I work for Öhlins Racing, with fork design, and I must say the professor knows his stuff, but also I amazed that Honda dropped the ball on the suspension this badly. Usually the benchmark for suspension setup (spring rate, comp and reb shim stacks, and oil level in the fork) is 80 kg rider weight...but it looks like they have it setup for hobbit, or a kid on this bike. Looks like ride testing was not part of the budget

At 9 minutes in, that was the most useful explanation of sag ever. Amazingly simple.

Awesome vid. Thanks for your work. Love it. Always entertaining and informative without any BS.

Can I just say this is a top notch video! Thank you for taking the time to make it. Regarding the Suspension of the CRF when I test rode one a couple of years ago the sag really put me off. I weigh 88kg and the bike felt unbalanced when I rode it. Thank you Rally Raid, I will look into this bike again.

Thanks Dave, great video and insights to help us decide on upgrades. Can’t wait for the next edition of you putting Rooster through the paces. Cheers 👍🏻

Looking forward to the build

Great job Gentlemen! Just completed a 2500 mile off road DS adv loop through Idaho and Montana on the 300L with RRP Level I suspension - worked perfect! Stock would have bottomed out all the time. Fitting the kit was easy following John's careful instructions and provided additional hand tools. Juan Nevada City, CA

Awesome review guys .. suspensions definitely make a difference n money well spent .. thanks again for fantastic video

lovely job looks like a winner

I've been dead-set on buying a CRF300L. This series will only serve to hasten that purchasing schedule. Gee, thanks!

Wonderful interview. I've heard alot about this suspension kit and to hear about it from John Mitchem himself is fantastic.

Excellent explanation for us clueless 👍

What an amazing difference between the stock and rally raid suspension I am very interested in seeing a full review on it

You guys give the best view of the suspension difference between stock and the new suspension

Nice Dave Stay safe Cheers

On a 300cc 2 stroke I just did 4 days with the GL Mojave and Tillamook together. I did this to keep it a little more versatile than the coyote bag alone. About the same in storage.

Ok I'm here. You can start now

Great video, well done to Rally Raid for a great solution. I went with the k-tech as they do a spring only solution for the front, (as well as rear shocks). I don't think it's anywhere as near as good as the Rally Raid solution, I'm no expert! I don't ride the hard stuff so saved some dosh and the handling and feel is much better. The little clip comes out easy enough without drilling holes if you compress the shock then push the washer down at the same time as prising the circlip out with a skinny flat head screwdriver. Looking forward to more testing and farkling of the Little Red Rooster!

Thanks.

Hello from Lake Odessa Michigan. Pretty cool to see the route 66 sign in the background over there. I'm one left turn from being on it. Husky 901 rider here.

Hi , guys thank you for a very informative video , got to be the best one out there .😉

16 hours left.. Notification bell ON.

Awesome. One of those in electric would be perfect for me. 👏😍

Look way much better.

As always, great content and excellent film production, but most enjoyable is the banter and friendship between these two, Dave and Clubby, great chemistry! Fantastic build. Have you thought about adding the Adventure Rally X (Australian made) navigation tower? It looks lighter, and frankly much cooler with their lights.

I should start saving, because I think when those bikes become available I will be buying one :)

Saw some new gloves for it too. Metzler Karoo 4's. Be out about Aug, 1st Sept. Lot better than 3's. Love this bike. RTW capable more than many think. When I was a kis 60 yrs. back a 300 was a big bike. All relative. Pick it up 4 or 5 times aday, you'll figure it out. Nothing hardly as important to the right legs and muscles underneath. Control and support. Sure like Clive's work and your fellows presentation. It's a blast. From the Hill's of East KY. Stay safe. Shop porn, potential double header, drive deep and wallow out. Now for a Seat Concept seat cover, low model. Rear subframe takes a beating on hard core off road even without luggage on. Oxford heated grips. Tubeless wheels, yes 19/17. Many tires available all over. Major advancement for this machine. Waiting to receive mine. The CRF 300 is a very capable basis of a machine. Kinda like a girlfriend that needs cleaned up a bit and some attention to detail. Clean her up, put on a pretty dress and take her for a hell of a ride. Scottoiler for the chain. Home to Prudhoe Bay, Newfoundland to Iceland to North Cape Norway. Who needs a big bike for that. Small is easier to fish out of the creek. RTW.

17" 19" wheels are great on these, i run anakee wilds, on crf 250l.

Fascinating! Surprised Clive let Cubby anyway near the shop 🤣

Thanks for another great video gents! For those on a budget like me, YSS does a great budget friendly rear shock and front spring replacement for around $900. You can choose your weight and install is really easy. The downside is that the rear is only preload adjustable and the front is non-adjustable. The upside, is the bike feels great and I spent around $1500 more to do the rest of the mods (not including luggage, which turned out to be more expensive than the rest of the work to the bike!)

Riding a Honda XR150L now in the Philippines and strongly looking at buying the 300 Rally for here and one in the states. I like riding dirt roads in the states and here in the Philippines.

Very informative I’m a short rider I need this lowered bike I’m an older guy ,obviously I don’t do hard core

Jeez the bike stands up proud. Looks like it's complete now. I'm getting the level 2 from rallyraid this week or next.

I'd cross the Simpson with the little red rooster🐓 mate!🤠👍

Maybe the answer is the 250 mm kit for best suspension, and a low Seat Concepts complete seat, which is 1.25" lower than std seat... with this combo you would be pretty much bang on stock height with great travel to boot. The only negative is perhaps the seat to foot peg length will be more cramped.

Always going to be a better result. But for that cost should have got a better rear shock with comp. Fitted a yss shock to my mt09. Same issue as the honda shock. No real rebound control. spring to light for most people. wallows and bounces around. New YSS shock it is planted and adjustable to what you want.

If you want to save the weight of a rear rack, I attached my giant loop coyote bag to my Rally by threading a couple of their pronghorn straps through the bag base (after removing the included hooked straps,) and looping the pronghorns around the tail of the bike. Lower leg straps stay standard. Worked well for me on a long off-road adventure. Perfect mixed use travel bike.

That's quite a bit of money for the suspension upgrade. I had my 250 Rally done at MotoSR in Taupo, NZ for about AUD 1300. They know how to reuse the stock shock and fit an upgraded spring (custom made for any weight) and upgraded valving, so I'm not sure why the Aussies can't figure it out? The front end also got an extra spring (same as the RaceTech upgrade in the US) and new valving. Excellent -- dive under braking is vastly reduced. Didn't change the side stand -- the upgrade just improved things with the original stand as before the bike sat so vertical on flat ground that it felt in danger of a stiff breeze blowing it over. Now I can get on or off the bike with the stand down (not that I ever really do). Before, any attempt to mount the bike with the stand down resulted in so much sag that the bike would tip over to the right.

The spring does come of the shock quite easily with a shock spring compressor tool. Locknut under the top clevis. Fair bit of locktite though. I pulled it apart to experiment with shock length before buying a new shock. You can actually shorten the shock by moving the locknut to the top of the clevis mount. Heaps of room between nut and the clevis mount. The stock shock sucks badly though, so it is pretty much a budget only lowering track for those who won't buy a new shock anyway. Mountainbikes have had single side damping/spring split for a VERY long time. Some race bikes have singleside spring/other side shock.

Kinda makes me regret trading my 250L Rally for my 450L. But I like the power gain for the riding that I do.

Some great info in this one on a great little machine. One thing not touched on is the fuel economy. I had the 250 Rally and it was cheap as chips to run on my adventures up into the high country an beyond. With todays insane fuel prices it's definitely something to think about.

Hi Dave Nice informative info for suspion set up. Just wondered how Nugget is doing. I miss the mischief. Guy

Thanks for the insight gents. I approve of the choice of your garage calendar in the background :) Pretty sure you can buy springs for the forks from many other brands?

I own a Gen II KLR 650 with upgraded suspension and it was the best thing I have done to it but I'm 64 now and thinking of something lighter. I have looked at the Rally before and wondered. I love the KLR but I can see this bike in my future. Only thing I'm worried about is will I be as protected on those long road trips to where I have to ride. I've done three BDR's here in the US and want to do a few more and each one is at least 1000 mi . Cant wait to see what you guys do with this. Thanks!

Great episode! Why the almost 5cm/2" taller 100 series rear tire though? Sticking with Pirelli the MT-21 has the 110 and 120/80r18 options that are more seat height and gearing friendly.

Didn't want to spend too much on my Rally, got the YSS rear shock and YSS front springs. Getting installed with some thicker fork oil in a few weeks. Total cost is $1100

Brilliant video from all involved (and you solved the rear subframe query). Barkbusters may have a poor construction for the CRF300, eg ItchieBoots’ bike fell over twice (one very low speed drop, and the second time the bike was parked and was blown over by the wind). Both times resulted in a compromised throttle control and subsequent workshop visit (ok, the front brake lever was undamaged). You and Chubby never drop bikes so you don’t notice things like this…..just saying…..🕊

Cmon Honda ! Build a 450 Rally with longer service intervals and you’ll take over

2022 300L Great bike and with stock boingy boingy suspension and a KoubaLink, I can flat foot and for a 71 y/o with bad knees, that works fine........except the boing boing. Forks all the way up to the handlebars. I do need it low enough to be comfortable and not kill myself. Enduro days are long gone.. 210 going to ok then??? And more fuel please. 2 gal just isn't enough, even at fantastic gas mileage. (IMS does sell a 2.5 gal tank)

I really like the smaller wheel possibility. I am setting up the bike for dirt road touring , not heavy offroad and shorter suspension travel and smaller wheels would be exactly what I want.

Thanks for the video. Can I ask what the static seat height is with the new suspension?

That turn at around 0:50 is executed perfectly! This is a question I've been trying to answer myself, but the 300L is nowhere to be seen in Norway. Is the 690/701 really worth twice the money of the CRF300L rally?

waiting for your next video, I am interested if after some riding and testing of Rally Raid's level 2 set up your thoughts on the pros/cons of level 2 vs the shorter level 1: ie, after testing did you 'really' use/need the additional travel of the level 2 for the riding /terrain you would typically cover with this particular bike....I am in the process of picking between level 1 and 2 for my 'on-order' Rally and any additional insight is much appreciated, anyway thanks for the great content & keep'em coming

Hi Dave.I have the flu atm, and have been living vicariously binge watching your videos. I'm 65, a shortarse, and was away from bikes a long while while life happened. Got a little commuter/weekend bike a year or so ago, and I'm looking to get a more serious 'get out there' bike. Before I default to a BMW G310GS, what are your thoughts on a LOWERED CRF300L? I'm SW of Sydney and would like to concentrate on tracks like Wombeyan Caves Rd, things like Newnes and less technical roads and trails.

My TTR600 Belgarda had full factory adjustable ohlins shock and full adjust paioli fork all for a princely new sum of $8 grand Aussie on road 😅

Good stuff. I just wish there was some better distribution of RR products in the US. Rocky Mtn ATV needs some inventory. Are there any other distributors??

If I'm correct, that Rally Raid stuff is branded TracTive suspension from Holland. Those folks are top flight suspension people. You pay for it, but it's great stuff.

Any chance you know what the seat height comes down to with the 210 suspension, lowering link and the 19/17 wheel set?

Question does the 210mm REAR SHOCK make the rear end sit lower if you do the front fork kit?

Very helpful, thanks... I am planning a purchase of this bike, and had heard the suspension needed an upgrade so this was very helpful. I am also interested in adding crash bars to bike to pretect in event of a fall, can you recommend any?

In the US they put a rear shock spring on itchy boots went from a white 85 to white 100

Is it okay to only change the springs and re-valve the shocks? Or shocks must also be changed completely

Brilliant. Highly informative. The question is now do I get level 1 or level 2. How tall are you? Thanks. Great stuff.

I am surprised that with Soo much feedback about the soft and underwhelming suspension that Honda has not spent just a bit more and put on a better adjustable unit similar to those on the crf450L or at least a rear shock with better adjustment.

Ok. Is there an informational or instructional video on the lowering link? (Hoping i heard that right) wanting level one even though I'm 5'11". Hoping for 18, 21wheels. What size is the stock tires? Maybe like 1 sz wider both ends. Is the kickstand alloy, lightweight? Is this available in USA? Or only UK? Cheers.

Does this modification actually raise the ground clearance of the 300 L because the bike is too low to the ground and I keep hitting rocks and stumps on my shifter pedals ect…

No oingy boingy no not this time fell off me chair laughing 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Itchy boots fan here .. Crf rally 300 is one sexy bike. Wish it was available in India, Only Africa twin available here. Why Honda ? Why ?

Over here🇳🇱 NL, Hyperpro offers a progressive spring replacement for €800,00. Promising to adjust it to your weight. Pedro Mota seems to like his conversion. Still it's a lot of money for an older Transalp. Any thoughts on that? If it really improves the handling, it might be worth it.

I am struggling to find the more detailed install video you guys are talking about. Any chance I could get a link ? Love your work by the way.

Who makes the different sidestands, Rally Raid?

i see this crf300 used by itchy boots and awesome

Dave, what is your height and inseam? I was looking at you sitting on the bike with upgraded suspension. It looks way taller but did not seem uncomfortable even if only tip toes touched the ground.

Your man there says that the RR level 1 reduced travel setup does not lower the bike but in theory it must be lowering it in its natural state with nobody sitting on it because RR want to sell you their 20mm shorter side stand for that setup to rectify the change in height.

Hard to imagine what Honda was thinking with the stock spring rates and shock valving. It would have cost exactly 0 dollars to put somewhat appropriate spring rates and valves in it.

What make is the rally raid rear shock?

what about the link to the installation you mentioned?

Hey mate they still selling the husky 701 enduro LR over there 👍 I'm after one and can't get one in blighty ( Britain )

You seem to like the properly suspended CRF quite a lot. Makes any sense to ask for a comparative comment against the 701 that you also liked a lot?

HAHAHAHAHA THE OYING GO BOING GO GUYS HAHAHAHA Guys talking about suspension Do you recommend Krooze tune ???? they offer a 50mmm lowering kit...... I want to lower a 1100 Africa Twin .. I figured it would lower the AT to about the same as my older KLR 650 ........ That worked Fine for the type of riding I now do... Pavement and Packed dirt roads... Never much rougher than that.... These days OLD AGE dictates hahaha. Keep up the great content...

I'm a new rider from Canada and am wanting to get a dual sport. This seems to be a great bike, however, I'm 6'3" around 245lbs. If I do a suspension swap will it work for a guy of my size?

What is the SEAT HEIGHT with the Level 2 ?

“Clubby!”

I’ve been combing the internet for shock/bike porn for years and now I’ve finally scratched that itch 🤣! Can’t tell you how many times my wife has caught me sexting dealerships for info on new bikes. My latest fetish has been searching for a 300 Rally but it’s still a unicorn here in the US. Thanks Dave for your entertaining and informative vids. Much appreciated. Subscribed.

I'm 5' 11'' and 130lb. How would a stock crf300 rally be for a light rider like me?

So there is a kit for short people, level 1?

Wow. These guy know what they are doing! I have a wr250r which is still superior! But the honda is ok

I don't know if they know it but "Oingo boingo" is a Jojo reference.

I was getting mid hard seeing the new suspension, 😆

And we put up with manufacturers selling bikes with inadequate suspension. Not hard to make a bike with multi adjustments but no, ran crap down the throats of punters and make them spend more. Disgusting.

clubby, make yourself useful! haha

i love everything about this bike but its way under powered it should of gotten 40 odd hp not 20 somthing wich is just sad if it had the 450cc engine it would be perfect

Clubby the 'tight little butt cheeks' comment was just too cringy lol cant believe Dave didn't laugh 3:22 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/osmWhayDnbqmeoE.html

Rally Raid never has any of their kits available for order. Frustrating company to give patronage.

it’s hard to justify spending 30% of the bike cost to get it performing correctly and is a very poor effort on the part of Honda. Plus there are none available. Surely many riders would be better off on a late model low klm DRZ costing $8000, which has good suspension, a lot more power, is indestructible and masses of parts available ie large fuel tanks etc. yes I can hear the wails re the drz gearing but you are $5000 better off.

I suspect you could save a few bucks on suspension and sag by dieting down to the healthy weight of an average Honda test rider. You might be joining those middle aged cycling boys with their tight fitting spandex and ultra light bikes.

Shock p0rn 🤣

Mi spiace ma il transalp non è una moto di merda!!😉

I hate this channel. I hate you blokes too. You strong armed me into buying that pricey Rally Raid suspension. Now my wife is making me sleep outside and kids keep saying their hungry. Shame on you both!