excellent with smooth Bosch ABS activation in the front.
Like most scooters, there is more effective braking from the left lever or back brake because of the engine’s weight over the back wheel.
Scooter comfort
Riding position is comfortable for my 182cm frame, although the bars are a little close and my knees almost touch the front cowl.
Big rubber floor grips ensure your feet don’t slip when it rains.
Comfort is assured with a generously padded seat for both rider and pillion.
The 800mm seat is also quite wide which can make it difficult for some people to put their feet down when stopped.
However, the beauty of a step-through scooter is that you can slide forward off the front of the seat when stopped and easily plant your feet on the ground.
Features
The front cowl features a lockable glove compartment with a steering lock and a USB charging point for your phone. However, my plus-size iPhone wouldn’t fit.
Lockable under-seat storage has enough room for a full-face helmet, plus gloves.
Instruments sit on top of the headlight nacelle and are a combination of LCD screen and analogue speedo.
They feature a lot of info, but are set almost horizontal so they are difficult to see. The screen also reflects a lot of glare from the sun.
The numbers and letters are also spindly which makes them even more difficult to see.
Conclusion
I’ve ridden many scooters and this looks and feels more like an Italian scooter than some cheap Asian knock-off.
The best thing about the Vespa Elettricaelectric scooter is that it is almost a complete mirror of the iconic petrol-powered retro model.
And, of course, just like the standard Vespa, it is twist-and-go-throttle so there is one less hurdle among scooter riders crossing over from an internal combustion model to an electric.
Vespa Elettrica
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From the above video it appears to have a top speed — in power mode — of 50km/h, so it would be legally limited to 60km/h roads in Australia. It also features reverse gear to make parking easier.i
Elettrica has 100km of urban range and the x version will almost reach 200km which is plenty for the weekly commute.
Vespa says it is not just quiet but “totally silent”. We doubt that. Tyres make noise on the road. But the rest of it should be pretty quiet, allowing riders to safely concentrate on the sounds around them.
The battery under the under-seat compartment still allows riders enough room to store a “purpose-built helmet” which is an open-face design, with and without a visor.
Its recharge cable will plug into a normal socket and will charge in about four hours on our 240V power.
Elettrica’s 4.3-inch full-colour TFT dashboard includes important information to help with maintaining battery charge.
It will connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth and an app to display selected features from your phone.
You can access these features via buttons on the bars so you don’t have to touch the screen or your phone.
And if you’ve forgotten where you parked your Vespa, the app saves its position.
Elettrica comes with an electric blue accent (of course) as well as three other colour accents.
Vespa price
Vespa Australia brand manager Gavan Moody says the Elletrica has “generated a lot of interest overseas” since it was launched in concept form at the 2016 EICMA motorcycle show in Milan.
The production version was released last week at the same show to even greater interest.
It goes into production this year for European markets.
“Piaggio Asia Pacific advise there is no plan for this region until after 2019, if it was to be introduced here,” Gavan says.
“Price has not been discussed however the indication is it would be at the upper end of the current premium Vespa range.”
Current Vespas range in price from the GTS 250 ie at $7890 (plus on-road costs) to the $12,490 946 Belissima.
Would Aussie scooterists be prepared to pay around that amount for an electric scooter?
We think so and here’s why.
Scooter trends
Scooters have been on a dramatic slide in recent years but are slightly bouncing back.
However, the slide has not affected the quality Vespa Italian brand.
In 2011, Vespa sold 1042 scooters in Australia and last year sold 977, down just 6.2% while the whole scooter market plummeted by two-thirds to just 3852 last year.
(Note: Those figures are slightly skewed by the absence of some cheap scooter brands from the official figures, but you get the idea.)
It goes to show that scooterists appreciate top quality and are prepared to pay.
It will connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth and an app to display selected features from your phone.
