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Boon Siew Honda (BSH) officially welcomes the 2022 Honda CB500X and CBR500R for the Malaysian market.

The 2022 CB500X and CBR500R are now priced at RM36,099 and RM34,499.

Both motorcycles received significant updates for 2022, starting with the suspension setup that now comes in an adjustable Showa 41mm Separate Function Fork Big Piston (SSF-BP) USD fork.

Apart from improved chassis dynamics, both the CB500X and CBR500R gets newly improved twin 296mm disc with Nissin two-piston callipers.

The improved braking allows riders to pull the lever when braking without much pressure.

Other significant improvement includes:

  • 19-inch front and 17-inch lighter wheels (CB500X)
  • lightweight 5 Y-shaped spokes wheels (CBR500)
  • new headlight with a broader beam
  • optimised high/low headlight beam and front indicator position lights (CB500X)

Nonetheless, the CB500X and CBR500R continue to deliver 50hp @ 8,5000rpm and 45Nm @ 6,500rpm from its 471cc, 8-valve liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine.

Power is delivered to the rear wheel via a six-speed transmission with an assist/slipper clutch.

According to Boon Siew Honda, the CBX500X is available in three colour options; GP Red, Mat Gun Power Black Metallic and Pearl Organic Green, while the CBR500X is only available in GP Red. 

Boon Siew Honda mengumumkan Mitsuharu Funase sebagai Pengarah Urusan dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif baharu syarikat itu.

Funase menggantikan Yoshitaka Nakamura yang telah pun dilantik sebagai CEO baharu bagi Honda Motorcycle Kenya Limited.

Menurut kenyatana dikeluarkan pihak BSH hari ini, Funase sebelum ini menggalas jawatan selaku Pengarah Strategi Produk, Divisyen Perancangan Perniagaan Operasi Motosikal di ibu pejabat Honda Motor Co. Ltd di Jepun.

Funase juga dilihat sebagai calon tepat mengisi tempat ditinggalkan Nakamura atas pengalaman luasnya dalam perniagaan motosikal di ASEAN menerusi rangka kerja di Thailand dan Indonesia sebelum ini.

Dalam ucapan sulungnya, Funase sempat mengucapkan tahniah kepada BSH atas kejayaan menangani kemelut pandemik Covid-19 sebelum ini.

“2021 sememangnya tahun mencabar tetapi Boon Siew Honda masih berjaya mencapai angka pegeluaran dan jualan membanggakan,” jelasnya.

Meskipun terkesan dengan Covid-19 sebelum ini, namun BSH sudah pun kembali beroperasi sepenuhnya dengan melancarkan beberapa model baharu termasuk motosikal kapcai, Honda RS-X baharu.

Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd (BSH) memulakan tahun 2021 dengan EX5 edisi khas sempena ulang tahun ke-35 motosikal ikonik itu.

Varian baharu ini menggabungkan rekaan ikonik dengan emblem khas serta jalur yang lebih menonjol bagi meraikan Honda EX-5 yang julung kalinya diperkenalkan pada 1987.

Honda EX5 Edisi Ulang Tahun Ke-35 ini masih mengekalkan enjin satu silinder dengan penyejukan udara yang menjana 6.37kW pada 7,500rpm dan 8.62Nm pada 5,500rpm dan dipadankan dengan sistem suntikan bahan api Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-Fi).

Berikut warna dan varian ditawarkan:

Orang ramai yang berminat boleh mendapatkan Honda EX5 35th Anniversary Edition pada harga berikut:

  • rim jenis cast: RM5,009
  • rim jenis spoke: RM4,783
  • The 2019 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade is designed to be the everyday superbike.

  • It’s easy to ride and live with on a daily basis.

  • It’s fast and far from being slow.

It may be that Honda has shown off the 2020 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade, but there’s still lots of significance to the 2019 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade.

First and foremost, it’s the base model for the SP which we tested earlier. Of course, the SP was all spec’ed-out including Öhlins electronic suspension with OBTi user interface, Brembo monobloc calipers, Brembo brake discs, quickshifter and a single seat. The fuel tank was titanium, so was the exhaust system. The SP was cosmetically different, too, with gold wheels, polished aluminium frame spars and HRC tri-colour racing scheme.

Read: 2019 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP Test & Review

On the other hand, this base model makes do with Showa Big Piston Forks and rear shock, Tokico monobloc front brake calipers, anodized black frame and wheels, dual seats. Electronics wise, it doesn’t have the OBTi suspension controls since the suspension is manual. Most tellingly, it doesn’t include a quickshifter.

Does that make the bike less “better”?

Ergonomics is exactly the same, as with the engine power and performance.

Firing it up exuded that soul-stirring deep vroom from the exhaust, telling you that it’s ready to ride. Setting the electronics was easy-peasy, given three preset modes and two user-customizable modes. From left to right, there’s P for power (1 highest, 5 lowest); T for traction control (1 the least intervention, 8 the most); W for wheelie control (1 for highest intervention, 3 for the least); EB for engine braking (1 the least, 3 the highest). That’s it. One look and you know how the bike will respond.

Each setting returns really perceptible changes. For example, the bike takes off as soon as the throttle was twisted in Level 1, whereas you need to turn the throttle more in Level 5. But if anything, engine braking (EB) showed the biggest change. In level 1, the bike almost freewheeled (great for attacking corners) while the bike slowed a lot off the throttle in level 3.

Although not electronic, the factory suspension settings were already in the ballpark. No, wait. They were superb. We found that we didn’t need to adjust anything at all. Only once did it get of shape as I had to brake hard when keeled way over in a corner, because a car cut into my lane. The forks dived hard, causing the bike to wobble. However, adding just two turns of compression and rebound damping solved the issue.

Compared to the electronic suspension, the biggest difference was that the manual suspension felt soft in its initial stroke but was stiffer when you hit larger bumps. It’s the true opposite for the electronic set up. Yet, the CBR1000RR’s suspension was the most compliant on the street as opposed to all other superbikes we’ve ridden.

The bike isn’t slow, not at all. It’ll own everything thrown against it because it’s so easy to ride on the street. While you need more effort on other bikes, the CBR took all steering efforts in its stride. Think it, turn in.

In corners, the softer suspension settings let the tyres bite into the road surface and hook up early just as you add balancing throttle. That confidence goads you into opening the gas sooner without the risk of pushing the bike wide. I found myself adding too little throttle many times during the initial two days of testing, but I was punching in plenty of throttle soon enough.

There’s a corner on MEX Highway which I’ve never ridden through faster than 160 km/h (on the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT). One day, I hammered the CBR through it to see how far I could lean the bike. I looked down and saw 188 km/h and the knee was still far away from the road!

But it isn’t all about aggression. Feel the need to cruise? Just raise your body, switch to MODE 3 and putt along in sixth gear. The bike happily obliged even when we rode it at 80 km/h in sixth. Not only it didn’t stutter but it pulled hard as soon as I opened the throttle. From there it would blow through 100 km/h, 150 km/h, 200 km/h and all the way.

That inline-Four has gobs of low-down and midrange torque unlike its contemporaries. It punched hard from the standing start and acceleration only slowed down a little (just a little) past 8,000 RPM. Hard acceleration was accompanied by a mix of warble and whoosh from the intake with a howling and roaring exhaust, as if it was a small V-Four. The stock exhaust was loud enough – all the better for such a distinctive tone that’s totally different from all other inline-Four superbikes.

But it wasn’t all about aggression.

It’s so easy to ride in any circumstance, including in heavy traffic. Whereas I found it difficult to maneuver other sportbikes in really slow traffic, I could cilok (swerve around) on the CBR1000RR like a Honda CB250R. I’m not kidding! Even U-turns were easy because there was plenty of steering lock. Carrying a passenger wasn’t much of a bother, either.

Watch: Video review of the 2019 Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade

That’s the central theme to the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade. The CBR1000RR team wants to give the rider Total Control. Total control breeds confidence, and confidence turns to enjoyment. Total control also means that the bike is forgiving.

You’re always in control with those clip-ons positioned just right in relation to the seat. While other superbikes have their handlebars placed on the same level as the seat, the Fireblade’s are about 2.5 cm (1 inch) higher. In doing so, it gives the rider more leverage on the bars as well as better comfort, without sacrificing sportiness.

The more I rode the bike, the more I discovered that it’s Honda’s obsession with the little details. For example, like the previously mentioned abundance of steering lock and ergonomics. Going further, the design of the fuel tank made it easy to hook your upper arms and knees to it when you’re leaning into a corner. Apart from that, the seat height was at a comfortable level, yet the footrests didn’t touch down at all.

Honda also showed their obsession with quality and finish. Look down into the space between the TFT screen and handlebar and all you’d see is the clutch cable. No wayward cables and parts. Even the steering damper’s hidden away underneath the fuel tank’s cover.

Was there anything we didn’t like? Not really, but we know that detractors will bash the lack of a quickshifter. What? You’ve forgotten how to shift gears? Just joking. But trust us: You won’t miss it. The first two gears and downshifting may require the clutch lever but hooking up the next gears without the clutch was almost as good as using a quickshifter. It felt more rewarding too. The clutch pull was very light anyway, requiring on the middle finger to work it.

Another point excuse we always heard is the lack of top end power. The CBR1000RR has the lowest in the class at 189 hp. But unless you want to race the bike in MSBK or MSF, why does it bother you? What’s more important is the bike’s ability to accelerate faster from idle and while rolling compared to the others.

Let’s also not forget that the bike looks great from every angle.

Conclusion

It’s apparent that the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade was designed to do almost everything as a sportbike. By that we meant that you could ride it everyday while carrying a pillion, head into the mountains on weekends or convoy, and still be able to turn and burn at the track.

And it’s surprisingly cheap as well (in relation to other 1000cc sportbikes, not our bank accounts) from RM 91,999 making it a superb value for money. (The CBR1000RR Fireblade SP is priced from RM 114,999.)

So, if you can only own one 1000cc sportbike that you have to use for everything, this is the bike.

  • Recipients of Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) who are eligible for fuel subsidies can check their status online.

  • Recipients may also update their status in the website.

  • Non-BSH recipients but who are eligible for the subsidy are not listed in the website.

  • Owners of motorcycles 150cc and below are eligible, subject to certain conditions.

Recipients of Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) who are eligible for fuel subsidies can check their status online.

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has set up a website for such purpose. You may follow this link to do so at psp.kpdnhep.gov.my.

Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the recipients’ data were based on the information provided during application for the BSH aid scheme. “We also cross-checked vehicle ownership information with the Road Transport Department’s database and the ministry has identified 2.9 million individuals from the B40 group who are eligible for the fuel subsidy,” he said.

However, he admitted that the data needs further improvement and urged those in the B40 group to check their status. Those who could not find or wish to update their information may do so by filling out the appeal section in the website.

He also added that those in the B40 group who have just bought a vehicle that is eligible for the subsidy to apply with the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

The website does not list people who not BSH recipients but are eligible for fuel subsidy. The process to submit their application will be announced later.

Under the fuel subsidy scheme, eligible motorcycles must be 150cc and below. Those above 150cc must be at least seven years old.

As for cars, they must be 1600cc and below, or more than 10 years old for cars above 1600cc.

The subsidy will be deposited in the recipients’ bank accounts every four months. Motorcycle owners will receive RM 12 per month, while car owners will receive RM 30 per month.

Non-BSH recipients who are eligible will also receive a Kad95. The card allows for a discount of 30 sens per litre of RON 95 petrol; up to 40 litres per month for motorcycles and 100 litres for cars.

The public may also contact the ministry via 1-800-886-800, or email psp@kpdnhep.gov.my or WhatsApp 019-2786356.

  • American Honda has issued a recall for a number of models including the 2018 Honda CRF250L and Honda CRF250 Rally.

  • The issue concerns the transmission.

  • Boon Siew Honda is currently checking if the Malaysian units are affected.

American Honda has issued a recall for a number of models for issues regarding their transmissions. The recall include the 2018 Honda CRF250L and Honda CRF250 Rally, among others.

According to the circular, the models affected are the 2019 Honda CB300R, 2018 to 2019 Honda Rebel (CMX300), 2018 Honda CBR300R, as wells as the aforementioned 2018 Honda CRF250L and Honda CRF250 Rally.

Only the two CRF250s are being sold in Malaysia among the list.

BikesRepublic.com placed a call to the Malaysian distributor, Boon Siew Honda for further clarifications on the recall. While the Malaysian units may not be affected, Boon Siew Honda gave their assurance that they have taken the initiative to investigate the matter. They shall revert with the answers soon.

According to the American Honda recall, the circlip on the transmission’s main shaft may detach. It will cause gear misalignment should it occur.

The misalignment will in turn cause the transmission to shift into gear while in NEUTRAL during engine start. If the motorcycle is in motion, it may cause the transmission, hence the rear wheel to seize.

Stay tuned.

  • Motosikal Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin mengimbau kembali kenangan pada model Africa Twin tahun 90-an.
  • Ianya merupakan tawaran Honda dalam pasaran motosikal dwi-sukan berkapasiti tinggi.
  • Motosikal ini besar dan tinggi, dan ianya lebih cenderung untuk penunggangan ‘off-road’.

(more…)

  • The Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin pays homage to the Africa Twin of the 90s.

  • This is Honda’s entrant in the heavyweight dual-sport market.

  • It’s big and tall, and biased towards off-road riding.

The “Africa Twin” moniker is one of the most celebrated names in motorcycling, so naturally, we were excited when Boon Siew Honda called us to pick up the new Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin.

Origins and Background

During the heydays of the Paris-Dakar Rally, the HRC-built NXR-750 tore up the Saharan dunes to four victories. It was no small feat. Being in the late-80s means there was no gimmickry of the modern bikes.

The first Honda Africa Twin was the XRV650, produced from 1988 to 1989, but the truly iconic XRV750 Africa Twin made its debut in 1989 for 1990 model year.

XRV650 Africa Twin

It is powered by a 752cc, four-sparkplug V-Twin (hence its name) and had all the trappings of an adventure bike including twin large headlamps, long-travel suspension, engine bash plate, wire spoked wheels, semi-off-road tyres. In short, it looked like it just got off the rally and straight into the dealerships.

XRV750 Africa Twin

Although the Africa Twin had stiff competition from the BMW R 100 GS, Yamaha Super Tenere, Cagiva Elefant, et al, the big Honda was a success. In fact, production carried on until 2003.

Introduction to the CRF1000L Africa Twin

Many fans and even motojournalists cheered when Honda announced their plans for a new Africa Twin. Heck, the romantics among us got teary-eyed when they recalled their exploits on the AT in the 90’s.

Designated as the CRF1000L Africa Twin, it’s a dual-sport more oriented towards off-road riding.

The new bike has a slim and tall front profile. Besides that, the front looks like an extended forehead above the tightly arranged headlamps. It’s the “Dakar styling” where a pace note scroller/GPS sits behind screen.

Moving back, the rear part of the bike from the head onwards invokes the profile of the XRV750. This is especially true when you view the back of the fuel tank and seat. Anyhow, we felt that Honda did a great job of amalgamating design elements of the old bike to the new.

Riding the CRF1000L Africa Twin

First impression? Oh my! This thing’s tall! We’ve tested plenty of tall dual-sport bikes, mind you. Of course, the Africa Twin isn’t as tall as motocrossers or enduros but it’s definitely the tallest among dual-sport bikes. Someone had adjusted the rear shock’s preload all the out to lower the rear end, but I still had to hang one leg in the air when I stopped.

I knew I should’ve worn my platform shoes. Just kidding.

However, traffic lights became my No. 1 enemy (for the moment). That’s because I had to first determine if the road was slanting to the left or right, before shifting my buttock and leg out while coming to a stop. The slim profile helped a lot, but the badly adjusted chassis meant that the handlebar was sitting too high up, making the bike feel like it’s carrying bricks on its fuel tank.

We decided to ride it to Kuantan together with the Honda X-Adv.

The engine’s torque was impressive, keeping the engine rolling at low revs at highway speeds. The 998cc parallel-Twin uses a 270oto mimic the firing order of a 90oV-Twin, so a smooth character was expected. It produces 94 bhp and 98 Nm of torque.

The AT picks up speed quick to the sound of a rumbling engine. Small pops accompanied the DCT upshifts.

But we wished the front end has a little more high-speed stability and the handlebar moved around at higher speeds. We could expect this of dual-sport bikes with high handlebars but the AT’s moved the most. Then again, this bike is biased towards off-roading.

As such, it didn’t like being slammed into corners. You need to brake and release early, coast a bit to let the chassis settle down before turning in. Similarly, you need to be super smooth with the gas during the lean to straight up transition. Being throttle happy will send the handlebar waggling back and forth.

These handling traits disappear when the road turns to no road. There’s a large button marked with a “G” (for gravel) right next to the instrument panel. Pressing that switches into gravel ride mode and the corresponding levels of electronic intervention.

The softly sprung suspension absorbed the bumps easily and the bike seemed to float. Again, the bike’s slim waist was advantageous as it lets you move around while standing up.

However, it still felt top heavy for me. It possibly has to do with my height. At 167cm, I’m probably too small for the bike. A person from 180cm and up ought to reap the benefits of its ergonomics.

DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission)

Oh yes, the test unit was fitted with Honda’s proprietary DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission). It’s actually a semi-automatic/semi-manual gearbox. The rider could select D (Drive), S (Sport) or M (Manual). N (Neutral) position needs to be selected manually.

Shifting is via toggles on top and below the left switch cluster.

In D, the bike drives like a giant scooter. The transmission takes care of the upshifts and downshifts automatically. The rider can intervene at any time, but it upshifts early for smooth power and fuel savings

In S, shifting is still automatic but it will hold on to a gear until peak torque before shifting up. The gearbox will downshift when a certain limit is reached, and it will blip the throttle automatically. The rider can also intervene at any time.

In M, the rider is in charge of gear selection. The engine will also auto-blip the throttle when downshifting.

Riding the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin with DCT

Just like the VFR1200, the Africa Twin with DCT doesn’t feature a clutch lever and gear lever. This is when you have re-learn how to ride a motorcycle.

Using the fully automatic “D” feature was convenient but bear in mind that it shifts when you least expected it to. Like upshifting in the middle of a corner or downshift when you’re rolling to a stop. We found out the hard way.

DCT Lesson No. 1

I was riding with my wife as the pillion. The transmission was in D-mode, 2ndgear as I filtered past two rows of cars. It suddenly kicked down to 1stgear without warning. But since there was no clutch lever, it felt like the engine had cut out, followed by that sickening feeling of a bike toppling over.

There was a BMW 3-Series on our left, but thankfully my reflex kicked in and I pushed out my left elbow which landed on the car’s driver side window. It held the bike up from falling onto his car!

So, lesson learned. I tried S-mode for a while then decided to just use M-mode anytime I ride.

DCT lesson No. 2

Nearing my house, I shifted into 1st(you can’t shift into N when the bike’s moving) and stopped to let a car pass. I reapplied a little bit of throttle to drive the bike up to my gate.

BUT! The engine “caught” like what happens when you release the clutch lever with no engine RPM. It put out a “CLACK!” Again, no clutch lever. My reflex tried to reopen the throttle but it didn’t catch. The bike went over on the right side like a poor tree while blasts of profanities violated my neighbours’ ears. And I swear I didn’t touch the brakes!

It meant that you can’t pussyfoot with the throttle.

Conclusion

We know, it sounds like we didn’t enjoy ourselves with the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin. But we assure you that it was okay 75% of the time. It was too bad that the DCT and height needed too much concentration.

It’s a nice bike to ride if you’re an Africa Twin and Honda fan, not bad if otherwise.

The caveat is you need some time to learn it, especially if you opt for the DCT version. Besides that, the ergonomics really need some getting used to as it’s rather different from other dual-sport bikes we’ve ridden.

 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE

ENGINE TYPE 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, DOHC, 8-valve, liquid-cooled, parallel-Twin with 270crankshaft
DISPLACEMENT 998 cc
BORE x STROKE 92.0 mm x 75.1 mm
POWER 93.8 hp @ 7,500 RPM
TORQUE 98 Nm @ 6,000 RPM
COMPRESSION RATIO N/A
TRANSMISSION Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT)
FUEL SYSTEM Electronic fuel injection with ride-by-wire throttle
CLUTCH Multiple-plate wet clutch with slipper feature
CHASSIS
FRAME N/A
FRONT SUSPENSION Showa cartridge-type upside down ø 45 mm forks, adjustable for preload, compression damping and rebound damping
REAR SUSPENSION Monoshock with Pro-Link Arm, remote gas reservoir, remote preload adjuster, adjustable for rebound damping
SUSPENSION TRAVEL FRONT/REAR 252 mm / 240 mm
FRONT BRAKE 2x radially-mounted 4-piston monobloc calipers, ø 310 mm floating discs
REAR BRAKE 1X single-piston floating caliper, ø 260 mm brake disc
ABS 2-channel ABS (rear disengable)
TIRES FRONT/REAR 90/90-R21; 150/70 R-18 (both tube type)
STEERING HEAD ANGLE N/A
TRAIL N/A
WHEEL BASE 1,580 mm
SEAT HEIGHT 920 mm standard, 900 low seat position
FUEL TANK CAPACITY 24.2 litres
WEIGHT (READY TO RIDE) 243 kg

 

PICTURE GALLERY

  • Boon Siew Honda ingin menjadi jenama paling laris di Malaysia bagi tahun 2019.
  • BSH telah menjual hampir 156,000 buah motosikal pada tahun 2018.
  • Dengan itu, mereka telah memegang 30% saham pasaran.

(more…)

  • Boon Siew Honda wants to be the top brand in Malaysia in 2019.

  • BSH sold nearly 156,000 motorcycles in 2018.

  • As such, they hold 30% market share.

Boon Siew Honda (BSH) aims to put the Honda brand in top position in 2019.

BSH is confident in achieving this goal by setting the benchmark in each motorcycle segment through their range of models and brand positioning.

BSH Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Keiichi Yasuda said that their confidence was boosted by the company’s performance in 2018. The official Honda motorcycle distributor in Malaysia sold almost 156,000 units last year. It marks an outstanding 28.7% gain from the 121,000 units sold in 2017.

(more…)

  • Boon Siew Honda telah melancarkan model Honda PCX Hybrid 2019, Honda Forza 300 2019, dan Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade 2019.
  • Pelancaran ini diadakan di Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) 2018.
  • Motosikal-motosikal ini adalah sebahagian daripada janji BSH untuk memperkenalkan 12 model baharu pada tahun 2018.

(more…)

  • The new Honda Vario 150 automatic transmission scooter has been launched by Boon Siew Honda.

  • It represents an option for those looking for a Honda AT scooter other than the PCX150.

  • Priced from RM 7,199, for the standard edition and RM 7,399 for the Repsol Edition (basic selling prices without road tax, insurance and sales tax).

Boon Siew Honda Malaysia (BSH) has launched the new Vario 150 sporty automatic transmission (AT) scooter.

BSH calls the Vario 150 a “combination of sporty style, unstoppable performance and value-for-money.” The company had noticed a growing popularity for automatic scooters in Malaysia among younger riders who are taking up motorcycling. As such, the Vario offers an option for buyers who seek an AT scooter other than Honda’s own PCX150 luxo-scoot.

The Vario 150 may be priced competitively (read: affordably), but it does include many features found on more expensive bikes of the same category.

For starters, it uses the SMART Key employed on the PCX. This key system does not use a physical key to unlock or turn on the ignition, instead, the bike’s immobilizer and ignition responds to the key’s microwave signals. It’s similar to the one employed on the Yamaha NMAX, NVX and XMAX scooters but Honda’s system is much easier to understand and use.

Other key feature is the Combi Brake System (CBS). As the name suggests, either the front or rear brake will also activate the brakes on the other end. This is a great system which ensures front and rear stability under hard braking or when the bike is leaned over in a corner. First seen on the Honda Beat, the Vario’s CBS system works despite having a drum brake on the rear wheel, by using a simple yet ingenious pulley system. As an interesting note, the more complex CBS system is employed on Honda’s large-capacity bikes such as the VFR, CB1000R, Gold Wing, among others.

The Vario 150 also features a fully-digital LCD instrument panel, LED taillight and LED headlights. The main headlights are split into two, but Honda included another set of headlamps on top for maximum visibility.

Scooters need to be convenient, hence the bike has an 18-litre underseat storage space; enough for a helmet. There are two storage spaces and a hook on the panel beneath the handlebar.

The engine is based on the liquid-cooled 149.3cc powerplant found in the PCX150, with some of the same features. The cylinder dimensions are the same at a square 57.3mm bore and 57.9mm stroke. The Vario’s engine produces 13.1 PS at 8,500 RPM and 13.4 Nm at 5,000 RPM. Notice that there is 3,500 RPM range between maximum torque and horsepower, meaning the engine is very “flexible.” The word describes the availability of power anytime the rider opens the throttle.

Honda has included the Idling Stop switch for the Vario 150. The engine turns off a few seconds after coming to a stop, after riding faster than a certain speed. The feature helps to save fuel and vibration during extended stops at the traffic lights. The engine is automatically restarted when the rider twists the throttle.

BSH treated us media to a test ride after lunch, escorted by the Traffic Police. We concluded that the bike had smooth power take-up, great brakes and of course, flickability around the lunchtime traffic. The PDRM had also stopped us a junction for the Idling Stop function to kick in. The Vario 150 didn’t give a crazy hard kick once we twisted the throttle after the engine restarted, which is a welcomed feature. You wouldn’t want to end up in the back of a Vellfire once the lights turned to green, am I right? Another aspect we noticed was how the suspension soaked up bumps and potholes, which was surprising for a scooter. We also didn’t detect the front wheel wobbling when hitting fast corners.

Boon Siew Honda hopes to sell 1,000 units of the new bike per month. The four colour options are Pearl Magellanic Black, Pearl Nightfall Blue, Force Silver Metallic and of course, Repsol Edition. It will be available at Honda dealers immediately and comes with a 2-year or 20,000 km manufacturer’s warranty (whichever comes first).

Lastly, Boon Siew Honda specially airbrushed 14 Vario 150s in the colours of the national flag and flags of individual Malaysian states in conjunction with the National Day. These bikes will be travelling throughout Peninsular Malaysia.

For more information, please visit Boon Siew Honda’s official Facebook page and official website for more information.

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