Updated 2019 Honda CBR 150R breaks cover

Honda has chosen Indonesia to debut the new CBR 150R; if launched in India, will compete with the likes of the Yamaha R15 V3.0

Pandering to the ever-growing demand of smaller capacity sports motorcycles, Japanese marque Honda has unveiled the updated 2019 version of the CBR 150R in Indonesia. This time around, the younger member of the CBR family also gets Repsol racing livery for a colour option. Other updates come in the form of a few mechanical changes, a revised fairing and some new graphics. The 2019 iteration of the CBR 150R also shares several styling elements with its elder siblings.

The revised fairing comprises of a taller windscreen for better protection against wind, combined with new, sharper dual-LED headlamps and LED turn indicators. To add a more premium feel, the new CBR 150R also features a digital instrument cluster with a coloured back-light. Other than the Repsol Moto GP edition, other colour options include Matte Black, Victory Black Red and a Honda Racing Red.   

In terms of styling, the 2019 CBR 150R features a heftier fuel tank and a dual-tone exhaust with a silver muffler. There are also design changes in the split seat setup, giving it a more sporty and aggressive stance. Suspension duties are carried out by a telescopic fork and a monoshock rear damper. In terms of braking, the bike is equipped with petal front and rear discs, ABS and a new emergency stop signal (ESS), which flashes the brake light.

For the powertrain, the 2019 CBR 150R comes fitted with a 149cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine which produces around 16.8bhp and 14.4Nm of torque. All this power is transmitted via a 6-speed gearbox. What's noteworthy here is the fact that power and torque figures of the CBR are considerably lower than those of the Yamaha R15 V3.0 (19bhp and 15Nm of torque) which will be its closest competitor if the CBR 150R makes it to India.

Whilst there is no green signal from Honda for the CBR 150R's entry to India yet, it is a possibility that we might get to see this bike on our roads sometime in 2019. However, for success in India, Honda will have to be spot-on with its pricing.