I purchased the Versys X-300 about a month ago, mostly for "in and around town" riding. The engine loves to rev and makes good amount of power, I'm really happy with it. I'm 6.2" and 240lbs and have no complaints with this bike for the type of riding I do.
I own a CSC RX3. I've put about 500 miles of tough off road riding, and about 3,000 miles of road. Hsven't had an issue and the guys over at CSC have been really helpful with everything I needed.
I've had the Versys-X since mid-October and I LOVE THIS BIKE. It's absolutely fantastic, and is way better off-road than it's appearance would suggest. Its suspension is quite firm, but softens up nicely after 500-600 miles, but stays really well setup for aggressive off-road use. I've been able to catch some minor air without bottoming. The biggest downside is the hard seat, but Seat Concepts has one for it now that is a very nice improvement. I put some Metzeler Karoo 3 tires on it and they're fantastic on this bike. But I HIGHLY recommend this bike!
I testrode the crf before buying the Kawi. The Versys is an absolute delight on the highway. If you plan to actually go any distance on a fast road it definitely leaves the crf in the dust. As someone with only minor off-road aspirations, it is the clear choice. I haven’t seen anyone on the csc though.
Great video. I would definitely take the Versys as someone who just wants to explore the back roads but would still need a decent mode of transportation.
What a massive improvement over the last few vids you have done in quality of production value and content.Back to the quality that the magazine has and not the cheap chinese knock-off that some the the recent vids have had. If you dont sub to the magazine i would recommend it as it probably the top of the mark for motorcycle mags right now.
I love that Honda. I would absolutely buy one new for my first bike and take it on road trips to northern MN all the time. Just make an adventure of it and avoid I35. If I decide down the line that I want a street only bike I'll keep the Honda and get a 2nd bike. These little bikes just look like so much fun!
Excellent video!!! I have the Versys 300. I've had a lot of fun with it on and off road around my house but about to take it on and off road and live on it out west! Almost got the Honda but happy with my choice in the end!
It would have been nice to see a WR250R in this comparo. It's not just because I have one, but they are still available and have accessories galore from every retailer out there. I think the WR is also a good platform for performance mods... Athena makes a 290cc big bore kit and there are guys out there with a 310cc kit as well. In any case, good video!
Three and a half years later, this is still a great video. The CRF 250 has been replaced with the crf 300 rally and I'm curious to know how they compare now.
I totally forgot about the csc. Have y'all done a dual sport shootout for the smaller displacements? Since Kawasaki has returned with efi and Yamaha is continuing production, but you also have a few off brand like ssr and csc's tt250.
I personally like the csc rxr. The bike looks cool, an all the videos ive seen on them, every rider has put lots of miles on the there bike with little to no issues. I would want the rx3 version for the storage. But for the money, cant beat it.
I like to see this done with the Honda CB 500 x and some other bikes around that size , the new 2019 CB 500 X looks great on paper what is it like in real life.
I always appreciate Burns' commentary, and especially so with this one. The other guys missed something when they said the CRF does everything the others do. Clearly, with half the horsepower, it will be inferior on the street, where most of us will spend most of our time. This wasn't lost on Burns. The other two guys were too caught up in the moment of the trail riding to realize it.
Jason J. Ayala P. Shit, that's news to me. I've been riding my f700gs with alloys on the rocks in Colorado since I bought it. Guess I should be sticking to the street...lol.
The Honda is quite a bit more expensive here than the Kawasaki. Even if they cost the same I would still consider the Kawa. It just fits my idea of weekend fun. Some gravel, some tarmac, the seating is nice even though I am tall and the engine feels like it will go on forever.
Wait before making the purchase of the wee versys cause the new ninja 400 is here and that mean the versys will probably receive this bigger engine soon .
It would have to be the Versys for me. If the Honda had a bit more power, larger tank etc then maybe that. All 3 are decent bikes though. The price of the csc is amazing!
I like the Honda 250 Rally, but the mfg counted me out as I am not 6' tall. While the Versys-300 fits a wide range of riders, unfortunately it is a bit heavy for off road.
Don't forget women and lower men. And smaller bike= less gasoline. And also there are some shepherd whose more like thinner bike. In the city the lighter bikes more useful. Thre are so many advantages for 250 cc
A good used motorcycle costs just a few hundred less than a new one, not worth it IMO. Cheap used bikes usually had been abandon or beating up pretty bad.
Versys goes a long long way on a tank of gas. And if your not in a race it does ok off road. If you got tent sleeping bag food water ect strapped on how fast are you gonna go anyway. Cant really put much on the honda or that csc thing.
@@Ellakk666 True, I have a Vstrom 1000 and just bought a V X300 because I can go deeper into my adventure without being concerned of dropping it in a stream, climbing hills and all out roostin it! Those big bikes have their limitations when you leave the road!
Totally agreed... I've got a Vstrom 650, and it's too big to hit anything beyond forest service roads. I wish they'd quit cutting corners on all these small ADV bikes essentially making them "poor mans" ADV bikes. I'd rather pay 10k for a 250cc bike that has all the electronics of some of the 650+ bikes.
Chinese. They use older fairing molds and desigs to avoid copyrights.. Even though they're 90% "honda" as in the engine is a clone. The trans is a clone.. Even the wiring diagram is a clone.. Just my input.
Not really the same power. 650 has much more torque and at much lower rpm. A 1200 buell can have just 85hp. And an R6 could be maybe 120hp. You would be surprised how a drag race would go
i want to buy the CSX RX3 and quit all the touring equipment and stay with the bars and the higher windshield just to practice and do open roads... i own a R1200GS Adv 2008 but it feels a little heavy for learning how to off road, i have do some off road and river crossing in the GS, but i want to learn how to go faster, the cheaper way... i think that the CRF Rally is too expensive for me at this point, and the X300, is an excelent bike, but i feel it more like a commuter, and i already use mi GS for daily driving...
Not sure why they picked the RXR to then turn around and complain about it not having racks. The same bike with Racks and luggage is called the RX3. LOL. Nevertheless, the small ADV market is finally getting attention from all the makers. Adventure on a budget doesn't mean you have to settle for used. Loved seeing the comparison actually go on the type of terrain that fits the bikes!
If you really consider yourself an Adventure rider there is no comparison buy the CRF. Those other bikes you can maybe hit a dirt road or two. The Rally is the real go anywhere Adventure bike I have taken one to some gnarly nasty jungle trails in Thailand and still cruise highway like butter. If you ride street 90% of the time get the Kawi. The Rally does need some mods to make it amazing but still the better option by far. Also the Rally can be found all over the USA with very few miles for about 4K$. Huge discounts at dealers for previous years model as well.
One important quality for a dual sport, adv, or any "off road" bike is can you drop it, sometimes repeatedly and not break a fairing or mirror. These bikes all seem not as good as something as simple as a DR650 or a WR250R.
Also not available in the USA, the Yamaha Tenere 250, which could be a great small adv motorcycle, low maintenance, cost and a bigger tank. Wake up Yamaha.
As a dedicated dual sport / adv rider (klr 650, vstrom 650) I have no idea why they do these comparisons with oem tires. Anyone who rides these type of bikes know tires make all the difference. The oem tires on both my bikes sucked. The klr is much better onroad with Trailwings than Dunlops. The weestrom is much better offroad with Continentals than Tourance. Based on their comparison I'd probably go with Kaw and different tires. You can always tune suspension and tires. Wider handle bars are cheap. Its impossible to get more horsepower out of low displacement bikes.
I purchased the Versys X-300 about a month ago, mostly for "in and around town" riding. The engine loves to rev and makes good amount of power, I'm really happy with it. I'm 6.2" and 240lbs and have no complaints with this bike for the type of riding I do.
crf 250 rally is so smooth to ride and does everything almost right for the weekend warrior. I love it
I own a CSC RX3. I've put about 500 miles of tough off road riding, and about 3,000 miles of road. Hsven't had an issue and the guys over at CSC have been really helpful with everything I needed.
I lov the crf
I've had the Versys-X since mid-October and I LOVE THIS BIKE. It's absolutely fantastic, and is way better off-road than it's appearance would suggest. Its suspension is quite firm, but softens up nicely after 500-600 miles, but stays really well setup for aggressive off-road use. I've been able to catch some minor air without bottoming. The biggest downside is the hard seat, but Seat Concepts has one for it now that is a very nice improvement. I put some Metzeler Karoo 3 tires on it and they're fantastic on this bike. But I HIGHLY recommend this bike!
I testrode the crf before buying the Kawi. The Versys is an absolute delight on the highway. If you plan to actually go any distance on a fast road it definitely leaves the crf in the dust. As someone with only minor off-road aspirations, it is the clear choice. I haven’t seen anyone on the csc though.
Great video. I would definitely take the Versys as someone who just wants to explore the back roads but would still need a decent mode of transportation.
Definitely! Have the 2019 and you can make it more offroad worthy but the CRF isn't really going to get more on-road worthy!
Would love to see an update to this vid. Some really great lightweight ADVs coming out this Spring (2021).
Wanted to say thanks guys. Been waiting for something like this to come out as the small adventure bike segment is growing.
What a massive improvement over the last few vids you have done in quality of production value and content.Back to the quality that the magazine has and not the cheap chinese knock-off that some the the recent vids have had. If you dont sub to the magazine i would recommend it as it probably the top of the mark for motorcycle mags right now.
The 3rd guy you added for this video was super cool! Hope to get hear more from him in the future.
I love that Honda. I would absolutely buy one new for my first bike and take it on road trips to northern MN all the time. Just make an adventure of it and avoid I35. If I decide down the line that I want a street only bike I'll keep the Honda and get a 2nd bike. These little bikes just look like so much fun!
Good job boys! Great intro, says it all...we need more reasonably sized and reasonably priced adventure bikes! JB
Excellent video!!! I have the Versys 300. I've had a lot of fun with it on and off road around my house but about to take it on and off road and live on it out west! Almost got the Honda but happy with my choice in the end!
This was a good test. I wish all motorcycle tests on the internet could be so conclusive.
Great video Guys the more i watch these type of videos the more i think that you dont need big cc bikes to have fun and versatility.
Just bought the Honda!!!!! Lucky me
You can find the Kawi (Non-ABS) around on sale for low to mid 4's now, definitely the best band for buck.
I always thought nickleback was the best band for your buck
Those legs playing around though
Excellent video, how do I find trails in Big Bear where I can take a dirt bike?
It would have been nice to see a WR250R in this comparo. It's not just because I have one, but they are still available and have accessories galore from every retailer out there. I think the WR is also a good platform for performance mods... Athena makes a 290cc big bore kit and there are guys out there with a 310cc kit as well. In any case, good video!
Three and a half years later, this is still a great video. The CRF 250 has been replaced with the crf 300 rally and I'm curious to know how they compare now.
still low on power compared to x300. But more hp than 250 shouldn't be ignored.
This is what i’ve waiting for. But where is suzuki vstrom 250?
Not in the USA...
Kevin Duke ok understood
i was looking for bmw g310 gs. seems like a perfect comparison to these
mse The 310GS just became available in the states within the past month. Hopefully they can do another video and include it.
Heavy weight low ground clearance
Thanks for the video guys you were a big help I’m leaning towards the Honda as well
Great job guys!! Keep them coming 👍👍
I totally forgot about the csc. Have y'all done a dual sport shootout for the smaller displacements? Since Kawasaki has returned with efi and Yamaha is continuing production, but you also have a few off brand like ssr and csc's tt250.
Can't wait to see this kind of content for the CRF300L Rally!
Looks like some fun riding, throwing them into the turns like that
What trails did you guys do up in big bear? Getting a bike soon and Want to do some riding there
Would the KTM 390 and the Honda X500 adventure changing the tires putting the same one as the KTM 390 would it have a chance?
With a 29” inseam , the WR 250 is out of the picture.
How is the Aerostich JB for adventure riding?
I personally like the csc rxr. The bike looks cool, an all the videos ive seen on them, every rider has put lots of miles on the there bike with little to no issues. I would want the rx3 version for the storage. But for the money, cant beat it.
I like to see this done with the Honda CB 500 x and some other bikes around that size , the new 2019 CB 500 X looks great on paper what is it like in real life.
I would love it if there was a Honda CRF450 Rally
Csc? What about suzuki vstrom and BMW gs?
Palcious the vstrom can’t offroad
I want a 375cc triple cylinder adventure bike unicorn 😂
WICKEDLEE LOOPY your profile pic reflects your comment perfectly lol
Agreed! Triples are highly under appreciated.
I always appreciate Burns' commentary, and especially so with this one. The other guys missed something when they said the CRF does everything the others do. Clearly, with half the horsepower, it will be inferior on the street, where most of us will spend most of our time. This wasn't lost on Burns. The other two guys were too caught up in the moment of the trail riding to realize it.
I guess you missed when the guys said the Honda and RX-3 were less than 2 hp apart.
Have you guys try Royal Enfield Himalayan?
where is bmw 310gs ?
My guess? They wanted to test on rock, and alloy rims aren't appropriate there.
Not yet available in the USA... Same for the Himalayan.
Jason J. Ayala P. Shit, that's news to me. I've been riding my f700gs with alloys on the rocks in Colorado since I bought it. Guess I should be sticking to the street...lol.
Himalayan is not as nimble as the one's mentioned in the video. we have versys 300 and himalayan in India
JB looks like a wooden marionette puppet sitting on that rock! 😂 Great review though guys 👍😎
S. P. Looks like he had some Colorado Kush and doesn't give two fucks😂
Would love to see a 2018 crf/klx showdown with these two moto guys.
WTF is CSC?!
IIRC it's an American brand, Chinese made.
California's Shitty Company
The bike is made by Zhongshen, a large company in China. CSC is a small american company being the importer/distributor/rebrand/etc.
Chinese Sh*t Cycle
chinese made junk
looks like so much fun, I so want to get my old crm 250 put back together...
Do you have to stop to turn the ABS on
I've never seen reviewers that amused and enthousiastic about bikes they just rode.
You all should include the CSC tt250 in your next dual sport video, at $2.2K it looks quite impressive. Glad to see the RXR did as well as it did.
The Honda is quite a bit more expensive here than the Kawasaki. Even if they cost the same I would still consider the Kawa. It just fits my idea of weekend fun. Some gravel, some tarmac, the seating is nice even though I am tall and the engine feels like it will go on forever.
Lol, why in america doesn't the rally have LED indicators? It looks a huge amount worse with those big old ones.
CSC RXR is known as Viar Vortex 250 in indonesia and it's actually made in there
Wait before making the purchase of the wee versys cause the new ninja 400 is here and that mean the versys will probably receive this bigger engine soon .
That cold open is hilarious
It would have to be the Versys for me. If the Honda had a bit more power, larger tank etc then maybe that. All 3 are decent bikes though. The price of the csc is amazing!
Is there a fire where you shot this episode now?
I like the Honda 250 Rally, but the mfg counted me out as I am not 6' tall. While the Versys-300 fits a wide range of riders, unfortunately it is a bit heavy for off road.
very informative and well put together!
I wish someone would import the Keeway 202 K-Light. That's just the best looking 125 cruiser I've ever seen.
Where is the WR250R ?
Where's the cb500x?
on the street... where it belongs.
Its middle weight adv not light weight
What? How about the BMW G 310 GS and the Suzuki V-Strom 250?
I do not understand why people are buying them for more than 3k... For 5k+ you can find 2 years old dl650, nc700x.
Not a fan of used motorcycles 🏍 ... Just don't feel right.
Don't forget women and lower men. And smaller bike= less gasoline. And also there are some shepherd whose more like thinner bike. In the city the lighter bikes more useful. Thre are so many advantages for 250 cc
If you're actually going to ride offroad, the CRF Rally especially is going to blow away the bike you mentioned.
Has more to do with weight than anything else.
A good used motorcycle costs just a few hundred less than a new one, not worth it IMO. Cheap used bikes usually had been abandon or beating up pretty bad.
where can I buy a bike like this?...I am in Tanzania ..any recommendations please.
CrF250l Rally
Versys goes a long long way on a tank of gas. And if your not in a race it does ok off road. If you got tent sleeping bag food water ect strapped on how fast are you gonna go anyway. Cant really put much on the honda or that csc thing.
Whats the wheel size?
One guy was clearly paid
For real, like at least TRY.
The Honda looks great but what is it going to cost you the first time that plastic chin fairing bounces off a rock?
I want Moto Guzzi 850
Don't like poor man's adventure bike comment some people don't want a 1000cc
Its all about Rc fanboy i total hear u, strange commenting, considering that 97% of the People populating the earth cant afford neither of them.
agreed I just dont like Motorcycle.com
Its because or its price tag but realistically for us murcians
the perfect middle ground has atleast 40 hp and at most 80hp ya know a 300-650 cc bike
@@Ellakk666 True, I have a Vstrom 1000 and just bought a V X300 because I can go deeper into my adventure without being concerned of dropping it in a stream, climbing hills and all out roostin it! Those big bikes have their limitations when you leave the road!
Totally agreed... I've got a Vstrom 650, and it's too big to hit anything beyond forest service roads. I wish they'd quit cutting corners on all these small ADV bikes essentially making them "poor mans" ADV bikes. I'd rather pay 10k for a 250cc bike that has all the electronics of some of the 650+ bikes.
Why os the 310gs no there
Honda all day I have a VTX a GROM this summer new 2019 Rally. Then 2years my 50th bday Goldwing.
That csc looks ten years old already
It looks a bit like the Derbi Senda Terra 125. And that thing is about 10 years old now...
Chinese. They use older fairing molds and desigs to avoid copyrights.. Even though they're 90% "honda" as in the engine is a clone. The trans is a clone.. Even the wiring diagram is a clone.. Just my input.
I'm sitting here watching through the first few minutes of the video and they're telling us the Kawi is better on the road? Gee thanks Sherlocks!
So nice to get some friends to adventure ~
Honda CRF250 Rally vs BMW G310GS for a beginner rider doing light off-road on weekends. Any thoughts? Thx alot.
CRF all the way
Why not gs300?
I'm surprised that the offroad style seat was comparable to the form fitting adv seats.
So the versys is lighter, has almost the same power as the klr 650. What is the klr 650 for? I´m so confused!
Thanks for that answer.
I actually have a KLR 650 and I love it. But it's my first bike, so I'm still learning about them, specs and such.
Not really the same power. 650 has much more torque and at much lower rpm. A 1200 buell can have just 85hp. And an R6 could be maybe 120hp. You would be surprised how a drag race would go
Yeah, still learning!
Why do duel sport riders wear so much black aren't we meant to be seen out there!
Nice review would of liked to see more bike footage.
I don't see a rack on the Honda guys. I think you are reaching...
They ignored the WR250R because it will put the other 3 bikes to shame.Where is the DRZ400S? It is 29 lbs lighter than crf250L rally
i want to buy the CSX RX3 and quit all the touring equipment and stay with the bars and the higher windshield just to practice and do open roads... i own a R1200GS Adv 2008 but it feels a little heavy for learning how to off road, i have do some off road and river crossing in the GS, but i want to learn how to go faster, the cheaper way... i think that the CRF Rally is too expensive for me at this point, and the X300, is an excelent bike, but i feel it more like a commuter, and i already use mi GS for daily driving...
Not sure why they picked the RXR to then turn around and complain about it not having racks. The same bike with Racks and luggage is called the RX3. LOL. Nevertheless, the small ADV market is finally getting attention from all the makers. Adventure on a budget doesn't mean you have to settle for used. Loved seeing the comparison actually go on the type of terrain that fits the bikes!
I just bought a 2018 CSC rx3 for $2800 with all the goodies on it and so far, I'm in love.
If you really consider yourself an Adventure rider there is no comparison buy the CRF. Those other bikes you can maybe hit a dirt road or two. The Rally is the real go anywhere Adventure bike I have taken one to some gnarly nasty jungle trails in Thailand and still cruise highway like butter. If you ride street 90% of the time get the Kawi. The Rally does need some mods to make it amazing but still the better option by far. Also the Rally can be found all over the USA with very few miles for about 4K$. Huge discounts at dealers for previous years model as well.
good review cheers
whAT IS CSS motoorcyCLE ? cos we have not in france ...
zongshen motors , sold by csc in usa.
C'mon , you should have taken the KLX250, not the Versys.
USA has no Yamaha in this section ?
Only the wr
Not in the USA. Outside, they have the mini tenere: Xtz 250 or xt250z or something like that. Honda also has the XRE 300.
Travis Donald Stanley to tall !
One important quality for a dual sport, adv, or any "off road" bike is can you drop it, sometimes repeatedly and not break a fairing or mirror. These bikes all seem not as good as something as simple as a DR650 or a WR250R.
With $3,500, easy, you buy a used CRF or similar dual sport from one of the 4 main Japanese brands. Obviously not a CSC.
Haven’t watched yet, but the CRF off-road should be the instant winner.
make a 750-900 cc naked bike shootout
Himalayan?
Travis Donald Stanley aight
himalayan is a pos
TheHoolabalooga a used XR400 would shit all over it , EVERY day of the week & twice on sundays
Nice Bikes
CCM GP450. The real deal.
WTF is a CSC?
Also not available in the USA, the Yamaha Tenere 250, which could be a great small adv motorcycle, low maintenance, cost and a bigger tank. Wake up Yamaha.
I believe you fellas were riding on a highway not a freeway.
As a dedicated dual sport / adv rider (klr 650, vstrom 650) I have no idea why they do these comparisons with oem tires. Anyone who rides these type of bikes know tires make all the difference. The oem tires on both my bikes sucked. The klr is much better onroad with Trailwings than Dunlops. The weestrom is much better offroad with Continentals than Tourance. Based on their comparison I'd probably go with Kaw and different tires. You can always tune suspension and tires. Wider handle bars are cheap. Its impossible to get more horsepower out of low displacement bikes.
Where are the lightweight bikes of the title? These are PIGS!
Man, I wish you included the BMW GS310 in your test. 😉
Stefan Postatny yeah I agree the BMW G310GS is nice 👍