New CRF300L: Mods and accessories for dirt | The basics

We bought new CRF300Ls for our motorcycle tours in the mountains of Northern Thailand. But before we hit the dirt, there are some modifications to be made. Here's what we changed on the bikes to make them more capable and less breakable off road.
www.HiVoltMotoTours.com
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Email to source parts and accessories from Thailand: [e-mail]
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Tyres: IRC
Motocross M5B Evo (rear)
VX30F 51M (front)
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[@al1410]

I'm in love ☺️.. That smile, I mean style! of..of.. of the muffler! Yes the muffler! Looks pretty awesome.

[@bransonbasher6534]

Great choice for a tour service, Honda makes very reliable bikes and that'll pay off in the long run.

[@BikeHedonia]

Absolutely, that's what we're thinking - Honda reliability and great local parts availability. 👍 With good maintenance from new, we're aiming for very little downtime.

[@Encyphix]

Love it! So clean and ready for the rough stuff!

[@hal511bm]

Thank you .

[@guestappearance3211]

I have a well modified 300L too

[@enduromotorradtouren]

Your mods sound very sensible, Grace. Making the rides safer, and the crashes cheaper. How good is the CRF 300 L compared to your lighter KLX 230? Good luck, Günter from Nürnberg/Germany

[@BikeHedonia]

Gunter, I haven't yet had the chance to really put the CRFs through their paces in the jungle. As you note, there is a weight difference between the 300 and my little KLX230. I'm mindful that a lot of our customers will be Europeans and Americans - probably men of bigger stature than myself - so that's why we've gone with the slightly more powerful, slightly larger CRFs. I suspect I will prefer my stripped by 230 because of weight alone, but will let you know once I've had a chance to really try them all out. :)

[@kostaspanagiotidis7037]

because it has a different front light from my crf

[@gregadkins8481]

Since you have experience on both the KLX230 and the CRF300L in Thailand. Which do you recommend. I'm trying to make that decision now. It will be used for trail riding in the Pranburi area. Thank you.

[@BikeHedonia]

For trail riding, go the klx230 all the way. Much lighter, better clearance. But if you're spending any time on road, go the crf300l 👍

[@darryledwards4453]

how much weight did you shave off in the end? You can also lose more by switching in a lighter battery.

[@BikeHedonia]

I can't be precise about the weight loss as I haven't put them on scales. You are absolutely correct about switching to a lighter battery, I just have to evaluate cost-benefit as these are going to be hire bikes and I have four of them. 🤔 I would definitely like to put a lithium battery in my gas gas ec300.

[@jeffhoffman2605]

Hello i am a 52 year old male 5'6" tall 160 pounds american living in the philippines... since you owned both and there is no test rides here which is the better choice klx230 se..or the crf 300l? (I like riding wheelies)...Slower road speeds for me and single track mountain and jungle rides and of course beach riding...the cost is a factor for me also klx about 1,200 usd cheaper here..input and thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[@BikeHedonia]

Definitely the klx230 for singletrack and mountains and wheelies, but avoid the SE because that model has ABS. Get the S or standard models (cheaper, lighter, no annoying ABS, and suspension softer which is better for off road). By comparison, the crf-300l is a much better on road bike but it is quite heavy off-road. It has less ground clearance and suspension needs more work. You'll want to put a 48 tooth or larger rear sprocket on the klx.

[@jeffhoffman2605]

​@BikeHedonia thanks so much for your time and input..I'm afraid to under buy, I have a gutless yamaha xtz 125 for my dual sport now..no excitement in riding it and I'm definitely looking to upgrade it soon.

[@BikeHedonia]

@@jeffhoffman2605 all the best with the new bike shopping! Feel free to send me an email on [e-mail] to talk about mods you might want to do, I am happy to share what I've learned from experience.

[@petertaylor2148]

How often would one "stack" a dirt bike ? Is it cheap to fix ... or don't they really get damaged too much...

[@BikeHedonia]

Well it depends on whether you're riding inside your comfort zone, or whether you're trying to ride harder stuff and improve your skills. It could range from once every few rides, to seven times a day! But if you kit the bike out with the relevant protection, like barkbusters, double wall bars, skid plate, brake snake etc, they will very rarely be damaged beyond the cosmetic.

[@looksea2me]

Do you have a link to your high volt tours

[@BikeHedonia]

www.hivoltmototours.com Drop me a line on [e-mail] and I'll hook you up with any details you'd like. 👍

[@airadaimagery692]

Do you know if the company that you bought your skid plate from has an offering for the Rally ?

[@BikeHedonia]

the 300 Rally? I can check

[@airadaimagery692]

@@BikeHedonia yes thanks!