Which bike for bimbling: CRF300 Rally or Himalayan? 

I’d never return to big bikes now. It took me a long time to realise that smaller, lighter bikes provided so much more life value. For the first time I’m looking forward to days out through winter, out around the muddy lanes and green roads instead of giving up until summer. I thought I’d bottomed it with the Fantic 500 and 40hp, but no, now I’ve a 250 with half of that and it still does everything I want. Brilliant fun, un intimidating, easy to pick up, no technology to go wrong, cheap to run and eats pot holes. Ah, roll on winter.

Thanks for sorting the 125cc-500cc segment out for those of us who don't have the luxury of testing multiple bikes. Your perspective is helpful for sure.

Get out there, enjoy the ride, makes perfect sense to me! As a new rider it's what attracted me to it, fresh air, clear your head and leave your troubles behind when you turn the key! Great video Nathan, loved the scenery, showed off the countryside, proper good!

You have a valid point. To much pressure on buying the current adventure bikes with all the bells and whistles. I went from a vfr1200 to a new himilayan, the himilayan gave me so much more pleasure simply the fact of being able to green lane , and check out small lanes which I would of never rode on the vfr.

It’s lovely where you live! The autumn colours and sea views, I seriously want to re locate and not to do gardening. After the Sweet lamb weekend, I have considered a 400 Himalayan . My 650 Transalp is my present bike to bimble upon. Escape East London into Essex, slow back lanes to Suffolk and a bag of Chips at Southwold. Riding the bike clears your brain of worries, taking me to a more happy place. Namaste 😊

Simple and sweet talk about the CRF300 Rally, but ultimately about the great mental health benefits of riding. Very nice Nathan!

Hi Nathan I changed from my 2020 Himalayan to a 2023 CRF300 rally and I love it I have spent a lot on upgrades a Rally Raid level one kit a seat concepts comfort seat a Motox exhaust and a 550 performance ecu with a 550 air box light d and a uni filter air filter. I like it because it is so light and easy to ride also the light clutch is great. And of course Honda reliability and long service intervals. My son has a 2022 Himalayan which he loves. I think the price of the CRF although not cheap is still a lot cheaper than a KTM or BMW and a lot cheaper than the bigger bikes. I think a stock bike with an upgraded rear shock is all you need. Love your videos and discussions keep up the great work thank you Peter from Perth Australia

2022 CB500X for me. Best of all worlds

You put into words all that makes me long for the weekend. So true, so wise.

Another realistic review. Well done Nathan 👍

I’ve seen the light! Just added a brand new Himalayan to my little fleet for £3999. 3 years warranty and roadside assistance. Unbelievable value. Makes a great alternative to the GS for the days where you just want to plod along

Agree entirely Nathan. If you're that biker who just has to get past everything in front of you and do insane speeds for very short distances when you think you'll get away with it you really are missing out. Smaller bikes are more fun, more useable, way less expensive to buy & run, easier to work on, less usually to go wrong. I had a lovely week riding round France A & B roads on my CBR250R earlier this year, only got it as a stopgap but really enjoying it. £1700 to buy, lovely condition, low mileage & all the rest of it...

Good analogy .....I've had my Himalayan for just over 4 months now , and I've covered over 4000 miles on her . Last weekend I was up on the North Pennines on the Coldberry End green lane , the highest in the UK , apparently .....Misty , Muddy and good for the soul 👍👍

Excellent and thoughtful review Nathan, very enjoyable

Good honest review as always Nathan. I'm in the fortunate position of having a few bikes, one of which is a CRF250L. To be honest the most pleasure I get is from the CRF. I use it on the back roads in North Yorkshire, as well as some light green lanes. A simple, nimble, low powered bike for a quick run out to blow the cobwebs away is all you need to make you feel invigorated.

Spot on Nathan. I’ve got a Triumph Explorer 1200 (2014) which is a great bike, but I hate getting it out and manoeuvring it for local trips…so tended to use the car. To this end, I picked up a Himalayan brand new a few weeks back. A touch over £4k on the road, such good value! But it’s perfect for the local trips, almost 200 miles clocked up just popping out and running errands. The first day I got it, the weather was awful - so took it down the muddy farm lanes. SO MUCH FUN! I took the Triumph on a 20 mile round trip in the week, and on the way, I had to head down the same lanes to get some eggs - it was not fun at all, i had a few slips (which even at 6ft3, I wouldn’t be able to save if it started going down) and didn’t inspire confidence. The Himalayan would have ate it up for breakfast! I did try the Voge Rally back to back with the Himalayan, but the Voge felt a little underpowered from the off. Almost like being on a 125 until you got out of first gear. The Himalayan was the opposite - plus less bikes (although the Voge was impressive, particularly how well put together it felt!). Anyway, ramble over - Himalayan is a cracker, and I am now wondering if I need the Triumph anymore…sure the power is nice for the occasional blast…plus weather protection….cruise…heated grips/seat…but the Himalayan is such a charming bike!!

Went from a 106cui Victory to an RE Scram. Don't regret it

Nathan you have made many great videos, but this one has to be one of your best and seems to have resonated not only with me, but many others judging by the comments. When you go all philosophical in a succint and yet 'food for thought' kind of way you are some powerhouse of an orator. By getting people (like me) to buy smaller bikes you are changing behaviour like few others can. And it's all done using your 'very gentle persuasion'. Many thanks Nathan!! You're a good'un mate!

Quite right. Get out there, doesn't matter which bike. It's occurred to me for a while that Hondas never look good on the spec sheets. They're always a bit heavier with a bit less power or a bit more expensive with a few less features than something else. Or just not as pretty. But you live with them for a while, and you realize you'd hate to give up any one part of them to maximize something else. The VStroms are a bit the same. Good compromises are hard to market, but great to own.

Great video Nathan. I just did a 2400 mile trip to Spanish Pyrenees on my Rally, with a week on trails and some bimbling on twisties. Definitely a great travel trail bike.

Another good video. Thank you. Last week I picked up my new Voge 300 Rally to replace my aging DR125 that I use on the lanes and tracks locally including parts of the TET. The weather has been awful since picking it up so I’ve only been out on it a couple of times and yesterday I gave it a good wash when I got home. The weather was better than expected this afternoon so I fancied going out again. I decided to take the Suzuki and spent an hour and a bit checking out the local floods. At the end of the day both bikes are great to ride in the local lanes and I can take them both anywhere along the off road tracks. I feel lucky to have the choice. I’m now looking forward to my next camping trip in four weeks time. That will be the Millevaches Hivernale on the edge of the Massif Central at 1000 metres. For that trip I’m planning to take my 500X. Either of the smaller bikes would be better if the camp ground is tricky (I took the DR125 last year) but the rides there and back in possibly minus temperatures will be more comfortable on the bigger bike, sometimes you just want to get home. Talking of bigger bikes, after having had the 500X for two years I can imagine wanting anything bigger as it’s such a great real world motorcycle.

I have had 2 himalayans and I am currently on my 3rd CRF The enfield is a good donkey bike I went to Morocco on it, but not without problems Traveled to Albania on the 250 rally but it needed a bigger tank Currently in southern Spain on a 250L As you are fully aware Nathan, having Traveled back from Australia on that little bike It's not always about the bike Big, small, Adventure, sports, Custom Sometimes it's just about getting out on something that suits you and is affordable Nice video again 👍

Sound advice from a top bloke.

I bought the Voge 300 rally, what a great bike...a lot to be said for these lightweight machines

It makes you wish Derbi had put a 250 engine in their Terra Adventure all those years ago 😉

Completely agree too, I am swapping my Tmax for Triumph 400 😊

Thanks for your honest words. In the end it's more the rider than the bike. You should feel well and find confidence, then go riding. I love those British green lanes! Günter/Nürnberg

Couldn't comment on the Honda crf300. But Ive had a Himalayan as a daily ride for nearly 3 years , as a rural worker my daily commute is on pot holed muddy back lanes, so 24bhp is plenty. The Himalayan is easy to service, its build quality is as good as anything out there and it is good on fuel. Although the standard battery needs replacement (fit a Japanese one)and the original chain was made of recycled knicker elastic and stretched accordingly.( fitted DiD o ring). Only mods are 2 teeth extra on rear sprocket, and Yamaha handle bar muffs for the winter.

Wonderful roads as ever

Words of wisdom ! 👍👍👍

Nicely put

Those bigger bikes are also a lot more expensive so when you’ve persuaded yourself you can get it out of the garage/shed etc…. The guilt of putting a 12k bike away muddy plays on (my) your mind reducing the joy of the ride if you go at all! Now the Himmy or the CRF like to be dirty, it shows their use and pedigree …. Just my opinion hope no one gets offended ! Lovely video as always, ride safe

You made a good point here. And especially with the speed limits where can i use a GS 1200 with all its horsepower ? Yes here in Germany i can go nuts on the highways with no speed limits but i think highway riding gives me nothing but stress.

You are spoilt for lanes and views where you live, nice video. As I keep saying I'm enjoying the meteor 350 for that very reason!

You might think I'm mad for saying this (I know it's a lot more expensive but...) My r ninet really fits the bill for this kind of riding, better than you might think. The weight is so manageable with the center of gravity it has and the boxer engin while it can go like a scalded cat, is more than happy to just chug along. Tbh so much so that it's made me slow down a lot. Ironically it's the fastest bike I've owned and the one that has made me realise I enjoy bimbling about...

Good objective chat! Good that you enjoyed a crf day 👍 I think the thing with the crf is for some it's a bike you can grow with. I'm average build so got away with 2 years of getting started on green lanes with little modification to a used 250rally. After a while you realise you're probably riding to what the suspension can deliver, I've literally just done the most economical suspension upgrade i could find as I now want to try trips with luggage/trail... it's now a lot more bike than I am a rider😂 Would it be different starting now with Voge and the 450's on the horizon, quite probably, but think a used crf is a viable choice for some!?

Typically astute observations. Tells us what we inwardly know but don’t want to admit to because we have perhaps fallen victim to marketing or RU-vid hype. I’m guilty. I bought a V2S Mutltistrada and then on impulse from a dealer, a second hand CRF Rally (with Rally Raid suspension and a Seat Concepts seat). Which do I use? The Multi is gathering dust and the CRF gets used all the time. Even just going to the shops. On the way back I go and look for little bimbling backways. On the Multi I’d be battling the traffic on the A roads. Nothing wrong with the Multi. My wife (also bought a V2) and I are going to France next year but in hindsight I wish we’d saved a load of money and bought another bimbling bike for her and just used all the back roads down through France.

We need the new himalayan comparation

Hello Nathan, just watched the Bennetts review of the new Himalayan, looks a good bike, big down side it looks like all the others now.

Depending on his budget, I’d have thought the new Triumph 400x or even the new Himalayan would be better options for duffing around on the back routers. If money is really tight and a Hunter 350 even.

The old model Himalayan is going to be a great value second hand buy. As people upgrade to the new model.

I really enjoy your videos, it's like standing in the garage chatting with a friend. @nathanthepostman hopefully your still within earshot. Between the 3, vstrom looks a bit like a sports bike posture in the promos, can you clarify that for me please? I have old issues in the neck and need upright. Re comparing the other 2, I'm 70 and want to ride the real back roads over the mountains between Mae Sot and Chiang Mai Thailand and *occasionally* they have a few seriously boggy spots, otherwise back roads asphalt and gravel. I'm fit for my age. Do you thing the Himalayan might struggle with that stuff? Open question for anyone - I thought maybe just add a m/c winch and get on with it.

Rieju, CF moto seen some other tasty options at Eicma.. P.s 39 litre. 43bhp, sold haha.

I don’t think the honda worth the £. Great vlog love and respect your perspectives. V strom 250 don’t get good enough reviews. Very reasonable price 2nd hand. Like the voge too. But I like old himmy. Wish they could have made it prettier, twin clocks but kept save configuration in frame etc

Have you seen the new cf moto 450 just released? Looks good depending on price

Was that the famous Grand Design house sat on the cliff edge at the start?

I am lucky to own g650 xcountry. Same weight as crf300l. In my opinion, the better bike however becoming a rare sight and well over 10 years old. Also own a 1200 gs lc. Guess which one I prefer to ride. Its not the heavy one

Hi, have you ever ridden or have any opinions on the Kawasaki versys 300?, great video again,

l own both these bikes , love them dearly , not sure which one to take on my trip across the Pyreness Act route this year , riding down there , what is your thoughts ?

Which would be easiest to recover backwards out of a boggy lane? Just asking for a friend ....... 😜

Great video Nathan as always, I’m in similar position I have dm’d you I’ve got 3k for adventure bike sub 600cc never liked big bikes had a tenere 700 sold it same year too big heavy and expensive. I’d love to know your thoughts on what I should get. 80% Road 10%commute 10% green lane 😊

My 390 adventure is my go to back road tarmac bike its nippy comfy sips fuel and very important for me its fun something a lot of other small bikes lack a little...

I think i will try my luck with Kove 450 rally I live in Alps but i will test also 800X Rally dry weight is 165 kg

Will you ever look at the new generation of ADV scooters?

Honestly the Classic 350 is probably a better bimbler than either of these. If you're going Japanese then...used Kawasaki W800? It's a shame we don't get the Honda CB350. Bimble factor is a severely underrated characteristic though.

most of the new riders forget that bikes are not for status symble. bikes are only to have fun on and off the road. whats the point of choosing an expensive bike and and keeping it in your garrage. 400-500 cc bikes are more than enough to have fun. if my bike is able to keep 130-150kmph i am happy with it.

The CRF is way too expensive. Good value in Thailand, though. A bit less than 4K pounds in Thailand. Nick

Well, if your 6feet tall. Then CRF.

'bikers' nowadays are becoming magpies, i have been on bikes for 40 years and even through the big days of mX in 80s i have never seen it so bad - of late it is the consumer being driven hard by marketing and what they believe rather than what they feel or know, sad, sign of the times i suppose - i do wish folk would just wake up, ride and ignore hype for a while 🙂

I'm going to have to stop watching your channel, you talk too much sense! Seriously you are so right. I've got an immaculate 20 year old 1150GS that never gets ridden because manhandling it out of the garage with an upwards sloping drive is such an event. Off to the bike show the week after next to look at everything sub 500cc.

CRF300 is a plastic toy! No comparison in the real world or over time.