Yamaha XT250 versus Honda CRF300L...Which One? Part Three-Open Road
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ธ.ค. 2022
- Part Three of the Yamaha XT250 versus Honda CRF300L series is an Open Road comparison...So Check Out this Video and don't forget to check out the first two videos as well!!
This time Jen joins me to compare the comfort of each bike on a nice ride to Mesquite, Nevada. This ride is eighty miles roundtrip. I'm riding the Honda and Jen is riding the Yamaha. We both give our observations on how the bikes perform and comfort level... so if you're considering buying one of these motorcycles most certainly check out this video as well as the others in the series!
Part One Video: • Yamaha XT250 Versus Ho...
Part Two Video: • Yamaha XT250 Versus Ho...
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Like The Video(s)? Hit That SUBSCRIBE!!! Really Helps The Channel!!! Thanks For Watching!!!
Jen did an absolutely fabulous job describing what she was feeling and what was going on.
I watched and enjoyed all three videos on the comparison and really really enjoyed your reviews. I have to make my decision of buying the Honda 300 LS vs the Yamaha XT 250. I am leaning to the Honda 300 LS. I am a short 30 inch inseam. I will have to say goodbye to the 1200 GS for this but It never sees dirt since I have never become skilled enough and don’t go out to try it out on the dirt since I still have low confidence level despite a couple of BMW off road training. Time for the switch and thank you very much for all of the information and insight, it has been very helpful.
The CRF300L is made in Thailand and the XT250 in Japan. For me that's a big deal. Most people like the Honda being a 300 and same MSRP so they'll hoot and howl about how it doesn't matter where something is made, then say something different about their cars.
It is a big deal. Or it may be the design. I had a CRF250L and was disappointed in its quality. May have been the engineering but I hit a rock in a rut with the right footpeg. Didn’t think anything of it but it had bent the frame at the attachment point. Every other bike I ever owned would have bounced off of it and no big deal. I was not impressed!
Super true
The new *2024* CRF300L is made in Mexico.Luckily the XT250 is still made in Japan.
Great video. You both did an excellent job of reporting the differences between the two bikes. I ride the exact ride and have a XT250 but wondered about the 300. Now I have great information. Thanks.
The Seat Concepts "comfort Tall" seat fixes the sore tail problem.
Night and day.
I have a 2022 XT 250 with no seat pad and I’ve taken it for hours long rides in the ozark mountains. I agree about the seat - it’s uncomfortable after about an hour.
Power wise it’s not a sport bike - it’s more comfortable around 55-60. On flat ground I can usually get it to an indicated 73-76 or so, but start throwing in wind and inclines and that drops off.
One time going slightly downhill with a pretty strong tailwind I got an indicated 93 MPH and was bumping the rev limiter.
I’ve also felt the instability that Jen mentioned - it usually happens at higher speeds with crosswinds. My guess is that the steering head angle is a tad steep which makes it handle well in the dirt at some expense of stability on the street.
I’m 5’8” with short legs so being able to reach the ground with both feet is important and I can do that with the XT.
My XT has a windscreen from National Cycle - it makes a huge difference in riding comfort and is highly recommended.
The glaring issue is the seat - fix that and it’s a pretty nice little bike.
Very nice, the XT250 is an awesome bike. I bet it's a hoot riding in the Ozarks! That seat though, brutal.
Thank you for sharing the experience and reviews. I love how you two appear to be working together on this.
You're welcome, thank you very much for watching!!
Enjoyed the "He said/She said" style of the video. Great review. Thanks!
One of the better side by side reviews of XT & Honda I’ve seen. I have the same problem with the XT seat but I’ve read some posts of Facebook where some say the seat isn’t a problem… wish I was one of them.
" INTENT "..... I'm in the market to buy & the single biggest problem I have is in determining how I plan to use the bike I purchase
and neither of these 2 are long ride comfort bikes.... lol, shorter new riders will like the XT(most of them) but every bike you go
look at will have pros/cons, all of them. I happen to like air-cooled b/c it's one less thing to worry about but the biggest problem
I have is the road ride. Some States have plenty of 55mph roads but from Texas over to the western usa you need to be able to
ride at 60-70mph. The XT might do the speed but it would be uncomfortable riding her at the top of 5th gear w/ nothing above
in power left to get you out of trouble. The Honda has that 6th gear which makes it a bit better but all have their quirks. peace
Good video guys! Nice little ride.
You guys absolutely rock. There is so much information and feedback in these videos that I absolutely could not find about both of these bikes. Unbiased and honest feedback in all situations with 2 different riders, wonderful.
I do really like the xt250, test drove one after I sold my Grom. I panicked and instead bought another new Grom.
Appreciate you watching! The Grom looks like it'd be a hoot!
Great video! Informative!
I've had an XT250 for 7 years, and for my height -- 5'6" -- the bike fits me perfectly.
I sat on the Honda CRF300L at a dealership the other day bc I was thinking of getting a 2nd bike and the 300L is a great-looking dual sport with a 6th gear, but on level ground I have to shift my body and the bike to the left in order to get my left foot on the ground -- and that just barely. I can't flat foot this bike with both feet when I come to a stop. I have complete confidence taking the XT offroad and going up hills. I'd be very hesitant to go offroad with the Honda. I have no doubt I'd be dropping it a lot. It's something to consider when choosing between the XT and the 300L if you are under 6 foot in height.
Thank you I really enjoy this video and the comparisons I also enjoy the other two. I still considering both.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Very good reviews, I own a Xt and my biggest problem is effectively the seat confort witch is I am planning to fix…thank you for the reviews
I have the Airhawk seat on my Himalayan and I can’t say for sure, but it looks like yours might be over inflated for optimal comfort. I read tons of reviews and someone made a big point about saying it really almost needs to be flat, or just where are you don’t touch the seat. I’ve ridden thousands of miles of mine on the Himalayan and it really helped me so you might wanna give it a try at letting air out to where you just don’t have your rear end touching any part of the seat in particular, so it’s as flat as it can be while still holding you up.
Great review thanks for taking the time and providing all the detail.
good series. thanks
Great review! I have a 2008 XT250, and the first upgrade was the Seat Concepts seat. It's wider and flatter compared to the factory seat, so you don't get the pressure point in the center after just a few minutes of riding.
I also added a set of 3" ROX handlebar risers and a National Cycle Deflector windscreen. Those upgrades made a world of difference for longer rides.
I can usually tolerate about 2 hours (or a full tank of fuel at 55-60 MPH) before I'm ready to get off for a leg stretcher and butt break. I've done 600-mile days and cross-country trips with my little mule. It's not necessarily "comfortable" on the highway, but getting to the off-road stuff and motocamping with the bike makes it all worthwhile. Cheers! 😉👍 --QM
600 mile days on the XT250?? Bravo!! I really need to get the seat swapped out on mine, I think that'll make such a huge difference.
Appreciate you watching!
@Precipice Of Grind My longest day in the XT250's saddle was 825 miles in one day returning from Jefferson City, MO. That was serious torture, but I managed to cover the route in about 21 hours. 😉👍 --QM
@@QuasiMotard Now that is a grind! Bet you walked a little funny after that ride! How'd your knees hold up? And this ride was on seat concepts seat I presume?
@Precipice Of Grind Yep, that was accomplished on the Seat Concepts seat, aided by an AirHawk Enduro seat pad... all the help I could get, with plenty of 10-minute stand-n-ride sessions throughout! When my ass wore out or knees screamed in pain, I'd stand until my feet went numb... lather, rinse, repeat! 🤣
I actually had purple shins and ankles due to swelling/thrombosis and sitting too long. I considered burning the bike to the ground after that trip, but I'm just too fond of it to be that spiteful. It's my fault... I forced the issue... tried to make a little 250cc trail bike into a cross-country tourer! 🤣👍 --QM
I love my xt250! I almost went towards the Honda Crf300l simply because the xt250 was so hard to find here in the city of Colorado.
Overall as i new rider who sits at 5"10 150 pounds the xt250 have been great. My speedometer is 6 miles off though, i did reach a max speed of 78 on xt250 monitor.
Daily commute is awesome IMHO, but mountain riding is why i purchased the bike.
Love my xt250 2021 will never trade it. Thanks for sharing.
My nephew has the T Rex windscreen on his 300L. It is very good looking and keeps the wind off well. huge difference. Like you, I have both of these bikes in my garage too. They are very comparable on the pavement up to about 70 MPH. They both top out a bit over 75 on flat road. Where the biggest difference is at is in pulling on a hill where the Honda can maintain that 65 to 70 when the XT will fall off and slow down. I prefer to ride the XT 250 on rough single track as it handles it better then the 300 Rally, the XT has much better suspension even though it has less travel. At the end of the day that XT 250 is just a way funner bike to ride on gravel and trails.
Exactly why I kept the XT250, that bike is so much fun on the dirt! Thanks for watching!!
Front wobble can be caused by too much rear preload, with the lighter rider it would make a slight change in steering geometry vs a heaver rider.
Very excited to see how the seat concepts seat works for the xt250. I am 5'8" and would love to get this as a bike to take on BDR's and off roading for camping and whatnot. sadly that means I'm going to have to ride around 250 miles of open road before getting to some of the longer and better offroad riding.
As soon as I have the extra scratch, I'm going to purchase the seat concepts seat for the XT250 and I'll do a install/ride review video of it!
Regarding the XT250 wobble at ~63 mph, first thing I'd suspect/check would be tire balance; that's easiest to check. Next, I'd check the head and wheel bearings. Not expensive/difficult fixes, if that's what's causing the wobble (certainly disconcerting ... or even DANGEROUS).
Wobbles on light bikes are often made much worse by the rider holding onto the bar too tightly; this tends to make the wobble worse. Loosen up and the wobble may improve. If it does, then you know. It’s counterintuitive, but this is worth testing.
Thanks for the wind screen comments/observations; I've been wondering how important/necessary screens are ... especially considering naked bikes on higher speed roads. `seems everyone admires the open air on bikes, but wants to shield themselves from the openness with windscreens and fairings (`seems like a contradiction - to me)? 😅
I really enjoy these comparisons. I know you don’t have the Honda 300LS but if you can add any other comments between the one you have and the LS. I am a short rider and want to either the Yamaha XT250 or the Honda CRF 300 LS. (30 inch inseam, 150 lbs 5’6’’}. Any recommendations for me?
Not a surprise on the open road.. The XT250 is more a dirt road/mt road bike and does not shine if mainly on open blacktop roads. I know folks who hung in excess of a grand on installed suspension items yet overlooked the hard seat.. I'm 180, have almost 3K on the bike including some really hard bouncing around dirt riding waiting for it to break in....... I'm still waiting. I've read mixed reviews on the SC seat as far as hardness.. Seems the additional width should be a definite plus..
Great reviews, thank you. Looking for starter bikes for my wife and I and think I have narrowed down to these two. I’m 6’4 240 and she’s about 5’7 140. Mostly to trail ride and maybe hit a few side roads. Was thinking about getting her the XT and the 300l for myself, or getting two XT. Also looked at the Suzuki 400 I believe and the KLX 300. Which do you recommend for our skill level amd for our first bike?
Well, the XT250 is bulletproof and is an excellent first bike...no doubt about that. You may want to consider the 300L for yourself due to your size, it would probably fit you better. The best bet would be to sit on both and give both a test ride. Good luck, all four bikes you mentioned will be a hoot to ride.
Great video! I’m currently struggling with the power on my XT. It’s great once I get to the dirt roads, but high speeds on pavement with traffic can be scary. Since you have both, would you say the 300l with the 6th gear with worth the upgrade?
Appreciate you watching! It depends really. It's definitely quite a bit more comfortable on long stretches of asphalt on the 300L. So in that regard, I'd say yes it is worth the upgrade.
I almost bought a CRF300L Rally but I had $3k cash in the bike budget and I hate debt so I bought a 2011 KLR with 9k miles on it and some good mods. I’m super happy but will probably be looking for a 250 or 300cc dual sport on the used market in the next few years. I’ve thought about the XT250 for KLX230 for or short trips or for my daughter to ride. She won’t be on the highway much or at all. Maybe a Himalayan would be more her speed and style, we’ll see.
Jen absolutely loves her Himalayan...
I drive 130 miles to Walmart one way on my XT 250. 65 mph normal I can hit 70-75 , but gas mileage suffers. I use a Coleman Mad Dog pad which also protects the seat from sun. 6 ft 200 lbs 64 years old back and neck issues and I love the bike. 4000 miles this past summer. I never have had the wobble she describes, but have heard of it. Back tire may be slightly off alignment.
Awesome! Does the Mad Dog pad slip around much?
@@precipiceofgrind Not at all. It is strapped around the seat then the seat reattached.
Do you think the xt250 might be a little better with the front saddle bags acting as a fairing? For the 300l a lot of people use the GP Kompozit windshield, on Amazon. CRFs only also offer a zeta windshield.
I tried to put the Tusk Tank saddle bags on the XT but there wasn't enough rough, bike was too narrow or small...or both. I looked at both those wind screens, I like the Zeta.
Have you considered adding a seat concepts seat for the xt? I know you have it on the CRF, I wonder how much it would help on the XT.
I haven't heard good things about the Seat Concepts seat for the XT. If I ever have the xtra funds I'll probably go with a Corbin.
@@precipiceofgrind fwiw, I have a xt225 and the Seat Concepts transformed the bike for me...along with fork and shock spring upgrades..from the video, looks like the 250 has a 5mph advantage over the 225 stock gearing and I'm 185lbs dry ;) ...I'll stick with it for now but would like FI on my next dual sport since I live and ride around Phoenix but cart it up to 7000' in the summer to ride in the forest..
I'm 5'10"... come from a TW200. Tried a DR650. Looking at an XT250, CRF, or Himalayan for backroads and fire roads. Curious with your experiences, which you'd recommend??
All three will do just fine on the terrain you mentioned. With your height, long days on the XT250 will get uncomfortable if you're not doing much standing. Any terrain more difficult, you're going to hate the weight of the Himmy when you lay it down. CRF might be your best bet and there's a short model also. I'm 5'10" and am fine with my standard height 300L. Test ride if you can.
Honda came out with a new version, the CRF300 LS. The seat height is lower. and the seat is narrower, (so how comfortable I don't know).
It also has less ground clearance, would still like to give one a test ride. I haven't seen the S model yet, wonder how difficult it is to acquire one.
I have both the bikes and I can tell you hands down I prefer the Yamaha but it's harder to get parts but they're cheaper Honda has their parts marked up to hell but you can get them anytime you want as far as gas mileage Yamaha I fill it up and I don't worry about it I just go enjoy my day out in a desert just personal preference I love both companies
any other reasons you prefer the Yamaha? I'm between these two myself. Leaning XT due to seat height and because it's made in Japan, while the Honda is made in Thailand. Anytime I can get something made in Japan I'm interested.
@@DaddySizeIt agree 100%
CHINA-JAPAN CHINA-----JAPAN HONDA-----YAMAHA I pick the Japan made Yamaha any day over something made in CHINA Like the Honda is now. I have rode both bikes and actually like the Yamaha better for off road, and for highway there is not that much difference in performance to lose sleep over.
The Honda is made in Thailand, not china.
@@ericweber1969 The new 2024 300L is made in Mexico. At least the one I looked at was.
The Yamaha seat isn’t great , try a KTMSeat and you think the Yamahe seat is wonderful.