Last year, Honda’s X-ADV 750 crossover shocked racers and fans alike when it won its class at the infamous Gibraltar race, beating bikes like the KTM 950 Super Enduro, BMW F 800 GS Adventure, and Husqvarna’s 701 Enduro.
Apparently, this winning scooter / adventure motorcycle crossover combination got the engineers back at Honda pondering what other products they could ruggedize. The answer: the PCX150 scooter. Engineers completely reworked the scooter, optimizing the frame for rugged off-road terrain and bolting up burly Showa suspension and trail-ready tires. And the ADV150 was born.
Honda ADV150
“What do you get when you combine an Africa Twin and a PCX150? We weren’t sure, but we knew it sounded like fun!” laughed Chris Cox, American Honda’s Manager of Experiential Marketing/Public Relations. “Seriously, 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.”
Now before you get too bent out of shape: No, this isn’t intended as an overland vehicle unto itself. Rather, Honda sees this as a runabout that overlanders use mid-adventure. Imagine setting up camp and unloading the ADV150 from your Earthroamer, for example, and using it to go on micro overland adventures. That said, I am sure someone will eventually utilize the ADV150 as their soul adventure moto. My hat is preemptively doffed to that brave individual.
Honda ADV150
The ADV150 features under-seat storage, a two-stage adjustable windscreen, and tapered handlebars. Honda calls it the “most versatile scooter on the market.” Since it’s essentially incomparable, it’s not hard to agree.
The ADV150 comes in one color, Matte Black Metallic (I’ll spare you the cliched Henry Ford Model T jokes). Pricing starts at $4,299 (not including $380 destination charge) and will be available in showrooms in June of 2020.
Honda ADV150
Header image credit: American Honda
