The Honda CBR150R, launched in 2002, was the successor to the two-stroke NSR150, featuring a four-stroke, 150cc single-cylinder engine that makes around 18 horsepower. Mainly sold in Asian markets and South Africa, the bike shared many of the design cues of the larger CBR super sport siblings, but was designed primarily for daily use.
Enter our friend Yohanes Marse (“Anes”) of Indonesia’s Jowo Kustom, whose cafe, tracker, and bobber builds have won several awards in his home country and graced our pages many times in the past — the most recent being his workshop’s Honda GL125 City Tracker. Now Anes and crew are back with this scrambler, which you wouldn’t guess started life as a sport bike — a 2002 CBR150R, in fact.
The client was very detail-oriented and had a clear vision for the build. He wanted to transform the liquid-cooled single into a street scrambler with a bold, muscular look and clean execution — a challenge given the sporting DNA of the donor, but Anes and crew were up for the challenge.
In the end, that’s what they’re most proud of — that they could execute on the customer’s vision, creating a street scrambler that might leave onlookers guessing at its underlying DNA!
Honda CBR150 Scrambler: Builder Interview
• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?
This scrambler came fresh from an old 2002 CBR150R K45 — a complete build up from the bike that Honda Thailand originally produced.
• Why was this bike built?
This was a project bike for a very detailed customer.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The customer wanted the DNA of the sport bike totally changed into a scrambler, with more bulk for a muscular look. Nothing inspired us during this build but a sense of detail and to make it really clean — that’s what we wanted to pour into it.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
First of all, we cut off the subframe and made a new one. There were many discussions between us while working on it. A new custom gas tank, rear and front fender, stainless steel full system exhaust, and so many more supporting parts.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
SEAN, inspired by his newborn baby. He dedicated this bike to him.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
It feels good. Such a fun ride and everybody was looking at you while maybe they wandering what was that bike.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
One thing we’re proud of is that we could build just what our customer absolutely wanted. We could really understand what kind of customer he was and make it real into this bike, SEAN.
Great looking bike. Nicely executed, When I first saw it I said “want a bike just like that.” Your customer had a great vision and you guys did a superb job of listening to him and giving him exactly what he wanted. Some builders ignore the wishes of the customer and forge ahead thinking they know best.
Really great looking bike except for the exhaust. It should follow the frame down tubes line at the front. Get rid of the bash plate. Other than that, top machine. Great work, I would love to ride it.
Excellent and marvelous bikes, everything is very good. Only , it would be nice if possible that for every bike a picture of the original bike should be shown, even if it looks orribile. In this way we could better appreciate the work of the builder.