 | Home > Off Topic > Any Honda CRF300 owners amongst us? |
 
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| RobKeay Member Since: 19 Jul 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 1579   
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I’ve a 250. It’s mint. Yes the suspension is cheap stock but perfectly good enough. I guess the 300 has a little more power which wouldn’t go amiss. It’s a great and easy to use bike and for the money gives a lot of smiles per pound.
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13th Jan 2023 6:12pm |
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| RobKeay Member Since: 19 Jul 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 1579
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Also if you drop it which I may or may not have done it’s cheap to fix.
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13th Jan 2023 6:13pm |
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| lohr500 Member Since: 14 Sep 2014 Location: Skipton Posts: 1316 
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Thanks RobKeay.
It ticks all the boxes for me, especially the fact that it isn't too heavy for when I inevitably drop it 
Long lead time though, with delivery expected in May. At least the weather may be a bit kinder by then. |
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13th Jan 2023 6:18pm |
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| RobKeay Member Since: 19 Jul 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 1579
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You’ll have fun straight out the box with that bike.
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14th Jan 2023 4:47pm |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665 
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Nice choice of bike!
I have a CRF300L. It's actually my second one...long story, I've had this one since March 2022, but only managed about 1000 miles. From Craig's Honda which is near to you. Hoping to get some serious trips in February tho if it's not too icy. Not that far from you in the scheme of things! Some great lanes up your way I have been enjoying recently! I have the Rally Raid L2 rear shock. This one - https://www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/honda/crf-300-level2-shock I'm just over 14 stone in my shorts. Add bike gear, helmet and big boots and I'll be getting on towards 100kg. I use a rear "tail pack" and the tools in the toolbox and seem to cram it all in! (instead of rucksack). Sounds like you're maybe a few kg's more, but not much! The OEM shock used to bottom-out for me, even on the tarmac road! The RR L2 is a transformation! Just added a Black Widow stainless (complete) pipe - as you will know the std one is just painted. I got the longest/quietest one because I don't want to upset horses and dog-walkers on the trails. You're welcome to try the shock if you like - can meet up at Kirkby Lonsdale or similar... I was on this trail just North of you a couple of months ago! Me and my CRF 
 Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's)Last edited by MartinK on 14th Jan 2023 6:26pm. Edited 2 times in total |
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14th Jan 2023 6:11pm |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665
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I can feel a "CRF" outing or meet-up coming on! Long way from Stafford tho
 Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) |
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14th Jan 2023 6:23pm |
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| lohr500 Member Since: 14 Sep 2014 Location: Skipton Posts: 1316
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Hi MartinK.
Thanks for the feedback. Ordered it earlier this week with a May ETA for delivery 
Did you fit the extended side stand with the RR L2 shock? I'm looking at the Hagon shock as well as the RR offering, but the boys at RR seem to be really into their CRF300 so my gut feel says they should be the "go to" option. I may need to pick your brain on trail routes around the dales once the bike arrives as I suspect some of the ones we used to ride over years ago have since been closed. |
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14th Jan 2023 6:25pm |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665
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I would be up for some meet-ups and rides!
Hagon get great reviews too. I would have gone with either but I think RR were a bit quicker bringing stuff out for the CRF, so at the time they were the most tried and tested option. Now I would be happy with either., The RR L2 doesn't make the bike any taller, but it sags much less. When I sit on it, it doesn't "squidge" down like it did with the STD shock. As you say tho, "static sag" is still reduced, so it does lean slightly more on the sidestand. I have a sidestand extended foot tho, as the standard stand has a small footprint and sinks into the soft ground easier... The foot is like this one (but I only paid around £20 https://srcadventuremoto.com.au/products/h...t-enlarger When I get around to upgrading the forks it will need the longer sidestand, or a bigger "foot" - maybe I'll ask a mate to weld something onto the original stand, I've not decided yet... If you're not already a member (with your Defender) of some Green Lane association, I would suggest joining the Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF) as they do great work to keep the trails open, and also give you access to the Green Lanes map. Happy to show you that. I use it for planning routes all the time. Anyway - happy to meet up. You can try the bike with the rear shock, and of course happy to meet up for a trail ride or two Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) |
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14th Jan 2023 6:33pm |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665
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Just adding - there's also the TET - the Trans Euro Trail, It's a network of small roads, bridleways etc that has become a legal route across most of Europe. The UK part is here https://transeurotrail.org/united-kingdom/#4.76/52.953/-2.194
Some of it is very committing! Much of it is VERY easy, you could do the majority of it on a road bike without knobbly tyres...The hardest I have found is the Sadgill Style End, which I fell off on! Fortunately no damage to me of bike. Some vids on youtube, but this one says it all! I dropped my bike around the 2 min mark on the vid above. I wasn't confident enough to go fast enough, lost traction on the back wheel on a steep uphill bit. The rest is history. What I SHOULD have done was hit the kill switch and drop the clutch to use the rear wheel as a brake, instead I pulled the clutch in, locked the front wheel and inevitable started sliding backwards, front wheel locked and fell off at less than 5mph ...
I believe with the TET map you can download GPX files which you can then use on your satnav Click image to enlarge This is an example of the TRF Green Roads map. The Green routes are legal routes, the red ones are also legal routes but they have a temporary restriction order because they are in bad shape (probably flooded and restricted to prevent damage). Obv you can zoom in and out of the map. You need a login for this map, which comes with TRF membership There's local TRF rides almost every weekend. Plus they do other stuff like First Aid training... A bit like DEF2, plenty of experienced people willing to share info... When the weather;s a bit better and the temporary restriction is lifted, there's a lovely loop right there! I have done the two longer green lanes at the top (north) and apart from a couple of obstacles it's all easy (where the pic of me and my CRF was taken further up this thread) About 60% off road, beckoning for a day out! Settle would make a good start point... Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) |
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15th Jan 2023 8:52am |
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| murph81 Member Since: 11 Sep 2022 Location: Ireland Posts: 63  
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I am thinking of buying one, would they be a good beginners bike?
I've never had a bike, I'm 41, no interest in going fast. It's more for commuting really and some weekend spins. |
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15th Jan 2023 11:00am |
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| diesel_jim Member Since: 13 Oct 2008 Location: hiding Posts: 6092 
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My neighbour bought one last year (he's been riding since stonehenge was built, builds Harleys for a living, custom ones)
He loves it. he's just getting into laning (although used to do enduro stuff in his youf'). I'm after a DRZ400 myself, although I'm quite large (6'5" 16.5 stone), I used to have a KLR250 which was too small in the frame for me, the Honda looks physically similar sized to the DRZ |
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15th Jan 2023 11:16am |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665
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Lovely DRZ for sale here. Was quite tempted myself
You may need to register to see it https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.p...hlight=Drz Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) |
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15th Jan 2023 11:51am |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665
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Yes. A very good bike for beginners. It's got easy power delivery. Quiet easy to ride. Forgiving. Great for green lane fun or sauntering round small quiet foads in Cumbria and N Yorks Not a motorway bike tho .. especially as it's low geared ready for the trails Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) Last edited by MartinK on 15th Jan 2023 12:28pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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15th Jan 2023 11:57am |
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| RobKeay Member Since: 19 Jul 2009 Location: Stafford Posts: 1579
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Really easy to ride. All the lads at work have ridden it some non bikers/ first go ever. Ones with a little experience were full chat round the field in no time.
Off road it feels quick and on the back roads. Gets to 50 quick. But never feel out of control or the bike is trying to kill you. I’d recommend one to anyone, fast A road and motorway riding gets boring. You have more fun at 100mph less on a back road in wales. Hopefully more of my mates will get them in the new year. Also once you have one there’s no need to change, really cheap to run and fix. In fact I might change jobs and sell these instead. |
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15th Jan 2023 12:28pm |
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