Yeah buddy, she's absolutely killing it out there on this thing! I'd love to spend some time traveling with her on one of these but in all honesty... I don't think I'm "man enough" to hang lol!
As a beginner dual sport / adv rider, I decided a T7 was probably the BEST bike, but nothing I could handle. So the 300 Rally became my baby ADV! Love it. 2500 miles in 2 months.
Heck yeah, glad to hear you're loving yours and thanks for sharing too! The later half of this year is going to be interesting when it comes to some of the rumored bikes out there... can't wait!
The effective weight difference between the rally and normal version, excluding fuel, is about 7.4Kg (16.31 lbs). That should include the bigger tank, the fairing, the rally tower and the plastics.
Perfect size for off road, anything bigger is too heavy to throw about for any amount of time. Also usually bigger bike means bigger price. I've been looking at both the this & the new KLX 300 but I know I'll be sticking with the Honda at the end of the day. A few tweaks & 2023 spring & summer could be one of the best
Improve the suspension so that it's not so soft, or allow adjustment of the suspension. Include a larger gas tank on the rally version. Even an extra gallon would be wonderful.
Still rocking a 250 Rally nicely upgraded with suspension and other goodies. I really want a new NX or Transalp and can't wait to see what gets announced this fall. The problem for me is everytime I get on a really rough backroad or two-track or real offroad - I am so happy I'm not on a 400 Plus pound bike. I use to have a F800GS and now when it gets rough I am quicker on the 250 Rally.
I'm right there with you bud! As nice as the larger adventure bikes can be, it's so much easier to have fun off-road when you're on one of these lighter bikes. Not having to worry about thousands in damage from a small tip over while ripping is nice too, needless to say lol!
Oh yeah, finding anything these days is still difficult to say the least. We need some sort of normalcy back soon, it's no fun trying to buy something or check out multiple models to compare before spending your hard earned money and not being able to do so! Fingers crossed we'll get back to the way things used to be, by 2025 lol!
Thanks for your review, great that you covered some items other reviews skipped. Would be great if Honda followed a similar path to the AT with a Standard and Adventure Sports variant. Be great to have longer tank range etc plus maybe stock crash protection with bashplate and side bars too. Also, tubeless rims too while their at it!! Cheers from your friends in Australia 👍🏻
I heard the rear shock was rubbish and needed to be changed for a stiffer aftermarket unit, and that the front forks were also too soft and needed stiffer springs and higher viscosity oil. Another recommended upgrade is the handlebars for increased diameter bars.
The XR650L may be a dinosaur but I sure do love hearing and seeing the XR letters in front of any model for the last 40 yrs. Just makes my heart beat a little faster. LOL. Great video!
lol definitely understandable bud as the XR nameplate is legendary and they held a close spot in many people's hearts, for soooo many years now. Hopefully everyone understands it's all in good fun on my end. While I would love to see it updated, there's something cool about it staying the way it is for so long now and just the fact that it's one of the most simple bikes you can buy without all of the newer and sometimes overcomplicated tech is a major factor for some buyers out there. Appreciate the support as always GR ;)
I been looking at bike now for awhile. My old days of motocross bikes want me to get another dirt bike. By they tried to kill me every time I drove them. I been looking at the 300l Rally and think it is going to fit the bill perfectly! Bit of power should still have fun, can go at highway speeds and go places to explore.
Awesome video. You did a fantastic job explaining the bike in depth, I appreciate it. I am still waiting on my 2022 XR650L to arrive at my local dealer, something about the new color scheme sold me.
I was working on a used 250 rally last month and i found only 1 allen key in the tool compartment. And earlier this week i was converting a 300rally into a supermoto and i found 2 allen keys. Whats funny is that you pointed that out! 😂
I wish I would have subbed to dirt bike mag a year ago and started reading motorcycle mags sooner before I had gotten my 2023 Suzuki drz400sm. I totaled it but, I now I am healed up and stoaked to work my ass off to save up for this B E A S T chingossss la verga
Great review and thanks for the data. I'll be moving to the Philippines permanently in 4-5 months. This bike is going to be perfect for the Philippines.... I can't wait. They are a little less expensive if I purchase the bike there which makes it a sweet deal (around $5,200). My brother owns an Africa twin adventure with all the bells and whistles. Wish I could afford one of those, but at 23K (his setup) it's way over budget and overkill for what I need in the Philippines.
In ‘Merica, I have KTMs 500EXC and 890AdvR. In Cebu, I have a Honda 300 Rally. I’m ‘Merica born so I’m not tough enough to live in PI full time so close to the sun😅
@@lionelemata7433 I’m from the states too. SF Bay Area. Just tired of all the BS here and the criminal politicians who chip away at liberty little by little and no one does anything to stop it. EVERYTHING is a business and all about money in the states. Im out! Oh, and I’ll be buying a Toyota Hilux. 2.8 turbo diesel the gets 54 mpg lol! It’s such a scam living in the states. Jesus I can’t wait to leave.
Hate to hear that, if it's not one thing it's another lately when it comes to getting inventory! It's a shame when people want to buy but dealers can't get anything and heck, it's kinda hard to keep your doors open for business when you have practically nothing to sell. If it wasn't for the used market, a lot of dealers would've already closed their doors.
@@HondaProKevin it's because of this, I am 90% sure I am buying a used BMW GS310, for my new YT Moto Vlog as I'm starting in Australia, and then RTW ...for adventures...as I was going to follow ItchyBoots lead, but I don't want to actually fly to the East Coast or Mid West to check out ride, etc... and I will be doing both HWY And Off road... and the issues she has had a few times is using older or different model parts, as that trim and bike is not available world wide.. and is too new... so there's that ..UGH ..lol
We'll get them eventually but why it's delayed for us over other corners of the world is something I'd love to know the real answer on! Most find that kind of stuff boring but I'd love to sit down with some Honda people that actually know the answers and reasoning behind why some things are the way they are with American Honda compared to other markets. Fingers crossed I can continue to grow and gain access to people that have that kind of info soon, for those of us weirdos that find that kind of nitty-gritty info interesting lol!
You guys must victims of the Internet. My goodness gracious, no LED headlights, taillights or signals? No Brembo's or Acerbis goodies? No 6 gallon tank? How are we to get by?
Great review! I stumbled on to this review because I started looking at this bike. I think the HP is only 27 and if so I am wondering about the ride on the highway. It seems that it has more of a street bias but I have watched people travel long distance on this bike and I am wondering how do they do it with this HP. But, some of the rides that I saw some people do on this is going from Mexico to the U.S. Or to Alaska and maybe they are traveling back roads? What are your thoughts about this bike as an all arounder kind of bike e.g. commute, travel, weekend and getting around town? Also, for people who are about 5 feet 7 inches etc? Is there another bike similar to this that you would recommend or what are the top bikes in this category or similar? Thanks
Heck yeah, appreciate you coming over to check out the channel! Super nice guy Kapper is, that's for sure! On my way to thank him again for the shout out ;)
Cool video as usual, Kevin & hi once again from 🇬🇧 Honda really should fit a better quality rear shock, as the price increase on what is already a cheap bike would be small.
Question for anyone that has this bike. What is top speed? What is a reasonable cruising speed on the highway when going from point A to point B that might be 2 hours down the road? Will it easily cruise the highway at 70 mph for longer distances, or is it too high in the rpm range at that speed?
Sir, my only problem with this Honda 300 Rally is that it still uses tubes in the wheels. Honda had tubeless spoke wheels on the 1986 Rebel 450 and 36 years later is using bicycle wheels on a bike capable of highway speeds?!! Ridiculous. Flatting ends your ride and there is no way I am putting tubes in my car or truck tires in these modern times so why would I want to have them (I AIN'T putting in a new tube roadside, LOL!) in my bikes or scooters. It's 2022 Honda. Tubes suck and are dangerous compared to tubeless. If not for those tubes, I would own one. Thank you for an excellent video. I also think highly of the NC750X DCT but would think Honda would've added a second disc since they did so to their wonderful 500cc bikes. Keep up the good reporting, sir!
@@PP-wz7mp Put 'em on your car, drive through Death Valley and flat two of them then get back to us. No cell signal either... For street use, tubeless is the BEST way and these bikes spend the vast majority of their lives on the tarmac. If you want to double flat on the ROAD, fine. Comprende? As for my words being utter sheit? Your statement is as flat as a tube with a nail through the tire. Let us know when you take a tube tire car with only one spare into Death Valley, then stop and flat two of them and get to work. Luddite.
@@HikerBikerMoter Like most SUVs these modern day enduro motorbikes rarely, if ever, go off-road. The safety and convenience benefits of tubeless far outweigh the supposed off-road advantage. Tubes suck and are dangerous for road use where a MASSIVE blowout and the resulting puberty inducing tankslapper and crash due to loss of control of the bike would make any sentient adult understand that tubes are stoopid . If not, put 'em on your car and drive across Death Valley, flat two tires and then get back to us.
@@PP-wz7mp Since you used it...Tubes are utter bullshit for road use. Put them on your car, drive across Death Valley and flat two tires then get back to us. Pffft...I hope someone sues manufacturers for putting unsafe balloons in wheels used on road going motorcycles.
I waited 16 months for one in western Canada finally gave up and got a KTM. Still like the bike but I doubt I will deal with Honda ever again. Lost a customer.
That is correct, no mechanical changes between 2021 and 2022. Right now, due to such limited availability - people are buying whatever model year they can get their hands on.
Honda can partner with KYB just like Kawasaki, Aprilla, Ducati and dump noSHOWa. Old XR/XLR250R has adjustable rear shock , why crap out with a pathetic noSHOWa.
I would like to buy a Honda CRF 300 LS, but my inseam is only 29 inches. I would like to touch the ground with my feet. Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you in advance.
You could pick up a lowering link like this amzn.to/40OVJSB or and adjustable one like this amzn.to/3AKh9FN so you can fine tune it to where you want it. Plus you've also got "low" seats like these www.srcmoto.com/products/lowered-seat-honda-crf-300l-rally and seatconcepts.com/products/pre-order-honda-2022-crf300l-comfort-low that also give you another option. Personally, I would try any route possible before lowering the suspension as it will drastically affect how the bike handles but sometimes ya gotta do what you gotta do to be able to ride ;)
@@HondaProKevin Thank you for your reply. That makes sense, you should avoid making changes in the suspension that could negatively affect the motorcycle. I thought about buying a used Honda Rebel 300 and remove the fenders and put some knobby tires on it and add a metal skid plate.
These Honda 300cc singles tend to grenade the bottom ends at about the 30k mile mark. Worth knowing if you're choosing between, say, the rally 300 and the similarly priced XR650l
Lol I wish man! I'd like to have about 10% of the knowledge he has, needless to say - super intelligent guy! It's been pretty cool seeing his growth over the years and what he's built with that marker board of his 😆
If I could have found one in stock this year, I likely would have bought one. Slightly better suspension for offroad riding would be a good next upgrade. Instead I went with a used WR250R that I have set up for lightweight adventure touring: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rYrP5fpPIuM.html
Yessir, sadly, finding one of these has been like finding a needle in a haystack for some time now! Nice work on the WR, those are awesome platforms and personally - if it's not a Honda, give me a Yamaha lol!
I had been on a Rally waiting list at my local Honda dealer for 6 months when I was told those will not arrive until August! We are talking about Canada Westcoast. As a returning rider I simply did not want to waste another season and I went for a CB500X instead. A great bike, no regrets, however, I keep an eye on the Rally because I love that bike.
It's crazy how rare they are. Had no idea when I got mine. Found one within 24 hours and drove 130 miles the next day to ride it home. The WR250R is still a fantastic bike and I'm sure you'll be happy for years to come. I still miss mine.