Honda CBR150R – The Top Choice in the 150cc Sportbike Segment

Even though newly distributed by Honda Vietnam, the CBR150R is already a very familiar name among the biker community in Vietnam because this small sports bike had been imported by private dealers before. However, what quickly made bikers “lock in” the genuine CBR150R was that the bike was imported completely from Indonesia, but the official price was lower than that of the privately imported bikes. In addition, there are advantages in terms of official warranty policies from Honda Vietnam and convenient maintenance and repair processes thanks to a widespread network of dealerships throughout the country.

That’s not to mention that the CBR150R has a leading price in its segment, but it also comes with more attractive equipment and features. This small sports bike from Honda is considered the top choice for sportbike enthusiasts.

Flexible operation, comfortable riding position

For customers who love the Honda brand, especially the large displacement motorcycle (PKL) line, the new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade is certainly the dream sports bike for them. However, with a price of 1 billion VND (approx. 45,000 USD), the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade is not for most Vietnamese riders. Moreover, with the situation of crowded streets and frequent traffic congestion in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, only on weekends can the “beast” CBR1000RR-R Fireblade “fly.” Meanwhile, with a lower price, suitable for the budget of many Vietnamese users, along with a sporty design, compact yet nimble and easy to maneuver in urban areas, the “little Fireblade” CBR150R is considered an interesting sportbike choice for daily commuting.

To evaluate the actual performance of the Honda CBR150R, I tested riding this small sports bike on a total journey of over 100 km from downtown Hanoi to the Thang Long Gaiong statue in the Da Chong Mountain area (Soc Son, Hanoi) and vice versa. The journey was not too long, but it was enough for me to understand how the Honda CBR150R operates when experiencing various types of terrain from roads to highways, and then winding mountain roads with many sharp turns.

I started the journey around 9 am. This was not the peak hour in Hanoi, but the traffic density was still quite high, so I could only run gears 1 and 2. At these low gears, the shifting of the Honda CBR150R was smooth and silky, without any jerk or jerkiness, which did not make the passengers behind me and even myself feel the slightest discomfort. This is one of the outstanding advantages of the CBR150R compared to other models in the same segment thanks to its two-way Assist & Slipper Clutch.

In addition, with a relatively light weight (139 kg), the rider had no difficulty in maintaining balance of the CBR150R at low speeds when riding in the city. An advantage of the CBR150R is that riders over 1.6m tall can easily control the bike, with simple and light footpeg positions, effortlessly gliding through the streets thanks to a seat height of only 788 mm.

For a 150 cc sports bike for city riding, I am really satisfied with the Honda CBR150R. The sporty design, comfortable riding position make CBR150R a great choice. From the design of the footpeg to the backrest, seat, and the handlebars pushed high and widened on both sides, making the riding position comfortable, not too tight like pure sports bikes, helping the rider feel comfortable when riding at low speeds in crowded urban areas. This is one of the design innovations by Honda engineers that I think is very reasonable for an urban sports bike like the CBR150R. The only downside is that this bike lacks an engine stop switch – a very useful feature for users when waiting for red or green lights.

After a few minutes of riding at low speeds in the city, I headed to the Nhat Tan Bridge to experience the high-speed performance of the CBR150R. The acceleration of the CBR150R is not too fast but still enough to provide an exciting feeling for the rider. When running at a speed of 50 km/h or higher, the bike felt swift and quite thrilling. Especially, the two-way Assist & Slipper Clutch on the CBR150R makes the acceleration very smooth, while also avoiding wheel slippage when downshifting. This is one of the outstanding features of the CBR150R compared to other models in the segment. This feature is often found on larger displacement Honda models.

Furthermore, when traveling on mountainous roads with many curves and slopes of about 10% like the road to the Thang Long Gaiong statue, the CBR150R still operated flexibly and stably. The bike sticks to the road and handles high-speed turns well.

The more I ride, the more I experience the CBR150R, I realize that this bike does not give me a chaotic or overly exhilarating feeling, but it brings a sense of harmony from the streets, highways to winding roads with many sharp turns. For me, the 17 horsepower DOHC engine and the maximum torque of 13.7 Nm of the CBR150R are powerful enough for daily city riding and still comfortable for exciting trips on weekends.

Sporty design, outstanding equipment

Taking inspiration from the famous large distribution model CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, the latest generation CBR150R possesses a very sporty and dynamic appearance. However, to meet the commuting needs of users, the Honda CBR150R has been finely tuned in each line to create a compact and sharpness that is necessary for the bike to operate flexibly in narrow alleys.

The front face of the CBR150R stands out with a two-tier LED lighting system, with the daytime running lights on the upper part and high and low beam headlights on the lower part. The side fairings of the CBR150R are also deeply recessed into the wind cavity, revealing sharp corners to create a multi-layered, sharp appearance. This design limits air resistance and improves engine cooling, while also avoiding strong airflow contact with the rider.

The LCD digital instrument cluster displays technical parameters such as speed, engine RPM, time, fuel indicator, and turn signal. The redesigned fuel tank cover of the CBR150R forms sharp angles, but when viewed from the rider’s perspective, it presents a spacious feeling along with a wider handlebar for a comfortable riding position.

The side wing is completely redesigned with strong cuts that create a high aerodynamic effect, giving a sporty feeling like larger displacement models. In addition, the bike is adorned with a 3-color decal in blue, white, and red, giving it a striking appearance on the streets.

Meanwhile, the bike’s tail is pointed and high, giving it an eye-catching look. The taillight is divided into two layers, combining illumination with the emergency stop signal ESS when the rider applies emergency braking. The CBR150R is equipped with 17-inch rims combined with 100/80 front and 130/70 rear tires.

In terms of equipment, the Honda CBR150R is considered more outstanding than its competitors in the same segment. Firstly, the bike is equipped with the upside-down Upside down front forks from the well-known Showa brand with gold coating. The upside-down front forks not only enhance the aesthetics of the CBR150R but also provide a better riding experience for users on rough and bumpy sections of roads.

In addition, the bike is equipped with an ABS anti-lock braking system for both the front and rear wheels, along with an emergency stop signal ESS commonly applied to large displacement models. The real-life experience shows that the ABS system on the CBR150R operates very safely and stably. When we apply the brakes suddenly, both the rear and front brakes have a slight jerking sensation as the ABS system intervenes in the wheel similar to continuous brake pumping.

Furthermore, the bike has a large fuel tank with a capacity of 12 liters, providing long-distance travel capabilities, eliminating worries about running out of fuel on the road, and comfortably searching for camping sites to enjoy the rainforest with friends and family.

Competitive price with attractive promotions

In the Vietnamese market, the Honda CBR150R is officially distributed with 3 versions, starting at a price of 70.99 million VND (approximately 3,190 USD). Not only is it lower by a few million compared to the privately imported version, but the Honda CBR150R also has a leading price in the segment while being superior in terms of equipment.

With an impressive design, sharp lines, flexible operation, easy control, and advanced safety driving technologies, the Honda CBR150R is the best choice in the current 150cc sportbike segment for Vietnamese riders. In particular, the first 500 customers who place an order for the CBR150R will receive a set of 7 accessories worth about 5 million VND (approximately 225 USD), which helps to highlight the personal style of the owner.

The Honda CBR150R is covered by a 3-year/30,000 km warranty with the following detailed retail prices:

Anh Quan (forum.autodaily.vn)