Specifications
Motorcycles like the Racer Nitro 200 focus on being cheap rather than performing on the road. What you pay is what you get. In this case, we don't get that much.
Engine
A simple 1-cylinder air-cooled engine . The GGB 200 power unit is also installed on many other Chinese motorcycles. With a maximum power of 14.3 hp. it is capable of accelerating the Racer Nitro to 90-100 km/h , depending on the strength and direction of the wind, the quality of the road surface, the weight of the driver and other factors.
Transmission
5-speed gearbox , simple as a brick, interlocked with the engine in a single unit. According to reviews, it works properly, although the sixth gear is very lacking.
Chassis and brakes
A steel frame with classic geometry, alloy wheels, disc brakes on both wheels - the picture is familiar. The brakes lack effectiveness, especially the rear, which is easy to lock. The suspension is simple, with a telescopic fork at the front and a monoshock absorber with a pendulum at the rear. We can say that the characteristics of the Racer Nitro correspond to its price.
Electronics
All Racer motorcycles have a simple design. Nitro 200 is no exception - there is a minimum of electronics in it. The engineers even provided a kickstarter.
Weight and dimensions
The Racer Nitro has a dry weight 133 kg , which is less than most competitors. The center of gravity is relatively high. The narrow steering wheel makes driving between rows very comfortable.
Controllability
Thanks to its short wheelbase and balanced technical characteristics, the Racer Nitro feels good in urban environments. Its turning radius is modest, like that of a scooter, so there are no problems with maneuvering. The bike weighs a little compared to “adult” competitors, and it’s not difficult to handle. For short motorcyclists, a low saddle height will also be an advantage.
Fuel consumption
According to the manufacturer, the average gasoline consumption of the Racer Nitro is 3 liters per 100 km . Practice shows that this is so. The carburetor is not picky about the quality of fuel, and it is better to fill the tank with AI-92. A 10-liter gas tank is enough for more than 300 km without refueling.
Similar models
- Lifan LF200 GY-5. Cheap, proven over the years of production and tens of thousands of copies that travel with might and main on the roads of Russia and other countries.
- Motoland GS 250 . An inexpensive bike from a manufacturer that is not the most famous in the Russian Federation.
- XMoto Raptor 200 . In terms of price, characteristics and other parameters, it is generally similar to the Ranger.
Total
This is a case where a good idea is ruined by careless execution. If not for numerous design flaws and careless assembly, the Racer Ranger RC200 GY8 could have won much more sympathy than it actually did. And, really, it’s even a pity that it happened this way, because this motorcycle is really interesting. If you bring it to perfection, it can serve faithfully for many years, especially since it is not difficult to select components for the Racer Ranger from other bikes made in China. So if you are not afraid to get your hands dirty sometimes, and the budget for purchasing a motorcycle is small, you can still pay attention to this model.
Repair and tuning
There is no point in investing in tuning a cheap bike; if 200 cubic meters is not enough, it will be cheaper to immediately purchase a more powerful model. Sometimes you have to repair the Racer Nitro 200, but mostly on small things.
Repair
Problems with build quality can lead to consequences, but they can be avoided if you take care of this issue immediately after purchase. Check the tightness of all nuts and bolts, balance and align the wheels correctly, make sure the wires are properly insulated, and everything will be fine.
Spare parts
All parts are cheap, and most of them are in stock at dealers. Many components are suitable from other motorcycles made in China, but the process of selecting them is time-consuming.
Tuning
It is possible to equip the bike with a larger-volume piston, suitable for the RC250-SK. According to reviews, the piston version is not suitable for the 300 cc version. And universal tuning, mainly a body kit, has not been canceled.
Desna Phantom 220
There are also Chinese analogues, TW200 - for example, Desna Phantom 220 and the new one costs 72 thousand.
— China — quality, resource, reliability appropriate
— It clearly rides worse than the TW200. The headlights, ergonomics, and seating position are also different and not for the better.
— Features of tires: non-standard size, price
— Liquidity — it’s often not so easy to sell a Chinese one; you have to sell it off, since they age quite quickly.
+ price, service price
+ Availability of spare parts, price of spare parts
+ New, warranty.
Standard Chinese enduro with classic 21/18 wheels, but I haven’t decided which one yet, a whole bunch of them have come out over the last couple of years and at a variety of prices - from 50 to 400 thousand (how many, how much, b#@ - are they crazy or something? ?)
— The disadvantages have long been known and may change from one to another, but they do not reach the Japanese.
The advantages are obvious: price, new, and most importantly, spare parts for the car cost pennies.
At the moment I am intensively ventilating this question and have not yet found anything suitable for myself, since there are a huge number of them.
Advantages and disadvantages
Racer Nitro 200 is a typical representative of its class and price segment. For such a price, all that is required of it is that it drives and does not break down too often.
Advantages
- Not a bad design . Racer Nitro does not copy famous Japanese models, and generally looks well built.
- Comfortable seating . Despite its compact size, the bike will be comfortable even for tall riders.
- Affordable price . The purchase cost is low, as is the maintenance cost. Any spare parts and consumables are cheap.
Flaws
- Crudely welded frame . Unevenly welded seams covered with cheap paint quickly become covered with rust.
- Weak engine . For a motorcycle of this mass, a more powerful motor is needed to ensure tolerable acceleration dynamics.
- Fragile plastic . Thin and not flexible enough, it cracks even from light falls at near-zero speed.
Yamaha TW 200
Tractor among enduro.
— The price of the motorcycle itself is from 120,000 rubles
— Maintenance can be expensive and you will have to wait a long time for spare parts if something more or less serious happens.
— Features of tires: non-standard size, price
The advantages are the same as Sherpa:
+ Japanese quality and reliability
+ Handling, dynamics
+ Most suitable for leisurely crawling through the mountains without a harness
+ Low seat height
+ Appearance, headlights, fit and ergonomics.
Owner reviews
I bought a Racer Nitro in 2021, bought it new at the dealership, at a discount, because the bike was scratched during transportation (two scratches on the gas tank). For such money it’s absolutely fire! It drives normally, picks up speed up to 80 km/h briskly, but uphill there is not enough power, the speed drops. Evgeniy, Simferopol.
Not the best motor for its price, too heavy for such a stunted engine, and the dynamics are stupidly lacking. The plastic rattles and immediately breaks into pieces when dropped - tested from personal experience. The frame quickly becomes covered with corrosion, the welds are made with the grace of a drunk autogen carver. The mileage is now 14k, the moped is still alive, but there are already minor problems. Andrey, Moscow.
Great option for a buck, looks like an adult, if you tear off the stickers, no one at first glance thinks it's Chinese. The engine is not bad, it just vibrates, the transmission works smoothly. Front brakes are ok, rear brakes are so-so. In general, everything is ok. Boris, Anapa.
Pitbike
I already know what I need in the near future for my purposes and the criteria are generally defined:
- 125-140 cubes, since they have bottoms, they are cheap and simple, I don’t need valvo
- 17/14 wheels, since large wheels are the key to passing obstacles, holes and simply ground clearance
- Electric starter - kick kick, it works, of course, but it gets boring, and even if it stalls where the thread is on the rise, the starter helps a lot
- Headlight - light without options is needed and not nominal (from behind - too)
- Endurance tires, rather than cross-country tires, behave better on hard surfaces, without much loss of grip, and wear out noticeably less - I wear out Pit’s cross-country tires very quickly.
- Suspension adjustments are welcome, but not critical.
- Suitable for height (some are frankly too small for me)
- Capable of painlessly withstanding my weight in equipment with a backpack of up to a hundred kilograms
- The brand and manufacturer are completely unimportant - in fact, all pitas are made from the same components with different variations
- I don't want Zongshen)
- The price tag is as budget as possible (well, I’m not ready to pay a hundred dollars for a pit. And I’m not even ready to pay 60.)
In connection with these criteria, I have completely decided on the characteristics, all that remains is to choose a specific instance and manufacturer, but this is only one of the options for solving my needs, but it has one big plus - it is the most budget option and one big minus - it’s not a universal option at all , going somewhere in a neighboring city is quite crazy, slow and damn inconvenient, driving in the city is illegal (no PTS), no lighting equipment.
There is another option:
Go crazy, take a donor in the form of a Chinese enduro or pit bike and turn it into Er...customs into another, but already rideable RatLook Scrambler (for some reason I am most attracted to such customization and tuning).
Who doesn't understand what we're talking about, have you watched Mad Max? That’s roughly when a nuclear disaster happened, a zombie apocalypse, humanity died out, but there remained a handful of people who somehow survived and drove equipment assembled from rusty scrap metal at the nearest trash heap (and the spare parts were clearly not from a motorcycle, but, say, from a rusty grandma’s floor lamp). And since the equipment will not be particularly intended for public roads, and registration and legalization don’t bother me much, my imagination has room to run wild!
What attracts me to this option: it’s a creative process, design, functionality - you need to think through everything so that it’s just fire. There is an opportunity to put your hands to work. Bombastic, aggressive appearance. All technical solutions will be aimed at solving exactly my needs. Feel free to experiment. Spare parts for the exterior (except for the engine, frame, brakes, forks, swingarm and wheels) will traditionally be taken from the trash heap, from a junk garage and welded with the most barbaric weld that I am capable of. The main part of the spare parts will remain standard so that you can buy them in any store. It’s not scary to knock all this out - bomb it, so the spendthrift will only become more charismatic, and if anything, it will be possible to redo everything by taking a part from the trash. And besides, other pit problems will be solved - the narrow, hard seat can be made normal, the tank can be bigger, the light can be made to really shine, a trunk or something for carrying cargo can be inserted - after all, there’s simply nowhere to stick things! The only downside I see is that iron, even rusty, is heavy for a weak Chinese - the weight will increase compared to the standard one.
These are such confusing thoughts about the future of your motorcycle for the 2021 season. If anyone has something useful to say, speak up - perhaps you will lead me to some necessary thoughts and finally convince me of some decision!
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Author: Yuri (Er...)
expert on cars and motorcycles in Perm
About me
FAQ
- Is it comfortable to drive around a big city? In Moscow, for example? Relatively. Thanks to its modest dimensions, the Nitro 200 can easily pass even in narrow aisles, but it lacks traction on busy avenues.
- Is the bike suitable for a trip to the sea several thousand kilometers away? People go long-distance even on 50cc scooters, so it's up to you to decide.
- Is it worth buying the Racer Nitro 200, or is it better to save up and get the 300cc version? There is little difference between them, but the latest generation has a more peppy engine.
Conclusion
The Nitro 200 motorcycle does not stand out against the background of countless competitors from China. Cheap, relatively balanced , it can become normal transport for every day, but you can just as well choose another bike - you most likely won’t even notice the difference. As soon as the Racer company discontinues this model, everyone will quickly forget about it.
Specifications
| Maximum engine power: | 14.3 HP |
| Working volume: | 200 cm3 |
| Motor type (cylinder arrangement, number of strokes): | 4-stroke, Single cylinder |
| Number of cylinders: | 1 |
| Number of valves: | |
| Intake type (Injector / Carburetor): | |
| Bore and stroke: | |
| Starting system (Electric starter, kick starter): | |
| Maximum speed in km/h: | 110 km/h |
| Cooling system: | Air cooling |
| Transmission (gearbox): | 5-speed, manual |
| Clutch (Dry / Wet): | |
| Drive unit: | Chain |
| Frame: | Steel |
| Chassis | |
| Suspension (front/rear travel): | |
| Brakes (Front/Rear): | |
| Wheels / Tires / Rubber: | |
| Dimensions and weight | |
| Dimensions (Length / Width): | |
| Seat height: | |
| Ground clearance: | |
| Curb weight: | |
| Weight: | 133 kg |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 10 l. |
| Battery capacity: | |
| Year of release: | |
| Country of Origin: |
Kawasaki SuperSherpa:
Legendary motorcycle for the mountains!
— Initially, a decent copy is relatively expensive (from 120,000 rubles).
— Maintenance can be expensive and you will have to wait a long time for spare parts if something more or less serious happens.
+ Japanese quality and reliability
+ Handling, dynamics
+ Most suitable for leisurely crawling through the mountains without a harness
+ Low graying height
+ Appearance, headlights, fit and ergonomics.
