the boost is a little bit bugged, you move 5000 units of distance instead of 4000 + 2 seconds of base movement speed. nevertheless, you can increase the distance with AAF with a 160 speed ship for 8000 units of distance compared to a 160 speed nid ship, which means (if the boost range is fixed), that their movement speed is pretty well balanced against AAF factions. the movement gauge has a 5 second longer CD than the nid boost, if you take regeneration all combustion points as the AAF CD.
nids can close the distance (as they are supposed to be able) but you can avoid all claw ramming with 160 speed ships safely, if you can spot them at 2/3 of your scanning range / keep them at 9000 range. if they burn their second burst, you have 90 seconds of freedom to engage them at +4500 distances, which is more than enough time to kill one BC of five (you need 20dps against 67 armor to pull that off. brawler builds should be over 30dps against 67 armor at 9000k range).
tentacle play gives you some more options, but even if you lose one of six ships in the initial engagement, you have plenty enough firepower with a brawler build to keep up and it is not like you can't pick skills and upgrades to punish claw nids.
faster ships have an easier time to deal with them. crons can kite forever, chaos gets a lot more distance out of AAF and their basic movement, eldar have such high dps and mobility to be at a big advantage against a ramming fleet and only merchant tau have to spot them really early away from their line ships to have a chance to keep up.