2024 Honda XR150L TEST

#dirtbike #racing #offroad #motorcycle #outdoors
We’ve been riding a Honda XR150L for a couple of weeks now and loving it! It’s a legitimate dual-sport bike that’s approved by every government agency that has a say in the matter, and it sells for $3099. You could have four of them for the price of one Husky dual-sport! It’s been taken to the track on every test day and photoshoot as a work mule.

There are motorcycles that cost less than the XR150L, and some of them have all the equipment to look street legal. Most are fake. In order to be legitimate on the street, a bike must be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation. Some states will issue a license tag for virtually anything, but they leave it to local law enforcement to sort out legitimacy. Very few of the imports from mainland Asia have actually gone through the expensive and time-consuming certification process required by the U.S. federal government. The Honda XR150L has, and somehow, it’s still less expensive than most of the purchase-on-line counterfeit dual-sports.It’s easy to see where Honda shaved production costs. The little XR uses technology from 30 years ago. It has an air-cooled, two-valve motor with a real-live carburetor. Don’t ask us how that slipped by. The rear wheel has a drum brake and the suspension is non adjustable. It does have electric start, a six-speed gearbox and a hydraulic front disc brake. If you want to jump in a time machine, you can go back to 1995 and pay $3149 for a Suzuki DR125ES with most of the same features.

The XR150L is cheap transportation that happens to be capable of off-road excursions. The XR has performance that’s similar to a Yamaha TT-R125, but with considerably more weight. It comes in around 270 pounds without fuel, whereas most small-bore four-stroke trail bikes are about 200 pounds. You have to plan all your off-road adventures with that in mind. Hard-core trail riding and racing are off the table.


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