The Lifan KP150 - 150cc Liquid-Cooled Commuter
When I was asked to look at the Lifan KP150 I didn’t have great hopes for the around 59,000 THB 150cc single-cylinder naked-bike. How can they possibly produce a good motorcycle for so little cash?
The liquid-cooled 150cc single-cylinder, four-stroke engine runs a conventional carburetor, which means you have a manual choke and even a fuel tap – just like the motorcycles from yesteryear. In its favor over some other 150 to 200cc motorcycles in the same price range, you have good working disc brakes front and rear, a single rear shock with preload adjustment, and they’ve even tried to make it sporty looking with a small top fairing, and some nice looking aluminum alloy wheels.
The fueling might not be as perfect as some fuel-injected engine, but there is a pleasing bark from the single exhaust pipe. The exhaust note is actual a bit reassuring, with some of the latest small-capacity motorcycles I have a hard time figuring out if the engine is still running, of course I can open the throttle but opening the throttle on a 150 to 250cc motorcycle waiting at the traffic lights being my age would seriously look strange...
The Lifan KP150 has some usable torque, you can nip through traffic with ease, and head-down it will match the top speed if most 150 to 200cc motorcycles sold in Thailand. But the engine isn’t as smooth as a Honda or Yamaha, and the 5-speed gearbox need some getting used to it.
The suspension and set-up can be described in the same way. It all works perfectly, but there isn’t a huge amount of damping. You get jolted out of the seat on rough roads and despite having conventional 17 inch wheels it didn’t feel as secure or natural as some of the motorcycles I have ridden before. But around town it ran rings around some of the heavier competitors. The budget Lifan KP150 certainly exceeded our expectations.
Our Lifan dealer also pointed out that the Lifan KP150 is probably the lowest on service cost per year compared with other motorcycles available in Thailand. If you’re looking for a reliable, easy to repair and service, commuter motorcycle that looks good, the Lifan KP150 is a motorcycle you should consider.
