Let's say that you were let loose in a candy store to take whatever you wanted. You could pack up some bags and ration the haul over a long period of time or just stuff yourself in one sitting. But just because you can do something that doesn't mean you should. This bike is a case in point. It's wrapped in eye candy as though an accessory catalog exploded near it. Unlike candy shop sweets, most of the goodies on this off-road modified CRF150R have a distinct performance purpose. And like our hypothetical candy blowout, you could ration yourself and add parts as needed or just sell the firstborn and go whole-hog like this bike.
Frankly, the CRF150R isn't a great trailbike. The carburetion is way off for technical riding or on/off-throttle riding. Plus, the bike stalls easily and is more demanding to start than a two-stroke 85 or 100/105. But like other performance four-strokes, it has tractable power over a long rpm range, so it's worth modifying for serious off-road if you need the power but aren't the right dimensions for a full-size bike. And this bike is as modified for off-road as it can get. Care was taken to boost the bottom response via the overbore and a Steahly flywheel weight, but the FMF pipe and Tokyo Mods ignition ensure that the overall power is pumped up rather than toned down. This bike shouldn't be confused with a mild trailbike. It will pull down surprisingly low in the rpm range and even torque up decent hills, but whack the throttle and you better have your body positioning dialed in. The only real miss here is the suspension, but the problem was in concept and instructions rather than execution. Elka was given a target weight of 185 pounds, and its suspension works pretty well for a rider that heavy, but this bike is compact, quick handling and violently fast, so the line of 185-pound riders waiting for a roost was painfully short. No doubt, Elka could've dialed in better performance had it known we wouldn't have a single serious rider tipping the scales over 125 pounds. We would love to have any of the accessories used on the CRF160R, but some we consider more vital to a CRF150R's off-road potential. The IMS tank, PMB kickstand, FMF Q muffler (gotta be legal to ride), Tokyo Mods carb fix, Cycra hand guards, engine protection from Works Connection and the Steahly 7-ounce flywheel are minimum requirements. The protection items, the big-bore kit, the Guts seat and the twin-piston caliper conversion are definite goodies we'd want if we could afford them. As for the other items on the list, they're more like desired luxuries. Some parts-like the tough Elka shock and the utterly awesome-looking billet two-piece clutch cover and other Hinson clutch parts-are better appreciated by a serious racer anxious for maximum performance.
For those short of stature...
For those short of stature but long on talent, an off-road modified big-bore CRF150R is a serious weapon.
This bike isn't a toy that any adult rider can play on and pass off as "a bike for the little lady." Sure, some adults could enjoy this bike. Chris Denison piloted it at the Perris MX track and Robert Enriquez blitzed some forest trails, but Denison rides minis all the time and Enriquez is cheating-at 5 feet 6 inches and 125 pounds he actually fits on a mini. Mini racer Sean Foos enjoyed the heck out the bike in the desert, even with the overly stiff suspension. But making the bike off-roadable didn't defang it. The CRF150R, even as a 160, demands a top-caliber rider and requires serious respect. Enriquez also pointed out that some security would be helpful to prevent other riders from drooling on it when they see it on the trail. Candy has that effect on people.