2012 Honda CBR 150R

 

               2012 Honda CBR 150R

 

Honda’s much anticipated sports bike CBR 250R was an instant hit amongst the Indian people specially the youngsters right after its launch in the country, to keep the CBR and the racing DNA alive, Honda launched CBR 150R in the Indian market in the year 2012. This trend of manufacturing the performance motorcycles in the 150cc segment was initiated by Yamaha way back in 2009 when they introduced the Yamaha R15 in the Indian market. Honda CBR 150R may not be the exact match of the R15 in terms of aggressiveness but then it retains the same racing genes like the bigger CBR 250R.
The new Honda CBR 150R is powered by a Liquid cooled, 4 strokes, 149.4cc engine which generates 17.5bhp of maximum power at 10500 rpm and 1.29kgm of torque at 8500rpm. The CBR150 engine surely churns out more power than the normal 150cc motorcycles that are found on the Indian streets. Beside the impressive performance and great looks the CBR 150R offers more treat for the riders.

Styling

The new CBR 150R looks stunning and aggressive just like its sibling the CBR 250R and the aerodynamic look is enhanced by the dual layered full body cowling, the front of the motorcycle gets dominated by the Y shaped headlamp like that of the CBR 250R. The sporty digital and analogue instrument cluster looks perfect on this motorcycle, though some may complain about the quality of switches in the switchgear which has been directly lifted from Honda Stunner and thus hampers the premium quotient of the motorcycle, the absence of pass switch and an ignition kill switch can bother many. The muscular looking fuel tank with the Honda logo and trendy graphics looks attractive. The seating position of the 150R is neither too aggressive nor too boring, if we compare the seating position of Yamaha R15 and the 150R then definitely the CBR 150R is much more comfortable and gives the rider much more hold over the motorcycle which helps in better handling which is good as this is a sports bike and you would not like to feel tiresome after a ride be it long or short. The pentagonal rear exhaust will definitely attract the attention of its onlookers and is one of the, most attractive visual features of the motorcycle. The exhaust seem to be inspired from the bigger VFR1200F and looks smaller in comparison to the overall dimension of the motorcycle while the rear tail lamps and the split rear grab bar enhances the overall visual appeal of the bike. One is bound to get swayed by the looks of Honda CBR 150R.
Fitted with 100/80-17 tyres at the front, 130/70-17 tyres at the rear, the motorcycle has sporty appeal to it and will definitely give the Yamaha R15 tough competition in the market.
The overall dimension of the motorcycle has been provided below:

OVERALL LENGTH		2000mm
OVERALL WIDTH		825mm
OVERALL HEIGHT		1120mm
WHEELBASE		1305mm
Ground clearance		190mm

Engine and performance

As mentioned earlier the Honda CBR 150R is powered by a new liquid-cooled 149.4cc liquid motor with a 4-valve head, the engine has been programmed with Honda’s fuel injection (PGM-FI) which has improved the overall fuel efficiency of the motorcycle and also enhanced the overall performance and power delivery of the motorcycle. The 150 cc engine generates 17.82PS of maximum power at 10500rpm which is unbelievable from a 150cc motorcycle and 12.66Nm of torque at 8500rpm. The engine is extremely and smooth and due to the huge amount of power riding, the motorcycle is also real fun to ride on. The engine has been mated with a 6 speed manual gearbox with shorter gear ratios to enhance the fun quotient of this baby CBR.
Overall the engine is smooth and responsive yet riding the motorcycle at lower revs could be a bit problematic because of the lack of torque but the performance of the engine of this motorcycle is much different than any other motorcycle of its class.

Ride and handling

First things first, you will be overwhelmed the seating position of this bike but it may not be as aggressive as the Yamaha R15 yet the handlebars and the comfortable seat manages to make the 150R a comfortable bike that can be ridden for long distances at a stretch without tiring your backbone. Honda’s riding dynamics have also being included in the CBR 150R, the standard Zapper Q tyres used in this bike gives you the confidence to lean the bike at corners or change directions and lanes with ease and confidence. The CBR 150R has a proper twin-spar set-up which is lightweight and also enhances the overall stability of the motorcycle on the twists and straights. The motorcycle has been fitted with Tube type telescopic forks at the front and Tube type monoshock suspension setup at the rear which provides maximum comfort to the rider while moving over potholes or bumpers. It also has a 276mm disc at the front and 220mm disc at the rear which is capable enough in bringing this motorcycle to a halt at a go.
Overall the motorcycle may not be much track friendly but it surely is a sporty motorcycle and will impress anyone with its straighline and high speed stability.

Pricing

The new Honda CBR 150R is priced at RS.1.20 to 1.21 lakhs (Ex showroom Delhi)
The CBR 150R is available with following colors:
 Sports Red
 Black and Candy Palm Green
 Black and Pearl Sunbeam White
 Vibrant Orange

Competition

The new Honda CBR 150R faces tough competition from the Yamaha r15 version 2.0 that was recently launched in the Indian market and it is an updated version of the old R15.
Yamaha R15 version 2.0

The Yamaha R15 version 2.0 is powered by 149.8 cc Liquid-cooled 4-stroke engine which generates 17 PS of maximum power at 8,500 RPM and 15 Nm of torque at 7,500 RPM, the engine has been mated with a 6 speed gearbox. The performance and the handling of this motorcycle will definitely give the CBR 150R some serious competition.

Conclusion

The Honda CBR 150R is a one of a kind motorcycle in the 150cc segment of motorcycles and also a worthy competitor to the Yamaha R15. The riding and handling of the motorcycle is impressive, the fit and finish quality of the motorcycle are also of top notch quality except the switches in the handlebars. Keeping the price point in mind some more zing could have worked wonders for the baby CBR.

Quotes

“Like the 250R, the 150R doesn’t commit fully to the enthusiast. It walks further down the path, but strays off eventually to appease the commuters. Also, a premium price tag of Rs 1.17 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) makes pleading the CBR 150R’s case tougher still.”—Autocar India
“Following on the lines of its elder sibling the CBR250R, the youngest CBR of them all, the CBR150R is surprisingly sportier for its size and very much in tune with the iconic CBR legacy. Quick, agile and energetic, the Honda CBR150R adds a lot of chutzpah to the premium 150cc segment with its rival-beating performance credentials and gorgeous styling but loses a few brownie points for its rather high pricing”—Zigwheels India.