600 Mile Review: Capable, Comfortable, and Fairly Refined

[mzflorida]

I am very happy that I've purchased this motorcycle. This is my ninth bike and it is definitely one of my favorites; probably second only to my VFR1200X.

The brakes are great, and the abs and skid control do not interfere.
The brake levers are not adjustable. I'll find a solution for that (Any suggestions? If there is a BMW replacement that would be great!).
The switchgear is fantastic.
The TFT screen is outstanding by just about any measure.
The low-beam headlights are adequate.
The hi-beam headlights are excellent.
I do wish the turn signals were more intense and always on as switchback LEDs.
The seat is comfortable for many hours, it feels similar to Corbin; which is good for me as it is my favorite aftermarket seat.
I am going to talk to Seth Laam seats about moving the backrest back 2 inches, personal preference though.
The ride by wire is flawless IMO.
Acceleration is very good for the category but a little rough between 0 and 30MPH.
The engine is pretty quiet.
The CVT does a good job in engine braking.
The front suspension is under damped (especially for high-speed compression) and over-sprung and I will find a solution for this. Definitely new springs and likely a cartridge emulator.
The rear suspension is good for me at position three at 235 pounds with no real additional weight carried on the bike, I am ordering compression adjustably Hyperpro rear shocks sprung for my weight range of 215 235 (great deal if any of you are veterans).
The bike sometimes feels unsettled on washboard roads but never actually is; but the suspension, overall, is better than I would have expected.
Absolutely minimal transmission of vibration.
Storage is inadequate for my purposes, which I knew going in. I'll find a solution for this.
The side stand is solid.
The center stand is solid and requires little effort to raise teh bike upon it.
Rear conspicuity is inadequate for my liking. I have an Admore light bar and Skene brake lights/TS that I will put on this week.
Front conspicuity is just barely ok, despite the very good headlights, and solely based on my subjective opinion. Skene photon blasters are on the way and I add them to every bike I own. Silly name, but an outstanding product. Not sure on auxiliary lights.
Weather protection with the Wunderlich screen is fairly good; protection is not as good with the stock standard height screen.
As an aside, the vent on my Wunderlich screen is not staying closed so I have to return it. Even when it is closed there are gaps all the way around.
Navigation function is pretty good...I'd give it about an 85 out of 100.
The media function is very good.
The OEM tires ride very well and are exceptionally grippy and turn in well.
Handguards are necessary, with or without gloves, and I am solving for that.
I'll add a few comfort features but those are specific to my preferences.

Overall, this is an excellent machine, and I am really very happy with the bike. It has to be an eight or nine out of ten.


Thank you all again for answering, and tolerating, all my questions as I decided on whether to purchase this bike!

Mike

 

[byee]

Mike, I’m glad you’re enjoying your new ride.

I agree with your points. I have over 31,000km (19,000 mikes) on my C400GT and still loving it.

I have upgraded to YSS rear shocks and Akoprovic exhaust.

Have fun and ride safely.

Barry

 

[Hornblower]

Thanks Mike, for that comprehensive review. Apparently, you've had more than a few bikes and have gained quite a bit of experience so you have a good feel for how things should work and how they should feel. When it comes to suspension, I have to remind myself this is a scooter after all so I'm probably expecting too much. It would be easy enough to upgrade the rear shocks but the forks would need help too and I suspect that would be a bit more involved. For now, at least, I think I'll just leave all that stock and resist trying to hang with my former road racing buddies and just use the scooter for errands and relaxed riding.

I just added a SHAD top box and mount and all that worked out great. Now it's even a better "grocery getter". I had gone to the grocery store a few weeks ago and picked up several larger items like gallons of tea and milk forgetting that I had taken the scooter. Needless to say, I had to leave out some of those items. With the top box I have now, that shouldn't be a problem again.

The odometer just went past 600 miles so yesterday, I did the first service. Oil changes on this bike are super easy. I was surprised to find that the drain plug appears to be plastic. I guess that's OK and it certainly is light. Resetting the service reminder was no problem either since I have the OBDLink LX dongle and the Motoscan app on my phone. Looking at the owner's manual, I don't see much about changing the final drive gearbox oil so I skipped that for now. Usually, on my other Beemer's, I change both the engine oil and final drive oil at the same time.

 

[mzflorida]

Mike, I’m glad you’re enjoying your new ride.

I agree with your points. I have over 31,000km (19,000 mikes) on my C400GT and still loving it.

I have upgraded to YSS rear shocks and Akoprovic exhaust.

Have fun and ride safely.

Barry

Thank you. I'm usure if you ever make out to Ontario. If so, I may be trailering two of my bikes up there in October, the C400GT included. I'm planning on riding in the Collingwood area. I can keep you posted if you'd like to join. If not October, then May of 2024.

 

[mzflorida]

Thanks Mike, for that comprehensive review. Apparently, you've had more than a few bikes and have gained quite a bit of experience so you have a good feel for how things should work and how they should feel. When it comes to suspension, I have to remind myself this is a scooter after all so I'm probably expecting too much. It would be easy enough to upgrade the rear shocks but the forks would need help too and I suspect that would be a bit more involved. For now, at least, I think I'll just leave all that stock and resist trying to hang with my former road racing buddies and just use the scooter for errands and relaxed riding.

I just added a SHAD top box and mount and all that worked out great. Now it's even a better "grocery getter". I had gone to the grocery store a few weeks ago and picked up several larger items like gallons of tea and milk forgetting that I had taken the scooter. Needless to say, I had to leave out some of those items. With the top box I have now, that shouldn't be a problem again.

The odometer just went past 600 miles so yesterday, I did the first service. Oil changes on this bike are super easy. I was surprised to find that the drain plug appears to be plastic. I guess that's OK and it certainly is light. Resetting the service reminder was no problem either since I have the OBDLink LX dongle and the Motoscan app on my phone. Looking at the owner's manual, I don't see much about changing the final drive gearbox oil so I skipped that for now. Usually, on my other Beemer's, I change both the engine oil and final drive oil at the same time.

I see your point completely on the suspension. Front forks are very easy for me and only take about an hour or so to do start to finish (after plastics are off). I've used YSS kits with springs and emulators and they are actually pretty good. On this bike I am thinking Hyperpro (progressive) springs and a Cogent or Racetech emulator, if either has one for the bike. YSS certainly has an emulator that will fit. Suspension is just something I do. Another riding buddy of mine got me so interested in suspension it is kind of like a hobby to me. I love the science behind it and enjoy the whole process of planning, doing the work, tweaking, and enjoying the ride improvement. However, I don't think I'll be able to set static sag on this bike with the fork configuration. You are not wrong; I'm blowing money. The suspension changes I make will just make it a smoother ride. I am not going to realize a ton of extra cornering performance out of it (not race tuned...more touring tuned; the high-speed compression damping on the front is way under damped.... lighter oil may help). The braking is excellent already, so it is unlikely to do much but slow the dive a bit, which is an improvement.

I am thinking about the BMW case from purely an aesthetics perspective. Which Shad did you get and are you happy overall with it? Would you be willing to post a pic? Lots of questions there...sorry. There was a case I saw that has a primed panel that I could paint the Calisto Grey as it is a standard BMW color and easy to spray. This is the link. https://www.shadusa.com/collections/sh37

I've ridden many bikes, but this is only the 9th I've owned. Pales to a lot of enthusiasts. I am thinking about a Triumph Tiger 850 though. I've ridden that bike a few times and it is really very nice.

 

[Hornblower]

On the top box, I purchased everything from Motostorm, an Italian company. They were great to deal with. They have the mount kit for the C400GT and I went with the SH58x case. This is an expandable case with 3 volume positions; 46, 52, and 58 L. And yes, it's fairly large as you will see, even in the fully collapsed position. It will hold 2 full size helmets and more. Honestly, I'm not all that crazy about the look but hey, it's a scooter so I don't care so much . At this point, it's all about convenience and practicality.

https://imgur.com/8EZbvhm

 

[mzflorida]

I've used Motostrom before. I've never had a problem with them. FcMoto, in the Netherlands, is similar...lower prices than here even with shipping. Helmets are usually so much less expensive there too.

I would have expected that case to appear much larger. I think it looks pretty good! I have seen that one, and it is on the list. In all reality, I'm probably over-thinking the top case. Thanks for sharing the pic!!

 

[mzflorida]

Mike, I’m glad you’re enjoying your new ride.

I agree with your points. I have over 31,000km (19,000 mikes) on my C400GT and still loving it.

I have upgraded to YSS rear shocks and Akoprovic exhaust.

Have fun and ride safely.

Barry

I had the YSS shocks on another bike and they were pretty good! I've put Ohlins and Hyperpro on other bikes though, and Hyperpro is my favorite. Plus, they rebuild once for free after two years which is a nice little perk. I have the YSS fork kit on my NC and it is actually excellent. I wish the springs were a little firmer but holy cow it smooths out the front end. I've never changed an exhaust to an aftermarket option (I've replaced OEM with OEM after a huge stone hit and just as big of a dent). Has the Akoprovic been good for you?

 

[byee]

I had the YSS shocks on another bike and they were pretty good! I've put Ohlins and Hyperpro on other bikes though, and Hyperpro is my favorite. Plus, they rebuild once for free after two years which is a nice little perk. I have the YSS fork kit on my NC and it is actually excellent. I wish the springs were a little firmer but holy cow it smooths out the front end. I've never changed an exhaust to an aftermarket option (I've replaced OEM with OEM after a huge stone hit and just as big of a dent). Has the Akoprovic been good for you?

The Akoprovic has been GREAT…..just wish I bought sooner. Definitely noticed a difference in how the C400GT reacts to the throttle

It just wants to go, climbing hills as opposed to pettering out. Flats are the pretty well the same too.

Haven’t tried a top speed run yet.

 

[mzflorida]

The Akoprovic has been GREAT…..just wish I bought sooner. Definitely noticed a difference in how the C400GT reacts to the throttle

It just wants to go, climbing hills as opposed to pettering out. Flats are the pretty well the same too.

Haven’t tried a top speed run yet.

That is very interesting on the performance and i would not have guessed that. We have so few hills here in Florida. I think I got to 56 feet or so on Saturday and that must have been on a bridge.

 

[mzflorida]

On the top box, I purchased everything from Motostorm, an Italian company. They were great to deal with. They have the mount kit for the C400GT and I went with the SH58x case. This is an expandable case with 3 volume positions; 46, 52, and 58 L. And yes, it's fairly large as you will see, even in the fully collapsed position. It will hold 2 full size helmets and more. Honestly, I'm not all that crazy about the look but hey, it's a scooter so I don't care so much . At this point, it's all about convenience and practicality.

https://imgur.com/8EZbvhm

Holy smokes. I got the quote for the BMW top case. I do not think I’ll be ordering. $975.00 is a little steep. I’m not a cheapskate or unable to afford it, it just seems too pricey for what it is.

 

[Hornblower]

I went the Shad route and, for under $400, I'm very satisfied.

 

[mzflorida]

I went the Shad route and, for under $400, I'm very satisfied.

I do believe I'll be joining you on the Shad!

 

[mzflorida]

I went the Shad route and, for under $400, I'm very satisfied.

Two things. My Shad SH37 arrived. I’ll put it on tomorrow.

I rode with a buddy to a restaurant up in Arcadia. I decided to see how fast it would go. 89 on the GPS is impressive in my book

 

[wspollack]

Two things. My Shad SH37 arrived. I’ll put it on tomorrow.

I rode with a buddy to a restaurant up in Arcadia. I decided to see how fast it would go. 89 on the GPS is impressive in my book

View attachment 3974

First of all, you're in agreement with my three-video, GPS-based, speed-test report here:

C 400 GT: Top Speed in Agreement With Owner's Manual

In case anyone was wondering ... The owner's manual for my 2022 C 400 GT lists (on page 197) a top speed of 86 MPH. I recently received footage of that scoot, with post-break-in mileage on it, confirming that figure. The anonymous rider noted that the throttle was held WFO, and that the...

www.bmw-scooters.com

Second, what software and hardware did you use to get the RPMs?

 

[mzflorida]

First of all, you're in agreement with my three-video, GPS-based, speed-test report here:

C 400 GT: Top Speed in Agreement With Owner's Manual

In case anyone was wondering ... The owner's manual for my 2022 C 400 GT lists (on page 197) a top speed of 86 MPH. I recently received footage of that scoot, with post-break-in mileage on it, confirming that figure. The anonymous rider noted that the throttle was held WFO, and that the...

www.bmw-scooters.com

Second, what software and hardware did you use to get the RPMs?

BMW Connected App on an iPhone 13 ProMax stored in the right front glove box. It actually had a little bit more to go. Very little, I am sure.

 

[Hornblower]

BMW Connected App on an iPhone 13 ProMax stored in the right front glove box. It actually had a little bit more to go. Very little, I am sure.

I haven't given my bike a serious speed test but just from experimenting a couple of times, I really doubt mine is as fast as yours. On level ground, and in a tuck, I might reach a GPS speed of 84-85 mph but not much higher. Of course, my speedo will be reading 2-3 mph more than that. Then, again, it depends on how steep the downhill is. If it's steep enough, who knows, the speedo might even show 90 .

 

[mzflorida]

I haven't given my bike a serious speed test but just from experimenting a couple of times, I really doubt mine is as fast as yours. On level ground, and in a tuck, I might reach a GPS speed of 84-85 mph but not much higher. Of course, my speedo will be reading 2-3 mph more than that. Then, again, it depends on how steep the downhill is. If it's steep enough, who knows, the speedo might even show 90 .

Well, you're not missing too much! I really did not care to run it that fast; just my preference. 80 MPH is plenty fast enough for me. I may be starting to sound, or maybe getting, old!

 

[mzflorida]

On the top box, I purchased everything from Motostorm, an Italian company. They were great to deal with. They have the mount kit for the C400GT and I went with the SH58x case. This is an expandable case with 3 volume positions; 46, 52, and 58 L. And yes, it's fairly large as you will see, even in the fully collapsed position. It will hold 2 full size helmets and more. Honestly, I'm not all that crazy about the look but hey, it's a scooter so I don't care so much . At this point, it's all about convenience and practicality.

https://imgur.com/8EZbvhm

Of all things to be confused on regarding the Shad install, it's on the placement of the protective tape in step 5 of the installation. Where the heck is it supposed to go? The illustration seems to show one piece on top of the other; stacked I guess. That does not seem correct. Any tips? It may become self explanatory as I put it together but appreciate any input.

 

[Hornblower]

My understanding was that the tape strips were stacked. One place in the instructions listed an incorrect length for cutting the strips so watch out for that. Also, I placed the strips according to the cutout areas. That sort of worked but not perfectly. I wound up trimming the visible pieces of protective tape with an Exacto blade. It all looks fine now. I suppose you could do a trial fit of the mounting bars and mark where the tape strips should actually be.