Recently, Suzuki brought out the Burgman 15 to the Colombian market. This 150cc maxi-scooter is a new product that never existed in any other market before. And from the perspective of the technical features of this bike, one can state that it is a worthy product if compared to the scooters of similar displacement in India. If one may allow oneself a little fantasy, then it would be reasonable to say that there are some reasons for launching the Burgman 15 in India. But using logic, one may say that this will not happen ever.
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The Burgman 15 has got the performance levels, hardware configuration, and technology that are enough to put it side-by-side with the 150-160cc maxi and sporty scooters currently available in the market. Generating an output of 14.2bhp and 14.2Nm through its 149cc air-cooled engine, the Burgman 15 competes at par with or a little better than the competition including Hero Xoom 160, TVS Ntorq 150, and Yamaha Aerox 155. And based on our previous experiences with Suzuki vehicles, we can say for certain that this will be a very efficient and economical engine for sure.
In terms of other features, the Burgman 15 has a data-rich TFT display that also supports smartphone connectivity as well as turn-by-turn navigation. The scooter has keyless ignition, dual-channel ABS, as well as switchable traction control, among others. It’s a practical scooter because of its spacious underseat storage space of 25 litres (which includes USB-C port as well) as well as the 8-litre fuel tank, which is larger than the competitors.
It is needless to say that the name Burgman itself is well known to people in India. In fact, according to information provided by Suzuki India, the Burgman Street 125 ranks second among the sales figures for their most sold two-wheelers for some time now. This scooter has gained popularity to the tune of 11.6 lakh units in our country since its introduction. Hence, should it happen that Burgman 15 is released in India, it would be able to capitalize on the already built-in trust and liking of the consumer base easily. Moreover, if the new model is able to retain everything that made the former one appealing along with an added premium touch, then it can very well replace the old one.
Suzuki would definitely benefit from introducing its Burgman 15 scooter model in India, but this would not necessarily be a profitable decision, given that there has been a lukewarm reception to all 150-160 cc scooter models. The Yamaha Aerox 155 has been one of the oldest offerings by manufacturers in this category, yet it never manages to cross the 3,000 units/month sales threshold. As for the relatively new Xoom 160 scooter, it sells even fewer units at a maximum of only 1,000 units per month. The 110-125 cc scooters continue to dominate sales for manufacturers operating in India. Thus, we can observe a lack of interest in larger scooters currently, and developing an entire research and development division for the larger Burgman model might not work out for Suzuki.
In addition to the absence of consumer demand and commercial madness, the aesthetics of the Burgman 15 itself could be a turn off for Indians. Considering its version of 125cc engine capacity, even the updated one, it would be huge and bold yet not entirely aggressive. There are very few products in India with unique designs that succeeded; they had to be perfect. With its muscle body and 14-inch wheels, Burgman 150 cc looks like a heavy motorcycle. In addition, it has an exaggerated front face, which makes it highly controversial aesthetically. Not only does the Burgman 15 weigh a lot, but it also weighs about 2.5kg more than the Hero Xoom 160, which we think is already heavy enough for Indian standards. There is no denying the importance of accessible weight in India due to multi-generational riding.
