BMW C600 Sport – Road test

In the not too distant past, the idea of ​​a scooter from the company Propeller was completely unthinkable. Then things have changed, the laws of the market force us to adapt and it is clear that, at least in our area, it is scooters that sell. This is demonstrated by success of the T-Max, despite a double-digit price. The sales of maxi scooters, which have a higher price list than many even high-end motorcycles, have made that part of "purists" who thought of scooters as economical two-wheeled vehicles, which by definition should cost little, decidedly less than their motorbike, think again. true." Nowadays the market is instead dominated by scooters of all types and price ranges, but medium and medium-high displacements are the ones that sell the most. In this panorama BMW enters with a straight leg with two proposals that try to reshuffle the cards, going to annoy the two best sellers in their respective categories, the T-Max among the sports ones, and the Burgman 650 among the most comfortable tourist ones. He does it with two products with a different look, but practically identical under the dress, engine and relative displacement included, despite the names, C600 Sport and C650 GT. We tested the first, the sportiest, for you and were curious to understand if the leader of this market segment had finally found a worthy opponent.

Aesthetics and finishes:

rating:  

Really liked, sporty, but with class, recognizable for its Teutonic style

There is no denying that the BMW C600 Sport is successful from an aesthetic point of view. That the reference could be the Yamaha T-Max is equally undeniable, but the BMW designers succeeded in creating a scooter equally sports, if not more, without but end up doing it resemble any competitor's product. The lines are tense and angular e they manage to hide the generous dimensions, making it appear even more compact than it actually is. He has a personal style and can hardly fail to be recognised, with thatwhite shock absorber clearly visible on the left side, to highlight the sporting connotation that we wanted to give it, both from an aesthetic and technical point of view, with a horizontal shock absorber solution, pivoted to the rear swingarm. Frontally the lighthouse, which includes a LED daylight, triangular in shape, is inserted into a black mask, with the two sides matching the rest of the fairing, with a decidedly aggressive cut. In the upper part there is a windscreen adjustable to three positions, using two "handles" to be unscrewed and screwed to lock it. The lowest one is decidedly uncomfortable, because you end up having the upper edge of the windshield practically in your face, the high one is suitable for motorway use, the intermediate one is the most comfortable. The quality of the materials is very good, the coupling of the plastics even seems perfect. Only the glove compartment door located in front of the driver's legs left us with any doubts. There are two, and the one on the left, equipped with a 12V socket, has a locking mechanism, which is activated by turning the key to the position that engages the steering lock. It is blocked by a plastic tab, the problem is that, if you insist on pulling, it opens anyway. Other ideas, which we see on the C600 Sport for the first time, are instead very spot on and will likely be replicated by competitors. We refer, in particular, to “Flex Case”, which allows you to comfortably accommodate a second helmet in the underseat compartment, thanks to a mobile bulkhead which increases the capacity of the compartment, almost touching the rear wheel. Obviously it can only be used when the vehicle is stationary, and a sensor inhibits the ignition of the vehicle until it is closed. The other "gem" is the automatic activation of the parking brake when the side stand is lowered. The control is simple and mechanical, but really intelligent. You avoid unpleasant situations if you park on sloping ground, with the risk of finding the scooter fallen on the ground. Another note, even if this is not an absolute novelty, is the optional chain with which to lock the turned handlebar, fastening it to the frame. Very much in BMW style, it allows you to "tie" the vehicle without having to get your hands dirty with a "normal" chain to insert into the wheel. Once in the saddle you have a very complete instrumentation in front of you, but manageable with intuitive and comfortable controls located on the handlebars. To complete the top equipment, we find saddle, also a passenger, and heated grips. Here too BMW surprises us with a third option, in addition to the classic two heating levels you can use the automatic regulation, which "reads" the external temperature and regulates the heating accordingly.

Engine and performance:

rating:  

The twin-cylinder has an interesting "voice" and pushes very hard, for a scooter

BMW doesn't advertise this much, but the engine of the C600 Sport, which is the same, identical engine also mounted on the C650 GT, is a project developed in collaboration with Kymco. Be careful, however, as it has very little in common with the MyRoad 700 engine. Not even the displacement is the same. Only the throttle bodies and the starter motor remain unchanged, while everything else does. In practice we start from a common project, appropriately revised according to the specifications coming from Berlin. The parallel twin is a 647 cc, 4 valves per cylinder, liquid cooled, already compliant with Euro 4 regulations. The horses supplied are 60, a lot if compared to the 46,5 of the T-Max. They are delivered at 7.500 rpm, with a torque of 66 Nm at 6.000 rpm. The limiter, placed at the threshold of 8 thousand, it stops its climb and its maximum speed at 175 km/h effective, but it could easily go even faster. We are faced with important technical data, as is the open-deck construction, where the cylinders are built in block with the base. In search of a solution that would lower the center of gravity (the engine alone weighs 81 kg) the cylinders are angled forward by 70°. The crank pins are then offset by 90°, similarly to other BMW engines. This detail, together with the exhaust system, gives a particular sound to the engine, we would say unique and with a full and sporty tone, making it recognizable as soon as you hear it turned on. If you want to boost this sporty shade, that is The approved Akrapovic exhaust is also available as an option. The transmission is of the CVT type, as on almost all scooters, but with the peculiarity of one final transmission with oil bath chain and swingarm with fulcrum coaxial to the transmission shaft, in order to improve driving and always have constant chain tension. We also had the opportunity to try the C600 Sport on the track, on the occasion of an event organized by BMW Motorrad to test its scooters on the Vairano track. We were able to see how much power there is. In a fairly tortuous circuit it is often necessary to throttle the throttle and keep an eye on the speedometer, the speeds reached in the fastest part of the track are those of a real motorbike. Some go so far as to complain about theabsence of traction control, not even available as an option. The technicians of the propeller company have equipped their maxi scooters with a particular system, which cuts the engine power in certain conditions, but which is not real traction control. To be clear, if you hit a pothole or in the presence of uneven surfaces, with the throttle fully open, you can perceive the "cuts" typical of the DTC, while starting from a standstill in the wet the rear tire slips and continues to do so until the opening the accelerator or “managing” the loss of grip with the rear brake.

Ride and handling:

rating:  

Stable like a motorbike even at high speeds, "light" and easy to handle in city driving

To be honest the idea of ​​using the same base to create two scooters, a sports one and a tourist one, did not convince anyone, at least among professionals. It will end up being too big and heavy to “bother” the T-Max, and too sporty to be as comfortable as the Burgman 650. This is the thought that almost everyone had. And instead driving it, the 237 kg, about 30 more than a T-Max, end up disappearing, thanks to the extra horses, but not only. The frame is a double aluminum beam, like that of many motorcycles, having a upside-down front fork, 40 mm, a rear swingarm "managed" byhorizontal shock absorber and two important reinforcements, again in aluminium, to improve torsional rigidity. One is placed right on the rear swingarm, in the shape of a side cover. The second in the frontal area, near the front fork. The tyres, 160/60 at the rear and 120/70 at the front, are mounted on two 15" rims. We then find two 270 mm floating discs at the front and one with the same diameter at the rear. The braking system is assisted serial da an excellent ABS, but the pressure needed on the two levers during hard braking seemed excessive to us. This also reflects the BMW style, many of their customers probably don't appreciate oversized master cylinders which cause more nervous reactions when braking, but driving it on the track we got a bit of a workout for our forearms... Brakes apart from the C600 Sport it really convinced us when driving, on the track as well as on medium motorway journeys, where it also proves to be very comfortable. In the lean it is difficult to get to touch, the light is very wide and you only scratch on the bumps or in the depressions. In rapid changes of direction, driven to the limit and braking hard, the weight plays its part and the rear breaks down, but without putting the rider in crisis and leaving the pleasant feeling of having everything under control. We also tested it for a long time in the city and on the motorway, It definitely makes you want to use the car, not only on urban routes, but also for journeys of several kilometres. In the city you will appreciate it because, despite being a maxi, It's very narrow, and fits everywhere. The handling is on par with the main competitors, the weight is only noticeable when placed on the central stand. The driving position is sporty, very forward and lo Legroom is therefore rather limited. This can be done by placing your feet on the most advanced support, in the typical "relaxation" position, but it is recommended to do this only on the motorway and not in situations where your legs are needed in the right place, to manage the vehicle correctly.

Price and consumption:

rating:  

Challenging price even if justified by the contents, consumption beyond expectations

The price, with a list price of almost 11.300 euros, in our opinion, is one of the main reasons for the sales volumes which, to date, are struggling to take off. Making a comparison with the market reference, the T-Max costs a few hundred euros less. The BMW C600 Sport has very respectable contents, which would also be worth the difference. ABS, for example, is standard here, on the optional 500 euro Yamaha scooter. Our opinion is that if it had cost a little less, it would certainly have attracted a "slice" of Japanese buyers, who instead seem not to be tempted by the exclusive Teutonic scooter. If you want to compete with the leader, who is also the most expensive on the market, economic leverage cannot be left in the background. Let's be clear, if they asked us for advice on choosing between the two, our indication would still be favorable. We are faced with an excellent product, the fact that it is struggling to take off in sales could be an advantage for those who buy it, who will have it definitely a means more exclusive and less “banal”. From the point of view of management costs, first of all consumption, there is more than positive news. Even if it is not a straw, the C600 Sport is capable of driving, at 130 km/h, over 25 km/l. Even in the city, if you avoid the use of the accelerator switch, by modulating the throttle opening a little, you can obtain mileages that are decidedly above expectations, in the order of 20 km with one liter.

PROS AND CONS

We like it:
Riding it is a pleasure, great thrust, excellent chassis and lots of light to be able to bend without fear of scratching

We do not like it:
Definitely high price, even if justified by contents and equipment, brakes slightly below expectations

BMW C600 Sport: the Motorionline Report Card

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