• 150cc DOHC with 6-speed gearbox

• Honda’s PGM-FI (Fuel Injection)

• Possible new “Kapchai King”?

Back in June 2016, Boon Siew Honda launched the radical “kapchai” dubbed the Honda RS150R. We had the opportunity to try it out during the Malaysian Cub Prix last August that was held at Teluk Intan at the time but only a short taste of its potential. Even during the short period of testing, we felt that the RS150R was and still is worth the money as a good daily commuter.

Boon Siew Honda again loaned us the Honda RS150R for a long term test ride and we took it out for proper feel of what it had to offer for a few days. To recap on the latest kapchai from Boon Siew Honda, the aggressive and modern look of the bike is something either people will like or hate. In our case, we fell in love with it.

We got the matte red and blue edition which reminded one of our writer’s favourite Marvel superhero, the Iron Patriot. If that wasn’t enough to please our taste buds, the power plant is something we love even more. The RS150R comes with a 150cc fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder DOHC that produces a good 15.4hp at 9,000rpm and a maximum torque of 13.5Nm at 6,500rpm.

The bike is fitted with a six-speed constant mesh gearbox with a final chain drive that is so smooth to operate as compared to other similar kapchais in the market to date. Getting acquainted with the Honda RS150R is as smooth as butter with no issues or problems.  With the standard setup, one can easily get it up to highway speeds and maintain without any strong vibrations. Honda definitely put in some extra effort in the vibration reduction department.

The RS150R does have the capability to over 140km/h but us here at Bikes Republic would like to advise the readers to always adhere to the speed limit and if you have the need for speed, do it in a controlled and safe environment like the Sepang International Circuit (SIC). Needless to say, the bike’s handling is great and gave good feeling throughout our testing session, even during wet and rainy conditions.

Apart from its good performance, there are however a few drawbacks. Although the bike is considered as fuel efficient, the fuel tank capacity is quite small. The 4.5 liter tank is fast to go from full to empty and users would need to make frequent stops at the petrol station. The gear shifts although smooth must be operated precisely or else the bike will jump out of the current selected gear without warning. (Quick note: With enough practice, this issue will go away with no problem)

When we first got to test the bike back in August 2016, it seemed like the brand new bikes fresh from the factory have weak front brake performance. It was especially noticeable when we took it into the track with our very own Malaysian rider, Khairul Idham Pawi. To the pros, it was no issue but we were left slightly struggling when it comes to stopping the bike. The RS150R that we got to test recently told a different story. The brakes performed great with no issues whatsoever. This tells us that possibly the front brakes of the Honda bike will perform better after some time.

In our opinion, Honda definitely took a right direction with their latest kapchai addition. With this year’s Malaysian Cub Prix swapping its premier class to the 150cc SuperCub, the Honda RS150R seems like a sound choice. The only other bike that is eligible to enter this category is the Yamaha Y15ZR. So the question that comes to our minds (and to a lot of people,actually) is which of the two will reign supreme? The Honda RS150R or the Yamaha Y15ZR?

We will definitely look into that in the near future but for now, the 2016 Honda RS150R is available at all Boon Siew Honda retailers priced at RM8,213.94 (basic with GST). There’s also the Repsol Honda edition that is priced at RM8,372.94 (basic with GST) for all you fans of Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa.

To have a look at our previous review on the bike, you can click HERE. Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more updates.