Honda CRF 300 Rally Prepping for Iceland, Norway and Morocco

What an eventful week the Himalayan went back under rejection an I have a new Honda CRF 300 Rally adventure motorcycle.

The Himalayan got collected yesterday for a full refund under the consumer goods act stuff and hats off to the dealer from me speaking to them them apologising and agreeing within one week the Himmy was collected and I was paid same day so I was able to pick the Crf300 Rally up this weekend after getting lucky finding a canceled order.

About 6 hours driving to do now in the Rental Van to get her home. After what happened with the Himalayan's and the ktm 390s pdi or better to say lack of pdi I decided to van this one so I can go through it myself before jumping on and riding.

This is my 2nd Honda as I currently own a
CBR1000RR Fireblade which I've owned since new in 2010 back when superbikes were actually reasonable to buy.

Adventure bike wise I've had so far a
R1200gsa te, vstrom 1000xt, f800gs, suzuki vstrom 650xt (so darn good) ktm390 adv x2 one for me an one for dad both rejected with issues for a refund. Then a r1200gs te Rallye which was just to heavy for my shoulder, an finally the Himalayan which was rejected with issues for a full refund. Hopefully Royal Enfield start to take note and actually address some of the problems.

Really looking forward to seeing what life on the Honda has to offer plan is to ride her to 600 miles then can assess if she suits me or not before I go putting bits on. Which will be rally raid suspension at level 1 first and a seat concepts seat.

Plan is later on in the year to look at getting a Yamaha T7 to sit alongside it so dad and I can compare then we can decide whether to stick with the light is right approach or take heavier middleweight bikes on our trip for my shoulder though i can already tell moving the CRF300 Rally about and loading it it's so much easier like a Yamaha rd350lc

The plan is to go to Iceland Norway and Morocco on the Rally pack light and travel light very much like Austin Vince did in the excellent Mondo Circa, Terra Circa and Mondo Sahara.

Hi, Where can I read more about your Himmy failures?
Just like to hear it all, good, bad & ugly.
Thanks

Hi Concours there's a thread in the Re section to cover them in order

had quite a few problems with the Himalayan, the swingarm was seized, miss aligned front yokes, Miss aligned headlight, brake switch failed then I fitted a new genuine brake switch that failed within 30 mins and nearly lead me to getting rear ended on an emergency stop so I drew the line at that and pushed for rejection which the dealer accepted and agreed with. They arnt a cheap bike any more at £5,050 so decided to jump ship while I was able with all this happening some issues before and some post service Inc bits missed at pdi and first service that I rectified.

I don't have a car and usually ride a Norton 650ss which has done 4 years of year round riding inc winters which I took off the road to do some service work fancied giving it a decoke, when I got the Himalayan so had to sort something fast.

So the Honda Motorcycles CRF 300 Rally.

First impressions, just so so light unbelievably light compared to the Himalayan an similar middleweight 200kg+ bikes or the heavyweight like my GS. The engine is really good suprisingly punchy revvy and smooth it took me a few miles to get back into riding a short stroke engine after the longer stroke of the Himalayan then quickly my old two stroke riding style came back even though its a 4 stroke single the engine has a similar fun feel and you can really carry corner speed to much more than the Himalayan.

Very much looking forward to being able to really wind it on after run in, it was also such a difference just being able to hop on the motorway an it suprised me just how smooth it is at 60-70 could sit on that all day long. Just the slightest tingle in the bars but the grips are hard and thin.

It might not have the same emotional memory connection as the Long stroke but from a riding bike point of view I actually prefer it as I was riding quite a nice pace without feeling strained engine wise.

Now let's talk about the two elephants in the room the suspension honda motorcycles honestly what were you thinking you can really feel the potential in the bike, yep its great being able to flat foot and personally I would have preferred less travel on the spec sheet and more usable properly damped suspension motorcycleadventuredirtbiketv called it right with the oinga boinga test haha! Nasa don't need rockets any more could just buy one of these to launch into space of the seat lol.

Oh an the seat ouch deffo needs a seatconcepts just gotta decide between comfort or comfort xl.

Next step is to sell a few things and buy the Rally raid level 1 suspension then I can look at a lightweight luggage and camping setup its all looking positive so far an I really can't get over how light it is.

First impressions though happy its a very different bike to the Himalayan an it's bringing out my older riding style in me from someone who used to do 2k Miles in a week on a 1984 rd250lc can see it's a bike I'm going to grow into riding.

Speaking of which has anyone used the Kodama protection rather than the upper crash bars from an ultra light point of view.




Here's the video from yesterday talking about the issues with the Himalayan and our thoughts the riding clip will be coming probably around Wednesday

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Thank you.
I had read some of that thread before.
I just don't seem to see anywhere what was wrong with the bike.
Generation gap, no doubt.
I hope you and Dad have lots of fun & epic adventures together!

Edit: could someone give a quick "primer" on rejection laws?
We have State by State "Lemon law" here, for persistant problems with vehicles. Hard to enforce/commonly subnavigated.

I got out on the Rally yesterday its given me quite a content feeling I'd say not overly giddy or excited like some bikes I've ridden (gsxrs and vstrom 650xt etc) or stirring emotions like the Himalayan did with it making me think to my Nortons.

You can feel the quality with the Honda and the improvement over the Himalayan in most ways I was actually able to ride at a better pace on the roads even with the suspension the way it is so that's kudos to the Rally.

The biggest difference is remembering to rev it a bit then the fun starts.

It's got such a nice package though good chassis (apart from the suspension) good level of comfort (apart from the seat)

It gives that real content feeling that Hondas always seem go have like my fireblade which is good an why I've still got that nearly 13 years on.

Weirdly the best comparison that kept popping into my head was an rd250lc, very responsive to the slightest touch
A good chassis you can feel the potential in and the engine is very smooth even at motorway speeds.

which made a change from the Himmy as that was stuck to 50mph till 1200 miles. just being able to jump on an do that while not using all the revs in 6th.

I'm obviously taking it easy with the engine not overly revving it an no full throttle but it feels like it's a fun bike to ride when you grab the horns so to speak, bit like an elsie which is what it put me in mind off, as they are around the same weight.

So easy pushing it around thats for sure.

I'm thinking of the RR level one as it has the -40mm travel wise my dad could barley get on a yss equipped 250 rally he sat on where as he can get on my 300 rally as it is so naturally thinking that's the way to go so he can try that to only a couple of hundred quid more then a seat an doesn't really need much more, forks eventually when funds allow.

Dads absolutely obsessed with how light the clutch is so up to now it looks like we could just be ending up with two 300 rallys dependant on how the run in period goes over the next week or so.

Plan is then to go straight up to Scotland on it.

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as well as the Nortons I've had a rd250c, rd250lcs, 350lcs and a rzv500 v4 2t + a load of superbikes It really does remind me off the 250lc in a very good way on the road. Really gelled a bit more with it today that's for sure.

Today was such a brilliant day on the honda CRF 300 Rally. Went out road riding continuing to run her in with the idea of going to Matlock Bath ended up flicking through adventure_bike_rider guide to green lanes while having some chips at Monyash an decided to give it a go ^_^ ended up on Houndkirk Moor doing the first of it an just through the 2nd gate. Was great seeing so many people out having fun. Gonna go back up it once I've got some better hand guards on.

First Green lane on my CRF 300 Rally. Only my 3rd in my life once was on a 1200gsa te which got stuck then unstuck, other was a really easy muddy one on the Himalayan by accident.

This was interesting never ridden on loose rocks before was a learning curve an lots of fun didn't drop her either woop so mission success, next step is to sort the seat and some handguards on.

Quick mobile phone photograph on my old Samsung a70

First priority now is gonna be the seat agony haha!

Today was a beautiful day out on the Honda CRF 300 Rally after my first go at green laning on the Honda yesterday I really wanted to have another go.

I ended up back on Houndkirk Moor at first I pulled up just for a look at the other end as I was curious where it came out, what was weird was a big pack of bikes came down while I was just taking 5 an walking up the trail a bit and it actually made me a little doubtful of trail riding so I decided to head back to the foxhole end on the road an decided to have a go there as it seemed quieter the other night.

At first I was a bit like am I capable of doing this an I had a few moments of self doubt it's amazing how it can creep up on you and grow and grow isn't it an it's something going a bit further on past the two gates, then all off a sudden things started to click from what I'd been watching on YouTube and I found myself at the viewpoint taking in the breathtaking scenery. An then I decided I'll just do a lil more an then a lil more an a lil more and before I knew it I'd completed my first full green lane. Each time I came across something stopping and thinking about which line to take then tackling it systematicly seemed to work.

It was amazing just how capable the bike was considering the terrain I was going over, can't wait to get the Rally Raid Level 1 done when I'm able.

There was some really interesting bits on it that challenged me and it is really exciting from that perspective. No drops an just kept a steady pace picking my line also found its much better to get the Rally into 2nd an modulate on the clutch

It was nice doing it at my own pace just taking my time stopping when I needed to for a break actually amazing how hot I got as well.

Didn't get any pics of the tricker bits but did have my gopro on so looking forward to learning watching it back to see where I can improve.

Eventually all the tension (Although I was trying to keep loose) melted away and I was flowing much better on the Rally the pace picked up a little and things seemed easy that I'd struggled with and felt like I was flowing over stuff.

Every day's a learning day and I'm learning alot feeling so much better about the trips we've got planned an once I get some off road training as well it's really gonna help at the moment though I'm just loving learning at my own pace.

Was great seeing so many people out having fun.

Today really convinced me on the Rally 100+ miles of b road riding and Houndkirk Moor green laning then back over the cat and fiddle in the dark. It also amazed me how much narrower the CRF is compared to the Himalayan I had when stood up (did a basic lane on that) gives such a nice feel.

I ended up doing stuff today I could have only dreamed off yesterday can't wait to do the trip next year now.

I am very weak off road. Years of road riding has ingrained a sub conscious aversion to lack of grip I guess !

Anyway, a while back I went on a two day off road course with Dave Thorpe. The coaches were amazing. The difference in what I could do on the morning of day one vs the end of day two, and the confidence I had, was night and day.

For a relatively small financial and time investment, I’d highly recommend doing something like that given the epic trips you have planned.

That's certainly the plan Eddie, once the house move is done as its gonna be all hands on deck for that after next week going and checking areas out. An hopefully should be moved around June. I can look into some for dad and I

Hi everyone hope we are all well, in todays video I managed to complete my first Green lane on my Honda CRF 300 Rally I'm a total beginner at green laning an it's been really interesting having a go.

I went to Houndkirk Moor again where I'd tried a tiny section from Foxhole through the first 2 gates, everything in my mind was screaming what's this when the bike was moving about after years spent road riding.

Firstly I rode to the other end of the trail on the road to have a little look and having a walk up a bit after two packs of enduro bikes came down I actually got a bit nervous to the point I thought is this even what I want to be doing, it's amazing how doubts and things can creep in. I decided to just relax for a bit and just collect myself then rode back to the foxhole end as I'd already muddled my way through the first bit of that the day before.

After a few moments talking to myself in my mind I set off an did a bit more and a bit more doing a small section then having a break while having a little look at what line to take, so I didn't get to tired and completed another bit an another bit then I was at the view point an progressed a lil bit more an before I knew it with a little more pace I was going over things rather than ping ponging at slow speed. An before I knew it I was having amazing fun, occasionally the self doubt creeped back in and I'd have a break collect myself and then carry on often chatting with walkers and cyclists on the green lane as I was the only one up there by this point.

By the end of it I'd managed my first Green lane not dropped the Rally and feel very optimistic about the future for this sort of riding as its opening up an entire new world of riding. Before the trip to Norway, Iceland and Morocco next year, I'll get some some 2-1 training with dad so we can learn some new skills.

Hopefully doing this video series showing from being very nervous yesterday as your mind is screaming no when the bikes moving around to starting to really enjoy it exciting times and I'm looking forward to my next go on one. Gonna order some new barkbusters later on today.

Good day today 300 miles to an around Llanberis 10 hours of riding very content with the Rally.

All ran in now to 600 miles so there won't be an update till after the 15th.

Was actually suprising just how smooth it was at 60-70.

Overall very happy with the Rally and the more I'm riding it the more an more I'm enjoying it.

Here's the video from last week's ride to Llanberis Pass in Wales there wasn't much of a plan apart from getting the 300 miles done in one day. Mix of country roads, Llanberis Pass in both directions one to music unfortunately thanks to my gopro audio not working then the other talking and riding while chatting about the Honda 300 Rally.

Recorded riding through Bala, Ruffin, Betws-y-Coed etc and I rode back on the motorway an did a few overtakes so everyone can judge what that's like on uk motorways with our smart motorway system.

Hope you all enjoy the ramblings she will be having her first service on Saturday then it's back to hunting a few green lanes out been studying technique all week so looking forward to putting it into practice.

Before that though will be some road trips up on the borders and Dumfries an Galloway house hunting.

Overall really impressed with the bike, greenlaning on Houndkirk Moor, A 300 mile road ride to Llanberis a roads b roads motorway shes doing it all in her stride. Very content nearly got enough for a rear shock once I've flogged my Nav 6 then I can get the Rally Raid level 1 shock on and get some camping gear for some camping trips.

Exciting times
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