What You Get When You Cross an Africa Twin With a PCX
Scooters have never been a big favorite in the U.S. They’ve always played second fiddle to motorcycles, and are even sometimes looked on with disdain from motorcycle riders. This is, of course, silly of anyone who rides, and the Honda ADV150 is here to prove that scooters can be fun, practical, and even kind of bad-ass.
Honda has a history of making interesting scooters, and the ADV150 will be no exception. The company chose April 1 to reveal the price and availability of the ADV150 and that made me wonder if the company wasn’t joking, but in a press release, it says it isn’t.
The ADV150 is confirmed. It will cost $4,299, and it will be available in June 2020. All of these things are good. The bike is designed to be an easy-to-ride machine that’s highly versatile. You can ride it to class or a coffee shop on a Friday morning and then on Saturday, you can hit up all the backroads and trails.
“More than any other powersports manufacturer, Honda has a record of success with fun, unique scooters and small motorcycles, and the ADV150 promises to carry on that tradition,” said Chris Cox, American Honda’s Manager of Experiential Marketing/Public Relations.
The ADV150 that Honda is bringing here is a step-through design. It has a 149.3cc single-cylinder engine that makes 14.2 hp at 8,500 rpm. I know there will be some folks who don’t get this bike or think it should be a heck of a lot more powerful, but I’m just glad to see Honda bring it here. Its price is right and these little scooters are tough. I could see them selling enough of them for the move to make sense.
I was in Italy this past fall (a massive scooter scene) and was surprised at how many of these were on the road. Really sharp looking.