RUST Magazine: RUST #50

HONDA’S CRF300L
slimmer (and lighter by 190g) and the seat
is narrower at the front (making the stretch
to the ground easier), meanwhile the
handlebars have moved back slightly while
the footpegs have moved backwards and
down. The footpegs don’t look the most
expensive but the open design and decent
serrations mean they work well in muddy
conditions.
The LCD speedo panel has been updated
and is an easy read and while the function/
reset buttons are a touch resistant to your
index finger all the info is pleasingly real
world, with speedo, rev-counter, time, two
trips, a gear indicator and of course fuel
gauge and mpg display. We like the simple
on/off button for the ABS. There was also
a nanny light for engine revs that starts
flashing when you get the revs up and
gets ever more insistent until you good as
redline it at which point it stays on. Now
we’re not sure whether this was a gear
shift indicator or a running-in ‘ease-back
buddy’ warning, but either way, while the
wee 300 was on the road most of the time
that little white light got a good workout.
ONE CRACKING RIDE
Now the CRF300L is most definitely a trail
bike, not an adventure bike, so you feel
the windblast at anything over 60mph
and unless you’re preoccupied bendswinging
on back lanes you’ll feel the
limited comfort in the seat, too. But that’s
alright because Honda has developed the
Rally version for those looking for longer
distance work. The L here is all about the
short stuff. Taking a back roads ride across
Kent and East Sussex it thrived, it easily
matches most cars for pace on these roads
and in fact being so lithe and nimble it’s
typically a fair deal faster. The engine spins
freely, the handling is light yet reassuring
and it has just enough brakes should you
get carried away – and here we like that it
has ABS as crash-braking on knobbly tyres
can get pretty sketchy.
Hitting the green lanes you’re inclined
to bring the pace right down as the
suspension really is soft and it goes full-
w
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