Great bikes tend to be preceded by legacy, and that’s the case with Honda, where riders loved the XR250L and CRF230L, forerunners of the CRF250L. The 2012 CRF250L combined the proven CBR250R single with an off-road frame and suspension for a dual-sport with pleasant road manners, a generous maintenance schedule, and stalwart reliability. For 2017 the 250L got a little bump in power and the Rally model joined the party with a new look, larger fuel tank, wind protection, skid plate, and other bonus features. Riders were left a little hungry, however, for the displacement and power bump the CBR, CB, and Rebel models saw.
Finally, for 2021, the displacement bump came, and we got the CRF300L and CRF300L Rally. Both models got a well-deserved reworking and Honda didn’t go the easy way out with just a motor swap and “bold new graphics.” The new models see revisions throughout, with a focus on weight savings and performance. Additionally, model-specific changes based on rider feedback aim to satisfy owners of the 300L off-road and give Rally owners the versatility to tackle any adventure while adding only $50 to the price tags. Honda recently flew me out to the Copper Horse Riding Ranch in beautiful Agua Dulce, California, to swing a leg over the pair.
DRIVETRAIN AND ENGINE IMPROVEMENTS
This story is from the January - February 2022 edition of Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January - February 2022 edition of Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto).
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Stuant Gregory IS IT AN ADDICTION?
Five-Time Dakar Malle Moto racer
INTO THE MUD
Strategies for Successful Off-Road Riding
CHASING PEAKS IN THE HIMALAYAS
It was 2:00 a.m. on my fourth day in India. My eyes blinked open in the dark of a hotel room in Drass, a town in the Himalayas on the Indian side of the border. Yesterday was our first day riding on a six-day trip through the Himalayas, and my brain could not process everything I'd seen and experienced.
Angels and Demons RIDING TWO-UP SOUTH THROUGH ALASKA
A not-so-warm welcome as we entered Hatchers Pass from Willow to Palmer, Alaska.
EXPLORING THE THRILLING WORLD OF RALLY RAID
A GUIDE TO GETTING STARTED
MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE
LESSONS LEARNED ON THE ROAD
White Desert
Riding Across the Frozen Landscape of Siberia
Kitti and Martha Forget Black Dog CYCLE WORKS
How do you start something from nothing? That’s what Kurt and Martha Forgét did when they created Black Dog Cycle Works (BDCW) out of their garage 16 years ago
Essential GROUP RIDING Tips
FOR ADVENTURE RIDERS (ON OR OFF THE ROAD)
MAKING MEMORIES
Kevin and I initially met in the Marines. We have been riding together for a few years, and riding BDRs the entire time. Our first attempt at a BDR was in Utah, where we were completely unprepared and significantly ignorant of our capabilities. It led to some interesting moments conquering Lockhart Basin where we developed our backcountry motto: “Less Gear and More Water.” We document our rides on our YouTube channel, “Be Gone for Good.”
