Best Scooter: 2019 Bikesales Bike of the Year Awards

The 2019 Bikesales Bike of the Year (BOTY) Awards recognise excellence across 11 separate motorcycle categories.

And here’s how it will work. After a massive five-day test through-north-east Victoria in early November – branching out from the beautiful town of Bright – we'll whittle our shortlist down to one outright winner, to be announced on Thursday, December 5.

Let's continue the 2019 BOTY by announcing the BMW C 400 GT as the winner of our Scooter category.

BMW launched two new scooter siblings, the C 400 X and C 400 GT, in mid-2019, but this isn't the first time the German marque has dipped its toe in the scooter pond.

It entered the maxi-scooter fray back in 2012 with its C 600 Sport and C 650 GT, and those models have continued to this day (although, for simplicity's sake, the C 600 Sport is now known as the C 650 Sport).

Even earlier, the avant-garde BMW C1 was sold in Europe from 2000 to 2002. Available in two capacities – a 125 and a 200 – the model came with a solid roof structure, promising commuters the mobility of a scooter with the weather protection of a car. However, it was a top-heavy machine that lacked the oomph to handle the additional weight; sales were modest and it was relatively short-lived.

However, with the arrival of the C 400 X and C 400 GT, it's clear scooters have a place in BMW's future. And while both variants perform admirably well, it's the added practicality and long-haul potential of the C 400 GT that has earned it the gong for Best Scooter in our 2019 Bikesales Bike of the Year Awards.

While both of these scooter middleweights share the same mechanical underpinnings, the C 400 X is more the urban commuter while the GT, with its larger front fairing and screen, stepped seat and longer features list, handles both town and country roles with ease.

The BMW C 400 GT is priced from $10,240 plus on-road costs and is available in Alpine White, Moonwalk Grey Metallic, or Black Storm Metallic. Click here for more information. That's no insignificant sum for a scooter, but then this is no mass-volume moped.

We've developed a deeper appreciation of the BMW C 400 GT in recent weeks, as we've had one – a top-spec C 400 GT ion – on the Bikesales long-term test fleet. In that role we've racked up several thousand kilometres on it, mainly commuting but with the odd long-distance haul too.

In the case of our long-termer, the 'ion' bit adds a 6.5-inch TFT screen with phone/music connectivity and satellite navigation, along with heated grips and a heated seat.

The C 400 GT is powered by a 350cc single-cylinder engine said to produce 34hp (25kW) at 7500rpm and 35Nm at 6000rpm, which – pushing 212kg (wet) – is entirely sufficient for quick getaways from a standing start, with enough in reserve for calculated highway overtakes. That also means the C 400 GT falls under the umbrella of the learner approved motorcycle scheme (LAMS).

It's no rocket ship, but there's enough grunt there for fun progress and it can more than hold its own in city traffic. That capacity puts it in something of a sweet spot for a scooter, we reckon – there's plenty on tap around town but also enough to handle longer country trips.

The ergonomics can accommodate a broad variety of riders and the weather protection is superb, especially with the accessory blanket (or 'canopy', as BMW puts it) in place. In fact, it's entirely possible when maintaining a steady open-road pace to ride in reasonably heavy rain and stay quite dry, bar copping a bit on your shoulders.

But the biggest surprise comes when the bends swing into view – this scooter can hustle. With its low centre of gravity, healthy ground clearance and basic-yet-effective suspension, the C 400 GT can be punted surprisingly hard through the twisties. It strikes a nice compromise between agility and stability, and the brakes are strong enough to allow the scoot to be ridden in a sporty manner if the mood takes you.

And that really caps off the C 400 GT's biggest strength – its broad repertoire of skills. Commuter, tourer, weekend fun machine; the C 400 GT can handle the lot. Add in BMW's high manufacturing quality, techo niceties like keyless starting and the large underseat storage compartment, and the BMW C 400 GT is a perfect example of what a modern scooter can be.