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Honda CRF300L and Rally and LS

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Revelc said:
It's not buzzy or sounding unhappy at 80mph (GPS). But 70-75mph are fine cruising speeds and you get there really quick. It tops out around 87mph(GPS) though.

One of the biggest restrictions is actually the velocity stack (little boot that goes between the air box and throttle body).

The stock one is smaller and quite long. The CBR300R velocity stack is wider and stubbier. Allows for far more airflow.

If you just add cams and a tune it starves for air.

It's all Honda OEM parts aside from the flash on my ECU. CBR300R Cams are $80 and velocity stack was $28. Stage 1.5 Tune was about $150.

It's the same exact motor that's in the CBR300R but Honda detuned it to make it more forgiving on the trail.

I plan on seeing how it performs with 14/42 gearing.

Could get the front wheel up in 3rd with 13/40 gearing but it was way too buzzy on the highway with that smaller front sprocket so I am back to stock gearing for now.
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Did you end up doing exhaust too?
 
Revelc said:
If you are seeking more power with unicorn characteristics you should check out the Kove 450

They look like they will tick all the boxes for a lot of people that want more power for the highway it beats a stock KTM500 EXC-F. 51hp with 6-speed transmission. 330 mile range with 8 gallon 3 tank setup. Seems pretty decent off-road too with fully adjustable suspension.

3 of them entered and completed the Dakar Rally.

They will be a little more than the CRF300L Rally. I believe MSRP is around $9,000 when they launch here.

Once you add adjustable fork cartridges and a good rear shock to a CRF300L you're already pretty close to that price.
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Absolutely not. Don’t care what the specs are, I’d rather walk than buy something made in “Chonquing” owned by a ccp member named “Zhang Xue”.
 
Went to pick up my plate today and saw this:

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First time I see an LS and it was already sold. I got a chance to sit on it. It's quite good. No idea how the suspension compares to the regular one.
 
I really like that gray color scheme. The orange highlights not so much, but overall I prefer that over the red wash. You got me curious now about the suspension.
 
Trail Boss or others with experience,
Ya'll have mentioned your experiences on the speed of the rally. I weigh about 145 and the Tuck soft bags just guessing 30 to 40 lbs of my camping gear. How do you think it handle at highway
 
I can run 70-75, tops about 80, with camping gear (about 40 lbs). If you get into high winds or mountains you will not be able to maintain those speeds, It is also a light bike so that is never as comfortable at hwy speeds.
 
My experience is about the same as @Rigid around most of Texas and other flatlands. I have a large windscreen and the hard Tusk medium panniers and weigh ~220. Up in the mountains and/or with headwind, it becomes somewhat lethargic.

Since you (@Texasrider58) weigh much less and those soft bags are smaller, my guess is you would have less power dropoff, but I would not expect any higher speeds. 65-70 mph would be fairly reliable cruising speed around TX. Maybe a little more.
 
At 190lbs and no extra gear I too can hit 75ish but if there’s any rolling hills, I’m tucked and it’s pinned to stay around 70.
 
I have the KLX300 (basically the same bike as far as highway goes), and you really won't miss the highway speed. It's very relaxing, and I added a Tusk Windshield that really helps. It's not a highway bike, but it more than makes up for it when things get bumpy. So much fun. These are the kind of bikes you will never get rid of.
 
The Rally is the best 50/50 dual sport bike in the world up to about 50 mph. Above that speed it is inferior to other dual sport bikes like the XR650L, DR650, 690/701.

Like Lane said, my bike can run about 70 mph or slightly higher with me and my luggage on flat ground.
 
I think it depends on what your expectations are and how you intend to use the bike. I like its simplicity and high maintenance intervals. I like that’s it’s FI and is a six speed. I like the dash and information it gives you. I like the fuel mileage and range for a bike of its size. I don’t like riding it on the hwy but it zips around just fine on slower speed roads. I think it looks great and checks a lot of boxes in the dual sport category too. There are many other bikes out there that are lighter and would do better off road. There are heavier and faster bikes that are way easier to ride at higher speeds with more comfort. I like my 300 Rally, it has its purpose. I just don’t use it much and choose to ride a smaller bike or a bigger bike whenever I ride out, for my type of riding.
 
Textanker said:
I have the KLX300 (basically the same bike as far as highway goes), and you really won't miss the highway speed. It's very relaxing, and I added a Tusk Windshield that really helps. It's not a highway bike, but it more than makes up for it when things get bumpy. So much fun. These are the kind of bikes you will never get rid of.
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Can you share a link to the windshield you used in the KLX? Thanks!
 
Textanker said:
I have the KLX300 (basically the same bike as far as highway goes), and you really won't miss the highway speed. It's very relaxing, and I added a Tusk Windshield that really helps. It's not a highway bike, but it more than makes up for it when things get bumpy. So much fun. These are the kind of bikes you will never get rid of.
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I have gotten to the age (70) that I just like something I can pick up by myself 😁

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That’s a tough one🙈 The Klx300 with All Mods has such good low end torque it is easy to ride in tight/ steep/single track stuff and will run 70 mph. ( Suspension is just okay) That being said I ride the Klx 300 the most and really like the bike.. The wr250 (2013) is an awesome small bike with all Mods. Rode the TAT on it an it has Super good suspension so very comfortable to ride. Wr sits a little tall for me even with lowering link. These are both great small fun all around
Bikes. I had sold my Dr650 and Ktm 500 because I enjoyed the Klx so much more💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽Yes I am slowing down!
Ride ON 👍👍
 
picco said:
That’s a tough one🙈 The Klx300 with All Mods has such good low end torque it is easy to ride in tight/ steep/single track stuff and will run 70 mph. ( Suspension is just okay) That being said I ride the Klx 300 the most and really like the bike.. The wr250 (2013) is an awesome small bike with all Mods. Rode the TAT on it an it has Super good suspension so very comfortable to ride. Wr sits a little tall for me even with lowering link. These are both great small fun all around
Bikes. I had sold my Dr650 and Ktm 500 because I enjoyed the Klx so much more💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽Yes I am slowing down!
Ride ON 👍👍
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What Mods did you do on the KLX that were most effective for you? Thanks.
 
TheD-Man said:
What Mods did you do on the KLX that were most effective for you? Thanks.
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At minimum ,get rid of factory Exhaust and open up top of air box. Keep in mind the Klx runs a little lean, so if you delete O2 sensor you will need after market EJK / Dyna Jet fuel tuner.
If you want quick noticeable throttle response ,then remove Secondary throttle plate.( there are a lot of opinions on this)

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Texasrider58 said:
So, are ya'll happy with the Rally as is ?. I plan on getting one. I think it would suit me fine.
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I'm very happy with my Rally. I think it punches more above its weight than any bike I've ever owned.

However, it did need some improvements in order to meet my wants and desires. The OEM suspension was absolutely inadequate. It seemed to be sprung for a 120 lb rider. It was like a bad pogo stick and I could easily bottom mine just riding across a dip on a paved county road. I really dislike it. I had Konflict install Tractiv suspension from Rally Raid and it is tied with the best suspension on any bike I've ever owned (tied with the upgraded suspension on a 500 EXC I owned).

I made a few other mods in order to make the Rally a lightweight adventure bike - luggage rack, skid plate, windshield extension, more comfortable seat, aux power outlet - but I have done the same or similar to almost every other dual sport adventure bike I've ever owned.

The key for me is that I had to accept that the Rally is not fast and will never be fast. Once I got my brain wrapped around that fact, I was happy with the Rally.

As I was preparing for MexTrek last fall, I was debating whether to ride the Rally or my fully built DR650. The plan was to ride from the border all the way to Guanajuato and back, with a good portion of that being pavement. The DR's power makes it better on highways for things like passing, climbing, and cruising at higher speeds. However, I also knew we would be exploring some new dirt while in Mexico and the Rally's lighter weight, better suspension, and better transmission made it my preferred choice. What to do?

I debated back and forth and finally decided to ride the Rally just because I liked it the most. It has a more comfortable seat, does a far better job at keeping the wind off me, and is generally more comfortable to ride on long trips. I resolved to just put up with its relative slowness on highways and warned the guys I was riding with that it would be a limitation they would have to endure also.

So I was pretty pleased when I discovered I could run 70 mph on the highway about 95% of the time. I was not expecting to be able to do that. I even told my riding group on day 1 that I would likely be limited to 55-60 mph on many of the highways we would be riding (due to the altitude we were riding at). On long uphills I would lose speed but less often than I anticipated, and it turned out to not be a big deal. Instead of just enduring the highway sections, I actually ended up okay with them when I found I could run 70 mph for hours on end.

To be fair, 70 mph was almost wide open. At speeds above about 50 mph the Rally doesn't have enough power to quickly pass a slower moving vehicle. Which means you can get stuck behind a car or truck if the passing lanes are short, whereas on a bigger bike you could easily zip around that same vehicle in the same location.

To put it in perspective, I've had the Rally for 3 years and it is now 2nd in the category of "longest I've ever owned a bike". I had a KTM 500EXC for 4 years. If I keep the Rally one more year it will surpass the 500 as the bike I've owned the longest. And, as of right now, I have no plans or desire to sell it and get something else (which is odd for me).

In the big scheme of things, I like everything about the Rally more than the 701 and 690 I owned, except the motor. The 690/701 are wonderfully fast! The 300, not so much. However, everything else about the Rally was better for me than the 690/701 - transmission, (upgraded) suspension, (upgraded) seat comfort, stock fuel range, regular octane fuel, weight, wind management, comfort, and smoothness.

At speeds of 60 mph and slower, the Rally is awesome. At faster speeds, I consider the 300 Rally to be "barely fast enough". However, if you want more, there are aftermarket upgrades you can make to get more power. With a big bore kit (takes it from 286cc to 301cc), exhaust, cams, intake, and ECU mods you can get a big increase in torque and a 4-5 horsepower gain (approaching the power output of a stock DRZ400). Still not fast, but faster than "barely fast enough". My guess is the extra power wouldn't add much top end but would make passing at highway speeds noticeably quicker and enable you to more frequently hold speed when climbing. The tradeoff is money ($2k or so for all the mods) and having to run 91 Octane fuel (not always available in Mexico and other countries).

If I could pick any bike to ride to the southern tip of South America, the Rally would be on the short list.
 
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Thanks for your insight. I have my AT to chase Kevin and Aaron. And I would take the AT when I take trips with the guys to Idaho, Wyoming, etc. I will order the racks from rocky mountain atv, so I can switch the Tusk gear back and forth. I had planned on adding some of the mods you mentioned. I am good with 60 - 70 mph anyways. The guys are usually waiting on me riding the AT. What seat did you get ?
 
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