Big Scoots Rule! The C400 GT By BMW.

Every month, we bother the importers and dealerships, looking for motorcycle news or interesting motorcycles to ride. When we wandered into BMW Motorrad East Rand, we discovered this little beaut standing on the showroom floor.

It’s a pre-owned C400GT step-through scooter.

This model is still a part of Motorrad’s new model lineup. We asked if we could use it for a trip that we had planned out to Pretoria and surrounds and were told: “No, sorry, the GT is in the workshop because there is a misfire on cylinder 6.”

That perked our interest – a scoot with six cylinders – how much better could life be?

Sadly, or maybe not so sadly, it turns out that that was a different GT and we were given the FOB for this one…

by Glenn Foley, pics Stefan VDL

Why a big scooter?

In the last few years, we’ve heard that new scooter sales have taken a knock, with South African consumers leaning more towards geared models. We’ve always been scoot fans and this one reiterated just how fun and practical a bike like this can be.

We loaded our laptop under the seat (this one has a huge storage space), perched our bums in the saddle, hit the starter switch and twisted the throttle for a seriously pleasant journey all around Gauteng.

Comfort:

That’s the big one, the C400 GT is roomy, with a wide seat, grippy runner boards with sensible bar placement. The screen (non adjustable) does a good job at keeping the buffeting at bay and the bugs out of your teeth. We had no complaints about the girth of the bike, and reaching the ground with your feet is a non-event.

Convenience:

In addition to underseat storage complete with BMW’s flexcase helmet storage system you get some neat cubbies built into the dashboard, so you don’t need to keep your wallet and keys in your pockets. A 13 litre fuel tank will get you just more than 300 kilometres down the road.

Some Technology:

BMW places much emphasis on technology and on the C400 GT, you’ll find a full TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity, a charging port for your electronics, Keyless ignition, an immobilizer system, a centre stand and LED lights all round as standard.

We have to wonder how long it will be before scoots like these will receive radar-powered cruise control and some of the extra tech found on the bigger bikes. Perhaps it’s in the BMW optional equipment catalogue?

This specific unit has heated grips and seat.

Our lot thought that they were being very clever, turning all of that on before the rider headed out into the sweltering highveld sunshine and couldn’t understand why things were getting so sweaty.

The Ride:

Simple twist and go tech is so cool. One minute you are sitting at a traffic light, the next, you are quietly accelerating way ahead of the pack. It’s all rather effortless. Power delivery from the 350cc engine (Yes, we know… don’t ask us…) is seamless and predictable.

Before you know it, you are breaking national speed limits.

There’s no vibration from the engine – just smooth cruising.

Upper speeds on the C400 GT are perfect for those longer journeys that can become tedious on smaller capacity motorcycles, and even on long hills, she holds her speeds really well.

The best thing about a big capacity scoot is the fact that thanks to some clever fuelling and, of course, more horsepower, there is plenty of puff when it comes to overtaking. It’s all totally intuitive fun – seamlessly cool with that motorcycle narrowness for carving through traffic.

Handling, Brakes, Suspension.

Ummm, yes, yes, and yes. All good on this one, although the suspension definitely leans towards the firm side. Fortunately, that seat is well-padded.

Zooting through corners or attacking traffic circles is a blast with the ABS and traction control keeping everything in check. The Bybre braking system was faultless for all the time we had her.