Honda CRF 300L & 300 Rally

TMF just did (today) a First Ride... hopefully he'll do in in-depth one soon! :)

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TMF just did (today) a First Ride... hopefully he'll do in in-depth one soon! :)

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Not sure he's at all the right bloke to review that bike. In fact I'm not sure I've ever seen him properly off-roading and a road review is pointless. There, I've said it. :blast
 
Three days for the Bikerbits order to arrive! How good is that.

The Yamoto bashplate weighs 1.4kg It feels like it weighs, not hardcore, but I think it'll be a good compromise on the weight/protection graph. Good price/protection ratio for sure.
The Yamoto rear rack weighs 1kg. It looks better in the flesh than online too. Same as above really, good weight for what it is and as it's flat it'll take the Peli case, or whatever.

The Outback front crash bars do weigh quite a bit going by the feel of the box. Will weigh when I fit them.

Front Outback bars weigh just under 5kg. Not nothing but less than something.
 
Just had the email, my new CRF300L will arrive in the dealer this week, I'll collect on 1st March. I gave them my old bike in December because I know I would not get a chance to ride...

Already have loads of farkles waiting for install :)
 
Three days for the Bikerbits order to arrive! How good is that.

The Yamoto bashplate weighs 1.4kg It feels like it weighs, not hardcore, but I think it'll be a good compromise on the weight/protection graph. Good price/protection ratio for sure.
.

Have the xrp on my 250. Very strong and study abs, lightweight, also prefer the black.


I also have the ktech spring and valves up front, though Wilbers on the rear.
 
Well, I needed a laugh today :surrender

All the gear....

https://youtu.be/K_qfSLLRNLk

:D

Fook, that was hilarious! 30 seconds in and' saying this is where I "might" have to turn around as there is a puddle in my way!

I'd be embarrassed to post a video like this.... for fearing to be shredded to bits by the riding gods.

Good giggle though.
 
Honda CRF 300L &amp; 300 Rally

Fook, that was hilarious! 30 seconds in and' saying this is where I "might" have to turn around as there is a puddle in my way!

I'd be embarrassed to post a video like this.... for fearing to be shredded to bits by the riding gods.

Good giggle though.

It’s tarmac….with a few potholes & puddles ?

Typical of British green laning?

A 1250 GS could get down there
 
Booked in with MH Racing. K-tech rear and dual front cartridge kit. He's going to fit them and set up for £1500ish inc vat. So the total bike with Outback crash bars/bashplate/rear rack is looking around £8k. Probs another £200-£300 needed for mirrors, tyres and Barkblasters and all done.

Seems a lot in all honesty. But as I've said, was looking at a 500 KTM before I found out they're £10.5k!! That's with zero mods too. So with rose tinted spectacles the Honda seems ok value wise. Without the spec's it seems a lot. A low miles 790 could probably be bought for similar cash and would blitz the Honda in almost every way. That said it's a lot heavier and I think I'll get into less trouble solo riding on the Honda, which means I'm more likely to ride to Wales in search of new lanes. All being well, the 790 AND the Freeride won't be needed anymore, so selling them both and buying the Honda will make good £ sense, so long as the Honda lives up to expectation.
 
It's just a shame that the Japanese manufacturers don't offer a "Premium" version of of some of these little bikes with top shelf suspension. It'd probably only cost them an extra £300 to fit a good shock and forks, they could charge £600 more for the Premium version and we'd gladly pay it.
 
I thought I'd wait for a while to see how I got on with this bike.

The Rally is turning out to be quite the missing link for me. It's not a 790advR. It's not. But even with very poor suspension it's a laugh to ride. Not intimidating, capable even on the stock tyres and super smooth compared to a KTM. Like sea change smooth.

Mods to date:

Tail tidy, Rear top rack, 4X LED front lights, a KTM handlebar I had here, Heated grip inserts and pillowtop grips, Barkbusters off the old 1290 which drop straight on, Accessory power & USB port.

Mods on the way:

Suspension
Suspension
Suspension

Some sort of wider foot pegs - stock are small/narrow.

I may change the rear top rack for one with 'handles'. They're needed if you drop the bike and in 200 miles that's only once (not normal). I may make a strap of some sort instead.


I kind of get the soft suspension setup. It's sublimely comfortable. My suggestion if you only do light trails and nothing at speed is to leave it or else spend as little as you can, valves and shock maybe. But if you do any kind of speed on the trails or technical stuff then it's going to be a top mod. Not essential of course.
 
K-Tech Razor rear shock and complete front fork kit fitted by MH Racing last week.

Well, the little big Honda is a bike transformed. It's brilliant now. No more pogo bike. I can jump stuff now too. Been on a load of trails Swindon and Salisbury way in the last few weeks and had a blast, but Fridays ride with the bike and its new suspension made it one of the best off-road sorties I've ever experienced.

This bike is exactly what I had hoped for...a great (if slightly underpowered) ride to trails and ride back again bike. Ride there at 76mph gauge speed, do a days trail riding, ride home. In comfort. It just feels like it'll always start and get you home - not sure if it will stay that way, but the KTM never inspired such confidence.

The bike needs the few mods done to make it work but well happy with the result!
 


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