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A Sophisticated Performance | Firing up the 125/150 will confirm that the Burgman philosophy of maximum sophistication is perfectly possible in the commuter class. The four-stroke, single-cylinder engine was specially developed for the Burgman. Close attention was paid to the tuning of the intake and exhaust tracts and to the volumes of the airbox, exhaust pipe, and silencer, resulting in strong performance in the lower engine-speed range. The continuously variable transmission is similarly specified, with ratios designed to exploit the broad spread of torque. The result is optimum delivery at the low and mid-range engine speeds typically used around town. Four-valve technology and liquid cooling maintain the smoothness for which Burgmans are renowned. And to ensure that any impact the 125/150 makes is not an environmental one, a catalyzer in the exhaust silencer and a Pulsed secondary AIR injection (PAIR) system in the cylinder head keep carbon-monoxide emissions, hydrocarbon emissions, and nitrogen-oxide emissions no higher than the strict requirements of Europe's EURO-2 planned emissions regulations.
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Full of Big Ideas | This may be a condensed Burgman, but it's not an abridged one. Like its bigger brothers, it embraces full-size motorcycle thinking and even a few car-like features. A meaty 130-section rear tyre assures fine traction, and a slimmer 110-section front tyre helps to realize light, precise steering. The suspension is double-sided at the front and rear for uncompromised rigidity and shock absorption, and the rear suspension has adjustable preload. Carrying a passenger or heavy luggage will not disturb the Burgman's fine balance.
Braking is no less impressive. At the front is a 220mm disc brake with a pin-slide two-piston caliper. At the rear is a 220mm disc brake with an opposed two-piston caliper. Plus, there's a rear wheel lock when it is necessary.
Then there's the instrument panel - a clear and comprehensive cluster including a large central speedometer, temperature and fuel gauges, high-beam and turn-signal indicators, and a clock. In case the youngest Burgman is too tempting to some, the ignition barrel is protected by a magnetic security cover that only the owner's key will open.
The switches and other controls are the chunky, high-quality items you'd expect to find on a Burgman, and junior continues to light the way with high-visibility indicators and dual multi-reflector headlamps. In fact the whole machine shines - from the lustre of its paintwork and the fit of its bodywork to the finish on its smallest components. Take the Burgman badge: Rather than a simple transfer, it's a proper, separately fitted component of a type more common on cars, a small study in polished excellence. Literally and conceptually, Burgman is the biggest name in compact scooters. |