New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

The Things We Ride
User avatar
bowber
Posts: 2240
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:48 pm
Has thanked: 34 times
Been thanked: 179 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by bowber »

Richard Simpson Mark II wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 9:54 am I'm puzzled.

Loads of respected people on here and elsewhere rave about them, yet they also seem to have some very unHonda reliability issues.

Look at the spec sheet and they don't seem to do anything that a DR350S couldn't do decades ago. It's heavier, less powerful and has poorer suspension than a DR-Z400. The only advantage seems to be a proper overdrive sixth gear.

Please tell me what I'm missing?
You can buy the CRF new for a start.
Years ago I had a DR350 and had a go on one of those new DRZ400's, I didn't take to it, it just didn't like it for some reason. At that time there was a lot more trails open and a small group of us would go out regularly and swap bikes so I got to ride all sorts, the DRZ was my least favourite of them all including my high mileage knackered DR350.

Steve
Magnusson
Posts: 235
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:09 pm
Location: Earth
Has thanked: 282 times
Been thanked: 128 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by Magnusson »

Richard Simpson Mark II wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 9:54 am I'm puzzled.

Loads of respected people on here and elsewhere rave about them, yet they also seem to have some very unHonda reliability issues.

Look at the spec sheet and they don't seem to do anything that a DR350S couldn't do decades ago. It's heavier, less powerful and has poorer suspension than a DR-Z400. The only advantage seems to be a proper overdrive sixth gear.

Please tell me what I'm missing?
From top of my head:
- Fuel injection to make altitude changes have less impact on power.
- ABS to make braking safer.
- LED headlights to make night driving safer.
- Watercooling to keep the motor near optimum temperature.
Champagne taste on beer budget.
Richard Simpson Mark II
Posts: 3516
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 9:03 pm
Has thanked: 1413 times
Been thanked: 1668 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

OK...but back in the 1990s I rode my DR350S to Morocco, crossing the High Atlas mountains and into the desert with ambient temps ranging from pretty hot to below freezing, so altitude and extreme temps weren't a problem for it. It did blow out a tiny bit of black smoke at high altitudes, but no serious impact on performance.
I give full credit to Honda for revitalising single-handedly the trail bike market in the UK with the bike, but wondered if it offered anything more than being 'the only game in town,' especially as Kawasaki dropped the KLX250 after only the most half-hearted attempt to do anything with it. People who have ridden both seemed to think the Kwak was better in terms of suspension and handling off-tarmac (as it should be, being based on a 1990s enduro platform), whereas the Honda was more of a street bike in dirty clothes.
Maybe I'm just rambling on....I'm happy that those who have the bike seem (mostly) delighted with it. I just wondered what progress had been made in almost 30 years, bearing in mind you can get bolt-on LED lights for anything running AC.
minkyhead
Posts: 4343
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:31 pm
Has thanked: 569 times
Been thanked: 894 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by minkyhead »

not sure you have them in the right class richard
i deffo dont compare my rally to a xr 250 or a dr350 ect ect .. my take on it is its very very like a 660 tenere in a lot of ways good weather poitection big tank range comfy ..well if you sort a seat solution out ...rock solid reliable ..simple and cheap to maintain with parts being easily avaiable and the ace card is over 60 or 70 kgms lighter depending on the model you choose as a base ..
to be fair honda class them and market them as adv bikes rather than enduro bikes and i think thats correct ..
whats the wether forcast ..wheres me map
johnnyboxer
Posts: 7920
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:53 am
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 523 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by johnnyboxer »

minkyhead wrote:not sure you have them in the right class richard
i deffo dont compare my rally to a xr 250 or a dr350 ect ect .. my take on it is its very very like a 660 tenere in a lot of ways good weather poitection big tank range comfy ..well if you sort a seat solution out ...rock solid reliable ..simple and cheap to maintain with parts being easily avaiable and the ace card is over 60 or 70 kgms lighter depending on the model you choose as a base ..
to be fair honda class them and market them as adv bikes rather than enduro bikes and i think thats correct ..
I was on on BH Monday (the wet one) in the Dales earlier in the week on my XR400R
There was a chap on a CRF 250L and he was romping round - quicker & easier than me
On paper my XR400R should have romped it (10-12kg lighter & 10 HP more) - but a 25 year old design of bike wasn’t even on the same pitch
We buy things we don't need



With money we don't have



To impress people we don't even like
Richard Simpson Mark II
Posts: 3516
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 9:03 pm
Has thanked: 1413 times
Been thanked: 1668 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

Interesting...thanks for all the replies
Magnusson
Posts: 235
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:09 pm
Location: Earth
Has thanked: 282 times
Been thanked: 128 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by Magnusson »

I forgot the pollution standards the new CRF meets, but old bikes don't.
Direct comparisons are moot point. It's comparing apples and oranges. Each has strengths and weaknesses.
Injection not only compensates for difference in altitude, but also fuel quality, and reduces pollution.
LED lights not only give you much more light, but do that while using less power, making it easier to add extra equipment like heated clothing.
Water cooling, and warning light, reduces odds of engine overheating without you knowing, overheating damages the motor oil, reducing engine life.
Fuel consumption is low on the CRF. You could of course add more fuel tanks for range but that is extra expense and weight. Also unneeded use of limited resources.
The forks on the CRF are stronger than older bikes, making them more attractive option for tuning the suspension.
Champagne taste on beer budget.
JtheLakes
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2020 7:33 pm
Location: Kendal
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 13 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by JtheLakes »

Just been told today that after waiting for 5 months, my new 300 Rally is being delivered on Monday to replace my 250 Rally. I’ll let you know in a few weeks how they compare but my expectations are minor improvements rather than major breakthroughs. I will also tell you how the build quality is compared to my 2017 bike.
Looking at some of the recent comments, my answer would be that the CRF is not an amazing bike but it does represent great value for money and a good all rounder. If you want a lightweight off road orientated bike the 50kg weight reduction will cost you another £3000 and not be as accomplished on major roads. Also if you don’t think a Rally can be hustled along single track, watch some (its a long video) of the enclosed
johnnyboxer
Posts: 7920
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 10:53 am
Has thanked: 100 times
Been thanked: 523 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by johnnyboxer »

Magnusson wrote:I forgot the pollution standards the new CRF meets, but old bikes don't.
Direct comparisons are moot point. It's comparing apples and oranges. Each has strengths and weaknesses.
Injection not only compensates for difference in altitude, but also fuel quality, and reduces pollution.
LED lights not only give you much more light, but do that while using less power, making it easier to add extra equipment like heated clothing.
Water cooling, and warning light, reduces odds of engine overheating without you knowing, overheating damages the motor oil, reducing engine life.
Fuel consumption is low on the CRF. You could of course add more fuel tanks for range but that is extra expense and weight. Also unneeded use of limited resources.
The forks on the CRF are stronger than older bikes, making them more attractive option for tuning the suspension.
This is an excellent post
Thank you
We buy things we don't need



With money we don't have



To impress people we don't even like
User avatar
boboneleg
Posts: 5207
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2011 5:52 pm
Has thanked: 2355 times
Been thanked: 1404 times

Re: New Honda CRF300 L and CRF300 Rally

Post by boboneleg »

The lights are a huge improvement over a DR350 , I can actually see where I'm going at night on my Rally whereas on my DR350 it used to be more like guessing where you were :lol:
one-legged adventurer
Post Reply

Return to “BIKES”