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Affordable, user-friendly, dirt-worthy, and street legal: The 2024 Honda CRF300L builds on a proven formula as the brand's most well-rounded dual sport yet.
Honda's "L" bikes might be the most lovable two-wheelers of all time.
More than a few of us have made lifelong memories aboard iconic machines like the XR650L, XR250L, and CRF250L, but Honda's latest entry in their road-going dual-sport lineup, the CRF300L, might be their most versatile and accessible to date.
We've had great experiences on the 300L ourselves over the last few years, riding them everywhere from our dual-sport tours in Vietnam to our rider training programs here in the States.
Most recently we took a brand-spankin' new 2024 Honda CRF300L along for a backcountry camping tour of the Appalachian Mountains, and were reminded of just how damn good these little bikes can be.
"Taking in the views on our recent North Georgia dual sport trip."
Below we'll dive into what we love about the Big Red dualie, how it handled for our dirt-focused adventure mission, and what we think could still be improved going forward. Before we dive into the details though, let's take a look back at how we got here.
The 300L is the latest and greatest in a long line of user-friendly dual sports from Big Red, but Honda's CRF-L line has been around for quite some time.
It started life as the CRF230L back in 2008, which was essentially just an electric-start version of the CRF230F trail bike with street-legal accouterments and a set of passenger pegs.
The 230L was a simple bike with a basic telescopic fork and square analog gauges, but everyone who rode one praised it for its easy-riding nature and unexpected capability in the dirt.
Despite generally positive reviews, Honda decided to kill the 230L in 2009 after just two short years in their lineup.
Luckily for us, customer demand for affordable dual sports only grew in the years that followed, and in 2012 Honda launched the fully redesigned CRF250L.
The new bike got vastly improved suspension and fuel injection, and also inherited a liquid-cooled engine borrowed from the CBR250R sport bike.
The new 250L was a hit, and enjoyed a long run of continuous improvement and R&D. 2016 saw the introduction of ABS, updated plastics, improved fuel delivery, and even mechanical updates to the engine.
The following year the 250L Rally was introduced as a "factory adventure" version of the CRF, complete with bigger brakes, more suspension travel, a front fairing/windshield combo, and a larger fuel tank.
The next major update came along in 2021 when Honda upped the stroke of the CRF's engine, dropped 11 pounds from the chassis, and launched the 300L and 300L Rally models.
This is essentially the bike we know and love today, which has remained unchanged with the exception of optional ABS and the addition of handguards as standard equipment in 2023.
The current Honda CRF300L retails for $5,449 before tax, title, etc., and as always, you're getting a lot for your money. Here's an overview of the spec sheet before we dive into our impressions.
We'll start out by saying this is by far the best CRF-L Honda has built to date, bar none.
Just about everything that needed love on the outgoing CRF250L has been addressed, and the new bike is effectively better in every way.
With that being said, there were no changes from the 2023 model.
That means this is still a fairly budget-built dual sport, and as such, it ain't perfect. Here's our take on what Honda got right and where they've still got room to improve.
"On pavement the 300L is fun and flickable, especially for a bike on 50/50 tires."
Let us start by saying it's pretty crazy how much of a difference 36cc can make. The 300L sports a slightly stroked version of the outgoing 250cc engine, but that minor change has a major impact.
Our biggest complaint with the outgoing bike was that while it had a nice midrange and surprisingly punchy top end, the low-end grunt was lacking.
That's no longer the case with the 300L, which we found was more than happy lugging around a gear high, especially on higher-speed two-track trails and gravel roads.
Honda has also updated the gear ratios for the 300L, shortening up the first five cogs and essentially converting 6th into a dedicated overdrive for highway miles.
This allowed us to keep the power where we wanted it on twisty backroads and rocky hill climbs alike while also enjoying a comfortable 70 mph cruise with minimal vibration between trails.
Seat height was another major takeaway from our time with the 300L.
Unlike the sky-high WR250R we rode it alongside during our recent camping trip, the 300L is easily flat-footed by riders under the 6-foot mark.
This bodes well for the entry-level off-roaders the 300L is aimed at, but anyone and everyone can appreciate being a little closer to the ground when the going gets sketchy.
We'll also note that one of our test riders who had just come off a 300L Rally noted the standard 300L was a much more confidence-inspiring bike in the dirt.
Most of that we chalked up to the narrower space between the knees making the 300L easier to hang onto, but the nearly 30lbs weight difference between the two models also makes a noticeable difference.
When it comes to handling, the Honda's non-adjustable suspension is nothing to write home about, but it's capable and predictable everywhere you take it.
We had a damn good time flicking the little CRF around North Georgia's finest mountain roads, and have yet to find any terrain it couldn't chug through when the chips were down.
Last but not least, this is a Honda thumper we're talking about, so we'd be remiss if we didn't point out you're getting a ton of bike for pennies on the dollar.
With its long travel suspension, handsome enduro looks, and impressive 16,000-mile gaps between major services, the CRF300L is the definition of bang for your buck in every way that matters.
Honda's CRF-L has come a long way from its humble trail bike beginnings in 2008, but it's still by no means perfect.
It's a tough bike to complain about considering the asking price, but we'll do our best here.
"Travel is adequate out back, but the shock is definitely on the soft side"
First things first: While the 300L's suspension is by far the best it's been, it's still much softer than more hard-nosed alternatives from the likes of KTM or even Honda's own CRF450L.
Damping in the fork is good enough to soak up big hits with minimal drama, but the back end is still too soft to tackle gnarlier terrain with grace.
This led to more than a few "seat spankings" when picking up the pace over chunkier rock gardens and jumps, especially when riding downhill standing over the back of the bike.
We also noted that abrupt throttle inputs can upset the rear end in a corner, so faster riders will benefit more than usual from a steady hand at the controls.
"Bigger hits can feel springy, but the 300L soaks up rocky trails well."
Another common complaint we all shared was the Honda CRF300L's snatchy on-off fueling when feathering the bike through rough stuff in first gear.
This is a common complaint for any fuel-injected off-roader, but the 300L's abrupt delivery is enough to bump you up over the bars if you aren't careful with your clutch work.
Aside from that, we only have the usual complaints for a road-going dual sport.
Wind protection is non-existent, highway speeds are limited (70 is the sweet spot, although the engine will still pull steadily well beyond that), and fuel capacity could use improvement.
"We advise a steady hand when cornering at higher speeds."
On that last bit it's worth noting that the CRF300L reliably returned about 70mpg for us, which will get you around 140 miles on a full tank.
That was more than enough for an all-day dual-sport ride with a heavy dirt bias, and carrying a small auxiliary fuel bottle was all it took to relieve any range anxiety we might have had.
The CRF300L is our current weapon of choice on our 12 day tour through Vietnam, and we get a lot of questions both on the road and online about the Big Red dualie.
Here are a few of the most common we hear and our take on each.
Absolutely. While the 300L boasts a modest improvement in power over the outgoing model, user-friendliness remains a major highlight of the bike.
This thing is nearly impossible to stall, has one of the lightest and smoothest clutches on the market, and boasts a lower-than-average seat height while still delivering over 11 inches of ground clearance.
"The softer suspension makes for a great sit-and-ride experience."
Reliable as an anvil. Honda has a long-standing reputation for making bulletproof single-cylinder bikes, and the 300L's powerplant is more proven than most.
We've hammered these bad boys over countless miles of remote backcountry and they've never left us stranded.
So far we've had riders up to 6'3" on the 300L with zero complaints.
The rider triangle is comfortable both seated and standing, although riders on the taller end of the spectrum may want a riser for improved ergonomics when they're up off the seat.
Ultimately this depends on your intended use, but personally we prefer the standard 300L. While the Rally is definitely better suited for long miles on the highway, it's also a bit heavier and bulkier between the knees.
Both bikes will benefit greatly from a few aftermarket tweaks, but we'd prefer to start light and dirty and build from there.
Dirt cheap, wildly capable, and damn good-looking, Honda's CRF300L continues to drive a hard bargain in a competitive market.
There's a reason this is the best-selling dual sport currently in showrooms, and bang for your buck is just one bullet point on an impressively long list.
All things considered, we can't recommend the 300L highly enough. Sure, it will benefit from a few aftermarket upgrades (namely suspension and a skid plate), but it doesn't actually need anything to get out there and pull proper adventure duty.
"A few 300L's with the 450 headlight treatment. Big improvement in our opinion."
If Honda would put a better shock out back and a redesigned headlight up front (something like Kawasaki's updated KLX 300, for example), they'd have a proven contender for years to come, but considering the 300L's $5,500 asking price, there's really no room to say the CRF-L doesn't deliver either.
With that being said, aftermarket support for the 300L is robust to say the least and as we all know, farkling a new dual sport is half the fun of owning one.
Whether you're new to off-roading or looking for your next lightweight adventure build, the CRF300L deserves a spot at the top of your list.
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