Honda CRF250 CRF300 Rally review︱Cross Training Adventure

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Power mods? It's a common question but of course if you spend a lot you should have just bought a bigger bike lol. The Hondas are already lean so if you have a less restrictive exhaust it will be even leaner, so you'll need an ECU map to suit, and then modify the airbox ideally. Is it worth it? Not for most riders, but it depends on the overall cost. Jakethesnake on KZbin claims to have 37% extra power with airbox mods, high flow filter, exhaust, CBR cams, custom tuning... not sure how much he spent lol.

[@KorysRides]

I had a turbo on mine at one point. Tried about every performance mod out there including big bore. Still not that much more power. I sold the CRF250L and 1200 Goldwing and got a CB500X.

[@iangriffiths9930]

It’s not worth it, it’s a better bet to invest in suspension 👍

[@Bandit-Iggy]

@@KorysRides your cb 500 plant in my 250 would be killer combo👍

[@jaimemetcher388]

Just rode my 300 Rally 1600km loaded with winter camping gear for a week. Fully upgraded suspension. Route included a couple of hours on the motorway to start with, lots of those "speed limit - as fast as you dare" secondary roads, and many, many hours slipping the clutch at walking pace up and down the goat tracks in the national parks. I can't think of another bike that, at my skill level (noob), could carry that load into as many different places without me being terrified of dropping it. Yeah, like everyone else, I can pick up a big bore adv bike on level ground with good footing. I'd have zero chance getting one out of a ditch though. I can pick the 300 out of a ditch, don't ask me how I know. It ain't easy and there are limits, this is no lightweight enduro bike, but it is doable, and that means more trails and fewer stupid risks. People who say it doesn't have the power to break traction are clearly riding trails that actually have traction to start with. On my trip, between the slime-coated hardpack and the off-camber marbles the challenge was to stop spinning long enough to make forward (rather than sideways) progress. Clutch stood up to the abuse no worries. Engine pulled me up slopes I would have trouble walking up. I don't really see a power deficit there. Fully loaded at highway speed up a steep hill? Yeah, it runs out of beans. But fast roads are more boring than slow roads, and being able to pull a few extra k's up a hill doesn't really change that IMO. My one concern is whether it'll hold me back in trying to learn and apply the Small Useful Wheelie. Haven't got that far in my noobness yet, but it'd be nice to put all that ground clearance to use in hopping some obstacles when the time comes. Would love to hear others' experiences on this front.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

There's certainly a lot of riders obsessed with horsepower, Jaime. And fairly often I find they are on the throttle when on smooth roads straight roads but they don't have the skills to use that power in rougher terrain. On the other hand, really experienced riders often stop obsessing about power and begin downsizing... and can outride the power-hungry guys except in an outright drag race lol.

[@nickg2431]

@@crosstrainingadventure Im faster on single track on a lower cc bike than my husky 450 -agree totally

[@nickg2431]

Clutch is necessary for the old wheelie.Enduro bike does it better but the good old crf strengths lie in other things.

[@orpaztron]

I had a 701 Enduro. Only once did I hit a rock with from the bottom. If you have any doubt about the risk of clearance, you are in a trail of enduro riding, not in the field of the CRF 300-250. 99% of the time you don't need more power of road. it's fun to have 75 HP on 150 Kg bike but not a must.

[@xibilfc21]

I agree with everything you said. As for wheelies, with the right technique, I got the front wheel up even in 4th gear ;) I use Chris Birch's 'how to wheelie an adventure bike' technique. Practice it enough and you'll be doing wheelies effortlessly in no time.

[@xibilfc21]

I have a Honda CRF300L with Rally Raid suspension (front and back). Having ridden it on the tightest of single tracks to hours on the highway, I truly believe it's *the* motorcycle which can do it all. It will not be the best in anything, but it will get you through 95% of what you throw at it. Best thing I can say about it is that it's the only bike I've ever owned, looked at and said "I feel confident going anywhere with you". If you're riding super long distances with no petrol stations nearby, Acerbis do a 13.5l fuel tank which gives around 450km. Add a fuel bladder if you need even more fuel and you can basically go to the moon and back. Ok not exactly, but you get my point. With it's reliability, light weight and forgiving nature, it's the ultimate adventure machine.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

A suspension job certainly transforms the abilities of the bike in rougher terrain. I'll have to find out how much this owner spent...

[@fatpigeonadventurerider2118]

I rode my crf250 rally from Ireland to eastern turkey, 16 countries and 12500 miles without missing a beat. I now have the crf300L superb bikes that can do anything you ask of it.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great to hear! Occasionally Honda can make a mess of things but generally their reliability is incredible.

[@hippiehillape]

I ride a 300 in a small town in Appalachian mountains as my daily driver. It is awesome. Ive never ridden to Atlanta, but every ride in the hills I'm smiling

[@thumpersquid]

I have owned the Honda 300 Rally now for two riding years. I love the bike and also upgraded the suspension with YSS front and rear and many other bits. Now that I have customized the bike to my liking, I feel I found my Unicorn.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great to hear! I think many are waiting to see if Honda will give the 450 the same Rally treatment.

[@nickg2431]

@@crosstrainingadventure If only someone made a "375 kit " for the crf it would be the perfect small 😀DS

[@williamkenny1445]

It makes sense. If you want travel efficiently and dependably threw the countryside its the way to go

[@rfk76]

I owned a 2019 CRF 250 Rally, I have upgraded suspension to Ohlins and this was a great machine. I took it to Kyrgyzstan for a two week journey and the bike never missed a beat. It was slow under luggage, on poor fuel and on high altitudes, but it was still going. Great dual sport 👍

[@nickg2431]

nice one!

[@nickg2431]

You must have been reading my thoughts skipper! Own a crf 300L w/upgraded suspension,custom bash plate,risers and other mods.Out today in 3 hard(ish )sections.It blasted over the lot of them.The light weight is a blessing and the engine loosens up after 7000km.Sometimes i enjoy the rides much more than a full enduro bike for a number of reasons.Today was one of them and a perfect days ride!Keep up the good work😃

[@chrisfauver]

Just got a 2017 250 Rally for a great price.. I cant wait to start riding trails. So far love the little bike.

[@scottloudon14]

Yep have the 2017 Crf250L plain Jane addition. After 300 miles decided suspension would transform the little Honda into something very capable. Ohlins was the perfect choice. No power mods I could blame it on California but why runs a little lean occasionally a little warm. Milage is reasonable it's quiet and inoffensive. Cheap as chips to run and goes everywhere the orange bikes do. The more power thing kind of goes with riding. For me it generally presents as wanting another bike. All said the little Honda still here and as often as not the first choice to grab and go.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The Ohlins gear transformed the one in this vid 👍

[@eureka1512]

300L is the best in its market segment. It is a budget bike. Great for novices. There are plenty of people who do not want to go into hard enduro for different reasons. Honda must have done its research, so this must be the majority. The bike is hard to get right now. I like that I can go further with the economic engine. I like the small tank for my easy enduro/adventure kind of riding. There is plenty of power for everything. I was impressed when I got up a very long ~40deg steep gnarly hill. To get the wight under 100kg I would need to spend double the money. It rarely makes a difference. Yes, it is hard to flip it around when you stack, but it is not critical. On the go it feels nimble. There only few places I cannot get through, with a bit more skills I am confident I will get there. Sure, KTM riders are sniffing at it. We are the majority.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good summary. Whenever anyone turns up their nose at bikes like this I usually assume they have bugger all riding skills but have a bigger bike so they can accelerate hard in a straight line on flat ground lol.

[@johnkerry2585]

I owned a 2018 250L rally. Put 16,000 miles on it and loved it. Set it up as an ADV bike with racks, bags, and etc. First thing I did was fix the suspension, ohlins shock and added a racetech spring to the front. After that I was flying past my friends on rough rocky terrain when they’re on their KTM’s and Husqy’s. Eventually sold it for more than what I bought it for new! Got in with a group that wanted to ride LONG highway rides so I got a 11’ F800GS. I out rode that bike offroad and constantly had to replace the rear shock bolt almost every ride, even with the support brace! Now I’m on a 17’ KTM 690, feels similar to how I had my 250L setup but with 70hp.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The 690 sounds like it would really suit what you are doing now...

[@240LTS]

... On 5/31/2023 I bought a used 300 Rally with a LOT of upgrades already on it. Rally Raid suspension front and back (Level 1 on the monoshock) Bash plate, front crash bars, new handle bars, Bark busters, Moose Racing AXP luggage rack, foot pegs, tires front and back, shorter license plate configuration, longer kick stand (because of the suspension up grade) and larger foot, 12V and USB plugs, Comfort Tech seat, etc. Looking forward to getting back on the dirt. Need people to ride with in Maryland. . Jeff .

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Hope it works out well, Jeff. I really enjoyed my ride but at this stage I'd still prefer the extra grunt of the DR650... and it doesn't weigh much more than the Rally. I could see myseld on one at some point in the future though.

[@KorysRides]

I owned one for 9 years, great bike that would do anything, just not very quickly. I put a turbo and sidecar on mine at one point. Lots of wide open throttle on the highway, which made the coolant weep as mentioned. Some early bikes had cam chain tensioner issues but not enough for a recall. Got rid of it and my 1200 Goldwing, got a CB500X and couldn't be happier.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

A turbo! How did that work out, Kory?

[@KorysRides]

@@crosstrainingadventure it was fun while it lasted lol Luckily the ebay turbo died before the engine did.

[@Crittermoto]

I own the 250L 2015 and regularly do 3000km to 8000km trips on it. I don’t get there fast but I do get there and always with a smile on my face and worry free. 👍🏻 Based my whole channel on the lil 250 stating “you don’t need a lot of CC’s to have a lot of fun” Cheers!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

you don’t need a lot of CC’s to have a lot of fun... amen to that!

[@jayschesser3795]

I bought a 2017 CRF250L for soft Enduro and single trail stuff. It has absolutely blown me away with its ability or rather ability to make me look good. It does everything my DR can do and if I had a choice of just one? CRF250L. For my style of riding, anyway. It's suits me as I'm 168cm tall and fits perfectly. Considering selling the DR to get a mid size twin. The CRF250L will remain in the garage and ridden every week. Great video as always.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Great to hear!

[@bawtrlfg]

I own the CRF300L , Im beginner in offroad riding, but its great machine, everyday commuting to work, rode it in Trans Euro Trail in Hungary , Croatia and Bosnia, it handled everything pretty fine 🙂 for its price it is great bike

[@crosstrainingadventure]

You have to love that price tag!

[@FishEaglesCall]

The 250 Rally (Africa Single) is my first ever motorbike. No regrets, highly recommended. After 3 summers of learning and enjoying... I'm waiting for the elusive/inevitable 450 Rally. Please Honda 😢

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Honda made one for Dakar, fingers crossed it goes into production

[@AUBREYTHOMAS1979]

I can't hate on a bike I think is just perfect for what it is. Any bike that takes a ride on a good adventure is a good adventure bike

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Absolutely. I'm always surprised when viewers starting saying things like 'You can't be a serious rider if you own one of these'.

[@ndlsjk]

4000 miles, 75% of which are off road on muddy and rooted up trails on my 2019 250L. First dirt bike ever altho I had lots of motorcycle experience before. Throw an MT21 on the front and a trackmaster on the back and she will go literally anywhere. I've done almost all the basic mods: electric jet kit, fork gold valves, intake, exhaust, lifepo battery, take off all the extra plastic, and am ordering a shock soon. Not a single thing has broken that wasnt my fault after one of my ~hundred crashes and easy to get parts and fix. Now that I'm better at riding I am relatively quick according to a riding buddy that used to race at local events. I keep up with him on his WR250R everywhere except open road. I may eventually get a 2nd more powerful bike but I truly love my slow and heavy red pig.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I love bulletproof bikes. My mechanical skills aren't great so it's always a confidence boost getting into regional areas with bikes like the CRF or DR650.

[@OzMOTO]

At 70+ im looking to swap my 650 vstrom for a 250/300. Many years ago i bought the first model xl250 and rode it for 17 years. Great bike. 😃

[@brentv7299]

Excellent review Barry. Still have an original '13 250L - it's been a great bike. The water pump mechanical seal is definitely a known issue here in US.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Do you know if it was fixed in later models, Brent?

[@alelectric2767]

Bought the 250 Rally new. Going to finally upgrade the suspension. At my age don’t care about the power. Great bike but a bit sketchy on the highway. Get blown around quite a bit.

[@Bandit-Iggy]

I bought my CRF 250 Rally new in 2018, i never thought this might be my last cuz i just love exploring nature on this every day, i rode the 250 and 300 back to back, the 250 is the better dirt bike but consider buying a 300 for cross country rides with my wife, its more comfy, and here in Thailand has 31 hp so better on the highway.

[@steveh100]

Ive had a Rally for 18months... suspension upgrade was all I required, its had an Arrow exhaust and a few other minor things. The power is plenty for my off road skills, on the road it does suck, but as long as you pick your route carefully you can stay awake, on faster roads it is a little...dull and you fall asleep, but a 200mile tank range and the 8000mile service intervals make for good cheap journeys... it works for someone not too interested in horse power figures and all that.... yes its not a rocket but its still gonna be comfortable after all day riding

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I'd like to see what the stock suspension is like, Steve. This owner said it was awful lol. But brilliant after throwing about $1000 at it.

[@steveh100]

@@crosstrainingadventure I was around 105kg when I first got it, with my gear and a little luggage it bottomed out even on a bumpy paved road, but I've seen stock doing OK on the technical stuff with lighter riders.

[@jaimemetcher388]

@@crosstrainingadventure It really is awful. On a bad paved road (i.e. all of our secondary roads) with a 90kg+ rider it'll get out of shape without being even being pushed, which IMO is not a good look for an entry level bike.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It's a real shame as you can usually get cheap suspension to work reasonably well if you just get the springs and damping set for the majority of riders.

[@jackchristodoulou197]

I owned a Honda crf300l for around 6 months its boring so i sold it for a KTM690, and before anyone says KTM i hope your good on the tools, i dont care the smile it puts on my face is worth it and thats why i ride

[@mikeisland7382]

I would love to see a 550 - 600cc single cylinder Rally. It would be one of the few bikes I'd sell my 450L for and only because it could carry a passenger if needed. If they could put the down low tanks from a 890, decent suspension, a 12" wide comfort XL seat and a heavy flywheel that'd be the unicorn. Not the 2x4 seat, tea cup sized tank and ultralight flywheel they equipped/hindered the 450L with.

[@OnThrottle]

I love my 250L Rally but it does have its shortcomings. Best thing I ever did was get the suspension rebuilt and set up for my weight. I seriously doubt Honda will create the unicorn considering how poorly the 450L was received.

[@olddirtbiker5088]

Isn't the 300 the bike Noraly from Itchy Boots rides, fully loaded? She's in West Africa now riding some really remote and sketchy terrain.

[@PetterIvarsson]

Yes thats correct

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I don't follow her stuff but I figure she's probably had the usual suspension upgrades?

[@gasdive]

​@@crosstrainingadventureI think she has upgraded the suspension. The countershaft shit itself at 40,000 km which is a bit of a worry. Full engine and gearbox rebuild. (At 40k I just changed the air filter and needlessly checked the valves on the Strom). Latest episode she rode in hot weather, spat out all the coolant and now the freshly rebuilt engine sounds like a shearing shed stationary diesel.

[@PatFarrellKTM]

I have a nearly 20 year old CRF230F, its a great bike. Super reliable. Yes, the suspension is wimpy and there isn't much HP. But its a great trail bike

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I had a ball in Canada riding a CRF250F, Pat. Great little wheelie machine!

[@sausagesandwichSA]

My 250 Rally is still going ok after almost 6 years...great fun on many camping adventures 👍

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Good to hear! Any mods? I assume you would beef up the suspension if carrying a fair bit of luggage?

[@tazyt3388]

great review mate i’ve been thinking bout one for a while hondas rule in my shed sure theres room for one more wafer thin duely hehe

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Go for it!

[@matthewridd88]

I’ve got a crf450L for a bit of everything type riding. Can’t believe they stopped bringing them into Australia. Have you made a video on the 450L?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Haven't ridden one yet, Matt. We tend to be a bit critical in our reviews so manufacturers usually never respond to our request for a test bike lol.

[@matthewridd88]

@@crosstrainingadventure It’s not a hard enduro bike, but a great all rounder. Adventure, woods/single track, general hooliganism etc.. Honda don’t bring them too Australia anymore unfortunately so unlikely to get one from a dealer. You’re welcome to borrow mine if you’d like to do a video on one. I’m in Brisbane.

[@RJPaulB]

​@@matthewridd88 @crosstrainingadventure I would love to see this happen. The CRF450L (+vortex) is/was the most slept on bike. A marketing failure, but an incredible dirt machine, capable of literally anything.

[@jonr4651]

The Rally is the lighter KLR. I would even argue a prefect replacement if you don’t need to highway all day all the time.

[@tieoneon1614]

Road Glide, GXSR1000, Tiger 800xcx, CRF450x, KDX200, KTM300. Iv had all the bikes the Internet Bro's fluff themselves talking about. THE most fun Iv ever had is my KLX250 with my bud's 250L just flogging them on logging roads, single track, power lines, then into town for food or beer. If u have any enduro skill, these bikes are extremely capable cuz of the super smooth fuel mapping, clutch, and power. Best part is how easy they are to load into a truck, and actually take ALL your stuff with you camping instead of trying to ADV style of packing only essentials on a bike.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I'd really like to try the KLX300, I hear nothing but good things about them.

[@VictorCeccato]

at $6,500 (ride-away), the new Suzuki VStrom 250SX is the bike of 2023 in Australia

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Amazing price. If I liked road riding I'd be tempted to get one!

[@petertaylor2148]

You can wheelie a 300 no problem 😊 As you probably know already... Great stuff

[@mc4nathan336]

I’m kitting out a crf450L to cross aus seems to be a great thing after a ecu

[@postmortemspasm]

yes but so expensive

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I'd be really interested if they had a more realistic price, doubled that oil capacity for sensible oil change intervals, and put a decent fuel tank on it. It's what a pile of Aussies were hoping for when it was announced...

[@mikeisland7382]

Tank, seat, fuelling solution, flywheel weight and you're good to go.

[@helmutschmacher2100]

Ahem! Shameless plug Baz.... ive been beating the crap out of a 250M for 9 years now so ive covered everything you can expect from 1 on my channels. Ive organised it into playlists. Im currently grinning like a maniac after cutting 15kg off the bloater and modifying it to 301cc. ITS A BEAST! Its absolutely perfect in the wild now and totally reliable, plus it will do 245kms on a tank* of gas * i modified the tank to take 8ltrs.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

15kg is pretty good! Mostly cheap or free mods? I know with the DR650 we could knock about 8kg off very cheaply but it started getting expensive after that.

[@H3avyHaul3r]

yep have a 300L (suspension, exhaust, ecu, large tank) it shares a shed with xr650r and xr250r…i like it for its modern comforts ie. electric start, efi and the ability to still have spare parts available over the counter…its the closest thing to an xr i’m likely to see from honda…

[@crosstrainingadventure]

The owner of this one has an Africa Twin for his longer faster rides so he figures he's got the adventure riding spectrum covered well.

[@orpaztron]

I rode 300CRF as part of what's the next bike. It was ok with 114 kph 😊 but then I thoght... In this price I can get almost new DR650 or a used 690...eventualy boght a 790 adv, but I still think the CRF 300 is right for my level and the trails I ride mostly.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I've heard a lot of Americans say their 250s will sit on 120kmh happily all day but personally I'd really prefer a bigger bike and lower revs. I'm pretty happy with the DR650 in that respect. Not too much heavier or more expensive...

[@orpaztron]

@@crosstrainingadventure as a 90 Kg~ rider the 250's can't deal with even 1% highway ascent without reducing the "top" speed. on a side roades maybe it's ok for some. I wish Honda will give the us a true unicorn - street legal CRF 450 that cruse on 120 Kph. that's what 99% of us want in my impression.

[@asherlito3801]

I ride with a guy who spent about 10-11k USD including the bike in mods and stuff and that bike rips while still having 5x longer service intervals than a purpose dirt bikes. Only thing purpose dirts bikes have over his is a little power and weight. But if he remove the headlight and street legal stuff I imagine he could get the bike around 280-270 lb which isn't terrible.

[@PetterIvarsson]

It takes your body anywhere but it doesnt rev your heart 😂

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It does for some riders though! But I have to admit it's not my cup of tea despite being impressed by it.

[@iangriffiths9930]

Up to now there hasn’t been any real competition for it, well at least here in the UK there isn’t. Maybe the new Voge 300 rally might be worth a try? At £3800 it’s significantly cheaper??

[@clemoniii]

That's a FABULOUS description. Spot on!

[@ramboexcess4469]

Ridden the 250l off road and it was way too soft for me in suspension and power. IV got DTZ400E and MX bike but not a great rider. Love a 400.

[@dznnf7]

Another XR75 team member here!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Such a cool bike in its day!

[@VietnamMotorbikeTours]

wow, that fella rides so well! great vid awesome day

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Bloke's a stud. Women have reported becoming pregnant after he rides past...

[@64faffi]

Here in Norway, I find the 300 Rally to be much too costly. It is just 8% less than the CB500X, and 17% MORE than a KTM 390 Adventure. The Honda Rally is also made up of flimsy plastics that do not take much to crack. Maintenance has also been made harder than it need to be. Shame, because I like the idea of a simple, off-road capable bike that is cheap to run and own.

[@guestappearance3211]

Sounds like good value to me if you are after a more dirt worthy bike, even with the bit of money you have to spend on top

[@Wintersdark]

Man, those AUD out the door prices look really rough next to the USD MSRP's.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Traditionally our dollar has averaged around 70c to the USD, Derrick.. we do pay more for bikes but it's mostly due to a much smaller market and transport costs I think. My understanding is the 'ride away' price is usually a fair bit higher than MSRP?

[@camerongiles-webb7807]

What about a KOVE 450 for Australia, that could be a great ADV unicorn.

[@macedonadam]

Any word on the rusting issues? Heard that is a concern with these taiwanese motorcycles. Just curious since I don’t have personal experience.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I think it's made in Thailand? I thought Honda Taiwan focused on cars? I'm not aware of any rust issues but could be worth asking on a CRF250L specific group or page.

[@macedonadam]

@@crosstrainingadventure you are correct, must be tapping into all those made in Taiwan toys that i had as a kid. It would probably be much more expensive to manufacture there than Thailand these days.

[@rickreid8149]

Bring on the 450 to 500 model

[@crosstrainingadventure]

👍😎

[@stmboat]

The gap between what a crf300 rally is capable of compared to say, a stock 2017 crf450X is astounding. A mate of mine tuned his crf450x down with the electronic plug in and it feels like an XR. When it was original, it was a teleporter, unfit for our everyday east coast trails in New England. Honda is so weird.

[@BigBergJohnson]

Yep, if they made something like a 550 or 600 I'd be considering honda

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Fingers crossed. I'd love to see them rework the XR650L into a serious rally beast... or just bring back the XR650R with enough mods to pass emission laws etc.

[@BigBergJohnson]

@@crosstrainingadventure I really want a new xr 600 I reckon remake the xr 600 I reckon 600s need to make a comeback

[@MrEtnorb]

The “unicorn” will never come from Japan or anywhere. The market is in twins these days. By the time you have sorted the suspension, fuel capacity, ECU, muffler there is $14,000 spent. You can do much better with a 2nd hand EXCF500 (approx 50 for sale at the moment) as long as you lower the suspension. You have fuel/seat/screen problems on all of the bikes but you get twice the power of a 300Land equal or better longevity plus you will never need to upgrade. Waiting for the usual “change oil every 2nd day comments”, which is thoroughly debunked.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yep, we discussed the lack of bigger ADV singles in a recent vid... and why we are unlikely to see them. 😢

[@martyn_g]

A second hand one where it’s hard to find one where the previous owner has kept all receipts and you know he/she has looked after it. The age old argument of “oh get a second hand one.. far better value when compared to “x” new bike” can be applied to most models. You could arguably buy a second hand 300 Rally for $8K with bartering, second hand tank, new suspension and get it all for 11K. Now you’re comparing apples with apples on cost.

[@wipperwil]

Hey Honda: yes please on the idea of a 450 Rally!!

[@crosstrainingadventure]

They made one for Dakar... hopefully they'll sell it too

[@tarjas]

286cc just isn’t enough grunt to do “adventure” things with a normal sized adult. The one I rode with luggage was downright dangerous in traffic on an incline. My DR hardly notices the same location for perspective and is only about 20lbs heavier. The “300” Rally just doesn’t make sense to me.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I can see why some riders rave about the smaller Hondas but at this stage of life I'd still prefer the extra grunt of the DR650.

[@robsonenduro3316]

I had crf250l for 6 months and sold it quickly, if somebody has still blood streaming in his veins then that bike will be boring.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Well... it all depends on your riding style. Me? I'd stil prefer about 40hp and I'd miss the grunt of the DR650. But there are lots of adventure riders doing serious trips on 250 or 300 models.

[@robsonenduro3316]

@@crosstrainingadventure well, they even travel on honda 50cc but that's not the point.

[@dappa4608]

How would they go with a 110kg rider ?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Probably want stiffer springs at the very least. And maybe revalving if any aggressive riding was planned?

[@SLFYSH]

A rally 450 would be a great offering we"ve been begging for for a decade. The 450RL, limited fuel, and oil capacity, lack of low end, and high maintenance requirements are nothing close. A slightly detuned 450 rally would be great and would bave no competition. Why do you suppose Honda doesnt want to make one?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It's hard to say with the Japanese are so lethargic nowadays. It might be simply there are so few of us really wanting that rally style, whereas the market for the 450RL is much bigger? It would be an easy decision for the accountants who are probably more in charge than anyone else. 🤔

[@SLFYSH]

@@crosstrainingadventure do you think the 300 rally has more or less wide-base of appeal than the 450RL? Many of those modding the 450RL are in essence trying to make them rallys.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Generally all the Aussie riders I know find a 300 too small. But it's very different in other countries. E.g. heaps of guys do serious highway mileage on 250 dual sport bikes so the 300 has been popular in other countries.

[@SLFYSH]

@@crosstrainingadventure Ive considered the 300 rally for service and reliability, over a Husq 701/KTM690 and it would work a lot of the time. I currently have a DR650 which has worked well for me most of the time, but do wish for FI and 6 gears given changes in altutude, and some rugged and steep terrain. I've added 4 teeth to the rear and dropped one in the front. 1st gear has been way to high. 75 MPH on the intersstate is sometimes necessary, but am mostly off road on BDRs. I fear the 300 would be too small to handle what i want to do, but want Japanese reliability, and longer service intervals and less expense. Am I missing something?

[@DJAguitars]

What are they like for tall riders?

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It felt okay to me although like any bike the standing position felt a bit cramped... I'd do my usual bar risers and footpegs mounted down and back.

[@DJAguitars]

@@crosstrainingadventure cheers 👍 coming from a DRZ and wanting a more modern alternative so the other main concern is the lack of power compared with the DEEARRZEEEE. Need to test one I think.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Definitely not the same punch as a DRZ unfortunately. And there's a huge price jump with the CRF450L and those ridiculously short oil change intervals because they didn't bother increasing oil capacity. 😒

[@DJAguitars]

@@crosstrainingadventure at this rate we'll never get what we want before either everything goes electric or we're too old and knackered to ride offroad *sigh*

[@cedricboivin9422]

Maybe my motorcycle is too small for me "Remember there's an inverse relationship between engine cc and penis size"

[@crosstrainingadventure]

😂

[@LCARSADV]

I’ve had the little red pig and the engine just doesn’t have any zip to it. Wry capable bike but I think my ktm 390 adventure is just as capable and way more fun to ride. Plus I can actually pass someone on the highway. I think the 390 is the unicorn small adv bike

[@crosstrainingadventure]

If you spend most of your time on the road the 390 will definitely work out better! But usually it's 19 inch front wheel and road bike heritage don't work out well off-road as it gets rougher.

[@ndlsjk]

​@@crosstrainingadventureI ride with a guy on a ktm 390 adv and he won't go on anything rougher than a fire road. Both times he tried I had to pick that pig up and boy my 250L felt pretty dang light after. Apples and oranges.

[@TLE1977A]

Best mod for these bikes is a CB500X engine transplant.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

It begs the question of whether Honda will bring out a rally version of the CB500X so owners don't have to spend thousands on those mods.

[@KorysRides]

@@crosstrainingadventure Rally raid has suspension upgrades and spoked rims for the older single front disc CB500X. The 22+ models have better forks and twin discs up front, but the suspension still bottoms out on single track and bigger bumps/jumps. Fender rubs like crazy even on pavement with heavy braking.

[@martyn_g]

And the weight will go north of 200kg. You want lightweight, it has to be a single. I can’t think of any lightweight 2 cylinder adv bikes. Can you?

[@fredrik999z]

I hate reviews saying it’s a great bike for the money but you have to completely rebuild it and spend half the value of the bike on upgrades.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

I know the owner of this CRF250 Rally spent AUD1000 on the suspension and a few hundred more on an aftermarket pipe. But I'm sure he'd agree that spending half the value of the bike (>AUD5000) would be crazy lol. Do you mean some DR650 owners? I know some of those guys can spend that much on rally screens, suspension, seats, tanks and bling etc.

[@Ken0la]

There isn’t a bike out there that is boring, riders/owners, well that is another matter entirely…

[@SingleSpeederLife]

331 pounds and 25hp.. No thanks

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yeah it's not for everyone. But I was pleasantly surprised still. When I eventually lose the urge for wheelies and the occasional fast blast on dirt roads I could see myself on one of these.

[@tarjas]

More like 22-23 rwhp from the dynos I’ve seen.

[@ERUtheWINDRIDER]

The unicorn is almost born, just not from Honda. Search for Kove 450 Rally.

[@petet9474]

Yeah but it’s twice the price and made in china

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yeah personally I won't touch a Chinese motorbike. And I think you'd need to see a pile of long term reports from owners in a few years time to see how reliable they actually are... as with any new manufacturer.

[@ERUtheWINDRIDER]

@@petet9474 It is not twice the price, it is more expensive yes, but being a one of the kind, what can I say, if it was European, or Japanese it would be the weight in gold.

[@ERUtheWINDRIDER]

@@crosstrainingadventure I know about the American fobia regarding chinese stuff, (extended to ozzie), but personally I had mostly good experiences with "chinese things"

[@crosstrainingadventure]

A phobia is an irrational fear, which might apply in some cases. But I know a lot of riders who won't buy Chinese for very well thought out reasons. 😊

[@citygonebad619]

Yeah nah, pretty stock review unfortunately. You nailed the CC and suspension challenges, but you can push this bike pretty hard with the right ergos... and the right upgrades. Ride a slow bike fast, just nevermind the plastics.

[@ZenderStuzer]

I can say that 18' CRF250L is the worst bike I have ever seen. Don't get me wrong - I have owned 84' XL200R - that ancient thing rides way better than brand new CRF250. Plastic is cheap and more brittle, headlight weights like half a bike and shines like shit, suspension is dangerous to ride, clutch had to be replaced 3 times in 2 seasons (no other bike had so many problems with a clutch, I still ride 88' XRV650 with the stock clutch), the seat cover is designed to tear. It weights the same as KTM690/Husq701, but No power at all. Maintenance - when I'm working on the bike I'm constantly swearing because of how bad it is designed. You guys who say you will go with this bike anywhere - are you aware that in case you run front flat, you have to carry huge hex key to take of the front wheel? I understand this in track bikes, but adventure bike? Now I'll avoid Honda for the rest of my life. It's no fun anymore.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Interesting... another viewer mentioned terrible build quality. The owner of our test bike didn't mention any issues other than shit suspension. Most of Honda's cheaper models are made in Thailand but generally speaking the quality control seems to have been pretty good across most models. Something definitely wrong with that clutch! A shame about the hex bolt, my old Beta Xtrainer had the same dumb design. There was an aftermarket replacement to get rid of it.

[@camerongiles-webb7807]

I sold my 22 300 rally. It’s the most boring bike I’ve every owned. I was so disappointed in it. Lame Honda !! Never again.

[@dropbear9526]

You can buy a 450L now.

[@crosstrainingadventure]

Yep, been out for a while. It'll be interesting to see if they do the Rally version. They've done one for Dakar but will they actually sell them? honda.racing/rally/machines/crf-450-rally

[@dropbear9526]

@@crosstrainingadventure I hope they do Bazza. I sold my 701.