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I generally see 1 or more bears, either black or brown every two weeks. We’ve got a lot more bears within city limits than than we had in the 80’s and 90’s.

@takumisato7126 The handling on pavement feels vague. Once you get used to it you don’t really notice anymore but hopping off a regular motorcycle and riding this it feels pretty weird. This past weekend I rode it for the first time in weeks and the heavy steering in the front end was very noticeable. The company that makes this kit should have gone with a different front tire that doesn’t have such a flat profile. It would be better if it was more rounded like what the Honda ATC 200X’s, 250R’s and 350X’s used. The BW200 also used a more rounded front tire so only the center portion of the tire was in contact with the ground. This front tire gives you the feeling it might turn, might not. I’ve never dumped it over or come close to wrecking, it just feels weird. Off-road it’s way less noticeable. Speed wise it’ll do 55mph same as stock, I don’t think I’ve tried going 60 but it felt like it had power and speed left in reserve to do it. Overall the paved highway manners of the stock tires is head and shoulders better than ATV tires. But, go off-road and it’s the opposite, the ATV tires are night and day better off-road plus they ride pretty cushy but don’t bounce. I don’t have any regrets with the ATV tires, I’d just like to try a different profile front tire to reduce steering effort and the “self steer” effect exactly like some fat tire bicycles experience with certain front tires.

@@thatalaskaguy is your kit from Bradley Performance?

@takumisato7126 Yes, I bought the complete front and rear kit from that company. Mine are the 25” tall tires as I wanted to stay close to stock gearing. They also have a 26” tall tire. My kick stand works perfect with these tires. I don’t know if there’d be a noticeable difference with the 26”?

@thatalaskaguy I may just do the rear big tire conversion for now and see how I like it before doing both, the bike does look badass with both though

@@takumisato7126 @@takumisato7126 🤟 The rear tire kit is easy to install and greatly increases traction. I rode mine once in the snow with that set up and it worked much better than stock. I then installed the ATV tire in front and it was worlds better in snow for both floatation, tracking and stability. It’ll mainly depend on how, where and what conditions you plan to ride the bike. If it’s muddy, soft terrain or rocks the ATV front tire will work better. But in dry conditions, gravel roads or pavement the stock front tire will work better.

I think it’s a really great bike for the price. I’m glad to see a big Japanese OEM stiff offering a very simple and basic bike. Many times that’s all you need and it’ll be running long after higher performance, more complicated bikes are in disrepair.

@@thebeardapostle4446 I don’t notice it being geared too tall in first gear. But, like anything, if the trail is super slow and technical a guy often wants a lower first gear. With the stock gearing on my TW200 I’ve found myself in places where I wanted a lower first gear even though 1st is plenty low for 90% of the riding I do on it. I’ve had a number of guys tell me to gear my TW up as I don’t like how high it revs at 55. I wasn’t needing to slip the clutch anywhere in my video while climbing hills. In stock form the tires it comes with are it’s limiting factor rather than power. I think the XR 150 could likely be geared down a bit and not suffer too much on the highway. Right now it feels like it can barely pull 5th gear if there is a head wind or an incline. I suspect they were trying to give it as much top speed as possible to keep up with traffic on highways that have a speed limit over 55 mph.

@@tangosucka8526 Thank you! 😀 I’m glad you liked the video. I wanted to present info that I’d be looking for on a new bike.

@@Nine_883 my daughter was actually looking at a Grom initially. I didn’t care for it as you sit so low in traffic that people in trucks might not see you. Plus I felt it’s be terrible off-road with the tiny tires.

@@thatalaskaguy it’s a novelty. It’s fun, but not very useful. Some people like the hobby of customizing them. It’s a fun city crawler, but it’s really just that. Just for fun.

I’d read somewhere that Groms are the most fun when riding with other similar type bikes. That made sense to me as I can see a Grom being fun in certain areas where a standard type bike wouldn’t be.

@@thatalaskaguy yeah. That’s why I bought one, but those group rides are fewer than I thought. Although now I think I can get more than I paid for it. I paid $2500 and it had 1000 miles on it. I think I can get $3k for it now thanks to inflation!

@@Nine_883 that would work out pretty sweet! 😀

@@phoenixarizona8441 Thanks! I’ve never owned an Odyssey. There used to be a Pilot in town when they first came out but I’ve not seen it for 30+ years.

@@stevepeterson9759 we don’t have a ton of trails but a number of the ones we do have are very pretty. The XR is definitely better on the secondary roads. We’re going to upgrade her tires when the stock ones wear out.

@@connellymark yes, you have to do it by hand as they don’t recommend using a washing machine due to unstable loads. Tek-Vest also says not to dry clean. I wear my vest under a jacket or hoodie so it doesn’t get muddy or dusty. Of course here in Alaska where I’m at, our summers aren’t as hot as most places.

@@thatalaskaguy thx appreciate it - just ordered one - was concerned about sweat/smell over summer dirt biking. But hand washing once in a while is fine. Cheers

@connellymark Nice, I think you’ll like it, I really like mine. Last summer I went to wheelie over a small tree suspended horizontally across the trail. I got thrown off my bike into the base of big tree and landed right onto the exposed roots with my torso. I was impressed at how the vest dulled the impact. I’m certain I’d have bruised or broken a rib(s) had I not been wearing it. While the wreck still hurt I got up and rode home. I was only in 2nd gear on a slow, tight trail but it’s kind of amazing how much impact there was. My vest is always hanging in my heated garage when not being used. I’ve been wearing Tek-Vests for years and haven’t noticed them to get gross or stinky.

@@thatalaskaguy happy to hear you were okay from the fall - that’s exactly my thinking in getting the vest - plenty of falls where I feel I’ve been lucky. The few hundred dollars extra is well worth it if it prevents broken ribs etc that prevent riding for months. Also happy to hear yours haven’t gotten too smelly! Cheers

@@uncletom1971 Not in the USA, maybe in some other countries? If your state allows, there are dual sport kits available but some states, like mine, require an actual title to make if street legal. A certificate or origin won’t work.

@@uncletom1971 yes, I’m in Alaska in Prince William Sound. We don’t have a ton of trails but the ones we do have are very pretty. 😀 The smaller bikes are a lot easier to ride off road than something like my big, heavy, DR650.

@@kellywilson8440 Thanks for the kind words. 😄 We don’t have a ton of trails where I live but the ones we do have are very pretty. The bike has a very light pull at the lever. Unlike the one video where the guy complained about missing gears and mis-shifts while beating the hell out of the bike in the desert, it shifts quickly and smoothly just like one would expect. Nothing weird has happened to this XR 150 in that respect.

@@thatalaskaguy Thank you for the reply and info !

Thank you! I enjoy switching back and forth between it and my wife’s DR200 when I go out riding with my daughter. The 150 is noticeably smoother than the DR200.

@@erikmalmberg7319 It seemed like it worked quite well and caused me no problems while I had it. I ended up selling the bike a couple years ago. It was more fun after I derestricted it. 😄

@@thatalaskaguy i will diresicted my too when the warranty expierd

@@flat6fever680 Thanks for the kind words! This video turned out to be quite a bit longer than I had planned but I wanted to cover a lot of aspects and things I’d be curious about if I was considering buying the bike.

@@zac_in_ak Uh oh! What happens if that occurs?

@@thatalaskaguy fuse blows but there’s a spare in there lots of people have upgraded to a 10amp or a led headlight

@zac_in_ak Gotcha! Thanks for the warning, very good info. 👍

@@leesops710 thank you! 😀👍

@@SWATT101 I wouldn’t want to hike around in them. I mean they are fine for getting to some scenic attractions and walking short distances to read the signs and whatnot. They’d be hot for walking around in for more than 10 minutes. They are fine for walking around into a store or restaurant but you’d still want a second pair of shoes if you planned to do a lot of walking, especially hiking. Of course if I was planning to hike I’d also want to shed all my riding gear and wear much lighter and comfortable clothes for hiking around.

@@gailmaplesden7380 my daughter was initially looking at a Grom and I told her to check out this bike as it’d be way more versatile. On our last ride I told her I was thinking about how bad the Grom would have been for both the trails and highway sections we rode. Because she’s much lighter than me she can go 60 mph on it. She’s still wide open throttle but it’ll do it. I think it’s a great little bike. Like you said, extremely versatile. 😀👍

I rely on him to alert me to the presence of bears and moose we have wandering around close to my neighborhood. I feel a lot safer with him than I do without. 😀👍

@@John-sn4hl it’s a really beautiful area! 😀👍

@@rockthesix1679 Thanks! I was trying to show the bike in the real world being used in places that can be pretty challenging. I was pleasantly surprised to see how capable a 150cc bike could be. It’s definitely easier to ride off-road than my DR650. I love the fact it’s so basic and easy to work on. It’ll still be running long after many more complicated and expensive bikes are cast off into far corners of people’s yards after they become too expensive to repair.

@@lisafarmer7041 thanks for checking out my video! 😀👍

@@Kristian_Saile I’ve had guys tell me in the comments of my TW videos that I could gear up for highway to reduce the revs and it won’t negatively affect it for off-road. I’ll have to pay closer attention next time I ride my TW to see how much I’m in 1st versus 2nd in tight terrain. I also want to ride the TW back to back with the XR150. I can see how the scallop part of the seat gets in the way. I noticed that too (since making this video) while riding on the highway when I went to stretch out and it wasn’t comfortable to slide further back on the seat. Maybe that’s the nature of things? Cruiser riders don’t have long seats to slide back on, if doing a lot of highway miles on the XR, perhaps some crash bars up in front of the engine would allow for a place to set a guys feet on? Funny how it’s less expensive than a lot of mountain bikes! I too think it’s a fun bike to ride. I hope there will be a trend towards smaller, cheaper, lighter dual sport bikes in the coming years. The UP of Michigan sounds like a great place to ride and explore. 😄

@@thatalaskaguy yeah, on longer rides I will sometimes sit up in the back part of the seat just to stretch out. I am 6’1”. I got this bike for my wife so I am not going to change it too much but I know some bar risers would get it pretty dialed for fit for me. Also swapping the legs made a big difference for confidence. And you are right, it’s such a small displacement that it isn’t really buzzy when ringing its neck on the road. Love the Valdez area, trying to make a trip up that way with the fam in the next year. 👍

@@adrianpozos3498 no, Valdez up at the dam.

@@thatalaskaguy oh dope I just got a Xr150 too! Thanks for sharing

@@chasehartman3719 I bought it from my Yamaha dealer in Wasilla, they weren’t very expensive.

@@paulthisone I often wonder… do people who comment ever bother to read other comments or see what I’ve already said in my replies? Why should I have to keep my dog on a leash in a rural area 100 yds from my house that’s located in a subdivision? This didn’t happen in a remote area in a national park. It’s right next to my house! Hazing these nuisance, dumpster diving bears is what we have to do because our local government views them as tourist attractions.

The tiny battery is my biggest issue with the bike for sure. I did a 12-14 mile ride when it was new using only throttle and it was barely moving that last mile home. I like the looks of the bike and it works great on my 3.5-4 mile long one way commute to work but I charge it there and at home to keep full power in the battery. Otherwise it’ll lose speed if I try doing a round trip without charging.

@@thatalaskaguy yea a charger is a must with this bike. When I first got it I really wasn’t intending to go far at all I really just wanted to go to school, work and ride around a few neighborhoods in my area with it but once I started taking this thing for longer trips like going into another suburb town then I realized this thing doesn’t have enough range to really travel freely without having to carrying the charger along with and Saturday really explained why I really need an ebike that can go at least 25+ miles on one charge because I did a long day trip of grad party hopping which my total mileage that day came out to about 26 miles and with the stock battery full to dead no charger I was only able to get just barely over 15 miles of range. When I went to my first stop which was 7 miles the battery display was only showing 3 bars instead of 4.

@@undergroundcreeper7997 ​​⁠if shipping on batteries wasn’t so restrictive to Alaska I’d have ordered a larger amp hour version for more range. If you’ve got time and can charge in different locations on your ride it’ll greatly help to extend the range on the stock battery but that’s not always possible. I bought a second charger just to keep at work so I don’t have to haul my charger back and forth every day. It was only $20 so that was reasonable. But yeah, my Dad has a larger framed regular ebike that is actually comfortable to pedal, plus can run off the throttle. It was way, way more range than the mini-swell and is way faster too.

@@thatalaskaguy That’s really interesting! How far did that one go and what brand was the bike from?

@@undergroundcreeper7997 I looked and it doesn’t have any brand name on the bike. It’s like a generic version of a Rad Rover, it looks somewhat similar. I’m not sure where the owners manual went for the bike.

Thanks! I went out riding with my daughter yesterday and I got to compare her XR150 to my wife’s DR200. The DR being 50cc’s larger could do over 55 and she got the DR up to 70mph when we switched bikes. She said she’s gotten her 150 up to 60mph. With me on it, 55mph was its limit as we had a head wind. The 150 is sooooo smooth! It was even more noticeable on this ride. I didn’t realize the 200 buzzed so much at highway speed. Even at low speed the 200 had more vibration. The 150 was also more comfortable and had a better ride off road. The ergonomics were more comfortable as well. It’s a nice dual sport bike!

@@thatalaskaguy I've been thinking of getting a Xr150l but didn't know really what to expect, I am 5'10 and weigh 210, most the ppl who review these bikes are 150 to 180 and barely take them off road let alone up a steep incline on gravel, now I have a better understanding of how capable this bike really is, by far the best video out there. Could you do a in depth comparison of the Tw200 and the Xr150 on and off road.

@@travisphelps7922 Right on! I’m glad you enjoyed my video. 😄 Yesterday when we were riding the XR and DR the Honda had no issues going everywhere the DR did even though the XR uses smaller diameter wheels. We were just riding trails, nothing too technical, difficult or muddy. For really technical or soft terrain the TW would still be better and more capable. It’s like a street legal, 2-wheeled ATV as it’s big tires work really well except in mud and snow. I’d have to compare the XR with my brother’s TW as I put ATV tires on my TW 200. As far as on road, the XR 150 is a lot better than the TW200. It’s way, way more comfortable, smoother, less vibration and handles better. With stock gearing the TW sounds like it’s revving it’s guts out on the highway at 55 while the 150 doesn’t. That said I’ve had numerous guys write me in my TW video comments that gearing it up a little but solves that and doesn’t take much if anything away from off-road capability.

@@thatalaskaguy awesome, I think the XR might be the best bike for me here in rural Oklahoma. I want to say the XR has a counterbalanced engine, I may be wrong tho, but that would explain why it is way smoother. 👍

@@travisphelps7922 that would make sense and I’ve been meaning to look it up. It’s definitely smoother at all RPM’s. Switching back and forth between the two bikes made it really noticeable.

None, it’s my daughter’s bike and it’s 100% stock. I don’t see it ever going that fast unless it’s in the back of a pick up truck. 😀 If you are really light and all tucked in behind the tank, maybe you’d see 65 on flat ground at sea level with no head wind.

@@thatalaskaguy I have a big bore kit and a cam, I think with different gearing it’ll do 75mph.

@@thatalaskaguy I have a short that shows some cheap leds, I definitely recommend them.

@@DustySteel I wonder what the long term reliability would be like with a big bore kit?

@@thatalaskaguy i think that depends on the kit. If not a cheap kit then the piston is probably better than stock.

Thanks! I don’t think it’s much different from your DR200 besides being smoother.

60K miles is awesome to hear! I just looked your bike up, looks like the front fender is different and of course the color and graphics. I didn’t realize that Honda had been making this bike for so long. Very cool! I’m glad that’s the case as it’ll then be trouble free over its lifetime as all the bugs will have been long figured out. I think it’s a great move for Honda to offer a smaller, less expensive dual sport for the US market. Hopefully other OEM’s follow suit and we start seeing more bikes in this price range.

@balaxan, what mods do you have done? I’ve seen the 150’s there be turned into awesome street racing bikes.

@@thatalaskaguy 100% agreed, Honda making this step, makes other company's start doing the same thing!!!

@@DustySteel my is most original, the region where I live it's pretty difficult tô make mods without getting in trouble, Brazilian laws for this kind of stuff are very strict, just some grippier tires, handle bar riser, and took of the plastic piece that goes over the air filter! Next I am planning to make a long trip in her so probably will stay stock for some time!!

@@balaxan okay, that’s understandable. A 26mm carb is recommended for stock bikes to stay in regulations. Porting the intake and exhaust really helps and is not something that can be seen/ shouldn’t be illegal. I’m not familiar with laws there. The intake and exhaust are most restrictions for this bike. Good luck on your trip. Ride safe. Cheers!

Thanks! I had a really good time riding it and kept wanting to try it in different areas to see how’d it do. It’s not a high speed highway bike but does reasonably well on the road to keep up with traffic at 55mph. It’s very comfortable and smooth and it feels more torquey than one would expect off-road.

I was surprised by how smooth and torquey the engine was. It’s not a powerhouse, it’s not going to scare any experienced rider but it’s likely not as gutless as a person might expect just making assumptions about the small displacement. It’s limited in top speed so don’t buy one and plan to cruise high speed open highways for long periods of time. But around urban areas it’ll get around fine and the engine had good power for off-road. I was really surprised and pleased with how well it could tractor its way up steep hills. The small size and easy to control power made it fun off-road, kind of the opposite of my DR650 that often feels heavy and clumsy to me off-road in tight areas but does nicely on the highway.

@@thatalaskaguy thanks for the info brother!

@@jameskirk5906it has enough with BBK, cam, and supporting mods.

It does with a big bore kit, cam, and supporting mods. I built an undertail exhaust for mine. Super cheap, no welding. I have a short of it on my channel if anyone wants to check it out sometime.

@@DustySteel I was checking out your videos yesterday, very nice!

Yeah you do!! 🤣

Right on, thanks for watching! 👍😀

Totally agree, it’s an awesome bike! 👍

It doesn’t sound to me like you watched the review.

What!? No one owns a YTM225 DR. They were all crushed in the 80’s or the original owners were hospitalized and then their 3-wheelers were crushed. 😆

I rode my TW for around an hour or so with only the ATV rear tire installed. It was on snow so not the best conditions for the stock front tire as it slipped, washed out and followed ruts like crazy. The ATV front tire worked 100% better in snow. I suspect it’d be the same experience in mud or slick, wet conditions during the summer. The one benefit of the stock front tire is it wouldn’t exhibit any self steer or the vague feeling the ATV tire has on pavement. I think the bike is better with ATV tires front and rear as the traction and floatation is balanced.

@@thatalaskaguy yea the death-wing front tire on the TW is legendary for its willingness to washout with no warning. I was thinking that a front tire like the Big Wheels had 25x8-12 (taller and thinner) would work better on the pavement .

@@microlling3582it’s a compromise as the stock Death Wing is easier steering and more predictable on pavement or hard, gravel road surfaces. The ATV front tire is vague on those surfaces on initial turn in. But it’s completely manageable and night & day better off-road. It makes the TW way more capable off road.

This one has been awesome! 😀

I too have had bad luck with newer batteries. It’s really frustrating!

23 years, WOW! Maybe mine will make it that long? I’ve noticed the same thing over the past few years, the batteries don’t seem to last and I’ve been caring for them the same way. I even bought a charger for AGM, flooded and LiPo. The battery in my Yamaha VK540 started crapping out after the first season.

@@thatalaskaguy It could last more years. With my Suzuki King Quad as soon as I am done running it I put it in garage and plug the pigtail into the battery tender until the next time I take the machine out.

Highly recommended ruclips.net/video/IChXIFUX6qU/видео.htmlsi=5j7pAflv9b0IhPtW

also, leave the bear and its cub alone, they were far away and not doing anything bad.