XT250 is a minor miracle in achieving the low seat height with high ground clearance. No one else has managed to duplicate it. I ride mine over the roughest terrain and it just gobbles it up. 2.5 gallon tank on mine which is half a gallon more than the Kawasaki klx300 and .4 of a gallon more than Honda CRF300. I still wish it was bigger though. I think this is an example of you get what you pay for and your assessment of the xr150l is I believe accurate.
As for used XT250 price, I bought an almost brand new, gently used XT250 for $3200. It had 1400 miles on it. It had no damage or upgrades and was just like factory fresh.
How are these 2 bikes comparable? The Yamaha is like 40% more expensive. Door dashing with the Honda would pay itself off over the course of a summer dashing weekends in any decently populated city in the US. Insurance on a 150cc is cheap, and it's rated to get 124mpg.
You make a good point and I was thinking of doing exactly that. The little thing is pure fun to ride and makes the perfect commuter bike. No nonsense bike.
I am a owner of a XR150L 2023 and in first gear at 7 km/h the little bike is up for many steep hill, impressive. I have exchange my DR650 for the little XR and i am happy, yes it is not a fast bike but the job is done almost every where.
Great comparison video - thank you! I'm a shorter rider that started on trails a couple seasons ago and in the research phase of looking at dual sports. I'm actually pretty excited about Honda's 300 CRFLS which just came out, and it has a 32.7" seat. I think that fits a sweet-spot in engine displacement and seat height that no other company is doing right now.
Based on their respective websites both the CRFLS and XT250 have a 32.7 seat height. Did i miss something? Would love to get a test ride of both but cannot find any at the moment.
The seat height of the xt 250 is actually 32.7" . The 31.7" number might have been from the 2nd generation. The current xt feels like the same seat height as the crf300ls model.
Great comparison, would have liked to see the DR200 and TW200 in here too. I know you just did a video on the TW200 though. I'd really like to see a video on or including the DR200. Its a good bike that doesn't get the attention it deserves. Thanks
Hi! Great comparison and video, as usual! I greatly value your expertise. I believe you mentioned in one of your videos that you work in "nondestructive radiographic imaging." Being slightly aware of the technical expertise needed to work in that field, and having listened to many of your videos and discussions regarding bike rebuilds, I have grown to respect your opinion greatly. I recently purchased a xr150l. I also currently own a Himalayan and a Sportster 1200. I have ordered a second OEM seat for the xr150l and will have it reupholstered with several inches less foam for use as my daughter's first bike. The xr150l is very gentle. I have taken it on some trails, and it handles my 5'10", 190lbs surprisingly well. I saw your 5'4" daughter demo the green Bashan Brozz last year, and feel that given her riding skills and your technical expertise, the XT will be a great bike for her. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the XT is in a completely different class than the xr150l. I spent quite a while looking for a good used XT at a reasonable price. They tend to sell quickly, which tells me what you already know; the XT is a great bike and a great choice and a much better choice than the Xr150l, especially with your daughter's riding skills.
I think you nailed it in this review! I purchased an XR150L for my daughter's birthday last June. She and I are both okay with the bike, but it's definitely Honda's version of a "Chonda" bike, if that makes any sense. Most of the components are made in China and are assembled in Mexico. You are correct that the relatively awful weight to HP ratio is due to cheap components with the exception perhaps of the 149cc engine which is very underpowered. I wanted something very gentle as my daughter's first bike. The XR150L will NEVER hit 70 mph with my 5'10 190 lbs in it unless I am hooked on the grill or bumper of a semi that didn't see me crawling along at 50 mph pinned. Luckily, my dealer just had a father and son trade-in two almost brand new 2023 XT250s. One has only 150 mi on it. I put a deposit on it immediately, and I'm waiting for them to get it ready to road test. I tried to buy one back in 2020, and a local dealer wanted a little over seven grand out the door! Needless to say, I walked on that deal, but someone else paid the huge mark up. Not really much of a risk buying a used '23 Yamaha XT250 with 150 mi on it and dealer and Yami warrantied available, and I'm sure my daughter and I will both be much happier with it in terms of quality, performance, and resale value. A lot of people are still chasing after the XR150L basically because of the seemingly low price. If I had it to do over again and it wasn't for my daughter, I would have bought something like a Hawk 250 DLX (230cc, 16HP) with digital display, inverted forks, and EFI for $2,000 instead of the Honda XR150L (149cc, 12 HP on its best day) for $3,900 OTD.
i owned xr250 before ! sold it dodnt like it much! ! im looking to buy xr150 now to modified more for off road ! xr150 would be a great choice for road and off road play instead buying dirt bike!
Manufactured in Mexico by Sundiro-Honda, a chinese joint venture. Other youtubers are saying it tops out around 60-65. There's something appealing to me about the XRs rudimentary technology that can be fixed with a wrench and screwdriver, even the carb. No silicon necessary. I think of the XR150L as a minimoto like a Monkey or Grom. Would be a great putting around town bike and light trailie RV bike. I'm older so the need to go fast or hard isn't really there anymore, haha. Thanks for sharing your take :)
It gets way better mpg than that....i'm getting closer to 100. Not sure what those others are doing to their bikes or what but that doesn't make sense. Not saying you didn't see that but that's not been my case. These are so simple, old school tech, basic, no nonsense little bikes.
The xr 150l has been around for a long time overseas and has a proven track record for its segment. The cost factor is what got me, and the riding comfort is plush with the soft seat and suspension. It's a great commuter as the gas mileage is phenomenal at between 80 to 120 mpg, and that depends on driving conditions. I would have to give it a combined 100 mpg, and that gets you about 250 plus miles between fill ups without using the reserve. Of course it is a honda so dependability is very good.
How does the 50mph top speed of the XR150L require it to be geared in a way that wouldn't work off road? This hasn't been my experience on OHV trails at 10,000 ft in Colorado with lots of rocks and very steep grade. I guess you'd have to actually drive one instead of just assuming how they would run. What would I know though, my CRF450RL probably isn't considered a real dual-sport in your opinion either. I drive the XR-150L on the same trails, I'm just not pulling wheelies at any point.
@@MotorcyclesOffroad That's all you could comprehend from my comment, is that I have 2 dual sports? At least I'm not comparing something I haven't rode. It's not my fault that your broke ass only owns 1 bike, and I own 7 + 2 scooters. Loser. Let me guess, your 19hp XT250 is faster somehow than my CRF450RL that's 51hp? What are you smokin? Meth?
Funny thing is we have a CRF150L in most asian markets and it has the same engine and chassis as the XR150L but lighter, fuel-injected, 18-21 wheels and PROPER SUSPENSION. A lot of guys take these small CRFs in slow single track trails and they do very well. Also it costs only $2,420. Honda is ripping off people overseas lol.
I picked up the xr as a commuter bike, so far 0 complaints. That being said, I have a 09 vtx1300 and a 72 ct90 project bike. So it was supplementary to an already all honda collection. Gotten the xr to 70 on a really big hill, flat land it hits 60 comfortably, but any uphill you may as well assume you're topping out around 50mph (I'm 5'10" 225ish) in 4th gear. 5th gear is, in my opinion, too far overdriven. Been thinking about dropping a tooth on the front sprocket (I believe they are 17 tooth from the factory) to utilize more gearing and gain a little torque on the rare weekend I find myself exploring dirt.
Great review thanks! When you mentioned that your daughter already rides a TTR230, I knew it was game over in the hp stakes😅 However, It would make a great first-time commuter for someone who hasn't ridden a more powerful bike and who wants an economical (do the math using 124mpg vs 76mpg?) not to mention the much greater range with its larger fuel tank capacity. My 2015 model here in South Africa, is extremely reliable (never seen a dealership's workshop in 20000km/12000 miles?) I think a better comparison with an XT250, would be a KLX230S. I'd also prefer the XT250 to my XR150 but for the, less than $1K I paid for my used one in 2020 (with only 5800km on the clock) its about 4 times less than the equivalent, used XT250 here in SA! Mine gets used as my daily rider, bikes lessons/driver's license test rental, mini adventure out-rides rental. Its reaches a top speed, speedo reading of 112km (70mph?) with a one tooth smaller front sprocket, can cruise at 90kph (55mph) all day and has been through the Baviaanskloof mega reserve twice, both ways where most riders choose the asphalt at least one way. Perhaps it isn't dual-sport, but rather a multi-sport?😊
Just got my XR150 yesterday and I recently sold my XT250. In my opinion, the specs you show here are really wrong on top speed. The XR will never see 70 mph. Mine is topped out at 55 and that's on perfectly level road with no wind and it's very hard to get to 55. Its cruising speed is best at 45-48 mph. Getting to 50 is chore but it can hold 50 if you don't get a headwind or anything other than level road, but it's difficult to get to 55 only hits it under extremely ideal conditions. Basically, it's no faster than my Monkey 125cc but it produces more power and you can feel it getting to speeds quicker than the Monkey.
@@MotorcyclesOffroad I know, and that helped me to make the decision to buy it, but only guys smoking dope are getting that speed. Everyone else will tell you it will hit 60 mph going down a pretty steep hill.
@@nwga.5327 You realize that more weight going downhill actually helps you go faster, right? ha ha. One thing I have found out is that the speedometer is actually off my 5 mph above about 45 mph. So at 65 you were really doing 70. That was a hell of a steep hill with a tailwind! If we are talking about using your GPS as a speedometer instead of the funky analog one on the bike, I can cruise at 60 mph pretty easily on reasonably flat roads and little or no winds. I can get it up to 65 mph also, but not reliably. It really likes to cruise at 50 mph on the speedometer (55 mph in real life). And 55 mph on the speedometer (60 in real life) is also not too hard. Above that it gets sketchy unless the conditions are right.
Comparison doesn't really make sense. A used XT and a used XR will have the same price gap anyways and a newer rider can get a used XR for a lot cheaper and have a complete bike doing so. So why compare the 2 bikes? the XT should be compared to a CRF.
I feel like it makes a ton of sense. As a used xt250 and a new Xr150 are the same price point, both are dual sport motorcycles, both have some of the lowest seat height as dual sports, both get great fuel economy, both are great entry level friendly, both are sold new atm, and both a single cylinder thump'ers. I feel like half of those reasons alone make them worth of comparison, But the main reason is because both of these I was looking at for my daughter's first dual sport.
So, being an owner of the new XR, you are pretty spot on. I knew this going in. One thing, it will not do 70mph unless you weigh 100lbs or less. Anything past 55 is down hill, and I weigh 185. The build quality is definitely sub par. Definitely in the cheap category. But again, I expected that. As for power it’s a lot like the 150F, which I own. It is definitely more of a on road street bike. It will do off road, but that would consist of dirt roads, and light easy trails. And I mean light!! As for bang for the buck, it’s a great value. But it is limited, and the overall reliability will only tell in time. The XT is by far superior in every way. I wasn’t wanting to drop the coin on an XT, as I already have a KLX 300. In my area, there is no XT’s in the $3500 range. If your looking for a budget town runner, and that can also do some very light off road travel, then the XR might fit the bill. I wanted to add, that as a town runner compared to the TW, the XR is better in every single aspect. It is actually is quite nimble, and is a blast around town. I own a TW, so I’m not just saying that. BTW, I do love the TW. Much better off road than the XR.
I got my XR yesterday. You are spot-on for the speed. These guys talking about 70 mph top speed are smoking dope. I weight 130 lbs, 5' 10" and it's topped-out on flat road, no wind at 55. Its best cruise speed is 45-48 mph. It will cruise 50 easily as long as I don't get into an incline or headwind. It takes a long to time to get that last 5 mph to get to 55 if the road stays straight long enough with no inclines or headwind. Also you are right on the build quality. It's built like a bike built in India (my Himalayan I'm thinking about). First of all my footpads tipped up at an angle so I had to take them off and grind off the backside so they'd be horizontal. I mean, really? How long have they been building bikes? And they can't get the foot pegs level? And that rubber "hump" on the end of the peg made it worse so I ground that off. The numbers on my trip odometer don't line up. The "9" is always halfway between numbers and so is the 1/2 on the left side. As soon as I hit my first 100 miles on the trip odometer it rolled up halfway between 1 and 2. And there are a few other tell-tale signs that shows no thought went into the production of this bike whatsoever. It's certainly not a Japanese bike. I read someplace it's built in China, but it's not, but a lot of the parts come from China. I think I saw it was actually built in Taiwan, but usually they build a better bike than this one. I know, everybody forgives it because it's so cheap, but hey, it doesn't cost any more to build a trip odometer that works or foot pegs that actually fit. The thing I was most surprised at is that all my other Honda bikes have the turn signal and horn button in the wrong place from where we've built our muscle memory for the last 70 years, so I thought this would too, but no, it has the same setup as the rest of the world which I now don't like because I'm switching my stable over to all Honda and I wanted them all to be alike. This bike is a lot like my old 1975 XL125 and that's why I bought it, for the nostalgia. It does ride and drive a lot like the XL125, except the 125 was actually faster and I think it had 21" front tires and only weighed 238 lbs. I think the XR is way too heavy for that size of engine being only 9 lbs lighter than the XT250 (which I also owned)
@@spydie the bike is assembled in Mexico with Chinese parts. I’m not positive, but I think the frame is made in Mexico as well. I really like my bike so far, but it hasn’t came without it’s problems. Right now the bike is at the dealer getting measurements taken on the frame. The part of the frame that comes off the down tube wasn’t bent correctly. I tried mounting a factory skid plate and you can’t. You can physically see it’s not bent correctly. Kind of frustrating, and I’m sure in the end Honda will say it’s in spec. I blew a starter fuse at 60 miles. Replaced it, and haven’t had another fuse blow yet. It’s definitely a lower quality bike. I do like it however. I’m just curious how it’s going to hold up long term. I guess time will tell.
Rather than compare hp & torque, pounds/hp and pounds/ft-lb yields a more revealing comparison. For instance, though the XR150L makes more power than a Grom, the pounds/hp is about the SAME! ... because the XR150L weighs ~60 pounds more than a Grom.
The 49 state model of the XT250 has a 2.6 gallon tank. The brand new version has a 2.5 gallon tank. Seems they lost 0.1 gallons on the new ones. The California version has a 2.2 gallon tank. With 76 mpg, I get 197 mile range on my 2013 XT250.
TRUTH be known...... both are great bikes by great manufacturers. If we all drew straws for a bike I guarantee you that no matter what ya got it would be just fine! You'd make either one do everything you need it to do by adding mods & that's the end of the story. I think the marketing ploys put out by the aftermarket parts companies is so robust & they drive a lot of these channels by offering up the parts. It's brilliant on their part(pun intended) so we see every bike modd'd out the wazoo which is kinda kool getting to see all of it & how to do it right but really at the end of the day we don't need all of that. Wants/Needs are kinda bass ackwards but it's all good. The poor folks of Asian & S.American Nations have had this 150L for many years & it survives them. It will survive here as well. with or without all the mods they wanna sell us so get any old bike & ride into the sunset. I'm saving for a bike right now & I've come to the conclusion that any bike will do the job. peace
These are the 2 of 3 bikes considering now. include the KTM 390 and that's the lot I am looking at. I live down in South America and bikes here get a huge tariff on them like 30 to 40% Crazy! I have a big bike I ride in the city and split lanes and spider through traffic great on. but when all of us get together I need an off and on-road bike. On our last ride had a terrible wreck on that bike so will be getting fixed for a couple of months. Most of riding on the street and usually fast as heck. and about 30% on dirt. I am trying to do a lot more single tracking. Any input you all have is very welcome!
Honda XR is a Hawk 250/ China bike clone, is heavy and very tall for what it is. I don't understand why Honda just didn't make the CRF 150F street legal version I bet way better bike. I own XT 250 and without even ever riding the XR 150 will guarantee is a much better motorcycle.
Other way around . The China Hawk "250" bikes are really CRF 230 clones and are actually 229cc bikes if you do the math on the bore and stroke. Honda has been making the XR 150 for years it's just new to the US which is an odd decision by Honda give American's tendency for BIGer is Better. Maybe the fact that Yamaha can't seem to make enough TWs and XTs to keep dealers stocked has something to do with it, but looking at Honda's dual sport line up it's the most complete line up of any maker now from the XR 150 up to the XR 650 with a 250 and not 1, not 2, but 3, 300s and a 450 in between !
@@jasongalbraith297 as far as "We the people of the United States of America" are concerned..it IS a China bike clone because the Hawk and other very similar China bikes have been here for a while. And if China did copy the Honda CRF 230 why does the Hawk NOT look like the CRF but the XR DOES look like a Hawk???The only people on the planet that knew the XR 150 existed are in Asia and South America. So now a "NEW"??? Honda shows up in the US looking just like a Chinese Hawk from about 10 years ago. So YOU do the math. And I know the XT IS a lot better bike. Sure it costs more but with Hondas and Yamaha you get what you pay for. C'mon man the Honda is carbureted, has a drum brake, a seat height of a whopping 33 inches, has mini cycle tires, and weighs like 280 lbs while the XT has larger engine, FI, disc brakes, seat height 31 inches, Motorcycle tires, and weighs like 290. The XR is not for the small but instead of Honda re engineering and modernizing the XR for the US market they just slapped a longer rear shock and tiny carburetor on it so it would pass US smog regulations and threw them on the first ship to USA. Introducing the NEW HONDA XR 150!!! The XR was originally built for third world countries...which btw the USA is rapidly becoming...so those people could carry their chickens and goats to the market. All those other Hondas you mentioned all too tall for short beginner or experienced riders. Doesn't matter if you have 100 similar bikes in a line up if they are all too tall a lot less people will look at/ buy them. Tall guys can ride shorter bike but shorter people, well if they can't even get on a tall bike, won't ride it. You even comparing the XR and XT is like comparing a raisin to an apple. Blah, Blah, Blah...that's all I have to say about that.
I feel like it makes a ton of sense. As a used xt250 and a new Xr150 are the same price point, both are dual sport motorcycles, both have some of the lowest seat height as dual sports, both get great fuel economy, both are great entry level freindly, both are sold new atm, and both a single cylinder thumpers. I feel like half of those reasons alone make them worth of comparison.
@@aaronhansen8037 I would still go with the XT after all it is RAMBO approved. It sure would be nice if all bikes were offered in the US that are offered overseas, at least from the major manufacturers. Thanks for the info🙂
Good advice, but the xr150l has been used around the world for over a decade. Most other countries have the efi version. The xr150l is a well-regarded commuter bike in the Philippines and many other Asian and South American countries. This is a very inexpensive bike! Comparing it to an XT, 75% more expensive out the door, is really a stretch.
@@MotorcyclesOffroad it’s got very good torque, feels the same as the 300L until about 50mph or so, larger fork stanchions, better suspension, better geometry, EFI, 6 speed, and basically the same weight as the XT and way more power than the XR.
This is such a weird comparison. The XT is a better bike unless you want the cheapest bike that fits your daughter because she’ll outgrow it. That said she may not outgrow the XT. There are full grown men are happy with their XT250. The only XR win in my opinion is the analog dash. I don’t like digital but that’s just me. The only reasons I would buy an XR150 the monkey or Grom would end up in my garage instead.
I feel like it is valid for many reasons, but most of all these are the 2 bikes I was considering. So I was thinking maybe some people are as well, hopefully it helps those people.
I feel like it makes a ton of sense. As a used xt250 and a new Xr150 are the same price point, both are dual sport motorcycles, both have some of the lowest seat height as dual sports, both get great fuel economy, both are great entry level freindly, both are sold new atm, and both a single cylinder thumpers. I feel like half of those reasons alone make them worth of comparison.
The yahma beats this so cslked honda. Thks honda us actually a Chinese made , abd assembled in Mexico. The yamaha is still a true Japanese bike. Personally go 1. kawasaki klr230, or 250 , 300 2. Yamaha xt 250 or tw200, 3. Honda crf 150 or 250
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XT250 is a minor miracle in achieving the low seat height with high ground clearance. No one else has managed to duplicate it. I ride mine over the roughest terrain and it just gobbles it up.
2.5 gallon tank on mine which is half a gallon more than the Kawasaki klx300 and .4 of a gallon more than Honda CRF300. I still wish it was bigger though. I think this is an example of you get what you pay for and your assessment of the xr150l is I believe accurate.
As for used XT250 price, I bought an almost brand new, gently used XT250 for $3200. It had 1400 miles on it. It had no damage or upgrades and was just like factory fresh.
Sounds like a great deal!
How are these 2 bikes comparable? The Yamaha is like 40% more expensive. Door dashing with the Honda would pay itself off over the course of a summer dashing weekends in any decently populated city in the US. Insurance on a 150cc is cheap, and it's rated to get 124mpg.
True plus, this is biased I’ve seen the 150l go through a lot and withstand a lot honestly, the 150l is a mini xr 650l
You make a good point and I was thinking of doing exactly that. The little thing is pure fun to ride and makes the perfect commuter bike. No nonsense bike.
I believe because you can get a used xt250 for around $3500
Where the new Xr150L will be $4500 with stealership fees
I am a owner of a XR150L 2023 and in first gear at 7 km/h the little bike is up for many steep hill, impressive. I have exchange my DR650 for the little XR and i am happy, yes it is not a fast bike but the job is done almost every where.
Nice, well glad you are happy with it. Can I ask where you are as far as ride location to get an idea of how viable the bike is in different terrains.
@@MotorcyclesOffroad In Québec, near Maine.
Great comparison video - thank you! I'm a shorter rider that started on trails a couple seasons ago and in the research phase of looking at dual sports. I'm actually pretty excited about Honda's 300 CRFLS which just came out, and it has a 32.7" seat. I think that fits a sweet-spot in engine displacement and seat height that no other company is doing right now.
Based on their respective websites both the CRFLS and XT250 have a 32.7 seat height. Did i miss something? Would love to get a test ride of both but cannot find any at the moment.
@@codejunky6244 300cc engine versus 250cc?
The seat height of the xt 250 is actually 32.7" . The 31.7" number might have been from the 2nd generation. The current xt feels like the same seat height as the crf300ls model.
2023 is the 1st time XR150L Has been in USA . I Have A Blast OffRoad ON My XR150L
Great comparison, would have liked to see the DR200 and TW200 in here too. I know you just did a video on the TW200 though. I'd really like to see a video on or including the DR200. Its a good bike that doesn't get the attention it deserves. Thanks
Hi! Great comparison and video, as usual! I greatly value your expertise. I believe you mentioned in one of your videos that you work in "nondestructive radiographic imaging." Being slightly aware of the technical expertise needed to work in that field, and having listened to many of your videos and discussions regarding bike rebuilds, I have grown to respect your opinion greatly. I recently purchased a xr150l. I also currently own a Himalayan and a Sportster 1200. I have ordered a second OEM seat for the xr150l and will have it reupholstered with several inches less foam for use as my daughter's first bike. The xr150l is very gentle. I have taken it on some trails, and it handles my 5'10", 190lbs surprisingly well. I saw your 5'4" daughter demo the green Bashan Brozz last year, and feel that given her riding skills and your technical expertise, the XT will be a great bike for her. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the XT is in a completely different class than the xr150l. I spent quite a while looking for a good used XT at a reasonable price. They tend to sell quickly, which tells me what you already know; the XT is a great bike and a great choice and a much better choice than the Xr150l, especially with your daughter's riding skills.
I look at the XR150L as a Grom that you can take off road, and look like you're riding a real motorcycle.
Man, I had a XT225, was a blast to ride, so for me I'll take the XT250 !
Nice, Then I have a good announcement that you will like coming to the channel soon.
I think you nailed it in this review! I purchased an XR150L for my daughter's birthday last June. She and I are both okay with the bike, but it's definitely Honda's version of a "Chonda" bike, if that makes any sense. Most of the components are made in China and are assembled in Mexico. You are correct that the relatively awful weight to HP ratio is due to cheap components with the exception perhaps of the 149cc engine which is very underpowered. I wanted something very gentle as my daughter's first bike. The XR150L will NEVER hit 70 mph with my 5'10 190 lbs in it unless I am hooked on the grill or bumper of a semi that didn't see me crawling along at 50 mph pinned. Luckily, my dealer just had a father and son trade-in two almost brand new 2023 XT250s. One has only 150 mi on it. I put a deposit on it immediately, and I'm waiting for them to get it ready to road test. I tried to buy one back in 2020, and a local dealer wanted a little over seven grand out the door! Needless to say, I walked on that deal, but someone else paid the huge mark up. Not really much of a risk buying a used '23 Yamaha XT250 with 150 mi on it and dealer and Yami warrantied available, and I'm sure my daughter and I will both be much happier with it in terms of quality, performance, and resale value. A lot of people are still chasing after the XR150L basically because of the seemingly low price. If I had it to do over again and it wasn't for my daughter, I would have bought something like a Hawk 250 DLX (230cc, 16HP) with digital display, inverted forks, and EFI for $2,000 instead of the Honda XR150L (149cc, 12 HP on its best day) for $3,900 OTD.
i owned xr250 before ! sold it dodnt like it much! ! im looking to buy xr150 now to modified more for off road ! xr150 would be a great choice for road and off road play instead buying dirt bike!
Manufactured in Mexico by Sundiro-Honda, a chinese joint venture.
Other youtubers are saying it tops out around 60-65.
There's something appealing to me about the XRs rudimentary technology that can be fixed with a wrench and screwdriver, even the carb. No silicon necessary.
I think of the XR150L as a minimoto like a Monkey or Grom. Would be a great putting around town bike and light trailie RV bike. I'm older so the need to go fast or hard isn't really there anymore, haha.
Thanks for sharing your take :)
It gets way better mpg than that....i'm getting closer to 100. Not sure what those others are doing to their bikes or what but that doesn't make sense. Not saying you didn't see that but that's not been my case. These are so simple, old school tech, basic, no nonsense little bikes.
The xr 150l has been around for a long time overseas and has a proven track record for its segment. The cost factor is what got me, and the riding comfort is plush with the soft seat and suspension. It's a great commuter as the gas mileage is phenomenal at between 80 to 120 mpg, and that depends on driving conditions. I would have to give it a combined 100 mpg, and that gets you about 250 plus miles between fill ups without using the reserve. Of course it is a honda so dependability is very good.
A little fun bike, it has a smooth engine and slowly takes you everywhere.
Iam also buying an XT 250 as I am 72 and it seems perfect for me at this age.
How does the 50mph top speed of the XR150L require it to be geared in a way that wouldn't work off road? This hasn't been my experience on OHV trails at 10,000 ft in Colorado with lots of rocks and very steep grade. I guess you'd have to actually drive one instead of just assuming how they would run. What would I know though, my CRF450RL probably isn't considered a real dual-sport in your opinion either. I drive the XR-150L on the same trails, I'm just not pulling wheelies at any point.
So what your saying is you have a scooter and a dirtbike that are both street legal 🤔? 🤣
@@MotorcyclesOffroad That's all you could comprehend from my comment, is that I have 2 dual sports? At least I'm not comparing something I haven't rode.
It's not my fault that your broke ass only owns 1 bike, and I own 7 + 2 scooters. Loser. Let me guess, your 19hp XT250 is faster somehow than my CRF450RL that's 51hp? What are you smokin? Meth?
Funny thing is we have a CRF150L in most asian markets and it has the same engine and chassis as the XR150L but lighter, fuel-injected, 18-21 wheels and PROPER SUSPENSION. A lot of guys take these small CRFs in slow single track trails and they do very well.
Also it costs only $2,420. Honda is ripping off people overseas lol.
That would have been a much better bike for us in the US.
Very well done. Thank you.
I picked up the xr as a commuter bike, so far 0 complaints. That being said, I have a 09 vtx1300 and a 72 ct90 project bike. So it was supplementary to an already all honda collection. Gotten the xr to 70 on a really big hill, flat land it hits 60 comfortably, but any uphill you may as well assume you're topping out around 50mph (I'm 5'10" 225ish) in 4th gear. 5th gear is, in my opinion, too far overdriven. Been thinking about dropping a tooth on the front sprocket (I believe they are 17 tooth from the factory) to utilize more gearing and gain a little torque on the rare weekend I find myself exploring dirt.
Yamaha actually makes a wr155r but it's not available in the US and not sure if it will ever be..
Interesting, I have never heard of it.
@@MotorcyclesOffroad look into it.. it has been produced for about 3 years now
As a 54 110 I find older models better like a dt 100 or a xt 500 80 and below ,both fit for my 29 inseam well
My 2020 XT250 has 2.6 g tank
Great review thanks!
When you mentioned that your daughter already rides a TTR230, I knew it was game over in the hp stakes😅 However, It would make a great first-time commuter for someone who hasn't ridden a more powerful bike and who wants an economical (do the math using 124mpg vs 76mpg?) not to mention the much greater range with its larger fuel tank capacity. My 2015 model here in South Africa, is extremely reliable (never seen a dealership's workshop in 20000km/12000 miles?)
I think a better comparison with an XT250, would be a KLX230S.
I'd also prefer the XT250 to my XR150 but for the, less than $1K I paid for my used one in 2020 (with only 5800km on the clock) its about 4 times less than the equivalent, used XT250 here in SA!
Mine gets used as my daily rider, bikes lessons/driver's license test rental, mini adventure out-rides rental. Its reaches a top speed, speedo reading of 112km (70mph?) with a one tooth smaller front sprocket, can cruise at 90kph (55mph) all day and has been through the Baviaanskloof mega reserve twice, both ways where most riders choose the asphalt at least one way.
Perhaps it isn't dual-sport, but rather a multi-sport?😊
Just got my XR150 yesterday and I recently sold my XT250. In my opinion, the specs you show here are really wrong on top speed. The XR will never see 70 mph. Mine is topped out at 55 and that's on perfectly level road with no wind and it's very hard to get to 55. Its cruising speed is best at 45-48 mph. Getting to 50 is chore but it can hold 50 if you don't get a headwind or anything other than level road, but it's difficult to get to 55 only hits it under extremely ideal conditions. Basically, it's no faster than my Monkey 125cc but it produces more power and you can feel it getting to speeds quicker than the Monkey.
Honda's "claimed speed" is 70mph. So idk where they get those numbers from.
@@MotorcyclesOffroad I know, and that helped me to make the decision to buy it, but only guys smoking dope are getting that speed. Everyone else will tell you it will hit 60 mph going down a pretty steep hill.
I hit 65 downhill and im 220 fwiw
@@nwga.5327 You realize that more weight going downhill actually helps you go faster, right? ha ha. One thing I have found out is that the speedometer is actually off my 5 mph above about 45 mph. So at 65 you were really doing 70. That was a hell of a steep hill with a tailwind! If we are talking about using your GPS as a speedometer instead of the funky analog one on the bike, I can cruise at 60 mph pretty easily on reasonably flat roads and little or no winds. I can get it up to 65 mph also, but not reliably. It really likes to cruise at 50 mph on the speedometer (55 mph in real life). And 55 mph on the speedometer (60 in real life) is also not too hard. Above that it gets sketchy unless the conditions are right.
Awesome video! Thank you!
Np, glad you enjoyed 😉
A local shop in my area has an XR150l that they are asking 5k fir, good god. For $2,900 I can see the case for it…
no way... they are totally looking to rip someone off.
Reporting to handle or not allowed to sell it for 3500 - including fees, and taxes
I think it is a big step forward for honda just to produce an xr 150.. my xr 250 was an Incredible bike that last forever.
👍👍
The xr150 is on the market over 20 years! I had one in South America and I just got one last week! It’s a army tank
I mean I have a 2008 Honda CRF230L that makes more HP than the XR150, is a 6 speed and is only like 268 lbs wet.
Most are reporting about 90 mpg on the XR.
Sounds a bit more realistic.
I get about 97 mpg riding on level roads averaging 45 mph, rarely going up to 50 mph just to keep from slowing traffic behind me.
I had a cr80 in 1980.. it would rip these bikes to shame.. top speed 75
I think you are missing the point mate.
A better comparission would be a 300l maybe
Comparison doesn't really make sense. A used XT and a used XR will have the same price gap anyways and a newer rider can get a used XR for a lot cheaper and have a complete bike doing so. So why compare the 2 bikes? the XT should be compared to a CRF.
I feel like it makes a ton of sense. As a used xt250 and a new Xr150 are the same price point, both are dual sport motorcycles, both have some of the lowest seat height as dual sports, both get great fuel economy, both are great entry level friendly, both are sold new atm, and both a single cylinder thump'ers.
I feel like half of those reasons alone make them worth of comparison, But the main reason is because both of these I was looking at for my daughter's first dual sport.
The dealerships in my area are charging an out the door price on the XR150L of $4600- $5000. Hard pass.
Yeah..I saw 2 on the floor at actually MSRP. That dealer is a bunch of scumbags.
So, being an owner of the new XR, you are pretty spot on. I knew this going in. One thing, it will not do 70mph unless you weigh 100lbs or less. Anything past 55 is down hill, and I weigh 185. The build quality is definitely sub par. Definitely in the cheap category. But again, I expected that. As for power it’s a lot like the 150F, which I own. It is definitely more of a on road street bike. It will do off road, but that would consist of dirt roads, and light easy trails. And I mean light!! As for bang for the buck, it’s a great value. But it is limited, and the overall reliability will only tell in time. The XT is by far superior in every way. I wasn’t wanting to drop the coin on an XT, as I already have a KLX 300. In my area, there is no XT’s in the $3500 range. If your looking for a budget town runner, and that can also do some very light off road travel, then the XR might fit the bill. I wanted to add, that as a town runner compared to the TW, the XR is better in every single aspect. It is actually is quite nimble, and is a blast around town. I own a TW, so I’m not just saying that. BTW, I do love the TW. Much better off road than the XR.
Awesome, thank you for the input of someone who owns not only the XR150L but other bikes to compare it to.
Can confirm I only got up to 60mph GPS on a slight downhill. These bikes are reliable workhorses though.
@@purdoy25 I studied the bike before buying one here in the US. They seem to have a good track history, and seem reliable over seas.
I got my XR yesterday. You are spot-on for the speed. These guys talking about 70 mph top speed are smoking dope. I weight 130 lbs, 5' 10" and it's topped-out on flat road, no wind at 55. Its best cruise speed is 45-48 mph. It will cruise 50 easily as long as I don't get into an incline or headwind. It takes a long to time to get that last 5 mph to get to 55 if the road stays straight long enough with no inclines or headwind. Also you are right on the build quality. It's built like a bike built in India (my Himalayan I'm thinking about). First of all my footpads tipped up at an angle so I had to take them off and grind off the backside so they'd be horizontal. I mean, really? How long have they been building bikes? And they can't get the foot pegs level? And that rubber "hump" on the end of the peg made it worse so I ground that off. The numbers on my trip odometer don't line up. The "9" is always halfway between numbers and so is the 1/2 on the left side. As soon as I hit my first 100 miles on the trip odometer it rolled up halfway between 1 and 2. And there are a few other tell-tale signs that shows no thought went into the production of this bike whatsoever. It's certainly not a Japanese bike. I read someplace it's built in China, but it's not, but a lot of the parts come from China. I think I saw it was actually built in Taiwan, but usually they build a better bike than this one. I know, everybody forgives it because it's so cheap, but hey, it doesn't cost any more to build a trip odometer that works or foot pegs that actually fit. The thing I was most surprised at is that all my other Honda bikes have the turn signal and horn button in the wrong place from where we've built our muscle memory for the last 70 years, so I thought this would too, but no, it has the same setup as the rest of the world which I now don't like because I'm switching my stable over to all Honda and I wanted them all to be alike. This bike is a lot like my old 1975 XL125 and that's why I bought it, for the nostalgia. It does ride and drive a lot like the XL125, except the 125 was actually faster and I think it had 21" front tires and only weighed 238 lbs. I think the XR is way too heavy for that size of engine being only 9 lbs lighter than the XT250 (which I also owned)
@@spydie the bike is assembled in Mexico with Chinese parts. I’m not positive, but I think the frame is made in Mexico as well. I really like my bike so far, but it hasn’t came without it’s problems. Right now the bike is at the dealer getting measurements taken on the frame. The part of the frame that comes off the down tube wasn’t bent correctly. I tried mounting a factory skid plate and you can’t. You can physically see it’s not bent correctly. Kind of frustrating, and I’m sure in the end Honda will say it’s in spec. I blew a starter fuse at 60 miles. Replaced it, and haven’t had another fuse blow yet. It’s definitely a lower quality bike. I do like it however. I’m just curious how it’s going to hold up long term. I guess time will tell.
Rather than compare hp & torque, pounds/hp and pounds/ft-lb yields a more revealing comparison. For instance, though the XR150L makes more power than a Grom, the pounds/hp is about the SAME! ... because the XR150L weighs ~60 pounds more than a Grom.
The 49 state model of the XT250 has a 2.6 gallon tank. The brand new version has a 2.5 gallon tank. Seems they lost 0.1 gallons on the new ones. The California version has a 2.2 gallon tank. With 76 mpg, I get 197 mile range on my 2013 XT250.
TRUTH be known...... both are great bikes by great manufacturers. If we all drew straws for a bike I guarantee you
that no matter what ya got it would be just fine! You'd make either one do everything you need it to do by adding
mods & that's the end of the story. I think the marketing ploys put out by the aftermarket parts companies is so
robust & they drive a lot of these channels by offering up the parts. It's brilliant on their part(pun intended) so we
see every bike modd'd out the wazoo which is kinda kool getting to see all of it & how to do it right but really at
the end of the day we don't need all of that. Wants/Needs are kinda bass ackwards but it's all good. The poor
folks of Asian & S.American Nations have had this 150L for many years & it survives them. It will survive here
as well. with or without all the mods they wanna sell us so get any old bike & ride into the sunset. I'm saving
for a bike right now & I've come to the conclusion that any bike will do the job. peace
Honda 300l vs the yamaha xt 250 are more in the same class than the honda XR150
These are the 2 of 3 bikes considering now. include the KTM 390 and that's the lot I am looking at. I live down in South America and bikes here get a huge tariff on them like 30 to 40% Crazy! I have a big bike I ride in the city and split lanes and spider through traffic great on. but when all of us get together I need an off and on-road bike. On our last ride had a terrible wreck on that bike so will be getting fixed for a couple of months. Most of riding on the street and usually fast as heck. and about 30% on dirt. I am trying to do a lot more single tracking. Any input you all have is very welcome!
I wish yhe XT didn't have all of the electronics. It honestly seems like the XT225 was a better bike.
Honda XR is a Hawk 250/ China bike clone, is heavy and very tall for what it is. I don't understand why Honda just didn't make the CRF 150F street legal version I bet way better bike. I own XT 250 and without even ever riding the XR 150 will guarantee is a much better motorcycle.
You sir are a fool. HAWK is an off brand chineese junk, sorry.
Other way around . The China Hawk "250" bikes are really CRF 230 clones and are actually 229cc bikes if you do the math on the bore and stroke. Honda has been making the XR 150 for years it's just new to the US which is an odd decision by Honda give American's tendency for BIGer is Better. Maybe the fact that Yamaha can't seem to make enough TWs and XTs to keep dealers stocked has something to do with it, but looking at Honda's dual sport line up it's the most complete line up of any maker now from the XR 150 up to the XR 650 with a 250 and not 1, not 2, but 3, 300s and a 450 in between !
@@jasongalbraith297 as far as "We the people of the United States of America" are concerned..it IS a China bike clone because the Hawk and other very similar China bikes have been here for a while. And if China did copy the Honda CRF 230 why does the Hawk NOT look like the CRF but the XR DOES look like a Hawk???The only people on the planet that knew the XR 150 existed are in Asia and South America. So now a "NEW"??? Honda shows up in the US looking just like a Chinese Hawk from about 10 years ago. So YOU do the math. And I know the XT IS a lot better bike. Sure it costs more but with Hondas and Yamaha you get what you pay for. C'mon man the Honda is carbureted, has a drum brake, a seat height of a whopping 33 inches, has mini cycle tires, and weighs like 280 lbs while the XT has larger engine, FI, disc brakes, seat height 31 inches, Motorcycle tires, and weighs like 290. The XR is not for the small but instead of Honda re engineering and modernizing the XR for the US market they just slapped a longer rear shock and tiny carburetor on it so it would pass US smog regulations and threw them on the first ship to USA. Introducing the NEW HONDA XR 150!!! The XR was originally built for third world countries...which btw the USA is rapidly becoming...so those people could carry their chickens and goats to the market. All those other Hondas you mentioned all too tall for short beginner or experienced riders. Doesn't matter if you have 100 similar bikes in a line up if they are all too tall a lot less people will look at/ buy them. Tall guys can ride shorter bike but shorter people, well if they can't even get on a tall bike, won't ride it. You even comparing the XR and XT is like comparing a raisin to an apple. Blah, Blah, Blah...that's all I have to say about that.
Had a 2015 XT. 2.6 gal tank. 200 lbs and I could keep 65 on hills. Good luck on hills with the 150
It really isn't a good comparison. The Yamaha is nearly twice the price of the Honda.
I feel like it makes a ton of sense. As a used xt250 and a new Xr150 are the same price point, both are dual sport motorcycles, both have some of the lowest seat height as dual sports, both get great fuel economy, both are great entry level freindly, both are sold new atm, and both a single cylinder thumpers.
I feel like half of those reasons alone make them worth of comparison.
How about Kawasaki klx 230 ?
I thought I mentioned something about it in the video.
The XT250 is by far the better bike! In so many ways. Never buy a first generation bike or a new off the lot bike if possible.
It’s not new. It’s been produced overseas for almost 10 years. It’s the same bike minus the kick starter.
@@aaronhansen8037 I would still go with the XT after all it is RAMBO approved. It sure would be nice if all bikes were offered in the US that are offered overseas, at least from the major manufacturers. Thanks for the info🙂
@@zrkn1 I agree. They have a CRF 150L , that has much better suspension and fuel injection. Plus many others. Yes, the XT is a good bike.
Good advice, but the xr150l has been used around the world for over a decade. Most other countries have the efi version. The xr150l is a well-regarded commuter bike in the Philippines and many other Asian and South American countries. This is a very inexpensive bike! Comparing it to an XT, 75% more expensive out the door, is really a stretch.
You obviously don’t know what your talking about.
Unless you weigh 80 lbs and going down hill you ain't getting that XR anywhere near 70 mph...
Well I haven't rode it but that is the "claimed top speed"
@@MotorcyclesOffroad That's probly the speed it will go if at redline rpms in 5th gear... It doesn't have the power to do that.
Not the one made in China
34-36? More like $42-46
XT250 easily. Not even close. However, I’d take a KLX230 over both.
See I have never rode a KLX230 so idk if it would be better. But my daughter is 5'4" I think the XT's seat height would also be a plus.
@@MotorcyclesOffroad it’s got very good torque, feels the same as the 300L until about 50mph or so, larger fork stanchions, better suspension, better geometry, EFI, 6 speed, and basically the same weight as the XT and way more power than the XR.
This is such a weird comparison. The XT is a better bike unless you want the cheapest bike that fits your daughter because she’ll outgrow it. That said she may not outgrow the XT. There are full grown men are happy with their XT250. The only XR win in my opinion is the analog dash. I don’t like digital but that’s just me. The only reasons I would buy an XR150 the monkey or Grom would end up in my garage instead.
I feel like it is valid for many reasons, but most of all these are the 2 bikes I was considering. So I was thinking maybe some people are as well, hopefully it helps those people.
I bought the XR150L 3 months ago and have had nothing but issues getting it started. Now I'm looking at getting the XT250.
No issues at all with mine, even in cold.
xt goes 86
I liked the video, but the XT250 is a way superior bike.
Somehow the comparison makes no sense.
I feel like it makes a ton of sense. As a used xt250 and a new Xr150 are the same price point, both are dual sport motorcycles, both have some of the lowest seat height as dual sports, both get great fuel economy, both are great entry level freindly, both are sold new atm, and both a single cylinder thumpers.
I feel like half of those reasons alone make them worth of comparison.
70 mph? On what planet!?
Lol right from their spec sheet.
That's actually not true my xt 250 has a 9.8l tank
From further research I have found the the XT250 has come with 3 different size tanks.
The yahma beats this so cslked honda. Thks honda us actually a Chinese made , abd assembled in Mexico. The yamaha is still a true Japanese bike. Personally go 1. kawasaki klr230, or 250 , 300 2. Yamaha xt 250 or tw200, 3. Honda crf 150 or 250
Dr650
Just bought one, and my last name is Parker.
Hero xpulse 200 4v pro