Motorcycle specifications Suzuki Van Van 200 2016 Rigolade at the bottom of the dunes

Although the Van Van is a fun little machine, its career in France is no longer as enthusiastic as it once was. Here's something to talk about again, and nostalgic 70s fans will be smiling. Now that we know it in 125, we'll be able to discover it in 200. Strictly speaking, this is nothing new, as this beach bike has been available in this displacement in Japan for some fifteen years. With the wave of neo-retro and unconventional machines, perhaps the time has come for this machine to wander a little more openly.

No surprises on the design front. The 200 is a carbon copy of the 125. Who could complain? With its chunky knobby tires, upturned pot and beach-bike profile, the VanVan appeals for its typical sunny-summer face. The difference is only mechanical. With its longer stroke and larger bore, the single-cylinder block is now 199 cm3. The gain is noticeable, but no more, with power increased to 17 hp and a gain of half a kilogram. This ounce of watts and cubic capacity, however, requires the appropriate license (A or A2), and limits its appeal.

With the Scrambler craze gaining momentum, and aided by the success of the Ducati of the same name, the VanVan could see a lot of people flocking to it, but it would need a real conquest displacement (500? 650?) and real durability to seduce. Braking is adequate for its featherweight of 128 kilos, but without ABS or coupled braking, we won't be seeing it in the catalog for much longer; European laws be damned. But we appreciate this kind of small challenge, which brings a ray of sunshine between the rays. Especially in a market overflowing with high-tech models that no longer even know how to wallow in ruts while making the driver laugh.

M.B. - Manufacturer's photos