Gear: Kodama Composites Side Panel Protection for Honda CRF300 Rally 4K

[@airadaimagery692]

Funny you post this video today, since I am fitting my new crash bars to my rally today, and I chose the type of bars that cover the lower portion of the fairings instead of the upper, based on how I am predicting that I might be crashing in the future, and what I feel will need to be protected the most. I have already found myself in a situation where I got stuck in a mud rut, and the only way for me to get the bike unstuck was to lay it down, drag it away from the hole, then I was able to pick it back up and continue on. Amongst doing so, the only spot that received a small scuff was on that protruding corner that you just covered up. So I feel like if I ever lay it down again, I think I will be ok, unless it is a high speed crash, which I hope never happens! But with that being said, it’s nice to see that other manufacturers are continuing to put out more options!

[@PeakMotorcycles]

I’ve ‘laid my bike down’ a few times. Some at low speed too. I guess it’s hard to cover every situation and the Rally is just that bit more exposed than the L. Having tried some bars (even though upper, not lower) the main appeal for me with these was the weight saving. I guess I’ll be laying it down again before too long so will see how they get on!

[@NickCurrieadventure]

Have these fitted to 250 rally and they have taken a several falls. Orginal plastic still in one piece. Really impressed and would recommend

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Thanks Nick. I’ve only heard good things about the 250 ones, so it was just having to wait for the 300’s to come out. I’m sure I have several falls ahead of me too!

[@ParagliceCayenne]

Hello I am using the outback Mototrek crashbars on my CRF 300 Rally. unfortunatly I need to say I dont like them. If you crash the bike, even in slow speed, the whole crashbars is pushed backwards very easily, it will make then contact to the sidepanels and will hit them. Look at Itchyboots video in Moab , they show it there. It happend to me as well. No hard crashed only very, can you say gentle, ones, but still they where pushed back. For me I am still using them, because I can put my Kiega 6L bags on them nicely, but in terms of protection they didnt deliver what I expected. Used them on a trip through the Balkans for 6'000km about 60% offroad. Cheers Rüdiger

[@airadaimagery692]

That’s why I opted for the lower crash bars instead of the uppers (one of the reasons), it just makes more sense to me.

[@PeakMotorcycles]

That doesn’t sound great. I’d not managed to crash mine when on the bike but it sounds like you are not alone. May I ask if you followed up with Outback Motortek? They are quite proud of their ‘crash test’ videos, but if the bars don’t stand up to real world crashes, it’s not great. As for alternate uses, I guess having the 6L bags up front helps with weight distribution. I was thinking of mounting some spotlights on mine, but now I think they’ll go on the fork brackets instead. 6000km through the Balkans sounds amazing. I’ve taken a couple of road tours from the UK down to Montenegro and back and it’s an amazing part of the world to ride a motorcycle.

[@JM-dz4ii]

Thank you so much for posting this. I have been hemming and hawing over the crash protection on my 300 rally. I have dropped it a number of time while out riding rocky terrain and have been surprised, and happy, with how well the stock plastics have held up. I don't want to add a bunch of weight to the bike, and I believe, thanks to you, that I have found the answer. Cheers!

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Thanks JM, I think Kodama did most of the work 😁. And yes, it adds much less weight, and lower down, than the crash bars.

[@bentblade1]

Had their bash plate on my 250 and just fitted one to my 300, really nice bit of lightweight kit

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Great! I’ve yet to find anyone who’s had any problems with one.

[@wayneh8767]

If it wasn't a copyright conflict issue you could insert the bionic sound when you're doing the fast forward on the wrenching LOL. Great improvement on the guards, ambitious too!

[@PeakMotorcycles]

🤣. One option is to cut it out (and some of it is…) but for a few seconds, it might save someone having to look up the bodywork removal/refitting video or the crash bar installation!

[@jimcarr8425]

Experience has shown me that the lugs are a vulnerable area (I've shares in Plastiweld), and the flexible plastic is surprisingly good at taking knocks. I hope that, now you've made the panels more rigid, the lugs are man enough to take the transferred loads.

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Only time will tell. They’ve been available for the 250 Rally for some time and I’ve only seen positive feedback. We shall see!

[@0HARE]

Nice work, Andre, and congratulations on the weight savings. I’d like to see them come out with a complete set of carbon fibre kevlar replacements for all the plastic body panels on the Rally. I know that the black body panels for the CRF 250 Rally are available. Last year I was able to find a complete set of jet black body panels for my 2006 KLR 650. The old red panels were so faded, and really dated the bike. It looks like a brand new bike now. Happy Trails

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Hi Allen. It would be great, but I suspect the setup cost would be prohibitive for a bike at this price point. (No idea what it’d be, but probably 1/3 the cost of the bike for a set of panels) I guess not many folk would do that investment either. Perhaps Honda will do a revolutionary ‘2023 model, now available in (insert colour here)’ and then those will be available as spares to give some choice.

[@adaptableadventurerider]

Brilliant video mate :) thanks again for filming it all.

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Thanks

[@enduromotorradtouren]

Thanks for showing the Kodama parts, Andre. I like the idea of truly light protection. Maybe I'll get a CRF 300 one day. At the moment my Transalp 600 PD06 served me well on ACT Pyrenees. But I didn't have to pick her up ;-) If there was something lighter and nearly as powerful (and reliable)... Maybe at EICMA in Milan in November. Cheers, Günter from Nürnberg/Germany

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Hi Günter, I’d love for the new Transalp to be 170-180kg, but I expect it’ll join the ranks of the other ‘middleweight’ bikes at 220kg. The bike I’m looking forward to seeing at EICMA is the new Royal Enfield water cooled Himalayan. Spy shots and rumours suggest decent suspension (an USD for at least), and maybe 45hp from a new 450cc single. If they can drop the weight a bit, maybe to 180kg wet, I think that could be a great adventure bike. We shall see. Will you be going to Milan? If so, maybe I’ll see you there?

[@enduromotorradtouren]

@@PeakMotorcycles I was thinking of the new RE, Andre;-) Maybe I'll go to Milan in November, it depends on friends. Would be great to meet you!

[@chrisa7237]

They look good actually. I think I'll stick with the crash bars as they've saved me on a fairly big off and numerous smaller ones. White spirit though! I would've used alcohol or acetone, not white spirit. Look forward to seeing how you get on with them. Agree that the crash bars are a right royal pain 😂

[@PeakMotorcycles]

I’d run out of both… and yes, not the best really. I should have just waited.

[@philipwright-vd1yn]

Nice video Andre. How easy do you think it would be to remove the composite side panels if you needed to? Philip

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Difficult I think. The silicone will peel off, but it’s stubborn stuff. You can get a solvent for it, but I’m not sure what that would do to the panels…

[@ducaticyprus3289]

Will it be an alternative to use double faced tape to fix the carbon protectors? What is your review on this protector after testing them? Great video thank you

[@PeakMotorcycles]

Perhaps, but I haven’t tried it. The protectors work very well, however they work best when fixed to undamaged plastics. I had a cracked lower plastic on the left side of the bike but fitted the guard anyway. It’s lasted me 2 years and a couple of dozen drops, but at a recent event (Sweet Lamb Baja) at some point on day two it came off and wasn’t to be found… (it was pretty rough going). So now I have the choice to buy another, but know I should really replace the plastic first, or just cut the plastics. I’m tempted to do the latter. This is due to the amount of mud and clay I ended up having inside the bodywork. It came out in the end but it was significant so I’m wondering if removing the lower bodywork and cutting the side panels and then fitting an ‘L’ skid plate might be worth trying. I’d also need an exhaust heat shield but I’ll see what I can find.

[@ducaticyprus3289]

@@PeakMotorcycles thank you very much for your reply!!