All New Suspension! | HONDA CRF300L | Fixing The Soft Suspension Part 2
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- #chroniclesofsolid #dualsport #crf300l
Part two of the Honda CRF300L suspension series see me getting my all new YSS suspension fitted to my little dual sport. Russel shares some of his wisdom along the way and I give my first impressions.
Thanks for watching,
COS
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Solid, I'm right there with you on getting the bike dialed in, just because someone buys a cheaper more budget friendly bike doesn't mean someone can't do the upgrades. And your spot on with you could have bought a more expensive bike but still would have spent money on getting it set up the way you want. Your unicorn bike may differ from my unicorn bike. That's what makes it your own, keep on with the great content mate. Cheers from Florida.
Thanks Mike, glad I’m not the only one thinking that way 👍
I have a crf250x4 2004...had forks revalved and shock done also with HD spring...it was worth every penny...I am 230 lbs and race some old man stuff...made the whole bike different...would do it again tomorrow!
“It’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow.”
I’m a CRF300L buyer and I’m waiting Honda bring my new bike.
While I’m awaiting it I spent more of 1000€ in parts 😅😅😅
Reliability and low maintenance is a great advantage of this platform. It's worth getting the suspension up to par to enjoy the other benefits of a bike like this.
That’s always been my argument anytime a reviewer bashes Honda for not putting better suspension on this bike. Not every rider needs more suspension. It’s an entry level platform that beginners can fully enjoy. And the low price point makes it approachable for pretty much anyone. It’s a great blank canvas that riders can fully customize to their liking and needs and skill level.
Thanks for the great video and common sense viewpoint on this fantastic little bike. ✌️
Sums it up well👍
Thanks for sharing your experience. Cheap bike and with improvements is something I agree. Dearer bikes are generally more expensive to repair as well.
That is great upgrade, is something that you will enjoy for years to come, looking forward to some more videos shearing your experience
Cheers
I agree to what you have done as you aren’t a beginner a good suspension at the end of the day put a smile on your face & less bugged at the end also less changes of crashing when you hit unsuspected wash out 👍👍👍
Thanks for sharing your experience. Your videos played a big role in my decision to buy this bike. Driving it on Finnish gravel roads has been fun :)
Big thanks for sharing your data!! Keep it coming as the miles are gained.
Excellent. What a lot of pertinent, concise and measured opinion on something that I imagine a lot of people with CRF300's are thinking about (a month or two after riding). Really appreciated your effort in getting this content out.... lots of effort went into it... and it couldn't have been better timed (for me at least). Thanks, Mikey
I 100% agree with your thoughts on how a more affordable bike gives you more money to spend in upgrades to make it your own. I did the same thing to my klx300.
I hope the suspension works out for your off-road. Can't wait for further thoughts after you got more ride time.
“It’s more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than a fast bike slow.”
I’m a CRF300L buyer and I’m waiting Honda bring my new bike.
While I’m awaiting it I spent more of 1000€ in parts 😅😅😅
well done and well said - its your bike and your hobby- the sense in all your doing has to make sense to you and nobody else (which it still does to most of us)🤘👍
Congrats on the upgrade Solid! Can't wait to see the off road test.
Well done! Congrats on the fix we all wish we could of done immediately.
Sure to get around to it myself one day this year.
Thanks for the info.
Looking forward to hearing how the suspension settles in, looks like a huge difference already, cheers.
Looks like good riding weather on the weekend to test it out
Great Video! I always love the planted feeling of a proper shock where you can put on the gas and dont sag in the back at all. Id pick up a 300l in an instant but cant find one all the dealers are out of stock. Found a used 1 for $7200! Its crazy. (Im on West Coast USA btw, checked CA, OR, WA)
Great info.
There is nothing wrong with the 300 once you improve the suspension as you have done.
Fundamentally the 300 is the most reliable and smoothest engine of the pack with the longest service intervals and will now perform beautifully in the bush.
And at a very affordable price.
You made the right call for sure.
Hi Solid. Thanks for taking us with you on your journey. Great video and full of information. It's really refreshing to hear your opinion from a real user side other then just a journalist. I wish you a lot of fun and shiny side up!
Thanks mate
mate it's your bike you paid for it you do what ever you want to it. don't listen to some of these people lol
👍😎
Agree 100% on doing quality upgrades to a relatively inexpensive machine. I have the 250 Rally version, and expect to be doing suspension upgrades, once I’ve had more time with the factory setup.
Thanks for the video, and the wise comments about upgrading a "cheap" bike with nice parts. I'm finally about ready to pull the trigger on a suspension upgrade myself, and I'm on the shorter side. Appreciate the insight on that. It makes me lean a little more towards the Rally Raid Level 1 solution, which is supposed to keep things at about stock height.
I think that sounds like a solid choice.
I'm 260lbs and 6'3" so I got their Level 2 kit.
Never spent that much money on suspension before even on my Toyota 4x4s but I'm stoked.
Good evening Australia 🇦🇺 Hey Solid, that was great to see you out at the shop with Russ there. He really knows his stuff. This is a great resource for allot of 300L owners for sure they will be taking note. The 2022 CB500X has that SSF fork setup as well. I agree with you Solid, a bike spent less purchasing, is not less worthy of upgrades at all. Totally the owners decision and thats all that matters. Look forward to your off road ride, lets see what the 300L does now!
Cheers Wayne, sounds like you have that 500x well setup
Great review I have one of the very first crf 250Ls which I have ridden for the last 10 years on and off road, its been brillant no complaints its always got me home and has been fun to ride. I have had 30+ bikes over the years inc 2 Africa twins and a few BMWs but the 250 is the bike I have kept the longest. I have just bought a 300L which im looking to upgrade, I'll proberly keep the 250 as a spare, as its still running and requires very little maintenance.
100% with you when spending.. My DR650se is another perfect example of a relative cheap bike, with my personal touches of quality parts and mods to help my ride be of even more reliable nature.. 👍
I like it! Congrats!
grats on the upgrade
Very informative and on point, as always, Solid. Ten bonus points for use of the word "trepidation" in a youtube video! And watching Russ work...you picked someone who really knows what he's doing from a lifetime of hard work.
Watching Russ was like watching a pro musician in the zone. I usually try to keep the discourse simple for non english speakers but every now and then my overeducated mouth wins :P
@@chroniclesofsolid Russ: a true metal head! Gotta let that learnin` out da mout sometimes mate. Otherwise, all that late night studying was for naught.
I am thinking of getting a suspension upgrade on my new Rally but don't want to lose the stock forks ability to glide over rocky (think fist and larger sized rock, embedder and loose) conditions at moderate speed with zero side deflections. The Rally's stock forks do a much better job of tracking exactly where the front tire is pointing in these conditions than prior KTM 350 and 690 bikes. I will be interested to hear how your forks handle rocky terrain at your normal pace. & keep up the great content!
Super glad to hear you've got the suspension set up by a professional. I did that on the CRF250L and love it to pieces - it is now a much better dirt bike and road bike. The front is still plush, but I can drive into a curb with some speed (high 1st or low 2nd) go over it smoothly and still have travel left. You will love it :)
Cheers Suzy, I sure hope so!
Nice, love it. Often the first best way to improve many factory bikes. I have a custom bike I am anxious to see how it rides[10 years later!] but for the first time with '05 CRF450 front forks.. it uses an '87 CR250R frame [oem rebuilt rear shock, lighter '96 rear wheel] with a XR300cc '86+ style old aircooled RFVC motor! A 4-stroke MXer built sometime like '89 to early 90's before those were a thing. It is a single-track trail kind of bike, here in the Rocky Mountains USA. The change with the front forks and further suspension tuning is my curiosity.
Well worth the money. What most people don't get is that it may be reasonably priced, but it is still a Honda! And that means that it is NOTHING like any of it's rivals, it doesn't feel like a tractor, all it's coatings will not be tarnished in six months time, it will start! I could go on... :-)
I agree with your logic on the purchase.
It's interesting what Russ said about fitness, it's something at nearly 55 I've started working on. That said good suspension helps with fatigue. Looking forward to hearing how you get on with your upgrades 👍👍👍
Yer its a great point and often overlooked because we cant just buy it off the shelf
Good for you mate. And it’s not “cheap” it’s inexpensive. And every bike, no matter the cost, is a platform. If you buy a platform for 100 and end up spending 100 on making it work really well, you’re still better off than spending 175 on another platform and spending 50 on upgrades to get the same result. And if we’re talking Honda vs ktm, there’s also the small matters of reliability and service interval.
Love the raspberry!✌️😎
Solid, I spent about $450 US on suspension for a '99 TW200. Some say 'too much', I say rides nice and works well, plus 'my money'. 😉 ENJOY your bike and the heck with the nay-sayers.
Cheers mate 👍 long live the mighty little TW 😎
Thanks Solid, I’m very interested in your next videos regarding the suspension upgrade. The improvement in the front end dive when braking is something I guess I didn’t think about it helping. What is your thoughts on accessing the clickers on the front forks? Thanks Don in Texas.
Congrats, big step, hope it works out for you
Congrats on committing to suspension mods! If you want to know how much suspension travel you are using on the front forks offroad you can wrap a ziptie around one of the staunchions, then adjust your spring/preload accordingly. Have fun out there!
Thanks for your videos, super helpful. Do you know the measures of the stock fork spring? I need the external and internal diameter, to create a spacer to add preload. Thanks!
Totally agree solid. I'm so glad you like your bike. I've been toying around with considering getting a 300l rally and upgrading the suspension etc. But I've got a good bike (cb500x rally raid lvl 2) and I think I might stick it out another couple of years to see if one of the Japanese companies comes out with a 450 rally style bike with long maintenance intervals. The reason being that where I live I have to ride a fair amount of highway and I'd prefer to have that bit more power for safely overtaking etc. And the extra power would be handy on longer road based adventure trips. But I'm mostly interested in off road. I just like to be able to ride to where I play and home again as opposed to hauling the bike to and fro.
Thanks for the video, just picked up my brand new Honda CRF 300L last week. At a weight of 70 kilo I think the suspension should be fine for me.
Congrats 👍
And I’ve procrastinated about changing the fork oil on the drz.
Yes you are correct go with the money you have and dont let others lead on another path, I have just got one and Im doing the same things, Hale to the crf,
Well done...
I get how Russell removed the wheel clamp by heating the glue at the tube joint, but I have 2 questions. But first, I removed the guards from both of my lower shocks. Looking into the bolt holes I can see that my lower tubes are threaded at the wheel clamps. I then removed the tiny Torx screw and observed that there is nothing to drill out. That means the tiny Torx screw is the actual set screw for the wheel clamp to the threads 1. When he rejoined the wheel clamp to the lower tube did he re-apply some sort of glue to replace what was originally there? 2. What would be the best way to resecure and lock the wheel clamp to the bottom tube if the glue was not re-applied?
great video
I hope you are happy with the performance and was worth the money
Great vid bro! All of your points were completely nailed it on the head! I see so many kooks go spend 20k on bikes, and they still can’t ride!. The 300L is a great platform and don’t let anyone tell you different> Yew!
Well said!
Goodday you may need a new side stand take a look at MAD thay also replaced the suspension on the 300 but used two springs .good to see the difference
I'm putting in a rally raid rear shock for starters. Waiting for it to arrive. What's the general consensus - will I need or should I get the front done too?
Mate, in the end it’s not a cheap bike. It’s a quality Honda. It’s fantastic to hear from a proper suspension guy and pick his brain on these things so well done. Lastly, I gotta ask, Freo or Eagles?
Have to admit I’m no longer much of a footy guy but back in the day it was eagles all the way 👍
@@chroniclesofsolid Bikes and footy is 💚 but I can understand why you’re not thrilled with the Eagles right now 😄 100% Lions here. 🤞🏼for September 😬
I drove around the block 2 looking for , he just. Put in a softer spring on right front
Needs more tuning as to. soft when I got it back. Mine was 1.5" higher than stock after so added a lowering link. I need lessons on how to adjust and get right though
My own experience with lowering links is that they over power the spring by changing the leverage. You will just end up with a saggy rear end. On my KLR650 I added a heavier spring but it was still saggy. I eventually spent $$$ on a Progressive WRAP shock that was 1" lower and it was a huge upgrade. I wish it was lower still but it is what it is. Changing your suspension is not cheap. I put the Race Tech emulators in the front and it made a huge difference. Again $$$ but really worth it. Or I could buy a KTM890 but $$$$$$.
Dude really enjoy your video's
👍
I wonder how much the forks of the CRF250M would be, they're quite a bit stiffer than the L version. Or what's inside them.
I have just upgraded my 300L with YSS rear shock, went for the fully adjustable version. For the front I decided to go with Andreani Misano Evo cartridges. It also took me a while (and lot’s of heat) to get the axle clamps off the inner tube.
It was worth every cent, the bike now turns razor sharp and far away from being spongy.
Did you get the yss with both hi and low speed compression adjustments? Also how much taller did this make your bike? Been looking at that same setup...
Hi. I found your comment on RUclips about ANDREANI for crf300. I just bought it and I'm having a hard time installing it. They didn't give me a manual for this model. After many videos on RUclips and your comment, I understood that I had to remove the lower part holding the wheel axle and insert this Andreani kit from the bottom. Did you have to drill the lower parts to remove them or was it enough to heat them up? The left bottom has a screw that holds the shock absorber insert. The right one does not have such a screw and looking through this hole from the bottom it seems that the shock absorber tube is plugged. The right side after dismantling the lower part of the axle is open so that Andreani can be inserted? I am asking you for help.
@@One979 yes, the top shelf one and I love it .
It didn´t get taller. Subjectively it feels taller now that it doesn´t use 2/3 of travel just because I am sitting on it 😀. I am not a heavy weight, 90kg in full gear at 183cm
@@HulajDusza999 Witam! strange, I replied to your question a coule of minutes ago, but the comment is not showing.
Ok, one more try, I absolutely can feel your pain, I spent hours to find some information.
So, you are correct, there is a plug on the right side. No drilling required, there is a tiny torx screw on the outer side you need to remove, right in the middle, below of where the fork protector screw goes. No idea why the guy in the shop drilled it out, probaby destroing the thread.
I had to use lots of heat before it came of, so be patient and you won´t have to use too much force. Hint, you can use the axle as an extension and carefully put it in a vice to turn the axle clamps, if you don´t have the tool to unscrew the inner tube. I don´t remember if it was really necessary to remove the left axle clamp, but I did and it worked.
In the manuals linked I found they don´t, but the manuals where not the exact same model. Check out www.omniaracing.net/rep/download/MANUALE_1_ENG.pdf and www.omniaracing.net/rep/download/MANUALE_4_ENG.pdf, but don´t get confused, as I said it´s not the CRF 300 L showing, but some of the pictures are close enough to give you at least some hints.
Tell me how it went when you are done
@@scamperggl it worked. I unscrewed and almost turned. how much oil did you use? I know there should be 100mm of air space. I bought 1 liter and it's not enough. Did you put the oil in with the spring in? how many liters of oil did you use? thanks for the help
Hi COS , what can you tell me about the yss shock range and which one did you go with. It looks like there are three options at three price points, what's the difference?
100% correct!
Totally agree!
Money well spent mate 👌
Nice video, I wish you had shown more detail on removing the axle holder from the fork leg.
Exhaust. Waiting on my Rally. Very capable bikes. I'm big boy so anything I get needs some suspension work. Just part of the price. Now, B&B bash plate. Braided brake lines would be nice. Use the 3M sealant and tape and make the wheels tubeless. Go ride.
I just put on a new YSS rear shock and new knobby tires, It's way better.
hello just want to check if the part number is MZ456-310TRL-72-85 on the mono shock and the cartridge kit is CO208-755TRC-02
I’m looking to buy the CRF300L in Thailand and getting the suspension upgraded because out of the box the bikes seat height is only 830 mm and ground clearance is 244 mm, so pretty low
Not sure you need to add 3-4 grand for a new excf. They are usually ready to go out of the box no ?
I upgraded my 300l too... Sold it and bought a Tenere 😉🤙👌
Good video
Also a big thing people (that hate on the 300L) forget to mention or put into consideration is the reliability. The 286CC engine in the 300l (also in CBR300) is an engine with long track history of reliability. Not unheard of to get 100k miles out of this engine.. So all the KTM and Husky fanboys can talk all they want about wasting money and blah blah blah.. but at the end of the day it's not wasting money If our bike lasts 100k miles with 6k miles service intervals and their bike is getting 20k miles with 1k service intervals lol.. BIG DIFFERENCE.
Be sure to update the grand total 💲of upgrades on part 3. Your reasoning makes sense to me.
Would it be possible for you to measure and post the new seat height?
Another great vid solid. 👍
Also worth a mention I think, YSS offer all their suspension for the 300L at 30mm lower for us shorties.
And....bigger tank?? Do tell! Does it start with an A, end with an S??
probably check rally raid's offering too, they offer lower options for the shocks.
Is that the Stage 1 that you are referring to?
Jealous of your cartridge! I just went with a heavy spring (my ridiculous height puts me at 220 even with a healthy BF%). I got lucky and it's worked out fine for my needs but it'd be fun to have something I can tinker with.
Spent about $500 US on my rear shock and new front spring but I suppose most of that's in the shock and I can always go cartridge if I feel the need.
That decreased sag from the rear shock is sweet huh? Makes the bike feel soooo much more substantial.
How does it feel compared to a stock DRZ suspension?
hope the fork spring rate works out for you….also i heared your installer say that the rear shocks rebound/compression are linked ie. adjust one and effect the other
They do offer two versions that have more adjustment for the rear but of course they are more money.
@@marcochavane3124 yes i’m currently running the same one as Cronic (remote res with adjustable comp & rebd)….i recently discovered that there is some sort of crossover with either of these settings…something that i’ve not had on any suspension i’ve owned
@@H3avyHaul3r YSS is junk....go with ÖHLINS
Good news on the shocks, why not spend the money on the bike if you can afford it! Thanks for sharing, good solid advice. David...Adelaide...Tiger 900GT & Street Scrambler....
Thanks mate PS rode the 1200 GT Explorer last week wow 😎
@@chroniclesofsolid Triumph make Fkn good bikes, I have been so happy with my 900GT as most of my rides on Road/dirt...
Do you think abs makes a real difference over the non abs in this bike ?
Congrats man. You are spending wisely. Your bonus is you own a Honda that has longer service intervals and will last forever. KTM builds a great performance machine but looses the race on long term reliability, IMO.
It so easy with the right tools. Missed the part about modifying the lower for the 2nd dampener. He said something about a torx bit and "pinging it up " ? , drilling a hole and "beating it up " ? Can you clarify that please ? I changed my rear shock but have not done the front yet. Thanks
I would if I could Ron. Russel specially requested that part be left out as he had to find that one out the hard way and didn't want to share his hard earned knowledge unfortunately :(
@@chroniclesofsolid .....so the suspension cartridge manufacturer does not include instructions for installation? If only Honda/Showa put proper forks on this thing to begin with instead of half arsing it......If Honda would have tried pawning this one side spring/one side dampener system on buyers in the 70's, they would have been laughed out of business.
Hello chronicleofsolid.
I currently own a crf 300L and was wondering if you know the part numbers for the headlight from Australia. In north America they sell the 300L with halogen bulb and not LED.
I want to convert mine to LED but still look factory.
Looking to do the same, but don't know how. The LED one looks so much better.
Great vids mate. I’m just working through the process of setting up my CRF300L and am looking at YSS suspension. What is your seat height with this suspension fitted? Cheers.
roughly 10mm over stock
Dont know if a front mounted larger gastank will ever come out. Might have to go with the rear mounted Camel Adventure Tank
IMS are taking pre orders for their 11.3 litre and I just received an email from Acerbis stating they should have a tank out in October..ish.
Great video! Curious to why YSS over Ohlins.
Because of ignorance...
For me is more about the lack of power of the 300l than the suspension, still pretty cool what u doing
25HP is complete rubbish...
The power is more than enough for what the bike is designed to do. But the suspension on the other hand is where I believe Honda cuts all the costs. The stock one sucks major nuts.
Hi solid have the 300l. you mentioned a larger tank & in previous vid you mentioned IMS having a 3.2 gallon in the works if I'm correct. I emailed IMS a few days ago to enquire about the larger 3,2 gallon tank & timeline & they got back to me saying they only have a 2.5 gallon in the making?? Weird.... thoughts or knowledge on this comment from IMS or potential other supplier?
IMS were aiming for 3.2 but for whatever reason decided 2.5 was easier to get done. Disappointing, and I addressed it in Bike Banter. I did just get an email from Acerbis stating they are developing a tank that will be available in October. No size was stated.
What GPS do you have on your handlebar?
Very good video thank you 🤠
Garmin GPSMAPS66i
I think the 300l can be the perfect trail you can travel on the road at a comfort speed not have to change the oil every 10 hour and rebuild the engine every 100 hours .
In the uk this bike is £5595 on the road the ktm 350 is £9500 so with the rally raid suspension kit and full exhaust system and luggage etc it still a bargain and you have a bike you travel the world on and you know it will be reliable ps I run a swm rs300r cheap bike very reliable but rubbish on the road great on the trail
May I ask what your height, inseam and weight are?
I did the same upgrades on my CRF300L and feel it was a huge waste of money. On the road and smooth gravel roads it works ok. On rough trails and in the rocks it is horrible. If you mainly use the bike off road I would look elsewhere for upgrades. YSS put the wrong springs in my fork kit they actually coil bind at about 75% of the travel. The rear shock heats up quickly then fades.
👍🥂 Greetings from Norway
thanks! I'm 176 cm / 5.7f- do you think I will get one foot with the upgraded suspension. what's your height?
Not sure, you should be able to get one foot down, I'm 182ish cm. They do offer a lower version of the suspension set as well👍
Haven’t watched the video yet, but looks like the suspension costs the same as the bike. Eeeeeek! Update: seems worth it and not as much as I thought. Nice bike!
Will you be fitting the new Uni filter foam filter to your CRF300L
Yer in time
Did he even set your sag while you were there?
If I ever get good enough I may consider a ktm or husky or beta ... but doing good suspension and tires is never wrong if you are trying to get the most out of the bike and ride it mildly hard. Anybody who says different is not riding the bike hard. They can stick smooth street riding.
@chroniclesofsolid, I'm dying for part 3... How did it go in the trails, are you happy?
Me to mate, unfortunately I have had a tornado of life complications. As soon as I get the chance I will be out there testing👍
@@chroniclesofsolid Thanks for the reply and sorry to hear it. Best of luck with whatever that is.
well it sounds to me you have never gone down the road of setting your bike for your weight before , which is a must on any bike if your outside the weight set out of the box , yes its always a good thing , as a safety thing at least , your money would be better spent on that than go fast mods , the main thing is set the bike for what you do and enjoy , good video see you out there ,,,,, steve Geraldton
I am buying the Rally here in Indonesia and trying to collect as much YSS info as I can. For the carriage it looks like there are actually three different spring rates and dampening set ups (I assume), however no rider weight is provided (standard, enduro and motard is what's listed). Same for the rear shock. It would have been very helpful if you provided some part numbers or specifications. In addition, the bike specific and tricky or difficult part of drilling out the locking pins at the lower caps was just mentioned in passing. As a diy guy, I would have loved to see that part. Please consider including more specific/tch info in your vids, it will be greatly appreciated. Thx
I would love to have put it in for you but Russel requested it be left out of the video because it was hard won knowledge that he didn't want shared.
@@chroniclesofsolid ok thx for the reply.
@@pawelwolski1316 That way of thinking just makes me not wanna go to to people like him and look elsewhere. As if he is the one making the product...
@@pawelwolski1316 The parts are most likely YSS MZ456-415TR-06 if you are a 55-85kg rider or MZ456-415TR-07 if you are a 85-105kg rider, by the way. There are also versions of these two that are 10mm shorter - MZ456-405TR-17 and MZ456-405TR-18, respectively.
@@d_ressu Thx for the info, I do have the part numbers as well, but they are just that. It would have been very helpful to know which spring rates were installed on the bike, this way I would have been able to do a real world assessment vs catalog spring rates. Thx again.
might need a longer kick stand now that your bike is higher.