I have to disagree with them being similar. The TW is a farm bike with 80’s technology. It’s a tank. This Honda is a modern fuel injected machine. Great bike and I’m considering both, I just think one has to appreciate the tw for what it is, not comparing it to modern bikes. A buyer that wants a tw isn’t buying it for a digital dash and a bunch of electronics, he is buying it because it’s a tank that will last for years with hardly anything to go wrong. Good upload man. I enjoyed listening
Great video and great comparison. As someone just getting into bikes and watching every dual sport/adv video I can get my eyes on the tw and crf300 are the two I've settled on.
I owned 2 TW's and an xt250 in my life and that's it. I now own the 300 and I will tell you no one is going to regret making this jump from either of the latter. The xt was almost a downgrade from the TW in my opinion. Hated the xt. A TW is NOT worth the $5k price tag new, never buy a new TW whatever you do. Both Yamis are too small for a 6' male as well. The DRZ is a terrible choice over the 300, I promise you that. It's yet another 5 speed carbed bike and hasn't been updated in like 20+ years.
I have an '05 Tdub and it feels like a squat little bike with a low center of gravity, but I like it. In comparison I can see how the 300L would feel a lot more top heavy. When I first saw a 300L in a showroom I had the same reaction, the thing looked huge and intimidating, being used to a Tdub. I also had the same impression of Tdubs before I actually saw one, I expected a mini bike and was shocked to see it was an actual motorcycle. Even Groms are much bigger than I expected. I had a 3.5 HP minibike as a kid so I guess that's my baseline.
I know spending more money on a brand new bike sucks but if i bought that bike i would have a really hard time not doing Ari's big bore kit on it immediately. That said , I really like that Adventure Spec screen , it looks killer.
Cool your close by, I've been on my crf300l at angeles crest and Rowher Flats. Come out to antelope valley there's trails everywhere. I go explore around here angeles crest Sierra pelona, Miller canyon,pilot rock or Cleghorn
Nice! I’ve been to rowher a few times. Not on the CRF yet though. I’ve been dying to cut through Angeles Forest and hit some trails there. Have you ever ridden those trails in Phelan? Seems to be packed with trails.
@@MichaelKarapetian not yet. I did go to Lytle Creek, wasn't good. Too many borders, but further up the road there are some forest Service roads that go forever
You thought you would cruise all day at 70mph with a 300cc motor? I would say that's about 10mph optimistic. If you wanna do that on a similar bike you want the CRF450L.
The fuel injection is definitely more jerky compared to a carburetor. But you get use to it after 300-400 miles. I have the Rally and I love it, I’m short too. I’ve never had a TW200 but I still want one just for fun, and so that I have a second bike for someone else to ride when I hit the trails. If I didn’t live so far away I might had bought yours. Hand guards help protect your bike, and you. That was my second mod, the first was the rear rack, a lot like yours. You couldn’t modify the Adventure Spec with a grinder or something and shave a little bit off of the bottom, or the mounting position won’t allow you to do that?
If I remember correctly, I think I have seen people adjust the bend of the bracket to push the fairing out a bit and clear up the visibility on the dash. TW is such a great backup bike to have. Wish I could keep both. It looks like a mini bike now compared to the crf.
I put Motul oil in mine and it rides great. Get it to a few thousand you will see a power shift as it breaks in more. It's pretty powerful once its broken in with racing oil.
On the ABS model I believe you can shut the ABS off on the rear wheel. And it does restart if you stall the bike. So if you're on the trail, drop or stall the bike, have to hold the ABS button again when you restart.
My CRF300L maybe drops an inch when sitting on it. I never felt like the rear shock was weak an anyway and I’m 175lb. Now if your a hearty 225 lb or more I can see it dropping down but at my weight not a problem. With a 30 “ inseam I’m on my toes at a stop. Top heavy??? Not even close to being top heavy like a DRZ400 or a KLK650 try riding one of those and tell me the 300L is top heavy. The tires are not the best but most oe tires are not the best. Enjoy your bike I love mine.
Yeah that’s interesting. I’m 165 but the drop when I get on the bike feels massive. Definitely not as soft while riding as other owners described though. That’s probably due to weight.
I have to disagree with them being similar. The TW is a farm bike with 80’s technology. It’s a tank. This Honda is a modern fuel injected machine. Great bike and I’m considering both, I just think one has to appreciate the tw for what it is, not comparing it to modern bikes. A buyer that wants a tw isn’t buying it for a digital dash and a bunch of electronics, he is buying it because it’s a tank that will last for years with hardly anything to go wrong. Good upload man. I enjoyed listening
Yeah, theres literally nothing similar about them. Dude is goofy. He thinks the 300 is "very top heavy" and a TW is big.🤣
less technology = more reliability.
Great video and great comparison. As someone just getting into bikes and watching every dual sport/adv video I can get my eyes on the tw and crf300 are the two I've settled on.
Hello sir, first oil service is at 600miles. Full oil and filter.
Thanks! Ended up doing it around 450 miles
Great review and comparison. Thanks 😊
Is the handle vibration much less than the tw200?
Several months in... any regrets moving from the TW200 to the CRF300? Considering the same switch. Also considering the XT250 or DRZ400.
I owned 2 TW's and an xt250 in my life and that's it. I now own the 300 and I will tell you no one is going to regret making this jump from either of the latter. The xt was almost a downgrade from the TW in my opinion. Hated the xt. A TW is NOT worth the $5k price tag new, never buy a new TW whatever you do. Both Yamis are too small for a 6' male as well. The DRZ is a terrible choice over the 300, I promise you that. It's yet another 5 speed carbed bike and hasn't been updated in like 20+ years.
Go DRZ if you've got the legs for it
I have an '05 Tdub and it feels like a squat little bike with a low center of gravity, but I like it. In comparison I can see how the 300L would feel a lot more top heavy. When I first saw a 300L in a showroom I had the same reaction, the thing looked huge and intimidating, being used to a Tdub. I also had the same impression of Tdubs before I actually saw one, I expected a mini bike and was shocked to see it was an actual motorcycle. Even Groms are much bigger than I expected. I had a 3.5 HP minibike as a kid so I guess that's my baseline.
I know spending more money on a brand new bike sucks but if i bought that bike i would have a really hard time not doing Ari's big bore kit on it immediately. That said , I really like that Adventure Spec screen , it looks killer.
Cool your close by, I've been on my crf300l at angeles crest and Rowher Flats. Come out to antelope valley there's trails everywhere. I go explore around here angeles crest Sierra pelona, Miller canyon,pilot rock or Cleghorn
Nice! I’ve been to rowher a few times. Not on the CRF yet though. I’ve been dying to cut through Angeles Forest and hit some trails there. Have you ever ridden those trails in Phelan? Seems to be packed with trails.
@@MichaelKarapetian not yet. I did go to Lytle Creek, wasn't good. Too many borders, but further up the road there are some forest Service roads that go forever
@@damacknificent151 I have tried Lytle Creek as well. Was soo rocky haha. Didn't get too far
You thought you would cruise all day at 70mph with a 300cc motor? I would say that's about 10mph optimistic. If you wanna do that on a similar bike you want the CRF450L.
The fuel injection is definitely more jerky compared to a carburetor. But you get use to it after 300-400 miles. I have the Rally and I love it, I’m short too. I’ve never had a TW200 but I still want one just for fun, and so that I have a second bike for someone else to ride when I hit the trails. If I didn’t live so far away I might had bought yours.
Hand guards help protect your bike, and you. That was my second mod, the first was the rear rack, a lot like yours.
You couldn’t modify the Adventure Spec with a grinder or something and shave a little bit off of the bottom, or the mounting position won’t allow you to do that?
If I remember correctly, I think I have seen people adjust the bend of the bracket to push the fairing out a bit and clear up the visibility on the dash.
TW is such a great backup bike to have. Wish I could keep both. It looks like a mini bike now compared to the crf.
I put Motul oil in mine and it rides great. Get it to a few thousand you will see a power shift as it breaks in more. It's pretty powerful once its broken in with racing oil.
Get some Tusk hand guards, Those CRFs don't need much. They look sweet, maybe a skid plate, and you can put a fork in it...
Fun bike. Just need to upgrade to footpegs now; )
can you switch off the abs?
On the ABS model I believe you can shut the ABS off on the rear wheel. And it does restart if you stall the bike. So if you're on the trail, drop or stall the bike, have to hold the ABS button again when you restart.
Two different machines completely.
A comparison is just plain silly, and I don’t know crap but I know that!
Similar being 200-300cc dual sports in the same price ballpark. I'm sure very different though.
My CRF300L maybe drops an inch when sitting on it. I never felt like the rear shock was weak an anyway and I’m 175lb. Now if your a hearty 225 lb or more I can see it dropping down but at my weight not a problem. With a 30 “ inseam I’m on my toes at a stop. Top heavy??? Not even close to being top heavy like a DRZ400 or a KLK650 try riding one of those and tell me the 300L is top heavy. The tires are not the best but most oe tires are not the best. Enjoy your bike I love mine.
Yeah that’s interesting. I’m 165 but the drop when I get on the bike feels massive. Definitely not as soft while riding as other owners described though. That’s probably due to weight.
APPLES TO POTATOES COMPARISON.
Two dual sports in the same size and price ballpark? Comparing the CRF300 to a Harley 883 would be apples to potatoes.