Great review! first I have seen in english. I had the 2020 version in NZ and loved it, was very comfortable and a fun ride on summer days down to the beach
I own a 150 Shadow, love the style the looks etc, only 10.78hp max105kph, i do wish it had a little more power, i think it is the engine is same as the Honda Titan 150 which has about 3hp more due to fuel injection, ( IF it is the same i would look at adding F/injection to mine, ) i do intend to try to add a tacho simply because i would like one not because it is needed, 150mpg is the official figure. LOVE mine, comfy, good looking, quality wise, it is a Honda reliable!!!! I would add DO NOT attempt long distances ie out of town to another town forget it, they are NOT made for that, i believe they are made mostly for the Asain market commuting etc!!
Yep, I had mine when living in Vietnam where the roads and traffic aren't made for going fast so it was fine. Now I'm living in the UK where roads are bigger and better with less mad traffic I'm back riding bigger bikes again.
I'm so glad you put up this video,Its like these bikes are a secret ,I have one and find it's just great,Two thinks you may be able to help me with, Is there a oil filter and where is the air filter? Can't find a workshop manual also
There isn't an external oil filter as it basically just has an internal mesh filter. From memory the air filter was accessible by removing the seat and side panel but I can't remember its exact location. I also struggled to find any kind of workshop manual too. I even contacted Honda Australia to try and get one but they never even replied 🙄
It is a great bike. Got one myself. A bit under powered, in that it struggles to maintain momentum against a strong head wind and splutters and coughs a bit. We ride one each up to Đà Nẵng from Dong Nai last Christmas and had a serious problem with the power problem driving against storm winds, to the point we were almost at a standstill on occasions.
Compared to a bigger bike then yes but for Vietnam I've actually always found it to be fine. We've also done some long trips but never had any lack of power issues. We do tend to avoid highways though and rarely ride over 80kph here.
Hey Rich. Great content; thanks for sharing this. I also live in Vietnam and am looking to buy a new bike for both city riding and a little touring. I am considering a Honda XR150l and a RE classic 350. I realize there is a quite a price difference in the bikes but given you have an XR and your Shadow is more comparable to the RE in terms of comfort and ground clearance, it would be great to get your thoughts on whether the extra cost is worth it for the RE. Keep up the great work.
I think it really depends how much touring you're going to do and for how long. The XR seat isn't as comfy as the Shadow or RE so not as good for long days tarmac riding on bigger roads. But for me the XR is a great bike for Vietnam with some of its dodgy roads and it means you can get off the beaten track. I'm a big RE fan (I had an Interceptor and still have a Himalayan) but would be worried about service/parts as I believe RE pulled out of Vietnam now. I'm back in the UK now but I always said that if I could only have 1 bike to do everything in Vietnam it would be an XR.
@@RichRides thanks for the reply Rich. Your insight is very useful. I will be using it for daily city riding and occasionally touring (4-6 hours riding a day). With what you mentioned here and in your review, the XR may be a better fit for this. RE still have 3 dealerships here but you are right in saying parts would be difficult/impossible to come by if needed on the road. I suppose the XR would be better in this respect given it shares some parts with bikes sold by Honda here. Thanks again for your thoughts. Looking forward to more videos.
Everything you said is the reason why I got this bike haha. With that said though, have you changed the oil filter in the bike before? If so, would you know where the oil filter is located because I've been searching for hours and I can't find it sticking out anywhere!
They don't have a traditional external throw away oil filter. They just have a reusable mesh type filter in the engine. From memory, you remove the engine side cover to access it after you've drained the oil.
Hey, just wondering what kind of luggage racks you are using for the top box and panniers. I also own a shadow 150 and would like to install hard panniers on it but can't find any racks for it in New Zealand.
Hi, the top box is mounted the usual way with a mounting plate that's fitted to an aftermarket luggage rack. The side panniers are Givi E22N's which are fitted on universal brackets. Here's a link to the same as what is on mine from the Vietnamese equivalent of Amazon www.lazada.vn/products/hcmthung-hong-xe-may-givi-e22n-kem-baga-sbl2000-bogiavn-i707158184-s1765922859.html Hope that helps!
Here in Vietnam a decent cruising speed on bigger roads is probably 80kph and the bike runs out of power above 100kph really. That's fine for this country but having done some touring in NZ myself, I think a bigger bike would be more suitable for the roads there.
I bought one of these as my starter bike in NZ in 2020, to give you a size indication im 5'11 and weigh around 105kg. Bike wise has been a great learner for NZ roads, I would definitely class this bike towards being more a commuter bike here on nz roads. Handles suburb roads of 50km zones just fine and is extremely easy and forgiving to ride. On motorways/rural roads, I would normally sit around 90kmph, the key note here is that it slowly/comfortably gets to that speed, but it wont accelerate to motorway speeds quickly so be considerate that the low power wont allow you to overtake cars with at speed easily on the motorway. I spend alot of my time hugging the slow lanes/left hand lanes. For NZ, I loved this bike, was a brilliant learner bike, but since getting my restricted I have upgraded to a bike with more power. If your happy to sell and buy a bigger engine bike later then id say go for the Honda Shadow 150 as a starter, or, if you only plan to stay on the suburb roads then definitely a great bike. If your looking for a bike that you can go anywhere on and intend to keep for a long time in NZ, id recommend starting at the 250cc range + hope this helps!
I didn't. Though my very first motorcycle in the UK was a Suzuki VL125 Intruder which I loved. Being a twin it sounded and looked much bigger and better than any 125cc motorbike should! 👍
It had a different exhaust on when I got it. It sounded great but on long journeys, it was a little too loud so I bought a universal removable baffle. That way I could quieten it down when I wanted.
Southeast Asia gets some different little bikes. But 150 cc is enough for Vietnam, definitely. It looks like Thailand with the traffic on the wrong side of the road.
Thanks! Mine originally came from KSM Motor in Danang (think it was around 63m vnd new). If you can get one in Danang I'm sure Saigon won't be an issue.
Hi, Rich, nice review, but there is one thing in terms of comfort which I am not very clear about. How about the passenger's comfort? Is there enough space for a passenger less than 65kg and is the passenger's seat comfortable? Btw, is it difficult to learn how to switch gears if let's say I want to learn it by myself? Thanks in advance 🤝
My 12 year old son used to ride pillion with me with no problems at all, even on long distances. Ref gears, then it's pretty easy to learn (much easier than a car) but I'd get someone experienced to tech you rather than just try yourself.
It was pretty easy to adjust like most bikes. There are plenty of videos out there showing basic maintenance and the only thing you'll need to know is how much slack there should be. This info should be in the manual.
My 2018 model didn't as standard but I fitted one which was easy to do. There are lots of aftermarket ones that fit to the handlebars and then just connect to your battery which work well 👍
Unfortunately, I can't really help you as the exhaust was already fitted when I bought the bike and didn't have any manufacturer name or markings. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful ☹️
I wouldn't expect so as it's basically been unchanged for a number of years now. Having said that, usually emissions and safety legislation sometimes forces updates.
@@RichRides thank you for the quick response. I have one more question as the bike is on sale in my country. We speak English in Trinidad. But I've realized that this bike is made for a latin American market and there isn't much English information on this bike. Do you know what category the gl150 falls in? Thanks in advance
Great video, thanks! I have been looking into this bike lately and your review is the best.
Great review! first I have seen in english. I had the 2020 version in NZ and loved it, was very comfortable and a fun ride on summer days down to the beach
Thanks for the feedback!
Hi kiwi
How does it go on nz motorways? Thinkin of getting class 6 and may need to move towns and commute 80km each way mostly motorway.
Salutes from El Salvador, I am about to buy it, to move within towns. Streets here similar to Vietnam, my closest expressway maximum speed is 60 KPH.
Enjoy!
@@RichRides Thank you, I will.
I own a 150 Shadow, love the style the looks etc, only 10.78hp max105kph, i do wish it had a little more power, i think it is the engine is same as the Honda Titan 150 which has about 3hp more due to fuel injection, ( IF it is the same i would look at adding F/injection to mine, ) i do intend to try to add a tacho simply because i would like one not because it is needed, 150mpg is the official figure. LOVE mine, comfy, good looking, quality wise, it is a Honda reliable!!!! I would add DO NOT attempt long distances ie out of town to another town forget it, they are NOT made for that, i believe they are made mostly for the Asain market commuting etc!!
Yep, I had mine when living in Vietnam where the roads and traffic aren't made for going fast so it was fine. Now I'm living in the UK where roads are bigger and better with less mad traffic I'm back riding bigger bikes again.
I'm so glad you put up this video,Its like these bikes are a secret ,I have one and find it's just great,Two thinks you may be able to help me with,
Is there a oil filter and where is the air filter?
Can't find a workshop manual also
There isn't an external oil filter as it basically just has an internal mesh filter. From memory the air filter was accessible by removing the seat and side panel but I can't remember its exact location. I also struggled to find any kind of workshop manual too. I even contacted Honda Australia to try and get one but they never even replied 🙄
Hey mate, where did you buy your crash bars? It's so difficult to buy one here in NZ so if you can recommend one please! TA
It is a great bike. Got one myself. A bit under powered, in that it struggles to maintain momentum against a strong head wind and splutters and coughs a bit. We ride one each up to Đà Nẵng from Dong Nai last Christmas and had a serious problem with the power problem driving against storm winds, to the point we were almost at a standstill on occasions.
Compared to a bigger bike then yes but for Vietnam I've actually always found it to be fine. We've also done some long trips but never had any lack of power issues. We do tend to avoid highways though and rarely ride over 80kph here.
Hey Rich. Great content; thanks for sharing this. I also live in Vietnam and am looking to buy a new bike for both city riding and a little touring. I am considering a Honda XR150l and a RE classic 350. I realize there is a quite a price difference in the bikes but given you have an XR and your Shadow is more comparable to the RE in terms of comfort and ground clearance, it would be great to get your thoughts on whether the extra cost is worth it for the RE. Keep up the great work.
I think it really depends how much touring you're going to do and for how long. The XR seat isn't as comfy as the Shadow or RE so not as good for long days tarmac riding on bigger roads. But for me the XR is a great bike for Vietnam with some of its dodgy roads and it means you can get off the beaten track. I'm a big RE fan (I had an Interceptor and still have a Himalayan) but would be worried about service/parts as I believe RE pulled out of Vietnam now. I'm back in the UK now but I always said that if I could only have 1 bike to do everything in Vietnam it would be an XR.
@@RichRides thanks for the reply Rich. Your insight is very useful. I will be using it for daily city riding and occasionally touring (4-6 hours riding a day). With what you mentioned here and in your review, the XR may be a better fit for this. RE still have 3 dealerships here but you are right in saying parts would be difficult/impossible to come by if needed on the road. I suppose the XR would be better in this respect given it shares some parts with bikes sold by Honda here. Thanks again for your thoughts. Looking forward to more videos.
Everything you said is the reason why I got this bike haha. With that said though, have you changed the oil filter in the bike before? If so, would you know where the oil filter is located because I've been searching for hours and I can't find it sticking out anywhere!
They don't have a traditional external throw away oil filter. They just have a reusable mesh type filter in the engine. From memory, you remove the engine side cover to access it after you've drained the oil.
@@RichRides Thanks, I'll give that a look
Hi rich, is it located on the same side as the dip stick?
Hi Rich, looking to buy this bike used. Did you buy this new for around 60 mil vnd? The used bike market is a little crazy right now
I bought mine used (3 years old) for 30m which I thought was good value when they are 62m new when I looked at the time.
Hello!! Loved your video, I am fairly curious about the top case rack, where did you get it? I have been looking for it nonstop
It was on the bike when I got it so I can't help there unfortunately.
Hey, just wondering what kind of luggage racks you are using for the top box and panniers. I also own a shadow 150 and would like to install hard panniers on it but can't find any racks for it in New Zealand.
Hi, the top box is mounted the usual way with a mounting plate that's fitted to an aftermarket luggage rack.
The side panniers are Givi E22N's which are fitted on universal brackets. Here's a link to the same as what is on mine from the Vietnamese equivalent of Amazon www.lazada.vn/products/hcmthung-hong-xe-may-givi-e22n-kem-baga-sbl2000-bogiavn-i707158184-s1765922859.html
Hope that helps!
What would you say is a comfortable highway cruising speed for this? Also its top speed? Thanks. We're from NZ and thinking of getting one!
Here in Vietnam a decent cruising speed on bigger roads is probably 80kph and the bike runs out of power above 100kph really. That's fine for this country but having done some touring in NZ myself, I think a bigger bike would be more suitable for the roads there.
I bought one of these as my starter bike in NZ in 2020, to give you a size indication im 5'11 and weigh around 105kg. Bike wise has been a great learner for NZ roads, I would definitely class this bike towards being more a commuter bike here on nz roads. Handles suburb roads of 50km zones just fine and is extremely easy and forgiving to ride. On motorways/rural roads, I would normally sit around 90kmph, the key note here is that it slowly/comfortably gets to that speed, but it wont accelerate to motorway speeds quickly so be considerate that the low power wont allow you to overtake cars with at speed easily on the motorway. I spend alot of my time hugging the slow lanes/left hand lanes.
For NZ, I loved this bike, was a brilliant learner bike, but since getting my restricted I have upgraded to a bike with more power. If your happy to sell and buy a bigger engine bike later then id say go for the Honda Shadow 150 as a starter, or, if you only plan to stay on the suburb roads then definitely a great bike. If your looking for a bike that you can go anywhere on and intend to keep for a long time in NZ, id recommend starting at the 250cc range +
hope this helps!
Hey, Rich did you ever ride the Suzuki cruiser? I rode the GZ150...a older version, a 6 speed, and I thought i was smoother than the Shadow.
I didn't. Though my very first motorcycle in the UK was a Suzuki VL125 Intruder which I loved. Being a twin it sounded and looked much bigger and better than any 125cc motorbike should! 👍
@@RichRides Thanks! I'll ride a couple more of the Suzuki cruisers and let you know...
I have the same bike, did you remove the silencer from the exhaust pipe? I think it sounds louder.
It had a different exhaust on when I got it. It sounded great but on long journeys, it was a little too loud so I bought a universal removable baffle. That way I could quieten it down when I wanted.
Southeast Asia gets some different little bikes. But 150 cc is enough for Vietnam, definitely. It looks like Thailand with the traffic on the wrong side of the road.
Great Review man. I'm living in Saigon. Would you happen to know a good dealership place where I can get one?
Thanks! Mine originally came from KSM Motor in Danang (think it was around 63m vnd new). If you can get one in Danang I'm sure Saigon won't be an issue.
Hi, Rich, nice review, but there is one thing in terms of comfort which I am not very clear about. How about the passenger's comfort? Is there enough space for a passenger less than 65kg and is the passenger's seat comfortable? Btw, is it difficult to learn how to switch gears if let's say I want to learn it by myself? Thanks in advance 🤝
My 12 year old son used to ride pillion with me with no problems at all, even on long distances. Ref gears, then it's pretty easy to learn (much easier than a car) but I'd get someone experienced to tech you rather than just try yourself.
@@RichRides thanks a lot🤝
ive just bought a 2019 150 shadow myself, how do you find adjustign the chain etc? ive never owned a bike before
It was pretty easy to adjust like most bikes. There are plenty of videos out there showing basic maintenance and the only thing you'll need to know is how much slack there should be. This info should be in the manual.
can you make a vid on a kawasaki avenger next? would that be possible..
I'd love to but unfortunately don't have access to one 😞
Hey do you know if this bike has a ph charger port? I have the 2021 model.
My 2018 model didn't as standard but I fitted one which was easy to do. There are lots of aftermarket ones that fit to the handlebars and then just connect to your battery which work well 👍
Plz man i gotta know were you got that exaust i love my shadow 150 but damm its sounds like a broken vacuum cleaner
Unfortunately, I can't really help you as the exhaust was already fitted when I bought the bike and didn't have any manufacturer name or markings. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful ☹️
yo, if you ended up getting an exhuast what one you get bc currently looking for one
Dónde compro la parrilla para moto shadow 150?
Hello my friend, is good for first bike? And iam 1.84mt is fit good to me.? Bye from Chile
Yes, it's very easy to ride with a low seat height and low weight. I'm 1.83m and was comfortable on it too.
@@RichRides very good my friend, hello from Chile :)
How tall are you? im 1.83m and im worried if maybe i would feel too big for the bike
I'm also 183cm and was always comfy on the bike 👍
@@RichRides thanks man
I'm lovin 'it
Thanks!
Jesus loves you. Yes you.
Hi can I ask where you got that exhaust?
The bike already had it fitted when I bought it and there were no markings for it's make etc so unfortunately I can't help.
Will the Honda Head shop service the Shadow
Honda main dealers tend not to service any imports (like this or the XR I had) but I used a well trusted independent garage who was local anyway.
Do you know if Honda is planning to release a 2022 model?
I wouldn't expect so as it's basically been unchanged for a number of years now. Having said that, usually emissions and safety legislation sometimes forces updates.
Hey guys, I cant seem to turn off my headlights - where is the switch for this haha. I have the same exact bike, 2018 honda shadow 150
From memory I don't think you can switch off the lights and they come on with the ignition. My current RE Interceptor 650 is the same too.
biutiful bike man
What is the top speed??
Probably around 110kph
@@RichRides thank you for the info
Q
@ rich . Hope all is well. Is this more or so the same as the honda gl150? Thanks in advance
Mechanically it will have a lot of shared components (same engine etc) but the Shadow is much more of a cruiser than the GL150
@@RichRides thank you for the quick response. I have one more question as the bike is on sale in my country. We speak English in Trinidad. But I've realized that this bike is made for a latin American market and there isn't much English information on this bike. Do you know what category the gl150 falls in? Thanks in advance