Honda XR150L

For an entry-level off-road sports bike, the Honda XR150L looks as if it has been designed to keep the costs in check and prioritize functionality over form. It results in a very basic design for the XR150L, which makes it look slightly dated, but so on point when it comes to the purpose for which it has been developed.

At the front, the Honda XR150L gets a very basic fascia, comprising of a raked halogen headlamp with curved edges on the sides. This headlamp sits within a sharp-looking cowl, which too has curved sides and comes attached with clear lens turn indicators attached to the sides. The XR150L has a high-mounted front fender, which adds some visual mass to the otherwise minimalist-looking front profile of the motorcycle.

The Honda XR150L remains simple and minimalist from the side too, with the motorcycle having slim and flat panels surrounding the large fuel tank. These panels, along with the fuel tank, come with bold decals, which somehow try hard to make the XR150L look a bit youthful. The purposeful appeal of the Honda XR150L is ensured by the high ground clearance, functional-looking spoke wheels with off-road spec tread blocks for the tyres and a high-running exhaust pipe. Like most of the other dirt and off-road bikes, comes with a plain-looking plastic shield over it to offer an added sense of comfort and practicality for the pillion rider.

The Honda XR150L comes with a very functional and practical single-seat, which has a humped design like in many other entry-level sports commuters. The minimalist tail section and long seat end up with a compact-looking rear profile, which has a halogen tail lamp sitting at the top of the rear fender, the upper corners of which also come attached with clear lens turn indicators. At the back, the XR150L also has black-coloured tubular grab rails which also double up as mounts for luggage bags or a top box.

The basic appeal of the Honda XR150L is also evident in the all-analogue instrument console of the motorcycle, which has asymmetrical housings for the speedometer with odometer and trip meter and warning lights to the right of it. The instrument console lacks other basics like a fuel gauge and tachometer, which further makes the motorcycle look basic.

It is where the Honda XR150L shines with its well-sorted basics for handling and stability over off-road terrains. The suspension setup of the XR150L, comprising of telescopic forks at the front and a rectangular swing-arm with mono-shock at the rear, is well-tuned for sure-footedness over rougher surfaces, which is further accompanied by a great set of tyres – 90/90-19 front and 110/90-17 rear. With a kerb weight of just 130 kg, the XR150L comes to a halt pretty quickly a basic braking setup of front disc and rear drum brakes.

The Honda XR150L sources its power from a four-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled, 149cc engine, which also powers a host of other 150cc products from Honda around the world. Here in the XR150L, this engine is paired with a 5-speed transmission and churns out a maximum power output of 11.9 PS and a torque output of 12.1 Nm. The engine feels refined most of the time across the rev range, though for a 150cc engine, it feels a bit underpowered, especially at higher RPMs.

The Honda XR150L is not equipped with any prominent and modern safety features, as this motorcycle has been designed and engineered with the intent of keeping everything basic and functional. It doesn’t even get ABS, which is considered to be crucial nowadays, though the front disc brake has a decent bit for safe braking.

The too-basic appeal and packaging of the Honda XR150L might not go well who wish to have and experience something refreshing and out of the monotony. However, what it does pretty decently is handle off-road surfaces aplomb, thanks to its well-sorted suspension and high ground clearance.