2023 Honda CRF300L Owner Review

I purchased my 2023 CRF300L new in 2024. I’ve owned a few other dual sports (DR650SE, KLX250S, DR350S), several street bikes (NX500, V-Strom 650, VFR, …), as well as a few dirt bikes (CRF250F, XR200R, …).

Pros

should be reliable, long maintenance intervals, full instrumentation, reasonable weight for the class (feels light), good bottom-end power, good value, the cost of OEM parts is lower (overall) than some other bikes in the class

Cons

front brake line obscures instruments, side stand is too short, thin paint on frame, small fuel tank, the buttons on the instrument console are difficult to press, jerky throttle response in low gears (but there are reports that it improves)

Riding Impression

The engine is barely broken-in, and I haven't ridden it that aggressively yet. I haven't pushed the bike to its limits, so I can't say for sure what the full capabilities of the bike (in stock form) are yet, but I can provide some insights.

About 2/3 of the distance ridden has been on pavement (city, backroads, highway), and the rest has been on gravel roads, FSRs and twin track. The twin track has varied from easy and smooth to moderately rough with loose rocks, shallow ruts and ditches, potholes and water bars. I've done one creek crossing (30 cm deep). I've ridden through small woops, up and down moderate hills with some rocks and ruts and some wet trails with a bit of mud and puddles. The bike did quite well on my last few trail rides.

I generally like the bike so far, with one exception: the fueling. The bike starts fine, and accelerates okay, has never stalled, but the throttle is like an on-off switch under some conditions. The ride can be quite jerky when trying to hold a steady, low speed on a level (horizontal) road, for example riding at 30 km/h. At higher speeds (and gears), the problem is not so pronounced. When there is continuous load on the engine, it's also fine. It's when you're transitioning on and (especially) off the gas in low gears, especially at low revs, that the ride can be jerky. Another situation where I've found it a little annoying is when descending long hills and alternating between engine breaking and giving it a bit of gas. The jerkiness / snatchy throttle is more pronounced under 4500 RPM. Maybe it will improve in time (adaptive ECU). Some owners have said that by 2500 to 3000 km on the odometer, the fueling is much improved (smoother) and not really a problem anymore. I hope that's true. We'll see. It wasn't too much of an issue on my last two trail rides. Possible fixes include adjusting the free play in the throttle cables, installing a "throttle tamer" or an after-market ECU, or so I've read. Also check your chain slack.

When I first rode my 2022 CRF250F, I thought I had made a mistake in buying the bike because the throttle was also very snatchy resulting in a very jerky ride when transitioning on and off the gas, especially in the lower three gears. This is no longer an issue; the fuel delivery is much smoother now and is probably no worse than any other smaller / lighter fuel-injected dual sport or dirt bike. Fingers crossed that this turns out to be the case with the CRF300L too.

Some owners state that the following procedure reduces the snatchy throttle issue (I haven't tried this yet). This supposedly adjusts the throttle range for the throttle position sensor (TPS). Check throttle cable free play first, and adjust if necessary:

1. Turn key on, then off, then on.
2. Turn the throttle from fully closed to fully open three times (while engine is not running).
3. Turn key off and wait a few seconds.
4. Turn key to on, start engine and test.

I've found the steering to be a little light on the CRF300L, and the bike does not feel as stable or planted on the road as my DR650SE does, but the DR650SE is quite a bit heavier. The 300L tends to wander a bit on some paved surfaces at lower speeds. The tires may be a factor in this. I think the CRF300L feels more stable than the KLX250S I had, though. I think mostly this is just a general characteristic of small dual sports.

There has been a lot of online criticism of the suspension on the CRF300L. Many complain that the suspension is too soft and under-damped. There has also been criticism about its lack of suspension adjustment, other than rear spring preload. So far, I'm finding the suspension adequate on road, FSRs, easy trail riding at a moderate pace. I've hit some shallow dips in the trail at 30 to 50 km without issue. I haven't noticed any wallowing in the corners on the road. Granted, I weigh less than some other riders. I probably weigh about 73-75 kg (160-165 lbs) with gear and my backpack, and I'm about 173 cm (5'8+") tall. The front suspension feels superior to the rear shock. I admit that the rear shock isn't great. If you ride more aggressively, or if you're a heavier rider, you may not be happy with the stock suspension. If you ride at a more leisurely pace, and you use the bike more for exploring than charging down the trails, and you're a lighter rider, then you may be satisfied with the suspension.

There is some high-frequency vibration produced by the engine at some RPMs which is noticeable in the handlebars. I wouldn't say it's a problem, but it seems more pronounced than in our CBR250RA, whose engine is the basis for the engine in the CRF300L. I haven't been revving the engine out on the 300L (max 6500 RPM, sustained). It buzzes more at certain RPMs than at others. Compared to some bikes, the engine is smooth - it's all relative.

The engine feels powerful enough on the backroads, FSRs and trails; for extended, or main highway use, you might want a bit more power, but it's still adequate. Gear changes have been smooth and trouble free. The brakes feel fine.

I'm not really fond of the tires. I wouldn't say that the tires are terrible; they're okay as 50-50 tires. When riding on gravel, I have found that the tires slip too much when braking, and break traction too easily under acceleration while going uphill. I don't like the feel of them on some paved surfaces, though the feel has improved somewhat with some distance on them. The tires are okay in some off-pavement conditions. I haven't tried them in really muddy conditions or in sand. I'll stick with the stock tires for now. When I do replace them, I'll probably put MT21s on, which are more offroad biased. The stock tires (D605) on my KLX250S weren't great either.

I don't find that the seat is any more comfortable than the one on my DR650SE. The clutch lever pull is very light. I don't like the horn button (location and design/shape). I'm fine with non-LED lights as I rarely ride in the dark. LED lights tend to be expensive to replace if damaged in a spill (price out a new OEM headlight for a KLX300).

I've had the bike up to 105 km/h on the highway (it will go faster). The bike is more relaxed below 95 km/h. Like other smaller dual sport bikes that I have ridden, the CRF300L would not be my first choice for extended highway riding. The CRF300L is capable for highway use, but the bike is much more fun on the backroads, FSRs and trails (twin track and rough roads, so far). The bike is more fun to ride on tight, twisty, paved backroads where speeds are lower than the main highways, and the traffic is light. The bike could be made more comfortable for extended highway use with an after-market seat and a small windscreen.

Other Negatives (minor)

This has been mentioned in many other reviews of the CRF300L, and that's the routing of the front brake line. The bike has a gear position indicator but the view of it is blocked by the brake line. The brake line also partially obscures the speedometer. There is no excuse for this design flaw which could be considered a safety deficiency. There should be a recall for this. The problem still exists on the 2024 model. Some owners have resolved this by moving the brake line guide forward.

Another minor problem is that the side stand is a bit short by about 2 cm, I'd estimate. The bike leans too far over on level ground when on the side stand, but it can be an advantage in some situations.

The fuel capacity on the CRF300L is only 7.8 L, which is close to that of the KLX300. This isn't enough for some of the rides that I like to do. By comparison, our DR200SE has a 13 L tank. So, my options include installing an after-market fuel tank (expensive, but larger than the one available for the KLX300 the last I checked) or packing a fuel container (inconvenient). I haven't yet decided if I'll put a larger fuel tank on the bike; Acerbis makes a 14 L tank for it.

The paint on the frame is quite thin (as is the case on our CRF250F and KLX140L) and will wear through within a ride or two where it makes contact with your boots if you don't have some kind of frame protection. As a preventative measure, I applied white electrical tape to the sides and front of the frame before I rode the bike. The paint on our DR200SE and DR650SE is far superior to that on the CRF300L. There are frame protectors available.

I've read some accounts of the rear turn signals breaking off in a tip-over. Upon inspection, it is evident that the way the rear turn signals are mounted is not very robust. They should have been attached to metal brackets, but they are only attached to the plastic rear tail section, which is what breaks.

Maintenance

Service Info

According to the owner's manual, the initial maintenance is due at 1000 km (600 mi). The first service basically includes just an oil and filter change as well as servicing the chain. I needed to adjust (tighten) the chain by 600 km. I've done the initial oil and filter change. The oil filter cover uses a fiber gasket rather than an O-ring like on some bikes. The valve clearances are not scheduled to be checked until 25,600 km. The bike has a fibre type air filter that can't be washed, rather than a washable foam filter like on the DR650 and KLX300. There is an aftermarket washable foam air filter available.

Accessories

I installed an Acerbis plastic skid plate (seems okay so far). The bike is completely stock otherwise. I plan to install a luggage rack to carry my tools and spare inner tubes. As mentioned above, I may install a larger fuel tank (Acerbis).

Comparing the CRF300L to other bikes

The main competitor in this class is the Kawasaki KLX300. Other bikes in this class include the Honda CRF250L (discontinued), Kawasaki KLX250/KLX250S (discontinued), Yamaha WR250R (discontinued), Suzuki DRZ400 (discontinued after 2024), Yamaha XT250 and the Kawasaki KLX230. You could also include the CRF300L Rally, the more adventure version of the CRF300L and maybe the newly announced (for 2025) KTM 390 Enduro R. I have had test rides on a DRZ400, CRF250L and XT250. I was going to include the new Suzuki DR-Z4S, but it's much more expensive (see below).

The 2023 CRF300L has a 286 cc, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, electric-start, four-valve motor with a 6-speed transmission. The seat height is 880 mm (34.6 in) and the curb mass is 139 kg (306 lbs) with a 7.8 L fuel capacity. The suspension is non-adjustable except for the rear spring preload. It has front and rear disc brakes. Instrumentation includes a tach, fuel gauge and gear position (plus more). The CRF300L uses a fiber-type (like paper) air filter. The MSRP for the 2024 CRF300L (non-ABS) is $7672 CAD, including $773 for fees, + taxes and comes with a 12-month warranty. The ABS model lists for $200 more and has a curb weight of 141 kg (311 lbs). I'm not aware of any changes over the four model years, 2021 - 2024. The 2025 CRF300L has not been announced for Canada or the US yet, but information from other sources indicate that there are some changes for 2025: LED headlight and turn signals, graphics, hot air routing improved and a change to the suspension damping rates.

The 2024 CRF300L Rally is basically a CRF300L with a bigger fuel tank (12.8 L), wind screen, different headlight, wider seat, larger front brake rotor, standard ABS (in Canada) and a lot more plastic (fairing); the curb mass is 152 kg (335 lbs), with about 3.7 kg (8 lbs) due to the extra fuel load. The MSRP for the 2024 CRF300L Rally is $8772 CAD, including $773 for fees.

The 2024 Kawasaki KLX300 has a 292 cc, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, electric-start, four-valve motor with a 6-speed transmission. The seat height is 895 mm (35.2 in) and the curb mass is 137 kg (302 lbs) with a 7.5 l fuel capacity. The suspension is adjustable front (compression damping) and rear (compression and rebound damping, preload). It has front and rear disc brakes. Instrumentation includes a tach (plus more). The bike does not have a fuel gauge, and apparently, the trip meter display becomes replaced by a low fuel warning message when there is less than half a tank full of fuel left; this is not good if you're like me and reset the trip meter when you fill-up, so you can track your fuel range. The KLX300 uses a washable foam air filter. The MSRP for the 2025 KLX300 is $6999 CAD + fees + taxes and comes with a 12-month warranty. ABS is not available. There do not appear to be any changes for the 2025 model (large price reduction in the US, though).

I sold my KLX250S a long time ago, but if my memory serves me correctly, the KLX250S felt more dirt bike-like, and I didn't enjoy riding it on the highway. The engine was less vibey, but the seat was horrible (pain inducing). The steering of the KLX250S was very light requiring you to constantly focus on your lane position when on the highway. The bike would also weave a bit at slower speeds on pavement (there might have been an issue with steering head bearings). I liked the suspension of the KLX, but the bike had a very week bottom end (the CRF300L feels much stronger).

Comparing the CRF300L to the Suzuki DR650SE, I have to say that so far, I prefer my DR650SE on the road (paved and gravel). The throttle response and feel are so much nicer on the carbureted DR650SE than on the fuel-injected CRF300L. The engine in the DR650SE doesn't have the high frequency vibrations as the one in the CRF300L, either. The DR650SE has a lot more torque than the CRF300L. The DR650SE is also more stable and planted on the road than the CRF300L is. The CRF300L is a lot lighter and has lower gearing than the DR650SE, so I expected the 300L to outperform the DR650 on the trails, and so far it does, in my opinion, even with the stock tires. The CRF300L is easier and more fun to ride on the trails.

The new for 2025 KTM 390 Enduro R is kind of heavy at 159 kg without fuel (add about 6.7 kg for 9 L of gas), so it weighs about the same as a DR650S, but the price ($8099 CAD including fees) is close to that of the 300s. It has a fuel-injected 399 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with a 6-speed transmission. It has a slipper clutch, adjustable suspension (front: compression and rebound; rear: rebound and preload), TFT display, ride modes (2), switchable ABS (standard, offroad and off), LED lights, 21- and 18-inch spoked wheels and a low exhaust. The 390 Enduro R will likely out-perform the 300s on the road (paved and gravel), but the heavier weight will likely be a disadvantage on the trails, at least the more challenging ones.

2024 is the last model year for the DR-Z400S. The DR-Z400S has a 398 cc, carbureted, liquid-cooled, electric-start, four-valve motor with a 5-speed transmission. The seat height is 935 mm (36.8 in) and the curb mass is 144 kg (317 lbs) with a 10.0 L fuel capacity. The suspension is adjustable front (compression, rebound, preload) and rear (compression, preload). It has front and rear disc brakes. ABS is not available. Instrumentation includes a clock, odometer, dual trip meters with subtraction/addition functions. The MSRP for the 2024 DR-Z400S is $8599 CAD + fees + taxes (MSRP in US is $7199 + $560 in freight and destination charges). The DR-Z400S was in production for a very long time (since 2000) with very little change over that period. Many have complained that the transmission ratios are too close. The bike has much better suspension and more power than the CRF300L, but the DR-Z400S is tall and feels a lot heavier.

The new for 2025 Suzuki DR-Z4S is the replacement for the DR-Z400S. The DR-Z4S has a 398 cc, fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, electric-start, four-valve motor with a 5-speed transmission and slipper clutch. The seat height is 920 mm (36.2 in) and the curb mass is 151 kg (333 lbs) with an 8.7 L fuel capacity. The suspension is adjustable front and rear, and the forks are inverted. It has front and rear disc brakes with switchable ABS (front and rear on, rear only, completely off). It has a ride-by-wire throttle, riding modes (why?) and traction control (why?). Instrumentation includes a fuel gauge and gear position indicator (plus more). The bike has LED lights. There are many other differences from the DR-Z400S. The MSRP for the 2025 DR-Z4S is $11899 CAD + fees + taxes (MSRP for the DR-Z4S in the US is $8999 plus a $600 destination charge before any added dealer fees or taxes), making it a lot, lot more expensive than the 2024 DR-Z400S. At these prices, I don't expect that the bike will sell very well. There are other bikes available that offer much better value. You could buy a new CRF300L, upgrade the suspension, and the price would likely still be $4000 CAD less than a DR-Z4S.

Last Words (so far)

I bought the CRF300L because I wanted a lighter dual sport that was more manageable than my DR650SE on the rougher trails. I bought the CRF300L over the KLX300 because I was able to get a better deal on it, and because I had already owned a KLX250S (almost the same as a KLX300 besides the power difference and fueling) and wanted to try something a bit different. The CRF300L is indeed easier and more fun to ride on the trails than my DR650SE, but I find the jerky throttle annoying in some riding situations. I hope the throttle smooths out in time as some other owners have reported. Maybe the throttle isn't quite as jerky as it was in the beginning, but maybe I've just gotten used to it. Yeah, the suspension (especially the rear shock) could be better, but I'm finding it to be good enough for my weight and the riding I've done so far. I plan to keep the bike for some time yet, and I may make some changes or add a few things to it. I'll update this review as I put more km on the CRF300L. The bike is still in winter storage, but I hope to be riding it again by April.

All Photos

Prev     Next Back To Top

Service Info