Great video as usual. I have been waiting for this comparison. Thank you. The more I think about, I realize that you can't go wrong with either bike. Basically whatever is the best deal you can get at the dealership and availability of the bike's and ones area. Again thank you for a great review.
I was in the market in early 2021, with the mind to get whichever became available first. That ended up being the KLX300. My buddy, a committed Honda man at the time, went with the CRF300L. We swapped bikes off road. My takeaway is opposite from yours. With stock tires, I found the CRF to feel a bit more awkward off road. That was sandy single track. Maybe it was the ergonomics; I thought maybe it was the overall geometry of the bikes. The KLX, to me, felt more stable off road. We were doing 80-90% dirt riding, not really using them for any more than connecting trails. For that use, I thought the KLX was superior. One thing we found out that most testers don’t get the opportunity to test is that the KLX held up better in crashes. I got some scuffs in the fragment cami which you could only see if you were looking, and a tear in the seat cover, but nothing ever broke. My buddy had to replace a side cover which shattered in a slow speed tip over in sand, the rear brake lever, and the gear selector. If I wanted one to be a commuter or light ADV bike, I would have to choose the Honda. It’s just so much more nicely finished. Oh, my buddy’s Honda immediately got upgraded suspension before he ever even took it out. Still, for use as a street legal trail bike, I believe the KLX300 is better. My buddy and I both upgraded after about a year. I went with a CRF450L and he went with a Beta 390 race edition. I totally agree with your statement about the power upgrade thing. No KLX300 or CRF300L could touch our new bikes.
@@Insaiyanrider Good question, and a hard one to answer. Stock for stock, if I had been able to test ride both of them before purchase, I know without a doubt that I'd have bought the Beta. From the factory the Beta is ready to rip whereas with the Honda, I had to put some money into a new ECU to mitigate the throttle issues. There's also something to the Beta philosophy of rideability. It's more than the company tagline. I've ridden the XTrainer, 200RR, 300RR, 350RR, 390RR, and 390RS and all of those bikes are extremely capable and very easy to ride. All that being said, long term, and having the experience of ownership of the Honda for more than a year and a Beta XTrainer since September, I'm glad I have the Honda and not the 390. The 390 is better in tight single track than the Honda, but the Honda is better if it's open, high speed stuff. The high speed stability also carries over to the street. The Honda is better there. My buddy's 390 is the Race Edition with the KYB suspension, and that suspension is great. The 390RS dual sport has the Sachs suspension, and it's good, but I know it's not as good as the suspension on the CRF450L. Better off road in the slow stuff but would be overwhelmed if picking up the pace on stuff the 450L would just easily soak up. The 450 I got was a used 2019 with only 700 miles on the clock and was still stock and looked completely brand new. I've had it almost 2 years now and I live in an RV, so no garage to keep my bikes in. My Beta's plastics are already fading really badly and the decals are starting to peel off. Not so with the Honda, which is 4 years older. So I think the Honda also edges out the Beta 390 for longevity and overall quality. So here's the conclusion to my long-winded reply. As a dual sport primarily for gnarly trail riding, but legal to connect trails, the Beta is best. For a dual sport you could use like that but could also use to be the daily commuter and/or for use also as a light ADV bike, the Honda wins. I think I really like my setup. I have my Beta XTrainer for the gnarly stuff and tight single track (and I could easily get it plated in Texas) and the Honda CRF450L for everything else. It's like having your cake and eating it too.
I appreciate that KC does this kind of comparison so that I don't have to torture myself. When I bought the KLX there were no Honda's to be found. But I watched many reviews and comparisons and decided the KLX was the better choice for me anyhow. The suspension was a big deal. I am a senior rider at 72 and ride the bike pretty hard. Not because I am super fast or anything but because I live and ride in the high desert and the terrain is rocky and rugged and we frequently encounter steep hills whether going up or down. If I go in the other direction, within a short time, I am in the forest. I have left the Kawi pretty stock. The only changes were the addition of the Delkevic slip on and the KDX snorkel. I kept the 14 primary and added 5 teeth to the rear sprocket. And of course, the ergonomic stuff such as foot pegs, handle bars, hand guards yada yada yada. Oh and not the least a seat concepts seat which I put on a lot of my bikes. Set up as described above, the bike performs wonderfully in the twisties and off-road it cruises on the trails nicely in 2nd or 3rd gear. It can be lugged way down and it still has the umph to pick up speed whether you are in 2nd or 3rd depending on what trail conditions dictate for gear selection. Only having ridden the little KLX and not a comparable "other bike" such as the Honda, I don't notice any issues with low end power. Maybe I have just adopted to the bike and adjusted my attack. Honestly, I love the bike. I also have a Honda XR and a Yamaha. All 3 are good for what they are used for. I have owned and ridden KTM's and a couple of Huskies. Those were great bikes but I don't care for the maintenance intervals any more. Hands down tho, they will blow either the Honda or the Kawi away performance wise. But that isn't why we are looking to buy inexpensive dual sport bikes. It is nice to know that you can buy either the Honda or the Kawi and be happy. Do you like chocolate chip ice cream or rocky road?
So i looked at a 2015 KLX 250 s it sounded like it had a bent valve in it. The exhaust valve opened up to release the decompression chamber, it had 11 .7..1 compression so I ended up buying the 2021. Honda CRF 300 l
Thanks for the video comparison, I think both bikes really should have been made 350cc from factory as they are slightly underpowered in my opinion! I have added a 331cc big bore kit to my klx which has brought the bottom end to life and has made great down low torque vs stock!
YSS make a open cart fork replacement with double springs and full adjustment of comp, rebound+preload- plus they do a rear shock for the crf that has lo, hi and rebound+hydraulic preload - fantastic, i would normally say k-tech because super quality and they know their shi7 but their replacement shock is simply rebound and comp is fixed at factory , super piece of kit, 10x better than stock but better than having fully adjustable ? not sure - only you can decide
Your videos are great. You seem pretty sharp, so it's easy to trust your opinions. I would love to know what you think about pulling the secondary throttle plate and if that might tighten up the comparison in the bottom end.
Only thing that really bothers me about my CRF is the rear shock and the short kickstand. I replaced the kickstand with one from Ebay that is 20mm longer. Still thinking about changing rear shock with K-tech
With the KLX, I've added the EJK fuel controller, removed the secondary butterfly valve in the throttle body and it did away with that low/mid range lull you mentioned vs the CRF. It snaps pretty good now, no issues such as stalling, etc... I have pretty much every other mod you've done on the KLX, including the 13/43 sprockets. I'll still be upgrading the suspension with either PR2 in Saxonburg, PA or the Racetech springs and valves myself. You are right tho, with what I've spent on this, I could've just bought a Beta, KTM or Husky and had a better bike right off the showroom floor. I probably won't tho, my next bike may end up being the GPX or Kove (though Chynese), they are kicking some serious...Well, check them out! I saw my first GPX in Altoona, damn nice for the price!
Excellent info! Roundhouse had some ‘22 GPX’s , but they never replenished stock after they were sold. I have to find out if they are still a GpX dealer. I looked the dual sport over a couple times while it was on the showroom floor.
Awesome realistic comparison. A better rider will want the Kawi in my opinion if stock. The Honda loses huge on suspension, brakes and ergonomics. 3 Fundamentals I can’t forgive. I ride a Sw moteched Husky TR650 terra and am looking for a slimmer version. The Kawi hits it for me.
Thanks for this video. I have a 22 KLX. Please confirm for me your sprocket changes you did on your KLX and how much did this help first gear off-road vs highway impact? Thanks as always.
Holy C$%&p....this is CZcams. Give me all the bad sound available as long as the first hand information is accurate. That's the YT I enjoy and if I wanted super polished marketing crap I'd keep watching the commercials from the big brands.
Really good review. Just picked up a CRF300L. I bought it over the KLX based on your reviews. Suspension is really soft for sure but I only weigh #140 so for me it is not too bad. How can I contact you with questions and recommendations for the CRF? thanks
How do they compare to the Yamaha WR250R? I owned one and if you rode it more aggressive and kept the RPM's up it was a lot of fun. I was satisfied with the suspension and I found the motor very smooth on the road. I didn't like the low end power. I am wanting something for a more relaxed riding experience off road anymore, and I think I would prefer the CRF300 after a suspension upgrade. Even with an upgraded shock and front forks, I wonder if the WR250R will still have better suspension. After riding dirt bikes with real suspension, dual sports can be quite a let down. Great comparison!
I owned a WR for 3 years, it is buy far the best suspension of the 3, even after upgrading the CRF suspension, I still don’t think it will be as good as the WR. The bottom end on the 300’s is better than the WR, CRF has best bottom end. I love the bottom end on the Honda. That being said if you upgrade the CRF suspension, your going to have an awesome bike.
@@kcoutside7143 Thanks! Hearing it from someone who has experience on all three, and someone who also has ridden dirt bikes, is someone I can trust. I see some WR’s in my area for decent prices, so it’s going to be a hard decision for me.
The KLR is heavy, but I still have a blast riding it off road. The klx is more fun off road though! KLX vs. KLR , I might have to do a woods loop comparison!
@@JohnnyBoy919 I know it was a 2024 because the dealership listed it as such and it did have an adjustable rear shock. Also, there was no option for grey color in 2023. All you could get was red.
I’ve heard complaints about the fan on the crf blowing hot air on your thigh . Any experience with that ? I think Honda nailed that transmission when they went from the 250- 300 . If Kawasaki had reworked the transmission on the KLX you would probably have come to a different conclusion. Great comparison. Cheers
Honestly, Rally Raid couldn't even safely get the spring off the old shock on the CRF300L Rally they had. It's basically junk and it doesn't seem you are showing this. And one spring in one fork tube only? The suspension on the CRF300L is throwaway and just to keep the price as low as possible. Also some have the the front wheel no actually be round and cause some consternation at speed. A little more low end (less high end), an easier clutch are the main advantages but offset by bad suspension, closer foot pegs and less comfortable seat.
I recently picked up the R version of the KLX and can't believe how good it is for a ''entry level'' bike. Like you said about the suspension, I'm 215 without gear and it's really good for desert single track in stock form. I see a lot of people putting on mods but it works so good stock I can't see playing with it.
The KLX has some new duds, specifically a new rear fender, but it’s still the same slow ass 30 year old bike frame/engine wise. Honda looks like it could line up at any MX gate and the display on the Honda is superb vs the useless KLX display.
This is the best comparison of these two bikes on CZcams imo. Thanks a lot !!!
Thank you! Thanks for Watching!!
Great video as usual. I have been waiting for this comparison. Thank you. The more I think about, I realize that you can't go wrong with either bike. Basically whatever is the best deal you can get at the dealership and availability of the bike's and ones area. Again thank you for a great review.
I was in the market in early 2021, with the mind to get whichever became available first. That ended up being the KLX300. My buddy, a committed Honda man at the time, went with the CRF300L. We swapped bikes off road. My takeaway is opposite from yours. With stock tires, I found the CRF to feel a bit more awkward off road. That was sandy single track. Maybe it was the ergonomics; I thought maybe it was the overall geometry of the bikes. The KLX, to me, felt more stable off road. We were doing 80-90% dirt riding, not really using them for any more than connecting trails. For that use, I thought the KLX was superior. One thing we found out that most testers don’t get the opportunity to test is that the KLX held up better in crashes. I got some scuffs in the fragment cami which you could only see if you were looking, and a tear in the seat cover, but nothing ever broke. My buddy had to replace a side cover which shattered in a slow speed tip over in sand, the rear brake lever, and the gear selector. If I wanted one to be a commuter or light ADV bike, I would have to choose the Honda. It’s just so much more nicely finished. Oh, my buddy’s Honda immediately got upgraded suspension before he ever even took it out. Still, for use as a street legal trail bike, I believe the KLX300 is better. My buddy and I both upgraded after about a year. I went with a CRF450L and he went with a Beta 390 race edition. I totally agree with your statement about the power upgrade thing. No KLX300 or CRF300L could touch our new bikes.
Awesome info! Thanks for watching!!
How’s that upgrade with the 450 versus the 390 beta, which one would you choose if you’ve gotten into test ride the better?
Betta
@@Insaiyanrider Good question, and a hard one to answer. Stock for stock, if I had been able to test ride both of them before purchase, I know without a doubt that I'd have bought the Beta. From the factory the Beta is ready to rip whereas with the Honda, I had to put some money into a new ECU to mitigate the throttle issues. There's also something to the Beta philosophy of rideability. It's more than the company tagline. I've ridden the XTrainer, 200RR, 300RR, 350RR, 390RR, and 390RS and all of those bikes are extremely capable and very easy to ride. All that being said, long term, and having the experience of ownership of the Honda for more than a year and a Beta XTrainer since September, I'm glad I have the Honda and not the 390. The 390 is better in tight single track than the Honda, but the Honda is better if it's open, high speed stuff. The high speed stability also carries over to the street. The Honda is better there. My buddy's 390 is the Race Edition with the KYB suspension, and that suspension is great. The 390RS dual sport has the Sachs suspension, and it's good, but I know it's not as good as the suspension on the CRF450L. Better off road in the slow stuff but would be overwhelmed if picking up the pace on stuff the 450L would just easily soak up. The 450 I got was a used 2019 with only 700 miles on the clock and was still stock and looked completely brand new. I've had it almost 2 years now and I live in an RV, so no garage to keep my bikes in. My Beta's plastics are already fading really badly and the decals are starting to peel off. Not so with the Honda, which is 4 years older. So I think the Honda also edges out the Beta 390 for longevity and overall quality. So here's the conclusion to my long-winded reply. As a dual sport primarily for gnarly trail riding, but legal to connect trails, the Beta is best. For a dual sport you could use like that but could also use to be the daily commuter and/or for use also as a light ADV bike, the Honda wins. I think I really like my setup. I have my Beta XTrainer for the gnarly stuff and tight single track (and I could easily get it plated in Texas) and the Honda CRF450L for everything else. It's like having your cake and eating it too.
@@jwaller1327 i APPRECIATE your long reply ! I have been struggling to choose myself or the KTM 500 EXCF
Bought a used 2022 KLX and love it. I would love to ride a CRF to compare. Thanks for the review.
The range on both bikes stock is poor but only the CRF has aftermarket tank options that make a significant improvement.
I appreciate that KC does this kind of comparison so that I don't have to torture myself. When I bought the KLX there were no Honda's to be found. But I watched many reviews and comparisons and decided the KLX was the better choice for me anyhow. The suspension was a big deal. I am a senior rider at 72 and ride the bike pretty hard. Not because I am super fast or anything but because I live and ride in the high desert and the terrain is rocky and rugged and we frequently encounter steep hills whether going up or down. If I go in the other direction, within a short time, I am in the forest. I have left the Kawi pretty stock. The only changes were the addition of the Delkevic slip on and the KDX snorkel. I kept the 14 primary and added 5 teeth to the rear sprocket. And of course, the ergonomic stuff such as foot pegs, handle bars, hand guards yada yada yada. Oh and not the least a seat concepts seat which I put on a lot of my bikes. Set up as described above, the bike performs wonderfully in the twisties and off-road it cruises on the trails nicely in 2nd or 3rd gear. It can be lugged way down and it still has the umph to pick up speed whether you are in 2nd or 3rd depending on what trail conditions dictate for gear selection. Only having ridden the little KLX and not a comparable "other bike" such as the Honda, I don't notice any issues with low end power. Maybe I have just adopted to the bike and adjusted my attack. Honestly, I love the bike. I also have a Honda XR and a Yamaha. All 3 are good for what they are used for. I have owned and ridden KTM's and a couple of Huskies. Those were great bikes but I don't care for the maintenance intervals any more. Hands down tho, they will blow either the Honda or the Kawi away performance wise. But that isn't why we are looking to buy inexpensive dual sport bikes. It is nice to know that you can buy either the Honda or the Kawi and be happy. Do you like chocolate chip ice cream or rocky road?
Chocolate chip!! Thanks for the awesome input!!
So i looked at a 2015 KLX 250 s it sounded like it had a bent valve in it. The exhaust valve opened up to release the decompression chamber, it had 11 .7..1 compression so I ended up buying the 2021. Honda CRF 300 l
The new 2024 klx looks great, I wish they would update the dash, will look at one Tuesday.
Thanks for the video comparison, I think both bikes really should have been made 350cc from factory as they are slightly underpowered in my opinion!
I have added a 331cc big bore kit to my klx which has brought the bottom end to life and has made great down low torque vs stock!
Thanks for watchin’
They short the cc so they can add cc over the years to keep people buying. They already went from 230 to 300. Expect a bump
YSS make a open cart fork replacement with double springs and full adjustment of comp, rebound+preload- plus they do a rear shock for the crf that has lo, hi and rebound+hydraulic preload - fantastic, i would normally say k-tech because super quality and they know their shi7 but their replacement shock is simply rebound and comp is fixed at factory , super piece of kit, 10x better than stock but better than having fully adjustable ? not sure - only you can decide
Whats your opinion in the CRF vs the DRZ for longer adventure overlanding type stuff?
I would definitely go DRZ , better power, better suspension & no chance of fuel pump failure.
Good review. Like you said , throw all the money you want to at it , at the end of the day , it will always be a 300.
Your videos are great. You seem pretty sharp, so it's easy to trust your opinions. I would love to know what you think about pulling the secondary throttle plate and if that might tighten up the comparison in the bottom end.
Thank you, I’m hoping to try the throttle plate delete soon.
Only thing that really bothers me about my CRF is the rear shock and the short kickstand. I replaced the kickstand with one from Ebay that is 20mm longer. Still thinking about changing rear shock with K-tech
I had to add 1 3/4” to my stand, I will probably eventually try the K tech also.
With the KLX, I've added the EJK fuel controller, removed the secondary butterfly valve in the throttle body and it did away with that low/mid range lull you mentioned vs the CRF. It snaps pretty good now, no issues such as stalling, etc... I have pretty much every other mod you've done on the KLX, including the 13/43 sprockets. I'll still be upgrading the suspension with either PR2 in Saxonburg, PA or the Racetech springs and valves myself. You are right tho, with what I've spent on this, I could've just bought a Beta, KTM or Husky and had a better bike right off the showroom floor. I probably won't tho, my next bike may end up being the GPX or Kove (though Chynese), they are kicking some serious...Well, check them out! I saw my first GPX in Altoona, damn nice for the price!
Excellent info! Roundhouse had some ‘22 GPX’s , but they never replenished stock after they were sold. I have to find out if they are still a GpX dealer. I looked the dual sport over a couple times while it was on the showroom floor.
Awesome realistic comparison. A better rider will want the Kawi in my opinion if stock. The Honda loses huge on suspension, brakes and ergonomics. 3 Fundamentals I can’t forgive. I ride a Sw moteched Husky TR650 terra and am looking for a slimmer version. The Kawi hits it for me.
Thanks for this video. I have a 22 KLX.
Please confirm for me your sprocket changes you did on your KLX and how much did this help first gear off-road vs highway impact?
Thanks as always.
I’m running 13/43, great for slow technical trails. 65mph is the max comfortable cruising speed, it would probably top out at 70mph or slightly over.
Really wanted to watch this, but the echo was too bad.
Brat. Lol
Holy C$%&p....this is CZcams. Give me all the bad sound available as long as the first hand information is accurate. That's the YT I enjoy and if I wanted super polished marketing crap I'd keep watching the commercials from the big brands.
Really good review. Just picked up a CRF300L. I bought it over the KLX based on your reviews. Suspension is really soft for sure but I only weigh #140 so for me it is not too bad. How can I contact you with questions and recommendations for the CRF? thanks
Awesome, you can instant msg. Me through facebook KC outside or email ckckrazy@hotmail.com
How do they compare to the Yamaha WR250R? I owned one and if you rode it more aggressive and kept the RPM's up it was a lot of fun. I was satisfied with the suspension and I found the motor very smooth on the road. I didn't like the low end power. I am wanting something for a more relaxed riding experience off road anymore, and I think I would prefer the CRF300 after a suspension upgrade. Even with an upgraded shock and front forks, I wonder if the WR250R will still have better suspension. After riding dirt bikes with real suspension, dual sports can be quite a let down. Great comparison!
I owned a WR for 3 years, it is buy far the best suspension of the 3, even after upgrading the CRF suspension, I still don’t think it will be as good as the WR. The bottom end on the 300’s is better than the WR, CRF has best bottom end. I love the bottom end on the Honda. That being said if you upgrade the CRF suspension, your going to have an awesome bike.
@@kcoutside7143 Thanks! Hearing it from someone who has experience on all three, and someone who also has ridden dirt bikes, is someone I can trust. I see some WR’s in my area for decent prices, so it’s going to be a hard decision for me.
I like the looks of the Klr650. I own a Klx 300. Wondering if the klr650 is fun to ride compared to the 300.
The KLR is heavy, but I still have a blast riding it off road. The klx is more fun off road though! KLX vs. KLR , I might have to do a woods loop comparison!
Hey what frontfender did you put on the crf? Looks good
Thanks! 2022 CRF250f
Riding gravel roads. Klr650, Drz400, Klx 300, Crf 300. What is your pick ?
All gravel, KLR for comfort & fuel mileage.
I saw a 2024 CRF300 Saturday. Grey color and it had an adjustable rear spring.
I think that is the 2023 version, I believe the 2024 hasn't been released yet.
@@JohnnyBoy919 As I stated, I saw a 2024 model.
@@jc3745 how do you know it was a 2024 model year? I'm guessing it was a 2023 crf300ls version. Unless you saw the vin number with the codes on it.
@@JohnnyBoy919 I know it was a 2024 because the dealership listed it as such and it did have an adjustable rear shock. Also, there was no option for grey color in 2023. All you could get was red.
@@jc3745 The 2023 model is available in grey here in Europe. I wonder where the 2024 is out already.
Cheers
Are you keeping both? Very similar bikes.
KLX will probably get sold at end of year, to allow another bike build.
Where did you get the Honda swingarm & fork guard graphics ?
Had a sign shop cut them.
Thanks
Great video and help to prospective owners.
I wanted to watch the whole thing but the echo made it a mission and a half.
So l didn't. ✌️
I’ve heard complaints about the fan on the crf blowing hot air on your thigh . Any experience with that ?
I think Honda nailed that transmission when they went from the 250- 300 . If Kawasaki had reworked the transmission on the KLX you would probably have come to a different conclusion.
Great comparison. Cheers
No hot air issues, I even wear pants made of very lightweight material. No heat. Thanks for watching!
Work on audio just a tip
Honestly, Rally Raid couldn't even safely get the spring off the old shock on the CRF300L Rally they had. It's basically junk and it doesn't seem you are showing this. And one spring in one fork tube only? The suspension on the CRF300L is throwaway and just to keep the price as low as possible. Also some have the the front wheel no actually be round and cause some consternation at speed. A little more low end (less high end), an easier clutch are the main advantages but offset by bad suspension, closer foot pegs and less comfortable seat.
You need to remove the secondary throttle plate from your KLX. It’ll change most of your negative comments about the low end power.
It’s on my to do list.
I recently picked up the R version of the KLX and can't believe how good it is for a ''entry level'' bike. Like you said about the suspension, I'm 215 without gear and it's really good for desert single track in stock form. I see a lot of people putting on mods but it works so good stock I can't see playing with it.
It’s been great for me also, not sure why so many people have issues with it.
I honestly think the CRF gets most of its passes on suspension because people love the looks so much better, in which I do agree it looks 10x better.
Kawasaki definately made the right move in updating the asthetics of the '24 KLX300.
@@jeffloucks2120 Just picked up one of the 2024 gray KLX 300's and it looks pretty sweet compared to the former style.
The KLX has some new duds, specifically a new rear fender, but it’s still the same slow ass 30 year old bike frame/engine wise. Honda looks like it could line up at any MX gate and the display on the Honda is superb vs the useless KLX display.
nice crappy mic
Hands down the klx is a way better bike.you dont know what your talking about.
Remove the 2nd butterfly valve on the KLX throttle body and get better low end than the honda. Just 1 phillips screw and done deal.....
Do you need a fuel controller if you do this?
@@DManOnFire no