Concept comparison between Suzuki AN 250 Burgman and BMW K 1200 RS

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Concept comparison between Suzuki AN 250 Burgman and BMW K 1200 RS

Roll command

With a sofa roller in the Alps ?? Pleasure or frustration? MOTORRAD set out to experience the endurance qualities of the 250cc Suzuki Burgman. Also on board: a travel professional from BMW.

Do you know what a crazy idea is? The invention of whiskey, for example, was one. Much more that to drink too much of it? and then to talk shop about things that are little understood. »With such a large scooter you can certainly tour just fine.« The sentence was in the room, as powerful as Suzuki’s AN 250 Burgman in the editorial garage. No extenuating circumstances, even if every court in the world would have found “not sane”. That‘s how they are, the colleagues.
So: off to the Alps. But not alone. The bean counter who puts every word on the gold scales and whose name is graciously concealed here doesn’t want to miss out on the fun and incidentally prove that no sofa in this world tours better than a sporty touring motorcycle. His vehicle: BMW K 1200 RS. It really couldn’t get any bigger.
Put your clothes on and you’re done. At least with the BMW, which also carries a couple of practical suitcases. The Burgman, on the other hand, refuses to accept any luggage. No hooks, no straps, just plastic on the stern. You cannot fasten a belt with a clear conscience. A pair of underpants and three cans of tuna fit under the hydraulically opening bench and a toothbrush plus cigarettes in the front of the mini glove compartment. But baggage roll? Comes to the K 1200.
First stage: Autobahn to the edge of the Alps. “I’m waiting for you there,” the BMW driver says goodbye. “Took some reading with me. Shakespeare’s collected works. ”He is gone. 200 kilometers ?? no big deal with the RS. Windshield up, sixth gear in and easy 180 things over the train. And the Burgman? My goodness: Until he’s out of town. You don’t dare to push into the front row at any traffic light. Don’t forget to factor in the delay with which the centrifugal clutch engages. And then this start, sooo tough. Only at 6000 tours, i.e. 80 km / h, does the four-stroke engine apply its maximum torque to the variator. But it’s really fun to scooter around without using the clutch or shifting gears.
Finally on the track, throttle to the stop. After all: 130 kilometers per hour. That is enough to overtake a truck and leaves enough time to think about your own sensitivities: comfortable sitting position. Really. Like on the locus. Only better padded. If only it wasn’t so dragging from behind. The powerful windshield causes enormous turbulence. Big or small? all have their problems with it.
No problems with the driving behavior. The Burgman rolls on a big foot. 13 inch wheels. In addition, a very long wheelbase and a flat fork, you’re done with a proper straight line. You drive and drive and drive and would drive a lot farther if it weren’t for the fuel gauge that reminds you to follow up after 170 kilometers. 5.4 liters per 100 kilometers of full throttle. Something like affection arises.
The BMW team reached the stage destination in Fussen with a 55 minute lead. Total consumption: 16 liters of fuel, three curry sausages, two pieces of cake. Result: stomach bent. That’s what you call a Pyrrhic victory. But the Alps will sort it out. Fernpass, Reschenpass. One thing is clear: the BMW can do it. Quite well, actually. Again and again she inspires with playful handling. And that with a live weight of 290 kilograms. Further highlights: this exemplary comfort and of course ?? the motor. Pulls from all positions.
The Burgman cannot serve that. But if you let him fight with his own means, the journey through the labyrinth of curves will also be a pleasure with him. A scooter is called a scooter because you have to let it roll. No hectic overtaking maneuvers, there is not enough power. Instead: think strategically. Plan ahead ?? and strike at the right moment. Or just stay behind. Enjoy the wonderful mountain panorama. And the splendid cornering. Despite the nervousness that comes from the relatively small wheels measured by motorcycle conditions, with a little practice you can drive a clean line.
You shouldn’t be too brash. Beyond 90 km / h, the AN develops a lively life of its own in an inclined position. He shows what he doesn’t like. Is that what you call character? In any case, it opens up perspectives away from the asphalt strips. Mountain lakes become bluer, forests and meadows greener, towns mutate from a necessary evil to a welcome change. Just let yourself drift. That’s it. And stop if necessary.
This decision can be made spontaneously with the brakes on the Burgman. This integral braking system works really well. Simply pull the left lever and the front and rear brakes are activated. And vehemently. If it is still not enough, the right can help. Easy and effective.
The BMW is waiting at the foot of the Stilfser Joch. But her engine is still crackling. It only arrived recently. Was just ten minutes faster on 175 kilometers of country road. Nothing with currywurst and cake and certainly not with Shakespeare.
But now it’s: Stilfser Joch. Up, at 2757 meters. Serpentine winding, short straights, twelve percent incline, frost breakouts, as big as moon craters. A route on which even BMW gets into problems. Their light-footedness gives way here, in the tight bends, to a wobbly driving behavior. The weight is noticeable. It’s a good thing that there is still enough power in the thin air to keep on track with targeted use of gas. It’s no longer playful, but she storms up, with bite and commitment.
The Burgman is completely different. He sneaks, he can’t help it. Sorry, but it has to go up. Tortured from curve to curve, at 40, 45 km / h. Just don’t lose your momentum in the bends, even if the main stand touches down hard to the right. A wheelbase of just under 1.60 meters doesn’t make things any easier, and the front wheel plunges into every break of frost as if it were the last.
That has left nothing of the drift, it’s an uphill battle. You help with your feet, sweat and sweat. Until it happens, until the penny finally falls: We can ?? and must ?? don’t race up here. We scooter through the Alps. And at a species-appropriate pace. Turn by turn, slope by slope. The route is the goal. The insight follows relaxation. And then the mountain opens up in all its beauty. These breathtaking views. This vast nature. And at the top of the pass … what a panorama.
D.he scooter took twice as long at 20 minutes as the BMW, but that really doesn’t matter anymore. Other things matter up here. Plans for the return journey are forged in amicable manner. And, as if the high altitude training camp had freed up fresh energy, Burgman rushes down the pass road, always on the rear wheel of the K 1200. Good brakes. What fun. Alpenglow. With the sofa roller. What a crazy idea.

Competitors of the Suzuki Burgman

Large paneling, lush benches in sofa format and water-cooled four-stroke single-cylinder engines – at first glance, the competitors in the large scooter class have a lot in common with the Burgman. Differences only become apparent on closer inspection. With the Majesty DX, Yamaha is setting sporty accents: the suspension is firm, the handling is agile and sometimes nervous. With its performance, it is right at the forefront of quarter-liter scooters. The rough running of the engine is not so pleasing; the Honda Foresight, on the other hand, has dedicated itself entirely to comfort. The smooth running of the two-valve engine is at the highest level, as is the suspension comfort of the chassis. The soft tuning, however, gives the 250 a restless handling at higher speeds. Handy, cultivated and fast, the compact Piaggio Hexagon is in its element in the city. The low-priced Italo scooter easily overcomes the lack of performance of the 250cc engine contributed by Honda with its perfectly adapted gear ratio, which is also to be hoped for in the new Suzuki Burgman 400, which is at the forefront of the competition with 33 hp – at least on paper.

Conclusion: BMW K 1200 RS

Bavaria and mountains go together. So it is not surprising that the woman from Munich is convincing in the Alps. Above all, the engine inspires with its start deep from the speed basement. It doesn’t matter whether it should be easy or brisk? the BMW can do it. The heavy weight and the not always transparent feedback of the front wheel only bother her in very tricky corners. But the BMW shines with ABS and a regulated catalytic converter, plenty of space, first-class comfort and fine detailed solutions. One likes to forgive the many pounds.

Conclusion: Suzuki 250 Burgman

With the scooter in the Alps? “Real” motorcyclists clap their hands over their heads? and will have to do this more often in the future. Because the scooters continue to grow and conquer new territory. Take Burgman, for example: he manages every mountain, even if the dynamics sometimes fall by the wayside. But that’s no different with some cruisers. But the AN 250 offers a high level of comfort for driver and front passenger, great brakes, an acceptable chassis and good weather protection. It’s just a shame that Suzuki didn’t think of sturdy luggage hooks.

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