The Honda XR-150 is my ride of choice for trips in Vietnam. It’s an old school, low tech design with no modern technology. You don’t want to get into deep mud or super-steep trails with it. You can’t really get up to highway speeds with it. So why is it great for Vietnam journeys?
In Vietnam motorcycles are not allowed on freeways. Almost all roads have a 60 kph maximum speed. So having a powerful, fuel injected, big bike is either a waste or going to get you in trouble. Just plan for more time when passing and a small cc bike is fine.
Like many, I only have an A1 license so I am limited to < 175cc bikes. If I had an A2 license I would consider a CRF 300 (my dream bike), a much better off road bike, light and reliable. Or maybe a Himalayan 450, a comfortable adventure bike with tank like characteristics (though I would be concerned about reliability and service in Vietnam).
As far as other sub-175cc bikes, I considered the Yamaha WR155 for my riding style. It is much better off road with a better suspension and 21/19 tires. It also shares a modern high-performance 6-speed engine with many other Yamaha Vietnam imported bikes, so parts are everywhere.
In the end though, I concluded that I am not riding technical off road trails much and the seat height and narrow width of the WR155 would be a liability for 95% of my miles.
XR 150
Plus:
Reliable— low tech, no fuel injection, kick starter.
Comfortable — wide comfy seat
Good range — 12.5 litre tank 300+km range with reserve
Seat height — low enough for most to flatfoot at stop or get a foot down on trails.
Trails — good trail, gravel road bike. High ground clearance, 19″ front tire for small obstacles.
Minus:
Power — low power and torque, only 5 speed.
Brakes — no abs, drum rear.
Gauges — no tach, not even a fuel gauge.Parts — not imported by Honda Vietnam so parts can be hard to find.
Suspension/Tires — soft, mushy, no adjustment. Odd tire size (19/17) limited options.
Off-road — it may look like an Enduro bike but it is far from it. Terrible in mud and deep sand. Easy to burn out a clutch.
Modifications:
There are a number of inexpensive modifications that can be made to the XR-150, for use in Vietnam particularly. Tigit/Chrunix is a good source of parts for the XR-150 and they will service it and install add-on parts.:
Handlebar risers — For anyone that is above average in height handlebar risers will make the ride more comfortable particularly when standing on off-road trails.
Skid Plate — Even thought there is a lot of ground clearance, a skid plate to protect the engine bottom is a good idea. The suspension is soft and bottoming out in rocky conditions is a distinct possibility.
Hand Guards— To protect your hands when going through brush and your brake and clutch levers should you drop the bike.
Manual Cam Chain Adjuster— Often, even just a few year old bikes have a lot of engine noise. Usually this is valve lifters on dirt bikes, but on the XR-150 often it is the automatic cam chain adjuster. A simple manual add on one solves the problem
Sprockets— The bike is geared on the “tall” side. This gives you some hope of reaching highway speeds in western markets. In Vietnam, the fastest you can generally legally go is 60 kph; but there are many steep hills, particularly in the north. Changing from the stock 17/49 sprocket setup has work well for me. I use a 15T front and 51T rear sprocket.
Luggage Rack Extension — I am a photographer on 30-60 backcountry motorcycle trips. I pack light but stillneed a 50L Drybag plus a backpack. The luggage extension adds about 9″ to the existing rack.
Those are the basics but you can get a custom shop to do a full adventure setup for you. KS Garage in Hanoi is one of the better custom shops and they have a standard adventure setup for the XR-150 that includes upgraded lights, better handlebars and levers, a windscreen, custom exhaust, and more.
Many put big bore kits, racing carbs, after market exhausts on to get more torque and/or speed. For me that defeats the #1 advantage of the XRT-150 — simplicity and reliability. I don’t even add a USB charger as I had some issues with the stator after adding some after-market lights and charger. The XR-150 is a KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) bike.
Emergency Kit
I am often in extremely remote areas far from any type of even back yard mechanic. I carry a repair kit with an emergency first aid kit in a 10L tube shaped drybag where my rear seat meets the luggage rack. It Contains:
- Front and Rear Tube
- Spoons, wrenches for tire removal, nut drivers
- USB powered air pump
- Clutch cable, Clutch lever
- tube patch kit
- misc: metal zip ties, jb weld, fuses, master link for chain
- Stop the bleed first aid kit (pressure bandages, tourniquet, quick clot, etc.)
Pricing
There are usually used XR150s in the marketplace. A 2016-2021 in good condition will be around $1500 to $2,000 usd. A new bike, if available, will be approximately $3,500.
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