At the EICMA show in Milan today, we saw a host of bold new bikes but also some stalwart standbys returning with minor updates. One of those bikes—or rather, two of them—would be the Honda CRF300L dual sport and its closely-related CRF300 Rally adventure bike model.
Both of these machines use a 286 cc single-cylinder engine that Honda says is unchanged for 2025, but it is now up to the latest Euro 5+ emissions standard—perhaps some ECU trickery accomplished that, or maybe the bikes just had really, really clean emissions to start with.
The only change in the powerplant was a few changes to the cooling system, directing hot air away from the rider.
However, there is one important mechanical change that many CRF300-series riders will appreciate. Honda says it re-worked the internal settings on the fork and shock. The release for the CRF300L dual sport said:
The 43mm Showa inverted forks employ a 260mm stroke, with spring weight and damping settings optimised for precise control over a wide range of terrain and speeds. Pro-Link rear suspension also features 260mm axle stroke; the Showa shock absorber is a single tube design. Damping rates at both ends have been tuned for 25YM, improving overall contact patch with the road, and creating a more stable, comfortable platform for riders.
Hopefully, this should make the suspension feel less like you’re riding a pogo stick.
Both bikes get LED signal lights now, and an LED headlight is standard on both models. They also get floppy plastic handguards which aren’t as good as metal-core knuckle protectors, but they’re better than nothing.
These are some of the most popular dual sport bikes on the market, for good reason; despite their low power and limited suspension, they are as reliable as a sledgehammer, and in a price range that most riders can afford. It’s good to see Honda revise them, and we expect to see them in Canada for next season.
