Buoyed by the growing popularity of scooters in the country, the Suzuki Burgman Street will open up a completely new segment of touring-oriented maxi-scooters.
It is often said that the Indian automobile market is a very objective one, where the propositions of value and sensibility always come first. These very propositions have been key in seeing scooters gain an increasing foothold in the two-wheeler segment. Interestingly, this segment is all set to get a new, niche sub-segment with the upcoming launch of the Suzuki Burgman Street 125 on July 19.
So, what are maxi-scooters? Essentially, maxi-scooters are bigger, more luxurious and elaborate versions of the standard scooter, as you'd see from the photograph above. Qualifying as premium scooters, these two-wheelers bring the ease and sensibility of scooters for the niche few that prefer the large format of touring motorcycles, but do not want it to be too powerful. In India, the only maxi-scooter to have launched till date was the Kinetic Blaze back in 2007, but it failed to capture any sizeable chunk of the market, and was eventually withdrawn. With buyers having a more mature outlook towards cars, motorcycles and scooters now, alongside showing the will to spend more, the Suzuki Burgman Street 125 may well be a surprise success, and open up the market for a completely new segment.
While the Suzuki Burgman Street comes with powertrain options ranging between 125cc and 600cc in international markets, we expect to see only the base offering in the country. This would use the same, 125cc engine that also powers the Suzuki Access 125 in India, although the power figures of 8.6 bhp/10.2 Nm from the Access may differ in the Burgman Street. Being a maxi-scooter, the Suzuki Burgman Street will come with a host of premium features, including all-LED front and tail lamps, front disc brakes, a bunch of storage areas and cubbyholes to keep phones, wallets and keys, a fully digital instrument cluster, an adjustable footrest to stretch out during long journeys, and more.
The Suzuki Burgman Street 125 launches in India on July 19. Expected pricing will possibly be around Rs. 70,000, which will pit it against the likes of Honda Grazia, TVS NTorq 125 and even the all-electric Ather 450. Stay tuned for further details.
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Souvik Das
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