VOLUME 59 ISSUE 12 MARCH 22, 2022 P99
cubic centimeters provide better
luggable power that's ideal for
technical off-road riding. Overall,
the motor gives you the confi-
dence to ride harder and attempt
extremely technical obstacles
without having to muscle around
more weight or worry about con-
trolling a drastically more power-
ful motorcycle.
Two power modes are avail-
able on the 200. A switch on the
frame just above the fuel cap
shows a sun for normal condi-
tions or a cloud for wetter, slicker
dirt. You can toggle between
modes on the fly, and you will
notice the difference. In "sun"
mode, the engine comes alive.
You'll want to be in this mode if
you're really looking to push the
200 to its limit. In "cloud" mode,
the ignition curve is noticeably
mellower, making the bike easier
and more predictable to ride. A
less-experienced rider, or those
looking to tame things down a bit
when things get nasty, will indeed
benefit from the cloud mode.
Like a 125, the 200 feels light
and nimble and goes virtually
wherever you want it. Point and
shoot, there's no real hesitation
in the bike's handling. Thanks to
its claimed dry weight of only 213
pounds, you can stand up and
move it side-to-side with ease or
jump down into the cockpit to
take a corner with speed. The
Beta loves the twisty stuff.
Suspension is solid and works
well for most conditions, but it
starts showing its weaknesses as
speeds pick up and whoops get
larger; a combination West Coast
off-roaders are all too familiar
with. To be fair, though, this isn't
what the 200 is all about. The
If you haven't
ridden a 200cc two-
stroke yet, more
specifically Beta's
200 RR, you might
be missing out on
all the fun.
