In the case of bending things... I think it's supposed to bend, to absorb energy of impact, otherwise there's a risk of breaking bolts or more expensive damage. The levers can be easy replaced. Just my 2cents.
Your right. I’d rather bend a shift lever than a shifting shaft. And an aluminum lever is just going to break, then you have nothing to bend back into place. I did swap out my hand levers for aluminum, but the Zeta hand guards provide solid protection.
I get what you're trying to do, but you might consider what you want the weak points to be for your levers and pedals. I'd much rather break or bend a lever than the perch or the brake pedal shaft. Especially the shift lever. Don't want to break the shift shaft!! Might consider cutting off your stock brake and clutch levers to three finger length and round the ends. We did this with new levers. On the pedals, run a 1/16" cable from the end of the pedal to some point forward on the frame so branches... will be deflected away towards the outside of the pedal instead of getting caught between the case and lever. Works good! Thanks for the great video's! Enjoy watching the adventures!
Some parts on the 300 are purposefully malleable, they’re not cheap metal and they prevent damage that would come if they were not malleable. Next, the most important mod is a 12V accessory socket which I had hoped this video would cover.
I have felt the same frustration with the kickstand. Always seeming like it wanted to fall over on the stand side, particularly on unlevel ground. Worse yet however is the opposite problem when fully loaded for motocamping adventure. The bike will easily fall over the other way on level ground. So crazy. I installed a Soupy's Performance adjustable kickstand which is better than stock. The real problem lies in the suspension. I have raised bars, barkbusters, zeta pegs, cyclops headlight, denali soundbomb mini horn, seat concepts and sheepskin seat cover as well as some other stuff but the next thing needs to be a new rear shock and spring. Expensive but necessary. Living in Canada, my options are more limited (unless I don't care how much I spend...but I do). Despite these problems, a great bike. Just did 8 day 1600 kms mostly offroad through southeastern BC, all the way up against the Rockies. (Kootenay BDR). Last year over 2000 kms for 11 days. Excellent bike for motocamping offroad.
I cut a piece of my stock handlebars off and welded it to the kickstand, and upgraded the handlebars. If you get a chance to check out Jake the garden snake’s hand levers, they pivot 4 ways rather than just 2., front and back, as well as up and down. Really nice, but expensive. I have Zeta hand guards and they’re built solid. Next upgrade I do will be to mount them to the triple tree instead of the handlebars. I wanted to do that from the start, but finding the mounting bracket at the time was impossible.
Getting ready to buy my first bike this coming spring and ive landed on the CRF300L.. Have been watching videos like this because I am somebody who likes to tinker with things. Stuff like this is stuff I would like to do out of the gate before I need to do it. I really liked the levers and the idea of the ability to flex instead of bend. Hoping I will not need to be placed on a 6 month waiting list to get my bike as I have read some others have had too... I am really hoping I can walk in, sign and ride! LOL!
Tusk Dsport handguards for the win. I crash my Himi and the handlebar bent up 45deg. The brake lever was untouched and the only damage on the handguard is the plastic protector. I think they are the Dflex or something like that.
Rewarching this Video to review what you got. Just got a CRF300LS. Ordering parts. Did you go with the seat concepts XL or Low seat? (May have been another video) Reading the low may be not to comfy. And i got the S model so its already 1” lower. Thinking of the XL seat for better comfort.
Nice job. I just got mine and have already changed the suspension to Ktech, put on a skid plate, new levers, new foot pegs, extended kick stand, frame protectors, still have D606 and Mt21 tires to install, as well as new Protaper bar, grips. Still looking for decent hand guards. I’ve heard nothing good about Acerbis handguards. Too flimsy. Going to explore other brands. What got you into the CRF300L?
Again, interesting content, real world based. My Himalayan has the pegs upgrade, but not the levers et al or the kickstand which is ridiculously short. Would seem to be an easy fix for the ‘stand. That shade looks essential. 😅 A pity that Honda has cynically cut these corners with the 300; is it to attract the Yankee Dollar? Not that Honda’s bean counters GAS…
Bark Buster hand/lever guards are very popular in NZ and Australia, and I’m pretty sure Revzilla, Twisted Throttle and others sell them in the USA. I’ve been using them for many years and wouldn’t bother with anything else.
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In the case of bending things... I think it's supposed to bend, to absorb energy of impact, otherwise there's a risk of breaking bolts or more expensive damage. The levers can be easy replaced. Just my 2cents.
Your right. I’d rather bend a shift lever than a shifting shaft. And an aluminum lever is just going to break, then you have nothing to bend back into place. I did swap out my hand levers for aluminum, but the Zeta hand guards provide solid protection.
agreed
Just take them off the bike, bend back to correct shape and re-fit?
I get what you're trying to do, but you might consider what you want the weak points to be for your levers and pedals. I'd much rather break or bend a lever than the perch or the brake pedal shaft. Especially the shift lever. Don't want to break the shift shaft!!
Might consider cutting off your stock brake and clutch levers to three finger length and round the ends. We did this with new levers.
On the pedals, run a 1/16" cable from the end of the pedal to some point forward on the frame so branches... will be deflected away towards the outside of the pedal instead of getting caught between the case and lever. Works good!
Thanks for the great video's! Enjoy watching the adventures!
Some parts on the 300 are purposefully malleable, they’re not cheap metal and they prevent damage that would come if they were not malleable. Next, the most important mod is a 12V accessory socket which I had hoped this video would cover.
I have felt the same frustration with the kickstand. Always seeming like it wanted to fall over on the stand side, particularly on unlevel ground. Worse yet however is the opposite problem when fully loaded for motocamping adventure. The bike will easily fall over the other way on level ground. So crazy. I installed a Soupy's Performance adjustable kickstand which is better than stock. The real problem lies in the suspension. I have raised bars, barkbusters, zeta pegs, cyclops headlight, denali soundbomb mini horn, seat concepts and sheepskin seat cover as well as some other stuff but the next thing needs to be a new rear shock and spring. Expensive but necessary. Living in Canada, my options are more limited (unless I don't care how much I spend...but I do). Despite these problems, a great bike. Just did 8 day 1600 kms mostly offroad through southeastern BC, all the way up against the Rockies. (Kootenay BDR). Last year over 2000 kms for 11 days. Excellent bike for motocamping offroad.
I cut a piece of my stock handlebars off and welded it to the kickstand, and upgraded the handlebars. If you get a chance to check out Jake the garden snake’s hand levers, they pivot 4 ways rather than just 2., front and back, as well as up and down. Really nice, but expensive. I have Zeta hand guards and they’re built solid. Next upgrade I do will be to mount them to the triple tree instead of the handlebars. I wanted to do that from the start, but finding the mounting bracket at the time was impossible.
Getting ready to buy my first bike this coming spring and ive landed on the CRF300L.. Have been watching videos like this because I am somebody who likes to tinker with things. Stuff like this is stuff I would like to do out of the gate before I need to do it. I really liked the levers and the idea of the ability to flex instead of bend. Hoping I will not need to be placed on a 6 month waiting list to get my bike as I have read some others have had too... I am really hoping I can walk in, sign and ride! LOL!
Those spring puller tools are invaluable
Tusk Dsport handguards for the win. I crash my Himi and the handlebar bent up 45deg. The brake lever was untouched and the only damage on the handguard is the plastic protector. I think they are the Dflex or something like that.
Just subscribed!! 😊I have a 2023 crf300l and the xr650l. Love my Hondas
Thank you for watching and supporting the channel!!
Thanks for the video! Do you have a video where you mention your windscreen and what brand of rack you have? Looking for one with handles.
You're welcome, thanks for watching! Yes, I have a video on the install of the windshield here: th-cam.com/video/8_ppcRqOQzo/w-d-xo.html
Rewarching this Video to review what you got. Just got a CRF300LS. Ordering parts. Did you go with the seat concepts XL or Low seat? (May have been another video) Reading the low may be not to comfy. And i got the S model so its already 1” lower. Thinking of the XL seat for better comfort.
It was the XL (comfort?) seat from Seat Concepts and it's awesome. I can go all day on it.
Nice job. I just got mine and have already changed the suspension to Ktech, put on a skid plate, new levers, new foot pegs, extended kick stand, frame protectors, still have D606 and Mt21 tires to install, as well as new Protaper bar, grips. Still looking for decent hand guards. I’ve heard nothing good about Acerbis handguards. Too flimsy. Going to explore other brands.
What got you into the CRF300L?
how does the new Ktech suspension feel?
Do you find the xt kickstand to be as bad
Again, interesting content, real world based. My Himalayan has the pegs upgrade, but not the levers et al or the kickstand which is ridiculously short. Would seem to be an easy fix for the ‘stand. That shade looks essential. 😅 A pity that Honda has cynically cut these corners with the 300; is it to attract the Yankee Dollar? Not that Honda’s bean counters GAS…
Bark Buster hand/lever guards are very popular in NZ and Australia, and I’m pretty sure Revzilla, Twisted Throttle and others sell them in the USA. I’ve been using them for many years and wouldn’t bother with anything else.
What tyres are you running
Tusk D Sports
Nice