2009 Honda CRF150R/Expert Review

Exterior

2009 Honda CRF150R

No matter a bike’s size, it still has to look good, Honda people most likely thought and the results are easy to spot on the 2009 Honda CRF150R and Expert dirt bikes.

Have them Red colored and you’re as close as possible to that CRF450R model that you’re aiming for, but if exclusivity is the thing for you, the special 2009 Black color with those nice, distinctive graphics will definitely manage to fulfill your expectations.

But underneath color is what defines the beauty of any bike and in the case of motocrossers, the presence of a high-mounted front fender, side and number plates, narrow seat and mudguards is a must and the two Honda models make no exception. And so we end up talking about color again. Why? Simply because Honda does a little bit of magic on the Limited model having even the seat and mudguard entirely black painted while on the normal versions, the seat is red and the mudguards are white. Still, they keep both the front and side number plates white in order to lighten up the special coloring.

The exhaust hasn’t been reduced to its limits like on the bigger CRF models, but at least it makes the bikes look more aggressive.

Although it is a little bit strange to spot an almost entirely Black Honda motocross bike, we must admit that it is an eye-catcher.

Test Drive

2008 Honda CRF150RB

Because Honda didn’t revised the CRF150R models since their launch back in 2007, it is no problem whatsoever riding such a model so our test bike was a 2008 Suzuki CRF150RB.

Kickstart this four-stroke little beast and you’ll be impressed by how easily it comes to life thanks to the automatic decompression system and by how strong it idles. Quite frankly, we couldn’t find much difference between the sound of the CRF150R and the one of the CRF250R and, taking in consideration the big bike looks of the Expert, it is very easy to confuse the two if riding simultaneous on the same track.

Hit first gear and away it goes with only a little bit of playing with the throttle. This is fairly short so the gears you will most likely be rolling in are second, third and fourth. No, this isn’t a KTM motocross bike, it has that much needed fifth gear, but it is only needed on long straights, preferably off the track as the bike is capable to go very fast.

With this 149cc, liquid-cooled, four-stroke; Unicam, four-valve single, the fun starts around 6000 rpm and that rhythm is sustained all the way up to the top of the rev range which is a more than decent 14,300 rpm. Still, Honda engineers tuned up the engine so that it would require shifts at around 12,500 for higher engine life, but also to teach kids how to exploit an engine’s capabilities best.

Compared to 85cc two-stroke engines which are being fitted on starter bikes, this powerplant determines us not to consider this CRF a kids dirt bike. The whole idea was to create a revolutionary piece of machinery and we reckon that in the engine and transmission chapter they’ve pretty much did it.

In what concerns the chassis, the suspensions are great as they offer enough bottoming resistance in order to manage with the 170 pounds of a fully grown biker. During our test, there have been some pretty high jumps which I must say that would have implied some serious problems for 85cc competing models and with which the Honda managed more than decently.

Handling is easy and very natural and although there have been complains in what concerns the frame being made out of steel, that thing isn’t at all noticeable when riding, but I’m sure it is when paying the bucks. The riding position is quite demanding, but that’s how things are in motocross. Take it this way: at least you won’t be sitting on that narrow seat that would normally split you in half.

This bike really enjoys being revved, but when approaching tight corners the brakes are your dearest pals. These provide confidence and a much needed safety feel if you’ve just started riding, situation in which it is strongly recommended that you don’t push it too hard. The bike is there to provide as soon as you have enough experience.

My best tip for when starting to ride on the track is to avoid that short first gear and go ahead in second. Seriously twisting the throttle will result into linear and continuous power all through the powerband and, hopefully, a first place on the podium.

Price

Honda does not mention how the price varies basing on the model you choose, but, simply mentions the $4,299 suggested retail price of the CRF150R. As history thought us, the CRF150RB would normally come with a base MSRP of $4,399. That’s well above the price of your average 85cc two-stroke motorcycle (around $3,400), but this model represents the future of the Supermini class.

Conclusion

Practically the latest minibikes that ended on the scene, the CR150R and Expert stand both as proofs of Honda’s forward thinking. So now that the amazing opportunity was spotted, we expect more and more such models to start being built and the industry to drift away from the two-stroke engine, a sad, but necessary thing.

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