by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com
Suzuki’s new Burgman 200 churns out 17.7bhp and 18Nm of torque from a 200cc liquid-cooled engine
Suzuki Motorcycle has unveiled its new Burgman 200 for global markets. The 2020MY max-scooter might not make it to our market (in the foreseeable future) unlike its lesser 125cc sibling, Burgman Street. The Suzuki Burgman Street (now in BS6 format), although not exactly a Burgman sibling but an Access 125 in a different avatar, introduced a new genre of scooters to the wider Indian mass. This was something which the old, large and expensive Kinetic Blaze could not do.
The 2020 Suzuki Burgman 200 is mechanically identical to its previous version. A 200cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder generates 17.7bhp and 18Nm torque while mated to a CVT. It gets 13-inch and 12-inch alloy wheels at the front and rear, respectively. The scooter boasts of dual-channel ABS thanks to twin 240mm discs at the front and a 240mm rotor at the rear. Suspension duties are carried out by conventional telescopic forks and a monoshock.
In its global spec, the maxi-scooter is available in three colour choices: White, Black and Silver. As mentioned before, the chances of it coming to our market are slim especially when considering the current state of affairs. Global automotive industries have been badly affected by COVID-19 and many brands are trying their best to minimise losses. In India, automakers are collectively losing about Rs 1000 crore each day. On the other hand, several dealerships are on the verge of shutting shops forever.
Thanks to BS6 emission norms, the Indian scooter market has witnessed a rapid evolution. Besides offering new features and styling, almost all the new BS6 scooters come with FI. Some scooters have a lost a bhp or two but let’s face it, most of the mainstream scooters feel exactly the same to ride.
Still, there are certain ‘sporty’ choices to appeal to a smaller group of buyers. Examples include the Aprilia SR 160, TVS NTorq 125 Race Edition and to an extent, Yamaha Ray ZR Street Rally. Meanwhile, Piaggio’s Vespa range is a premium and elegant choice. Sales of these scooters are relatively less but just enough to remain on the market. Hence, there is a small potential for premium scooters in India.
However, the shift towards high-displacement CVT scooters should be gradual for them to be sensible alternatives to motorcycles coming at a similar price range. At the moment, 125cc scooters are the best performers on the sales chart and it would take some time for the market to see the same demand for 200cc scooters.
