ITALJET DRAGSTER 200 (2022 - on) Review

There is no denying the Italjet Dragster 200 looks absolutely amazing but the mundane four-stroke engine feels a bit of a disappointment in such a stylish bike with a strong sporting heritage.

Performance-wise it’s not an ‘urban superbike’ as Italjet bill it, it’s just a wild-looking scooter that handles briskly but accelerates like every other twist-and-go. The original Dragster was such a revolutionary bike, I’m slightly left wondering if Italjet would have been better abandoning petrol and instead simply making the electric version (scheduled for launch in 2023 with a claimed 0-30mph in 2.9 seconds) that will hopefully deliver the straight line performance kick to do the bike’s heritage justice and appeal to a new generation of urban rider.

That said, if you want a truly unique scooter, the Dragster does look phenomenal and the attention to detail is incredibly impressive. There again, the price tag is also pretty high.

However, if the standard bike just isn't exciting enough, there was a mind-bending 500 version announced at the 2022 Eicma show in Milan alongside an electric one. Expect deliveries in 2023...

Italjet enlisted the help of Andrea Dovizioso in fine-tuning the Dragster’s chassis, although you have to question quite how much input a MotoGP rider would have had with a scooter’s handling.

Always billed as sporty, the Dragster is initially a bit unnerving to ride as its small wheels (12-inch front, 13-inch rear) and low centre of gravity make it flop very rapidly into bends and the ISS front end gives an odd feel, meaning you are never 100% sure what the front wheel is up to.

As the Dragster weighs just 133kg wet, the weight of the rider has an enormous impact on its handling but once you get used to how it responds your confidence grows and you can certainly chuck it about.

The Pirelli tyres deliver good levels of grip and although the suspension is quite harsh, especially over potholes, there is a degree of adjustability to allow you to dial out a bit of the crashy sensation.

Taller riders may feel quite cramped on it as there isn’t much wiggle room in the riding position. They didn’t have to (125s can have linked brakes), but it is great to see ABS as standard on both Dragster models and with braided lines and Brembo calipers there is more than enough stopping power.

One of the benefits of an ISS front is a lack of dive under braking, which is odd at first, but you quickly get used to it and it isn’t really an issue or a benefit – more another quirky trait of the Dragster.

The original Dragster was powered by a two-stroke single, which was remarkably fast in its 180cc variant (as most L-plated ‘125cc’ bikes actually were) but sadly times have changed and gone is the two-smoke, replaced by a Euro5-compliant liquid-cooled four-valve DOHC four-stroke single in either 125 or 200cc capacity.

MCN tested the 200cc version, which makes a claimed 17.3bhp with 11.4lb.ft of torque where the 125 makes a claimed 12.3bhp with 7.7lb.ft of torque. Obviously not a patch on the old two-stroke, the 200 is reasonably nippy to accelerate with a top speed of a touch over 70mph eventually but generally is much happier at a maximum of 65mph.

It’s not outstanding in any way and feels very much a run-of-the-mill scooter motor, which is a bit of a shame considering the Dragster’s sporty heritage. It’s ok, just not memorable or impressive in any way. An electric version is being developed that should arrive in 2023 and is claimed to have 250lb.ft of torque, 110-mile urban range and 5.5-hour recharge time to 100% - now that is interesting.

Looking around the Dragster it seems as if Italjet haven’t cut any corners and the level of finish is high with the paint on the trellis very impressive. It is unlikely there will be any issues with the single cylinder motor in either 125 or 200 guise as it is a pretty tried and tested design and with suppliers such as Brembo and Pirelli used the quality of parts seems good. All UK bikes come with a two-year warranty.

The Dragster 125 costs £5199 OTR with the 200 version upping this very slightly to £5499. While that is a lot for a 125 scooter when compared to cheap Chinese rivals, is it about right for a high end model such as the Yamaha XMAX 125 (£5150).

But the Dragster is so out there in terms of its styling and attitude it could be a rival for a naked 125 such as the KTM 125 Duke (£4499) or Kawasaki Z125 (£3999) or even other odd-ball 125s such as the Honda MSX125 (£3799), Monkey (£3999) or DAX (£TBC).

At the end of the day, there are very few bikes that rival the Dragster in terms of its looks and realistically it is in a class of one and you pay for this exclusivity, especially the Dragster 200, which is a bit of an odd capacity in the UK.

The Dragster is all about its styling however it is good to see Italjet haven’t cut corners on the components used. You get ABS and Brembo brake calipers as standard with braided lines as well as wave discs and both shocks are adjustable for spring preload with the forward one also allowing its compression damping to be altered.

The LCD dash lacks connectivity (there is a handy USB port) and is a bit underwhelming but overall the level of build quality and attention to detail is deserving of a scooter with a higher than average price tag and it is good to see the motor is a DOHC design.

Italjet are working on a range of accessories for the Dragster and the four-stroke 125 can ‘regain its full 15bhp’ according to Italjet through an Akrapovic exhaust while Malossi, Brembo and Öhlins have all built parts to improve both Dragster model’s performance, handling and transmission. There is also a range of bolt-on carbon parts and a racing cylinder kit is currently under development, although no word yet on how much extra power it will release.