The new Honda XR150L

[Ascot500]

Just saw this.
According to the spec sheet it's an overhead cam engine, but it looks suspiciously like a CG125 engine.
MSRP is $2971
Ineresting....

[Bill Hilly]

They are OHC, but I personally don't think I would pay $3,000 for one. I know they will have better quality control standards to meet when being built, BUT they will still be using a nearly identical rear swingarm, and what appears to be the same size forks. I can't see them actually being more durable than standard Hawk, Raven, or TBR7 once they have had the chain, and sprocket studs changed. The rims may be better on the Honda, and it is probably better on gas, but unless one happens to get a lemon, I think the CG type motors are very dependable, and even though some welds look sloppy on the China bikes, I don't think they are bad to break on bikes used properly.

[Megadan]

And it's probably about the same in terms.of top speed and acceleration as a Hawk-like bike as well. The Honda quality is a thing worth paying for though.

[Mudflap]

Wonder if the US will get the ones made in China or made in Mexico?

[Dusman]

I've done some research on the XR150L and am part of their new N American FB group. It is made by the Sundiro corporation for Honda. Sundiro is a Chinese company that makes many motorcycle parts/entire bikes for many corporations. My daughter's Coolster 125 pit bike's front forks are made by Sundiro. Sundiro makes good products and brings the Honda quality.

The new owners of this bike report that it can comfortably achieve 55mph, but anything over this is unsustainable. Of course, those are on engines that are yet to be broken in. Just like the Hawks, any sprocket mods will probably only give a top speed of 63-65 mph at best, as this is a 15HP motor.

As far as build quality is concerned, some have already reported that the welds are the functional but messy Chinese welds we often see on our bikes.

The price a stealership in my area quoted to me was @ $4K OTD. That's quite a tall price for a 150 when I can get an Orion RXB 190L that has more horsepower, is over 100lbs lighter, and $2K cheaper. However, will the Orion be around in 30 years? Hmmmm.....the Honda XR150L? Yeah, it'll probably be still putting around just fine.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by Dusman

I've done some research on the XR150L and am part of their new N American FB group. It is made by Sundiro cooperation with Honda. Sundiro is a Chinese company that makes many motorcycle parts/entire bikes for many corporations. My daughter's Coolster 125 pit bike's front forks are made by Sundiro. Sundiro makes good products and brings the Honda quality.

The new owners of this bike report that it can comfortably achieve 55mph, but anything over this is unsustainable. Of course, those are on engines that are yet to be broken in. Just like the Hawks, any sprocket mods will probably only give a top speed of 63-65 mph at best, as this is a 15HP motor.

As far as build quality is concerned, some have already reported that the welds are the functional but messy Chinese welds we often see on our bikes.

The price a stealership in my area quoted to me was @ $4K OTD. That's quite a tall price for a 150 when I can get an Orion RXB 190L that has more horsepower, is over 100lbs lighter, and $2K cheaper. However, will the Orion be around in 30 years? Hmmmm.....the Honda XR250L? Yeah, it'll probably be still putting around just fine.

Great info, thanks for the research. Regarding what will be around in 30 years, what I've found when wrenching on Japanese bikes that are over 10 years old is parts availability issues. They simply stop supporting many breakable items. Thankfully these days there's the internet. That didn't help me in trying to find V-Strom side fairings though. Suzuki made those bikes forever in the first gen and the plastics are now made of Unobtainium. Not even aftermarket.

[Dusman]

Yes, that was more of what I was referring to. This is why I purchased a Hawk; there are so many "sister bikes" like these, and I should normally be able to get parts for this *type* of bike for a long, long time (i.e., I doubt CSC is going to retire the TT250 any time soon since that's one of their top selling motorcycles). I sort of see it as the "TW200" of the Chinabike world; made for a long time, and parts are less likely to turn into unobtanium.

[flopsweat]

Originally Posted by Dusman

Yes, that was more of what I was referring to. This is why I purchased a Hawk; there are so many "sister bikes" like these, and I should normally be able to get parts for this *type* of bike for a long, long time (i.e., I doubt CSC is going to retire the TT250 any time soon since that's one of their top selling motorcycles). I sort of see it as the "TW200" of the Chinabike world; made for a long time, and parts are less likely to turn into unobtanium.

Your words are music to my ears. I have exactly one friend that rides, we've known each other for over 30 years and talked about getting motorcycles for just as long. He finally pulled the trigger on a TW200, which immediately peer pressured me into making it happen, and within a half day of finding these "strange" SSR bikes loaded into dealerships near me, I discovered the China-bike market, then this forum, which landed me on my TT250.

[Megadan]

The hard sell for me with the XR150L is he fact that I can get a KPX 250 for just another couple hundred dollars, and that's to my door. No dealer fees or other such nonsense they tack on.

[Dusman]

"Your words are music to my ears. I have exactly one friend that rides, we've known each other for over 30 years and talked about getting motorcycles for just as long. He finally pulled the trigger on a TW200, which immediately peer pressured me into making it happen, and within a half day of finding these "strange" SSR bikes loaded into dealerships near me, I discovered the China-bike market, then this forum, which landed me on my TT250."

And I'll bet your TT250 is truckin' right along.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by jeffrey

Look up a picture of the left side of the Honda XL150L and you will see the cam chain adjuster on the rear of the cylinder. It is a OHC engine with a removable head pan like the CG engines as far as I can tell.

Looks like it for the OHC.
What I still dont get is why, much like the archaic Suzuki DR200, the Japanese can't build a small dual sport with a rear disk and USD forks when trying to compete with the China bikes? Here's a brand new bike, with a Hawk look-alike front end and a rear drum. Mind boggling to me. Odds are they bought these parts from another (Chinese)? supplier. I cant imagine them re-tooling to make a rear drum.

[flopsweat]

Originally Posted by Dusman

"Your words are music to my ears. I have exactly one friend that rides, we've known each other for over 30 years and talked about getting motorcycles for just as long. He finally pulled the trigger on a TW200, which immediately peer pressured me into making it happen, and within a half day of finding these "strange" SSR bikes loaded into dealerships near me, I discovered the China-bike market, then this forum, which landed me on my TT250."

And I'll bet your TT250 is truckin' right along.

Sho' nuff! 1.5yrs and 7000 miles strong! "Yuri" on youtube just did a 20,000 mile update to his, and told me it's likely closer to 25,000 since he's changed the dash and the odometer is no longer accurate. Looks like a straight-up apocalypse runner, love it!

[Dusman]

[Thumper]

Originally Posted by Megadan

The hard sell for me with the XR150L is he fact that I can get a KPX 250 for just another couple hundred dollars, and that's to my door. No dealer fees or other such nonsense they tack on.

Yes...The KPX is the obvious price competitor that I thought of right away. Much more bike for the money. But it is really too big for a kid looking to get into riding. The front forks and swingarm on the Honda look lightweight, but probably adequate for a beginner, but for $1000 extra bucks.

The Chinese bikes make a heck of a lot of sense for pit bikes/dual purpose. A Bashan Brozz or Hawk seem like a much better entry point. The engine is really durable on these low priced bikes, and even if you have to replace a few things over a decade, you would be way ahead (and gaining experience for wrenching on any bike). And the bike will go down and need something sooner or later.

[Megadan]

All I have to say - Park the XR150L and a Lifan X-pect side by side. It's practically the same bike. but one costs half as much. The only real big difference is the engine size and style, one being a CG clone.