Honda CRF300L Rally - 3,000 Mile Review

[@Twowheels-uz6lz]

Just bought a CRF 300 Rally and its great so far, thanks a million for a very informative video. I agree with you that the stock suspension is perfectly adequate for normal riding, but I will get the Rally Raid kit after a few months when my skill improves.

[@HighDesertHills]

Congrats on the new bike! I think you're going to love it.

[@leeinwis]

I spent 230 bucks for new back shocks and called it a day , may get heavier weight oil in front shocks soon...alot cheaper than that rip off raid kit.

[@martinabenfield]

Great review. I raced dirt bikes for many years. I’m sixty three now. I just want comfort and a lot of fun now. This bike seems perfect me. Thank you so much for the information.

[@Archetype123]

Fantastic review (I watched/listened as I assembled a Lego kit 😁). I have one of these on pre-order for next Spring and you really covered every base of this bike. Thanks for the great review and happy riding!

[@HighDesertHills]

Glad it was helpful! Which Lego kit?

[@patientprepper2030]

Great vlog. Looking forward to more of them. My rally will be arriving in the spring.

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks! And congrats on the new bike! Sorry you have to wait so long.

[@patientprepper2030]

@@HighDesertHills Driving a Honda Navi til then. Coming from a Yamaha VMAX1200 is a bit of a hp down grade. Still fun.

[@robertscarisbrick7245]

Very good over view !! Like your sensible outlook. Envious of your riding environment !! You have the right idea about gettin out and riding 👍 To many people pick holes and criticise everything but don’t ride . Well done .

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks Robert!

[@240LTS]

... Another 2021 CRF 300 Rally owner here. Bought it used with a lot of upgrades already including the Level 1 Rally Raid front and back. I really enjoy your videos and perspective on not just the bike but riding also. Thank you, Jeff

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks Jeff! Really appreciate the feedback.

[@240LTS]

... @@HighDesertHills ... I am considering a 550 Stage 1 and a Yosh RS 4 full exhaust. Not sure if it will ever happen but researching everything I can. Dork (Ben) has a Graves and says he loves the "increase in power". 🤔

[@HighDesertHills]

I rode a buddy's with the 550 Stage 1 and a full exhaust (different brand), and it did give it a nice little punch.

[@240LTS]

@@HighDesertHills What exhaust system?

[@HighDesertHills]

Moto X. I talk a bit about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaLCq4uJg9uJnKc

[@PatchedBandit]

Acerbis aftermarket tank for the 300L is 3.7 gallons (14 liters)

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks!

[@n1c3b0y]

thanks for a down to earth sensible review of a mainly stock version, great to hear ownership experience at 3k miles

[@robertmalone731]

Enjoyed your review. Just installed the Rally Raid LEVEL 1 on my Honda CRF250L...totally changed my bike. Absolutely planted and I look for anything to challenge the bike - it can easily handle anything I have thrown at it. I live in the Rocky Mountains and the country is very challenging. The first reaction was that there was NO SAG and initially I felt the bike was TOO HIGH!

[@HighDesertHills]

Interesting that it felt too high even with the level 1. I’m anxious to get mine on, and hoping for the same feelings you have about the upgrade. Did you do the install yourself, or have it done by a shop?

[@robertmalone731]

@@HighDesertHills Did the install myself. Nothing too complicated...normal shop tools. My OEM side stand is useless now, bike leans over too far... that's the next modification. Due to the almost zero sag in the suspension - I stand on my peg to mount the bike - the lean angle now is really too much for long term reliability.

[@HighDesertHills]

Good to know. I think I will go ahead and attempt the install myself once I can carve out a day or so to do it. I didn’t even think about the kickstand. I may be doing that upgrade soon too.

[@dennishaldiman6087]

Wonderful review! I follow Itchy Boots and know that she absolutely loves her Rally. She loves it enough to re-build it from the bottom up after driving it from South America to the top of Alaska. She is now in Northern Africa crossing the Sahara Desert...she also must agree with you on the paint scheme, as she completely upgraded it in the re-build.

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks! And yeah, Itchy Boots is amazing.

[@georgesweaton4623]

Great content love your banter I’ve had my black 250 rally 2 years nearly 6000 mile just about to have stock tyres replaced your so right stock tyres and suspension just fine I’ve got Oxford grips just great I’m 30 in leg I put lowering link on keep up good work York Uk

[@HighDesertHills]

Awesome! I knew the stock tires were holding up well, but I wouldn’t have guessed 6000 miles. You may see the front fender from your rally on my bike at some point 🙂

[@Roberta_Esposito]

Thanks for the video. I’m not being critical, but do you think you should’ve gotten the longer double take mirrors

[@Tarkov.]

I didn't realize just how good of a value the rally was until I saw how much the aftermarket tank is for the non-rally. So for like $700 more you're getting the bigger tank, LED lights, a skid plate and a windshield, put together in a package that all those things aesthetically fit.

[@terratrodder]

Great review, and an amazing area to ride! I'm in the central Oregon desert and have finally decided to get a Rally but unfortunately there is a multi-month wait everywhere. Suckage.

[@HighDesertHills]

That does suck. I lucked out. I called every dealership within a couple hours of my house and found this one within a week or so after I started looking. Someone who had ordered it backed out. If you haven’t already, you should join the 300L/Rally group on Facebook. They pop up used occasionally there, and if Oregon is anything like Utah, you’d save a ton of money in dealership fees if you can find a used one.

[@terratrodder]

@@HighDesertHills I haven't used FB in 10 yrs, but if it helps me get one faster I might relent. Thanks for the info.

[@loganurquhart11]

Crappy, it’s like Honda isn’t really into selling motorcycles or something.

[@terratrodder]

@@loganurquhart11 I decided to get the non Rally version a couple months ago and am pretty happy with it. The upgraded Acerbis tank and skid plate and it's good to go, for now.

[@stevemason775]

Good vid. What do you weigh since you suggested the suspension is fine. Are you near 260lbs? Would it be good at that weight too?

[@wiredwebmaster]

20:00min mark - lovely wide open and scenic area. May I ask, where is this location?

[@HighDesertHills]

It’s out near Little Moab, which is west of Utah Lake. Great place to ride.

[@wiredwebmaster]

@@HighDesertHills - Thanks! Yes, just moved from VA to NV to experience the desert areas of my state and other surroundings. Moab is on my bucketlist!

[@HighDesertHills]

@@wiredwebmaster Fun! But just to be clear, this is a place called “little” Moab, not the famous Moab that’s down closer to you. I made a video about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYDaoKV6j7uXfrc

[@wiredwebmaster]

@@HighDesertHills - yes, thanks for clarifying. Will watch the link!

[@tylerhiggins8687]

I was a bit concerned when Itchy Boot's rear tire chewed through her tool box after she had here Rally Raid shock installed ( I assumed it was a level-1) It didn't make any sense. My guess is that the new rear tire was too wide and that it wasn't shock related at all. Good luck with your suspension work/install. I'm looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks again for sharing the process.

[@HighDesertHills]

I’m a bit behind on her journey, so I haven’t seen her suspension upgrade yet. Thanks for the heads up - I’ll keep an eye on the tool box.

[@tylerhiggins8687]

Hey, Tyler. I was hoping, if you get a chance, that you might take a photo from the side of your Rally with you sitting with all your gear (race sag) with the stock suspension and than take a comparison picture once you have the new suspension in (race sag) with you on the bike with all your gear. The reason I ask is because I don't ride my Rally anywhere that it really require new suspension but, I hate the feeling of the rear of the bike being so "Dumpy" (like and old pick up truck with blown shocks) when I sit on it (I'm 207lbs) I'm just really curious if it will correct this problem. Thanks for everything. -Tyler in Vermont

[@HighDesertHills]

You bet. I'm trying to think of the best way to get something like that to you. Maybe I'll make a little short and upload it here. Also, I'm planning on tackling my suspension upgrade this weekend. I'll probably shoot some video of that process, and I'll include some "before and after" footage with me on the bike.

[@tylerhiggins8687]

@@HighDesertHills Very cool. You always have realistic and clear view of things. I look forward to it.

[@mike.thomas]

I did that for my DRZ, before and after vids. Was kind of cool to see the difference. I didn’t bother gearing up though. I just made sure to wear the same stuff in both videos.

[@diggy-d8w]

Riding in a safe manner goes a long way but I have seen several incidences where the soft front end led to a washout. ABS might have corrected it but perhaps adjusting the front until you decide what's best for you would be in order? I'm too old to be hitting the ground & picking bikes up too often.... lol, I do like the Rally version. Pretty nice bike

[@Khemtime]

I just crossed 3000 miles on my Rally. Checking in to compare my experience.

[@mike.thomas]

I enjoy your laid-back videos, and as a fellow relative n00b (to dual sport/off-pavement, not motorcycles) I appreciate them all the more since we’re kind of at the same level. I ride a DRZ400 and while it’s not known to be super lightly sprung, it was certainly undersprung for me, even minimally geared up (though I go about 240lbs all geared-up for trail riding), so I did RaceTech front and rear. Big difference. My ass doesn’t drag anymore, and the suspension can be tuned properly (though I’m still figuring that out). The CRF300s are definitely way undersprung. One of my friends had the 250 version and he weighs about what you do, and I could swear he was eating up at least 1/2 the sag in his relatively minimal gear and minimal farkles. With me on it, it was almost comical. Anyway, I don’t say all this to slam the 300s. I think they are fantastic, and I actually kind of want to trade to one in order to get FI, better mileage, etc, but I’d def do the suspension right out of the gate. I’ll be REALLY curious to see how you feel about it once you’ve upgraded. One thing to be ready for is a much taller seat. I almost always get on from the left (or right, depending on the situation) peg anyway so it hasn’t been that big an issue.

[@mike.thomas]

Well, I just realized this video is really old. Oh well ;-)

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks for the great comment! I actually have done the suspension now, and I love it. I went with the Rally Raid level 1 because it maintains the stock seat height (at the cost of some travel).

[@mike.thomas]

@@HighDesertHills Yeah, I realized not long after my comment that it was an old video, so I watched your follow-on. Seems like a good idea to get the level 1 for your height/inseam. When I went to the appropriate springs and sag on my DRZ it felt like I needed a stepladder to get on! I’m about 6 feet but I don’t have a really long inseam. I’m pretty used to it now, but there are times I’d like for it to be easier to dab or just put a foot down on the low side of a sidehill.

[@johnhancock1855]

Can’t wait for a review on the suspension

[@HighDesertHills]

I’m pretty anxious myself. I missed the delivery today, so I won’t get my hands on everything until Monday. Hopefully I’ll be able to knock out the installation next weekend.

[@ThinkSimply]

So i've been wondering... 1. Are "scramblers" really just to big and heavy to have any fun offroad? 2. Can you make one of these dirt bike style machines look more like a motorcycle/ scrambler with the basic steel tank, no plastics, etc.

[@HighDesertHills]

I'm not much of an expert on scramblers, but this video from F9 about the Scram 411 does a deep dive into scramblers in general. It is, as all of F9's videos always are, extremely informative and wildly entertaining: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWTboaOkZ7iHjs0

[@ericgreen1079]

Do you think this would be a good motorcycle to take your motorcycle license test? It looks pretty nimble for tight turns slowly...!?!!!!

[@HighDesertHills]

For me, it would have been a bit tall. It shouldn’t matter, because you’re not supposed to put your feet down, but I felt more comfortable on a shorter bike. The XT250 was perfect. But I have short legs (29” inseam). If I was a bit taller, the Rally would have been great for the test.

[@ericgreen1079]

@@HighDesertHills now I'm looking at possibly getting the new Triumph Scrambler 400 when that comes out in January as it looks like it could be pretty sweet if the price isn't too high and I like that it comes standard with ABS brakes and a bunch of other options that Honda doesn't have on this bike

[@vaerenbergh]

Great revieuw, how is it 2upping? And what speed does it do then?

[@HighDesertHills]

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of insight into that. I've only ever done 2up with my daughter. It works great with her on the back, but she's only about 5' 2" and light as a feather. And I've never tried to top out the speed with her on the back. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

[@vaerenbergh]

@@HighDesertHills no problem, just wondering if i could still do 75 on it if i would like to go to the beach with the wife on the back

[@HighDesertHills]

My hunch is that you'll be able to get up to speed on flat ground, but it'll take a bit longer to get there. You'll probably struggle a bit maintaining that speed up hills. One way to find out 🙂

[@rosarioroberto5823]

Greetings Tyler As always a fantastic video production 🇺🇸🎉🍾🇺🇸 I think you need a headlight protector. Keep producing more videos

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks! I do like the look of headlight protectors. I may have to do that 🙂

[@jacintofjimenez5342]

Thank you for your video! I really enjoyed! Cheers 🍻

[@williamlorimer060867]

Here in uk you can get a 14lt tank for the 300l

[@HighDesertHills]

You can here as well now. Great news for those that prefer the standard 300L, but want more range.

[@leeinwis]

The tank is already bigger than the 250 rally , when is it gonna be big enough , and top heavy enough for ya all ?@@HighDesertHills

[@tomasbisciak7323]

The colouring is good for detection.

[@davidmatthews3093]

I know the common thought behind being able to turn off ABS is to allow riders to lock the rear wheel to slide around corners but that’s not the real reason. ABS relies on the tyre having some friction from the road surface. This is probably best shown by using a car braking on ice as an example. When you brake hard on ice in an ABS equipped car it just carries on with the ABS releasing and braking with it having no retardation whatsoever. A motorcycle going downhill on a loose surface can get into the same situation, the ABS tries to work but the wheels keep turning, no effective braking whatsoever. If you can switch off the ABS you can lock up the rear wheel, the rear tyre will skid but at least there is some braking. By applying the brakes until the rear skids then releasing the brake and repeating several times you will eventually slow down and hopefully come to a stop.

[@dailylife3975]

The 3.4 gallon tank from the 300l rally won't fit on the crf300l

[@HighDesertHills]

Unfortunately not

[@telefunkenyou47]

I have a 300L. The Rally looks a lot cooler. You could get away with wearing a cape.

[@SomewhereInside]

Great informative review of this bike , the seat height issue for those 5 ft 8 or under is interesting . Your comment about not noticing the height anymore is telling . Like all things in life , we adjust , having too low seat height can leave the feet exposed to rocks , logs and ruts ect . I am undecided between this bike and a KLR 650 , there is a 60Kg weight difference , but the Kawasaki is better on the road I believe . Anyway from Australia keep up the great content .

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks! Good luck with your decision. The KLR is a tried and true, bullet proof machine, but for me the weight and lack of FI (at the time) were deal breakers. Of course I recently picked up a KTM 890 Adv which weights about 25Kg more than the KLR, so go figure. But I still love the Rally for my solo desert adventures where I know all the the lifting will be done by just me if I take a spill.

[@Roberta_Esposito]

ty

[@kfj69]

Do you always use 91 octane?

[@HighDesertHills]

I don’t use 91 octane, but I do use ethanol free whenever I have the option.

[@xxlalbatross3287]

🎉🎉🎉

[@bobpopelka]

Thank you for great video and all informations. Being 5'-7" with 29 inseam I lowered my Rally about 3" using Kouba link and lower seat from Seat Concepts. It improve ride comfort too. What bothers now is noice coming from below on right side when I use full gas throttle up to the hill. Did not have time to check if something got loose. I had to escape hot weather in Palm Desert flying to Europe. Coming back in October and will try to resolve it myself. Redlands Honda is not to far if I need more help.

[@HighDesertHills]

There are people who say that lowering a bike causes problems with the geometry, but in my opinion, a bike that you feel unsafe on (or even just uncomfortable) is far more of a problem than any minor geometry changes that come from dropping it. Thanks for the comment, and have a save trip back to the states!

[@leeinwis]

I have the 250 rally in black/gray , got it with only 900 miles on it .

[@HighDesertHills]

I love that color scheme on the Rally.

[@rugged04270]

Now the CRF300LS is out, so that is another great option for shorter riders.

[@HighDesertHills]

For sure. I definitely would have seriously considered the LS if it had been available when I was in the market. If there was a Rally LS there would have been no question.

[@rugged04270]

@@HighDesertHills that's what I'm thinking right now. Wishing there was a rally LS for sure

[@budbartlett9075]

I put 20000 to 25 ooo miles on all four of my KLR bikes in the first year. 37 mile commute and preferred way of going anywhere. Great machine except for the snow! Ha.

[@HighDesertHills]

Yeah, I think I’m retired from riding in snow.

[@georgeh.5480]

what handlebars do you have?

[@HighDesertHills]

ProTaper CR Mid, with the ProTaper 1 1/8" mount kit to go from the 7/8" stock mount to the 1 1/8" fat bar.

[@georgeh.5480]

@@HighDesertHills that's awesome, they look great!

[@RT22-pb2pp]

As nice as these new ones are i would take a mid 80s xr350 over it any day.

[@skulijakobsson5116]

Much Enjoyment 👍😎 God Jul!

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks!

[@tarjas]

Tough to understand why a heavy 23 rwhp bike is so popular. A few more lbs gets you into a true dual sport (ie highway speeds uphill) or Some additional money gets you a lighter and vastly more powerful Husky/KTM 359/500. IMO the 300ish bikes just aren’t safe on roads other than 2 lanes.

[@garyjennings5795]

I’m going with the service intervals. Most people riding these aren’t buying them for commuter rides or big highway riding. Certainly there are more aggressive machines out there but that is not what this group is looking for.

[@jackle842000]

It's rather simple. You can always have more power and more fun with a smaller more powerful engine or a bigger heavier engine but there's always trade-offs. You can never have big power and a light bike while having long service intervals, low maintenance cost, & keeping low weight. This bike has something no other bike has. This bike has the long service intervals, low weight, and plenty of power to ride down the highway when needed but it does not have any high speed passing power although it gets up to speed plenty fast. If you're a motocross style rider that likes to tear crap up and work on it all the time this is not the bike for you. If you're an explorer that likes to get there and be more comfortable while doing it and have a bike that's lightweight enough to do it then this is definitely the bike for you and I can't think of any other bike that is as good. Every other bike I've looked at has real short service intervals, low reliability, or heavier. The rally offers an actual fairing that does not have a handlebar mounted windshield so you do not have the windshield pushing and turning on your handlebars. It's obvious you either are a super aggressive rider or think you are. Whichever it may be maybe it's not the bike for you but good luck working on what you get all the time. For myself, I work far too much to be working on my bike all the time and want to be able to enjoy riding it more than I work on it. This is definitely a great bike option for a huge number of people out there that is not replaceable by any other bike I can think of. 300l rally is my choice bike period so far. If I want to go down highway more than off-road I will take One of the large displacement bikes again so I don't have to work on it all the time. For a person like me there is no reason to ever think about a KTM that always combines lightweight with high power but sacrifices itself to high maintenance and maintenance cost. If they ever come out with a bike that has the KTM weight & power but with high reliability with low maintenance cost & intervals I will be down for that in a heartbeat but I have a feeling it'll never exist.

[@tarjas]

@@jackle842000 not a super aggressive rider at all. Just one who doesn’t want to get killed on the highway where I (infrequently) ride and I want a bike that is bulletproof. I bought a DR650 after almost buying a buddies Rally he was selling. Can actually pass on the highway and maintain speed on an incline (Rally can not). I’ve dropped it countless times and do all my own work in the 10K plus miles I’ve put on it. Probably 20lbs more than a Rally, almost twice the HP/TQ, and almost no plastic. Windshield and larger fuel tank do the same as the Rally fairing with much less to break. Both need suspension and other mods. The Rally is primarily targeted/marketed to new riders and I think they need to know what they are getting and what they aren’t. I’d love to have multiple bikes but not in the cards at the moment.

[@jackle842000]

@@tarjas I'm 230 lbs and the rally maintains 65 easy up hills. Speed limit is 55 most areas here where I'll be riding far outside cities. Dr650 & XR650 were my only other thoughts to get but they carry more weight up high and not near as good for tougher trails for that reason even more than the little extra weight. I've ridden the 650's too and they are great as long as it's not the klr650. The klr carries far more high weight than the XR. It's not only weight to consider but weight placement. The rally is more comfortable stock then my KLR650 was with an aftermarket seat to me so far so that's a plus. It's also fuel injected so you can start it and go no matter what the weather is like. It's also far far far more fuel efficient. The 300 l Rally also has 16,000 mi valve adjustment intervals which nothing hardly comes close to touching in any similar class. It has good counterbalancing in the engine so it doesn't vibrate a lot. There's just a lot of things to consider that edge the 300l rally over the other 2 for me. If I was going to ride down a freeway I would take the 650 all day but there's no freeways here so I chose the rally even though I have 30 years experience on bikes. I've been on every type of bike there is from off road only, to crotch rockets, goldwing, adventure bikes, and all. This bike also has a clutch That's so greatly engineered I can pull it with my pinky and that's a huge benefit off-road in tough spots. There is no hand strain from clutching at all period. Literally every single thing but the power is better on the 300l rally. I do still like the XR650 though if I'm looking for a back road thrill. But for exploring the 300 is better. I'm not knocking those XR or DR at all those are great bikes but everything but power is better on the 300 to me about the ride.

[@MrGeorge1978]

I honestly don't know how anyone can say that the suspension is OK, in any way shape or form... I've ridden a lot of crappy although fast 2-stroke's my whole life. The 300 rally is the first new bike that I have ever had and my very first impressions were that it's SLOW and the suspension is GARBAGE. And that's coming from someone who has never had "proper" set up suspension for as hard as I ride... And coming from someone who has never spent any time on a single cylinder four stroke, the 4-5K rattle and engine noise in general sounds horrible to me, but I ignore it and tell myself it's "normal" lol

[@matrixist]

I just don't like the color either!

[@Drumstyle1000]

Hi! Huge thanks for your videos about this bike! Do you have an Instagram?

[@HighDesertHills]

Thanks! I don’t have an IG yet, but I’ve been thinking about it

[@Drumstyle1000]

@@HighDesertHills it would be cool! Just wanted to ask you about Kawasaki KLX300 vs crf300. Maybe did you try Kawa before buying Honda? is there the same suspension as on Honda?

[@HighDesertHills]

I didn’t have a chance to try the KLX, but I do know that the stock suspension on the Kawasaki is a lot better than the stock suspension on the Honda. I specifically wanted the Rally, so it wasn’t a hard choice for me, but if I was in the market for the standard 300L, the KLX would be a close contender.

[@Drumstyle1000]

@@HighDesertHills good to know! thanks!

[@petecormier942]

@Robert LeBlanc

[@davidmatthews3093]

I know the common thought behind being able to turn off ABS is to allow riders to lock the rear wheel to slide around corners but that’s not the real reason. ABS relies on the tyre having some friction from the road surface. This is probably best shown by using a car braking on ice as an example. When you brake hard on ice in an ABS equipped car it just carries on with the ABS releasing and braking with it having no retardation whatsoever. A motorcycle going downhill on a loose surface can get into the same situation, the ABS tries to work but the wheels keep turning, no effective braking whatsoever. If you can switch off the ABS you can lock up the rear wheel, the rear tyre will skid but at least there is some braking. By applying the brakes until the rear skids then releasing the brake and repeating several times you will eventually slow down and hopefully come to a stop.