Suzuki Van Van: reviews, specifications

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Introduced in the 1970s, Suzuki's Japanese Van Van motorcycles retain the charming retro look of a versatile Japanese bike.

Light sand bike

Recently reintroduced in the US, Van Van features a 200cc engine. cm - a significant increase compared to the previous 125 cubic meters. see Typical motocross bike, it is designed to ride both dirt and gravel roads and cross country, and the wide rear tire qualifies it as a sand bike.

Light and nimble, the VanVan 200 outperforms an ATV in some situations, ideal for trips around a ranch, a quick trap check or a beach ride where the ground is so loose that four wheels will immediately sink into it..

Design

Van Vans are the quintessential all-rounder Japanese motorcycles that were so popular back in the 60s and 70s, with some modern innovations to match today. The V-shaped seat is narrow and relatively low, allowing even very short riders to reach the ground.

The presence of a push-button starter and a fuel injection system, proving the modernity of the Van Van model, the owners find it useful,but given the intended use of the bike, they would have preferred to have kick-start as an option. If you have an off-road trip, it is better to have low-tech options in stock.

Van Van's instrument installation height is positively evaluated by the owners: the readings are easy to read, they are located at a sufficient level so that they can be covered at a glance. Users don't like it when they have to look down to check sensor readings. The headlights are, as one would expect, classically round, though perhaps a dual setup would have been better. The rear light is chunky, big, probably too much. But it's retro and the bike should look that way.

Chassis

The Suzuki Van Van starts with a diamond-shaped tubular steel frame that uses the engine as one of the structural elements to complete the outline. This not only allowed the motor to be lowered, but also reduced the overall weight of the motorcycle due to the complete elimination of part of the frame. Standard forks support up front with 33mm tubing, and a single spring-hydraulic damper is a swingarm at the rear. They fit 5.35-inch rims, however, with no adjustment at all.

The spoked aluminum rims are fitted with balloon tires, almost comically oversized for a bike with 130/80-18 front and 180/80-14 rear wheels. The tires have an on-road or off-road profile for a variety of riding options.

The brake caliper covers the front brake disc, andSuzuki, keeping up with the old style, used a mechanical drum to slow down the rear wheel. The presence of this retro element in Van Van user reviews for a 128-kg car are called a good enough option.

Motor

The choice of engine also contributed to the reduction in overall weight. Nothing says simplicity like air cooling, and that's what we have here. 199 cc single cylinder four stroke engine cm has a single cam head to control the valve timing. Instead of relying on cooling radiators, the manufacturer added an oil cooler as an extra layer of engine protection.

Not everything is so simple with induction control. Electronic fuel injection measures the air-to-fuel ratio for economy and emissions control, while Suzuki's automatic idle speed controller facilitates cold starts and stabilizes idle without driver input. The catalyst in the exhaust system burns whatever exits the combustion chamber. The lack of a carburetor in Van Van is treated with understanding by drivers. Its presence would simplify the design but make it more difficult to meet emission standards for road driving.

Transmission

Despite its small size, Suzuki kept the retro style and treated the VanVan like a full-size motorcycle, using a manual transmission and clutch to send power to the rear wheel. It might be tempting to fit some kind of scooter CVT, but since the vehicle comes with the usual manual setup, it certainly qualifies as a good training bike. Distinguishes this motorcycle from Suzuki 125 and transmission. The point is that the latter has a six-speed gearbox. The Van Van 200, however, has five steps.

Cost

The Van Van 200 is affordable at $4,599. The bike is available in Triton Blue Metallic and Fibroin Matte Gray with a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty.

Competitors

The Van Van is more or less a mini motocross bike, backed up by all of its retro styling. Therefore, when choosing alternative options, one should not be limited to one appearance. Considering design goals, engine size and price, Yamaha's TW200 would be its closest competitor.

Immediately noticeable that the TW200 appearance is more focused on the cross. That's the kind of cross-country "fullness" that the shortened frame creates with a short 52.2-inch wheelbase, down from the Van Van's 54.5 inches. Despite being shorter, the Yamaha has a 31.1-inch bench seat, nearly a full inch taller than the 30.3-inch Suzuki.

While the Van Van's 5.35 inches of suspension travel is probably enough for most riders, the Yamaha is up a notch with 5.9 inches of travel in the rear and a whopping 6.3 inches of travel in the front. Atboth bikes use a rear drum brake in addition to the hydraulic front disc, and both feature spoked rims with thick, dual-purpose tires that look capable of riding loose and soft surfaces like sand.

Yamaha's engine is 3cc smaller than Van Van's 199cc. see It is also air-cooled, single cylinder, but has a 28mm Mikuni carburetor. Some users, not afraid to be considered old-fashioned, prefer the carburetor to the fuel injection system for its simplicity. Both bikes have a standard, big-bike-inspired control system that includes a manual clutch and a five-speed constant mesh transmission to regulate speed and operating revs.

The price of these model motorcycles is the same, it is equal to 4599 US dollars, which almost raises the suspicion of collusion. In the end it really comes down to whether you want something that looks like a fairly modern mini enduro, or something more like a classic homemade motocross bike.

Is there a winner? Users like the Van Van's more comfortable seat, as the Yamaha's hard seat simply asks the rider to stand on the footpegs more than sit.