Honda expands its adventure-bike range downward into the scooter category with the early release of its 2021 ADV150. Subtle off-road touches join fairly robust rider-protection features to make this bike viable as both an urban commuter and a backroads explorer. Long-stroke suspension and ABS protection to supports those different modes of travel. All of this comes with the usual twist-and-go operation and a price tag under $5k.

2021 - 2022 Honda ADV150

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2021 - 2022 Honda ADV150
  • Engine/Motor: single cylinder
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Honda ADV150 Design

- Two-position windscreen - Choice of both side stand and center stand - 7-gallon underseat storage - USB charging port - LED lighting - LCD display

Like a cross-breed between a regular PCX scooter and Honda's globetrotting Africa Twin, the ADV150 lives with a foot in each of two different worlds. Its dual-purpose nature is apparent right out of the gate in the street-knobby tire that leads the way. A cut-down front fender helps keep the unsprung weight down at the front axle to the benefit of handling on both the brown and the black.

Dual, LED headlights ride in recesses in the front fairing, and on the U.S. model at least, a set of narrow standoff turn-signal bars complete the forward lighting. The legguards form a sportbike-like scoop that shrouds the radiator and punches a hole in the weather for your lower legs.

Higher up, the fairing forms a pocket for your legs and lower torso, and at the top there's a two-position windshield that lets you dial in for comfort, and since it's well vented, you won't have any of that wearisome head-buffet effect to deal with. Around behind the clear, rally-style glass is a single LCD screen and a series of idiot lights that form the entirety of the instrumentation so it's simple and clean.

A tapered handlebar puts your hands in a neutral position just a bit higher than your waist for plenty of leverage that'll come in handy on softer surfaces. In the inner fairing, to the left of the steering column, there's a small glove box that comes with a USB port so you can charge your mobile devices on the move.

A sculpted seat locks down over a dry-storage compartment for the usual under-seat cargo space. Flip-out footpegs and a J.C. handle handle}} join a wide pillion pad for your passenger, and if you need more storage or a backrest for your riding partner, you can get both with the accessory top case. On the right side, the upswept exhaust finishes out the bike with a sporty, off-road flair.

Honda ADV150 Chassis

- Low-speed maneuverability - Showa® telescopic front suspension - Ample suspension travel - ABS - Rear mechanical drum brake

The steering head on the ADV150 establishes a rake angle of 26.3 degrees with 3.4 inches of trail over a 52.1-inch wheelbase, and that gives it a fairly agile nature. Showa suspension products are featured at both ends with dual, piggy-back shocks out back opposite a set of 31 mm telescopic forks. In order to accommodate rough roads, and even non roads, the ADV150 rolls with 5.1 inches of suspension travel up front and 4.7 inches out back, which is a fairly plush ride for a scooter.

A 14-inch rim and 110/80 leads the way ahead of a 130/70-13 with cast wheels all around. The brakes are a mixed bag with a nice, big, 240 mm disc and ABS-protected hydraulic caliper up front, and a quaint, 130 mm, mechanical drum out back. I'm no fan of drum brakes, but I guess Honda has its reasons.

If you want to beef up for some actual ADV use, the accessory catalog has you covered with a number of storage options along with handguards, extra lighting, and crash bars to protect the bike in a drop.

Front Suspension/ Travel:

31 mm Showa® telescopic fork/ 5.1 inches

Rear Suspension? Travel:

Showa® twin shocks/ 4.7 inches

Rake (Caster Angle):

26° 30'

Trail:

3.4 inches

Front Brake:

Single 240 mm disc, ABS

Rear Brake:

Mechanical 130 mm drum

Front Tire:

110/80-14

Rear Tire:

130/70-13


Honda ADV150 Drivetrain

- 149 cc liquid-cooled engine - 14.5 horsepower - Impressive fuel economy - Highway-capable

Power for the ADV150 comes from a liquid-cooled thumper within the traditional, swing-mount drive system that uses the mill and the transmission as stressed members alongside a standard swingarm half to make a full-yoke assembly. The mill is nearly square with a 57.3 mm bore and 57.9 mm stroke that gives it a 149 cc displacement and 10.6-to-1 compression ratio that'll require top-grade fuel to prevent knock/ping/run-on. That's the trade off for the 14.5-horsepower output, and well worth it I reckon.

An over-head cam times a pair of poppets with a 26 mm throttle body to control the induction. The continuously-variable, V-Matic transmission delivers the automatic-style ride that scooter pilots expect, and the overall drive ratio turns out a top speed around 73 mph, plenty for the highway, but that's a tad short of being comfortable on the interstate.

Expected mileage is reported at 139 mpg, but that's probably under ideal conditions and very tender throttle application, so individual results may vary. ince it's liquid cooled, it's better suited too deal with slow-and-go traffic than an air-cooled unit, and that plays right into the urban/suburban commuter market quite nicely.

Engine:

Liquid-cooled 80º single-cylinder four-stroke, SOHC; two valves

Displacement:

149 cc

Bore x Stroke:

57.3 mm x 57.9 mm

Induction:

PGM-FI; 26 mm throttle body

Ignition:

Full transistorized ignition

Compression Ratio:

10.6:1

Transmission:

Automatic V-Matic belt drive


Honda ADV150 Price

The price on the 2022 ADV150 is $4,299. You can have any color you want as long as you want Candy Rose Red for 2022.

Model ID:

ADV150A

Color:

└ 2021:

Matte Black Metallic

└ 2022:

Candy Rose Red

Price:

$4,299


Honda ADV150 Competitors

My competitor for the ADV150 doesn't exactly bill its entry as a dual-purpose or off-road machine, but in my experience, you don't get to install stealth knobbies then shoot footage of a rider tearing up the turf and claim to be made for street use only. SYM actually builds the thing, but it's marketed in the U.S. under the Lance branding as the Cabo 200i.

Lance Cabo 200i

The Cabo's hoops tell the main tale with their aggressive grooving and generous street flats that perform on blacktop as well as loose/soft material such as dirt or sand. It doesn't quite offer the same level of protection for the pilot as it only has a small flyscreen in place of the full glass on the Honda.

Over-under lighting fits well with the narrow front end, and the Cabo comes stock with the same passenger amenities as the Honda as well as some of the same optional gear in a color-matched topcase. Lance is rather vague on the suspension travel numbers, but the Cabo enjoys an 8.1-inch ground clearance that tops Honda's 6.5-inch clearance, so it's safe to assume it can tackle terrain at least as unfriendly as what the ADV can handle. Or maybe not quite, as the Cabo runs on 12-inch hoops against Honda's 14-inch front wheel and 13-inch rear.

The ADV150 runs a proper ABS feature, but the Cabo only offers combined brakes that fall short of the kind of safety you get from anti-locks. Lance claims 11.8 horsepower against 14.5 ponies, and top speed peters out somewhere in the high 60's range, so riders won't be able to count on much of a power reserve at highway speeds. The $2,699 sticker may buy the Cabo some business, but I think buyers who spring for the Honda won't be disappointed.

Read our full review of the Lance Cabo 200i.

He Said

“Not exactly the next apocalypse bike, but still looks like a barrel of fun all the same. Gotta' say I'm digging the upgraded paint packages I saw in the European models, especially the REPSOL and Africa Twin looks. From a practical standpoint, it looks to be a capable city bike and beach machine beach machine}}.”

She Said

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “For a scooter, this has some really nice features that we usually only see on motorcycles, so yes, I can definitely get on board with the 'adventure' side of it. My only wish is for the engine to be about twice the size to make it a viable option for interstate travel. Where I live, you really can't go anywhere without jumping on the interstate for a couple of exits. Other than that, the ride is smooth and plush, handling is responsive, and low-speed maneuvering is spot-on. The ADV150 is certainly a contender on anyone's list of bikes who wants the convenience of riding a scooter but wants real-bike-type capabilities, and doesn't want to ride something cute. I am very pleased to see this in our market for 2021.”

Honda ADV150 Specifications

Engine & Drivetrain:

Engine:

Liquid-cooled 80º single-cylinder four-stroke, SOHC; two valves

Displacement:

149 cc

Bore x Stroke:

57.3 mm x 57.9 mm

Induction:

PGM-FI; 26 mm throttle body

Ignition:

Full transistorized ignition

Compression Ratio:

10.6:1

Transmission:

Automatic V-Matic belt drive

Chassis:

Front Suspension/ Travel:

31 mm Showa® telescopic fork/ 5.1 inches

Rear Suspension/ Travel:

Showa® twin shocks/ 4.7 inches

Rake (Caster Angle):

26° 30'

Trail:

3.4 inches

Front Brake:

Single 240 mm disc, ABS

Rear Brake:

Mechanical 130 mm drum

Front Tire:

110/80-14

Rear Tire:

130/70-13

Dimensions & Capacities:

Seat Height:

31.3 inches

Wheelbase:

52.1 inches

Curb Weight:

294 pounds

Fuel Capacity:

2.1 gallons

Fuel Economy:

TBD

Details:

Model ID:

ADV150A

Color:

└ 2021:

Matte Black Metallic

└ 2022:

Candy Rose Red

Price:

$4,299


Further Reading

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