Beginner riders have never been as spoiled for choice as now when it comes to their first ride. With the advent of low-displacement naked sportbikes like the Yamaha MT-15 and the KTM 200 Duke, first-time motorcyclists have the option to incorporate some big-bike character into their commute.
Honda Philippines has—or had, as it’s no longer listed on the official website—its own offering in this segment: the CB150R. While it’s certainly sporty and more macho than some similar daily-ridden bikes out there, the CB150R in our market has long been overdue for an update. Our neighbors in Indonesia have already received theirs in the form of the 2021 Honda CB150R Streetfire.
The refreshed CB150R Streetfire gets muscular new bodywork that brings it in line with the CB500F’s naked-bike styling. Changes include a 37mm inverted Showa front fork, a modern-looking, fully-digital dash with a gear indicator, LED lighting all around, and tapered handlebars. Braking hardware is pretty basic, with a single front and rear disc setup without ABS. The discs themselves are of the wavy variety, which does make the bike look a bit more premium.
At the CB150R Streetfire’s heart is a 149.16cc DOHC single-cylinder engine good for 16.6hp at 9,000rpm and 13.8Nm of torque at 7,000rpm. It’s mated here to a six-speed manual transmission. Fuel capacity is at 12 liters, which should be enough for city use and some light touring.
Also available is a special-edition variant that adds a belly cowl, wheels finished in burnt titanium, and color options like Fury Matte Red, Raptor Matte Black, and Armored Matte Gray. The standard trim, meanwhile, offers two color options: Stinger Black Red and Macho Black. Pricing in Indonesia starts at 29,700,000 rupiahs, or around P99,500 for the standard variant, and 30,700,000 rupiahs or roughly P103,000 for the special edition.
Think Honda Philippines should bring this sporty little commuter bike into our market? We think it would look pretty good riding around the metro.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopBikes.ph. Minor edits have been made.
