Ride On: 2019 BMW C 400 GT

WHETHER you’re heading from the city to the surf, or commuting down the freeway, the 2019 BMW C 400 GT has got you covered, with this exceptional all-round scooter offering a comfortable ride and nimble handling.

The C 400 GT is easy to manoeuvre through traffic and while lane filtering, and felt light and easy to control, even at low speeds, thanks to the lower centre of gravity, created by the position of the engine.

No need to fear the chill of winter either, as thanks to the additional comfort package fitted to our ‘ion’ edition test bike, there’s heated grips and a heated seat, both with three heat settings.

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The large windscreen and front faring/trim panel offered great protection from the wind and elements, and we also had the optional wraparound scooter canopy ‘skirt’, which offers unbelievable comfort and weather protection.

The latter can be easily attached or removed with just two screws. Being 6-foot 2-inches tall though did mean yours truly experienced a little buffeting at highway speeds, but sinking down an inch or two stopped that.

The position of the handlebars, specially shaped seat and variable foot positions are excellent too, and help to create an ergonomic triangle, and made it easy to move your feet from a flat position to a forward one, heightening comfort levels.

Thanks to a 775mm seat height, I was able to remain flat footed while seated, but shorter riders might find the low seat option the C 400 GT comes with useful. Key-less riding is another great feature.

This little gem doesn’t disappoint performance wise either, with the smooth and zippy 350cc single cylinder engine offering 25kW (34HP). It feels effortless, whether at take off from city traffic lights or at 110km/h on the M1 Pacific Motorway.

Fuel consumption is excellent, with a claimed 3.5-litres/100km. We managed 3.7-litres/100km, even with some spirited riding up the ‘old road’ from Sydney to the NSW Central Coast.

Range from the 12.8-litre fuel tank is an outstanding 300km. Braking feels strong and smooth thanks to the 265mm twin disc, 4-pot calipers on the front, and single 265mm 1-pot caliper on the rear.

BMW also offers ABS and ASC on the 2019 C 400 GT, adding to the safety you’d expect from the luxury brand. During our test ride we found the ABS to be unobtrusive and confidence building.

The ASC (automatic stability control) prevents the rear wheel from spinning, ensuring constant traction, especially in wet weather conditions. It all makes for excellent handling on a bike that feels genuinely sure-footed.

Even through corners, there’s no hesitation, thanks to the 35mm telescopic front forks with 110mm of travel up front and the double aluminium swing-arm, double spring struts with adjustable pre-load and 112mm of travel in the rear.

The TFT dash is excellent and easy to read, while the menu system is simple to navigate and scroll through, even when travelling. Connectivity was effortless. You can plug your phone into the USB port in the storage compartment in the front fairing.

This not only lets it charge on the go, but connects it to the TFT display, which can be managed by the multi-controller on the handlebars. It allows you to listen to your favourite tunes, connect with friends, or keep heading in the right direction via GPS.

If we owned the 2019 BMW C 400 GT ion, we’d want to add a top box to carry the essentials like milk and bread, because the current storage is just not quite big enough. You can fit a full-face helmet in the flex-case under the seat though.

But unfortunately you can’t ride the scooter while this is in use. A very useful warning comes up on the dash and you are unable to start the bike, while the case is down. It ensures you can’t ride off, which is a good thing.

You can have your C 400 GT in three colours, including Alpine White, Black Storm and Moonwalk Grey, with the latter two being metallic. It comes in two variants, the standard C 400 GT and the ‘ion’ we tested, which adds a bunch of extras.

These include daytime running lights, the TFT display with connectivity, and the comfort package, that provides the heated seat and hand grips we mentioned already. Pricing starts from $11,790 ride away.

The 2019 BMW C 400 GT is learner approved and comes with a 3-year unlimited kilometre warranty, and free repairs during that period. Roadside assistance is also available.

Our test bike was provided by BMW Motorrad Australia. To find out more about the 2019 BMW C 400 GT and C 400 GT ‘ion’, contact your local BMW Motorrad dealer.