Menus
- Grand Tourism
- Test over 2 weeks and 1,500 km, including 600 km in one day
- Discovery
- In the saddle
- Contact
- In the city
- Highway
- On departmental
- Night road
- Braking
- Comfort / Duo
- Convenient
- Mobile app
- Consumption
- The BMW C400GT video test
- Conclusion
Grand Tourism
Test over 2 weeks and 1,500 km, including 600 km in one day
What a long way BMW has come since the arrival of its S1000RR, the brand’s sporting flagship, with its entire urban mobility strategy launched since 2011 with its scooters and a constantly expanding range.. After the C650 maxi-scooters, not to mention the electric version at the height of a T-Max in terms of pure performance, it was logical to see the range expand with its C400X which could have been called C400 sport. But while the C650 was released in both a sport and GT version, it took a year to see the GT version. And when we talk about GT and Grand Tourisme, it is often to see only a high bubble and a top case. Suddenly the term of Gt is a little usurped and more a marketing argument, than a real new model cut for the road. But with the C40GT, BMW went much further by offering a new machine, with a completely different line and radically breaking with the asymmetry of the sport version. But it’s still a 400. So, marketing model or true GT, capable of swallowing the miles? Test over two weeks, over nearly 1,500 km and especially a 600 km duo over one day to see if we can go as far as a 650 or GT models.
BMW C400GT maxi-scooter test
Discovery
The headlights and front and rear lights often give their style to a motorcycle or scooter. This is again and especially the case on the C40GT which suddenly really differs from the C400X, with a more generous general size, not only because of the front face which incorporates a higher and wider screen but also because of the fire. with rear LED which further integrates the turn signals.
High screen
LED rear light
The passenger gains real footboards compared to the footrests of the C400X. On the finish side, the plastics are up a notch qualitatively compared to the C650. A finish that can be found in details such as the closing of the storage compartments, which can now be locked with the keyless starting system. In the end, we have the impression of a bigger scooter, more rewarding, but also more sympathetic with a less ungrateful / characteristic physique than the X. A bigger scooter in all senses of the word, since the C400GT takes eight kilos compared to the C400X with now 212 kilos all full on the scale.
Under this term of 400, we actually find a single cylinder of 350 cm3 developing 25 kW (34 hp) at 7,500 rpm and 35 Nm at 6,000 rpm, but capable of climbing to 8,500 rpm.
4-stroke single-cylinder engine, water-cooled, 4 valves per cylinder
In the saddle
775 mm seat height! Finally a reasonable height for small sizes who will be reconciled with a maxi-scooter, many scooters having the annoying habit of being high, even very high, a height reinforced by wide saddles. Here, we are thus 10 mm less than an XMax400 and suddenly, a small template of 1.70 almost dismounts with both feet, making it one of the most accessible scooters. And with a lighter weight than the C650, handling at low speed, including duo, is made easier..
Thin template with 835 mm width, facilitating the interfacing
The controls fall perfectly to hand with a pleasant general ergonomics. We are not in the scooter but well above it, with a good vision above the bubble, neither too wide nor too high. The driver can then choose his position between resting on the front or propped up at the rear with the seat backrest.
We then find the 6.5-inch TFT screen that BMW has generalized this year on its 1250 motorcycle range but which is still optional on the 850 range but also on the C400. I found that these screens were a gadget when they arrived and I blamed them in addition for the price increase (625 euros) that they also mean compared to standard analog meters. But I must admit that their readability is excellent, including when with age, seen from near and far, normally require to have adapted glasses. Nothing like it here, where readability allows you to continue to have standard glasses.
TFT screen connected with GPS (optional)
Who says TFT, says on-board computer, mobile application and wide choice. It always takes a little time to adapt to specific BMW commodos with the wheel that turns and tilts to the left of the handlebars. But you get used to it quickly in the end to instinctively juggle with it while driving and without needing to take your eyes off the road. The said on-board computer works with a mobile application available for your smartphone under Android and IOS. BMW could have contented itself with finding some information on its mobile application, such as the partial trip, the remaining mileage, but the brand has associated it with a GPS. As a result, you can find directions and indications on its TFT screen, with settings available from the app according to the route selection criteria. Be careful, we are talking about directions and not a 3D map as on complete and independent GPS. But there is no doubt that the GPS with the roads will appear soon. That said, this is more than enough to navigate and very practical on a daily basis, despite some untimely disconnection problems in bluetooth..
You can vary the display either with only the speed, or with speed and tachometer (Urban mode) or even completely with partial trip, average consumption, remaining autonomy … All easily even when driving once the fold taken from the left stalk.
Comodos with thumbwheel and TFT screen menu button
The mirrors offer an excellent rear view, despite the size seeming small at first glance.
Rear finesse
Contact
With the key in your pocket, all you have to do is press the central button on the apron to start the maxi-scooter. A central button that unlocks the storage compartments, but also the fuel cap or the trunk under the saddle, but also the locking of the handlebars. It suffices to press a few seconds for the handlebars to lock like a traditional Neiman, with a characteristic clicking noise when locking.
35mm telescopic fork. 110 mm travel.
The C400 snorts in a rather serious sound for the category with an idle stabilized at 1,500 rpm. It then reacts instantly to the throttle, rising in the revs, but without excess, rarely exceeding 6,000 rpm before dropping down to 3 / 4,000 rpm.
Perfect in town, ready for the trip out of town
In the city
The good thing about the 400 is its size compared to bigger maxi-scooters and especially the C650. Less wide, we pass more easily and without worry between the lines, even when they are narrow. We are closer to a 125 template than a 650 with all the advantages in terms of ease of use in town. The C400GT is lively, even as a duo, without being a thunderbolt. No whirlwind start at the height of a 530 or a 650, but a sharper fishing than a 300 and of course a 125. We remain on 34 horses, more than the 28 horses of the majority of the 300 cm3 existing but less than a 500 developing more than 50 horsepower. There remains the single cylinder whose vibrations are well felt, especially on a particular engine speed of 4,000 rpm and the corresponding speed of 50 km / h.
34 hp at 7,500 rpm
Highway
The C400GT voluntarily engages on the motorway, quickly reaching 120 km / h, stalled at 7,000 rpm and then easily climbing up to 140 km / h, stalled at 8,000 rpm. It is then that it presents an excellent extension, accepting to take 153 km / h, that is to say 145 km / h real … but on German autobahn only. The whole thing makes it possible to safely overtake everything that runs normally on the motorway, even to cruiser quietly and really at 145 km / h. At this speed, the C40GT is unruffled and stable, even in high winds, which we have also experienced in the rain. Heading is therefore exemplary, including as a duo, thus thanking the perimeter frame made of steel tubes which asserts its efficiency in terms of rigidity. Protection is also excellent for the driver and quite good for the passenger. You can just feel the wind lightly on the outside of the driver’s arms. The wind deflects well on the helmet, without any infrasound related to the bubble. There are scooters with a high bubble that generate infrasound from 110 km / h and nothing like it here, whatever the speed, even higher. There is hardly that the consumption which then climbs briskly to six liters per hundred, reducing the autonomy generally observed in cool driving. Only the passenger is left with a wind falling towards him once deflected by the driver.
4,100 rpm in town at 50 km / h
In the end, you can really do kilometers, both solo and duo, without fatigue. The test was extended to achieve 600 kilometers in a day, without fatigue or sore buttocks for the pilot or passenger.
Lively without being nervous in town
On departmental
Back on departmental, the C400GT finds an excellent rhythm, with a neutral behavior, as well in solo as in duet. He tilts to the rhythm of the pilot, willingly accepting to resume a trajectory at the last moment.
Good pace on departmental and national with 6,000 rpm at 100 km / h
Handling deteriorates only if the road itself degrades, in fact, when the suspension enters compression and stress (especially in duet) at the same time as the turns tighten. Fast pace is possible but on the road in good condition.
Night road
The C400Gt provides excellent lighting at night, including low beam. And naturally, it illuminates the road with high beams, allowing you to drive at maximum speed, even at night..
2,210 mm in length
Braking
Braking with its double disc at the front and its single disc at the rear is efficient and at the height of the machine. It offers an excellent feeling and can be used daily with two fingers. The rear brake is thus more than sufficient for urban use, while the front brake offers all the necessary power, while requiring attention in the rain. Fortunately, there is the ABS, little intrusive and you really have to pull the levers hard solo to get it into action..
Dual 265 mm disc, 4 piston calipers, BMW ABS
We will not forget the original ASC, or traction control, which offers additional safety on the road.
Comfort / Duo
A GT must be able to cover miles, with all the comforts. This is the case of the C400GT which made it possible to cover 600 kilometers in duo on the motorway mainly without particular fatigue or suffering from the buttocks. It thus confirms its GT status, reinforced by the heated saddle and heated grips in case of cold (option of the comfort pack at 495 euros). The passenger will especially appreciate the top-case, not for the additional carrying capacity but simply to wedge his back, especially because of the wind pressure on him at maximum speed on the motorway. The C400GT reaches its limits not because of the comfort of the saddle, comfortable, but of the suspensions which arrive very quickly in stress, as well in compression as in relaxation and naturally especially in duet..
Double seat with backrest and GT edging, large passenger grips
So, when the well paved road of a highway gives way to the cobblestones of the capital, the suspensions of the C400GT hit right away, despite a travel greater than the competition. It remains less dry than an XMax400 but it deserves a little more flexibility.
Double aluminum swingarm, adjustable preload. 112 mm travel
Convenient
The two front storage compartments can accommodate a large smartphone, especially since the right storage compartment has a rubber underside and a charging socket (but not USB).
The trunk is practical thanks to the Flexcase system which can accommodate a modular, but only when stationary (the Flexcase system can only be unfolded using an interior button when stationary and the scooter refusing to start by protection if the Flexcase is open). You can also accommodate a half-jet and a rain suit. The top-case can also accommodate a modular. But the XMax 400 (without the top case) is more spacious with room for two integral.
Box under the saddle to accommodate a modular when stationary with the Flexcase system
Mobile app
Connectivity with the mobile app is justified above all in order to benefit from a GPS, especially since maps are offered. Connectivity via Bluetooth is super easy in a few seconds, making it possible to confirm to see the autonomy of the smartphone displayed on the TFT screen of the scooter. Bonus, the scooter then displays the speed limit of the road you are on. And this "gadget" saved me several times from a radar during the test, while the speed went from 130 to 110 km / h on the motorway on certain sections..
On the other hand, if the smartphone is placed in the storage compartment and not on a specific support on the handlebars, we have experienced several cases of untimely disconnection. Disconnection is annoying especially because if this is done during a GPS trip, the route must be reactivated on the phone even if the scooter resumes the connection by itself.
Note that you can also connect one or two helmets (driver / passenger) via this connectivity system.
Be careful, connectivity (with GPS) is an option at 625 euros.
1,565 mm wheelbase
Consumption
BMW announces a consumption under 4 liters. We have not managed to consume so little. In dynamic urban use, we run an average of 4.3 liters per hundred. But on the legal highway, we climb to five liters per hundred. And if we push the scooter to its cleat, the consumption rises to 6 liters per hundred, thus forcing to refuel every two hundred kilometers, with the tank of 12.8 liters. In standard use, the autonomy will be more of the order of 250 kilometers, or even 270 km in purely urban use..
Note that the passage in reserve allows to see a huge warning that takes up the entire screen. In theory, then, there is 60 kilometers of autonomy left. In fact, the gauge is pessimistic, because even after having driven 10 kilometers with a gauge indicating 0 km of remaining autonomy, we only put 12 liters in the tank; there is therefore still nearly a liter and twenty kilometers possible, at a slow pace.
250 km of autonomy with the 12.8 liters of the tank
The BMW C400GT video test
Conclusion
The GT is not just a marketing logo on a scooter and the C400GT fully justifies its name, offering real road possibilities with a nice and rewarding look, even for those who do not necessarily choose BMW for the sake of the brand. It is also easier on a daily basis than a 650 with naturally a price lower than the 650GT which reaches 12,050 euros. It still takes 1,000 euros compared to the C400X, certainly justified by the additional assets (protection, storage, heated saddle and handle) bringing the price to 8,100 euros, our test model even reaching 9,620 euros (anti-theft alarm at 235 euros , comfort pack at 495 euros, connected screen at 625 euros, daytime running light at 110 euros). So to forget the price, BMW offers an offer from 89 euros per month * … enough to reduce the choice to white (Alpine White), gray (Moonwalkgrey metallic) or black (Blackstorm metallic) colors of the maxi-scoot.
Strong points
- engine extension
- protection
- braking
- handling
- finishing
- accessibility
Weak points
- price
- suspensions
- autonomy
- bubble not easily adjustable
The technical sheet of the BMW C400GT
* Example with the Comfort Pack, TFT screen and daytime running light options included. Long Term Rental over 36 months and for 15,000 km. 35 linear rents: € 88.53 after a first rent increased by € 810.00.
Test conditions
- Itinerary: 1500 km of small varied roads + motorway + with a little town
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Ah yes, in the comparison, do not forget the Intruder M800, which seems to meet the same "cruiser roadster" specifications as the Kawa.
I saw it in person, it is not bad at all. The body parts are well joined, there are no dangling wires, the color purple is very dark, but it is not the same as the ZRX. The saddle is soft, the handlebars not too far away for my meter sixty-seven, as long as I do not hold my back to the back of the seat (medium position). The toe clips are huge and "balloon", which should filter the vibrations properly …. if there are any vicious ones..
No storage, and I don’t see where to fit a U or anything. The lockable hatch under the left thigh contains the fuse box, point bar. Extremely easy to get off the crutch, it was only by maneuvering it in the concession on a meter that I felt that the 225 kilos were all present.
Honestly, in terms of looks, there is only the crutch that I find cheap. A beast round tube flattened at the end, it’s ugly and it does not gain anything on the tarot. On the other hand, it folds up as easily as it unfolds, it is well positioned.
I have to try it this week, I will come back after ….
Ay, tried.
First impression is easy. I stall, but it’s easy. It’s my fault, too, I had adjusted the clutch clearance a notch before the mini! Re-gnigni, et zou. Despite its large front wheel, it does not engage in the 90 ° turn out of the dealership, and the handlebars are not that high, no discomfort felt. The bike has 2 km, and the gears are already shifting like butter. Cool. I am in town, the noise of the mill is discreet, just like the template of the motorbike; we would be on a (big) shadow 125 that would be handled kif-kif. The street is not a model of youth, despite this, I can see the good work of the rear suspension. Back of the donkey in sight. Oh yeah, it bumps in the spring. No snowshoeing, combined with the softness of the saddle, it’s a nice surprise. Even though the thickness of said saddle was engaging, I remembered the harsh recations of my ER-6s on this side. I passed through a rutted military proving ground (given the stretch of road I’m talking about, it’s not possible otherwise), and I only gave up my hand because my ass was taking off from the saddle at every hole, not by sore buttock or back. No tallonage, the suspension works well, as I told you. Lights, roundabouts, climbs, descents, both very steep, it is hilly by at mezigue, I have the impression of being on a roadster, even if it is this position of the feet, ahead of course, but largely livable for my height (1m67). The HUGE rubber coating them perfectly filters out vibrations. Fortunately they filter, they are hollow, moreover !! They look like the balloon tires of monters trucks! The driving is obvious. It’s very simple, we could mark Honda on it, it’s so easy !
I leave the city by small laces to leave the valley, the engine starts again well, very well even, everywhere, without big torque either, but as the speeds pass without really thinking about it …. The low seat participates in the sensation of speed, the meter confirms that the mill pawns and sparkles. If the sound of the mechanics is relatively quiet higher, like an ER-6, the liveliness with which the tachometer needle moves suggests that the Vulcan S may not be a custom, to finish. It’s true, what: no chrome, a first fitment of sports gommards, a moulbif which takes turns, and a correct ground clearance. Oh, I didn’t force it either, the bike is new, tires and pads in break-in, and it’s not mine. Nevertheless, in some roundabouts, I lowered my boot heel as low as possible (keeping the flat of my foot on the footrest, yes, bad tongues), no rubbing. There is a margin.
The engine is nice at the bottom, under 4000 rpm, and I want to see what happens above, if its apparent good humor is not a blow to the Bolt, who if it the extension makes such a noise e poop at the top that you never want to go back! Quite the opposite of an 883 or the famous Sportster 1200 R that I tried a long time ago, which they are so nice in the fat of the cuople with keud at the top that for once you stay at the bottom with a huge banana under the helmet. So gas, the Vulcan … Yaouh !! Damn the cow, that’s it. And how funny it is. Ass down, arms (almost) in the air, (almost) stretched out with your foot forward, it’s sensational. I didn’t say that it tears up everything that rolls, flies or lights up, but that in terms of sensation, it’s super nice. Quick turns, raises, course keeping, she gets the job done, and well. For once, Kaw would almost do Yam again with his FZX fire. I even made a 400 DA with my fingers in the nose and, once all that said, we are sure not to be on a shadow 125, niet niet….
However, I’m afraid that this engine makes you want to drive fast enough everywhere, to play, to show the other face in 1000 that the 650 also grows, and that its bridle and accessible status takes away the thing that would make that the lambdus motardus does not pass for a well burned male if he rides on it.
More :
– sparkling mill, living downstairs, player upstairs
– chassis that allows you to have fun or even more
– surprising comfort
– not really custom
– no hot pipe or air filter to destroy your right leg
— a feet-first roadster
Less :
– median orders would not have hurt
– pushes to crime (as she goes … well you go!)
– Image of the category (Power Cruiser Light – Yagami?) To build
– the lighthouse is ultimately not so ugly, a classic round, or the same with more marked angles, to my taste it would not have been more stupid than that.
Here it is …