Honda CRF300 Rally-Raid suspension!
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- Опубликовано: 20 июл 2024
- Free cookies for subscribers! 🍪
CORRECTION: Because I'm a .. moron.. I have converted height to my video directly to FT!!.. I'm actually: 5 ft 8.5" (174cm).
Video is NOT sponsored in any way. I paid for everything with my own money and did not get anything from Rally-Raid to make this content.
I've been itching to try out the Rally-Raid suspension kit on my Honda CRF300L, and finally got the chance to install it. Check out this video to see how the bike handles now, and what I think of the upgrade overall.
Additional videos:
I try the suspension on an Enduro track: • Enduro Problem with My...
I fix the Enduro track issue on the forks: • Suspension Specialist ...
Here is all the products installed:
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Honda CRF250/300L/Rally Level 1 Fork Cartridge-RRP 761
- Fork Spring Rate: 3.9Nm
- Fork Driver Tool
Honda CRF250/300L/Rally Level 1 Shock-RRP 759
- Spring Rate: 90Nm
- Hydraulic Preload Adjuster: HPA not fitted
Honda CRF250/300L/Rally SKF Fork Seals-RRP 769
--
All the products ordered from:
www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/
EU customers can now order CRF 300L/R and Yamaha T7 parts from:
www.adventure-bike-shop.com/
US customers can order T7 and some KTM 690 parts from:
www.rockymountainatvmc.com/
(Ask them if you can get the CRF300 parts also?)
--
Note: I am not a professional rider of any kind so take my advice and impressions on the suspension as such. I am just an enthusiast that has ridden all kinds of motorcycles for the last 15 years. I had 1000 km (600 miles) of experience on the stock suspension before making this video so my comparison is directly to the stock suspension and not anything else on the market!
Added a short about the rear preload adjuster: • CRF300 Rally-Raid Rear...
My CRF300 playlist: • Honda CRF300L
Support my work by becoming a channel member:
/ @patchedbandit
0:00 Intro
0:36 Rider specs
0:57 Stock suspension
2:09 Why Level 1?
2:48 Stock: Bounce test
3:22 Quick tip
4:08 Rear end visual comparison
4:43 Rally-Raid Level 1 installed
8:03 Small jump test
8:46 Test ride & first impressions
12:51 Final conclusions
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Awesome content! I bought the Level 1 Rally Raid suspension and will be installing shortly. I’m quite a bit taller than you but I have some mobility issues and the lower height will give me some confidence as I haven’t ridden off-road for 15 years.
Thanks for the video. I like the way you explained the upgraded suspension. The How and the Why. Very informative.
Glad you liked it!
What a great video! Very helpful to see the difference in seat height as well. Thank you!
Thank you for the comment 😊✌️
So much fun to watch you ride on the snow. Back when I was 16 in 1968, I bought a new Yamaha DT-1 250 Enduro - That winter, I studded up the tires with hex head sheet metal screws, and road it all over in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Your video really has brought back a lot of fond memories of winter rides. The following year I was ice racing my flat track race bike (Bultaco). Wow... thanks for the memories. Great video, keep up the good work.
That's a cool bike! Maybe you should get one again and restore it with studded tiers! :) Now that would be an awesome project and a great piece of your riding history :)
Glad you liked the video :)
Thanks for this great informative video. I know that these before/after comparisons are a LOT of work in regards to editing. Well done!
Thanks! I had a crazy timetable makin this as I was departing on a 5 month trip with the Campervan but I'm glad it has been useful to many people :) I'm making a follow-up series to this video soon too so stay tuned 😊
I installed Rally Raid Level 2 (with remote hydraulic preload adjuster) on my CRF 300L. Dramatic improvement in handling and comfort riding rough/rocky back roads in Arizona. I am 165 pounds without riding gear with a 32 inch inseam (measured using typical riding gear measurement instructions e.g., Rev!It or Rukka). I can just barely get the balls of my feet on the ground on both sides with my riding boots. Yes it is a bit tall now . However if I practice good riding technique when stopping it works well for me. If I had less riding experience then Level 1 would have been the better choice. I am very pleased with the suspension on my bike now.
Great real world comparison....and funny to boot! Thanks.
Follow up is coming ✌️
Brilliant video - great upgrade
Glad you liked it!
Fantastic Video! Thanks!!
You’re a nice dude! Thanks for the videos
Came for the thumbnail, stay for the content ! 😂Excellent video ! Really appreciate ! Thanks
Awesome! Thank you! I'm still an amateur trying to learn so it's nice that you liked it.
I plan on getting the same suspension for my Rally. Even though Rally Raid is not the only manufacturer that makes an option to retain close to OEM seat height, I really like the look of this shock vs others. Not that the other options are bad in any way, it’s just that Rally Raid appears to have used some highly precise machining when making this product. Very nice indeed.
I like that the price is not super high end but the quality is definitely there.
As always a great video. I am just about to pull the trigger on the Level One for both front and rear for my new Rally. Cheers 👍🏻
It's a good idea to upgrade both! 👍
Absolutely brilliant video thanks for sharing! Looking forward to doing Rally raid level 1 myself. Subbed :) 🖖 keep up the awesome work
Awesome, thank you! 🙏🙂
We all want you to hit 1000 subs mate 😊
Thanks! 🙏 playing the long game. Slow and steady 😆
Nice video. I just took my 22' Rally out to Moab Utah last week. I had a blast and was hoping to get away with the stock suspension since I'm 5'7" and weigh 160lbs. Rally Raid Level 1 will be my next mod for sure!
Right on! It will not disappoint! 😊 Would love to ride there one day. Maybe I will fly there and rent a bike one day 🤔
Very informative video, well done..Nashville, TN USA
Thanks for watching! :)
also looking into the suspension , but also 550 performance just released the ecu remap for euro 5 bikes. I am looking into that, i heard great things about performance after ecu remap. But for now i am still waiting for my crf , 6 months and counting. Should arrive in June ... until then i watch you guys :))) .
I have been waiting for that ECU to be available for a while now too! But Im currently traveling around Europe so cant order it now.
If you get it please throw me a comment or message on how it is :)
very nice informative video! Thnak you :)
Glad it was helpful!
Great video!
Thanks!
Hello!
Spot on! The Rslly raid kit is very good. I have the Rally 300 and went for the level 2. The bike stand very high now and requires a longer side stand. With my 1.80m tall, I'n on my tip tow when sitting. The bike is massively improved. As I plan to keep this bike on the long trrm level 2 is ok. Should I have thought on the short term, I would have bought a level t, as it would be more accessible to more people.
Have fun!
Thanks for sharing! I plan on keeping the CRF for looooong time too. It's gonna see a lot of use while I travel with it and I love the bike more every time I ride it! It's not going anywhere :)
Good to hear you are happy with the Level 2. Also a good heads up from a user of Level 2 that the bike is gonna get pretty tall :)
Thanks for taking me on that ride!
My pleasure! 😁
Just bought one of these bikes today. I think a LVL 1 kit is in my future.
I have a CB500X with their LVL2 kit and it works great.
Right on! You will have fun with RallyRaid products for sure.
Thanks for this. I have watched a lot of videos on this kind of mod but none showed before and after the same as this. If my rally ever shows up at the dealer I may need to make a similar upgrade, although I am more like 160 lbs before gear, so maybe 175 with gear. I'm 6'3" with a pretty long inseam, but I might consider the level 1 just to keep things flatfooted. I guess I'll know more if I ever get a few hundred miles on the bike I don't have yet. 🥴
I bet you would quickly get used to the Level 2 at your height. Also if you go with Level 1 you might regret not taking the full travel one as you have the legs to deal with the tall bike 😊 Just food for thought.
The jump test was a bit unnecessary as the suspension was on start/base settings with no adjustments but the feeling on the jump test was already way better than the actual picture showed. The rebound was well controlled and if there would have been multiple jumps in a row the stock suspension would have been all over the place.
Great review. Thanks! Günter/Nürnberg
Thanks for the comment 🫡
Great video man ! Really informative. I’m torn between the level 1 and 2 for the rally (if I can get one !) It’s quite a jump in seat height from level 1 to 2. Looks like if you’re around 80kg / 5’11 , level one would be the way to go. Bit more confidence inspiring in the techy stuff when it’s a bit lower.
Good luck with the channel . Subbed 👍🏻
Glad I could help! At 5.11 you could easily go for either one. I would strongly suggest Level 1 for anyone under 5.6 but its tough to generalize on these things as it also depends on the rider preference, how they use the bike, are they a beginner or advanced rider etc..
I'm very happy with the Level 1 so far at my specs but I know a lot of people that ride taller bikes and prefer the added suspension travel 🙂
The bike is quite light on it's feet so the taller option might not be as hard to handle as some might think. I would try to gain some feel with the stock suspension first and then decide if you want to go taller or stay at around the same height.
Either way the bike is going to get a LOT more cabable with whatever option you go for 🙂
Thanks for the sub!
Hi, did you get your Rally Raid suspension? I'm in the same boat torn between level 1 and level 2 at 5' 11". Just curious because I'm leaning towards the level 2.
@@ljoelmchanley3676 never got the crf, delay after delay. Ended up buying a 790 adv R. Really pleased with it .
Excellent video 👏 The picture and sound quality was great and you did a great job detailing your experience 👍
I’ve got a 300 Rally and thinking of upgrading the suspension to RR. I live in Pennsylvania, USA and most of my riding is commuting or running around town. There are some really nice national parks in the area and I plan and exploring the fire roads and trails. I’m 174cm and 72.5kg. Would you recommend the RR level 1 setup?
Definitely would. I’m almost the same height but a bit heavier. Ordering the right springs with the suspension is very important too.
Also if you ride a lot with heavier luggage I would opt the hydraulic preload adjuster even though it is a bit pricey.
Safe rides and thanks for the comment 😊
Subscribed !
So cool😊
great video lad
Thanks 🙏
great video well done
Thank you 😊🙏
Awesome review! Plus great snow riding. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
Thanks! 👍 Bet there is some winter riding to do there too :)
Very comprehensive video... thanks.
QUESTION: Those look like GripStuds you have installed in your tires. Have you driven on them on dry asphalt? I'm wondering how they grip on the road in winter when the road surface is dry, between snow storms.
I'd been planning on the Rally Raid Level 2, with my 6'4" frame (38" inseam) and 205lbs. This sealed the deal for me!
Yes I have. On asphalt they feel like riding on ballbearings. There is almost no grip if there is no ice to grab. Because there studs are REALLY tall the rubber basically doesn't touch hard surfaces at all and you ride entirely on the stud when on asphalt or ice etc.
Very nice grip on hard packed snowy roads and pure ice but anything else they are really bad and you will run the risk of ruining the studs if you do a lot of dry asphalt with these on.
RR Level 2 is definitely the right option for your measurements!
That's a really expensive piece of kit, it is about 1/3 of motorcycle cost. Thank you for the video! Very explanatory, for people who are vertically challenged like me.
Glad it was helpful! It is pretty pricey. I have some follow up videos coming about the long term use of this setup too so subscribe to see those :)
@@PatchedBandit Already subscribed!)
I've got to get to a dealership and sit on one of these or a Rally. At 1.753 meters (5 feet 9 inches) and 77 kgs (170 lbs) I want to get a feel for the bike height.😊✌🏾
Stock is not tall with the soft suspension. Dealer floor probably wont even have the preload set on the stock shock.
RR level 1 is much taller feeling when set to right preload and level 2 is crazy tall 😊
Yes it’s the damping that I find a problem not so much the softness, I’m 70 kg.
Exactly! The pogostick issue with speed was scary 😅 This is why I dont think only swapping the rear spring is a good idea if the plan is to ride hard.
I'm impressed with how fast you go in the snow. Do you have studded tires? What tires do you use?
Thanks! I use enduro studs that are put in here at Finland.
Front: Mitas C-17, 21” 90/90, stone eater, cross&enduro tire
Back: Mitas C-16, 18” 110/100, stone eater, cross&enduro tire
Studs are put in by: Satapiikki
Awesome mate. Looking to do the same! Where did you film this? Love the snow!
It’s filmed in Raahe, Finland 😊
Thank you very much for your excellent video. I'm now subscribed and looking forward to your future vids. By the way did you see Norale burnt her clutch? I got information on the fix for that if you are interested and some people wrecked their clutch in as little as 3,000K so be warned. Just let me know if you are interested and I will send you what I have got.
Just saw the video! Very interested. All my contact info can be found on the about page on my channel. E-mail, Contact form, Discord, Facebook/instagram all work.
I need to go out and wind up my stock preload for the time being. Still trying to decide which mfg to go with. Liking this level 1 setup from RR but of course in my more aggressive off road mind why would you ever opt for less travel. Have to keep in mind this is my in betweener and have a dedicsted enduro bike already. I joked previously that I wish there was a 1.5 option. :)
If you have a race cabable machine already it's probably not ideal to try and make CRF into one. That being said even the Rally Raid Level 1 suspension is so much more cabable than a worse long travel suspension that the bike is truly transformed.
I would much rather get 210mm of quality suspension than 300mm of crap suspension :)
Great video. Will go RR later.
Ha, see you taped up your speedo :-)
Food for thought is to go level 1 or 2. Im 172cm
Only based on your height I would go Level 1 as I did. But some people like their dirtbikes/dualsports to be very tall so it also depends on the rider preference 😊
Tape just fell there while installing the suspension 🤓
@@PatchedBandit I hace a modded XR600 atm. Get my Rally in May, hopefully....
Wont be able to afford the RR unstill som time, will crank the preload on the pogo stich. I weigh 71 kg so not a big prob in the beginning.
You’ll be fine with the stock setup for a long time if need be 😊 RR will bring a big smile but not necessary with your weight.
Great job on the video. I saw your update about the off road riding. Do you find the rear spring rate high enough? Does it bottom out over small jumps or big dips in the trail?
Rear seems fine and the problems I have had on the forks on Enduro tracks I'm trying to figure out at the moment. I'm not posting anything until I know all the facts.
@@PatchedBandit great, looking forward to the next video. I was surprised to see the Rally Raid shock compress as much as the stocker on the jump comparison.
i have a honda crf 300 rally in thailand and the supension is so soft i thought when i bought it the tyres had no air in them i have all new yss supension all round to suit my weight and the bike is now good
i
It is the biggest upgrade anyone can do to this bike for sure 🙏
Professional review! After this video, I wanna buy a bike like yours! 🤌🤙✌️🖐👍
Go for it! 😄 You will not regret it! 🙂
Awesome dude! My crf300L will be coming in soon and it will be my first motorcycle! What tires are using for the snow! I live in Alaska and would love to do a bit of snow riding!!
Front: Mitas C-17, 21” 90/90, stone eater, cross&enduro tire
Back: Mitas C-16, 18” 110/100, stone eater, cross&enduro tire
Both tires are studded here in Finland by a company called “satapiikki”. Studs are also attached by glue and so far I have no issues with any of the studs falling or not staying on like they should. Really awesome tires and will definitely buy them again even though they are not the cheapest.
@@PatchedBandit awesome! I am assuming you only ride side dirt roads during the winter and not paved roads or highways?
@@aknmtbr Yep. Those long enduro spikes are horrid on hard surfaces. On ice they are nice though.
👍
ride safe
Diddo! Thanks! I'm already in Bulgaria :) Nice rides in Italy and Greece still to come out soon.
Amazing! How much have you ridden in snow? It looks like you have complete control.
1000km at the time of making this clip 👍 its fun… but I do prefer summer 😅
@@PatchedBandit Looks awesome! Great riding!
I am a new follower(nr:2791) of your channel.
Greetings from Türkiye 😊
Thanks for the follow mate 😊
@@PatchedBandit it's a pleasure sir.
Hyvä video ja hieno taksi camry taustalla 😅
😅
Great video.very helpful .can you let me know how much sag you get . because I have fitted one to my bike and only getting around 70 mm sag ,with standard had 90 mm .am not sure if 70 mm is correct?
I measured mine to be around 65mm right from the box which is a notch more than it should ideally be. Right sag should be about 60mm.
And I am talking about rider sag (Me sitting on the bike with riding gear)
If you are getting 70mm I would crank the preload just a bit tighter.
@@PatchedBandit many thanks for the advice, will adjust it to 65 mm , again great video 👍
Remember to loosen the lock screw. Its a very small allen screw on the side of the adjuster nut. It can be hard to spot if its not in a position where you can see it.
(If you have the same rally-raid setup)
i m curious why not get the HPA also for the rear ??? and i m guessing you will have to change settings from time to time ... how do you do it ??
Lucky me I havent needed to do it yet but yes it is difficult. I'm probably going to make a tool that is just meant for doing it when needed.
HPA cost around 320€ extra so I was just trying to save some money. Most likely going to regret that later 😆 I'm unemployed at the moment so trying to be a bit tight on my purchases 😅
What are your thoughts about the mudflap underneath the rear linkage ? No mud building up on top of it for instance ?
No issue with buildup of mud or sand the way its designed. Its very nice as it prevents all the crap from going in to the shock. I like it.
Hi, i am looking at installing the level 2 rally raid kit on my nx 500. My use is primarily on the road. What’s your take on the rr?
I have zero complaints with mine. The problems I had and explained on some of my later videos were due to assembly error by a Finnish company.
They use high quality components and the feel of the CRF changed drastically with the upgrade.
I prefer a properly sprung and valved suspension any day even though it might be a bit "tighter" feeling compared to saggy sock setups. The bike is going to be more responsive, Less nose dive, more sophisticated behaviour etc.
If you can afford the RR option I highly recommend it. If you don't assemble it with care yourself make sure to use a company that knows what they are doing. Most 'basic bike garages' know nothing about suspension builds and I had to learn that the hard way.
HI, I'm the same weight as you, do you recall what spring rate you ordered for the level 1 shock?
Honda CRF250/300L/Rally Level 1 Fork Cartridge-RRP 761
- Fork Spring Rate: 3.9Nm
- Fork Driver Tool
Honda CRF250/300L/Rally Level 1 Shock-RRP 759
- Spring Rate: 90Nm
- Hydraulic Preload Adjuster: HPA not fitted
I could have gone 1 step harder still. If you ride harder enduro you can also go with stiffer ones.
What is on your seat? Looks nice.
Its a seat cover I got from Aliexpress: www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004757862903.html
Has anyone compared the rally raid suspension to the WP suspension that's also available for this bike ?
Would love to do a comparison at some point.
Have you done any suspension changes to your t7? I think this would be a great change for that bike too...rally raid or öhlins, many options...
Only spring swap and I agree. T7 stock suspension is not good.
I’m hesitating though as the RR set for the T7 is around 3k€ to Finland so..
@@PatchedBandit that's a tough one...ask them for a "free sample" to make a video? maybe they have an old one flying around!
That video would probably interest many people. I'm a bit shy on asking favors with this small hobby channel of mine :) Maybe one day I get more access to make videos.
@@PatchedBandit asking them wont hurt you :) you could ask to borrow the stuff for an extended test for expample, this is a win/win!
Does anyone know of a donor bike that can be used for the rear shock? These new shocks are really expensive & it'd be great to find that a rear shock from a DRZ, Versys, Vstrom or something would fit because getting a used one would be easy & cheap.
As an example, my old GS50F had soft springs & the rear could be replaced with an R6 shock, which was only $100 delivered! It'd be great if I could get something off eBay.
I tried my bike with only a rear swap and the balance of the whole bike was completely crazy. I would not recommend only fixing the rear and not toughing the front at all.
They both need correcting. Preferrably with components that are meant to be used together.
@@PatchedBanditi did the same thing and it was a huge mistake for off-road riding. The front end would bottom out and nasty tank slappers would make the bike uncontrollable. The Rally Raid level 2 is probably the best option for the CRF. Both ends of the bikes suspension needs upgraded.
Now it can hold me too 😂
True! Only problem now is the distance between you and the bike 🤣
@Patched Bandit well you might come back at somepoint 🤗
EN TUU! 🤣
@@PatchedBandit en määkä tulis
Mitkä nastarenkaat on alla ja mistä ostit?
What studded tyres and where did you get those?
Front: Mitas C-17, 21” 90/90, stone eater, cross&enduro tire
Back: Mitas C-16, 18” 110/100, stone eater, cross&enduro tire
satapiikki.fi (Tarvikekeskuksesta tosin ostin) Enduronastalla kauttaaltaan kuorrutettuna.
So how much does this Upgrade cost? I'm on the fence over the honda or klx 300.
Taxed and imported to Finland it was a bit over 1600 €
Probably a bit cheaper anywehre else though.
@@PatchedBandit Thank you.
Thanks! What is your height and weight?
0:36 Rider specs
Why do they require a email just to browse their site? That's like requiring ID to enter a store.
I havent noticed that myself 🤔 no idea if thats the case
Now you just have to ditch those stock footpegs;)
Surprisingly my Tenere 700 has worse stock footpegs than this little Honda 😅 I’m gonna get ones for it first 🙂
Both bikes would benefit from slightly bigger ones for sure.
Well, check us out if you ever do end up replacing them. Great video. @@PatchedBandit
Will do! Interesting looking system especially if it has a bit of resistance. Normal pivot pegs tend to not interest me but with the resistance very interesting.
Looked and subscribed to your youtube channel.
@@PatchedBandit It's a progressive resistance. The harder you push into them the harder they put back. Just like a shock or your ankle joint. Pivot pegz are like an on-off switch with a hard stop. Seems like a small difference but it's really night and day. Cheers.
Do K-tech 😊
If they send me free gear then maybe 😅😅
Honda did a terrible job with suspensions and rear passenger pegs on CRF250L&Rally
So you spend all that money on a so called "rally bike" and have to upgrade the suspension if you are even a intermediate rider! Not even mention the fact that it is a 300cc . I don't know , maybe I'm just old but I grew up riding 250cc 2 strokes and then 450cc four strokes and never said to myself "gee I wish this bikes suspension was harder" , not to mention the fact that I have never wished a 450 had less power??????
Fair enough. I like the bike and we all need to figure out what is and is not worth any amount of money we spend on these things.
Not a single upgrade is absolutely necessary on this bike let me make that clear 😊
My riding buddy has the Honda CRF 450L. I have the CRF 300L with Rally-Raid Level 2 suspension. I have ridden both on rough and rocky back roads in the mountains of Arizona. If you are an aggressive rider and want to ride competitively the CRF 450L suspension is better for you. If you want to ride rough country moderately fast you may prefer the 300L with Rally-Raid suspension. The Rally-Raid is far more comfortable to ride. If I wanted to jump my bike I would get the CRF 450L. I don’t want to ride very aggressively so the CRF 300L with Rally-Raid suits me well. I give up the extra power from the CRF 450L (which I would rarely use). The only real loss I care about is that the CRF 450L is lighter. However, the 300L gives me: far longer range between gasoline fill ups (important in remote AZ mountains); longer service intervals; higher reliability (I expect); and a longer useful life (I expect). The best choice depends upon what one is looking for.
His bike is not the "Rally" model, it's the "L". "all that money"...the bike is very modestly priced. The CRF series bikes are not and never were intended to be hard core competition style dirt bikes...they are dual purpose bikes that handle street riding exponentially better than motocross/enduro bikes so with $1500 in suspension upgrades you have an amazingly comfortable versatile and capable street legal dirt bike...and that's something your 250 two strokes and 450's can't begin to touch...not even close. Totally different animals.