Yamaha XT250 Versus Honda CRF300L...Which One? Part Two-The Ride

[@precipiceofgrind]

Like The Video(s)? Hit That SUBSCRIBE!!! Really Helps The Channel!!! Thanks For Watching!!!

[@Nine_883]

Ride that CRF300L to work and back. About 35 miles a day from March to November last year. Definitely got tossed around by the winds in the spring time on the interstate. It’s good to find an alternative route for really bad days. I had no choice though. I had to get across the Missouri River in St Louis County Mo. The thing is you just get used to it. You find a way because you have no choice. You bought the bike and now you have to make it pay off. My CRF300 saved me a bunch of money on gas until I walked out of my apartment one day and it was stolen!

[@dylano7242]

I got on a used 2019 yamaha xt250 10k miles bought for $ 2800 in 2024 . And does what need. Short paved road ride at 55mpg, light weight to move on dirt, good 65-75 mpg. It is an bike i use to casually go into colorado mountains, get to town thats 20 minutes away. And is an emergency form of transportation if my cars break.

[@crypticreality8484]

Yea. I rode today and realized that (12% uphill grade) that the xt250 can sustain 55 for miles and miles. I don't need anything faster.

[@David-lq2xg]

If you don't need to do highways, air cooled engine is definitely better

[@PA96704]

For me I have time on the CRF 250l and just got on Xt250. XT 250 smokes the CRF 250l as far as being nimble light and low seat. I felt like I was riding a 250 scooter which instantly gave me a reason to buy it for my lady. Long story short I will look into another one so I can have fun with her with no stress.

[@mikelobdell2666]

I have never ridden the honda but my xt250's seat I thought was really good. At least compared to my friends klx's. I changed my foot pegs but to be honest I never minded the stock ones. Most would disagree I guess. I do agree that the Yamaha is great in the gnarly stuff. I have a thirty inch inseam and the Honda or the KLX would probably require a lowering link. It's not riding them that's a problem it's when you stop on uneven ground. I had a riding buddy with the Honda and he was regualrily tipping over getting on and off it on the trails. Yamaha is a tractor. It will lug like crazy.

[@bellyacre1]

I bought a 2012 xt250. If everyone wasn't telling me how small the foot pegs are. I wouldn't have noticed. Never slid off, or felt discomfort.

[@DaveZee01]

Yup, it's the unexpected, uneven ground, when you need the support and there's nothing there until the lean angle is exceeded 😮

[@Chris-yy5pj]

I weight 290 and I'm 6"3 and I sat on both bikes and came to the conclusion that the Honda is way better for tall people and big people. I have a CRF250L which is the same frame just a smaller engine and I don't bottom the suspension when I sit down on it and I rarely bottom it out unless im going fast into deep trenches or deep terrain with steep slopes. I live in Vegas but ride north of the city in very mountainous and rocky trails and I whole heartedly love my CRF250L and trust it to do anything I need and I highly recommend the CRF platform to taller bigger people. Just my two cents😊 I also have no problems getting up to 60 mph going up a slight incline despite being as big as I am. With a proper windscreen I'd feel comfortable going on long trips

[@precipiceofgrind]

Awesome area to ride in, I need to do some trips north of Vegas! I'm pretty happy with the CRF300L, fits me a little better than the XT and it would pretty much be complete with a small windscreen. Thanks for watching!

[@Chris-yy5pj]

@@precipiceofgrind north of Vegas is the DNWR and they have some great roads, definitely a day trip and two-three days for everything but worth it

[@stiggy186]

I haven't ridden one yet, but I got to sit on a 300L last weekend and was thoroughly impressed at how well it fit me at 6'7" 230lbs. I still need to find a KLX300 to compare it to, but to find a smallish dual-sport that can fit my frame comfortably was really impressive.

[@NewFurCat]

I sold the Honda,great bike but too tall for me at 5 10 and 230 lbs. The XT is what I want. It's perfect for me at my age and riding styl

[@Bluecollaradv]

I’m 6’3” also, but I’m wondering if a taller seat would make the XT doable

[@TheXTLife]

Thank you D Rock. I appreciate you for making .on this two bikes. I'm learning quite a bit. Looking forward to the Third one. Can't wait. I have a 2023 xt250& love that bike . Im 5/7 early 50ths with a bad back. The xt250 is about all I can handle when it comes to picking up the bike. I came Very close to getting the 300l,but the xt250 seat hight ,that what sold me. Love your guys channel, Keep them Awesome video coming 👏.

[@precipiceofgrind]

Appreciate you watching! It's hard to beat the XT for what it is, awesome bike. Did you swap out your stock seat?

[@TheXTLife]

Not yet, most likely I will get a seat Concept for it and definitely bigger foot pegs. So far I done the Skid plate, master cylinder guard,bark busters, back rack,pro taper grips, Handle bars weights & tank and tail bags. It's looking good 👍. Probably going to get the foot pegs you have on yours. Thanks for the videos. Looking forward to the next one.

[@discoveror9576]

It seems like the CRF300L simply fits your body/frame better than the CRF300L, though it's taller. These days, when it's hard to find and take bikes on a test ride, it would be very helpful if manufacturers measured and supplied the peg-to-seat height; this, more than other measurements seems to dictate fit ... including the amount of knee-bend, necessary, .... which seems to translate into feeling crunched or openly comfortable. THANKS - for the nice, thorough, candid comparisons; they HELP!

[@derekcostello1016]

Great insight on both bikes, well done. Thank you.

[@allans7281]

Heard you mention death Valley I've ridden death Valley early spring : from Ballarat to high elevation DV down to furnace Creek ( great eateries) pretty incredible! Beautiful vegetation flowers and streams. These bikes are great- hammer some trails and comfortable enough to do errands! i've got the Kawi KLX 300- sweet ride too big fan if the channel!

[@findingneutral]

Great follow up comparison. I'm 5'6 so its the XT250 for me.

[@precipiceofgrind]

Awesome bike, love mine! Thanks for watching!!

[@dannyzwahlen8278]

I took a ride in Warner Valley today , not much sunshine today so it was a little cool.

[@bransonbasher6534]

One thing I've found with larger controls is that it's more complicated to run aftermarket levers while keeping the factory light switches.

[@pcmaust]

This isn't meant to be insulting but you young guys crack me up. Wind protection? 😆 I've been riding dirt bikes and dual sports since the 60's and not once have i ever fretted over wind protection. BTW. I have an xt250 in addition to my xr650l and v-strom dl1000. I bought the xt used from my daughter. I modded it to fit me better but it is otherwise stock. I just can't see spending money for the honda or Klx300 when the little xt works as well as it does.

[@CHUNKYNUGGET666]

Cool comparison, I give my xt hell it’s a grt lil bike 👍

[@udmbfckx2916]

First of all thanks for your video. The LS variant of this bike is 2 inches shorter in seat height at 32.7 inches....The one you are riding, the std L model, is 34.7 and the Rally is 35.2. Since the seat will most likely have to be changed if you are doing longer pavement rides, going to a vendor like seat concepts might be the one way to go in order to use their different seat heights for a better fit. For example their LOW model is 7/8 of an inch shorter so it may be helpful on the std model you are riding. Otherwise get the LS bike and add their TALL model at 1 inch more padding....I am also 5'10" with a 33 inch inseam and I believe this last option would be an excellent choice for both of us, meaning proper seat height and extra cushion at the expense of 1.6 inches in clearance and about 1 inch less travel front/back suspension. Note: None of their seats will fit the Rally.

[@hanginwithj]

The leaking gas cap on the XT250 is not just you! Now I know it's not just me.. 😅 (2023 XT250)

[@bkruger377]

Excellent review!

[@JacobAnawalt]

Thank you for sharing your insights.

[@MrWhitelightning73]

Outstanding review. But I think folks that are afraid of the wind buy ultra road glides and gold wings 😂

[@dirkdiggler6230]

all long distance travelers sue windscreens, people who dont usually have bike to park at the cafe and look cool

[@kevincraig8257]

I think the Suzuki fits our speed limits around here probably better I dont want to trailer a bike for the most part maybe the 650 might be to heavy but I wont know untill I try

[@KillSwitch80]

The real challenge is finding a dealership that has them in stock and will let you test ride them.

[@precipiceofgrind]

Truth!

[@souhailshamaissem7564]

I think the fairiing on both bikes are not for wind protection for your knees, they are there to channel air to cool the engines because as you know the Yamaha does6have funs like the old air cooled engine

[@ThoneJones]

Nice video. And in my hometown!

[@januszrajski9923]

It will be interesting to know how you like the new CRF 300LS with lower seat height

[@precipiceofgrind]

Yeah, I'm curious how the short model will impact body position. That's one thing I really enjoy about my 300L is its comfort, fits me so much better than the XT.

[@lukejohnr]

How about the CRF250L? Less power than 300 and possibly worse base (frame+suspension). Can you compare them? I really love the XT250, it's simplicity and low seat are charming 😜 unfortunately it is not available on Europe 😞

[@prestongriffith208]

I own the crf250 and the xt250 the crf is way better. Confidence on the xt id because it’s short but that’s user ability the xt suspension is lacking but fun because it’s easier to manipulate. And idk why his bikes are so slow probably all the bags. My crf250 cruises 80 easy, the xt 70 easy. And I’m heavier than him.

[@crypticreality8484]

​@@prestongriffith208Yamaha ftw

[@NewFurCat]

I had the CRF 300 Rally. Beautiful bike,but too tall for me at five ten. Sold it,trying to buy anXT now.

[@Prodigalson0078]

Fortunately, Honda has the CRF300LS, which has a shorter seat height. Less ground clearance than the XT250 though...

[@precipiceofgrind]

Still haven't seen the 300LS yet, would very much like to give one a ride.

[@JTinGA]

Good videos - thanks ! We're on similar paths, I think. I'm 5'10" ... but about 40 or 50lbs heavier than you! I have a Kawasaki Versys-x 300 ... and am looking for something a little smaller ! I've been looking at the XT250 and KLX230 ... in the last month or so, have been eyeing the CRF300LS. The Versys 300 is super on the road, and pretty good on dirt/gravel, mild off road. (My brother's CRF300L Rally is better off road ... but he's a little over 6ft tall). Your series makes me lean toward the XT250 ... but I'd really like to see you throw a leg over the CRF300LS when it arrives (May '23?) ... and hear your thoughts on it. Keep up the good work !

[@precipiceofgrind]

I could totally dig a 300LS, bet it will be a hoot! Yeah, you can't beat an XT250, fantastic bike. Be interesting to see how the 300LS compares. Appreciate you watching!!

[@DaddySizeIt]

I am in the same position, but probably gonna end up, making a decision between the LS and the XT based on what I can actually get my hands on for the best price. It’s been hard to get a hold of the 300 L. I expect the LS to be the same the series encouraged me to go with the Yamaha as well. I like that it’s air cooled and I just don’t get the impression that these bikes aren’t in the same league. The XT almost seems perfect. If you want a small dual sport that’s similar to a dirtbike.

[@michaelwright4525]

Just watched Pt1 and Pt2. You mentioned the tank saddle bags for the CRF. Are they available for the XT??

[@precipiceofgrind]

They are the Tusk Tank Saddle Bags and I tried them on the XT250 and they didn't work out. Not enough space for the bags.

[@hmshyperion]

Nice video, very informative. BTW what fuel are you running in the XT250? I can hear the knock and detonation over the sound track. Try a higher octane

[@precipiceofgrind]

Interesting. I use 88 ethanol free specifically.

[@bellyacre1]

Honestly, I just thought it was noise from the aluminum skid plate. My XT was quieter until I put an aluminum plate. I ended up using a roofing storm guard on the inside of the plate to cut some of the noise. I run 93 octane and I still think it sounds similar.

[@devingarrett5800]

I found that issue went away at around 6000 miles, I'm at 8 now. It really just takes a while to break the engine in. For me octane is only the difference between how high you wanna get on the fumes.

[@56Spookdog]

Is the Honda’s speedometer off as much as the Xts? I et an hour out of my XT before the seat gets. To uncomfortable but I’ve seen video comments where people don’t have a problem with the seat. My main problem with the XT I seem to find the pegs with my chins when my feet are down. I do really enjoy the bike but I think I will disable the kickstand interlocking. I did consider the Honda but the height was the deciding factor.

[@jwaller1327]

I sort of disagree about the controls as far as the buttons go. Perhaps it's a matter of experience and bike history. I had an XT250 up until a couple months ago and traded it for a CRF450L. The CRF450L has the same type of switchgear as the CRF300L, but without the emergency flashers. Maybe it's just that every other bike I ever had for 20+ years had switchgear like the Yamaha, it seemed easier for me, even with thick gloves. The Honda's switchgear is slick but it's sort of unique. I don't know when Honda decided to swap the location of the horn and blinker switch but I had a Honda Nighthawk several years ago and it had standard switchgear like the Yamaha's. While the Yamaha's switches are smaller, the edges of the buttons are sharp whereas they are pretty rounded and smooth on the Honda. For that reason, and because of familiarity, I find the Yamaha's switchgear to be easier to use. I suppose if you're relatively new to riding or were just starting out, the Honda's switchgear is indeed nicer.

[@adambatchelder4121]

I guess its cheap. To me its both heavy and slow as a off road guy. Maybe to a sit down adv rider its light and slow ? As long as you are having fun its great.

[@monawoka97]

I grew up riding dirtbikes. Now I'm older and looking to get back into riding on dirt. A dual sport is practical for me for a lot of reasons, but it has been disappointing realizing how sleepy dual sports are in comparison to their dirtbike counterparts. I wish there were dual sports with a bit more grunt. My yz250f had like 35 hp and only weighed 220 pounds. The xt250 weighs more and has like 1/2 the power. Dissapointing :/

[@precipiceofgrind]

I can empathize. After my last ride, I really understood off road riding and weight. I had a brutal ride on my Honda CRF300L on difficult (for me) terrain, I probably had to pick the bike up twenty times. If I would have had something like the XT250 but with more power and a little less weight, the ride would have been different.

[@crypticreality8484]

It's perfect for what it is. Which isn't a performance buke. It's a bulletproof, casual tractor of a dual sport. Get a WR250R if you want an enduro build type 250 It's like expecting a jeep Wrangler to be a BMW Z4

[@kevin-ll9nx]

Watch vids from sleep coffee ride . the Honda is very capable off road.

[@nawdude4292]

Let's be real, the only reason anyone is picking the XT is cuz we're short and you need to be able to at least dab your feet on certain singletrack trails. If you are short but are more into "adventure" riding (fire roads at worst) than real dirt and technical terrain then go ahead and get a taller more capable bike. I love my XT but it could really use another 50-100ccs cuz NOBODY likes riding it on freeways but i love narrow sketchy trails so i need to be able to put a foot down and sadly no other dual sports allow me to do that. (Maybe a couple but they're also another eighty plus pounds heavier and that's impossible to pick up on singletrack on the side of a mountain)

[@nawdude4292]

Or beginners. Shorties and beginner riders. Everybody else is and should be picking something else.

[@jwaller1327]

I don't know. I bought an XT250 for my teenage daughter and got myself a KLX300. I rode both on the road and dirt plenty. The KLX300 was better on the street because it could hold its speed a bit better. Just a very bit better. And it was more comfortable because it fit me better. My daughter didn't take to riding and I decided to get rid of one of the bikes to get a real dirt bike. I got rid of the KLX300 and kept the XT250 (I have a street bike so who cares about which is better there?). The XT250 was/is easier to own with its two valve air cooled engine with screw and locknut valve tappets. And I could go just as fast on tight single track in the woods with the XT250 as I could on the KLX. To me, the XT is way better in the dirt than the CRF300L. I've got a buddy with a CRF300L and we have swapped bikes several times and I just can't say the CRF300L is good in the dirt. Even when my buddy got the suspension sorted out, that bike just felt awkward in dirt. And it doesn't crash as well as the XT250, KLX300, or any dirt bike. I've seen it put down gently and break plastics and bend shift levers, shift lever shafts, and rear brake levers. I believe the CRF300L is a street bike that looks like a dirt bike; it's engine came from a CBR after all. An XT250 is more a true dual sport with the heart of a trials bike; that's why its engine is configured how it is in the frame and why it has such a short seat. The KLX300 started out as a dirt bike in the 90's so it's got 90's era dirt bike bones. I've since swapped the XT250 for a CRF450L and it's a dirt bike with lights. If you want a good, affordable light ADV bike to ride dirt roads with occasional real off road, that's where the CRF300L shines. As far as freeway riding goes, the CRF450L is the only one I mentioned that never has any issues keeping up at freeway speeds.

[@DaddySizeIt]

Best comment J Waller. “Street bike that looks like a dirt bike”. Good way to put it, says a lot.

[@justin________7477]

Nothing wrong with being low and easy to balance, especially on trail riding.

[@ВікторВіктор-ч9щ]

Hi. Does xt 250 has ABS?

[@precipiceofgrind]

I don't think the 2023 XT250 is offered with ABS.

[@graymangw6016]

Interesting comparison. It should be noted that the CRF300L has a lot more aftermarket parts and more high quality aftermarket parts.

[@crypticreality8484]

It should also be noted that the Yamaha is made in Japan and the Honda in Thailand

[@brianforster9726]

For me riding alone at 64 around Australia, it's what is the lightest and best bike when I come off in difficult terrain because I do and will come off, and as a lesser concern but still a concern, what bike goes further on a tank. Ive got the XT and I can't find anything to replace it.

[@jackle842000]

I hate standing and riding and wish they'd make a comfortable off roadable Enduro. Just stupid they always save on the cost of a good seat in the name of you should be standing more. I off road easily sitting other than the seat being uncomfortable as I'm not in Motocross hauling butt. They need a bike more focused on exploring with comfort yet everyone is always making another motocross bike when only 1 out of 20 people do anything motocross and even those usually only do motocross type riding like 10% or less. Nobody needs these pro racing styled bikes yet they're in the majority cause they're cheap as dirt to manufacturer and marked up a really high percentage in the name of motocross. People aren't real brilliant I guess or they just profiting a ton and ignoring quality seats one. I watched my friend stand up and ride a 84 Honda CX500 street bike across a river yet people act like a comfortable seat on an enduro bike would prevent you from standing up. Lol. I can stand up and ride on my 05 goldwing GL1800 without being uncomfortable while standing even. How do these manufacturers get by with marketing crappy seats and saying you need a crappy seat to be able to stand? Lol. Sure if you are doing true Motocross and ramping 50 ft up in the air that thin seat might help you out a little on the landing or something by keeping your legs perfectly straight with that hard impact but how many people really do that crap? I wish they would market more bikes to the common person unless bikes for the immature that want the pro equipment without the need for it. There's only a few people that really do these kind of stunts yet every light bike out there has a seat for. Even the bikes with a suspension that's nowhere close to doing this type of motocross riding have the seats for Motocross lol

[@jackwhite8157]

Seems a pointless comparison I owned a XT years ago it was an absolute piece of junk. Low power and horrible suspension. I guess both would benefit from aftermarket suspension.

[@errata101]

The Honda will blow the xt away, pretty much in all ways.....

[@rickvann3489]

Yamaha $1100 dollar bike is now $5k why if itchy boots can ride it you can

[@souhailshamaissem7564]

With my 2017 xt250 I could do 110kmh or even more all day no problem at all

[@theSkavenger84]

Dude this shouldn’t even be a comparison. The xt is an outdated relic lol