Having a mid life crisis, i couldn't afford a Corvette. So I got a crf300l. I'm 51 I havent been on a bike since I was 20. I absolutely love this bike. I can ride it to town or hammer it down a minimum maintenance road. It has all the power I need for now. So far the soft suspension hasn't been a problem. However the more experienced I get i can see that there will be some upgrades in the future.
Dam, I'm 62, had bikes growing up, and a couple of road bikes but haven't had one for 20yrs. So I got a 300crf l, best thing I ever did! Don't care anymore about getting Air, I'm 62! Just love getting out in the desert outside of Kingman AZ, and I don't have far to go!
51 is not mid-life. You see many 102 year olds around? You are nearing average life expectancy for males in some eastern european countries! Congratulations with the bike, I see it is a good purchase and this reliable and versatile bike will bring much joy.
@@alexanderwhite8320bruh, then by your definition of midlife crisis you’d have to be late 20’s early 30’s to experience one. Anyway that wasn’t the point of his comment that you felt you had to address with your most intellectual and superior knowledge. The average age range in which someone may experience what is called a midlife crisis is 40-60.
@@cantwheelie_rob I still disagree that 40-60 is mid-life. 40 might be mid-life for some miracle countries where male life expectancy is over 80 years but no way 60years is mid-life! Peope do not live routinely to 120 years! Usually males in my country start dropping dead in late 40s from cancer or drunken accidents, or in early 50s from heart related problems, alcoholism induced cirrhosis or any other deadly things. Few who lived boring and healthy lives usually get cancelled by cancer in early to mid 60s. So mid-life indeed is late 20s or early 30s. What You mean is usually oh-I-wasted-my-life crisis near the useful lifespan of a human being. Too complicated topic on a video about motorbike...
@@alexanderwhite8320 bro what I’m saying is midlife crisis doesn’t literally mean a crisis in the middle of your life span. Midlife crisis is an emotional state and lack of self confidence to a feeling of getting older, not as young anymore. That’s what that means. Some people feel that way earlier on and some feel it pretty late. It’s not a literal sense of the word.
No need to apologize for not taking the bike off-road, I appreciate your honesty. You are smart to ride the bike to your comfort level. There will be plenty of time later to do an off-road evaluation if you wish.
Absolutely love my 2023 CRF300L! Got it in Nov., out of town, as these are in short supply here in CA. I've owned 18 different bikes over the years, street, dirt, and dual sport. My fav's have always been dual sports, and this is by far and away the nicest I've ridden. Got the lowered seat right away from SRC Moto, as it's a tall bike and I'm only 5'7". Though some complain that the suspension is soft, which it is, it's perfect for me and my 150 lbs. and soaks up bumps that other bikes would catch air on. Handles beautifully, has plenty of power for me, shifts smoothly and feels very comfortable. Love the dash too with fuel gage, gear indicator, mpg, and the other usual features. I also love how light it is, barely 300 lbs., which is huge in keeping it under control and less likely to tip over! Also have been averaging a steady 68-70 mpg!
I’m the same height as you but about 40-50 lbs heavier. Do you think with the soft suspension I’d need to lower it at all or would it sink heavily enough under my weight?
I did around 40.000 miles now on mine, also with my wife for weekend trips, this is the first bike that puts a big grin on my face even after all the miles and after all my years spending tons of money on competing enduro and mx i can still say this bike's good enough for me and more, good review, it is what it is👍
Been riding all things Honda for four decades. From Goldwings to the XR650L. I haven't ridden in over ten years. Got very lucky and picked up a '23 Rally. I have about 425 miles on it since July 10th. I love this bike! Let me also say that you are the first reviewer that has mentioned vibrations on the throttle grip. It was very numbing on a 100 mile jaunt. Other than that, this will be my forever bike. Thanks and subbed.
I have a 2021 model. I've been pretty happy with it. It does have some shortcomings, the factory tires have a pretty loud harmonic at highway speeds so you'll want to change tires according to your use case. The gas tank is small if you're on the highway, a touch over 100 miles including reserve. I've gotten 50-55 mpg running flat out 70-80mph. It gets mid 60s on the slower backroads. The suspension is soft, the bike just floats over anything. I routinely hop curbs straight on at 20-30 mph and it doesn't even blink. Power delivery starts to fall off above 9k rpm and it starts getting buzzy then as well. The wind also has a very large impact on this, being tall, light and a smidge underpowered. 1-5 is geared very well for the power. I've taken it through sand, gravel, grass, mud and dirt roads. Its a solid bike that won't win any races but it'll get you where you need to go and show you an easy going good time on the way. Very happy with mine.
I don’t plan on going on the highway with this. I got it to open up all the dirt roads north of my location, and there are a lot!! Thanks for commenting!
I used to own the 250 version & loved it. Also owned a PCX. Those were my fav bikes, much more so than any of the bigger more expensive ones. Question for you.... I want a new bike this Spring for a 20 mile commute (each way... a mix of freeway, urban & heavy city traffic), for grocery shopping & for general messing around on... What order of preference would you personally put the following 4 bikes in if you were choosing for yourself for the above suggested usage? * PCX 125 (I'm in Europe so no 160 here 😰) * CRF 300 L * ADV 350 * Forza 350
1:48 Clutch engagement has nothing to do with the slipper clutch. A slipper clutch is when you downshift from 5th to 4th at speed and an internal mechanism allows the rear wheel to spin faster than the selected gear ratio will allow preventing rear wheel lockup.
@@GasWorksISO The original commenter put a time stamp, but here you go: (while demonstrating slow speed take off and clutch engagement from a stop, NOT downshifting under high revs) you stated, "... when you start out on this bike and get moving and things it just feels really well, like it's so refined... like Honda really really did a good job with the slipper clutch in this thing. It's just so smooth....". Hopefully that points it out!
I was simply pointing out the slipper clutch is nice. Didn’t think anyone would pick apart the verbiage I used. Had I simply said the clutch was nice, without saying slipper, I’m sure a lot of people would point out that it is a slipper clutch…lol Can’t get a break with you guys…😆
Thank you for a good honest review. As we all know, a lot of youtubers in the motorcycle world get paid by the manufacturer to review their products. That makes their review tainted. I appreciate your honesty.
thanks dude, planning on getting one of these soon as a second horse in the stable, something simple and reliable with a bit of off road capability. Seems ideal.
I got the 2023 Rally version and it's fantastic ! I used to have an 1000CC africa twin and it was just too heavy off road. Now I have a tiger sport for my commutes and the 300 Rally for exploring and hoolingan riding on the road and off road and it's just fantastic
I got a used 2017 CRF 250L a couple years ago as a first bike after realizing how difficult it would be to get a Trail 125. I've loved having it for around town and some minor dirt road shortcutting. Took it to an OHV park once and that was a huge learning experience being a new rider overall. Recommend a couple things - grips (the protaper pillowtops are popular although I got a set of progrip 714) and handguards (the OEM ones aren't great in tip overs or if you end up punching a tree - arcerbis zeta, and tusk are the goto ones - look for ones that wrap around and tie into the bar ends). Last thing that i really enjoy for use around town is a Mosco Moto Reckless panier set (i have the 10L kit).
Yes sir great bike! Love mine! 67 years old! I put a seat concepts seat on mine! Dunlop 606 on the back and a MT21 Perrelli on the front! Flashed ECU! It's a little tiger! On and off road! Quick. and nimble!
I had one for 6 months found it boring after a while didn’t put a smile on my face so sold it and brought a KTM690 now that puts a smile on you face and yes it has been very reliable
So .. the snag with the 690 is that it can “overlap” ! What do I mean ? several of us have two or three bikes ! The 690 overlaps with our GS RT or bigger bike
great video . by the way according to honda manual the 5th gear is 1 :1.15 and 6th gear is 1:0.925 - even less than 1:1 . real cruise gear . so it will give 24% more cruising speed in given rpm . there are 2 reduction gears of 2.8 so i calculated about 47mph cruising speed at 3000 RPM for 6th gear. 3000 X60 divide 0.925 divide 2.8 divide 2.8 X 2 X 3.1415 X 21 divide 63360 = 47 mph . (3000=rpm, 3.1415=pai, 2.8 - reduction gear primary and secondary , 21 = radius back wheel inch,63360 inch to miles conversion)
I have a Tenere 700 but getting it in the back of my truck is a 2 guy deal or I need a level loading and unloading spot . So I am looking at either a TW200 or possibly the rally version of this bike or better yet the low seat height version . Nice to be able to load a 300 ish pound bike as opposed to one pushing 480 with all the extra stuff on it .
This here is what I would like but I would have to upgrade some things shocks etc, but it would be nice to commute around town and hit a few trails, a lot of us don't have a truck and a trailer to haul to the trails 👍 thanks for the video and be safe everyone 🙏
I’m finding the rear shock isn’t as bad as everyone is claiming. I don’t plan on jumping the bike, dirt roads and light trails are where I’ll be riding.
These are great utility bikes. Short of transcontinental trips on the slab, they can do it all. Perfect commuter bike and local traveler for small-town riders. My CRF250L has that same organic, machine-with-a-soul feeling as the old VW bug. They are also pretty good on the trail for a heavy dual sport. Easy maintenance and engineered to death so you can ride one of these for years without any major problems.
I live in Thailand in a village with tarmac/concrete and loose gravel roads and I looked at buying a CRF300L. I then looked at the Honda CB300R that has the same strong engine but much better for road use and purchased that.
I have a 2010 BMW F800GS, a '97 Honda XL400V TransAlp, a 2010 Zongshen ZSM200 and a 2015 Honda XR150L. The 2 bigger bikes are mainly used for guided adventure rides, while the smaller ones for beginner rider training but the li'll Honda is used for everything, while also my personal daily commuter since retiring. Best of all, being well used and all of them needing some minor diy attention when purchased - the total sum I paid for all 4 of them here in South Africa, was less than the price of a new Honda 125 Monkey bike! Being slightly vertically challenged, I wish I could afford the new Honda CRF300LS.
Great review, thanks for that! I am considering to buy a CRF 300 L myself and I plan to use it mainly onroad, very rarely I will travel on gravel roads. Here on YT I heard about the story of the bike sometimes stalling in gear 1 without no reason. Did you experience this too? Thanks for your feedback!
I love this bike it’s so easy to ride it looks great runs great cheep to buy reliable what more do you want for your money to many go to technical just get on it and ride I’m 66 that’s what I do 😊
Many who buy this bike complain about the lack of power and soft suspension and spend money "upgrading." The truth is that a so-called performance exhaust will do nothing without a fuel controller to increase fuel delivery, and the returns are minimal, except saving a few pounds. The suspension is calibrated for a body weight of around 160 lbs, thus the complaints fron those in the 200 plus region, which included myself. After loosing 45 lbs the bike was completely different and it cost nothing, the performance gained is incredible, in both the acceleration and suspension. The engine is way over square, thus needs to be kept above 5000rpm under load especially in the higher gears, 6500 to 8000 is where the power is, dropping off after that. Lugging around at lower revolutions will cause wear on the thrust side of the piston, it needs to be revved to ensure longevity, which may sound counter intuitive, but its not. My advice is to leave it stock, if additional performance is needed, and you are carrying a few extra pounds, loose those first before wasting money on performance modifications, the health benefits are an added bonus. A stock machine is also easier to sell should that ever be the case, kind of like a custom tailored jacket is tailored to one person, so meaningless as a sales pitch.
@GasWorksISO Have you adjusted the pre load of the existing spring to your body weight and measured the sag? Springs are available, which have a higher compression rating, whilst using the existing shock, should the need be, but may unbalance the front to rear bias.
Mine has a jerky throttle in first gear making sharp right hand turns from a stopped condition very difficult unless some rear brake and clutch are carefully applied.
I hear the slipper clutch wears out rather quickly. Is that a trade off for the ease of use? I've seen a few videos where owner's swap out the original clutch for a non slipper version to enhance longevity. Have you experienced this phenomenon?
If anyone is curious, I put off the 550 icu upgrade on my Rally for 1600 miles, now I wish I would had done it a long time ago. Power delivery is so much smoother and consistent. Plus the motor runs a bit cooler, and since it’s running slightly richer, I believe it’s better for it over all. I just don’t understand why it doesn’t come this way in stock form. My buddy has the L model that’s still stock, he noticed such an improvement, he’s upgrading his. We’re running stock exhaust, to keep it quiet, with a simple air box mod. I would imagine an upgraded exhaust would make a hella big difference, I just don’t want a loud bike.
I’ve been reading mixed reviews of the 550 mod. Some say it makes the throttle smoother and others say it does nothing. I may try it out after I get the bike broke in.
@@GasWorksISO yeah, that’s why I didn’t do it straight out the gate. I wanted to get a few miles on it, and really get to know it before I started modifying it. But I can’t see why anyone would complain about, it’s nothing but noticeable improvement. I pull away from my buddy in 2nd and 3rd gear on his stock bike like it’s a completely different bike. It’s not that it’s faster, it just pulls through the gears more consistently, if that makes any sense. And I’ve talked to people that have been running it for 5k miles now, and they have never experienced any problems with it. And if I ever do decide to upgrade the exhaust, they will reflash it for free, I just pay the shipping. It’s been one of my favorite upgrades so far.
@@johnharris7756 did you do a full exhaust, or just a muffler? I heard that most aftermarket headers are a little bit heavier than stock... Which one did you get? How much louder is it?
Full exhaust, it’s louder but I don’t think it’s too loud, I like it! If you are worried about too much noise you may not want to change tho. Just depends. I like the dirtbike sound
On the topic of the seat, especially as you're going to be learning offroad on this thing: if you don't intend to take a pillion on this thing, take the strap off the seat. It has a tendency to attack your... undercarriage... as you slide forward and back to shift your weight while seated. 💀
the CRF250 was a mulligan. The CRF300 is an instant classic and will likely run as long as the XR650L in worldwide production. Its a great 1 finger clutch that does not have the issues of a hydraulic. The engine is bulletproof and the cockpit is perfect. In a head to head race with the same size displacement KTM or Husky, using a full tank of 87 Octane fuel, the Honda was faster, more reliable, and covered a greater distance.
I’m 68, weigh close to 300 lbs, ride a HD Road King that weighs a thousand pounds, and just retired. I just moved to the foot of the Appalachians and would like to do some gravel roads and mountain pig trails (small, winding, paved ). The RK is a bit big, especially when I hit wet leaves. Would this be a good choice?
Would you recommend this bike or the Versys X-300 for a new rider? I live in a city, and it takes a while to get to the dirt, so on-road/off-road ratio is probably 80/20.
hard suspension doesn't buck you - it is a lack of rebound compression (shock is rising too fast) and also not enough high speed compression (shock has been allowed to get too low too fast)that bucks you adjustable suspension isn't hard either unless you wind everything clockwise and then add a spring that is 2 x your required rate better suspension just is, there is no 2 ways about it - the crf has the most basic rear end since a 100 dollar pitbike - having control over rebound alone changes a bike, adding comp adjusters is next level not just for you, your confidence and skills, but for the bike too a learner SHOULD worry about better suspension, learning on CRF is dangerous in comparison to a learner on a ktm for example, if a user hits several whoops in a trail on a crf they are likely going over the bars and off to the hospital - seen it 3 times this year - the lucky ones just get bucked left right up down and get smashed bollox and end up having zero confidence your choice
I honestly thought they would be pretty similar, but they’re quite different. The Honda is way more nimble, and easier off road, but the Versys is more stable on the highway and holds 2x the fuel…. Can’t say which I like better…
Thank you man, I'm planning to buy one for highways, I was afraid of these points. Think I'm gonna get the 250 ktm adv. Versys is much more expensive than both in my country.
The XR400 was a much better dirt bike. Better handling , better power and much better suspension as was the XR250R. The brakes on my CRF300L need to be cleaned and bled from the get go. Both my calipers were stuck on the pivots and the front brake was dragging. Tie your front brake lever to the handle bar over night and your front brake will be excellent.
@@user-se7vt5ow4e thank you. You've just answered my question, 30 yrs and they've made a very complex bike that will never stand up to an XR in reliability and what you've mentioned.
not many on road reviews. First bike for me, dealer fresh '23 rally, so rare I had to jump on it. Id rather learn a dual sport on road then build skills on my hilly farm yard than build bad habits on say the GZ250 I tested on. Plus Im 5_11 & pretty lite.
*I have no idea what i’m doing off road* 🤔… but you post comments about it’s off road ability!! Sir… I liked your video. Your commentary and photography is good. But let’s be clear that bike is a road bike dressed up as an off road bike ! It cannot go off road without better suspension and a change of tyres .
It is a good bike but it's ruined by weak suspension. I also thought it was comfortable on the road at first. On a dirt road, even at a modest speed, the rear shock bottoms out easily and sends a nasty kick through the frame. I weigh about 100kg/220lb fully kitted with a helmet. I can't imagine how bad riding two-up would be. You really have to add an aftermarket shock and upgraded fork springs to the purchase price.
the klx300 is a crf300l with good suspension. honda gets away with a worse product because "Honda". kawasaki is forced to give you a better product because "Honda"
They’re both good bikes, the Honda needs a better rear shock, and the Kawasaki needs a better instrument cluster. One can be changed, the other cannot.
@@ih8momjokes1 I like the KLX but as am only 5'10 and a somewhat inexperienced rider (95kg/210lbs) the higher seat concerns me. Am intending primarily to do back road riding and just a little trail riding. Would appreciate feedback on the matter. Sure would be nice to spend less $$$. Clearly the KLX has superior suspension.
@@GasWorksISO Thats annoying as hell. In the video, you had to move it to see the dash at least twice. I just can't seem to get over that. I had a yamaha dirtbike and it didn't have that. So strange to run a brake line across the dash. I don't think I have ever seen that setup before.
Im quickly finding out that this Honda makes more sense than a 600lb. "adventure" bike that cost $25,000. They weigh far too much for deep mud or sand and end up going down....and many riders begin to realize their frustration with them.
how are you going to learn to ride dirt if you don't go ride dirt? Watching some videos can help, but... you'll only learn when you actually ride dirt. Don't worry too much, it's not that complicated and this bike is good at that.
Can’t learn off road jus have to do its way easier than road bikes it’s got lots of room for mistakes without totaling it out or jacking costly parts get over it being new an jus go head an drop-thro it down on purpose so you get over it cause once you scratch gouge or crack the plastic you don’t worry bout it you realize it’s expected on a dirt bike an plastic is cheap now get off road an learn something n have some damn funn
Isnt this the bike that Itchy Boots is riding through Africa? Or a very similar model. I would love an offroad capable bike. I remember how many reviews said the fat boy was so hard to handle and muscle around a corner, and it's terrible at riding twisty roads, and it's only good for comfy distance, and that a road king would be better. Reviews didnt tell me much about how it would make me feel, and how much people didnt know what they were doing when they test rode the bike. When I ride my Fat Boy its easy to tip into a corner and sling it around and its a blast. I ride twisty roads so much on it my front tire's shoulder is already down to the wear bars at 7200miles, meanwhile the center tread is more than a few thousand miles left. After looking back at the reviewers I noticed something, they said it was hard to ride because they didnt know what they were riding and what made the bike easy and fun in the corners. Reviews didnt tell me that it fit my riding style really well, but didnt fit theirs. Im glad I didnt listen to them.
@@GasWorksISO I thought I recognized that bike. Seems like a pretty reliable choice. though someone did burn the hell out of her clutch a few episodes ago and the entire clutch system had to be rebuilt.
OK, about the elephant in the room. Its Honda for crist sake, probably some of the best engineers in the world and they cant put that facockamamy cable that's across the instrument cluster in a better friggen place?
I watched this to get someone elses thoughts on this bike. This is my second dual sport, first being a a suzuki sp250 that I still have and absolutely love. I got this bike new and use it for mostly road and light offroad. I save the crazy old mining roads you find up here in the rocky mountains for the 1986 suzuki, the honda is an amazing bike but for a few reasons ill list here I prefer it on the technical stuff. Almost everything about this bike is positive, except for a few minor complaints, on mine atleast. First, the clutch is so hard to get used to. Mine doesnt grab until its almost all the way back in so I end up revving the bike while I let the clutch out expecting it to grab and it doesnt. Second, the gear shifter gets stuck. Minor annoyance, but offroad it gets very annoying, even if its pretty rare. I click down into a lower gear and sometimes it goes down and then gets stuck so it wont come back up, now im between gears and cant do anything until I tap it with my foot and it clicks back where its supposed to go. Now last, and for me most annoying. You give it any throttle it jerks forward, you let off the throttle it jerks again. Its really hard to be smooth with this thing at low speeds. Now all that being said, its one heck of a good bike, especially for the price and I don't regret buying it for a second
Sounds like you should adjust the clutch. Mine engages very close to the grip. I do agree about the jerky throttle at low speeds, if the clutch is fully engaged. My work around is using 2nd gear for the slow stuff unless you need 1st, and staying in the friction zone. Also, I try to shift up to 4th as soon as its not going to lug the motor. I spent some time really studying how Itchy Boots rides hers. She keeps hers in the lower RPM range most the time, in 3rd and 4th gear. Using her style, the bike seems to behave better.
These are really good bikes and there's nothing else in price range new. They're 150+kmh capable (154kmh top speed mine 85kg on it). I get a fraction over 200km (222km but I had Jerry can & didn't run it completely empty).. My best recommendation is Oxford heated grips if you ride at night or in the cold
Having a mid life crisis, i couldn't afford a Corvette. So I got a crf300l. I'm 51 I havent been on a bike since I was 20. I absolutely love this bike. I can ride it to town or hammer it down a minimum maintenance road. It has all the power I need for now. So far the soft suspension hasn't been a problem. However the more experienced I get i can see that there will be some upgrades in the future.
Dam, I'm 62, had bikes growing up, and a couple of road bikes but haven't had one for 20yrs.
So I got a 300crf l, best thing I ever did! Don't care anymore about getting Air, I'm 62! Just love getting out in the desert outside of Kingman AZ, and I don't have far to go!
51 is not mid-life. You see many 102 year olds around? You are nearing average life expectancy for males in some eastern european countries! Congratulations with the bike, I see it is a good purchase and this reliable and versatile bike will bring much joy.
@@alexanderwhite8320bruh, then by your definition of midlife crisis you’d have to be late 20’s early 30’s to experience one. Anyway that wasn’t the point of his comment that you felt you had to address with your most intellectual and superior knowledge. The average age range in which someone may experience what is called a midlife crisis is 40-60.
@@cantwheelie_rob I still disagree that 40-60 is mid-life. 40 might be mid-life for some miracle countries where male life expectancy is over 80 years but no way 60years is mid-life! Peope do not live routinely to 120 years! Usually males in my country start dropping dead in late 40s from cancer or drunken accidents, or in early 50s from heart related problems, alcoholism induced cirrhosis or any other deadly things. Few who lived boring and healthy lives usually get cancelled by cancer in early to mid 60s. So mid-life indeed is late 20s or early 30s.
What You mean is usually oh-I-wasted-my-life crisis near the useful lifespan of a human being. Too complicated topic on a video about motorbike...
@@alexanderwhite8320 bro what I’m saying is midlife crisis doesn’t literally mean a crisis in the middle of your life span. Midlife crisis is an emotional state and lack of self confidence to a feeling of getting older, not as young anymore. That’s what that means. Some people feel that way earlier on and some feel it pretty late. It’s not a literal sense of the word.
This bike is so good that even if you’re not into off-road it is still a good option as a motard .
No need to apologize for not taking the bike off-road, I appreciate your honesty. You are smart to ride the bike to your comfort level. There will be plenty of time later to do an off-road evaluation if you wish.
Absolutely love my 2023 CRF300L! Got it in Nov., out of town, as these are in short supply here in CA. I've owned 18 different bikes over the years, street, dirt, and dual sport. My fav's have always been dual sports, and this is by far and away the nicest I've ridden. Got the lowered seat right away from SRC Moto, as it's a tall bike and I'm only 5'7". Though some complain that the suspension is soft, which it is, it's perfect for me and my 150 lbs. and soaks up bumps that other bikes would catch air on. Handles beautifully, has plenty of power for me, shifts smoothly and feels very comfortable. Love the dash too with fuel gage, gear indicator, mpg, and the other usual features. I also love how light it is, barely 300 lbs., which is huge in keeping it under control and less likely to tip over! Also have been averaging a steady 68-70 mpg!
I’m the same height as you but about 40-50 lbs heavier. Do you think with the soft suspension I’d need to lower it at all or would it sink heavily enough under my weight?
I love my 300l. It’s decent off road. Great on road. Very trusty, light maintenance and looks amazing.
I did around 40.000 miles now on mine, also with my wife for weekend trips, this is the first bike that puts a big grin on my face even after all the miles and after all my years spending tons of money on competing enduro and mx i can still say this bike's good enough for me and more, good review, it is what it is👍
what the fuck.. I don't have that many miles on my vulcan900 jesus man
Guess he likes his bike lol
Been riding all things Honda for four decades. From Goldwings to the XR650L. I haven't ridden in over ten years. Got very lucky and picked up a '23 Rally. I have about 425 miles on it since July 10th. I love this bike!
Let me also say that you are the first reviewer that has mentioned vibrations on the throttle grip. It was very numbing on a 100 mile jaunt. Other than that, this will be my forever bike. Thanks and subbed.
New handlebars and grips will fix that
I have a 2021 model. I've been pretty happy with it. It does have some shortcomings, the factory tires have a pretty loud harmonic at highway speeds so you'll want to change tires according to your use case. The gas tank is small if you're on the highway, a touch over 100 miles including reserve. I've gotten 50-55 mpg running flat out 70-80mph. It gets mid 60s on the slower backroads. The suspension is soft, the bike just floats over anything. I routinely hop curbs straight on at 20-30 mph and it doesn't even blink. Power delivery starts to fall off above 9k rpm and it starts getting buzzy then as well. The wind also has a very large impact on this, being tall, light and a smidge underpowered. 1-5 is geared very well for the power. I've taken it through sand, gravel, grass, mud and dirt roads. Its a solid bike that won't win any races but it'll get you where you need to go and show you an easy going good time on the way. Very happy with mine.
I don’t plan on going on the highway with this. I got it to open up all the dirt roads north of my location, and there are a lot!! Thanks for commenting!
I used to own the 250 version & loved it. Also owned a PCX. Those were my fav bikes, much more so than any of the bigger more expensive ones.
Question for you.... I want a new bike this Spring for a 20 mile commute (each way... a mix of freeway, urban & heavy city traffic), for grocery shopping & for general messing around on...
What order of preference would you personally put the following 4 bikes in if you were choosing for yourself for the above suggested usage?
* PCX 125 (I'm in Europe so no 160 here 😰)
* CRF 300 L
* ADV 350
* Forza 350
I just bought mine a week ago and everything you said in your video is true. The red color and styling of the bike is stunning, just gorgeous.
Great little machines the 300 Rally. Very happy with mine, and a joy when adventure riding. Cheers for the upload 👍
1:48 Clutch engagement has nothing to do with the slipper clutch. A slipper clutch is when you downshift from 5th to 4th at speed and an internal mechanism allows the rear wheel to spin faster than the selected gear ratio will allow preventing rear wheel lockup.
Came to say the same thing lol!
I’m aware of that. Please point out where I said anything to the contrary…
@@GasWorksISO The original commenter put a time stamp, but here you go:
(while demonstrating slow speed take off and clutch engagement from a stop, NOT downshifting under high revs) you stated,
"... when you start out on this bike and get moving and things it just feels really well, like it's so refined... like Honda really really did a good job with the slipper clutch in this thing. It's just so smooth....".
Hopefully that points it out!
@@GasWorksISO maybe you were thinking about the assist part of the 300L's assist/slipper clutch which helps lighten the pull?
I was simply pointing out the slipper clutch is nice. Didn’t think anyone would pick apart the verbiage I used. Had I simply said the clutch was nice, without saying slipper, I’m sure a lot of people would point out that it is a slipper clutch…lol Can’t get a break with you guys…😆
Thank you for a good honest review. As we all know, a lot of youtubers in the motorcycle world get paid by the manufacturer to review their products. That makes their review tainted. I appreciate your honesty.
Thanks for watching. I like to make a positive and a negative review about the bikes I own. Keeps things honest.
Beautiful, I will keep an eye on your channel to see how you go with this bike!
I just got my crf300l a few weeks ago. Love it so far.
thanks dude, planning on getting one of these soon as a second horse in the stable, something simple and reliable with a bit of off road capability. Seems ideal.
same. i dont think its an only bike type of thing
I got the 2023 Rally version and it's fantastic ! I used to have an 1000CC africa twin and it was just too heavy off road. Now I have a tiger sport for my commutes and the 300 Rally for exploring and hoolingan riding on the road and off road and it's just fantastic
I have the Rally version. I can use 6th gear from 42 mph on up with no problem. It just tractors along happily.
Nice review. First one I have seen with a low rpm torque pull 4:17. Just what I was looking for 🙂
I got a used 2017 CRF 250L a couple years ago as a first bike after realizing how difficult it would be to get a Trail 125. I've loved having it for around town and some minor dirt road shortcutting. Took it to an OHV park once and that was a huge learning experience being a new rider overall. Recommend a couple things - grips (the protaper pillowtops are popular although I got a set of progrip 714) and handguards (the OEM ones aren't great in tip overs or if you end up punching a tree - arcerbis zeta, and tusk are the goto ones - look for ones that wrap around and tie into the bar ends). Last thing that i really enjoy for use around town is a Mosco Moto Reckless panier set (i have the 10L kit).
Mosko kit is good … may I also suggest people consider Kreiga too ?
Yes sir great bike! Love mine! 67 years old! I put a seat concepts seat on mine! Dunlop 606 on the back and a MT21 Perrelli on the front! Flashed ECU! It's a little tiger! On and off road! Quick. and nimble!
I had one for 6 months found it boring after a while didn’t put a smile on my face so sold it and brought a KTM690 now that puts a smile on you face and yes it has been very reliable
So .. the snag with the 690 is that it can “overlap” !
What do I mean ?
several of us have two or three bikes !
The 690 overlaps with our GS RT or bigger bike
What we really want is a KTM EXC 450 or similar … But with a subframe and a rack that can carry a tent and overnight gear.
great video . by the way according to honda manual the 5th gear is 1 :1.15 and 6th gear is 1:0.925 - even less than 1:1 . real cruise gear . so it will give 24% more cruising speed in given rpm . there are 2 reduction gears of 2.8 so i calculated about 47mph cruising speed at 3000 RPM for 6th gear. 3000 X60 divide 0.925 divide 2.8 divide 2.8 X 2 X 3.1415 X 21 divide 63360 = 47 mph . (3000=rpm, 3.1415=pai, 2.8 - reduction gear primary and secondary , 21 = radius back wheel inch,63360 inch to miles conversion)
Yakima love! Keep it up brother!
appreciate the review
I have a Tenere 700 but getting it in the back of my truck is a 2 guy deal or I need a level loading and unloading spot . So I am looking at either a TW200 or possibly the rally version of this bike or better yet the low seat height version . Nice to be able to load a 300 ish pound bike as opposed to one pushing 480 with all the extra stuff on it .
Great review. I'm looking at getting into off road myself and have no experience whatsoever.
Glad you were able to get one.. near impossible to get one..8month wait
Grew up around there. I always have wanted to mess around driving the service roads along the canals in town.
Honda got it right on this one.I have a 2017 crf250l.great bike.lots of fun.👍
This here is what I would like but I would have to upgrade some things shocks etc, but it would be nice to commute around town and hit a few trails, a lot of us don't have a truck and a trailer to haul to the trails 👍 thanks for the video and be safe everyone 🙏
I’m finding the rear shock isn’t as bad as everyone is claiming. I don’t plan on jumping the bike, dirt roads and light trails are where I’ll be riding.
These are great utility bikes. Short of transcontinental trips on the slab, they can do it all. Perfect commuter bike and local traveler for small-town riders. My CRF250L has that same organic, machine-with-a-soul feeling as the old VW bug. They are also pretty good on the trail for a heavy dual sport. Easy maintenance and engineered to death so you can ride one of these for years without any major problems.
I live in Thailand in a village with tarmac/concrete and loose gravel roads and I looked at buying a CRF300L.
I then looked at the Honda CB300R that has the same strong engine but much better for road use and purchased that.
I also have the CB300 R and also the cb 500F. But the 300 is by far my favorite. It's like a toy for me, soo pleasant to ride and handle.
I have a 2010 BMW F800GS, a '97 Honda XL400V TransAlp, a 2010 Zongshen ZSM200 and a 2015 Honda XR150L.
The 2 bigger bikes are mainly used for guided adventure rides, while the smaller ones for beginner rider training but the li'll Honda is used for everything, while also my personal daily commuter since retiring.
Best of all, being well used and all of them needing some minor diy attention when purchased - the total sum I paid for all 4 of them here in South Africa, was less than the price of a new Honda 125 Monkey bike!
Being slightly vertically challenged, I wish I could afford the new Honda CRF300LS.
best wishes !! Love SA ! enjoy
I would recommend springs front and rear bars and tires
Great review, thanks for that! I am considering to buy a CRF 300 L myself and I plan to use it mainly onroad, very rarely I will travel on gravel roads. Here on YT I heard about the story of the bike sometimes stalling in gear 1 without no reason. Did you experience this too? Thanks for your feedback!
Great review , im going to buy one . Just a fair review for the average rider who just needs to do a bit of green laning.
I love this bike it’s so easy to ride it looks great runs great cheep to buy reliable what more do you want for your money to many go to technical just get on it and ride I’m 66 that’s what I do 😊
Love it 👍🇬🇧
Nice review, its a modest bike that does what its supposed to do. Simples
I have the rally and I think I need the regular 300L as well to supermoto it.
Many who buy this bike complain about the lack of power and soft suspension and spend money "upgrading." The truth is that a so-called performance exhaust will do nothing without a fuel controller to increase fuel delivery, and the returns are minimal, except saving a few pounds.
The suspension is calibrated for a body weight of around 160 lbs, thus the complaints fron those in the 200 plus region, which included myself. After loosing 45 lbs the bike was completely different and it cost nothing, the performance gained is incredible, in both the acceleration and suspension.
The engine is way over square, thus needs to be kept above 5000rpm under load especially in the higher gears, 6500 to 8000 is where the power is, dropping off after that. Lugging around at lower revolutions will cause wear on the thrust side of the piston, it needs to be revved to ensure longevity, which may sound counter intuitive, but its not.
My advice is to leave it stock, if additional performance is needed, and you are carrying a few extra pounds, loose those first before wasting money on performance modifications, the health benefits are an added bonus. A stock machine is also easier to sell should that ever be the case, kind of like a custom tailored jacket is tailored to one person, so meaningless as a sales pitch.
I agree. The only upgrade I plan on doing is getting a stiffer rear shock.
@GasWorksISO Have you adjusted the pre load of the existing spring to your body weight and measured the sag? Springs are available, which have a higher compression rating, whilst using the existing shock, should the need be, but may unbalance the front to rear bias.
I haven’t done anything to it yet. I’m editing a video right now talking about what I think the bike needs, and my plans with it.
Mine has a jerky throttle in first gear making sharp right hand turns from a stopped condition very difficult unless some rear brake and clutch are carefully applied.
Upgrade the ECU, it’s a significant improvement for power delivery.
Goodluck buddy.
I hear the slipper clutch wears out rather quickly. Is that a trade off for the ease of use? I've seen a few videos where owner's swap out the original clutch for a non slipper version to enhance longevity. Have you experienced this phenomenon?
If anyone is curious, I put off the 550 icu upgrade on my Rally for 1600 miles, now I wish I would had done it a long time ago. Power delivery is so much smoother and consistent. Plus the motor runs a bit cooler, and since it’s running slightly richer, I believe it’s better for it over all. I just don’t understand why it doesn’t come this way in stock form. My buddy has the L model that’s still stock, he noticed such an improvement, he’s upgrading his. We’re running stock exhaust, to keep it quiet, with a simple air box mod. I would imagine an upgraded exhaust would make a hella big difference, I just don’t want a loud bike.
I’ve been reading mixed reviews of the 550 mod. Some say it makes the throttle smoother and others say it does nothing. I may try it out after I get the bike broke in.
@@GasWorksISO yeah, that’s why I didn’t do it straight out the gate. I wanted to get a few miles on it, and really get to know it before I started modifying it. But I can’t see why anyone would complain about, it’s nothing but noticeable improvement. I pull away from my buddy in 2nd and 3rd gear on his stock bike like it’s a completely different bike. It’s not that it’s faster, it just pulls through the gears more consistently, if that makes any sense. And I’ve talked to people that have been running it for 5k miles now, and they have never experienced any problems with it. And if I ever do decide to upgrade the exhaust, they will reflash it for free, I just pay the shipping. It’s been one of my favorite upgrades so far.
I did the 550 performance stage 1 ECU and exhaust and it is nicht and day difference.
@@johnharris7756 did you do a full exhaust, or just a muffler? I heard that most aftermarket headers are a little bit heavier than stock... Which one did you get? How much louder is it?
Full exhaust, it’s louder but I don’t think it’s too loud, I like it! If you are worried about too much noise you may not want to change tho. Just depends. I like the dirtbike sound
On the topic of the seat, especially as you're going to be learning offroad on this thing: if you don't intend to take a pillion on this thing, take the strap off the seat. It has a tendency to attack your... undercarriage... as you slide forward and back to shift your weight while seated. 💀
Lol.. Noted.
the CRF250 was a mulligan. The CRF300 is an instant classic and will likely run as long as the XR650L in worldwide production.
Its a great 1 finger clutch that does not have the issues of a hydraulic. The engine is bulletproof and the cockpit is perfect.
In a head to head race with the same size displacement KTM or Husky, using a full tank of 87 Octane fuel, the Honda was faster, more reliable, and covered a greater distance.
I’m 68, weigh close to 300 lbs, ride a HD Road King that weighs a thousand pounds, and just retired. I just moved to the foot of the Appalachians and would like to do some gravel roads and mountain pig trails (small, winding, paved ). The RK is a bit big, especially when I hit wet leaves. Would this be a good choice?
Would you recommend this bike or the Versys X-300 for a new rider? I live in a city, and it takes a while to get to the dirt, so on-road/off-road ratio is probably 80/20.
Im gonna get one
I had one really liked it sold it for a C b r 500r. Should have kept it and had 2 bikes
niiiice review
hard suspension doesn't buck you - it is a lack of rebound compression (shock is rising too fast) and also not enough high speed compression (shock has been allowed to get too low too fast)that bucks you
adjustable suspension isn't hard either unless you wind everything clockwise and then add a spring that is 2 x your required rate
better suspension just is, there is no 2 ways about it - the crf has the most basic rear end since a 100 dollar pitbike - having control over rebound alone changes a bike, adding comp adjusters is next level not just for you, your confidence and skills, but for the bike too
a learner SHOULD worry about better suspension, learning on CRF is dangerous in comparison to a learner on a ktm for example, if a user hits several whoops in a trail on a crf they are likely going over the bars and off to the hospital - seen it 3 times this year - the lucky ones just get bucked left right up down and get smashed bollox and end up having zero confidence
your choice
You said you have 300x versys. Which one you like more? Nice video btw
I honestly thought they would be pretty similar, but they’re quite different. The Honda is way more nimble, and easier off road, but the Versys is more stable on the highway and holds 2x the fuel…. Can’t say which I like better…
Thank you man, I'm planning to buy one for highways, I was afraid of these points. Think I'm gonna get the 250 ktm adv. Versys is much more expensive than both in my country.
Does it make you miss the XR400 engine ? Thats my main concern. I need to try one.
The XR400 was a much better dirt bike. Better handling , better power and much better suspension as was the XR250R. The brakes on my CRF300L need to be cleaned and bled from the get go. Both my calipers were stuck on the pivots and the front brake was dragging. Tie your front brake lever to the handle bar over night and your front brake will be excellent.
@@user-se7vt5ow4e thank you. You've just answered my question, 30 yrs and they've made a very complex bike that will never stand up to an XR in reliability and what you've mentioned.
not many on road reviews. First bike for me, dealer fresh '23 rally, so rare I had to jump on it. Id rather learn a dual sport on road then build skills on my hilly farm yard than build bad habits on say the GZ250 I tested on. Plus Im 5_11 & pretty lite.
I’d have the Rally version myself but it seems like scoring either one of these bikes is like winning the lottery!
It all nice but what is your deminsion
*I have no idea what i’m doing off road*
🤔… but you post comments about it’s off road ability!!
Sir… I liked your video.
Your commentary and photography is good.
But let’s be clear that bike is a road bike dressed up as an off road bike ! It cannot go off road without better suspension and a change of tyres .
You bought a dirt bike?
What dealer did you buy it from?
Poulins Honda
How does it do at interstate speeds? Let's say 75 mph for a couple hours?
I would think it does fine. There’s a video on TH-cam of a guy riding from Colorado to Washington on a 300 Rally doing all highway speeds.
It looks good and wanted one .. but i hear it's not so much for the 6' 200 pound guys and above.
I’m 6’1” 230 and it’s fine.
Race tech springs front and rear cheap fix
Dang My 2023 XR150L Is Every 2500 Miles .
BMW Sertao rules them all.
It is a good bike but it's ruined by weak suspension. I also thought it was comfortable on the road at first. On a dirt road, even at a modest speed, the rear shock bottoms out easily and sends a nasty kick through the frame. I weigh about 100kg/220lb fully kitted with a helmet. I can't imagine how bad riding two-up would be. You really have to add an aftermarket shock and upgraded fork springs to the purchase price.
the klx300 is a crf300l with good suspension. honda gets away with a worse product because "Honda". kawasaki is forced to give you a better product because "Honda"
They’re both good bikes, the Honda needs a better rear shock, and the Kawasaki needs a better instrument cluster. One can be changed, the other cannot.
@@GasWorksISO true, check out the new 2024 klx 300 it's refreshed with a new cluster and headlight + plastics. looks really good
utterly spot on ! They should have installed WP or similar and charged more !!
@@ih8momjokes1 I like the KLX but as am only 5'10 and a somewhat inexperienced rider (95kg/210lbs) the higher seat concerns me. Am intending primarily to do back road riding and just a little trail riding. Would appreciate feedback on the matter. Sure would be nice to spend less $$$. Clearly the KLX has superior suspension.
Whats with the massive cable sticking up in your face in front of the dash??
It’s the front brake line. Just about every dirt bike has them set up this way so the suspension can travel without binding up the line.
@@GasWorksISO Thats annoying as hell. In the video, you had to move it to see the dash at least twice. I just can't seem to get over that. I had a yamaha dirtbike and it didn't have that. So strange to run a brake line across the dash. I don't think I have ever seen that setup before.
There’s a few ways to fix it. I used a couple zip ties to loosely fix it lower to the handlebars.
What is your weight for this bike.
6’1” 230lbs
Why doesn't any body ever say what the top speed is for these bikes?
Got it up to 70. It had more, but the stock tires don’t give me a lot of confidence at that speed. Hope that helps.
81mph
Japanese bikes are 👌
Im quickly finding out that this Honda makes more sense than a 600lb. "adventure" bike that cost $25,000. They weigh far too much for deep mud or sand and end up going down....and many riders begin to realize their frustration with them.
Liked the vid. Hard to watch a video review of someone with little bike experience.
how are you going to learn to ride dirt if you don't go ride dirt? Watching some videos can help, but... you'll only learn when you actually ride dirt.
Don't worry too much, it's not that complicated and this bike is good at that.
cant afford to buy one can i have that one? ^^
We don't need any more reviews there's too many already it came out in twenty twenty one
Can’t learn off road jus have to do its way easier than road bikes it’s got lots of room for mistakes without totaling it out or jacking costly parts get over it being new an jus go head an drop-thro it down on purpose so you get over it cause once you scratch gouge or crack the plastic you don’t worry bout it you realize it’s expected on a dirt bike an plastic is cheap now get off road an learn something n have some damn funn
Brakes never get "better" with time. You could try braided lines or a bigger rotor kit
Never trust any rider that uses all 5 fingers on a clutch or brake lever.
Nice and plush ! It’s road suspension… Utterly useless off road
Isnt this the bike that Itchy Boots is riding through Africa? Or a very similar model. I would love an offroad capable bike.
I remember how many reviews said the fat boy was so hard to handle and muscle around a corner, and it's terrible at riding twisty roads, and it's only good for comfy distance, and that a road king would be better.
Reviews didnt tell me much about how it would make me feel, and how much people didnt know what they were doing when they test rode the bike.
When I ride my Fat Boy its easy to tip into a corner and sling it around and its a blast. I ride twisty roads so much on it my front tire's shoulder is already down to the wear bars at 7200miles, meanwhile the center tread is more than a few thousand miles left.
After looking back at the reviewers I noticed something, they said it was hard to ride because they didnt know what they were riding and what made the bike easy and fun in the corners.
Reviews didnt tell me that it fit my riding style really well, but didnt fit theirs.
Im glad I didnt listen to them.
Yes, she has the Rally version of this same model.
@@GasWorksISO I thought I recognized that bike. Seems like a pretty reliable choice. though someone did burn the hell out of her clutch a few episodes ago and the entire clutch system had to be rebuilt.
I saw that. I don’t know how she kept her cool. I was surprised she let someone else ride it thru that mud in the first place..
OK, about the elephant in the room. Its Honda for crist sake, probably some of the best engineers in the world and they cant put that facockamamy cable that's across the instrument cluster in a better friggen place?
wtf ! on a asfalt road with this bike, thi si si not ! a serious " revew "! !!
I watched this to get someone elses thoughts on this bike. This is my second dual sport, first being a a suzuki sp250 that I still have and absolutely love. I got this bike new and use it for mostly road and light offroad. I save the crazy old mining roads you find up here in the rocky mountains for the 1986 suzuki, the honda is an amazing bike but for a few reasons ill list here I prefer it on the technical stuff. Almost everything about this bike is positive, except for a few minor complaints, on mine atleast. First, the clutch is so hard to get used to. Mine doesnt grab until its almost all the way back in so I end up revving the bike while I let the clutch out expecting it to grab and it doesnt. Second, the gear shifter gets stuck. Minor annoyance, but offroad it gets very annoying, even if its pretty rare. I click down into a lower gear and sometimes it goes down and then gets stuck so it wont come back up, now im between gears and cant do anything until I tap it with my foot and it clicks back where its supposed to go. Now last, and for me most annoying. You give it any throttle it jerks forward, you let off the throttle it jerks again. Its really hard to be smooth with this thing at low speeds.
Now all that being said, its one heck of a good bike, especially for the price and I don't regret buying it for a second
Sounds like you should adjust the clutch. Mine engages very close to the grip. I do agree about the jerky throttle at low speeds, if the clutch is fully engaged. My work around is using 2nd gear for the slow stuff unless you need 1st, and staying in the friction zone. Also, I try to shift up to 4th as soon as its not going to lug the motor. I spent some time really studying how Itchy Boots rides hers. She keeps hers in the lower RPM range most the time, in 3rd and 4th gear. Using her style, the bike seems to behave better.
These are really good bikes and there's nothing else in price range new. They're 150+kmh capable (154kmh top speed mine 85kg on it). I get a fraction over 200km (222km but I had Jerry can & didn't run it completely empty).. My best recommendation is Oxford heated grips if you ride at night or in the cold
How the hell do you get 150+ km/h out of it? Absolutely impossible, at least not in stock form.