2021 Honda CBR150R Launched, Rivals Yamaha R15 V3

The 2021 iteration gets an even more aggressive design and an inverted front fork

• The 2021 Honda CBR150R features a properly premium Showa separate function big piston front fork.
• Honda seems to have made the motorcycle look similar to the CBR250RR.
• The engine makes the same output as before, but gets an assist and slipper clutch.
• Prices start from an equivalent of around Rs 1.86 lakh.

Honda’s Indonesian joint-venture company, PT Astra Honda, has launched the 2021 Honda CBR150R in the country. This Yamaha R15 V3 rival packs an all-new aggressive design that looks similar to the Honda CBR250RR. It is offered in multiple colours with both non-ABS and ABS variants. Prices start from IDR 35.9 million, which is approximately Rs 1.86 lakh. That’s just around Rs 6,000 more than the 2020 iteration, priced at an equivalent of about Rs 1.80 lakh for the base non-ABS variant. The 2021 iteration with ABS will set you back by around Rs 2.10 lakh.

The biggest update for the 2021 model is the inclusion of Showa Separate Function Big Piston Front forks (Showa SFF-BP). Interestingly, this isn’t preload-adjustable like the telescopic front fork in the previous generation bike. However, its damping will be much more sophisticated than a conventional fork. The rear uses the same linked monoshock as before. Brakes include the same petal discs on both ends with ABS available as an option.

The motorcycle uses the same 149.16cc DOHC single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine as before and  produces the same output: 17.1PS at 9000rpm and 14.4Nm at 7000rpm. The biggest change is that the 6-speed transmission now comes with an assist and slipper clutch which claims to reduce the lever effort by 15 percent and prevent the rear wheel from locking up while downshifting aggressively. To give you a perspective, the India-spec Yamaha R15 V3 makes 18.6PS and 14.1Nm.

The 2021 Honda CBR150R’s frontal area now looks a bit too alien-ish thanks to the sleek, split LED headlamps. The indicator and tail lamp is LED too. Honda has equipped the motorcycle with a slightly redesigned full-digital instrument cluster that shows useful information such as mileage, gear position, time, tripmeter and odometer readings, apart from the speedometer, tachometer, and tell-tale lamps.

Honda is unlikely to bring this motorcycle to India as it will end up being too expensive for its segment. However, the Japanese brand is doing us one better by planning to launch its entire 500cc lineup, including the Honda CBR500R, later this year. In a related development, Honda's rival Yamaha recently unveiled a futuristic-looking moped based on the R15, called the F155 Concept. Go gaga on our image gallery here.