I bought that same bike a month or two ago. And the only thing I'm going to buy is spare tubes and tools to handle on the road fixes. That and some good straps to hold down a dry bag.
@@leeinwisI have Rhinowalk 28l soft panniers which are ok apart from the stitching on the top straps doesn’t seem strong enough as it’s pulling apart after only a few uses. I have a Kriega OS system on the way and am looking forward to testing that out soon.
My Rally (250) is 6 years old and has 145,000 trouble-free km - I'll never sell it. I've has all sorts of bikes over the last 40 odd years and the little 250 is one of the best. Like yourself, I live in SE Asia and it's a perfect machine for here. Aboard the Rally, I know I can pretty much go anywhere... That's real freedom.
@@AnthonyDonnellyTT I believe you --i sold my Rally 250 two years ago with 70,000km on it. I also changed oil at 4000km. I want to buy another one haha...i have a NX500 now with Road 6's and panniers but need a smaller lighter offroad/light adventure bike again and i truly loved my Rally 250. I think i need to own a 3 bikes or more haha...i own a Honda Click 160 abs and its honestly amazing too--i just need to tweak these bikes to fit me and throw on great tires and i am good to go
This is the same bike which Itchy Boots used in Africa. If you want to go around the world and not worry about mechanical issues, this is a great choice of bike. Planning to get one when I'm coming home to Cebu soon. Nice video indeed.
Yeh, I’ve seen. And what a beautiful continent Africa is. It’s perfect for Cebu and the Visayas. I’m really enjoying mine. Where in Cebu is home for you? Thanks for commenting.
I got the 300L as my first bike about one month ago, I'm age 30, 6ft 170lbs. Never been on two wheels besides a bicycle which has been 10+ years ago. Took the DMV riding test one week after I bought it and passed with only getting 1 point against me! This buy is the best decision I've ever made, I know it's still new but I don't see myself changing my mind or regretting it!!! I feel it's a great beginner bike, with such potential I don't see myself wishing I had more when I reach a higher skill level. It just WORKS! I'm sure I will buy new parts for it eventually but being new I don't think I would care much about the difference. If you have any doubts about the CRF I'm telling you just go for it.
Sold my 300 rally very recently for financial reasons , kept my versys 650 , looking to buy another rally sometime. After reflecting on my 3500 kms travelled on the this bike , covering backroads , dirt roads , muddy firetrails , and motorway here in Australia, on a completley stock bike , the bike is the closest to a unicorn adventure bike that exists. When you are in the Aussie bush riding alone , having a reliable bike , and a bike you can pick up after dropping is mandatory!!!!! The 300 rally keeps new looking , it doesnt scratch easy. The only drawback for a 28 inch seam rider is seat height, its centre of gravity is high. And in certain situations , no matter how good a rider, not being able to touch the ground on uneven surfaces is critical. If I buy another one , will get it lowered , the S model is grey and orange , I prefer the redblue and white full height version. Lowering link installed is about $500 , it lowers bike by about 40mm. On the motorway , if you cruise at 90 km per hour all is good , sometimes 100 to 110 km per hour is ok , if it is not a windy day, but beware the stock knobby tyres are noisy on most road surfaces . This bike is limited on twisties by its stock tyres , and likewise on sand and gravel. Finally dont buy this bike if you enjoy. on road adrenaline rush , its not going to do it safely, the 21 inch front wheel and its geometry isnt good for spirited cornering compared to my Versys 650. Its a bike for exploring , for looking at the scenery spreading all around you …for exploring both back roads and forest, national park trails. I hit a soft enduro loop just before I sold bike , it handled it , just had to slow down compared to riding a proper off road bike. By use of the light the clutch you can dart out of corners very easily , its only the soft suspension and tyres that cant handle full blown hard riding . But remember , if you want to get the heart rate up on bitumen , this is not the bike.
I bought a 300 Rally like a month ago, drove just over 1500km during this time, and it became my favorite bike so far. I usually spend summers travelling on my other bike, big heavy cruisers are great and all, but they don't provide the level of freedom that this thing does. I kinda regret not buying it before my vacations started haha. I never really drove off-road, even when i had a CRF250L a couple of years back, it was just my daily commuter to and from work, but I tried the 300 Rally on some gravel roads and trails yesterday and it was great. Easy to ride, easy to manouver. I don't know, it's just that after years of riding motorcycles weighting 250-350 kg, this feels refreshing.
I agree about the weight. It’s liberating. Sounds like you’re having a great time on your Rally. I have some trips all over the Philippines planned with a mix of dirt trails and roads. I’ll be posting the videos on here as a series later in the year.
Thanks. I’ve just done a Yoshimura full system and ECU/air box on my 300L th-cam.com/video/5AhVXICHj7U/w-d-xo.htmlsi=rJj7jQ-VxmiTEUW4 . It definitely opens up the bike
Hey fellow Brit down in Cotabato. You seal the deal for me with the comment about sevicing the CRF against the CB500x. This is so valid and I didnt think it till you said it. This would mean I would have to take a CB to Davao for any major service work, thats 5 hours each way! So CRF Rally will be it, with the money saved going in to the Rally Raid suspension upgrades. Cheers.
Hey, Glad you found it helpful. Yeh, I hate going up to Cebu city for o do any services so being able to do them locally is a massive bonus and means they get extra maintenance. The rally is so easy to work on I do some work myself too. I keep thinking I’ve got to plan a trip to Mindanao as everyone else tells me the roads and scenery are great. The rally raid is really good by the way. Definitely worth doing at least the shock. You can see my thoughts on it in this video th-cam.com/video/IzO5mZv5OTs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1dbiYgiGrVwa3ZiZ
The Nmax is so popular here. If it rides like my adv 160 then the Rally suspension tyres and general handling are a big upgrade. No more spine tingling from hitting bumps in the road.
Really nice bike. More versatile than a scrambler. I have a 90 kg 250 cc 2 stroke ktm, and a 3 hp 50 cc supercub. This would be a great addition for longer trips.
Thank you for taking us on your ride around the Philippines . Enjoyed your educational vlog of the Rally 300. My resident is in Apolong Valencia area. Due to your vlog i plan purchase a Rally 300. Do you know of a used Rally ?
Hi Chester, Thanks for your comment. I used to live in Valencia. Lovely little place. Unfortunately I don’t know of any used ones. Probably best to check Facebook bike groups here like Cebu big bike mercado etc. The Rally is pretty hard to come by here, likely because it’s nearly perfect for the Philippines and the roads here. I rode the Rally on a lovely ride in Negros a few weeks ago. Perhaps you know the road but if not it’s a nice ride . You can see it in this video th-cam.com/video/MxU43P_rx0U/w-d-xo.htmlsi=PEK7tzjvsMiQO8_3
These are great bikes for everything but freeway travel. Mine is a 2022 and I have been on 2 Backcountry Discovery Routes, Idaho and Washington carrying all my gear with the stock suspension and it did well. I recently put a YSS shock and a K-Tech spring on the front, with heavier oil, and it's like a whole new bike, money well spent and just an easy swap in a few hours work.
I completely agree. Freeway travel would be my only concern if I was in the States or Europe. Luckily I don’t have to deal with those here where the bike has plenty of grunt for almost all conditions. How do you find the Ktech Spring? I have the Rally raid level 1 shock with the 95nm spring and I’m deciding whether to try and do the cheaper option on the forks or splurge for the Rally raid level 1 forks.
@@peaceforchildren4303assuming freeways are your equivalent of motorways in the uk with a similar speed limit of 70+MPH then the Rally is a little underpowered for those roads.
@@Tripleb6036 The K tech spring upgrade was a Suprise and even better than the rear shock. I put in the 8 Nm, spring which is the lightest of the 3 they offer but is the one they recommended for my weight. I also took out 200 ML. stock oil and replaced with 15wt. fork oil into the compression dampening fork tube and added 10 ML extra to reduce the air volume in the spring tube. In the rebound dampening tube, no spring side, I took out 400 ML. of stock oil and put in exactly what I took out with 30 wt. heavy fork oil. It's amazing. I can now blow through the foot deep whoops and the fork won't pogo or bottom at all. It put a smile on face and will work fine for what the bike is. Cost 150 $. My shock is the YSS 86-105 KG 405 MM short version, and the preload is set soft so I can get my short legs to the ground.
I almost bought this bike and the reason I didn't buy it is because I thought the seat was a little uncomfortable and my Filipina wife didn't like sitting on the back of it either so I ended up going with the xr150l which has an absolutely phenomenally comfortable seat and it already comes with a rack and it's carbureted very basic and I can take it anywhere like you were saying which I love because we're always exploring down dirt roads and a bonus it was it's less than half of what the CRF 300L cost
No doubt it’s incredible value. I’ve had the XR125 and 150 here too. The 125 had a few issues with cold starts but nothing a full choke couldn’t solve eventually along with the kick start it had. Great value bikes and perfect for here except a little low on power uphill. I think they’ve just started selling it in the States now too as I’ve seen a couple of reviews pop up on TH-cam.
@@Tripleb6036 yes they started selling them in the states in 2023 the one I have is a Philippines version with a Kickstart yes they're not the best on hills especially when you're riding doubles which I always do I'm looking at getting another bike soon but I'm definitely going to keep the xr150l I'm looking at the dominator 400 not a big Kawasaki fan though but I like the features on the bike especially for the money approximately 3600 dollars
I have some steep and rutty tracks going up to my house. What I miss in alot of reviews is the overtaking capability which you showed. A dealer has one in stock a 2 hour drive from here...7800 euros
My 250 rally can do anything on the state/county highway , not interstate highways where people drive 80+ which is crazy fast speeds imho .Course i'm in the states where they push the green crap but raise the speed limit as a oxymoron .
Living in Hawaii I saw my Harley sportster cause they just simply couldn’t take it off the pavement anywhere and just so many places go exploring not hard-core dirt biking but just go exploring so it seems like the 250 or 300 Honda dual purpose will do the job for me
Great review. Sane and honest. I must rent it and try it myself. I have currently XT660r, but I'm looking for a new bike that ain't heavy and complicated and this seems to be IT. But it has a half of the power of XT...
Thanks. Are you in the Philippines? It’s about 20+ kg lighter than your XT and about 20hp down I think. I guess it depends on how and where you ride. I don’t miss the power as it still has enough to get going. Obviously it’s way down on power compared to my VStrom 800 but the light weight just makes it that much more fun and nimble to take anywhere that it becomes a non issue. Or maybe I’m just getting old and don’t ride as fast as I used to 😂
@@Tripleb6036 Nono, I live in Czech. It's fact that light enduro bikes makes sense here, only if you willing to ride them little bit illegally let's say... I drive the XT 70% on blacktop, rest ist some dirt roads and stuf like that, no hardcore enduro. I think about it for some time, and I don't want big complicated bike like T7 or Africa twin, and 690 or 701 are really expensive.
Is the Honda TransAlp available in the Philippines? In the United States it’s $9,999. Set up as more of a touring bike from the factory but if properly equipped (more aggressive tires) could be an amazing off road bike. 750cc is considered rather stout compared to this 300cc Rally and the suspension is much better so you don’t have to spend another $1,000 to upgrade. It is about $3,800 more but has standard ABS, more than double the power and just looks badass other than the headlight design. Down side, heavier, no cruise control or tubeless tires which is expected at this level of a bike and only gets 48MPG so about 200 miles on a tank. I think the Rally gets over 70MPG and has a bigger tank. It’s a matter of what suits your needs. The TransAlp is a legend in Europe though.
Yes, it’s available and I’ve seen a few in dealers. I tried to buy one from Honda big bikes in Cebu. Was initially told they had stock but after asking a couple of questions about accessories I couldn’t get a reply from their manager so I gave up and bought a VStrom 800DE. Sometimes I’m stunned by the lack of service here, you can’t throw your money at them.
Thanks for the tip. I hopefully have the rally raid shock arriving this week. I’m going to see how that goes and then decide what to do with the forks.
Having the confidence to go somewhere unknown and know that the bike can tackle what it needs to go get to a campsite is what's making me lean towards this bike. Some say its good/bad at 100k/h but there's nothing else on the market to compete with it. I have been thinking about the v-strom 250sx but i think id need to know what id be throwing at it before i take it to uncharted territory. Its very hard to find that 1 bike that will tick all of the boxes. The Suzuki is almost half the price but its worth having that confidence off road with the Honda
Hi Josh, Thanks for watching. 100kph was fine for me cruising. You can see me doing around that on this video th-cam.com/video/MxU43P_rx0U/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IwcajC0BLnaVkgIq There was a bit of a cross wind but it handled it fine. I love the bike and if you look back at the bikes I’ve had, just on this channel you’ll see Ive rode a lot. I consider the VStrom 250 a road bike to be honest. Sure it’s fine doing dirt roads but I’m also sure the Rally would be better at that too. I’ve just bought a Rally Raid shock for mine and I think once I’ve fitted that it will be really good for what I want it for here. Saying that, you might want to watch my video this weekend (probably out on Sunday).
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. The bad thing I found out was from actually watching a 250sx review. The owner said he test rode the crf300 and felt that the front wheel didn't feel planted at 100k/h. This is the first time I've heard this from anybody so I'm not sure what to think tbh aha I've just got my L's and here in Australia I need to wait 6 months before I can do the test for my P's so I'm stuck to online research until I can actually test ride a bike. I'm considering selling my 4wd and replacing it for whatever bike I end up buying as my car is always empty on camping trips so I think I could get by with downsizing to a bike. Plus the fuel economy of a bike is very tempting. The offroadability of the vstrom did have me worried but I thought if the crf was bouncing all over the road that I'd be left with no choice if I wanted 1 bike to do it all as everything is a compromise unfortunately. But would 100% prefer the crf as I know the places I want to go buy 100k/h performance is just as important Thanks for sending me that link, I'll watch it when I get the chance. I'll sub so that I don't miss the upcoming video either. Thanks 🙂
So how does that work in Auz, do L’s allow you to ride upto 125cc or something like that? I was talking on the video today about how I’m envious of the tracks and dirt you guys have out there. I’d give my right arm to have those available here . I ended up cutting it out of the video as it was getting too long but I watch a lot of Aussie riders on TH-cam. Old man speed, MAD TV and a couple of others. Thanks for the sub . I’ll be building out both the Rally and the L over this year so might be worth watching to see what would work for you. The Rally is fine at 100kph in my view but the shock can wallow a bit if the road is undulating. I’m replacing the shock with a Rally Raid one which will sort it out.
We can't exceed 660cc which is pretty generous tbh. My instructor has me on a 125cc suzuki gsx which is pretty approachable. I could buy the crf now and ride that but buying a bike that I can't test ride until I'm with my instructor is a bit of a gamble incase for some reason I find the ergonomics uncomfortable for example. The more experience I get the more informed of decision I can make when it's time to buy a bike Yeah there's some pretty good places here, I'm on the west coast so I need to be able to ride anywhere from 1-3 hours to get to some of those places but that's a small price to pay As a 4wd owner, some of tracks have been chewed up by cars with either no skill or incorrect tyre pressures, I think it would be a completely different experience being able to dodge all of the big ruts and choose the easy path on a bike I have been leaning more towards the L model with an upgraded fuel tank (14L) just purely so I have less plastic on the bike because I know I'm inevitably going to drop it one day and the plastic on the rally will make me want to spend and add more weight with crash bars when the L might not need that Thanks, I appreciate your honesty about the bike. Hopefully the suspension upgrade does what you hope it will. The consensus seems to be the suspension upgrade turns this bike into the unicorn everybody has been looking for
@@JoshSinnott97ah 660cc is definitely generous. It sounds like you’re taking everything into consideration so I’m sure you’ll end up with the right bike. With what you said about the L model, you will definitely be interested in my next video. I was out on the L today and had a blast 🤘
What do you think about the stock tank? Would you recommend upgrading to the larger tank if you were traveling cross country or does the stock tank offer enough range? Thanks for this awesome video.
i keep seeing this as like the best beginner bike because it's cheap, reliable and it's easy to learn on which you know i'm all for as being a guy that's gonna get his motorcycle license but i'm also six foot and 290. i don't think this little bike could handle me properly. I could be wrong. A long as it can get 65 on highway without killing the bike haha
Have a look at dork on the road’s (or in the road, I can’t remember) channel as he’s a larger guy and I know he had a rally and rode it all over the place. I’d say it will be fine but he may have a little more insight.
I have a 250l and I'm 210 lbs and have tusk hard bags 3.5 gal fuel tank. You will definitely want to upgrade the springs at minimum everything else will be fine. I can run 70mph all day long.
That’s ridiculous. I paid 31,590 danish kroners for mine. My VStrom 800DE only cost me 3,337 danish Kroner more than the Rally does there 👀 better get a 🚲 in Denmark 🇩🇰 then.
😎👍🇺🇲 (New subscriber) I think this is the first time I've run across a channel focusing on riding and not drama, cost of living and rentals. Which are helpful info channels, but a bit of a drag. I've only been to the Phils twice. Didn't get the chance to ride yet. My last trip got all screwed up but was still a lot of fun. I'm from the PNW Seattle WA area (north of Seattle about 40 miles in Lake Stevens) Home of one of the few if not only Honda NSR MC21 with a RG 500 powerplant. Currently running a 21 KTM 690 SMC-R as my commuter. I have a host of early superbikes and something you should be familiar with. A 71 Mini Cooper S 😎 Seems like either of the 300's would work well there. I wonder how long my clutch hand would survive in traffic? Do you ever have the need to travel on the national highway? Is it possible to get everywhere you want to go bypassing the highway? It's 400cc or bigger for the highway. Im not familiar with the cost and availability of the bigger bikes or the practicality of owning one in the Phils. Im 58. I ran a Suzuki DRZ 400 SM for about two years before I recently upgraded to the KTM. The DRZ was nicely modified with all the goodies. Maybe 40hp, 325ish lbs. Was great fun. The KTM is 80 hp with all the go-fast bits. 319 lbs empty. If you've never ridden one. It's an absolute animal. Easily pulls 125 mph and cruises at 85 mph. Right about where the DRZ would tap out. I know im rambling. Just wanted to say hi and look forward to seeing more actual motorcycle adventures rather than someone scootering up a long crappy driveway and complaining about the loss of traction 😆 Cheers from Fluffy in the PNW.✌️
Haha comment of the week right here. Love it and made me laugh. The KTM 690 looks like a lot of fun. I’ve never rode one but had the 890R back in the UK for a while. The torque was arm ripping 😁. The clutch is super light on the CRF’s. No problem at all thanks to the assist on it. I’m further south on Cebu island so the bike can go on all the roads here. I think you can skip the toll roads/expressway up in Luzon to avoid the 400cc restriction. I’ll be heading up there later this year for some rides so will be able to find out for sure. Some brand big bikes are available here. I have a Z900, ninja 650 and just picked up a V Strom 800DE . All around the same price as in the States/Europe. Anything Japanese is competitively priced, Hondas often a bit cheaper. KTM upto the 790 dukes are similar pricing but anything made in Austria is more expensive due to import tax. Ducati/BMW forget about it. You can get them but pay through the nose for them. I’m just editing a fun video from today’s ride. Should be done and posted mid week. Have a good one and if you’re ever over this way, I’ll be renting some bigger bikes out soon.
@@Tripleb6036 Cheers. My line up; 93 ZX 11 92 CBR 900rr resto mod. 90 GSX-R 1100 restoration. 98 Honda Superhawk ratty fixer upper. 02 ZRX 1200 in green pristine. The KTM. The Black Bike, 87 GS700 with a GS 1150 motor swap rat Mad Max bike. 93 NSR MC21, with the 4 cylinder water cooled RG 500 two stroke motor swap (the only one I know of). There's videos on my channel. I'm not a TH-camr. Just use it as storage for project updates so there's no production quality whatsoever.😏 I've carved my retirement plans in a huge block of cheese rather than stone because things may change. But the Philippines is definitely on the top of the list, on my cheesey list. I haven't done any serious research and on the surface. It doesn't seems feasible to important one of my own bikes but the KTM would be the most practical. Although I'd like to bring 2 or 3 or 8.😆 I got the Sumo for all weather riding. Except for ice or snow. Have to learn to love freezing cold or rain here. Look forward to seeing more videos 👍 Be interested to know how life is living off a bike? As far as grocery shopping, getting goods back and forth, pros and cons. That sort of thing. I've done it out of necessity here in the past when my vehicle broke down and was reduced to a motorcycle for everything. Accessibility to resources in the US is quite different than there. What are the serious concerns for a new arrival intending to live off a bike? I don't mean living ON the bike. Just depending on it for everything. Most people take their scooter for local trips but don't say much about the techniques of getting around skillfully. Again. Rambling 😁
Wow that is some list. I’d love to see that 92 CBR900 RR . That was one of my dream bikes as a kid. I doubt it’s worth importing due to bureaucracy and import taxes. The reality here is that it’s set up for bikes and that’s what most people have. A top box or panniers for shopping. Anything bigger and there is always someone available with a trike or a truck who will be happy to deliver stuff for you for a small fee. I lived here for around 5 years before I bit the bullet and bought a pickup truck and that was only because I have a young daughter.
@@Tripleb6036 I don't think I have a video of the CBR but there's a video of a rolly helmet shelf I built out of scrap parts. It might be shown in that one. Yeah I realize the country built around scooters and multi cabs. There's always that thing "I'd like to get this microwave"( or whatever). Now how do I get this home?? I've seen some of the super sketchy hauling there. Simply can't get away with that here. They'd have helicopters chasing you down for not having the proper number of straps on your load. 😆 Have a great day mate.
I love my 250 Rally in Thailand. The only real shortcoming is I wish it was better for 2 up touring and there are times I wish I had longer fuel range (the 300 holds more gas than the 250). I find the suspension fine for touring but the OEM tires kinda suck.
@@winduncan9818 I meant what would you improve on the Rally to make it better for 2up touring. I agree, the 500x does nothing for me, too heavy to be a lightweight like the rally and not powerful enough to justify that extra weight.
@@Tripleb6036 Honestly, nothing. I'm just looking for a second bike. It's basically a small dual sport, nothings guna change that. That's not a bad thing. Maybe another VStrom??
@@winduncan9818 I’ve got the VStrom 800 DE here. Fantastic bike but haven’t had chance to really ride it a lot yet. I’m hoping to over the next month or two. There a first impressions ride up on my channel.
I had a Duke 390 and a 2015/16 RC 390. The duke wasn’t too bad, the RC felt like it was thrown together out of the parts bin. Kept both for about 6 months in total.
@@Tripleb6036 Besides the loose bolts fresh from the factory, the impossible to find neutral, the traction control always turning itself back on, the mandatory dealer oil changes, it also randomly died at idle (at least 3x a ride). Never riding orange again. I'm red (and blue) for life.
Interesting to hear your comments on the Africa Twin. I really want a Rally but worried that it'll be a bit too slow. I have a Forza 350 and I love it and happy with the speed. I find the AT too fast a lot of the time! Hopefully you've ridden a Forza to compare it too 🙏🏻
I’d never heard of the for a before you mentioned it. Just took a Quick Look and the power stats are fairly similar to the Rally. If you’re not doing motorway miles then I’ve never found the Rally to be underpowered but it depends on your type of riding. I’m not really into speed when I’m riding these kind of bikes, it’s more about the scenery and freedom.
@TripleB6036 awesome, thanks. And one more question, I'm not too big, so do you think I'd need to upgrade the suspension as I always hear? I'm 5' 10" 160 pounds.
@@TexanTemplarI think it depends on the kind of riding you do and how hard you push it. As a presumably new rider at your weight, I think you’ll be fine with the stock suspension with the preload wound up.
Nice Video ! Question, I took one out for a test ride with 0 miles and it didn't seem with enough power and I didn't want to go push it past the 4500 RPMS. however, do you know if the engine starts getting more power as you are going thru the break in period until the first 600 miles ? And are you using the stock tires on the bike for this video ?
It won’t get more power but below 5000rpm as you rode it you wouldn’t really be getting the power. Stock, about 5-8k rpm is where the power is. It’s not a fast bike but it has plenty for the roads here in the Philippines. Yes, I have the stock tires on mine still. They’re fine for the stuff I ride. Not great but not bad either.
If you are in the Philippines then I bought it from Lazada. It’s called a NIWRA Raptor v3. I dont think they’re available internationally although I haven’t checked recently.
How do you see this Honda CRF 300 Rally vs a Honda ADV160? Is this one for long trips/mountain rides and the ADV160 for flat local trips/shopping? Basically, what is your take of the difference between the two and their use cases?
Hi .I use to have a Yamaha WRX 125 which was a very tall bike me being only 5ft6 but I managed to buy a lowering kit and that dropped it by 100mm and that did the job for me .do you happen to know if honda do a kit for there 300 rally
Ah ok. There’s quite a few ways to stay here. If you come in on a tourist visa it’s easy to extend that visa at the local bureau of immigration. I’m actually still doing that although will be getting permanent residency this year as I’m married to a Filipina. Buying a bike here is as simple as finding stock, paying cash (or bank transfer) and showing 2 forms of ID. The hassle comes in that they don’t provide a plate number (registration plate) when you leave the dealer with the bike. You have to wait for it to be registered and then you are sent the documents. This can take anywhere from 1-4 months and technically you’re not road legal until then. I am still waiting on 3 different plate numbers 2 months after buying the bikes. I still ride the bikes locally but if you’re stopped at a police checkpoint it may cause issues such as a fine or confiscation of the bike (unlikely but if you get a police officer having a bad day it’s possible). Stupid system and one they are supposedly changing soon.
How much is the uk price now? I only paid £4250 here. I just checked the exchange rate. The CB500x just doesn’t do anything for me. I guess it’s kind of caught between lightweights and true middleweights.
You’d think so wouldn’t you. The problem I had was ordering it from bikerbitz with a UK card and Philippines delivery address. The website wouldn’t allow it and I received no reply to my email enquiries so gave up. Couldn’t find trustworthy stock locally either.
@@Tripleb6036I think you can find anything you need in Caloocan. That is motorcycle heaven!! Bring your GoPro & make video it’s worth it 💯 Check it out if you’re coming to Luzon/Manila area.
I think it’s really going to depend on the size of the passenger and how much comfort they expect. I’d say it’s ok if the passenger is petite . Average westerner size probably wouldn’t be too good.
It depends. For example, my wife is petite so she fits fine and the Rally handles the roads here well. In the uk with an average western woman on the back I’d think it would struggle.
In my opinion, yes. Theyre lighter, with more power and better off-road. The Suzuki is cheaper here in the Philippines though. Also the Hondas have lots of aftermarket availability.
Hi, ah I’d love to ride the balkans one day. No, I don’t think it would work for two adults. With luggage, my 7 year old daughter and I were ok but it’s not roomy.
@@ivanmaric4752You’re welcome. Your English is fine 👍 Look at Middleweight adventure bikes for two up riding. I just got the Suzuki VStrom 800DE . That would be perfect. Stay tuned for videos on that bike soon.
i ride with my partner, im 78kg with gear and she's 65, can confirm to hit 112kmh on the free way, not too ideal but it works. Just be careful posistioning when your overtaking. doing backroads 2 up with luggage is possible, just ride slow and acknowledge that you dont have the power. If you want you can also change the sprocket gearing to get more torque so that making 2 up riding "better"
I appreciate what you said about "electronics"..... lol, bunch of bULLcH!Te you need a master's degree to operate & WHY? I went to college for Computer Science but that's the last thing I wanna go is look at their packages. All I want is a reliable ride w/ as little bs as possible. I might take the ABS, perhaps since I've not ridden in many years but thanks for the video. Asian Rain, is that rain that goes sideways? Bet it does but I like the approach here >> a man after my own heart. Simple is all I want but the suspension might be a concern, guess I'll watch the rest of the video to see what you say about it? peace
Oh Asian rain comes hard and fast. You literally get soaked going from your house to your truck. Sideways, well if we have a typhoon blowing in sure does.
@@szymondancewicz5064 ah ok. Its just a local brand one from here in the philippines. I've actually removed it now and use the OS soft luggage from Kriega specifically for the Rally.
Do you work for Honda marketing? Have you tried to ride the Rally on interstate with luggage and any sort of incline? Unsafe, impossible to keep up with traffic. Zero roll on power and the bike is running at 100%.
@@tarjasYou are correct sir. 300 cc would seem stout for a scooter like the Yamaha X-Max which will do 80-85MPH but on a heavier rally bike it’s struggling on highways, at least the kind in most 1st world countries
too much plastic and weight for 286cc/22rwhp unless you are Itchy Boot's size. Better off with the 300L with an acerbis tank IMO. Or a DR650 if you can get one.
I don’t rate it as heavy. It’s Very easy to pick up. But of course it depends what you’re comparing it to. I love the look of the headlight. Just shows that we all like different things.
I bought that same bike a month or two ago. And the only thing I'm going to buy is spare tubes and tools to handle on the road fixes. That and some good straps to hold down a dry bag.
How do you find the shock?
A good bag will come with straps , I just got the Rhinowalk Motorcycle Tail Bag 33-45L , is nice.
@@leeinwisI have Rhinowalk 28l soft panniers which are ok apart from the stitching on the top straps doesn’t seem strong enough as it’s pulling apart after only a few uses. I have a Kriega OS system on the way and am looking forward to testing that out soon.
My Rally (250) is 6 years old and has 145,000 trouble-free km - I'll never sell it. I've has all sorts of bikes over the last 40 odd years and the little 250 is one of the best. Like yourself, I live in SE Asia and it's a perfect machine for here. Aboard the Rally, I know I can pretty much go anywhere... That's real freedom.
Totally agree. It’s that freedom to go anywhere or at least feel like you can that makes me love the Rally and L.
90 thousand miles ? doubt , I have a 2018 rally btw
@@leeinwis Yes, 90,000 miles - Oil change every 3,000-3,500km - Still pulls very well - EJK fitted and Akra pipe... Sweet as a nut still
@@AnthonyDonnellyTT I believe you --i sold my Rally 250 two years ago with 70,000km on it. I also changed oil at 4000km. I want to buy another one haha...i have a NX500 now with Road 6's and panniers but need a smaller lighter offroad/light adventure bike again and i truly loved my Rally 250. I think i need to own a 3 bikes or more haha...i own a Honda Click 160 abs and its honestly amazing too--i just need to tweak these bikes to fit me and throw on great tires and i am good to go
@@AnthonyDonnellyTT Wow ! Good to know.
This is the same bike which Itchy Boots used in Africa. If you want to go around the world and not worry about mechanical issues, this is a great choice of bike. Planning to get one when I'm coming home to Cebu soon. Nice video indeed.
Yeh, I’ve seen. And what a beautiful continent Africa is.
It’s perfect for Cebu and the Visayas. I’m really enjoying mine.
Where in Cebu is home for you?
Thanks for commenting.
I got the 300L as my first bike about one month ago, I'm age 30, 6ft 170lbs. Never been on two wheels besides a bicycle which has been 10+ years ago. Took the DMV riding test one week after I bought it and passed with only getting 1 point against me! This buy is the best decision I've ever made, I know it's still new but I don't see myself changing my mind or regretting it!!! I feel it's a great beginner bike, with such potential I don't see myself wishing I had more when I reach a higher skill level. It just WORKS! I'm sure I will buy new parts for it eventually but being new I don't think I would care much about the difference. If you have any doubts about the CRF I'm telling you just go for it.
Sounds like you picked the right bike for you. I’m in the process of modding mine to make it my own. Agree, it never leaves me wanting more.
Sold my 300 rally very recently for financial reasons , kept my versys 650 , looking to buy another rally sometime.
After reflecting on my 3500 kms travelled on the this bike , covering backroads , dirt roads , muddy firetrails , and motorway here in Australia, on a completley stock bike , the bike is the closest to a unicorn adventure bike that exists.
When you are in the Aussie bush riding alone , having a reliable bike , and a bike you can pick up after dropping is mandatory!!!!!
The 300 rally keeps new looking , it doesnt scratch easy.
The only drawback for a 28 inch seam rider is seat height, its centre of gravity is high.
And in certain situations , no matter how good a rider, not being able to touch the ground on uneven surfaces is critical.
If I buy another one , will get it lowered , the S model is grey and orange , I prefer the redblue and white full height version.
Lowering link installed is about $500 , it lowers bike by about 40mm.
On the motorway , if you cruise at 90 km per hour all is good , sometimes 100 to 110 km per hour is ok , if it is not a windy day, but beware the stock knobby tyres are noisy on most road surfaces .
This bike is limited on twisties by its stock tyres , and likewise on sand and gravel.
Finally dont buy this bike if you enjoy. on road adrenaline rush , its not going to do it safely, the 21 inch front wheel and its geometry isnt good for spirited cornering compared to my Versys 650.
Its a bike for exploring , for looking at the scenery spreading all around you …for exploring both back roads and forest, national park trails.
I hit a soft enduro loop just before I sold bike , it handled it , just had to slow down compared to riding a proper off road bike.
By use of the light the clutch you can dart out of corners very easily , its only the soft suspension and tyres that cant handle full blown hard riding .
But remember , if you want to get the heart rate up on bitumen , this is not the bike.
Well said. 👍
So you could say the KLR is a Bush Pig ?😏.
I bought a 300 Rally like a month ago, drove just over 1500km during this time, and it became my favorite bike so far. I usually spend summers travelling on my other bike, big heavy cruisers are great and all, but they don't provide the level of freedom that this thing does. I kinda regret not buying it before my vacations started haha. I never really drove off-road, even when i had a CRF250L a couple of years back, it was just my daily commuter to and from work, but I tried the 300 Rally on some gravel roads and trails yesterday and it was great. Easy to ride, easy to manouver. I don't know, it's just that after years of riding motorcycles weighting 250-350 kg, this feels refreshing.
I agree about the weight. It’s liberating. Sounds like you’re having a great time on your Rally.
I have some trips all over the Philippines planned with a mix of dirt trails and roads. I’ll be posting the videos on here as a series later in the year.
this is the most spot on toughts and conclusion about what this bikeis for and for whom. I saw way too many reviews not getting it right. great video
Thanks. Glad you found it useful.
Great vid, brother! I've been craving one of these for a while now, hard to find in the US. I must have patience, lol. Cheers!
Thanks. Appreciate it. Yeh, it’s a really fun bike if it suits your kind of riding. It works really well for me here.
They're pretty easy to find on Facebook CRF300L/RALLY club pages. Just gotta have patience and cash ready to jump!
All them large capacity bikes are total poop of road it's nice to hear someone like you talking total sence.👍
Thanks. I have way more fun Offroad on my CRF’s than the big bikes.
Also a real bad day if you drop one of those monster beamers with big hard luggage on your leg, especially the exhaust side.
i changed my set up for YSS back and front suspension plus exhaust and ecu/ airbox and cradh bars wow what a massive improvement great review
Thanks. I’ve just done a Yoshimura full system and ECU/air box on my 300L th-cam.com/video/5AhVXICHj7U/w-d-xo.htmlsi=rJj7jQ-VxmiTEUW4 . It definitely opens up the bike
Hey fellow Brit down in Cotabato. You seal the deal for me with the comment about sevicing the CRF against the CB500x. This is so valid and I didnt think it till you said it. This would mean I would have to take a CB to Davao for any major service work, thats 5 hours each way! So CRF Rally will be it, with the money saved going in to the Rally Raid suspension upgrades. Cheers.
Hey,
Glad you found it helpful. Yeh, I hate going up to Cebu city for o do any services so being able to do them locally is a massive bonus and means they get extra maintenance. The rally is so easy to work on I do some work myself too.
I keep thinking I’ve got to plan a trip to Mindanao as everyone else tells me the roads and scenery are great. The rally raid is really good by the way. Definitely worth doing at least the shock.
You can see my thoughts on it in this video th-cam.com/video/IzO5mZv5OTs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1dbiYgiGrVwa3ZiZ
Shout out from Bohol. I am seriously considering this as my first motorcycle. Have been riding all over the Philippines with a Yamaha NMAX 😅
The Nmax is so popular here. If it rides like my adv 160 then the Rally suspension tyres and general handling are a big upgrade. No more spine tingling from hitting bumps in the road.
Really nice bike. More versatile than a scrambler. I have a 90 kg 250 cc 2 stroke ktm, and a 3 hp 50 cc supercub. This would be a great addition for longer trips.
It definitely would.
yes i ride around hua hin 2 hours south from bangkok but there are lots of trails in thailand thanks
Thank you for taking us on your ride around the Philippines . Enjoyed your educational vlog of the Rally 300. My resident is in Apolong Valencia area. Due to your vlog i plan purchase a Rally 300. Do you know of a used Rally ?
Hi Chester,
Thanks for your comment. I used to live in Valencia. Lovely little place. Unfortunately I don’t know of any used ones. Probably best to check Facebook bike groups here like Cebu big bike mercado etc. The Rally is pretty hard to come by here, likely because it’s nearly perfect for the Philippines and the roads here. I rode the Rally on a lovely ride in Negros a few weeks ago. Perhaps you know the road but if not it’s a nice ride . You can see it in this video th-cam.com/video/MxU43P_rx0U/w-d-xo.htmlsi=PEK7tzjvsMiQO8_3
I love that scenery. That coastal road is great.
Yeh it’s a regular little route of mine.
@@Tripleb6036 Looks like a beautiful part of the world.
It is, especially when you can avoid the heat like I did this morning for a ride at 6am.
These are great bikes for everything but freeway travel. Mine is a 2022 and I have been on 2 Backcountry Discovery Routes, Idaho and Washington carrying all my gear with the stock suspension and it did well. I recently put a YSS shock and a K-Tech spring on the front, with heavier oil, and it's like a whole new bike, money well spent and just an easy swap in a few hours work.
I completely agree. Freeway travel would be my only concern if I was in the States or Europe. Luckily I don’t have to deal with those here where the bike has plenty of grunt for almost all conditions.
How do you find the Ktech Spring? I have the Rally raid level 1 shock with the 95nm spring and I’m deciding whether to try and do the cheaper option on the forks or splurge for the Rally raid level 1 forks.
why is it not good for freeway travel?
@@Tripleb6036 why is it not good for freeway travel?
@@peaceforchildren4303assuming freeways are your equivalent of motorways in the uk with a similar speed limit of 70+MPH then the Rally is a little underpowered for those roads.
@@Tripleb6036 The K tech spring upgrade was a Suprise and even better than the rear shock. I put in the 8 Nm, spring which is the lightest of the 3 they offer but is the one they recommended for my weight. I also took out 200 ML. stock oil and replaced with 15wt. fork oil into the compression dampening fork tube and added 10 ML extra to reduce the air volume in the spring tube. In the rebound dampening tube, no spring side, I took out 400 ML. of stock oil and put in exactly what I took out with 30 wt. heavy fork oil. It's amazing. I can now blow through the foot deep whoops and the fork won't pogo or bottom at all. It put a smile on face and will work fine for what the bike is. Cost 150 $. My shock is the YSS 86-105 KG 405 MM short version, and the preload is set soft so I can get my short legs to the ground.
Great review. Thinking of getting one soon.
Thanks. Go for it. It’s a great bike.
I almost bought this bike and the reason I didn't buy it is because I thought the seat was a little uncomfortable and my Filipina wife didn't like sitting on the back of it either so I ended up going with the xr150l which has an absolutely phenomenally comfortable seat and it already comes with a rack and it's carbureted very basic and I can take it anywhere like you were saying which I love because we're always exploring down dirt roads and a bonus it was it's less than half of what the CRF 300L cost
No doubt it’s incredible value. I’ve had the XR125 and 150 here too. The 125 had a few issues with cold starts but nothing a full choke couldn’t solve eventually along with the kick start it had. Great value bikes and perfect for here except a little low on power uphill. I think they’ve just started selling it in the States now too as I’ve seen a couple of reviews pop up on TH-cam.
@@Tripleb6036 yes they started selling them in the states in 2023 the one I have is a Philippines version with a Kickstart yes they're not the best on hills especially when you're riding doubles which I always do I'm looking at getting another bike soon but I'm definitely going to keep the xr150l I'm looking at the dominator 400 not a big Kawasaki fan though but I like the features on the bike especially for the money approximately 3600 dollars
I have some steep and rutty tracks going up to my house.
What I miss in alot of reviews is the overtaking capability which you showed.
A dealer has one in stock a 2 hour drive from here...7800 euros
My 250 rally can do anything on the state/county highway , not interstate highways where people drive 80+ which is crazy fast speeds imho .Course i'm in the states where they push the green crap but raise the speed limit as a oxymoron .
Sounds like the Rally will be a good choice for you. I’m not sure of the pricing in Europe but I know they’re hard to find.
In Sweden they cost aprox 7600 euros (The ABS version, no other version is sold here)...
Living in Hawaii I saw my Harley sportster cause they just simply couldn’t take it off the pavement anywhere and just so many places go exploring not hard-core dirt biking but just go exploring so it seems like the 250 or 300 Honda dual purpose will do the job for me
I think it would.
Great review. Sane and honest.
I must rent it and try it myself. I have currently XT660r, but I'm looking for a new bike that ain't heavy and complicated and this seems to be IT. But it has a half of the power of XT...
Thanks.
Are you in the Philippines?
It’s about 20+ kg lighter than your XT and about 20hp down I think.
I guess it depends on how and where you ride. I don’t miss the power as it still has enough to get going. Obviously it’s way down on power compared to my VStrom 800 but the light weight just makes it that much more fun and nimble to take anywhere that it becomes a non issue. Or maybe I’m just getting old and don’t ride as fast as I used to 😂
@@Tripleb6036 Nono, I live in Czech. It's fact that light enduro bikes makes sense here, only if you willing to ride them little bit illegally let's say... I drive the XT 70% on blacktop, rest ist some dirt roads and stuf like that, no hardcore enduro.
I think about it for some time, and I don't want big complicated bike like T7 or Africa twin, and 690 or 701 are really expensive.
thank you much, video very helpful.
You’re welcome and thanks for your comment.
Thanks man, this is spot on commentary! 👍
Thanks
contemplating on getting this whe n I get back to Iloilo.... :)
Definitely a good choice if the roads are like Cebu.
Is the Honda TransAlp available in the Philippines? In the United States it’s $9,999. Set up as more of a touring bike from the factory but if properly equipped (more aggressive tires) could be an amazing off road bike. 750cc is considered rather stout compared to this 300cc Rally and the suspension is much better so you don’t have to spend another $1,000 to upgrade. It is about $3,800 more but has standard ABS, more than double the power and just looks badass other than the headlight design. Down side, heavier, no cruise control or tubeless tires which is expected at this level of a bike and only gets 48MPG so about 200 miles on a tank. I think the Rally gets over 70MPG and has a bigger tank. It’s a matter of what suits your needs. The TransAlp is a legend in Europe though.
Yes, it’s available and I’ve seen a few in dealers. I tried to buy one from Honda big bikes in Cebu. Was initially told they had stock but after asking a couple of questions about accessories I couldn’t get a reply from their manager so I gave up and bought a VStrom 800DE. Sometimes I’m stunned by the lack of service here, you can’t throw your money at them.
Try changing fork oil to med motul 10w, much better performance
Thanks for the tip. I hopefully have the rally raid shock arriving this week. I’m going to see how that goes and then decide what to do with the forks.
Just done the rally raid shock today. I’ll be testing it out tomorrow.
How it went? @@Tripleb6036
Having the confidence to go somewhere unknown and know that the bike can tackle what it needs to go get to a campsite is what's making me lean towards this bike. Some say its good/bad at 100k/h but there's nothing else on the market to compete with it. I have been thinking about the v-strom 250sx but i think id need to know what id be throwing at it before i take it to uncharted territory. Its very hard to find that 1 bike that will tick all of the boxes. The Suzuki is almost half the price but its worth having that confidence off road with the Honda
Hi Josh,
Thanks for watching. 100kph was fine for me cruising. You can see me doing around that on this video th-cam.com/video/MxU43P_rx0U/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IwcajC0BLnaVkgIq
There was a bit of a cross wind but it handled it fine.
I love the bike and if you look back at the bikes I’ve had, just on this channel you’ll see Ive rode a lot.
I consider the VStrom 250 a road bike to be honest. Sure it’s fine doing dirt roads but I’m also sure the Rally would be better at that too.
I’ve just bought a Rally Raid shock for mine and I think once I’ve fitted that it will be really good for what I want it for here.
Saying that, you might want to watch my video this weekend (probably out on Sunday).
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. The bad thing I found out was from actually watching a 250sx review. The owner said he test rode the crf300 and felt that the front wheel didn't feel planted at 100k/h. This is the first time I've heard this from anybody so I'm not sure what to think tbh aha
I've just got my L's and here in Australia I need to wait 6 months before I can do the test for my P's so I'm stuck to online research until I can actually test ride a bike. I'm considering selling my 4wd and replacing it for whatever bike I end up buying as my car is always empty on camping trips so I think I could get by with downsizing to a bike. Plus the fuel economy of a bike is very tempting.
The offroadability of the vstrom did have me worried but I thought if the crf was bouncing all over the road that I'd be left with no choice if I wanted 1 bike to do it all as everything is a compromise unfortunately. But would 100% prefer the crf as I know the places I want to go buy 100k/h performance is just as important
Thanks for sending me that link, I'll watch it when I get the chance. I'll sub so that I don't miss the upcoming video either. Thanks 🙂
So how does that work in Auz, do L’s allow you to ride upto 125cc or something like that?
I was talking on the video today about how I’m envious of the tracks and dirt you guys have out there. I’d give my right arm to have those available here . I ended up cutting it out of the video as it was getting too long but I watch a lot of Aussie riders on TH-cam. Old man speed, MAD TV and a couple of others.
Thanks for the sub . I’ll be building out both the Rally and the L over this year so might be worth watching to see what would work for you.
The Rally is fine at 100kph in my view but the shock can wallow a bit if the road is undulating. I’m replacing the shock with a Rally Raid one which will sort it out.
We can't exceed 660cc which is pretty generous tbh. My instructor has me on a 125cc suzuki gsx which is pretty approachable. I could buy the crf now and ride that but buying a bike that I can't test ride until I'm with my instructor is a bit of a gamble incase for some reason I find the ergonomics uncomfortable for example. The more experience I get the more informed of decision I can make when it's time to buy a bike
Yeah there's some pretty good places here, I'm on the west coast so I need to be able to ride anywhere from 1-3 hours to get to some of those places but that's a small price to pay
As a 4wd owner, some of tracks have been chewed up by cars with either no skill or incorrect tyre pressures, I think it would be a completely different experience being able to dodge all of the big ruts and choose the easy path on a bike
I have been leaning more towards the L model with an upgraded fuel tank (14L) just purely so I have less plastic on the bike because I know I'm inevitably going to drop it one day and the plastic on the rally will make me want to spend and add more weight with crash bars when the L might not need that
Thanks, I appreciate your honesty about the bike. Hopefully the suspension upgrade does what you hope it will. The consensus seems to be the suspension upgrade turns this bike into the unicorn everybody has been looking for
@@JoshSinnott97ah 660cc is definitely generous.
It sounds like you’re taking everything into consideration so I’m sure you’ll end up with the right bike.
With what you said about the L model, you will definitely be interested in my next video. I was out on the L today and had a blast 🤘
Great points your spot on 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks 👍
What do you think about the stock tank? Would you recommend upgrading to the larger tank if you were traveling cross country or does the stock tank offer enough range? Thanks for this awesome video.
I’m more than happy with the stock tank. It’s enough for a decent days riding for me. You’re heading towards 400km range
I would love to have the ABS model.
It’s not available here. I’m old enough to have grown up before ABS on motorbikes so I don’t mind not having it.
i bought one in thailand good bike and good review
Thanks. How’s the riding in Thailand? Do you have good trails there?
i keep seeing this as like the best beginner bike because it's cheap, reliable and it's easy to learn on which you know i'm all for as being a guy that's gonna get his motorcycle license but i'm also six foot and 290. i don't think this little bike could handle me properly. I could be wrong. A long as it can get 65 on highway without killing the bike haha
Have a look at dork on the road’s (or in the road, I can’t remember) channel as he’s a larger guy and I know he had a rally and rode it all over the place. I’d say it will be fine but he may have a little more insight.
I have a 250l and I'm 210 lbs and have tusk hard bags 3.5 gal fuel tank. You will definitely want to upgrade the springs at minimum everything else will be fine. I can run 70mph all day long.
in Denmark it costs 80.000 danish kroners. Thats 8.950,05 GBP or 11.966,91 USD I think thats an insane amount of money for a small motorcycle.
That’s ridiculous. I paid 31,590 danish kroners for mine. My VStrom 800DE only cost me 3,337 danish Kroner more than the Rally does there 👀 better get a 🚲 in Denmark 🇩🇰 then.
😎👍🇺🇲
(New subscriber)
I think this is the first time I've run across a channel focusing on riding and not drama, cost of living and rentals. Which are helpful info channels, but a bit of a drag.
I've only been to the Phils twice. Didn't get the chance to ride yet. My last trip got all screwed up but was still a lot of fun.
I'm from the PNW Seattle WA area (north of Seattle about 40 miles in Lake Stevens)
Home of one of the few if not only Honda NSR MC21 with a RG 500 powerplant.
Currently running a 21 KTM 690 SMC-R as my commuter. I have a host of early superbikes and something you should be familiar with. A 71 Mini Cooper S 😎
Seems like either of the 300's would work well there. I wonder how long my clutch hand would survive in traffic?
Do you ever have the need to travel on the national highway?
Is it possible to get everywhere you want to go bypassing the highway? It's 400cc or bigger for the highway. Im not familiar with the cost and availability of the bigger bikes or the practicality of owning one in the Phils.
Im 58. I ran a Suzuki DRZ 400 SM for about two years before I recently upgraded to the KTM.
The DRZ was nicely modified with all the goodies. Maybe 40hp, 325ish lbs. Was great fun.
The KTM is 80 hp with all the go-fast bits. 319 lbs empty.
If you've never ridden one. It's an absolute animal. Easily pulls 125 mph and cruises at 85 mph. Right about where the DRZ would tap out.
I know im rambling.
Just wanted to say hi and look forward to seeing more actual motorcycle adventures rather than someone scootering up a long crappy driveway and complaining about the loss of traction 😆
Cheers from Fluffy in the PNW.✌️
Haha comment of the week right here. Love it and made me laugh. The KTM 690 looks like a lot of fun. I’ve never rode one but had the 890R back in the UK for a while. The torque was arm ripping 😁.
The clutch is super light on the CRF’s. No problem at all thanks to the assist on it.
I’m further south on Cebu island so the bike can go on all the roads here. I think you can skip the toll roads/expressway up in Luzon to avoid the 400cc restriction. I’ll be heading up there later this year for some rides so will be able to find out for sure.
Some brand big bikes are available here. I have a Z900, ninja 650 and just picked up a V Strom 800DE . All around the same price as in the States/Europe. Anything Japanese is competitively priced, Hondas often a bit cheaper. KTM upto the 790 dukes are similar pricing but anything made in Austria is more expensive due to import tax. Ducati/BMW forget about it. You can get them but pay through the nose for them.
I’m just editing a fun video from today’s ride. Should be done and posted mid week.
Have a good one and if you’re ever over this way, I’ll be renting some bigger bikes out soon.
@@Tripleb6036
Cheers.
My line up;
93 ZX 11
92 CBR 900rr resto mod.
90 GSX-R 1100 restoration.
98 Honda Superhawk ratty fixer upper.
02 ZRX 1200 in green pristine.
The KTM.
The Black Bike, 87 GS700 with a GS 1150 motor swap rat Mad Max bike.
93 NSR MC21, with the 4 cylinder water cooled RG 500 two stroke motor swap (the only one I know of).
There's videos on my channel. I'm not a TH-camr. Just use it as storage for project updates so there's no production quality whatsoever.😏
I've carved my retirement plans in a huge block of cheese rather than stone because things may change.
But the Philippines is definitely on the top of the list, on my cheesey list.
I haven't done any serious research and on the surface. It doesn't seems feasible to important one of my own bikes but the KTM would be the most practical. Although I'd like to bring 2 or 3 or 8.😆
I got the Sumo for all weather riding. Except for ice or snow. Have to learn to love freezing cold or rain here.
Look forward to seeing more videos 👍
Be interested to know how life is living off a bike? As far as grocery shopping, getting goods back and forth, pros and cons. That sort of thing.
I've done it out of necessity here in the past when my vehicle broke down and was reduced to a motorcycle for everything.
Accessibility to resources in the US is quite different than there.
What are the serious concerns for a new arrival intending to live off a bike? I don't mean living ON the bike. Just depending on it for everything.
Most people take their scooter for local trips but don't say much about the techniques of getting around skillfully.
Again. Rambling 😁
Wow that is some list. I’d love to see that 92 CBR900 RR . That was one of my dream bikes as a kid.
I doubt it’s worth importing due to bureaucracy and import taxes.
The reality here is that it’s set up for bikes and that’s what most people have. A top box or panniers for shopping. Anything bigger and there is always someone available with a trike or a truck who will be happy to deliver stuff for you for a small fee. I lived here for around 5 years before I bit the bullet and bought a pickup truck and that was only because I have a young daughter.
@@Tripleb6036
I don't think I have a video of the CBR but there's a video of a rolly helmet shelf I built out of scrap parts.
It might be shown in that one.
Yeah I realize the country built around scooters and multi cabs.
There's always that thing "I'd like to get this microwave"( or whatever). Now how do I get this home??
I've seen some of the super sketchy hauling there. Simply can't get away with that here.
They'd have helicopters chasing you down for not having the proper number of straps on your load.
😆
Have a great day mate.
Bruuuuh can't find one under 7k USD in Cambodia (also in Southeast Asia). Or under 4k for older 250 rally. New or used
Ah that sucks as I bet it would be the perfect bike for over there.
The 250 rally is still a good bike.. get one
I love my 250 Rally in Thailand. The only real shortcoming is I wish it was better for 2 up touring and there are times I wish I had longer fuel range (the 300 holds more gas than the 250). I find the suspension fine for touring but the OEM tires kinda suck.
What would make it better for two up touring in your opinion?
@@Tripleb6036 IMO the 500x, though I find it a boring bike.
@@winduncan9818 I meant what would you improve on the Rally to make it better for 2up touring.
I agree, the 500x does nothing for me, too heavy to be a lightweight like the rally and not powerful enough to justify that extra weight.
@@Tripleb6036 Honestly, nothing. I'm just looking for a second bike. It's basically a small dual sport, nothings guna change that. That's not a bad thing. Maybe another VStrom??
@@winduncan9818 I’ve got the VStrom 800 DE here. Fantastic bike but haven’t had chance to really ride it a lot yet. I’m hoping to over the next month or two. There a first impressions ride up on my channel.
I agree those low end KTMs are crud. I had a brand new Adventure 390 and couldn't get rid of it fast enough.
I had a Duke 390 and a 2015/16 RC 390. The duke wasn’t too bad, the RC felt like it was thrown together out of the parts bin. Kept both for about 6 months in total.
@@Tripleb6036 Besides the loose bolts fresh from the factory, the impossible to find neutral, the traction control always turning itself back on, the mandatory dealer oil changes, it also randomly died at idle (at least 3x a ride). Never riding orange again. I'm red (and blue) for life.
Interesting to hear your comments on the Africa Twin. I really want a Rally but worried that it'll be a bit too slow. I have a Forza 350 and I love it and happy with the speed. I find the AT too fast a lot of the time! Hopefully you've ridden a Forza to compare it too 🙏🏻
I’d never heard of the for a before you mentioned it. Just took a Quick Look and the power stats are fairly similar to the Rally. If you’re not doing motorway miles then I’ve never found the Rally to be underpowered but it depends on your type of riding. I’m not really into speed when I’m riding these kind of bikes, it’s more about the scenery and freedom.
Would you consider this to be a good first bike? I just got my license and contacted my local dealer about getting one. Great video.
I’d consider it a fantastic first bike. I’d have killed for one of these when I got my first bike years ago.
@TripleB6036 awesome, thanks. And one more question, I'm not too big, so do you think I'd need to upgrade the suspension as I always hear? I'm 5' 10" 160 pounds.
@@TexanTemplarI think it depends on the kind of riding you do and how hard you push it. As a presumably new rider at your weight, I think you’ll be fine with the stock suspension with the preload wound up.
Is it good choice as daily for a crowded city ? Unfortunately only hard roads in area :( So no offroad.
I think for daily commutes in the city it would be fine but there are probably better choices.
Nice Video ! Question, I took one out for a test ride with 0 miles and it didn't seem with enough power and I didn't want to go push it past the 4500 RPMS. however, do you know if the engine starts getting more power as you are going thru the break in period until the first 600 miles ? And are you using the stock tires on the bike for this video ?
It won’t get more power but below 5000rpm as you rode it you wouldn’t really be getting the power. Stock, about 5-8k rpm is where the power is. It’s not a fast bike but it has plenty for the roads here in the Philippines.
Yes, I have the stock tires on mine still. They’re fine for the stuff I ride. Not great but not bad either.
Hello!!! Ive got a question, which top case are you using??
Ive been looking for one like this for a while.
Thank you
If you are in the Philippines then I bought it from Lazada. It’s called a NIWRA Raptor v3. I dont think they’re available internationally although I haven’t checked recently.
You mentioned Rally Raid suspension. Is it available in the Philippines?
I had to import it direct from the uk. Took 5-6 days to arrive.
How do you see this Honda CRF 300 Rally vs a Honda ADV160? Is this one for long trips/mountain rides and the ADV160 for flat local trips/shopping? Basically, what is your take of the difference between the two and their use cases?
I’ve never taken a close look at the ADV 160 as it’s a scooter in my eyes. Ok around town I’m sure but why not just get a cheap scooter for that.
Much Enjoyment 👍😎
Indeed.
Which part of cebu island is this? The roads are crappier than I remember.
Central Cebu. I chose back tracks on purpose as they’re more fun.
Hi .I use to have a Yamaha WRX 125 which was a very tall bike me being only 5ft6 but I managed to buy a lowering kit and that dropped it by 100mm and that did the job for me .do you happen to know if honda do a kit for there 300 rally
I’m really not sure to be honest. I’d expect there something available though as it’s a popular bike.
U move to Philippines as PR dy? Nice video bro
Thanks. Whats PR dy?
@@Tripleb6036 permanent residential? Or just visiting for work? Is it easy for us expats to buy bike there
Ah ok. There’s quite a few ways to stay here. If you come in on a tourist visa it’s easy to extend that visa at the local bureau of immigration. I’m actually still doing that although will be getting permanent residency this year as I’m married to a Filipina.
Buying a bike here is as simple as finding stock, paying cash (or bank transfer) and showing 2 forms of ID. The hassle comes in that they don’t provide a plate number (registration plate) when you leave the dealer with the bike. You have to wait for it to be registered and then you are sent the documents. This can take anywhere from 1-4 months and technically you’re not road legal until then. I am still waiting on 3 different plate numbers 2 months after buying the bikes. I still ride the bikes locally but if you’re stopped at a police checkpoint it may cause issues such as a fine or confiscation of the bike (unlikely but if you get a police officer having a bad day it’s possible). Stupid system and one they are supposedly changing soon.
Yeah you are correct"more fun in the philippines😂@@Tripleb6036
Have you seen the UK price for the Rally? It costs almost as much as a new CB500X, which is mad
How much is the uk price now? I only paid £4250 here. I just checked the exchange rate. The CB500x just doesn’t do anything for me. I guess it’s kind of caught between lightweights and true middleweights.
Honestly that bike shouldn't even be considered a dual sport at all. It's a street bike.
@@Tripleb6036£6500
Wouldn't the YSS shock be a lot less expensive where you are?
You’d think so wouldn’t you. The problem I had was ordering it from bikerbitz with a UK card and Philippines delivery address. The website wouldn’t allow it and I received no reply to my email enquiries so gave up. Couldn’t find trustworthy stock locally either.
@@Tripleb6036I think you can find anything you need in Caloocan.
That is motorcycle heaven!!
Bring your GoPro & make video it’s worth it 💯
Check it out if you’re coming to Luzon/Manila area.
Did you buy the Honda CRF 300 Rally in the Philippines? What is the Philippines price?
Hi, yes I bought it here in the Philippines. List price is 309,000 pesos.
How about the passenger seat? It is comfortable to the passenger?
I think it’s really going to depend on the size of the passenger and how much comfort they expect.
I’d say it’s ok if the passenger is petite . Average westerner size probably wouldn’t be too good.
would the rally be good for touring for two? I want a bike that's versatile enough to go anywhere but most of my rides are with the missus on highways
It depends. For example, my wife is petite so she fits fine and the Rally handles the roads here well. In the uk with an average western woman on the back I’d think it would struggle.
Hahahahha
They are about $8,400 here in California brand new
That’s over $3000 more than I paid for it 👀
Why is that
@@lifeisoptions8403 I’m guessing state taxes are high in California.
@@Tripleb6036 that makes sense damn , what’s top speed on this bad boy for a 100 kilo dude
@@lifeisoptions8403 it’s about 130-135kph (just over 80mph). But cruising at 70mph relatively comfortably.
Is the CRF300L/RALLY better than the Suzuki Vstrom 250SX?
In my opinion, yes. Theyre lighter, with more power and better off-road. The Suzuki is cheaper here in the Philippines though. Also the Hondas have lots of aftermarket availability.
That Bike will run forever
Fingers crossed 🤞
Is it roomy for 2/up ride..I m 180cm 100kg..my vife is 168 70kg...with new rear shock ofcourse?? Hello from balkan europe
Hi, ah I’d love to ride the balkans one day. No, I don’t think it would work for two adults. With luggage, my 7 year old daughter and I were ok but it’s not roomy.
@@Tripleb6036 thanks bro 👍 Filipines are like paradise...sorry,my engl is 🫠🤣
@@ivanmaric4752You’re welcome. Your English is fine 👍 Look at Middleweight adventure bikes for two up riding. I just got the Suzuki VStrom 800DE . That would be perfect. Stay tuned for videos on that bike soon.
i ride with my partner, im 78kg with gear and she's 65, can confirm to hit 112kmh on the free way, not too ideal but it works. Just be careful posistioning when your overtaking. doing backroads 2 up with luggage is possible, just ride slow and acknowledge that you dont have the power. If you want you can also change the sprocket gearing to get more torque so that making 2 up riding "better"
I appreciate what you said about "electronics"..... lol, bunch of bULLcH!Te you need a master's degree to operate & WHY? I went
to college for Computer Science but that's the last thing I wanna go is look at their packages. All I want is a reliable ride w/ as
little bs as possible. I might take the ABS, perhaps since I've not ridden in many years but thanks for the video. Asian Rain, is
that rain that goes sideways? Bet it does but I like the approach here >> a man after my own heart. Simple is all I want but the
suspension might be a concern, guess I'll watch the rest of the video to see what you say about it? peace
Oh Asian rain comes hard and fast. You literally get soaked going from your house to your truck. Sideways, well if we have a typhoon blowing in sure does.
@@Tripleb6036 hey there, I was having fun w/ you since you were having fun making the video....
Do you remember me sir Triple B
I do. How are you?
@@Tripleb6036 i doing good sir triple b 🙏 thank you now im working at Team Graphitee thank you lord 🙏
@@genzismiranda4846that’s awesome. I may need some helmets and jerseys soon 😁
what is your trunk on this motorbike ?
Trunk?
@@Tripleb6036 i mean the box on back where you put your stuff :p
@@szymondancewicz5064 ah ok. Its just a local brand one from here in the philippines. I've actually removed it now and use the OS soft luggage from Kriega specifically for the Rally.
It’s the best all-around (interstate to trail) bike there is.
Think I’d have to agree
Do you work for Honda marketing? Have you tried to ride the Rally on interstate with luggage and any sort of incline? Unsafe, impossible to keep up with traffic. Zero roll on power and the bike is running at 100%.
@@tarjasLOL!
@@Matt-xi8zr agree. Interstate and Rally, or any other 250 class, is a hoot.
@@tarjasYou are correct sir. 300 cc would seem stout for a scooter like the Yamaha X-Max which will do 80-85MPH but on a heavier rally bike it’s struggling on highways, at least the kind in most 1st world countries
It has no power, can get a drz400 even a dr650 that weighs the same or 20lbs more, a lot more bike and proper power.
DRZ is great but it’s not available in a lot of countries. I wish they’d release an updated one.
Both those bikes are still carburated right?
way way cheaper than a car I am saving up for a xr150l or this one I don't like highways or interstates
Definitely and much more fun too.
I had an xr150l. It’s excellent value.
too much plastic and weight for 286cc/22rwhp unless you are Itchy Boot's size. Better off with the 300L with an acerbis tank IMO. Or a DR650 if you can get one.
The 300L with Acerbis tank was my initial plan but at the time found it too hard to get the parts where I am.
Don't agree, I own the 250 rally and weight 190 lbs , that plastic keeps alot of weather off off you, as well as engine heat.
@@leeinwis Until you drop it off road then it is $$$.
9790€ here in Finland not cheap 😅
Wow, that’s expensive. Not a chance I’d pay that for it!
I have mine ,but i can't ride it😂😂
Why not? 👀
@@Tripleb6036 too big🤣
the mtorbike is heavy thats the cons and very ugly odd headlight!
I don’t rate it as heavy. It’s Very easy to pick up. But of course it depends what you’re comparing it to.
I love the look of the headlight. Just shows that we all like different things.