Scooter Irbis Nirvana 150 went on sale more than 10 years ago, and was produced for quite a long time. During this time, dealers managed to sell a huge number of copies - buyers flocked to this model in droves, attracted by its affordable price, good technical characteristics and attractive design. But Chinese motorcycle manufacturers rarely improve existing models, preferring instead to release new, modified and improved ones to the market, so now the new Irbis Nirvana 150cc is no longer available. The model, however, is still popular due to its deservedly positive reputation.
Design
The appearance of the Irbis Nirvana 150 scooter is copied from the Daelim Trans NS2 , which is why it turned out to be so successful. Taking advantage of the developments of competitors, Chinese designers immediately got what they wanted at minimal cost. And even though their craft looks completely secondary, it still turned out quite nice and attractive.
Similar models
- Yamaha 125. Undoubtedly the most popular 125cc road bike. What is characteristic is that it is also inexpensive, especially on the secondary market.
- Stels SB 200. Don’t let the number in the name confuse you, in terms of performance characteristics it is almost similar to both the Irbis 150 GS and the aforementioned YBR.
- Lifan LF125 GY6. Another guest from the Middle Kingdom, however, nothing remarkable.
Specifications
The Irbis Nirvana 150cc is in many ways similar to other light motorcycles from China - it’s just as simple and budget-friendly , and it has a similar set of strengths and weaknesses. But in general, its technical characteristics can be called balanced and even quite good, especially considering the modest money this model costs.
Engine
A simple 150 cc air-cooled power unit with a capacity of 9.4 hp. capable of accelerating a moped to a speed of 100 km/h , but, according to reviews from owners, a comfortable cruising speed does not exceed 80-85 km/h. The engine is very reliable, and, if desired, it can be tuned - you can replace the piston, or you can bore the existing one by installing a new cylinder head. The carburetor is unpretentious, and after adjusting it once, you can forget about it for a long time.
Transmission
Regular continuously variable transmission , exactly the same as on hundreds of other models. It works well, reacting sensitively to the position of the throttle, and does not throw up surprises. Especially if you service it as it should be, and not according to the principle “when it breaks, then we’ll see.”
Chassis and brakes
The steel frame is mounted on 14-inch wheels with alloy discs , and a standard suspension with a telescopic fork and a rear monoshock absorber is responsible for absorbing road irregularities. There are no settings, but it behaves tolerably, although a little extra rigidity would not hurt. Both wheels have disc brakes with 1-piston calipers. There is also a budget variation on the theme of ABS - an artificial brake force limiter, which, in theory, should help avoid wheel locking.
Electronics
In terms of electronics, the Irbis Nirvana 150cc is no different from any other similar bike. All moisture-sensitive components are hidden deep in its depths, so it is not afraid of rain or washing. If necessary, repairing the electrical wiring is not difficult; it is easy to get to it by simply removing the side plastic.
Weight and dimensions
Dry weight is 115 kg, and curb weight is about 10 kg more . The small width (within 68 cm at the extreme points) makes maneuvering in urban conditions much easier, as does the medium-length wheelbase. On the highway, the scooter feels somewhat less confident, as it is noticeably blown away by the side wind , and it is not easy to maintain directional stability - you have to constantly “catch” the steering wheel.
Controllability
How should a budget Chinese bike handle? That's right - great! Despite the cheap suspension, the Irbis Nirvana 150cc handles excellently. The turning radius is very small , so you can turn around on a tiny spot. A significant maximum steering angle can even play a cruel joke on an inexperienced driver in a parking lot - the steering wheel can be turned so that the scooter falls on its side if it is not caught in time. But getting used to this feature of it takes a couple of days.
Fuel consumption
On average, this model consumes 3.5-4 liters per 100 km , but when driving in urban conditions with constant acceleration and braking, consumption can increase noticeably. The engine consumes AI-92 and has no use for high-octane gasoline. True, only 6.2 liters fit into the gas tank, that is, catastrophically small, considering the appetites of the bike.
Technical characteristics of Irbis GS 150
What do we expect from an extremely budget Chinese bike? That's right, nothing special, so let's do without disappointed expectations. Steel frame , reliable but primitive single-cylinder air-cooled engine with a design from the 80s of the last century, carburetor, 5-speed transmission ... We've already seen all this somewhere, right? For example, in all these countless hordes of other Chinese motorcycles. However, the Irbis 150 GS has one more advantage - a developed dealer network where you can easily buy any spare parts and consumables, and at very reasonable prices.
The engine is rated at 11.3 hp. - not so bad, however, the peak power occurs at 8500 rpm , that is, the engine needs to be turned to high speeds. The expensive KTM 125 Duke, for example, has 15 hp on board, but it costs as much as a whole pack of 150 GS Irbis. True, the “Russian Chinese”, like most other single-cylinder motorcycles, suffers from parasitic vibrations at high speeds, but this drawback can be accepted. But it is light, difficult to drop, easy to pick up, and you can safely ride on it both on asphalt and light off-road, especially if you take the trouble to buy more toothy tires. The gas tank holds as much as 14 liters , which, with a fuel consumption of 2.5-3 liters per hundred, provides the Irbis GS 150 with an excellent power reserve. The engine is designed for AI-92, and it is not advisable to fill it with fuel with a higher octane number.
But the brakes, alas, let us down. The front disc brake generally copes with its task tolerably, but the rear drum brake mechanism provides little information, and its effectiveness leaves much to be desired. And if you also put a passenger on the Irbis GS 150, the braking distance will immediately almost double. However, this danger is compensated by the fact that the dynamics immediately sags, and acceleration to a maximum speed of 100 km/h becomes a non-trivial task. But even with a passenger, the bike is very easy to handle, because it steers well, and the dry weight does not exceed 115 kg .
Scooter price
The model has already been discontinued, so you can no longer buy a new Irbis Nirvana. Prices for used copies start from 25 thousand rubles , and reach an average of 40 thousand , and, judging by the available offers, the year of manufacture and mileage weakly correlate with the price. But there is a choice, and quite wide, so you can find a suitable option. Carefully inspect everything you can before you agree to buy, after all, these scooters are already quite old.
Repair and tuning
Motor scooters made in China have always been famous for, if not reliability, then at least maintainability. And the model under consideration does not have a tendency to break down often, despite some controversial issues in the design. So there is no need to fear any serious problems, and all potential breakdowns can be repaired without any special costs.
Repair
Any scooter repair service can easily handle the Irbis Nirvana 150cc - from a technical point of view, it is no different from a whole legion of other similar “Chinese” models. And you can do all the necessary operations on your own, from scheduled maintenance to repairs, since the design is very simple. It will be easy to understand it, armed with a manual and an inexpensive suitcase with tools.
Spare parts
The model has been discontinued and parts for it are no longer officially produced. But much is suitable from other Chinese scooters, and even more from motor scooters produced by the Irbis company. The compatibility of units between models is high, and you can always choose what you need. The cost of spare parts is low, even the most economical owner can afford them.
Tuning
There is not the slightest point in tuning the Irbis Nirvana; it is already good as a budget vehicle. Some owners replaced the shock absorbers with more powerful ones, but this is not cheap, since budget options do not differ in characteristics from those that are stock, and higher quality ones are expensive. And on Aliexpress they sell a larger-volume piston (170cc), but it still won’t add much speed.
Advantages and disadvantages
The desire of the Chinese to save money when developing budget motorcycles is well known to all of us. Irbis Nirvana is a prime example of such savings. A very good device noticeably suffers from minor quality problems, which, on the one hand, are not too serious, but on the other hand, they noticeably spoil the mood of the owners.
Advantages
- dynamics for a 150cc engine .
- Low cost of maintenance.
- Parts compatibility with many other scooters manufactured in China.
- Attractive design that looks natural on the roads even now.
- Comfortable fit and thoughtful ergonomics.
- There is a built-in alarm system .
Flaws
- Weak suspensions , which sometimes break through speed bumps and road irregularities.
- An unfinished design of the gas tank drainage , from which, during strong shaking, gasoline sometimes splashes out in small quantities.
- Small gas tank volume , which is why you have to refuel often.
- Brittle plastic that easily breaks if dropped.
Pros and cons of Irbis GS 150
Advantages
- Low price . Both the motorcycle itself and any spare parts for it are cheap, and even the poorest motorcyclist can afford them. In addition, it is usually not difficult to find them in stock.
- Very simple design . By servicing the Irbis GS 150 in a garage, you can not only save a lot of money, but also learn to understand the design of motorcycles in general.
- Light weight . Experienced bikers, of course, don’t care; they can easily handle 400-kilogram monsters, but for beginners this is important. It will be very easy to cope with the weight of the Irbis GS 150.
- Versatility . On this motorcycle you can equally well ride to work in traffic jams or carry sacks of potatoes to the dacha. The GS 150 is a durable and very durable device, which can also be repaired using a set of wrenches, a screwdriver and a sledgehammer.
Flaws
- Weak paintwork . It is really very easy to scratch it, for example, with a zipper on a jacket.
- Quality of spare parts . It ranges from “excellent” to “how was this missed during the rejection?” How lucky, in general.
- Some parts are difficult to find . For example, plastic body kit elements.
- The rear brake is frankly weak and insufficiently informative.
- The standard headlight does not shine well enough, but this problem can be solved in the usual way - just change the bulb to a more powerful one.
- Due to the characteristics of wheel rims, the camera in the rear wheel sometimes jams, which leads to the need to replace it.
Owner reviews
An excellent scooter for every day, it has gone through fire, water and copper pipes with me. It’s lightweight, handles fabulously, can even be driven off-road if you’re careful, simply because it’s very light. During the warm season I went to work every day, refueled several times a week, the tank was definitely too small. The quality of the plastic is terrible, once I just toppled the bike off the kickstand and the entire sidewall cracked. It wasn’t possible to fix it properly, I ordered a Chinese set of plastic (it came out to about 8k per circle), the quality is the same, but new - there were already enough cracks and bumps. There were no breakdowns during the entire period of operation. Oleg, Shcherbinka.
A peppy lightweight bike with excellent dynamics, in the city it allows you not to feel inferior in traffic. At a traffic light, you can drive between the rows and stand first, and quickly go ahead when it turns green. After 60-70, acceleration weakens, the maximum speed is around 100, but for urban conditions you don’t need more. In terms of reliability, everything is fine, but sometimes you need to put in some effort. A noticeable disadvantage is the weak fasteners of the mirrors; at speed they sometimes get twisted by the wind, so I would advise replacing them immediately. Artyom, Moscow.
If you forget about the brittle plastic, the moped is not bad, although strange. What prevented you from making the gas tank bigger? Or would an extra couple of tens of square centimeters of tin make the model incredibly expensive? The brake force limiter also works strangely, a kind of Chinese-style ABS. It eats a lot, in the city my consumption sometimes exceeded 5 liters, and this is with a tank volume of 6-something. In general, the impressions are mixed. Boris, Novosibirsk.
FAQ
- Can anything be done with plastic? Otherwise, it seems to tingle even from vibrations. You can remove it and glue the inside with mesh, which is used when repairing plastic parts. This will increase the strength of the body kit, and fragments will not be lost if the plastic breaks.
- Only one headlight on the low beam is on, the second one turns on only on the high beam! How to fix it? This feature is common to many models. It’s not difficult to make sure that both headlights are lit on the low beam, just reconnect the necessary wires.
- The dynamics are not enough for aggressive driving around the city. What can be done? There are two most popular options - installing a sports CVT and another carburetor (or a jet kit in an existing carburetor), but this is not cheap, and also leads to increased fuel consumption.
Conclusion
For its time, the Irbis Nirvana 150cc was quite good , which determined its high popularity . Quite powerful by the standards of the class, attractive in appearance and quite reliable , it was sold at a low price, so there are still enough connoisseurs of this model to this day. Its quality is evidenced by the fact that it was able to successfully squeeze into a market already overcrowded with Chinese scooters, taking its place in it. And since used ones sell for very little money these days, this scooter could be a good option if you need cheap everyday transportation.
Specifications
| Maximum engine power: | 9.4/7500 HP |
| Torque: | 8.3/6000 Nm |
| Working volume: | 149.6 cm3 |
| Motor type (cylinder arrangement, number of strokes): | Gasoline carburetor |
| Number of cylinders: | 1 |
| Number of valves: | |
| Intake type (Injector / Carburetor): | |
| Bore and stroke: | |
| Starting system (Electric starter, kick starter): | |
| Maximum speed in km/h: | 100 km/h |
| Cooling system: | Air |
| Transmission (gearbox): | Variable speed drive |
| Clutch (Dry / Wet): | |
| Drive unit: | Belt |
| Frame: | Steel tubular |
| Chassis | |
| Suspension (front/rear travel): | |
| Brakes (Front/Rear): | |
| Wheels / Tires / Rubber: | |
| Dimensions and weight | |
| Dimensions (Length / Width): | |
| Seat height: | |
| Ground clearance: | |
| Curb weight: | |
| Wheelbase: | 1380 mm |
| Weight: | 115 kg |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 6.2 l. |
| Battery capacity: | |
| Year of release: | |
| Country of Origin: |
Assembly of Irbis 150
Very ugly. You bought Irbis 150 U, and you can immediately start tightening everything you can reach. Special attention should be paid to the wires - they hang as necessary. Use plastic clamps to ensure the necessary order in the wiring - this will come in handy later.
The plastic floor on the running boards is not durable. It's better to think about an alternative in advance.
Engine
Frankly speaking, the engine was a pleasant surprise. With a volume of 149.6 cubic centimeters and a power of 10.1 hp. the engine perfectly pulls not only the ATV itself, but also two people with a total weight of significantly more than 150 kg. Of course, the ATV is not intended for these purposes and is generally positioned as a teenager, but its potential is noticeably greater. It starts in cold weather (a mixture enricher helps), in hot weather it doesn’t get too hot - a good engine.
The reliability of the power unit of the Irbis 150 ATV can be considered acceptable if the Chinese oil is replaced with normal oil immediately after purchase. The crap that turns out to be in at least some cars is only suitable for polluting the environment. Replacing the default oil with high-quality semi-synthetic oil allows you to extend the life of the quad by an order of magnitude. A fine filter won't hurt either - you never know what will end up at the bottom of the tank.
Chain
In factory assembly it often turns out to be ungreased. Needs to be lubricated. It’s even better to replace it with a better one, since the metal is soft.
Rear suspension
Quite normal. For riding with a passenger, the rear shock absorber is rather weak, but in the end, this is not what the Irbis 150 ATV was created for. For one person - more than enough. For two, you can add a rubber insert to the shock absorber, but the ride is still uncomfortable.
If suddenly the rear shock absorber of the ATV Irbis 150 fails, it can be replaced with the front shock absorber from a VAZ 2105 or another classic. Shock absorbers from the Voskhod motorcycle are also suitable - they are longer, but softer.
Other chassis
Immediately after purchase, adjust the wheel alignment - examples from the factory have problems with this. The hub nuts may be pinched: this leads to heavy rotation of the wheel.
Without snow chains, the ATV goes very poorly in the snow - it gets buried. Better to use. The included skis are not very effective.
The oil in the ATV gearbox is just as bad as the oil in the engine. To replace.
Lighting and electrical appliances
They saved a lot on mounting the headlights - they can simply fall off while driving. If the headlights on your copy are loose, it is better to immediately remove them, seal them and install them back.
The generator voltage regulator relay (stabilizer) often fails. It is better to find a relay with similar parameters from a car or motorcycle.
Brakes
The ATV Irbis 150 U has problems with adjusting and assembling the brakes (especially the rear ones). The caliper may simply be assembled crookedly, or it may be wildly overtightened. This is easy to notice - you need to make the ATV “ride” in a suspended state. There have been cases where the brake cylinders did not return from the braking position.
