Baltmotors Classic 200: what is it and what is it eaten with?

The union of companies from China and Russia gave novice motorcyclists the opportunity to join the two-wheeled world for a fairly modest amount.
The Baltmotors Classic 200 model is a fairly typical Chinese bike, assembled in Kaliningrad at the “Balls Like a Chopper” enterprise - here you have an old-fashioned appearance, and the shine of chrome, and a seat with a size 56 heel. Baltmotors Classic 200 replaced another model - BM Classic 125, which, however, went almost unnoticed. Its release did not last long, and few people had even heard of it, and soon the company replaced the 125 cc engines on its motorcycles with 200 cc ones, modifying everything else. As a result, the public received budget bikes of various classes that were good for their price, which may well appeal to some beginner as their first motorcycle.

BM Classic 200 inside and outside

The BM 200 Classic motorcycle is an ordinary Chinese chopper . There's no punchy low-end torque, no impressive mass, none of the things that make a cruiser a cruiser. But it should be noted that the bike is quite good in its price category. If you don’t expect miracles from him, but treat him as a road worker, externally stylized as a chopper, he will not disappoint. The technical characteristics of the Baltmotors Classic 200 are not enough stars from the sky, but they are quite consistent with its price.

In a conventional tubular steel frame, the designers placed an equally conventional 199 cc air-cooled engine capable of delivering 15.6 hp power and 14.7 Nm of torque. Like other small-capacity engines, the BM Classic 200 engine loves high speeds. The gears, of which there are five, are short - fifth can be engaged already at 50 km/h. Acceleration dynamics leave much to be desired, since this power is not enough to quickly pick up speed. The Baltmotors Classic 200 itself weighs about 148 kg , but let's not forget about the pilot. And if there is a passenger, the remaining dynamics quickly disappear altogether.

It is worth noting that, thanks to its modest weight by class standards, the BM 200 Classic handles well. This is partly facilitated by the low center of gravity. But the brakes sometimes make you cry - they are clearly not enough for this model. The front disc brake still somehow copes with its duties, but you can immediately forget about the rear, drum brake - it is of about zero use. There is no noticeable deceleration after pressing the pedal, but if you press it a little, the wheel immediately locks.

Review of BM Classic 200 (2012)

Good afternoon In the first half of May, the question of buying a motorcycle really came up. In the fall of 2011, I studied for category A in addition to B and C and began to make plans for races. Of the classes into which motorcycles are divided, I am most attracted to classics and cruisers. It’s worth noting here that I like neoclassics like Kawasaki W650, W800, Triumph Bonneville, Triumph Scrambler. Twin-cylinder engines, decent displacement, big round headlight (!) and stunning trim. Calm, balanced cars are what you need. Although the British were not offended by power. I won’t talk much about cruisers, I’ll just say that I like massive ones with thick wheels like the Yamaha Midnight Star 950.

But these were dreams! I didn’t have enough income or savings to afford any of these beauties; my budget was approximately 70 thousand. But there was a classic Izh Planet Sport 350 produced in 1978, all original and with documents, but technical problems (it was put in a garage for about 8-9 years without moving) forced us to abandon it. In addition, I really didn’t like the prospect of having two-stroke oil with me when I needed to refuel. But, by the way, it’s not over yet. I started looking for a small-capacity motorcycle with a 125-150 cc engine. The choice was from the following models: Patron Tribute 150, Patron Aero 125F, Stels Delta 200, Sym XS-125K, Yamaha YBR125. The Yamaha cost 83 thousand Russian rubles, which I think is a little expensive. I liked the fit in it, but not so much the appearance - I like the round headlights. Everyone writes that the motorcycle is excellent, and I am inclined to believe it. I knew practically nothing about all the others; with my own eyes I only saw the Patron Tribute and Aero 125F in the store. I had already set my sights on Tribute, but somehow after work I stopped by another store and there I saw my current motorcycle BM Classic 200. I liked the price - 71.5 thousand - and the appearance of the cruiser: a massive fork, a large diameter brake disc, a pair of side cases, roll bars. I thought about it, talked to my brother, read the information on the Baltmotors website, owner reviews on the forums and decided to take it. While all this was happening, that motorcycle “gone away,” but a new one with different rims immediately appeared in its place. I took it, however, for 74 thousand.

I had to drive it from the store myself, despite the fact that I didn’t ride a motorcycle to the driving school, and the school only rented out the site. Hmm, I tensed up then. %) But I got to the garage without incident, covering 21 km. The seller assured that the engine had never been started since the car arrived at the store. However, he started up very cheerfully. The run then was 400 meters. I drove part of the time on the highway, part in the city. At first I kept it at 40 km/h, but then I got used to it and accelerated to 50-60 km/h, trying not to turn the engine more than 5 thousand revolutions (according to the instructions). Then I also found out that the rear drum brake is no good - it’s tight and gives almost no deceleration, but the hydraulic front one is gold: you can dose the deceleration very accurately, it’s tenacious and light. In general, I use both. The visibility in the mirrors is quite decent, the seating position is comfortable, but it seems to me that during long runs you will want to trade your back with someone. The platform footrests are moved forward, I would like to raise the gearshift switch higher, because I ride in harsh industrial boots with acid-resistant soles, which have a significant toe height. But you can get used to it. The rear springs have five levels of preload.

Characteristic feature: the engine can be started provided that the support leg is removed and the clutch is depressed, otherwise the starter will idle. It starts very easily, at temperatures below 18-20 you can use a choke, and when warmed up it starts with a half turn. The engine sounds quiet, at idle it resembles a scooter, and when accelerating, bass sounds appear. Naturally, the volume is small, so the sound is also not impressive. Craftsmen drill the back wall of the muffler to make the roar more interesting. I don’t know if I need this.. Since it’s running in, I don’t turn the tachometer over 5 thousand, I don’t give it full throttle. The car needs to be taken care of! The carburetor has the Mikuni inscription in relief. The instruments (speedometer, tachometer, voltmeter) are lined up and look, let’s say, very cheap. There are control lamps for direction indicators and neutral, which is searched for with varying success - sometimes right away, but sometimes you have to tinker. There are also problems with engaging first gear, you have to squeeze the clutch again and it engages a second time. The seal on the tank has a gear indicator (which helps me a lot) and a fuel level indicator. I read that he lies shamelessly and... so it is! I filled the tank almost full, but the indicator says it's about a fifth. So we open the plug with the key and look for ourselves . There are no hazard warning lights, there is a button for “blinking” the high beams. The rear cases are equipped with locks and side lights; the dimensions allow you to place a 1.5-liter bottle of mineral water, with space remaining for about two more such bottles. On bumps, the contents make a great noise. The mount for the license plate was apparently made with the expectation that no one would put the number there: my number blocks the reflector and the backlight itself. But it seems to be holding strong.

There is clearly not enough power on the highway; the transmission gear ratios are also more tailored for the city. When accelerating to 60 km/h, I go through all five gears, so those who like to “light up” will definitely be dissatisfied. In the city, the motorcycle is nimble and obedient (I, of course, have nothing to compare it with), I happened to get into a traffic jam - I was leisurely moving along the right edge of the first lane past standing cars. I read on the forums that you need to stretch Chinese equipment yourself after purchase, so as not to lose anything on the road. I decided to do this, but when applying a reasonable torque, only 5-6 nuts/bolts/screws gave way; everything related to the engine and chassis was tightened to the utmost. Naturally, I didn’t tear up the meat. But the set of tools turned out to be incomplete: the handle for the screwdriver is missing (only two blades - a cross and a flat one) and a 14x17 wrench. The battery is maintenance-free, without plugs, but with hieroglyphs. Japanese, of course. I recharged it with a small current, although it was vigorous. I also removed the back seat, since I won’t seat anyone for the first season. I left the backrest because it has a reflector (I'm obsessed with safety), and it is attached in such a way that its lower lugs cover the wiring for the lights.

More about the appearance: the Classic 200 reminds me of a Suzuki Intruder, adjusted for its dimensions, of course. From the front it looks massive, the back is a little thin, and the panniers widen it a little. On the street everyone looks, turns around and follows, asking what and how. Even the traffic cop asked questions when issuing license plates. I don’t like the increased attention to myself, but I’ve already accepted it. %)

Pros and cons of BM Classic 200

Advantages

• Appearance. The bike looks really decent, much more expensive than it actually costs. Especially if you don't look closely.
• Good standard equipment. Already in stock, the Baltmotors 200 Classic is equipped with a fuel level sensor, plastic side cases, a battery charge level sensor, a gear engaged indicator and one completely useless device - a light bulb signaling an incoming call to a mobile phone.
• Abundance of chrome. Here it covers a great many external parts.
• Modest fuel consumption - about 3.5 liters per 100 km . The bike digests AI-92 , thanks to the simple and reliable carburetor.
• Gas tank volume. As much as 13.8 liters - this is enough to travel hundreds of three kilometers without refueling.
• Affordable price. A new bike was inexpensive, and on the secondary market you can even buy it for a thousand dollars, give or take.

Flaws

• Search for spare parts. It is fraught with a number of difficulties - sometimes even the dealer does not have the necessary hardware, and you have to wait for an order for several months.
• Bad brakes. They would be enough for a pit bike or a 50 cc scooter, but for a bike weighing one and a half centners they are clearly not enough.
• Compact sizes. If you are taller than 180 cm, you will not be able to sit comfortably on the Baltmotors Classic 200.
• Poor quality chrome. After a couple of years it begins to peel off.
• The fuel level sensor, judging by the opinions of the owners of the Baltmotors Classic 200, is constantly lying.
• Sluggish acceleration dynamics - after 80 km/h the motorcycle picks up speed extremely reluctantly. Given the weak brakes, perhaps this is for the best.

The BM 200 Classic motorcycle is one of the most budget options for those who want to join the motorcycle theme and at the same time are looking towards choppers and cruisers. This motorcycle has been sold on our market for many years, and it is very popular, mainly due to its low price and good quality, according to reviews.

The BM 200 Classic is a light chopper (more precisely, a cruiser) made in China and Russia, its weight is only about one hundred and forty kilograms.
For this, girls and simply novice motorcyclists love him, who, due to their inexperience, are frightened by the impressive numbers indicating mass in the description of more cubic-sized equipment. In terms of characteristics, this bike is close to the OMAKS Chopper .
The BM 200 Classic is driven by a single-cylinder 200 cc air-cooled engine. The gearbox is a classic 5-speed, the drive is chain. The brakes are also the most typical for this size and price segment: a drum at the rear and a single disc at the front. The gas tank is almost 14 liters, and since the consumption is no more than three liters of AI-92 per hundred kilometers, the power reserve is impressive. In general, the technical characteristics of the BM 200 Classic are very ordinary and do not look particularly impressive. But for this price it’s hard to expect anything else, and the price of this motorcycle (new!) in the showroom is currently about 80 thousand rubles.

The designers of Baltmotors clearly did not skimp on chrome - everything that could be chromed without compromising the appearance was covered with it. Of course, the quality of chrome is inferior to that on Japanese or American motorcycles, and after two or three years the chrome sometimes begins to peel off, but such small-capacity equipment is rarely ridden for more than one or two years, inevitably coming to the need to increase the cubic capacity. The wheels on some model years of the BM 200 Classic were spoked, but most motorcycles on sale are found on light-alloy cast wheels. And since there were a lot of negative reviews on the Internet about the spoked wheels on this model about the quality of the spokes, casting is good. The tire size is quite standard (190/90 x 16 at the front and 130/90 x 15 at the rear), and choosing new tires will not be difficult if necessary.

In their advertising brochures, Baltmotors dealers like to mention the rich equipment of the BM 200 Classic, which is atypical for inexpensive equipment. Thus, this motorcycle is equipped with a fuel level indicator, a battery charge level sensor, a gear indicator and an indicator that signals that you are receiving a call on your mobile phone.

This is all very, very good, but the fuel level sensor on many motorcycles, according to owners’ reviews, lies shamelessly, especially on early models, and the incoming call indicator in urban conditions blinks almost continuously, going crazy in a city where there is always someone calling someone. However, these are all minor things. According to all the same reviews, the motorcycle is very reliable in everything related to its driving performance. The small engine runs smoothly and does not try to shirk its responsibilities, and the gearbox shifts gears clearly and without problems.

The BM Classic 200 pendants do not evoke any emotions, either positive or negative. They just are. For a chopper, especially a budget one, everything is on par. The brakes are also sufficient for everyday driving, given the more than modest weight of the motorcycle. In addition, the short wheelbase and small dimensions of the BM 200 Classic allow you to flash traffic jams on this motorcycle with virtually no thought, except that you have to frequently click the gears.

By the way, the standard equipment of the motorcycle includes roll bars (front and rear) and plastic side cases. In this price segment there is unprecedented luxury. The arcs, by the way, are of very decent quality. They, of course, will not survive a fall, but they shouldn’t - their task is to deform, taking on the energy of the impact, and thus protect the motorcyclist and more expensive parts of the bike, such as the gas tank and engine cover. But the panniers are made of plastic, albeit quite thick and durable, but brittle, which leads to the fact that they constantly rattle, especially on bad roads. However, thanks for that, and if you don’t like it, no one forbids you to hang any other trunks, right?

So, what do we have in the bottom line? BM 200 Classic is a budget cruiser for beginners. It has luxurious equipment for its price and quite expected characteristics. The model has been sold in Russia for many years, and all the “generic sores” of the motorcycle, such as a lying fuel sensor, have long been known, and there are ways to solve them. At the same time, most owners of the BM 200 Classic motorcycle, former and current, agree in their reviews that you can rely on the motorcycle. Indeed, there are practically no complaints on the Internet that any of the owners of the BM 200 have had a gearbox failure or a jammed engine.

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Main competitors

• Keeway Superlight 200 . Another “Chinese”, similar to the BM 200 Classic, like a twin brother. But it costs more.
• Regal Raptor DD150E . This model was once sold on the Russian market, and is still sometimes found on sale. But the situation with spare parts for it is now very bad - they are almost impossible to find.
• OMAKS Chopper . A motorcycle remembered mainly for its low build quality and low price. It is still available for sale second hand and is cheap.
• Lifan LF 250. It is a copy of the Yamaha XV 250 Virago, it is distinguished by a V-shaped 2-cylinder engine, good by class standards of dynamics and high reliability. Mostly on sale is its modified version - Lifan LF 250B.

Reviews from BM Classic 200 owners

I bought a 2011 motor in 2021 in the summer, with a mileage of 4k km, one owner for the entire time. For the last couple of years, the bike has been gathering dust in the owner’s garage and hasn’t been ridden at all, so all the seals and anthers have dried out. I had to put my hands on some little things, bring it to fruition, and re-route the wiring in a normal way. I drove it myself for two seasons, put 15 thousand km on the wheels and sold it to the new happy owner, and bought myself a Honda Shadow 1100. My impressions from Baltmotors were positive, there were no problems. Ivan, Voronezh, Baltmotors Classic 200 '2011

I chose a chopper with a budget of up to 90k, read reviews from owners of the BM 200 Classic, looked at a review of it on YouTube, but still couldn’t decide. But the Japanese didn’t fit into my budget, so I ended up buying a BM with a mileage of 18,000 km. I skated on it for a season, then sold it and took Steed. The motorcycle feels like a vegetable; it doesn’t ride, doesn’t brake, doesn’t steer. There are some assembly flaws, but not critical, and it doesn’t fall apart while running. Vitaly, Moscow, Baltmotors Classic 200 '2012

An ordinary cheap Chinese, well worth the money, but if you have the opportunity to expand your budget, you should take a Japanese one and not even think about it, it’s just heaven and earth. On a limited budget, this is a normal toy to learn how to ride and use your hands from time to time. Yaroslav, St. Petersburg, BM 200 Classic '2012

Summary

There are a lot of budget motorcycles with Chinese roots, but not so many small-capacity affordable cruisers. Baltmotors Classic 200 is a representative of budget bikes of this class that are quite rare in Russia. Of course, it also has competitors, but most of them were sold for a short time, after which dealers curtailed supplies, so there are no spare parts for them and are not expected. For the BM 200 Classic, according to reviews, you also have to look for spare parts, but at least dealers and official representatives of the company have not disappeared. It is quite good as a first motorcycle for a beginner, but, most likely, you will get tired of it very quickly, and you will have to change it to a more powerful two-wheeled steel horse.

Specifications

Baltmotors Classic 200

* Average fuel consumption, which may vary depending on driving style, driving speed and other factors.