It might be fair to say that the Big Boy Velocity is one of the most popular commercial bikes in SA. You see thousands of them on the road, mini Checkers sixty60 toy delivery bikes in stores, and even our local MotoGP legend Brad Binder standing next to one in Checkers sixty60 commercials. Although it’s not a motorcycle people aspire to own, the Velocity is a workhorse of note priced competitively and built for measure.
The Big Boy Pacer 200 takes some notes from the Velocity but ramps things up a little. It looks much better, feels more substantial and has a lot more performance than the Velocity 150, thanks to its 191cc, four-stroke single-cylinder engine, which pushes out 10kW and 12.5Nm of torque. Even better, fuel consumption sits at a miserly 2.3l/100km, meaning that the 18-litre tank will give around 700km range. Not bad for R400 or so.
It will keep up with city traffic easily, and the engine is commendably smooth thanks to the balancer shaft lying within, while the five-speed gearbox feels sturdy enough to withstand the most ham-fisted operation. With a +/-100km/h maximum speed, it’s not so much fun on the highway but then you wouldn’t expect it to be, nor would you buy one to cover extensive highway kilometres. Around town, however, the performance is perky and the bike is nimble enough to be very useful.
The Pacer 200 is physically small but nowhere near as small as the Velocity models; as a six-footer, it didn’t feel ridiculously cramped at all. The seat is soft, which I like, but it is slightly awkwardly shaped so that you find yourself sitting on the step between rider and pillion, meaning that your arse is constantly being forced forward. Shorter riders would have no problem but a flatter seat would help.
Suspension and brakes are basic but function adequately and it’s comforting to have a front disc brake (although not equipped with ABS).
The off-road-biased tyres, on the other hand, are not my cup of tea, although they might improve once a bit worn – the model tested was brand spanking new. If I were considering a Pacer 200 for personal use, I would change the tyres to something more street-orientated (for example Michelin City Extra), but that’s just me.
It’s not a bad-looking bike, the red paint on the tank looks good quality and there are a few nice styling touches, such as the round rear light and teardrop indicators, not to mention the multi-spoke alloy wheels, finished in black. The crash bars are a useful addition, as is the rear carry rack. The footpegs fold up and there is a kickstart as well as an electric start. The dash is simple – an analogue speedo, illuminated gear indicator and a couple of other warning lights that you don’t know are there until they come on.
The smoked plastic covers over these latter two are very dark, personally, I found that this made them difficult to read in bright sunlight, but maybe I am just nitpicking at this point. The fuel gauge set into the speedo face, although very bright is a good touch for an affordable runabout. Being fuelled by a carburettor means that there is a fuel tap with a reserve position.
Big Boy are pitching this as an on/off-road adventure bike, which is pushing it a little, although it is by no means alone in this category. As an ultra-cheap machine to throw at the scenery while being effortless to pick up after a fall, it is hard to beat as long as you’re not in a hurry.
The Big Boy Pacer 200’s main rivals (Hero Xpulse, Honda XR190L, Yamaha XT250), may have an advantage in terms of outright quality, although the performance is similar, at R50k and upwards, they are over twice the price of the Big Boy, which comes in at R22,999. As I’ve said before about these inexpensive “delivery” bikes, all of them will give long service if looked after properly and ridden with due care and attention, which many delivery bikes most certainly are not. Having said that, it’s remarkable how much abuse they seem to be able to take and still work if the state of some of them on the road is taken as evidence.
Perhaps the main selling point for the Pacer 200 is that it doesn’t necessarily look like a delivery bike. The vast majority of these bikes will be sold for delivery duties and you’ll not see many of them parked in private driveways, but the point is that you really could own one of them as a practical, frugal, short-distance means of transport.
Fleet buyers, on the other hand, would do well to appraise the Pacer 200 which offers, in my personal experience, a lot more than the Velocity models for not a lot more outlay (the Velocity 150 costs R16,799).
The Big Boy range is extensive; for more information, head to www.samotorcycles.co.za
Big Boy Pacer 200
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