Yamaha XSR 155 vs Honda CB190SS: Which Is The Better Looking Retro Bike?
If you loved the XSR 155’s retro looks, you’ll like Honda’s China-only CB190SS too! Here’s an image comparison
The Yamaha XSR 155, the brand's most affordable retro roadster, is not alone in its class. Honda makes something really similar, the CB150R for the Southeast Asian markets. While the comparison between this bike and the XSR 155 was really cut-to-cut, the XSR 155 also goes up against another equally good-looking retro bike from Honda.
Enter the Honda CB190SS. It’s a China-only model, and here’s a visual comparison between this bike and our very own XSR:
Design
Both bikes look quite retro, but we think the Honda CB190SS really brings the nostalgia factor out, thanks to the usage of spoke wheels, and brown contoured seat. The simple paint schemes without any fancy graphics also add to the retro charm. Honda has also added in brush metal finished side-covers neatly hiding the intake. It goes well with the side panels, and makes the bike look upmarket. Lastly, the chrome-finished exhaust end-can is a detail that is hard to miss.
The Yamaha XSR 155, on the other hand, feels a bit more modern thanks to the alloy wheels and the blacked out exhaust-end can. The design of the Yamaha XSR 155 leans more into the neo-retro domain than properly classic.
Engine
The Yamaha XSR 155 is powered by a 155cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine which produces 18.4PS and 14.2Nm. The engine looks quite modern but the lack of cooling fins makes it feel out of place in a retro bike. But then again, that’s something one can overlook considering the fun-filled performance this engine offers.
The Honda CB190SS is powered by a 184.4cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine which produces 16.8PS and 16Nm. It may not be as performance-packed as the Yamaha but looks more tasteful because of the cooling fins. We’d have liked it if Honda had taken it a bit further with a full chrome finish on the powertrain.
Underpinnings
The slightly angled tail section of the Honda CB190SS makes it look sportier and a bit more rugged. The Yamaha XSR 155 with the flat seat has a more retro feel to it.
The Honda CB190SS, as mentioned earlier, gets a spoke wheel setup whereas the Yamaha XSR 155 has alloy wheels. In the real world, the XSR’s alloy wheels with tubeless tyres will make it easier to deal with punctures than the CB190SS’ spoke wheels with tube tyres. But we have to admit, the vintage charm of spoke wheels is simply unbeatable.
The Honda CB190SS also has a beefier fuel-tank, with a capacity of 15.3 litres which should offer a good touring range. The XSR 155, on the other hand, has a slimmer-looking tank that can hold only 10-litres. This means you’ll have to refuel more often on long tours.
Lastly, the Honda CB190SS gets a petal disc brake setup at both ends, which should help with better heat dissipation than conventional discs. That said, the braking performance in the real world depends on not only the disc size but also the type of caliper as well as the bike’s weight. Both bikes come with street tyres.
Features
The Yamaha XSR 155 gets a single-pod negatively-lit LCD console. The console has a clean layout and also gets smartphone connectivity for call/SMS alerts.
The Honda CB190SS gets an asymmetrical twin-pod semi-digital console with a white background, and an analogue tachometer. We particularly liked this one over the XSR’s more modern all-digital cluster.
Verdict
While the CB190SS looks as neat as the XSR in terms of old-school styling, Honda has the advantage of cost as its engine is relatively simpler with air-cooling. If Honda were to bring this bike in India, it should be able to undercut the XSR, and enthusiasts looking for an affordable, Japanese retro bike will really appreciate this one.
Objectively speaking, the Yamaha XSR 155 is a fantastic value-for-money bike with Japanese engineering that you can simply not go wrong with. It offers great performance, has just about vintage charm, ticking all the right boxes for fans who like all things 90s. In fact, Yamaha has started the deliveries of the XSR 155, and you can check out our detailed EMI cost breakdown of the new Yamaha retro bike.
Yamaha XSR 155 User Reviews
- This bike is awesome and stableI choose this bike because of performance and mileage. Everything is perfect in the bike and the look and design is really awesome. It looks like a racer bike. This bike suit me a lot because I am 5.6. The performance of this bike is really awesome. I can play with this bike and this is really awesome for cruising or for racing because it has high performance gears and stability of the bike is awesome. I will recommend this to buy because I get sufficient mileage for city rides and if I want to go to highway, I can get around 36 to 37 which is really nice for long tours and rides. It comes with very less weight.Read More
- joy ....very bad experienceBuying experience not so good, riding comfort is too bad, look is good, performence is not so good, handle bar and rider body in between distance unmatched, this is very uncomfortable for long drive like 40 to 50 km, its make pressure on hand, build quality also bad, a new bike also make noise from the body part.Read More1 1
- Yamaha vroom vroomLooks of yamaha XSR155 are too good and is a perfect bike for youth because it's so stylish and give a modern look also yamaha is a trusted brand. I chose this bike because I am highly confident in yamaha bikes. Great experience! Comfort is good, speed top notch, control on this bike is very amazing. Provide you a modern and rich look. It also comes in 5 different colours and genuine feels like black is the best colour of every bike and I got black colour theme for this bike also. I will recommend this bike of its features which are too good at this price range. Yamaha XSR155 comes under your budget and provides you a luxury which you can enjoy. Highly recommend bike for the age group of 18-35, you can enjoy the ride at your own pace, provide you stability and is also light weighted bike.Read More1 2
- Most Underrated BikeWanted a low cc but stylish and retro motorcycle and here XSR became by my favourite. It can be easily maneuver in city traffics so that you don't have to be struggle to drive. Light weight as well. Gets you great mileage of around 45 plus. The riding posture is aggressive and yes, you can feel the ride and that's what actually matters. The seat is quite hard but instead of replacing it you can have a s seat cover of 400 rupees which would make it but softer. If you want entry level retro bike or kind of new into riding culture have it, feel it and then eventually according to your needs upgrade. It is stylish, you stop at red signal, people stop and ask about the bike. Most underrated bike you can say.Read More
- XSR 155 in India reviewEngine reliability is very good, reviews from the international audience suggests, the neo retro design looks damn good on roads. I've got so many compliments over the looks. Performance is insane too. The ride can be difficult to get used to at first but it gets better with time. The engine is super powerful and vibrations are very less. You can feel the power as you drive. The bike is pretty light and agile. And as you rev beyond 7k RPM, the VVA kicks in and the experience just get drastically better. I highly recommend this bike. Comfort might be one of the problems at the start but it gets better over time. Also, the customisation options are insane. You can just tune it to how you want it. Possibilities are endless.Read More5 1
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