Less Weight, More Fun - Let's Talk About Small Adventure Bikes
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Heavy or light adventure bike? We made the switch to lightweight ADV bikes-here’s why! More fun, less hassle, and bigger adventures ahead. Watch to see if a smaller bike is right for you! 🚀🏍️
Check out Adam Riemann here:
@MotologyFilms
Our friends at @EyesUpMc
If you also want to go on an enduro adventure in Romania check out Rienks place at:
enduroriding.ro/
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I bought a second hand CRF 300L with low km. Modified it a bit, suspension, air intake, fuel tank, exhaust,to name the most important. I drove from Norway to Romania and back last Summer. Trans European Trail ,back Roads, some Highway. Camping on the Roadside mostly in a hammock under a tarp and some nearby campgrounds.More than 8000 km. I love the CRF 300L.
Man that sounds great! Thank you for commenting and see you on the road! 🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
That sounds bloody awesome!
I went with a 2024 Versys x-300. My plan is mostly secondary roads and gravel fire roads to do some backcountry camping. At 61 yr. old, lightweight was critical, and the Versys checked all my boxes. Safe travels and cheers from Canada.
I really like my x300
Exactly, great choice for those roads. Enjoy your adventures! Ride safe 😁🙋♂️🙋♀️
Yea versys 300 is amazing! Id get me something light like that but for now im still required to own something a little pillion friendly lol although im quite strong and ive lifted 240kg bikes of the floor 👍
Cool bikes.
I sold my versys x300 for a 750 Transalp which I like but I should have kept that 300. I loved that little bike. Also had a nice Harley at that time but mostly rode the 300.
After 15 years on mostly large 200+kg two cylinder bikes I sold my Norden 901 in October 2023 and started the 2024 season on a Husqvarna 701Enduro, that got a few goodies. Weight went up to 165kg fully fuelled, bur thats still 60kg or so lighter than my ptevious bikes. And what a relevation! So much easier to handle! You now can try stuff when out on my own that I had never dared to do on a heavier bike. The limited fuel range can easily be solved by carrying two 2l fuel friends in custom made pouches, that gives me 350km reach at least, which perfectly enough for anywhere in Europe, northern Scandinavia included! 2024 I went all the way from Stockholm to Albania (covering Germany by train), this year in June/July it will be Norway once again. Go light, go further!
Love the Norden. But I bet that Husky is fantastic off-road.
Thank you for commenting! Oh man the 701 seems great for what you're doing. Have fun on your adventures and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
In 2022, me and a friend flew to Santiago de Chile, bought 2 CRF 300L's and rode them to Ushuaia, up to Ecuador and back to Chile. The bikes never let us down and were a lot of fun to ride off-road and powerful enough for the Patagonian winds and occasional highways. We loved them as they were, despite the poor suspension. I always thought that with a suspension upgrade the bikes could be close to Unikon status. Now back in Switzerland I have bought a Himalayan 452 because I like the styling better.
Looking forward to more content!
Cheers guys and safe travels!
I bought a 300L in April 2021 and since there I did 44.000 Km with a lot of fun and no issues - The best Choice ❤️
Haha thank you so much for your comment, it gives us a lot of confidence!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Motorcycles have the same problem as boats: when I was fishing, I wanted to turn a knob and have the boat shrink in size. When water-skiing, turn the knob for more power and stability. Finally when camping turn that knob and the boat gets bigger and turns into a spacious cruiser. I looked and looked and couldn’t find a boat with a knob like that! I want a similar setting knob on my motorcycle: turn all the way to the left and the bike becomes a 250lb 2-Stroke Rocket. Turn the knob all the way to the right and the bike becomes a 800lb fully dressed cruiser. Leave the knob near the middle for Sport & Adventure riding. In 2025 why can’t we have a knob like that? I guess my 1996 DR650 is as close to a knob bike as I can find..
Top comment 🎉
Hahah, yeah you're totally right! If anyone ever invents such a thing, please make them add a knob to make the bike cook for you. Cheers🏍🙋♂️
"Team Lightweight" all the way! I've never enjoyed having overly heavy bikes - not even on the road where a heavier bike is less of a disadvantage.
Awesome vid. Subscribed .
Hey! Thank you for commenting and subscribing. And glad to have you on the team😉 Ride Safe! 🙋♀️🙋♂️🏍🏍
@@Skidmate Cheers. Just gearing up for an overnight motocamp with my son - first time he's going to be riding his own bike. Nothing too strenuous - mostly tarmac and a gravel access path and we're on "road bikes" (Suzuki GSXes), but a nice ride and a night out in the hammocks before we run out of summer down here.
Looking forward to watching more of your adventures as you fit out your new lightweight bikes.
We did exactly same thing. From GS adventure we bought 2 crf300l and modifying it right now for adventure travel. Will try it this summer.
Haha right there with you. The modifying is half the fun to be honest, we'll be sharing some more video's on that in the near future. Have fun! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Jim over here in Southern California. Looks like you did your research, you have two very popular bikes that will get the job done. No matter what you ride, enjoy the ride and be safe out there.
Hey James! Thank you so much for your kind words. Same to you and cheers from the Netherlands! 🙋♀️🙋♂️🏍🏍
Looking forward to following you guys on your adventures. As always be safe out there.
I changed from a super tenere 1200 to a heavily modified XR650R and its absolutely amazing offroad
Hi! Sounds like a great transition for offroad! Have fun and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
coming from ktm 790 adventure R to a kove 450 rally. it is changing life !! less weight is a pure hapiness :)
Great choice! Don't be fooled by the lack of power. I own a CRF250L and just today, I rode some super difficult conditions at OTR Noordwolde. These bikes can handle A LOT! You're not going to win an enduro race, but you will definitely come across the finish line and with some pace too. Absolutely love my bike, although I have to admit: the new DRZ is looking tasty too. I might just test that EFI for you ;). Also agree that dual sports are where the sweet spot is. Light and capable, but not too high maintenance. Let me know if you guys want to explore trails down south some time😉
Hey Toby! Thank you so much for commenting. Please report back on the DRZ4S because we are definitely curious how you like it😁! Ride Safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
I think some people forget "cheap"! I went full circle: xr600, xrv 750 rd04, 890 adventure R and now tenere 700 extreme. I've done the whole debate on light vs heavy but in the end I bought an enduro for the heavy stuff and the tenere 700 will go and I will buy and xrv750 rd04 again for TET and adventure stuff. The whole debate about weight is really personal. For me I like the challenge of a heavier bike but could be pure hell for someone else. But something I found out the hard way is the price of all those recent bikes when you crash them. Everything is so expensive for example a new headlight on a tenere is the price of a suspension upgrade. And yes I am way faster on a tenere 700 than on an old africa twin but Both bikes gave me a smile after a day riding (maybe the older bikes even more because they are so raw)!
Hey! Totally get where you're coming from and the power of a big bike and wrestling it through some tough sections can be really rewarding. For us the budget aspect of lighter bikes like the CRF is also a big factor and we will still ride bigger oldschool bikes (like the KLX650 in the video♥) on the TET for fun as well. Thanks for commenting and take care! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Funny.. i also had the Tenere Extreme Edition but instead went with my older XRV 750 - of course the Tenere is better in terms of suspension and it will be working flawlessly for years to come compared to the older bike - but the price difference is so huge, while the performance overall is not so different. I will update my suspension and enjoy the older, but also quite bulletproof Africa Twin. Got a very reliable WR250R for the more challenging terrain, its supposed to be good for 100 k km without opening the engine, but comes with a better suspension than the CRF250/300s stock.
Best regards and enjoy your riding!
@ exactly that! I got a ktm 350 excf 350 for enduro now and then i will get the xrv with hyperpro springs
You have definitely done your homework. Love your choice. I'm considering a smaller bike as well. My 850 is top heavy. Will definitely be following your adventures
Hey! Thank you so much for your kind comment. Let us know what you decide 😁 Ride safe 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
I see a few commenters below recommend the 2025 KTM Adventure R. My '23 model is for me the bullseye in weight, size, power & comfort to go anywhere, at 161 kg (dry). I can pick it up (most of the time). And, as for most owners, it has been very reliable. The key, as you point out, is in what you carry--that can vary a LOT more.
Cool video. Have rebuild a 2. hand CRF300L myself. I now have my dreambike.
Hey Steffen! Thank you so much and we can't wait untill the weather clears up here to ride our bikes. Have fun with your CRF! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Hi! 🙂Interesting video; I liked your approach because you managed keeping the discussion on a topic that is maybe the most controversial in the motorcycle's world, simple and with a lot of common sense. I definitely agree on the choice (last year I was on the Pyrenees trails with a rental crf250 and enjoyed every minute of it) but for my every day 'all-year-round' adv bike I prefer my KLR600 (1986). Although is an older bike, it's very well maintained, it is not much heavier but it has a few HP more that the Honda CRF (it helps in having a bit more torque in difficult offroad nasty situations) and, in the end, since I am a 'few years' older than you guys, these bikes were the best at that time for going around the world, I do not see why they shouldn't still do the work today.
Hey, Thank you so much for your comment! The KLR is an amazing bike as well. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Mate, I do own a CRF300l since the beginning of release and it is a great bike exactly for what you guys do. Only thing that bogged me, was, that this is the first bike where I burned my clutch after 5000km. I ride since forever, but somehow I managed to burn this one quite bad. Replaced it myself, took me a good day, but works again.
Power on the other side ...: You will miss it, BUT, the wonderful experiences you will make with this thing is more than enough to forget about power. Btw, I own a DR650RSE currently and the CRF was a replacement for that as well. Was a good decision.
Hey! Yeah the clutches are pretty wimpy so we might take a few friction plates with us on our adventures, but the clutch pull is the lightest we've ever felt haha. The DR650RSE is a really fun bike as well though. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
I can follow your reasoning behind this decision. My CRF 1000l is heavy and it carries the weight quite high. With the DCT it still is my dream bike. Living in Hamburg, I have to travel long ways to get to good off road tracks. Hamburg to Croatia on a small bike will not do it for me. I think the midsize market will be growing in the next years. The CF Moto 450 seems to be pretty decent, still not really light. BMW announcing a GS450 shows the relevance of this segment.
Totally right an you can't have it all sadly. The CRF1000L it a beautiful bike though. Thanks for commenting and ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️
I too have a CRF 1100ATASes DCT. Being in Canada and going on multi week tours into USA, a bigger bike suits me well for big mile days. It can be a handful off-road but I'm a big guy and have been riding for 30 years. We don't single track, unless absolutely necessary. It's important to ride something that is comfortable, safe and suits YOUR needs. DCT is awesome !!!! Cheers and keep on living the two wheel dream ehhh :-)
I have a t7 and a 22 crf300l ( new suspension and larger fuel tank, zeta wind screen. I find myself getting on the crfl more. 55 years old
Hey man, love the username😂! Seems like you've got the dreamteam right there, we've ridden the T7 multiple times and it's such a great bike as well. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Good choice, nice bikes. I ride an Aprilia Tuareg which is considered a middleweight and with soft luggage it is about 230kgs. I can pick it up easily but when that becomes a problem I will switch to a lighter motorcycle. I'm looking forward to seeing how you two get on with your new moto's.👍
Hey! Thank you for commenting. We rode the Tuareg a while ago, great bike! Ride safe 😀🙋♂️🙋♀️
From the start of my motorcycle love, I have been riding Cruisers . Heavy Bikes. And they just keep getting heavier. Currently I own a 17 Indian Chieftain. I do like the big, heavy cruisers. But recently a friend of mine wants to start riding some off road and maybe a BDR or two. So, I am on the hunt for something new. I will need something on the lighter side. It will also need to be on the shorter side. I am 5’7” , 180 LB and have a 28” inseam. Being able to touch the ground is sorta important to me. So I am on the hunt. Honda 300 or 300 rally is on the list. CFmoto 450. BMW 450 ( Need to see this one. May be way to high ) I thought about a Triumph Scrambler 400. Not really made for some of the more knarly trails. And the Yamaha TW200. But this one is only on the list if I trailer it to the trail head. If Yamaha would build a TW450, Yes! Oh! Maybe the RE Himalayan 450. Having short legs makes riding AVD/ Off road bike, a little more difficult. BTW ! I failed to mention that I am 60yo and have never been off road on a motorcycle….So sort of like starting over,
Crf300. They do a low version too. You want to go as light as you can if you’ve never been off-road before. Drz400 if you want more power, but higher seat. I’d avoid the Himalayan and cfmoto 450mt if you actually intend to do offroad trails any harder than a ruff gravel road. Light is right, especially for new off-road riders
Look into the Yamaha XT250. Shortest seat height in its class, same ground clearance as CRF300L, same suspension travel. Perfect bike all around. Lacks power, makes up for it in character, reliability, and cheapness!
Yeah can't really go wrong with that list. CRF300L is pretty low and they offer the LS which is the lowered one (like someone else mentioned here). Let us know what you decided! Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
"Lightweight ,versatile and ready for anything"-The DR650RS LOL😂😂😂
Haha yeah you're right that was a poorly timed shot. But our current bikes being heavy is kind off the reason we are switching to lighter bikes 😁. Thanks for commenting and ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️
Toppie! Informatief. Mooi dat dat je de zaak er ook nog even op hebt gezet!
Hey René! Uiteraard😉👍🙋🏻♂️🙋🏻♀️
Think you can't go wrong with that choice. I love sub 500 bikes and these are amongst the best.
There is an Israeli couple who rode 250Ls from Europe to Mongolia on them. Last I saw, they had upgraded to 300Ls and developed a superb looking rack system and were planning to make them available.
There is no point in reinventing the wheel.
By your number plates,, your from NL. I'm a misfit living just across in DE.
Looking forward to following this.
Hey Tim! Thank you so much for commenting 😀. Yeah the sub 500 segment is really interesting, we love all the new bikes coming into this segment this year. That's gonna be an interesting second hand market in a few years. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍 (en groet'n uut Groningen)
Nice thank you for taking us along for the ride!
Hey Scot, Thank you for commenting! Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
I used to take a KLR650 but it was on the heavy side, for the last ten years I use my Yamaha TDR250 twin-silinder 2-stroke, weighing in at only a 126kgs and with a powerful 50hp or 37kw and 37nm of torque, light, powerful good on and offroad, only downside it isn't as good on fuel as the KLR which did around 19kmpl, the TDR is in the 11 to 14s.
Hi Pieter! Holy moly the TDR250 looks amazing! Very curious as to how it rides. Cheers and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Looks like a great alternative. I too am struggling with the KLR650's weight. Its an all around bike but a lot of times just too heavy when it gets too technical.
Funny to see where you live in Bedum, I know a guy who lives in your street ;)
Hey! Your KLR looks really nice, but yeah they are still pretty heavy for the real technical stuff. Thank you so much for commenting and ride safe!🙋♀️🙋♂️🏍🏍
Light is right 👌🏻💥
Haha right on! Thanks for commenting and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Here input from a Dutch guy living in Thailand, running my CRF300L for 45000 km through thai jungles and tracks……..think you selected right bike based on your goals and indeed, swap the suspension …… i used YSS over Ohlings…..performance for rider like me same but half the cost.
For luggage gear i recommend you to have chat with Bartang Utrecht about Turkana…… great for CRF300….i use it for over year now too.
One tip……swap seats !! Seats concept USA makes good ones i read but i had mine local redone and very, very comfy…….ride days in row with pain.
Feel free to approach me (dutch or english) if you like more inputs…..as said i have quite some experience now including increasing power/torque significantly with minimum costs.
Wow thanks for the great tips and information! Our luggage is covered by Dutch Adventure Store (Enduristan luggage). But the seat tip is good advice, we'll look into it! Which mods did you do for power/torque? Thanks for commenting and Jealous of your jungle trails haha. 😁🙋♂️🙋♀️
@@Skidmate noticed Enduristan in earlier video and friend of my uses rackfree version it too ..... very happy with it. We both like camping rides hence light packages but still comfy...... he manages to fit all in his Endurostans......
For seat, not sure in Netherlands where to go but you might be able to get seat concept 2nd hand online...... i had mine redone here (foam and cover) for approx 100 eur and took 5 days......
goodluck and keep follow you
@@Skidmate with respect to power, best is to have your ECU remapped or get extra ecu and have that remapped (always can go back)
I had done locally and new ECU, remapped on dyno all together 200 EUR...... but that is here in Thailand.
Europeans seem to get massive improvement just swapping to Thai ECU......anyhow i have now 42 tooth rear sprocket and 14 front, ECU redone for low rpms power and trust me it works...... same friend with Enduristan luggage just not get it i ride away from him so easily..... he still have to do this upgrade
@@Fundee.isaan.retreat cheers! Thanks alot!
doesnt matter what u ride, important is that u go riding
You're totally right😀! Ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️
Pretty sure that the point of this video is that it DOES matter and that lighter is better
@@tbillyjoeroth yes the lighter the better offroad but the lighter the more pain onroad
My short list was the CRF300L, the XR650L and the DR650. In the US one can still buy the XR NEW-ended up with that. They are ALL awesome!!! I’m in Peru with an XR650 now. Needed a new chain and brake handle - $32 later, I had a new handle and chain…that included installation! 😀 Nice channel. Subscribed.
Wow, yeah the XR650L and DR650 are both also great bikes (which you sadly can not get over here). And like you said, they're all awesome. 32 bucks for a handle and a chain sounds like a steal by the way haha. Have fun and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍 (BTW your channel looks really good!)
@ thank you!
Gaaf hoor, en Itchy Boots heeft laten zien dat de CRF “zijn mannetje” staat.
Mooie machine en lichter rijden is heerlijk. Leuke film dit en ben erg benieuwd hoe het jullie gaat bevallen
Awesome...you guys will have tons of fun building and riding! All the best from Canada..
Hey Kenneth!! Thank you so much for commenting again! Yes we look forward to building and riding these bikes a lot! Cheers from the Netherlands!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Could have also looked at a Fantic caballero 500 rally! It's what I ride, has great standard setup, similar weight but 450cc and looks great!
Yeah cool bike! We have looked at Fantic but at their enduro models for a while. Eventually decided otherwise, but they seem great. Thanks for commenting and ride safe!🙋♀️🙋♂️🏍🏍
Nice video! Greetings from New Zealand 🇳🇿 2014 Suzuki DR650SE & 2019 Honda CRF1000L DCT. The DR650 is perfect for one-up motocamping & off-roading. The Africa Twin is perfect for two-up touring + camping but v heavy for off-roading.
Hey! Great setup you have there. We love the DR650's, especially the SE's but we don't get them here in Europe. Enjoy your adventures! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
I got the Crf300l last year. Fun bike. Greetings from 🇫🇮
What a great choice, great video and congratulations on the new rides. I really find the crf300 a tempting choice if I was in the market for a new ride. Smaller bikes are almost always more fun. Great job you two.
Dino
Dino!! Thank you for your support, even if it is not a DR650 video haha. Hows the snow up there? Cheers from the Netherlands😁🐿 🙋♂️🙋♀️
Nice, i have some friends with the 300 still need to try them out. Myself i have an old drz 400s i absolutely love it. I did some tweaks to make it better suitable for long distance as well and its a blast on the dirt.
It has a 41 tooth sprocket on the rear and a fcr39 carb with the 3*3mod and a aftermarket exhaust.
Hey! To be honest the DRZ400 is an amazing bike as well. That flatslide carb and airbox/exhaust mod must have made it even more fun!😀Cheers!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
This is interisting. I have a1994 DR650RSE and I'm exited to see whats your opinion after changing to the Hondas.
I think you’ve taken a great conservative look at the choices you made and I think you did great. I ended up with 2 bikes an introduction bike and a heavier one also. I think your approach and choice is great I’ll be interested in how the Honda turns out both bikes I got were cheaper than the Honda but not by much. Good job
Hi John, Thank you so much for commenting and your kind words! Ride safe and see you on the road!🙋♀️🙋♂️🏍🏍
I wanted lighter weight also but I decided on the 300L rally mainly for the larger gas tank and the fairing and windscreen to knock down more wind on the roads. I bought a last years model the 2024 to save $$. I’m a 175lb older rider and I’m currently evaluating the suspension to see what I want to do.
The Rally is really nice as well! Hope you like it. Have fun on your adventures and thank you for commenting! 🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
For me, it's a 07 KTM exc, 450 rfs motor. I have an off road and SMR set of wheels for it. My part of America is mostly paved and I'll trailer to a place with more dirt roads and single track on the off road wheels.
Hey Andrew, that sounds like the dream! Ride safe!😀🙋♂️🙋♀️
I have Vstrom 650 and from last summer I also have CRF250L. Since then I barely sit on the Vstrom. The small bike just give me more fun :) I also plan Romania this year with the little Honda.
Hey Boris! Yeah small bikes are so fun. In Romania you will be very glad you took the Honda haha. Cheers and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Ben vorig jaar ook terug gegaan van een F800GS naar een CRF300L. Was inderdaad even wennen aan het lagere vermogen, maar offroad heeft ie genoeg. Ik heb Rally Raid vering erop gezet en een ecu tune. De CRF is easy en betrouwbaar, daarom past ie perfect voor adventure 😊. Zitten jullie ook in Noord NL?
Moi Tim! Jaloers op de RR en de ECU tune, maar die gaan er wellicht nog komen. Waar heb je die ECU tune laten doen en hoe bevalt dat? Wij zitten inderdaad in 't hoge noorden rond Groningen en jij? 😁🙋♂️🙋♀️
@Skidmate Moet de ECU nog terug krijgen, is bij 550 Preformance. Zit in Drenthe, kunnen wel es n rondje doen.
Leuke video! Ik heb zelf weinig ervaring met lichte ADV/enduro motoren, ik rij nu een XF650. Ik zou het toch wel spannend vinden om de switch te maken van 600cc naar 300cc. Wel lekker licht maar ik zou bang zijn om vermogen tekort te komen. De 300's zijn ook allemaal zo fragiel uitgevoerd, ik zou het wel moeilijk vinden om genoeg bagage mee te nemen op de 300.
Hé! Dat is bijna hetzelfde blok als de DR650 van Emma 😁. We snappen je zorgen m.b.t. de baggage, maar wij zien het juist als een goede reden om minder mee te nemen. En dat rijdt dan weer fijner offroad. Dat betekent wel dat je soms met kamperen ff op de grond zit in plaats van op een stoeltje😂. Bedankt voor je comment en veel plezier met je avonturen! 😄🙋♂️🙋♀️
Cool! Welcome to the club! De CRF is zeker niet perfect, maar man wat geeft ie je meer vertrouwen offroad als je van een adv bike komt!
Hey, dankje dankje! We zijn idd er nieuwsgierig om er offroad mee te gaan rijden. We zagen dat jij de One Adventure had op je kanaal. Hoe bevalt die?
mooie relevante video, dank! Ik hoop in maart (net voor ik 67 jaar word) deTrans Maroccan Trail te doen met m'n Africa Twin (DCT 2018). Ik denk ook serieus aan down sizing naar 300-450cc
voor trail riding zo hoop ik als AOWer off-roading nog even vol te kunnen houden.
Heee goed bezig! Africa Twin met DCT zou voor ons echt wennen zijn zonder koppeling, maar het schijnt ook offroad geweldig te rijden. Nog heeeel veilige kilometers gewenst!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
The CRF 300L for me was a work horse kind of travel thing. Did the job, easy to modify, didn't have one glitch in 28.000 km with more than 50% offroad. But one thing that bothered me from the beginning was the lacking power. It kept me doubting my bike choice everytime I rode on European highways that made the other half of the travelling. Now I sold mine for a Himalayan, which does the job too. Additionally got a KTM 1090R for commuting. With these dual Sport, Crossover Adventure Frankensteins, you have to chose your death.
Hi! Yeah you're kinda right, it will never be perfect and every bike has its drawbacks. For us power isn't really that much of a problem, but time will tell if we will still think the same way in a while. Thank you for sharing. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Erg leuke video Skidmate!
Vraagje, hoe komen jullie op off-road paden hier in Nederland. Ik zou zelf graag ook wel willen beginnen aan off road adventure biking maar ik weet niet zo goed waar ik moet beginnen.
Groetjes uit Friesland.
Hey Ismail! Dank voor je leuke comment 😀. Als je wil beginnen kun je heel goed de Nederlandse TET eens proberen. In Drenthe is een mooie lus. Op deze website vindt je de route en de regels die op de TET gelden (erg belangrijk om je aan te houden want we willen graag met z'n allen blijven offroad rijden 😁): transeurotrail.org/
Veel plezier in de blubber!!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
With an Ecu tune and a sports exhaust like the fmf, these bikes are transformed. Loads more power.
Hey! Thank you for your comment! We might just try that in the future 😁. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
I'm thinking even less power, the Honda XR150l. I want to have very slow motorcycle camping adventures on backroads and easy trails. Seems like the perfect beginner bike. I'm a small man, 135-145 lbs depending on self-discipline, and don't like going past 50 mph in a car, so I would love to cruise along at 20-30 mph on some nice dirt roads and camp out wherever, see where the wind takes me in 100-200 mile chunks. Mostly interested in the time at camp chilling out and cooking on a fire, not the riding. The motorcycle is a camping facilitation device for me that is also fun. I prefer normal pedal bikes, would use them for travel but my knees don't like it and biking infrastructure sucks in the usa. Nice to be able to go 40-50 when needed.
When the Honda XRE300 becomes available it will be a great addition to lightweight adventure riding.
Hey Jim, definitely would be a nice addition to the segment! Thanks for commenting, ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
an interesting topic and i think you have made a good choice with the hondas because these motorcycles can be repaired in all parts of the world without any problems and there are spare parts without end, almost like a toyota! That's the main reason why i would never go for a KTM on a real adventure tour, there are simply no spare parts and then you can wait 3 weeks in the middle of nowhere for them to arrive, no thanks! Have a good trip!
Hi! THank you so much for your comment. And you're right, they are really broadly available around the world, big plus for us. Ride safe!
I have a 23 triumph tiger 1200 GTE for touring and light off road and a 2019 suzuki drz400s (the carburetor version of the drz4s) for close by and mainly offroad... my husband has a 2024 suzuki dr650 and it does both decently well.
Very well said!!! Thumbs up 👍
Hey! Thank you so much for commenting. Ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
2:06 love the KTM EXC … superb !
I've done both lightweight dual-sport and middleweight adventure bikes. Although the lighter bikes can be tons off fun offroad, I feel so much more accomplished when I do it on a bigger heavier bike. Random thought but I also wish Honda made the NC750X a proper dual sport with bigger wheels and more ground clearance because the torque, fuel economy and frunk storage capacity beats any bike 600cc+
Hey! Yeah the NC is supposed to be a great bike (never ridden one). And your side of the story is also true, bigger bikes give their own sense of accomplishment when riding them through the rough terrain. Thank you for commenting and ride safe!🙋♀️🙋♂️🏍🏍
@@Skidmate Try one!! They're one of those bikes that you either hate them or love them. When I had it, I always felt it lacked a bit of character, both in style and riding, but it was such an easy bike to get along with that you find any reason to ride it and for that, it gives you more memories! Ride safe too my man!
With the new big Acerbis tank on your Ls, it will come within about 5kg of the Rally with an extra 1L over the Rally in capacity, so that's nice. The Rally has a larger front disc rotor, and has a tall screen, and maybe other things I've forgotten. Your other two criteria of the Rally being bulky and the headlight, yes, the plastics make it a bit wider, but that brings some wind and rain protection when traveling long distances at speed (combined with the taller screen), and the appearance of the light is subjective. It's a headlight. My wife and I have '21 CRF 300 Rallys, here in Australia. We have a SRC rack on the back with a fuel can on each bike, as a reserve, thought it's generally on the bike empty until it's needed. We've replaced the rear shocks on both for about AUD900 each. From what you say the new models may have had this fixed for their particular markets. I've added another driving light to both. Barkbusters, ECU from 550 in the States, other little things as well. You can make these little bikes into what you want. Have fun.
Hey Michael! You are right, the rally and the L version are pretty similar it was more of a personal preference. Seems like you took your Rally's in the right direction though! We love the fact that you can tune these bikes in so many ways, so thats definitely going to be in our future 😁. Have fun on your adventures and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Great Choice. I prefere the Rally (got one), because of the headlight design and fule range ;)
Same to you! The Rally is also a great choice. 🙋♂️🙋♀️
Interesting, I've down sized twice now from a R1150GS to F800GS and now to a DRZ400S.
The 5 speed doesn't bother me as I had a DR650 before and found it quite capable on freeway ~ not fun but doable. Although I normally choose secondary highways or backroads to freeways but will short hop them.
Cheers 🍻 looking forward toore videos
Seems like a really nice progression! DRZ is an awesome bike. Ride safe and cheers from the Netherlands!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
I ride a Fantic caballero rally, it's great fun.
Great bike as well! Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Love your Romania clips
Thank you! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
the lack of a 6th gear on the DRZ has been a deal breaker for me forever!
Hi Kip, yeah it's sad that they didn't include it. BUT they did state they changed the gearing of the DRZ4S slightly so it might still be better than the DRZ400 on the highway. Ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
The 300L/Rally seems like the obvious choice.
I went with a CFMoto 450MT for my small bike, my usual ride is my 1200GS.
Good choice, great bikes! Thanks for commenting and ride safe!😊🙋♂️🙋♀️
Great color on that CRF 300ls
Hi! Thank you! It is actually a normal CRF300L with the gray color scheme. It has to be ordered separately in the NL if I understand correctly. Ride Safe!😁🙋♂️
Really good video once again!
I bought a 690 Enduro R and i really love it but sometimes i think i would be happier if i had first bought the 300l and then later upgraded to the more powerful bike. I feel like i am too spoiled by the 690 to be able to buy a 300l and be happy with it even though i also would feel much less bad about myself if i didnt had to start this huge single cylinder engine of the 690 to go 20km to school and then after it cooled down at the end of the day start it back up again to go back home... its a dilema
I will propably have tot wait for the fluxmoto to get me an electric enduro i dont have to care about cold starts for commuting!
Greetings from Germany
Hi Johanness! Thank you for commenting! Actually the KTM 690 Enduro R is still pretty light for the power it has. Although it could be a bit intimidating offroad with that much power. Ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
I have KTM 500exc-f but the AJP PR-7 would be a great bike. KTM 500s have been taken around the world twice, they are plenty reliable.
Woah KTM 500EXC is really nice (kind of our dream bike but slightly outside of our budget😅). AJP PR-7 is also an amazing bike for travel. Ride safe!🙋♀️🙋♂️
The most problem is often that people take too much stuff with it. Travel light. Only stuff that you need.
Try the cf moto 450mt.
Hi Rudy, Yeah the CF moto 450MT is a nice bike as well. And also you are right about the luggage people take, we are making a video about that in the near future so stay tuned!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Switching from T7 to CRF300l this season as well. Is this like fad? 😅 I am looking forward to hear comparison between the older and 2025 model.
Subscribed.... The VOGE 300 Rally is another great option - cheaper than the Honda, proven to be reliable and also has many more aftermarket parts coming to the market.... p.s. I ride a Husky 701 Enduro. It's a bike that I will NEVER get rid off. Safe riding!
Hey! Thank you for commenting and subscribing! Voge 300 rally seems like a great bike, haven't had a chance to ride it though. The 701 seems ideal, but is a bit outside of our budget haha. Cheers and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
I like the Honda better myself, but I think Suzuki knows how to make a bike with efi. There are plenty of reasons to choose one over the other, but that’s a curious choice. I realize other factors probably went into it as well but that’s the one you mentioned.
Like you said, it was a bunch of factors of which EFI (and the added electonics) were one factor, but the Suzuki seems like an amazing bike as well. Thank you for commenting. Cheers!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
As you said the power scale of dual sports is limited....because euro standards have ruined smaller enduro bikes or "pseudoeunduros" as we used to call them i've chose older bikes...i have an old Yamaha DT 200r two stroke from 1983 for weekend rides and everyday commute that's litterally a fighter both on and off road....stock it comes with 33 hp and very low maintence and extremely long services...for a two stroke it has suprisingly low gas consumption something similar to a 250 four stroke it it has a bulletproof engine that's easy to work on....my mods are..a luggage rack,a plexi fairing similar to a t7(together with the t7's "mask and headlight"...an acerbis big tank and a dep long pipe exhast with a curved pipe and silencer...it saves jacket's and trousers haha from oil marks....it is around 120 kg loaded and wet together with luggage..high clearence and low seat height both together..a comfy seat that's stock and a top speed of around 160+ kmh...it trully defones the saying...they dont make them as they used to back in the day haha...
i did a central Greece-marseille trip on that and i trully enjoyed the swift responce of the two stroke together with an oil pump that doesnt require pre mix ...i will inherit that bike to my grandkids hehe....
as a second bike i plan on getting either an Nx650 dominator or a klx 650 r to build a rally\adventure bike for longer rides..
greetings from Greece
Looking forward to hearing about your luggage and camping gear
Hey! Thank's so much for commenting! We will make content about this in the near future, so stay tuned. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
What a great choice! just wondering Voge 300 rally was in your list ? I think Voge 300rally could be one of the options since it has a bigger tank.
Hey Bob! Yes we did look at the Voge 300 Rally. Also a great bike, it's a bit similar to Emma's DR in weight and we really wanted to go lighter. Thank you for bringing it up though!😁 🙋♂️🙋♀️
Did you consider the DR-650?
Well, Emma already has one haha (an oldy from '92). But sadly we can't buy the DR650 new here in Europe, so it was not an option. Thank you for checking in and ride safe!🙋♀️🙋♂️🏍🏍
Kawasaki KLX 300 dual sport (USA) Team Lightweight
Haha epic; that bike is mighty fine as well! 🤜🤛🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
How do you feel about someone who wants to get into off roading, 5’4” 30 inch inseam, owner of a ‘23 pan am special, but not having experience with off roading? Should I purchase a smaller one to learn on or just rawdog it haha
If you have the budget, the smaller bike wouldn't hurt haha. We have ridden the Pan America but not offroad, but would imagine it being heavy and heartbreaking to see it drop haha. Whatever you choose, have fun and ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
Playing with the idea of a WR250R build w/ an Athena big bore kit. The only thing is I can get a CRF300 Rally for the cost of buying and building up a WR250R.
WR250R is a way better bike than the CRF. Much higher quality. With a big bore it would be amazing.
Hey! Definitely go for it! The WR250R is an amazing bike. They should actually make it again. Over here they are really hard to get. Let us know what you decided😀🙋♂️🙋♀️
@@Skidmate yeah and they look kick ass and it actually be less because I wouldn't have a loan on the bike paying interest; but trump Tariff threats have me being a bit tight. Not sure if it would be wise to spend that money right now.
New sub, great find!
Surprised you didn't look at the KTM 390 Adventure, particularly the new 2025 models.
They handle sustained highway speed no.problem.
I'm just about to head off RTW on my 2022 machine which I chose over my CRF1000 for the same reasons you explain.
Hey thanks for the sub, you got one back😁! We did look at the new KTM 390 Enduro R model. Looks like a fantastic bike with a lot of power, but the weight was still pretty high. Also at the time of making the choice there wasn't too much info on it out there. Thanks for pointing it out though!😁🙋♂️🙋♀️
KTMs make great bikes if you go to the Cafe and back home, for real adventure tours u need something that is reliable and can be repaired everywhere on the world. I live in south america and if your KTM needs a repair have fun waiting some weeks for the spare parts. If a honda breaks down in the middle of no where its no problem to repair because all locals here ride chinese bikes with honda clone engines so the parts are here already.
Nice, dat gaat zeker goed komen op de honda. Mijn favoriete is de yamaha wr250r, alleen is deze zeer slecht verkrijgbaar in Europa. Zeker in Nederland
Hey! Ja heel herkenbaar, wij hebben de WR ook bekeken, maar gezien de verkrijgbaarheid was het simpelweg geen handige optie. Bedankt voor je comment en Groeten uit het Noorden! 😀🙋♂️🙋♀️
The new KTM390 Adventure R due May 25 an option? I just ordered one
Hey Luthor! Yes we definitely considered it (the enduro R version). But at the time we made the decision there was not much information on the KTM's available. Thanks for commenting and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
The klx 250 does have a acerbis 14L tank
Oh, would that fit on my KLX650C? That would be amazing, been looking for it for a long time. 😅🙋🏻♂️
@ ah sorry didn’t know yours were a 650. But they did one for that one as well. But only option is to get a used one
Great video!🤠
Thank you so much John! Always nice to get a comment.😁🙋♂️🙋♀️
I been seeing the very rare Crf450 riding around in Germany and it looks like a decent bit of kit.
Yeah, the crf450(R)L is amazing as well. It is a bit on the 'high maintenance' side, but would be a really fun bike. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
I've just purchased a suzuki vstrom 250 which I'll be taking around Australia l. 8t has 6 gears and will sit over 110 kph which is the legal top speed so it should be enough for what I need it for.
Hey Harry! Sounds like you made a great choice😀. Ride safe🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
The CRF is a good bike for trail but it’s weak power and low capacity fuel tank is a no go for me. Plus as you mentioned it, it has a crapy suspension (the worst i ever tried). The price is not bad until you spend 1500$ on upgrades. But to be honest there is not that much out there in that kind of price range and weight. You should’ve waited for the Rieju 307 rally, same price, more HP, 20L fuel tank and rally tower. Also the motor is well known to be reliable.
Yeah, it's always a choice. Rieju 307 rally seems like a really cool bike. Thanks for mentioning it, ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️
I think people overexaggerate maintenance on euro bikes, intervals in their manuals are for racing conditions you can extend them by a lot when ur just traveling and taking it easy
Its not that simple in the end it depends on how much Oil the engine can take, a FE501ccm husky or KTM EXC for example would be a realy realy bad choice as adventour bike because of that reason. Also these engines have to be revved and cannot tolerate running at the same RPM for longer periods of time.
Great video, great choice.
Thank you!! ♥ Cheers from the Netherlands! 😁🙋♂️🙋♀️
I have 2 adventure bikes
Vstrom 1050xt for 2 up adventures and a
Crf300l for serious adventures plus a bike trailer to do the motorway miles with, the trailer will then disassemble and go inside the car.
🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 Wow, that sounds like an amazing setup haha. We also did buy a trailer for one of our upcoming adventures, but it won't disassemble into a car that's for sure 🤣🙋♂️🙋♀️
Rode 2 DR650 from 2008 to 2017. Rode all over Europe with them. Onroad and offroad. More onroad, sadly. Frist one was SP44B Kickstart, modded by me for my needs and wishes. Second one SP45B with Thumb Kickstarter :D Even more modified. Loved them alot. During that time, they were considered old heavy 90s Bikes :D Enduro/Dual Sport Market was dead and ugly. :D
Greetings from northern Germany :)
Oh, Party were no problem in that time. I recently learned, that the DR650 has problems with Parts now. Sad.
Hi! Yeah the parts are still partially available but some parts are getting harder to get, still love them though. Thank you for commenting and ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
Have you considered used Yamaha XT660R? Old Tenere's engine but a ton lighter in a dual sport form.
Yes we have, but it is not newly available here and also still a bit to heavy for our selection. Great bike though, we've ridden it a lot some time ago. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋🏍🏍
*Husqvarna 701 is incredible.. just 147Kg and 74HP*
Anything over 700 cc and anything over 180kg is not an adventure bike but a touring bike, named adventure to fool people into buying them.
Imagin they would release a AfricaTwin under 180kg with a 450ccm engine.
Old rally bikes are around 200 kgs, such as the 950 rally. It is far far away from a touring bike. It is the perfect tool for the purpose but only in the hands of few experts. For us mortals even a 450 single cylinder is usually too much.
😅❤smaller bike are versatile and maneuverable. Fun and get the job done.
Totally agree! Cheers! 😁🙋♂️🙋♀️
3:16 image being that guy! Hahaha hah ha... :')
3:13 image being the guy who needs to push you all.... 😋😘
Yeah, legends say he's still kicking to this day...😲
🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@Skidmate Can confirm 🥲
Why not a DRZ400e? aftermarket needle on the carb can get you 60mpg.
Not available in europe
Like Crevatsch said, it is (sadly) not available (new) in Europe. The DRZ400 and the WR250R were both great contenders if they would still be sold over here. Thank you for commenting!🙋♂️🙋♀️
All depends on the terrain your riding. Definitely light weight if your on narly back trails. But if your riding say 70+% on sealed roads you need more power. Another thing are you concerned about Suzuki EFI. Never will Suzuki EFI be a problem. Most reliable bikes
Hey Mike! Thanks for commenting. Yeah you're right, it all depends on where you're riding. DRZ EFI being new is just one of our reasons and it was more of a consideration than a concern to be honest. The DRZ4S would still be a great contender. Ride safe!🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍
I love how westerners consider DR being a small bike 😂
Haha, well we do not, that's why we are buying lighter bikes. But still, if you compare it to what most of the people ride over here (1250GSA for example), it could be worse. Thank you for commenting and ride safe! 🙋♂️🙋♀️🏍🏍