Here is the problem. The DRZ 400 has been around since 2000 and 22 years later we are having a debate about which is better a 2000 DRZ or a 2021 CRF300?!? Come on Japan there should be no debate! We should have bike that beats the DRZ400 in every way in 2021/2022. Geesh.
@@machupikachu1085 not really, these little 250s and 300s are putting a competition for the drz400....secretly we want a drz400 with 6 spd, EFI, and smoothness of a modern bike. I agree with the video that the cr300l just feels better than the drz400. Is it as powerful...of course not, but it definitely feels better on techy trails
@@dirtrider0656 I see what you are getting at, but they are still lousy on the street and freeways. 1/3 more torque and hp for 10lb or so weight penalty and you have a machine that is better at both.
I’ve just bought the Crf 300 l primarily because I just want a bike that just gets on with the job fuss free,also the roads here in Wales GB are riddled with pot holes which were really upsetting my SV 650,it’s perfect for the back roads but also 6th is great on motorway just don’t expect it tondo everything as it’s only a 5.5k £ bike 😊
Hi. Will from Australia here. Loved the video. DRZ 400E gearing comes standard as 14/47, which works well down to single trail, and gives 145kmh easily out of the box. 15/38 totally kills these bikes. Our best ratios for big enduro trips was around 15/44. Likely to find top ends well over 150 kmh. I now own a HQV701, (173kmh)….rode last weekend with a herd of blokes with different bikes, the CRF300 and 450 included. I rode the 300, bit heavy and lacking in power and suspension, the guy on the 450 loved his machine over his previously owned DRZ. I still love the DRZ for reliability and great all round performance.
After finally riding the 300L you are 100% correct. I never understood why people would go with a new 300 crf or klx 300 while you can get a drz400 for about half the price with double power. I much preferred the crf300. its just much more smoother, actually felt lighter on the trails, but like you said....this guy had the crf300 geared lower and my drz400 was geared higher to do highways smoother. the 300l was smoother on the road and I was able to have more low end with less clutch control vs my drz400 geared high. I am now selling my drz400 for a crf300. finally riding one convinced me! Great video, Will!
the drz400 for sure is awesome! its very hard to compete with one another. Its more of old school vs new school in a sense. but for me and riding single track, the crf300L felt better and lighter even though the drz400 is lighter on paper. just modern technology. but still a reason I own the drz400 lol
The PTW ratio of the DRZ smokes the CRF. On flat lands I'm sure the 300 could make a person happy, but steep hills are something else all together. especially when you weigh up past the 220 mark. If you're buying to ride on the street, why are you buying either? For dirt the 300 is only 8 lbs lighter. Once again your weight would make a huge difference on these machines.
i have a 2020 drz400e with 15/44 gearing i've ridden it halfway around australia at 70mph with a 100mph top speed. and still do single track, dunes, hillclimbs and there's not a chance i would downgrade to a crf300l that has poor quality components and pogo stick suspension. the crf300l is still revving as hard as a 400 with 15/44 on the highway and doesn't have any power left as soon as you load it it up or hit a headwind.
@@dillonparish8224 i know that but even the 400s absolutely shits all over the crf300l. as far as our E models go they have more power than the crf450rl.
RWW, good video based on real world testing. I sold a 6 speed DR350 because it didn't have enough power for a 200+lb rider for highway use in mountainous terrain, ability to safely pass etc. After that bike I always set the bar at a minimum of 400cc for dual sport street use. This is one area I just can't see a 300cc bike being acceptable and why I suspect a lot of owners will be selling them after a short while looking for another 100cc of displacement.
@@jakeviolet2195 Yes we Dual sporters are a neglected bunch. All we asked for was a modern low maintenance 350-450 reasonably light new dual sport. We got the 300’s. Better than a 250 and at nearly 72 I hate waiting so I am gonna pull the trigger on a CRF 300 or KLX
@@josephsaia5527 I waited for years too and finally gave up. When Honda made the CRF450L I jumped in. Best dual sport I've owned. Yes you change the oil every 1000kms, Yes it needs money thrown at it to make it good. Yes you'll likely need to set the valves once but it sounds like they don't move if you keep you air filter clean. Decent on the street, decent on the trail. Shame it didn't come with a Fisher seat and a Nomad tank.
Try going up a slight incline on the freeway with a CRF300L and you'll quickly find out how weak the engine is. And try riding it hard in the dirt and you'll quickly find out its other major flaw. The DRZ is vastly superior in power and suspension so I dont know why we are even having this debate.
This was a more emphasis on tighter/technical single track. Wide open roads, yes the drz400. Ive ridden the crf300 uphill and being in Colorado the crf300 does not have enough power. If I had to mostly be on street and just ride county roads drz400, but when it comes to slower moving technical single track the crf300 felt way better for me. it felt more lighter since the drz400 is just top heavy due to its old engineering, and the crf300 felt way smoother and easier to control. One thing I have not done though is revalve and forks/springs on the drz400 so I do plan on doing that sometime and seeing how much of a difference it makes on the rocks
no point.. DRZ does not fit your needs let me elaborate... you need its weight with 6th gear to go faster on the street for stability. you won't ever need to go beyond 4th gear on trails so at that point you need less weight. in short, it's a DUAL SPORT
Great video, Will! I also finally got to ride the crf300 in my country and it is much better feeling than the drz. I love the crf300!! I am saving money to buy one!
For me the drz is better, the crf has better gearing and how I got over that is I take my highway gearing out to the dirt roads and I swap out the front sprocket with a much smaller one for the dirt.
Cool you have lots of bikes. I want to get a CRF250f for my first bike will that be ok for me. I don't need it to be fast or jump I just want to explore and ride on trails. 🙂
I own a DRZ400E for years I’d definitely say everything you talked about in this video seam to be spot on even tho iv never ridden a Honda CRF 300 L BUT after watching what the CRF 300 L could do on the hi-way with 6 gears and that softer suspension I’d even would really like a Honda 300 L BUT I STILL LIKE HOW THE DRZ JUST KEEPS ON GOING AND GOING it is a little bit to heavy tho and ya do need a 6th gear for hi-way
yep 100% im pretty perplexed why they keep making 250s and 300s. My friend who works in the planning and manufacturing dept said its because its an "era" of new riders coming into the motorcycle/offroad world .. which does make sense. I never seen so many offroaders in Colorado before vs years ago. .... and in a few years the manufactures will try to tie them back in with bigger bore dualsports...just hope he is right ha ha.
@@RWWRENTAL they can even keep it an unassuming “cc” size as not to scare away people. If they can get these bikes the suspension they deserve and a little more HP I don’t know why they couldn’t be the do it all bike beyond dirt bike stuff. I have a KLR and I believe Kawasaki didn’t follow through or meet the hype. They truly produced the same bike with minor updates. They are still 20 years behind the competition the T7 is proven and is the best (Updated KLR) to date. However, I think the ultimate is a CRF450L Rally with a CRF300L style engine not the current 450L platform. If you can get about 40HP,Good Suspension,and Loose a little weight, you would have a do it all bike for the masses.
I have been riding on the street, and track for 30 years. I am very experienced riding track sport bikes and touring, but new to off road. I am torn between a Honda CRF300L - with added YSS Suspension upgrade + Pirelli MT21 + Renthal Handlebars vs. buying a CRF300 Rally or KX450. I don't plan to do much pavement riding, and like single track, but not a huge amount of rocks etc. Thoughts?
so you dont want a KX450 on tight single track. thats an MX bike unless you are getting the "X" model. thats the cross country one which is proper woods bike. the power deliver will be different. not to mention ton more maintenance vs the crf's. The KX250X will be way more powerful than the CRF300L so dont let that deter you. however, if the single track is fast flowy and whooped out, kx450 would be a ton of fun! but if you are looking for basic single track and barely any pavement, for sure the crf300L. fairings are a bit expensive on the rally if you were to drop them. i found the crf300L a bit more narrow than the rally, possibly because of the fairing kit ha ha.
I think it depends on what you're doing with it. And your size and weight. I think I'd really need to test ride the both to be totally honest but I'm planning so far to get the drz400 because I don't want to wait 6 months to get the bike!
It sure is, but I am getting some film ready and will be riding them both on single track to compare real examples along with some drone footage of both of them
This year I bought DRZ400S, my first dual-sport bike. And I am far from stating it is the best by any category. 5 speed, carb and some other minor cons we take coz it is 20YO design and I am sure 300L is much better in many ways. The real problem there is no other dual-sport bike on the market in 400-500 cc category with reasonable maintenance periods. I live in the EU, where is worse, cos DRZ400 was available till 2008 only. 300L is the closest you can get brand new.
If you are over 6’0 like I am, the 300l just doesn’t do it. I feel like an ape on the 300l. Not enough power and garbage suspension. They need to make a 350-400 cc CRF to split the difference between the anemic, soft 300l and the flameout king, the 450….
I would have kept my DRZ forever if it wasn't stolen. That being said, I found myself looking for a 6th gear that it didn't have. If Suzuki made a new one with a little more power, less weight, EFI, and a 6 speed with the same reliability, i would buy one. So would a couple hundred thousand other people, because they could sell it for another 20 years.
I live in alabama where we have a lot of hills and valleys on our roads and highways and I had a klx 250 its true the 6th gear is nice but on the road soon as you hit a hill or headwind it looses all its speed and down shifting doesn't help much. On my klx it was rejet and had a aftermarket pipe and air filter.pokeing around in the trails was fun but not great still I wanted more torque. I've had a lot of bikes and scooting on the road I liked the power on my 84 xr 500, 96 xr 600 and my 86 tt 350 .of the 3 the tt was the only 6 speed but honestly they all ran about the same ram wise on the highway, just the 500/ 600 had plenty of reserve power.i am waiting on my dealer ship to get my new drz 400 yellow in I can't wait. Hope this helps someone.
Crf450L with an aftermakert tank, oil cooler for 2000mi oil changes and vortex ecu, worth the extra coin, flogs both bikes but so it should for the price difference
Looking at a new version of each bike, the 1,600 premium on the DRZ400 ($7,000) vs the CRF300L ($5,400) seems like Suzuki is still charging new bike R&D on an old bike, but is that what is going on? The new Honda is made in Thailand, while the Suzuki is still put together in Japan. Is there equal quality and control? Will a CRF300L last 50k miles? Does it matter to you? Maybe 10-20k miles with a modern display for $5.4k has more value to you than 50k miles with a simple speedo that has been 10% off on accuracy for 24 years. If your looking for budget but want a more reliable fuel delivery system, especially if you climb every mile high mountain, maybe throwing a Lectron carb onto a used DRZ400 fits the bill. I think the most vlogger talk of gearing doesn't cut low or simple enough. There are so many variables like max rpm, max hp rpm, max torque, and the actual range between the lowest gear and the highest. We used to have 3 speed cars that could go fast. More gears isn't always faster, just less difference between gears. I would love dual sports to be geared L-1-2-3-4(-5) where 4 or 5 are overdrive, just like it is on the DRZ and the CRF. I'd like 1st (above neurtal) low enough to start from a light without excessive riding the clutch or stalling. 1st on the CRF is pretty low and 6th isn't higher than the DRZ 5th so is the issue partially that the 300 sounds OK at higher RPMs than the 400?
If only Suzuki could figure out a way to get their 1991 TS200 dual sport bike passing emmissions testing as that bike was truly the funnest buke i ever owned. 255lbs and could go anywhere a KDX 200 could go yet it probably cornered better as is felt like a heavy RM125! also had a reasonable seat height. This is a real plus for shorter riders when riding off road and is probably the main reason the little crf feels better off road. I question why there are no 500cc dual sports with lower seat height like the old XL500? As i age i want something to wheelie at will until my time is up
ill def sell my crf300L for that in a heart beat! as to why suzuki does not have anything planned....no idea. their drz400 dont even sell as much anymore since most people just buy them used. I get they are grandfathered in with their emission stuff, so the only thing they can change is the plastics lol. the closest thing that came out was the crf450RL, but a hefty price tag and maintenance. I would pay 7k 8k OTD though for a 6 spd EFI modern drz400
Never gonna happen. Suzuki is getting ready for new ownership. Consolidating, pulling out of MotoGP, huge fucking diesel lawsuit heading their way. They're trimming the fat and trying to appease to a big euro conglomerate like VAG to buy them.
Can you recommend between the Honda 300L 450L and the KTM 450 or 350. I heard you said the 450l has a higher maintenance interval was that the main reason you didn't choose it.?
the 300L is great for basic dual sporting and a bit longer city commuting and a bit longer stretch of highway, and of course best on your wallet. 300L is most comfortable on the road than all of those. highest maintenance and will most likely give you no reliability issues long term. they are built to last like the drz400 or KLX250/300 and will be the most comfortable if you sit a lot and chill and explore CRF450RL or L is suited for more aggressive rider but still wants good amount of comfort on the highway and road. much better suspensions and power vs the 300L. its definitely a premium bike but with road comfort in mind and still suitable for hard enduro and single track I would get the KTM350 or 450 EXCF if you are strictly looking for harder type enduro trails with very minimum highway use. I would say a 350 or 450 EXCF is perfect for most riders in Colorado who like the harder enduro since we have to do a lot of trail hoping to get back to the trucks. the 350 and 450 is way more comfortable on the road vs a 2 stroke, but the 450 L or RL will be much better on the road. 350 450 KTM excf is perfect when you just want to reserve that highway run back to get back to your truck or say you live like 10 mins away from trails. 2 stroke KTMs and Huskys are more suited for 100% hard enduro single track hound type of guys. but as I say, always good to own 2 types of bikes!
Carb don't bother me and 5 speed don't either. I really never need to do 70 on my DRZ. It's a dual sport, not an adventure bike. I never had to touch the carb either...set it and forget it.
The fact that the single biggest issue with the CRF300L vs the DRZ400 was never brought up is extremely disappointing. How do you talk about both and not mention the atrocious suspension on the 300L. You need to drop some serious money to get it anywhere near the DRZ stock suspension even. After riding both I couldn't understand why somebody would choose the 300L over the DRZ personally. Immediately jumped on the 300L and it felt like it was struggling to move my fat ass. It's really unfortunate that the power numbers are so low and it came in at essentially the same weight as a DRZ. If you're a newer rider and scared of Carbs, then sure get the 300L. But I think for a more experienced rider, the power and suspension is hard to overlook.
you are 100% correct on the suspension part. I took the drz400e on some hard enduro stuff and the suspensions were amazing, yet still plush. once I receive my crf300L, I will add some major suspension upgrades and see how that compares then. and im also a big guy myself over 230 lbs. I am "somewhat" of a new rider, im actually a low B rider in RMEC racing but I ride with really good riders who only do hard enduro, so was never introduced to carbs other than quads....but they are quads. not as critical. Feeling wise, the crf300L hands down if you can set aside the suspensions. just the whole ergonomics, power deliver, comfort, and even weight distribution felt way better than the drz400. Man if you can put the drz400E forks and power on that crf300L....unicorn bike. maybe one day but its a tough comparison. drz400 is still a top bike for what it is till this day. why I still own it and rent it in my company
So less power, same weight and you need to spend about 1,000$ on suspension, but is better than the DRZ. 👍🏼. Sounds like you know what you’re talking about.
The crf300 I would say felt better offroad if you're looking into more true trails narrow rocks etc. Drz400 is a great bike too. Definitely a tough choice but SM drz400 is you are doing flat roads with more pavement for sure. The crf300 just felt way more modern felt lighter too on the true offroad trails. Weight is a good thing if mostly road or forest service roads.
depends on the gearing, but because honda is 6 spd and drz400 is a 5 speed. with 15 38 gearing, it cruises at 80 and top is like 100. I dont take it any faster... it gets pretty scary with a dirtbike that speed lol
Har har. You say that while hanging on to your DRZ! The 300's are a little underpowered. Especially in 6th gear. Strange no 400/450 street legal 'new' dual sports. Probably coming. What will Yamaha replace their WR250 with?
I’ve ridden both bikes. The CRF300L is a much easier to ride. It’s softer and feels more like a moped. The DRZ400/DRZ400E is a old school dirt bike. It feels like a real off-road machine compared to the 300L because it is. The 300L is a soft abd easy dual sport. The DRZ400 is a big stiff dirt bike with bigger tires, suspension ect. I actually liked my XR250 more turn the cfr300. We all get bored with our bikes our bikes and try to justify buying new ones. The carb vs EFI thing…..there is no performance difference and it takes 15 minutes to change the Jets. Most people are going to enjoy a softer, less powerful, less aggressive bike then a DRZ400. They don’t have the discipline to change oil. Let alone jetting. You don’t see many bikes above 300cc on the trails in Michigan. The DRZ400 (not the DRZ400S or SM) was actually successfully raced by Suzuki. The CRF300L…….so your kind of deciding what type of rider you are between these bikes.
Stock DRZ400S gearing works great at freeway speeds, no problems cruising at 85+ mph. Don't make it sound like the gearing is wrong, you need the rpms up to stay moving with traffic.
There is no way stock gearing cruises at 85mph. Its screaming at that speed. Mine screamed at 75 mph. Granted I have the 701 enduro now and even then revs a bit high at 85mph unless yours somehow came with ACT gearing without you knowing. But even stock gearing is a problem in slow moving trails with the drz400. I just hope one day they make a 6spd drz400. suzuki knows what we all want, but prob wont ever change due to them being grandfathered in.
@@701explorer3 I'd rather be at a proper rpm than lugging it down the freeway. The 400 doesnt have the power for taller gears and cannot hit the rev limiter in 5th with stock gearing. Also, how do you ride if you limit yourself to 75? I'd get ran over and killed quickly at that speed. At least the 400 has a wider ratio transmission than the awful dr650. Do the math including rpm limit and you'll confirm.
@@Dirty24O You just completely negated what you previously said....lol. Like I said, I used to own the drz400 and it would scream high in the revs at 75 mph, so I have no idea how yours is reaching 85mph with stock gearing. Yours must had ACT gearing which should allow you to cruise at 85 mph, if you know what ACT gearing is. But I had no choice with my DRZ400 screaming at 75mph its just how the gearing was straight from the dealer. I could higher the gearing, but I needed the low end for single track.
not sure how it is over there but in my country we have a different drz model but I think it is identical with gearing. but the rpm is very high with the drz when on highway going 120kmph. the crf300 cruised better at 120kmph
None of my statements have changed or varied, I'm not sure why you claimed I negated anything. I'm not sure what your fascination with rpm is, piston speed is far more critical. The DRZ would bog and be unsafe with taller than stock gears, why would you want/need a taller 5th when you can't top it out stock? 🤔 My 2018 was all stock. No issues at all with the rpm it ran at down the highway; it didn't have the power to go faster anyways, no need to make it lug and hammer the bearings at the same speed...
Sounds like you just prefer lighter newer bikes from other brands. The two bikes you compare arnt competing though the 300s are competing with the 250s but cost more or the same as the drz. If your tall strong and skilled and can only have one bike the drz is the choice you can even sumo it with ease. I see where your coming from but disagree respectfully
went to the dealership and still no update unfortunately. I really hope soon! my friend has a KLX300 and we want to go out on the trails to compare them head to head on a few trails and not some test track
@@RWWRENTAL I'm looking forward to your comparison! Have you ever ridden the Yamaha wr250r? If you have I'd be curious to hear how they compare as well since I currently have one. Thanks!
@@JohnnyBoy919 I sure have but not on trails, thats why I havent talked about it much. the wr250r had better suspensions vs the klx and crf. definitely more firm. weight wise, to me it felt the same but keep in mind im a pretty big guy at 220 - 30 lbs I think the wr250r had about the same kick as the 300s but its true power can be tested up in high elevation in the rocky trails. but I am hoping to do that some day for sure. but rumors are going around that a wr300r is coming out and I will be guessing that it will be more powerful than these 2
@@RWWRENTAL did you ever find one? my local dealer told me back in November that they would be taking deposits for the L and Rally and that they would arrive in March. I went back the week after Christmas to put a deposit down, and they said, sorry, but we don’t know when we will be getting anymore. I found a dealership a couple hours away and they had all four bikes, abs and non abs, so I made my pick and just bought a Rally. Luvin it
Why would you want to do 80+mph on a duel sport 😂😂😂 . Ok, Im well was 315 now 260 pds and still too heavy for the CRF 300L . The DRZ suspension is much cheaper to dail the suspension .
you clearly skipped around and probably watched 2% of the video....imo the CRF300L felt better to me on tighter single track vs the DRZ400...my emphasis is more single track trail riding..which is mentioned in the video.
I disagree, for 1 reason, the 300 engine is too small. The CRF is a wannabe 400, and for the life of me I do not understand why they made it a 300, if it was a 400, I would agree with you that it is better than the drz400. I must also admit I do not like anything under a 400, and I wish they were both 500's. I see the CRF300 as a hopped up 250, and because of that, I would never buy one.
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Here is the problem. The DRZ 400 has been around since 2000 and 22 years later we are having a debate about which is better a 2000 DRZ or a 2021 CRF300?!? Come on Japan there should be no debate! We should have bike that beats the DRZ400 in every way in 2021/2022. Geesh.
This. The fact the Dr.Z is still the reigning champion say it all about this legend.
@@machupikachu1085 not really, these little 250s and 300s are putting a competition for the drz400....secretly we want a drz400 with 6 spd, EFI, and smoothness of a modern bike. I agree with the video that the cr300l just feels better than the drz400. Is it as powerful...of course not, but it definitely feels better on techy trails
@@dirtrider0656 I see what you are getting at, but they are still lousy on the street and freeways. 1/3 more torque and hp for 10lb or so weight penalty and you have a machine that is better at both.
Oh yea I want something that is at least as expensive as a KTM. It's price point perfect its a trail bike. Buy the crf450
I’ve just bought the Crf 300 l primarily because I just want a bike that just gets on with the job fuss free,also the roads here in Wales GB are riddled with pot holes which were really upsetting my SV 650,it’s perfect for the back roads but also 6th is great on motorway just don’t expect it tondo everything as it’s only a 5.5k £ bike 😊
Hi. Will from Australia here. Loved the video. DRZ 400E gearing comes standard as 14/47, which works well down to single trail, and gives 145kmh easily out of the box. 15/38 totally kills these bikes. Our best ratios for big enduro trips was around 15/44. Likely to find top ends well over 150 kmh. I now own a HQV701, (173kmh)….rode last weekend with a herd of blokes with different bikes, the CRF300 and 450 included. I rode the 300, bit heavy and lacking in power and suspension, the guy on the 450 loved his machine over his previously owned DRZ. I still love the DRZ for reliability and great all round performance.
After finally riding the 300L you are 100% correct. I never understood why people would go with a new 300 crf or klx 300 while you can get a drz400 for about half the price with double power. I much preferred the crf300. its just much more smoother, actually felt lighter on the trails, but like you said....this guy had the crf300 geared lower and my drz400 was geared higher to do highways smoother. the 300l was smoother on the road and I was able to have more low end with less clutch control vs my drz400 geared high. I am now selling my drz400 for a crf300. finally riding one convinced me! Great video, Will!
the drz400 for sure is awesome! its very hard to compete with one another. Its more of old school vs new school in a sense. but for me and riding single track, the crf300L felt better and lighter even though the drz400 is lighter on paper. just modern technology. but still a reason I own the drz400 lol
The PTW ratio of the DRZ smokes the CRF. On flat lands I'm sure the 300 could make a person happy, but steep hills are something else all together. especially when you weigh up past the 220 mark. If you're buying to ride on the street, why are you buying either? For dirt the 300 is only 8 lbs lighter. Once again your weight would make a huge difference on these machines.
You find a DRZ in the south that’s half the price of a new 300 unless it’s been rode hard and put up wet.
@@AKAOmnivore This dude is asking why someone would buy a dual sport when they want to ride offroad and on the road 🤣
Save some $$$ for those Honda suspension upgrades...
If they made the crf300L with the drz400 power specs, that would be what we are looking for. But yep I prefer the 300L than the drz400.
i have a 2020 drz400e with 15/44 gearing i've ridden it halfway around australia at 70mph with a 100mph top speed. and still do single track, dunes, hillclimbs and there's not a chance i would downgrade to a crf300l that has poor quality components and pogo stick suspension.
the crf300l is still revving as hard as a 400 with 15/44 on the highway and doesn't have any power left as soon as you load it it up or hit a headwind.
These guys don't get the 400e
@@dillonparish8224 i know that but even the 400s absolutely shits all over the crf300l.
as far as our E models go they have more power than the crf450rl.
I run 15×41T recently, love it . Nice long 1,2 gear .5 is good for road . Noticed around 100km/h, almost no vibration from motor.
RWW, good video based on real world testing. I sold a 6 speed DR350 because it didn't have enough power for a 200+lb rider for highway use in mountainous terrain, ability to safely pass etc. After that bike I always set the bar at a minimum of 400cc for dual sport street use. This is one area I just can't see a 300cc bike being acceptable and why I suspect a lot of owners will be selling them after a short while looking for another 100cc of displacement.
@@jakeviolet2195 Yes we Dual sporters are a neglected bunch. All we asked for was a modern low maintenance 350-450 reasonably light new dual sport. We got the 300’s. Better than a 250 and at nearly 72 I hate waiting so I am gonna pull the trigger on a CRF 300 or KLX
The Kawi KLR650 is now FI, but its a fat pig :-D
@@AKAOmnivore I've owned a KLR650, it always was a pig. A lovable, capable pig. I also owned a DR650 and a XR650L. All great in their own ways.
@@josephsaia5527 I waited for years too and finally gave up. When Honda made the CRF450L I jumped in. Best dual sport I've owned. Yes you change the oil every 1000kms, Yes it needs money thrown at it to make it good. Yes you'll likely need to set the valves once but it sounds like they don't move if you keep you air filter clean. Decent on the street, decent on the trail. Shame it didn't come with a Fisher seat and a Nomad tank.
@@mikeisland7382 I couldn't agree more
Also have a DRZ400E and the CRF300L Rally. The CRF is the one racking up miles.
Try going up a slight incline on the freeway with a CRF300L and you'll quickly find out how weak the engine is. And try riding it hard in the dirt and you'll quickly find out its other major flaw. The DRZ is vastly superior in power and suspension so I dont know why we are even having this debate.
This was a more emphasis on tighter/technical single track. Wide open roads, yes the drz400. Ive ridden the crf300 uphill and being in Colorado the crf300 does not have enough power. If I had to mostly be on street and just ride county roads drz400, but when it comes to slower moving technical single track the crf300 felt way better for me. it felt more lighter since the drz400 is just top heavy due to its old engineering, and the crf300 felt way smoother and easier to control. One thing I have not done though is revalve and forks/springs on the drz400 so I do plan on doing that sometime and seeing how much of a difference it makes on the rocks
@@RWWRENTALDrz400s is a much better machine, don't matter how old it is. Twist the throttle and go, no delay EFI.
Actually, I secretly want a DRZ400 with a 6th gear and less weight.
Yea sixth gear is a reality game changer for sure😅
no point.. DRZ does not fit your needs
let me elaborate... you need its weight with 6th gear to go faster on the street for stability. you won't ever need to go beyond 4th gear on trails so at that point you need less weight.
in short, it's a DUAL SPORT
Great video, Will! I also finally got to ride the crf300 in my country and it is much better feeling than the drz. I love the crf300!! I am saving money to buy one!
Honda sells a ton of these. Yamaha, where is the WR350R and Rally???
For me the drz is better, the crf has better gearing and how I got over that is I take my highway gearing out to the dirt roads and I swap out the front sprocket with a much smaller one for the dirt.
I have a CRF250L Rally & CRF450RL. I am going to checkout a CRF300L today. I hope it bridges the gap between the 2.
Cool you have lots of bikes. I want to get a CRF250f for my first bike will that be ok for me. I don't need it to be fast or jump I just want to explore and ride on trails. 🙂
I own a DRZ400E for years I’d definitely say everything you talked about in this video seam to be spot on even tho iv never ridden a Honda CRF 300 L BUT after watching what the CRF 300 L could do on the hi-way with 6 gears and that softer suspension I’d even would really like a Honda 300 L BUT I STILL LIKE HOW THE DRZ JUST KEEPS ON GOING AND GOING it is a little bit to heavy tho and ya do need a 6th gear for hi-way
Let’s be honest the CRF needs to be a 450-500 with good suspension and we would all be right where we need to be.
yep 100% im pretty perplexed why they keep making 250s and 300s. My friend who works in the planning and manufacturing dept said its because its an "era" of new riders coming into the motorcycle/offroad world .. which does make sense. I never seen so many offroaders in Colorado before vs years ago. .... and in a few years the manufactures will try to tie them back in with bigger bore dualsports...just hope he is right ha ha.
@@RWWRENTAL they can even keep it an unassuming “cc” size as not to scare away people. If they can get these bikes the suspension they deserve and a little more HP I don’t know why they couldn’t be the do it all bike beyond dirt bike stuff. I have a KLR and I believe Kawasaki didn’t follow through or meet the hype. They truly produced the same bike with minor updates. They are still 20 years behind the competition the T7 is proven and is the best (Updated KLR) to date. However, I think the ultimate is a CRF450L Rally with a CRF300L style engine not the current 450L platform. If you can get about 40HP,Good Suspension,and Loose a little weight, you would have a do it all bike for the masses.
@@jakeviolet2195 being a 200lb plus rider this is what’s turns me off the crf300l. Drz44 seemed to fit my frame better.
Has anybody compared the CRF450L and the DRZ400?
Great job with the editing of this video, it was very professional and I enjoyed watching the whole thing down to the last second!
I have been riding on the street, and track for 30 years. I am very experienced riding track sport bikes and touring, but new to off road. I am torn between a Honda CRF300L - with added YSS Suspension upgrade + Pirelli MT21 + Renthal Handlebars vs. buying a CRF300 Rally or KX450. I don't plan to do much pavement riding, and like single track, but not a huge amount of rocks etc. Thoughts?
so you dont want a KX450 on tight single track. thats an MX bike unless you are getting the "X" model. thats the cross country one which is proper woods bike. the power deliver will be different. not to mention ton more maintenance vs the crf's. The KX250X will be way more powerful than the CRF300L so dont let that deter you.
however, if the single track is fast flowy and whooped out, kx450 would be a ton of fun! but if you are looking for basic single track and barely any pavement, for sure the crf300L. fairings are a bit expensive on the rally if you were to drop them. i found the crf300L a bit more narrow than the rally, possibly because of the fairing kit ha ha.
@@RWWRENTAL thx you so much! i just found one new. Getting it shipping from CA to my home here in WA State!
I think it depends on what you're doing with it. And your size and weight. I think I'd really need to test ride the both to be totally honest but I'm planning so far to get the drz400 because I don't want to wait 6 months to get the bike!
Get the Dr.Z. Out of the 3, it will be the bike you end up keeping.
Cheers!
Ok it is better. But is it stronger and faster?
Is a KLX300 vs CRF300L video coming now that you’ve ridden both?
It sure is, but I am getting some film ready and will be riding them both on single track to compare real examples along with some drone footage of both of them
@@RWWRENTAL cool.
@@RWWRENTAL Look forward to it, Will!
How long before big bore kits will be available for those 300s? It sounds like a bored out 300 could be your unicorn bike
They already have 351 big bores.
This year I bought DRZ400S, my first dual-sport bike. And I am far from stating it is the best by any category. 5 speed, carb and some other minor cons we take coz it is 20YO design and I am sure 300L is much better in many ways. The real problem there is no other dual-sport bike on the market in 400-500 cc category with reasonable maintenance periods. I live in the EU, where is worse, cos DRZ400 was available till 2008 only. 300L is the closest you can get brand new.
Exactly this!! And 100% agree with you!
What’s wrong with a carb? And you won’t get much better than 3500 mike oil changes.
Great explanation of the different bikes . Great editing ! Subbed in .✔️
Had the DRZ and swapped it for the 300 Rally, it is a better, easier ride. I get your thoughts, nice review.
If you are over 6’0 like I am, the 300l just doesn’t do it. I feel like an ape on the 300l. Not enough power and garbage suspension. They need to make a 350-400 cc CRF to split the difference between the anemic, soft 300l and the flameout king, the 450….
Lol flameout King
I would have kept my DRZ forever if it wasn't stolen. That being said, I found myself looking for a 6th gear that it didn't have.
If Suzuki made a new one with a little more power, less weight, EFI, and a 6 speed with the same reliability, i would buy one. So would a couple hundred thousand other people, because they could sell it for another 20 years.
I live in alabama where we have a lot of hills and valleys on our roads and highways and I had a klx 250 its true the 6th gear is nice but on the road soon as you hit a hill or headwind it looses all its speed and down shifting doesn't help much. On my klx it was rejet and had a aftermarket pipe and air filter.pokeing around in the trails was fun but not great still I wanted more torque. I've had a lot of bikes and scooting on the road I liked the power on my 84 xr 500, 96 xr 600 and my 86 tt 350 .of the 3 the tt was the only 6 speed but honestly they all ran about the same ram wise on the highway, just the 500/ 600 had plenty of reserve power.i am waiting on my dealer ship to get my new drz 400 yellow in I can't wait. Hope this helps someone.
that was one of the best comparisons
Crf450L with an aftermakert tank, oil cooler for 2000mi oil changes and vortex ecu, worth the extra coin, flogs both bikes but so it should for the price difference
Looking at a new version of each bike, the 1,600 premium on the DRZ400 ($7,000) vs the CRF300L ($5,400) seems like Suzuki is still charging new bike R&D on an old bike, but is that what is going on? The new Honda is made in Thailand, while the Suzuki is still put together in Japan. Is there equal quality and control? Will a CRF300L last 50k miles? Does it matter to you? Maybe 10-20k miles with a modern display for $5.4k has more value to you than 50k miles with a simple speedo that has been 10% off on accuracy for 24 years.
If your looking for budget but want a more reliable fuel delivery system, especially if you climb every mile high mountain, maybe throwing a Lectron carb onto a used DRZ400 fits the bill.
I think the most vlogger talk of gearing doesn't cut low or simple enough. There are so many variables like max rpm, max hp rpm, max torque, and the actual range between the lowest gear and the highest. We used to have 3 speed cars that could go fast. More gears isn't always faster, just less difference between gears. I would love dual sports to be geared L-1-2-3-4(-5) where 4 or 5 are overdrive, just like it is on the DRZ and the CRF. I'd like 1st (above neurtal) low enough to start from a light without excessive riding the clutch or stalling. 1st on the CRF is pretty low and 6th isn't higher than the DRZ 5th so is the issue partially that the 300 sounds OK at higher RPMs than the 400?
If only Suzuki could figure out a way to get their 1991 TS200 dual sport bike passing emmissions testing as that bike was truly the funnest buke i ever owned. 255lbs and could go anywhere a KDX 200 could go yet it probably cornered better as is felt like a heavy RM125! also had a reasonable seat height. This is a real plus for shorter riders when riding off road and is probably the main reason the little crf feels better off road. I question why there are no 500cc dual sports with lower seat height like the old XL500? As i age i want something to wheelie at will until my time is up
Wait until Suzuki updates the DRZ with EFI and a 6th gear. All y'all will be trading your CRFs right back in. LOL
Too bad Suzuki isn’t doing shit. The worst of the big 4 tbh
ill def sell my crf300L for that in a heart beat! as to why suzuki does not have anything planned....no idea. their drz400 dont even sell as much anymore since most people just buy them used. I get they are grandfathered in with their emission stuff, so the only thing they can change is the plastics lol. the closest thing that came out was the crf450RL, but a hefty price tag and maintenance. I would pay 7k 8k OTD though for a 6 spd EFI modern drz400
You mean wait 20 years? No thanks I want to ride now.
Never gonna happen. Suzuki is getting ready for new ownership. Consolidating, pulling out of MotoGP, huge fucking diesel lawsuit heading their way. They're trimming the fat and trying to appease to a big euro conglomerate like VAG to buy them.
My choice is either a drz400e or a wr250f...anybody else?
Honda has a unicorn staring them in the face.... build a CRF 450 Rally.... Build it and they will come!
Great video! Thanks for sharing! 👍🏻🍻
My stop Drizzy 2008 does 100mph. I weight 180ibs.
It probably doesn't. The Speedos are always off by like 5mph too high.
Cheers!
Can you recommend between the Honda 300L 450L and the KTM 450 or 350. I heard you said the 450l has a higher maintenance interval was that the main reason you didn't choose it.?
the 300L is great for basic dual sporting and a bit longer city commuting and a bit longer stretch of highway, and of course best on your wallet. 300L is most comfortable on the road than all of those. highest maintenance and will most likely give you no reliability issues long term. they are built to last like the drz400 or KLX250/300 and will be the most comfortable if you sit a lot and chill and explore
CRF450RL or L is suited for more aggressive rider but still wants good amount of comfort on the highway and road. much better suspensions and power vs the 300L. its definitely a premium bike but with road comfort in mind and still suitable for hard enduro and single track
I would get the KTM350 or 450 EXCF if you are strictly looking for harder type enduro trails with very minimum highway use. I would say a 350 or 450 EXCF is perfect for most riders in Colorado who like the harder enduro since we have to do a lot of trail hoping to get back to the trucks. the 350 and 450 is way more comfortable on the road vs a 2 stroke, but the 450 L or RL will be much better on the road. 350 450 KTM excf is perfect when you just want to reserve that highway run back to get back to your truck or say you live like 10 mins away from trails.
2 stroke KTMs and Huskys are more suited for 100% hard enduro single track hound type of guys. but as I say, always good to own 2 types of bikes!
What is a TPI adjustment on the carb you reference at 8 minutes into the video?
Carb don't bother me and 5 speed don't either. I really never need to do 70 on my DRZ. It's a dual sport, not an adventure bike. I never had to touch the carb either...set it and forget it.
drz400e forever
The fact that the single biggest issue with the CRF300L vs the DRZ400 was never brought up is extremely disappointing.
How do you talk about both and not mention the atrocious suspension on the 300L. You need to drop some serious money to get it anywhere near the DRZ stock suspension even.
After riding both I couldn't understand why somebody would choose the 300L over the DRZ personally. Immediately jumped on the 300L and it felt like it was struggling to move my fat ass.
It's really unfortunate that the power numbers are so low and it came in at essentially the same weight as a DRZ.
If you're a newer rider and scared of Carbs, then sure get the 300L. But I think for a more experienced rider, the power and suspension is hard to overlook.
you are 100% correct on the suspension part. I took the drz400e on some hard enduro stuff and the suspensions were amazing, yet still plush. once I receive my crf300L, I will add some major suspension upgrades and see how that compares then. and im also a big guy myself over 230 lbs.
I am "somewhat" of a new rider, im actually a low B rider in RMEC racing but I ride with really good riders who only do hard enduro, so was never introduced to carbs other than quads....but they are quads. not as critical.
Feeling wise, the crf300L hands down if you can set aside the suspensions. just the whole ergonomics, power deliver, comfort, and even weight distribution felt way better than the drz400. Man if you can put the drz400E forks and power on that crf300L....unicorn bike. maybe one day but its a tough comparison. drz400 is still a top bike for what it is till this day. why I still own it and rent it in my company
So less power, same weight and you need to spend about 1,000$ on suspension, but is better than the DRZ. 👍🏼. Sounds like you know what you’re talking about.
I’m so torn between a 400sm v a crf300
Forums boat me with drz is better but my gut gives me doubt
The crf300 I would say felt better offroad if you're looking into more true trails narrow rocks etc. Drz400 is a great bike too. Definitely a tough choice but SM drz400 is you are doing flat roads with more pavement for sure. The crf300 just felt way more modern felt lighter too on the true offroad trails. Weight is a good thing if mostly road or forest service roads.
Lol..😂 Two years later, and the DR-Z400 IS STILL out selling this bike!.. 🤔.
What was that you were saying? 😂
Not for me drz forever. If you can ride it doesn matter the wieght of the bike period
it's like 8 lbs heavier but with 50% more HP and torque. The Honda boiz are graspin with "But...but...but the Drz is heavier!'😆
The Honda top speed is 82 miles an hour. What is the top speed of a DRZ?
depends on the gearing, but because honda is 6 spd and drz400 is a 5 speed. with 15 38 gearing, it cruises at 80 and top is like 100. I dont take it any faster... it gets pretty scary with a dirtbike that speed lol
DRZ400 is a classic, it’s my choice
Har har. You say that while hanging on to your DRZ! The 300's are a little underpowered. Especially in 6th gear.
Strange no 400/450 street legal 'new' dual sports. Probably coming. What will Yamaha replace their WR250 with?
I've written both and I'd rather have the DRZ400
I’ve ridden both bikes. The CRF300L is a much easier to ride. It’s softer and feels more like a moped. The DRZ400/DRZ400E is a old school dirt bike. It feels like a real off-road machine compared to the 300L because it is. The 300L is a soft abd easy dual sport.
The DRZ400 is a big stiff dirt bike with bigger tires, suspension ect.
I actually liked my XR250 more turn the cfr300.
We all get bored with our bikes our bikes and try to justify buying new ones.
The carb vs EFI thing…..there is no performance difference and it takes 15 minutes to change the Jets.
Most people are going to enjoy a softer, less powerful, less aggressive bike then a DRZ400. They don’t have the discipline to change oil. Let alone jetting.
You don’t see many bikes above 300cc on the trails in Michigan.
The DRZ400 (not the DRZ400S or SM) was actually successfully raced by Suzuki. The CRF300L…….so your kind of deciding what type of rider you are between these bikes.
Put a lectron on the drz and it will be like fuel injection
Stock DRZ400S gearing works great at freeway speeds, no problems cruising at 85+ mph. Don't make it sound like the gearing is wrong, you need the rpms up to stay moving with traffic.
There is no way stock gearing cruises at 85mph. Its screaming at that speed. Mine screamed at 75 mph. Granted I have the 701 enduro now and even then revs a bit high at 85mph unless yours somehow came with ACT gearing without you knowing. But even stock gearing is a problem in slow moving trails with the drz400. I just hope one day they make a 6spd drz400. suzuki knows what we all want, but prob wont ever change due to them being grandfathered in.
@@701explorer3 I'd rather be at a proper rpm than lugging it down the freeway. The 400 doesnt have the power for taller gears and cannot hit the rev limiter in 5th with stock gearing. Also, how do you ride if you limit yourself to 75? I'd get ran over and killed quickly at that speed.
At least the 400 has a wider ratio transmission than the awful dr650. Do the math including rpm limit and you'll confirm.
@@Dirty24O You just completely negated what you previously said....lol. Like I said, I used to own the drz400 and it would scream high in the revs at 75 mph, so I have no idea how yours is reaching 85mph with stock gearing. Yours must had ACT gearing which should allow you to cruise at 85 mph, if you know what ACT gearing is.
But I had no choice with my DRZ400 screaming at 75mph its just how the gearing was straight from the dealer. I could higher the gearing, but I needed the low end for single track.
not sure how it is over there but in my country we have a different drz model but I think it is identical with gearing. but the rpm is very high with the drz when on highway going 120kmph. the crf300 cruised better at 120kmph
None of my statements have changed or varied, I'm not sure why you claimed I negated anything.
I'm not sure what your fascination with rpm is, piston speed is far more critical. The DRZ would bog and be unsafe with taller than stock gears, why would you want/need a taller 5th when you can't top it out stock? 🤔
My 2018 was all stock. No issues at all with the rpm it ran at down the highway; it didn't have the power to go faster anyways, no need to make it lug and hammer the bearings at the same speed...
Sounds like you just prefer lighter newer bikes from other brands.
The two bikes you compare arnt competing though the 300s are competing with the 250s but cost more or the same as the drz.
If your tall strong and skilled and can only have one bike the drz is the choice you can even sumo it with ease.
I see where your coming from but disagree respectfully
Have you recieved your crf300l yet?
went to the dealership and still no update unfortunately. I really hope soon! my friend has a KLX300 and we want to go out on the trails to compare them head to head on a few trails and not some test track
@@RWWRENTAL I'm looking forward to your comparison! Have you ever ridden the Yamaha wr250r? If you have I'd be curious to hear how they compare as well since I currently have one. Thanks!
@@JohnnyBoy919 I sure have but not on trails, thats why I havent talked about it much. the wr250r had better suspensions vs the klx and crf. definitely more firm. weight wise, to me it felt the same but keep in mind im a pretty big guy at 220 - 30 lbs I think the wr250r had about the same kick as the 300s but its true power can be tested up in high elevation in the rocky trails. but I am hoping to do that some day for sure. but rumors are going around that a wr300r is coming out and I will be guessing that it will be more powerful than these 2
@@RWWRENTAL did you ever find one? my local dealer told me back in November that they would be taking deposits for the L and Rally and that they would arrive in March. I went back the week after Christmas to put a deposit down, and they said, sorry, but we don’t know when we will be getting anymore. I found a dealership a couple hours away and they had all four bikes, abs and non abs, so I made my pick and just bought a Rally. Luvin it
The 300l is heavier and has way less torque, if your riding singles neither bike is that well suited really anyway
Who says the 300 is heavier? Cycle World weighed it at 309lbs to the DRZ's 317 with the weight on the CRF by all accounts being lower in the bike
@@patw9175 in Australia its drz e is lighter, your likely comparing the s model which is a p.o.s. dual sport woth extra gear on it
It has to be better…. It’s a 20 year old design man …. The DRZ
never was sorry
Why would you want to do 80+mph on a duel sport 😂😂😂 . Ok, Im well was 315 now 260 pds and still too heavy for the CRF 300L . The DRZ suspension is much cheaper to dail the suspension .
Atk best I got a ATK 605ds n itl shit on these. Wp susp . Magura brembo
Klx top
bone stock DRZ ready to go..300L needs expensive mods (suspension)....fact is 286cc mosquito motor don't cut it..sorry :0)
7000$ OUT THE DOOR.
not sure where you went, but I was quoted 5900 lol tax and all
Ha u wish the 400 as more power n aftermarket. Only the 450
So the CRF300l is better than the DRZ400 because it can go 80 mph downhill. I feel more stupid for watching this video.
you clearly skipped around and probably watched 2% of the video....imo the CRF300L felt better to me on tighter single track vs the DRZ400...my emphasis is more single track trail riding..which is mentioned in the video.
I disagree, for 1 reason, the 300 engine is too small. The CRF is a wannabe 400, and for the life of me I do not understand why they made it a 300, if it was a 400, I would agree with you that it is better than the drz400. I must also admit I do not like anything under a 400, and I wish they were both 500's. I see the CRF300 as a hopped up 250, and because of that, I would never buy one.
It's not.