2018 BMW C 400 X
FIRST TEST
P110
tinental rather than Bosch, and
they're also responsible for the
traction-control, aka "ASC/Auto-
matic Stability Control", included
as stock. The Pirelli Angel Scoot-
er tires, which Maier says were
developed by the Italian com-
pany specifically for the C 400 X
show that this is not a cut-price
scooter, and they give good grip
as well as heaps of confidence
from the front end when keeping
up speed while rolling from side
to side in hilly terrain.
BMW evidently intended to
deliver a sporting feel to the C
400 X hence the lack of a tradi-
tional feet-forward riding posi-
tion (a necessary compromise
to keep the scooter as a whole
short and agile). The seat's quite
wide and relatively plush for both
rider and passenger, the latter of
whom benefits from two well-
positioned handgrips. The riding
position feels very natural as
well as relaxing, with room to put
your feet flat on the floorboard,
or just a little forward if you don't
mind bending your ankles. That's
because wind-tunnel testing
showed this stance protects
your feet better in wet-weather
riding. Even my mate Gerhard
Lindner, who in spite of being
6'2" was Germany's 600 Super-
sport Champion before going to
work for BMW, could sit nor-
mally on the C 400 X without his
knees touching the bodywork,
so it's well-thought-out for riders
of all sizes.
Thumb the starter and the
350cc four-stroke engine's
deep-sounding stainless-steel
exhaust has a pleasantly rorty
sound without being over-loud.
Setting off in the deep gravel in
front of the hotel had the stan-
dard TC/ASC cutting in sharply,
but not too easily, to give reas-
surance you must be prepared
to receive! You can turn the sys-
tem off from the settings menu,
but it'll reset the next time you
stop the engine.
This BMW scooter is easy to
The BMW C 400 X is scheduled to
start arriving in the U.S. in December.
