Is the CRF300L / Rally a Beginner Bike or an End Game Bike?

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  • Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
  • This is me chatting about my thoughts on "beginner" bikes.
    TLDR; Just because a bike is good for beginners, doesn't necessarily mean you eventually need to get something bigger.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 54

  • @tomwithers1150
    @tomwithers1150 10 місяців тому +1

    I sold my f700gs and bought a 300Rally. It does everything I need a bike for and I feel much more confident. I agree 100% with your philosophy. I’ve always had the most fun on smaller bikes anyway.

  • @ridelikekrum7707
    @ridelikekrum7707 Рік тому +3

    I have the 300L and love it. One year and 4 months and 8700 miles. Thats is a lot for me. I would like a more hwy friendly bike, but I think Im going to also try and keep the 300. Just something about how well it rides and so light.

  • @tylerhiggins8687
    @tylerhiggins8687 Рік тому +1

    So true. I went all the way up to 1200 ADV and back to 300 Rally at 52 years old. I wouldn't mind a T7, I wouldn't mind a TW200. Its all about what brings you peace and relaxation.

  • @212driller
    @212driller Рік тому +4

    I think and end game bike for me (everyone has a bit different of preferences) would be more of a 400-500cc bike preferably with better suspension. But I really like the rally style. This is a bike that can be for beginners and experienced riders alike.

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +2

      There's so much demand for a 450 Rally. Honda would sell them like crazy.

    • @jamesgeorgevellavella1961
      @jamesgeorgevellavella1961 Рік тому

      I would buy immediately. The 450l was too high maintenance to compare to the 300. The 450 with proper suspension would be perfect. Australia stopped selling the 450l years ago

  • @J8zzy
    @J8zzy Рік тому +3

    I made more than 130 000km with bigger bikes before CRF300 Rally.
    Maybe I'm not a beginner anymore?
    It is the fun factor and smile on my helmet why I wanted one.
    Just ride on and smile....

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +1

      Haha, yeah, I think you qualify as a non-beginner 🙂

    • @J8zzy
      @J8zzy Рік тому +1

      @@HighDesertHills
      Bit more snow and ice here...
      ua-cam.com/video/mofYKmy82tc/v-deo.html
      It was about 13:30 local time here in Finland Kuopio. I saw the SUN! YEAH!

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +1

      @@J8zzy It looks freezing, but gorgeous😊

  • @BenjaminDaniel85
    @BenjaminDaniel85 Рік тому +1

    I've done a range of dirt bikes, dual sports and sport bikes over 29 years, I'm really enjoying the rally. My wife is shorter so we got her the xt250. Way better for shorter riders. I think they're a good start, or like for us, getting something smaller.

  • @bosoceansport2068
    @bosoceansport2068 Рік тому

    I like your end game analogy. Life is short, go big at one thing if you like or experience many things within a reasonable limit and be good conversation at dinner parties. You can always stray to something more radical if you are enjoying one particular thing, but how will you find that particular thing if you don’t try a lot of stuff. Oh, and I avoid dinner parties if I know ultra marathoners are going to be there. Juuusssst kidding folks. Really. You guys rock!

  • @klmccune
    @klmccune Рік тому +1

    My first bike was a 77 RM 80 in 1978 and I progressed through the classes. Didn't get a any where near a factory ride, but I did OK locally. Then I decided to ride off road at around 30, enduros and hare scrambles and have been doing that since. But I am going to sell my KTM in the spring for a 300L. I will definitely be doing the suspension and will see about the motor. All I want to do these days is trail ride/milk runs and someday soon, teach the grand kids to ride. So ya, depends on your end game.

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому

      Perfect bike for that. I hope to teach my grandkids to ride someday too… if only my kids would start dating people 😂

  • @calcrappie8507
    @calcrappie8507 Рік тому

    Started with a new KZ400, then KZ750, KZ1000 LTD, Pacific Coast 800 and now a Versys 1000 and KLX 250. They were all good. The little KLX feels like a tall, thin bicycle compared to the heavier iron. So much fun! I should have bought a little dual sport bike sooner.

  • @lukestringer2177
    @lukestringer2177 Рік тому +1

    you nailed the question 🎯

  • @verlinswarey507
    @verlinswarey507 Рік тому

    REALLY appreciated the thoughts in this video!

  • @sausagesandwichSA
    @sausagesandwichSA Рік тому

    I bought my 250 as a beginner bike, my videos would highlight while I'm not a good rider, I'm far from a beginner now. At my age if I change it will be a 300 Rally but I would do the suspension from the start. I often get asked when are you going to get something bigger, a 300 I say is bigger😂 Some people just don't get it. Good video👍

  • @steveh100
    @steveh100 Рік тому

    A very good question. Until I find something better for me... and for that I would have to find fault with the 300 Rally first, and I obviously know it does have it's downsides, but, if you imagine you were playing top trumps, it wouldn't beat the whole deck but it would have a pretty high average score on things important to some riders.
    I sometimes look for something better, lighter, faster, economical to run and maintain, comfy for a long stretch of tarmac and has the ability to match my skill level off road as well.... I haven't had any luck yet, but will keep searching the pack for the top trump.
    Great vlog.

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +1

      Thanks for the great comment. And yeah, for me, the Rally is the best card I’ve found so far 👍

  • @jamesgeorgevellavella1961
    @jamesgeorgevellavella1961 Рік тому +1

    I had one from mar 21 & these are a beginner bike. Perfect for road use & LIGHT OFF ROAD. I was enjoying off road as a pace faster than idle & suspension is dangerous at best. I'm now looking for an overpowered 300 2st instead of spending thousands on the HEAVY crf300. I do love the crf300 but NOT IF YOU ATE USING OFF ROAD (Single track speed it's ok but dangerous faster than that)

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому

      I’ve never had a chance to ride a 2-stroke, but the more I read about them the more I’d like to give one a try.

  • @leeinwis
    @leeinwis Місяць тому

    I know everyone says crap like this but I really do think this bike would be perfect with a 400 engine , and I own it so not just a nay sayer assuming stuff .

  • @ezekielchariot
    @ezekielchariot Рік тому +3

    It is a pity it wasn't actually 300cc because a tad more power than what they gave it from when it was a 250 would have made the highway use aspect much more acceptable. However my main two reasons for getting the Rally is the fuel economy and utility. I want more grunt but power costs money.

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +2

      Yeah, I wouldn't say no to a little extra grunt, but the Rally has been great for me.

    • @kjbetz
      @kjbetz Рік тому +2

      And weight... I'm really starting to think that the CRFL300L Rally is the perfect BDR / ADV bike.

  • @ericintampa9352
    @ericintampa9352 Рік тому +1

    good points made, I think it might be the human condition in general, plus no denying speeding is fun. :)
    thanks for sharing.

  • @NinjoJas0
    @NinjoJas0 Рік тому +1

    I think it all harkens back to your video game analogy and the feeling of we have to level up. And in order to level up, you have to get the bigger bike. But what do I know? I'm a new rider that bought a used cb500x and I'm watching content on 250-300cc duel sports. Lol

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +1

      Well, if it makes you feel better, I’ve been watching a lot of content on the cb500x lately 😂

    • @NinjoJas0
      @NinjoJas0 Рік тому +1

      . . . It does. Lol

  • @davidmadison5582
    @davidmadison5582 Рік тому

    I really hate the term "beginner bike" I started on a bandit 1200 in 2010... It was fine. No issues but 13 years into riding i find myself not riding the bandit or cbr600rr much these days and really prefering my 300L

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому

      Yeah - people like to put bikes in boxes. My first dual sport was an XT250, and everyone called it a "girlfriend" bike. I decided not to care what everyone calls my bike, and just have fun. For 90% of the riding I do, anything bigger than my 300L would at best be a waste, and at worst be a liability.

  • @armored-clown
    @armored-clown 6 місяців тому

    As the old saying goes it's better to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

  • @Bikerdad_85
    @Bikerdad_85 7 місяців тому +1

    I don't believe in the term beginner bike. I started on a drz400 20+ year's ago. We don't put a label on beginner cars, so why label motorcycles?

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  7 місяців тому

      Great point!

    • @leeinwis
      @leeinwis Місяць тому

      In Europe the Gubbermint puts that label on lower HP bikes .

  • @95YJTom
    @95YJTom Рік тому +1

    Ive been looking to get my first bike for quite a while and Im tossed up on 2 bikes. A Klr650 and the CRF 300 Rally. The klr hiway capabilities make want to go that route. Incase i want to ride it from Slc to st george or moab . But the weight is a factor i dont like knowing i'll be taking it offroad. Where 90% of my riding would be local around 5mile , Af canyon and Farmington. Which i think the crf would shine. I also looked at the klx300 and crf300l but the tiny tanks has me nervous about range. If i want to explore the west desert . Do you have any opinions if im on the right path with the crf300 rally it seems like a bike that checks most of my wants/needs

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +1

      I don’t think you can beat the rally for a long range light bike for trail riding and desert exploration, especially if you’re doing it solo. I personally wouldn’t ride it from SLC to Moab. I can squeak it up to 80 on the speedo sometimes, but the speedo reads maybe 5% high on these bikes, so maybe 75. And doing that for 3 hours would be exhausting for me. Everyone is different, but I would definitely trailer it down to Moab. I just picked up a KTM 890 Adv, and it’s awesome for long stretches of road, but I’d way rather have the Rally on the trails in the desert. Especially if I’m solo. Picking up a 470 bike by myself, maybe on a gnarly hill, would get old really quickly.

    • @95YJTom
      @95YJTom Рік тому

      @@HighDesertHills thanks for the feedback

  • @Fromatic
    @Fromatic Рік тому +1

    Does depend entirely, I used to ride a 600 sport, thought my next bike would be a litre sports, now here I am set on a 300 rally. Do you know how wide this bike is at its widest point (excluding handlebars/mirrors), so from edge to edge of the widest part of the fairing? Thanks

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому +1

      About 20”. Kinda tough to get an exact measurement because the fairings flare out a bit in the middle. A couple inches wider if you throw on the crash bars like I did.

    • @Fromatic
      @Fromatic Рік тому

      @@HighDesertHills That's great and hoped it was around there, really appreciate it, thanks

  • @billcotton1551
    @billcotton1551 Рік тому

    Some good advice there!

  • @joedidit9630
    @joedidit9630 Рік тому

    I’d say the 300L Rally is more of an AGE OF Ultron bike for me.

  • @On2Feet
    @On2Feet Рік тому

    But ultramarathons are so much fun… 😬 Come over to the dark side…

    • @HighDesertHills
      @HighDesertHills  Рік тому

      😂Since I started using all my free time to ride motorcycles, even a half marathon is a stretch for me

  • @quintushiguera7105
    @quintushiguera7105 Рік тому

    🔥 "promosm"