This is actually the first review showing the KLX winning. Its good to have opinions from both sides.

Ive seen terrible reviews of these bikes, where some sell out reviewer totally raves on the Honda, but this reviewer was extremely honest and informative. Thank You!!!!

Cool review. No fluff. No "HEY WHAT IS UP, GUYS!!!" stuff. Can't tell you how much I appreciate that. Subbed!

KLX, lighter, faster, better suspension - I’ll take it! Thanks for the video.

I have the KLX-300 Dual Sport in Camo Gray and really love it. I really like the Honda too and don;'t think you can go too wrong with either bike. The Honda is more "modern" in design and its instrumentation BUT the KLX is old-school in a good way: a no nonsense play bike/workhorse with better handling, suspension, and arguably motor. A few mods will really make both bikes shine. Good review!

I would go for the KLX despite the fact that the most practical for me would be the CRF rally version. The Kawasaki suspension and cool green color just sell it to me.

I have a CRF 300L I got last May. I am 70 yrs old and have been riding motorcycles since I was about 7years old. I got this bike fo r exploring dirt roads and trails and moto camping in the mountains (I also have a Harley for road trips). I got this bike so if I was camping in the mountains up a trail of some sort and needed to run to a town for anything I would be leagal. It has much more power than I expected and does everything I could want it to do. So happy with my choice

I agree one hundred percent with your review. I had anticipated that the KLX would win. The suspension is the CRF's weak spot and part of the factor keeping the bike cheap. Suspension is modifiable but costs money and can be somewhat complicated. That sorta defeats the purpose of buying an economical dual sport bike. You want and hope it does all from factory. I actually like the older design of the KLX. Thank you so much for the review. Very insightful indeed.

I appreciate this showdown video, I'm looking hard at the KLX300 but have been a Honda fan so I wondered how this would turn out. You gotta fix the audio though.

Overall the clear winner for me is the kawasaki klx300L with it's seat height of 35.1inches,296cc engine, and the adjustable both front and rear susupension.

I bought 2 KLX300s, I glad i choose the winner of the 2.

Just saw an ad for Jurassic Park Chris Pratt riding the Honda I'm sold

I like the old school look on some of these bikes. Not to mention, KLX is a 300cc bike that'll keep up with highway traffic. That's a big selling point for me.

I think the Kawasaki looks just as modern and just as good as the Honda don't understand why anybody would think it looks old-school

In Thailand Honda CRF300L MSRP =148,000 THB(4,353US$) Kawasaki KLX300 MSRP=240,500THB(7,074US$) . To upgrade CRF300L we have to pay 3,850THB(113US$) for 30 compression adjustable rear shocks , 5,800(166US$) for Ohlins front spring kit , 6,500THB(191US$) for 301cc performance kit . Total cost to build CRF300L to equal(or slightly better) with KLX300 is 164,150THB(4,828US$) .

Either bike would be great for a senior (65+) who has been riding dirt bikes for years and still has the physical ability to handle 300 lbs.

One big factor I would personally consider is the huge availability of aftermarket parts for the Crf.

Dude thanks for making this video because I am 6'2 and 220 pounds and I am an experience rider.after watching your video you saved me from making a big mistake because I was going to buy one of these next week but not anymore 🤘🤘👍👍

I ended up buying the KLX300SM. I don't have access to the amazing riding area where you test rode. I figured if I want to dual sport in the future it will be easier to find KLX300 wheels used. The SM is fine for the gravel roads, broken pavement farm roads where I live.

I'm cracking up laughing at the comments section. Reading what other people think about which one is better doesn't tell you which is better for your situation. Someone else's dyno test or for that matter the resulting graph and numbers doesn't tell you about the quality or usability of the power delivery for your use and situation. That one commenter who insisted Kaws are junk and Hondas are impervious to wear and mishap is just unfoundedly biased, and has the absolute right to be. This review reflects the opinions of these journalists, not absolute fact covering every future or potential owner, (and they prove themselves excellent moto journalists by allowing for that, so their opinion offers real value and balanced understanding of the products reviewed and the market intended,) but you need to realize that if the Honda fits your situation better than the Kaw, or vice/versa, then that's the bike that wins for your situation. Period. There are going to be people who swear these aren't real dirt bikes anyway or they're too small for adventuring or any other variation of my [censored] is bigger than your [censored] that fails to account for the fact that either bike fits a current real market in their own right. And btw, the klx is, in point of fact, a "real" dirt bike from circa 1990 that just happened to have been converted for street legal use thirty years ago. So are the thousands of legendary XRs people are still taking out to the desert and trails thirty years later also not "real" dirt bikes anymore? 'Cause the klx was their competitive peer when they first hit the scene and the CRF might have a little less pedigree and softer springy things, but it holds closely in every comparison so far and I dare someone to argue with itchyboots that the crf isn't a real adventure bike. Some prefer red. Some prefer green. People have different target uses in mind, or different terrain or environment; different fabrication skills or budgets for upgrades. Some will be newbies looking for a first bike. Some will be old ex racers looking for something a lot less serious to play with the kids. Some will just want a milk-getter to strap to the front of their RVs. How can any reviewer or journalist be expected to write for each of those potential owners individually? How can any opinionated commenter be the one with the only correct opinion? If you are seriously in the market for this class of simple, reliable, relatively cheap on-road/off-road bike, think hard about what you need; what you like and buy either one with the confidence that you're getting what you want. That really is the only person you have to agree with and the only person who has to agree with you. In this one rarified instance, you are in fact correct no matter which would be your choice. Maybe just don't try so hard to be so damned serious. Dirt bikes are supposed to be fun! My correct, biased opinion? I haven't had a dirt bike in thirty years and I keep drooling with fond green memories as my teens are showing interest now, so Moo, bitches. Moo. 🐄

Good review. Thanks alot. I found the music added nothing to the video, and made the spoken content much harder to understand, particularly in the 2nd half of the video.

Great video and comprehesive comparison! Could you comment on the reliability and longevity of Honda's build vs the Kawa. From personal experience I know I can ride the Honda for 10 years straight on gas and oil changes... Is a $1k suspension upgrade worth the longhaul of the Honda?

The honda has a lower seat height but has more ground clearance. The Honda for the same price has ABS. If you don't want ABS use the 350 .00 to get a upgrade rear shock . The honda as a 3.4 gallon tank on the rally that can be added to the regular 300l . The Honda has a fuel gauge so you know how much gas you have left in the tank. The dash Is way more advanced with thinks like fuel economy and miles to empty ,rpm and what gear your in . . Honda also has the slipper clutch . Just add the 350.00 rear shock to the Honda and your years ahead of the klx.

Excellent review 👍

Solid review. Top notch

I’ve got the 2020 klx 300r and I absolutely love it. I wish mine came with the headlight the new ones have. But overall great bike

I love everything about the Kawasaki, especially in the camo version; however, the Honda has a fuel gauge and gear indicator, both great quality of life features, neither are needed but nice to have. The Honda, due to my weight would need an immediate suspension upgrade and from what I am reading/watching online and on KZfaq, it would appear that is nearly true for everyone that is over 150 pounds. The Kawasaki would likely need a suspension upgrade as well but maybe not as soon and/or the KLX's suspension does not need upgrading unless you are over 200/220 pounds.

Great comparison. I think the Honda has a slight Edge on pavement due to the better top end with the longer stroke and a little bit smoother motor. However, the Kawasaki definitely beats it hands down off road due to the suspension and bigger bore. Both are really insufficient in power for any serious road travel which takes away the Hondas slight Edge completely unly ABS is a must for you. Both need lower gearing if you plan to ride any difficult off-road trails at higher altitudes due to the performance loss at altitude of the already underpowered motors.

Great review! You just flipped me from the Honda to the Kawi, but I'll probably still get a DRZ.

I did 500 highway miles on the klx300. 10 hours on a Seat that is painful after 45 minutes. The bike will do anything you are willing to. A trusty unflinching steed.

I appreciate the effort that you have put into what you have produced, but I have to say that the voiceover sounds like you are just reading it from a script, and not like you are standing next to me telling me about the bike!

Since moto is Engine, breaks, suspension and ciclistics... The winer is Kawasaki for sure

Hiya, as a UK 🇬🇧 crf300l owner I'm finding it a great little bike to Potter around on and that's all its good for!! It's no ktm excf?? Remember guy's it's a little cheap honda wot does a good job.

Uh uhh, personal preference, like a charger and a camaro, I’ll take either one, but prefer one over the other.

Having owned the 250cc versions of both these bikes, and putting roughly 15,000 miles on both. I would go for the KLX300 without hesitation. And for one simple reason. The KLX's suspension is so vastly superior to that of the CRF. Comparing the suspension of both these bikes, is like comparing a Ferrari to a Nissan Micra. Its not ever close. KLX300 is not sold in the UK though, so CRF300L it is for me. Still a good bike but needs significant suspension upgrades to be ridden aggressively off-road.

I like both brands but me being a tall big guy I’ve always bought Kawasaki I have 2007 klx 300r. And 2015 mule pro fxt my reasoning is really just structural integrity they are stout and don’t break under abuse in that perspective Kawasaki is usually heavier. You win some , you lose some. I man handle everything and need something that’s not gonna fall apart . I assure you the klx 300 old models can get up and move but very very easy to ride or even learn on all around a good longevity bike same as their utvs

How about both bikes on the road? Didn't cover transmission, # of gears, ratios, clutch type (slipper?) any vibrations at highway speeds? RPMs at say 65. Be nice to know this stuff for us that will be about 80% roads.

The other big turn off for me on the new 300l is the one piece subframe. I would hate to total out a bike from a casual looping.

What about gearing? I've heard that the Kawi has a larger gap between 1st and 2nd than the Honda. Did you guys find that gap impacted your riding?

I'm a smaller guy (shorter and lighter) so it's the Honda for me. I have to think the Honda will have better resale as well.

I'm sure both bikes are really great. However, for over a year now, I've attempted to buy one of these bikes and there are none to be found at the dealerships. I'm speaking from the State of Arkansas. As a Veteran, I was hoping to take advantage of the current "Veteran Discount" offered by Kawasaki, on the purchase of a new bike. But, like I said earlier, there are no bikes on the showrooms!

Let the good times roll

I'll take either one!

Looks almost identical to my 1999 KDX 200 I had.

I like the abs as a new rider

Waiting for upgrade yamaha wr300R 🤟🤟🤟

I want both, and i hope to see yam and especially suzuki release dual sports like, goddam suzuki stop focusing with your boring car line already lol. First dirt bike i ever rode was my friend's tsr125, and i still remember to this day how fun that bike was, he prolly still has it after all these years.

if you look up dyno charts for each, they start out nearly exactly the same, but at 5k, the honda has a small jump in power, then at 7k, the kawy has a huge jump in power. so on the highway, the kawy will win. but on the dirt with lower rpm, the honda has the edge.

Please compare them to the GPX FSE 300R!!! It's an incredible bike for the price! They include: -Warp 9 enduro rims -CNC billet Triple Clamps -CNC Wide footpegs -Skid plate -LED Headlight -Incredible digital speedometer -Frame Guards -Hand guards -O-ring chain Cheers to LCARS AVD for the info.

That Honda actually looks rad

Anyone have any experience on the klx300r? I know it not street legal but heard it’s approx 10 more hp and more off road oriented than the klx300

Plate the 300R, and the gap becomes even bigger. CRF300L is still a good bike though, and its sharp looking.

I weigh 130lbs. I've got a feeling that the hondas soft suspension won't bother me much.

Thing is, I have seen so many youtubers have done comparisons between the two, and yes they agree that the suspension isnt as good as the KLX. But most people say the Honda is the better bike. I do not own either of these bikes, so what I wrote is unbiased and is what I agree with. One last thing, is that the KLX just doesnt look the part. Like I would be fine sacrificing some performance to have my bike look good. You can always change the suspension and add aftermarket parts to both of these bikes, with the best ones being an aftermarket exhaust, different sprocket size, and an EJK.

went for the klx, pick up the frag camo 2 hours away. out the door $7919.00. fees, ya know.. let the upgrades begin!

I want a KLX300 as a second bike so i can off road !

I go for looks...... The honda got my vote all day💪

Kawasaki all day 👍🏻 lighter, taller, faster, better brakes, better suspension and skid plate worth the extra money

I know the klx is more for your money but damn they really made that crf look sexy.

Right on. KLX it is!

Anyone know of a bike like this suitable for riding 2-up? I really liked my CBR125 and it had a reasonable pillion seat, but needed more power, comfier handlebar placement and off-road ability. This ticks every box, but was tight with my wife on board. I have a cruiser, but I miss 300 lb bikes!

I'm finding it very hard to pick either of these bikes over a DRZ400. All 3 nearly the same weight but the DRZ400 has LOADS more power. I'll go with that.

The looks alone would stop me from getting the klx

I had the luxury of riding both of these bikes before purchasing. At 200lbs both bikes would need a rear shock upgrade. Decided for the crf300l and will upgrade the shock for another 400 over the kawi. The looks and feel of the new age Honda far outweighed anything the kawi had. I do like that camo colourway kawi tho.

Suspension alone makes the klx the winner for me, I plan on riding trails more than roads

I cant find any info about the KLX ever making it to the UK :(

The CRF300L in my country looks allot like the 450. But we didn't get the KLX300 though.

I thought it was a well done fair comparison!! Cheers 🍻to that..👍 But,, the audio portion of the video was a bit weak(low volume). 🤔, what did you say Sonny🦻?

i have question, is the suspension on crf300L are the same with crf250 rally? because i found crf250rally shock are better than dt250 or klx250 my friend have

Not sure if i have a weird perspective of these two brands but i feel like the underdog won here

So clear winner Kawa!

So can the Honda suspension be upgraded or would it be a big bill to bring up to faster off road riding?

Is there gonna be a CRF300 rally review?

KLX was a pleasure to ride. CRF was very disappointing. Klx Is the clear winner.

Yeah, too bad Honda cheaped out on suspension, I'm still waiting for some good rewiews on suspension uppgrades on it, but it here is Ohlins for it, it will be my choice

KTM 390 adventure twice the horsepower, led headlight, TFT dash, adjustable suspension, stability control

The klx suspension os only better if the rider knows how to dial it in for the terrain vs a simpler set up some times more adjustments isn’t better, something to think about

Do they have rear passenger foot pegs?

Perfect video.

Honda needs a 400cc version of this with real suspension and normal seat height.

Heres my question. Does the money it takes to upgrade the suspension on the honda outweigh the fact that it will probably last many years longer than the kawasaki?

Just buy a used 250L from 2017+ and upgrade suspension. 300 is not worth the money, upgrades are minor. I did it and won't sell the bike, unless they release 450 with the same service intervals as 250.

What’s highway top speed ? How many gears ?

What about maintenance intervals?

Is the ABS on the Honda a bigger advantage for the new rider vs the better suspension on the Kawasaki?

If the CRF had suspension equal to the KLX, which bike would win the comparison? Do you think it would be worth the cost to upgrade the suspension on the Honda vs just buying the KLX? Thanks.

I live in Thailand and think buying CRF300L or KLX230. What do you think I should choose? Im a beginner. The KLX300 ist not an option! It costs $2500 more than CRF300L bike it is crazy expensive!

can I just buy a rear spring for the CRF or is it more complicated than that?

What the hell is that music drone at the end?

Straight up I think the green Kawasaki looks better than the Honda. Cleaner lines sweet dash. Does the Kawasaki have dual springs upfront?

It's too close to call. I'll just have to buy both.

Would one of these bikes work for my 15 year old son? He's been riding my old CR500 since he was 13ish and is always complaining that the bike is too heavy

Awwww no!!!! The klx is about the prettiest bike I’ve ever seen!

I got the 23' KLX300.

I like the Kawasaki better. Looks, performance and ergos. But I'll be doing 90% of my riding on urban streets and no ABS is a deal breaker.

I've always thought the KLX was better than the Honda, on paper. But Honda will sell way more of the CRF's, and the aftermarket will support the CRF much better because of that. Try finding a 3 gallon tank for the Kawi... probably won't be one, but IMS and Acerbis will offer one for the CRF in a couple months. Same with exhaust systems, EFI setups, etc. You'll just be able to do more with the Honda, even though the Kawi is probably the superior bike in stock trim.

Ok I'm a entry level rider, in which the Honda is my choice.....but at 6'3 240lb I'm wondering if I'm a little to large for it.

Very interesting! 😺

No mention of maintenance? Literally the best thing about the Honda.

If I got the Kawasaki, I'd get the Camo version, because I wouldn't want to be seen on it.