2021 Honda CRF300L Guide

2021 Honda CRF300L: READY FOR ROAD AND TRAIL.

Introducing the 2021 Honda CRF300L…

We’ve reborn the CRF300L with a lightweight chassis, slimmer bodywork and boosted power and torque from the engine. But, while the specification has improved, the brilliant dual-purpose formula stays the same. The qualities that make it so good off–road – slim proportions, peppy throttle response, agile steering and supple suspension – also make it brilliant around town. The CRF300L enlivens any weekday commute with an enjoyable, satisfying all-round performance. And, come the weekend, this is a motorcycle born to explore.

BE THERE. WHEREVER THERE IS – LIGHTER. MORE POWERFUL. EVEN MORE FUN.
First, let’s do the numbers.
The CRF300L is 4kg lighter, thanks to its new frame and tapered aluminium swingarm, which you’ll notice the moment you change direction, on or off-road. The larger capacity single-cylinder engine produces an extra 1.9kW power with 4Nm more torque – which you’ll feel when you tap open the throttle – and now features an Assist/Slipper Clutch. Ground clearance is increased, and the riding position is tailored for complete control, with a slim fuel tank and seat, contoured for comfort and easy ground reach. A Gear Position indicator for the dash and an aggressive new headlight design are the smart finishing touches.

READY FOR WORK AND PLAY
The CRF300L draws DNA from the incredible CRF450R and CRF450RX competition bikes.
So it starts in a great place. And, thanks to HRC and their racing programme, we’ve improved every aspect of its dual-sport performance. Ground clearance is improved by 30mm, to make bumping off kerbs (or over logs) so much easier.

Honda CRF300L Ready for work and playHonda CRF300L Born ready
Seat height gains 5mm to 880mm, improving natural control, while the narrow fuel tank means you can move forward freely. Whether navigating rough city streets or conquering new trails – or both in a day – the CRF300L is born ready.

The essence of what makes a true dual-purpose motorcycle has long been in Honda’s DNA. In the late 1970s the XL250S was launched – a bike providing genuine on-road usability with excellent off-road performance. The entire XL range that followed became legendary, and proved that combining an economical and easy-to-use single-cylinder four-stroke engine with a competent chassis created a motorcycle that was useful, versatile and, as riders the world over found, a great deal of fun.

Over a decade ago, exhaustive discussions within Honda R&D took place about the creation of a brand-new dual-purpose machine. The company’s long history – in off-road competition and trail-ready machinery – was a useful touchstone when development of the bike first began.

Looking to the needs of customers came first. While some riders insist upon competition-level off-road performance, many others value ease of use, practicality and convenience. For weekday, urban environments they wanted a tough, practical bike with cutting-edge off-road style. But, come the weekend, it needed to provide a ticket to ride, wherever they wanted to go, on or off-road.

Honda’s new dual-purpose bike was always viewed by its development team with global perspective. It not only needed a powerful and frugal engine, its chassis also had to have a broad and capable range. And it needed to be affordable, offering high quality and outstanding value for money, with low overall running costs a priority.

The CRF250L, launched across Europe in 2012, was just that motorcycle.

And Honda’s engineers got the formula right. The CRF250L has proved a fruitful base platform which, as well as spawning a RALLY version, enjoys consistent sales success around the world.

Time marches on, however, and now the new CRF300L takes the stage for 2021 – lighter, more powerful and with an array of detail improvements. It is every bit the do-it-all, dual-purpose motorcycle the CRF250L was. Just more so.

2021 Honda CRF300L Totalmotorcycle.com Key Features

Increased cubic capacity for Honda’s popular dual-purpose tool, plus revised air intake, inlet cam timing and exhaust system that extract more peak power and considerably stronger torque across the rev-range. Shorter gearbox ratios are topped with a taller 6th gear while an assist/slipper clutch allows confident control of the rear wheel. Handling on any terrain is improved with a new swingarm and more laterally flexible frame, increased ground clearance, longer travel suspension and revised riding position. Sharp new bodywork and graphics mark the 2021 upgrades, and there’s a crisp, positive LCD instrument display. Kerb weight is reduced by 4kg to 142kg, making for a 13% improvement in power to weight ratio.

Now 286cc, the CRF300L’s new engine produces 10% more peak power of 20.1kW @ 8,500rpm, and 18% more peak torque at 26.6Nm @ 6,500rpm. Inlet cam timing has been revised, alongside both air intake and exhaust system for much stronger mid-range torque and power. Gear ratios 1-5 are shorter, for improved response, while 6th is taller for more relaxed high-speed cruising. An assist/slipper clutch now manages the rear wheel under hard down changes and offers 20% less load at the lever.

A redesigned steel frame, aluminium swingarm and bottom yoke are major contributors to a 4kg overall weight loss and feature revised rigidity balance for feedback and feel. Steering geometry has been adjusted in detail to match, alongside longer travel front/rear suspension and increased ground clearance.

Sharp-edged bodywork features a slimmer tank and seat, and a new positive LCD instrument display. The riding position, too, has been altered to encourage the light steering manoeuvrability needed off-road and, just as usefully, around town.

THE NEW CRF300L AND CRF300 RALLY – HONDA’S LIGHTWEIGHT DUAL-PURPOSE BIKES RECEIVE MAJOR UPDATES

• New longer-stroke 286cc engine produces 10% more power and 18% more torque
• 4kg lighter kerb weight means 13% improvement in power-to-weight ratio
• New frame, longer travel suspension, higher ground clearance, revised steering geometry and riding position improve all-terrain handling and agility
• Sharp new LCD display for both models
• Extra 2.7L fuel capacity for CRF300 RALLY plus elevated long-haul comfort and reduced seat height
• The CRF250L, launched across Europe in 2012 has quietly and consistently proved the all-round value and appeal of the lightweight, dual-purpose formula. In 2017 it was joined by the CRF250 RALLY, featuring a straight-from-the-Dakar look and a focus on longer range adventures.
• Model year 2021 sees major upgrades for both motorcycles, underpinned by a new, larger-capacity powerplant, now mounted in a considerably lighter chassis, delivering a significant 13% improvement in power-to-weight ratio.

Now 286cc, the EURO5-compliant, liquid-cooled DOHC 4-valve single-cylinder engine produces peak power of 20.1kW @ 8,500rpm, and, thanks to a longer stroke, fully 18% more maximum torque of 26.6Nm @ 6,500rpm (up from 18.2kW @ 8.500rpm/22.6Nm @ 6,750rpm). Engine ‘breathing’ has been improved thanks to new inlet cam timing, and revised air intake and exhaust systems. Shorter ratios for the first five gears amplify the benefits of the increased torque and power, while 6th is taller for more relaxed high-speed cruising. An assist/slipper clutch now manages the rear wheel and offers 20% less load at the lever.

A redesigned steel semi-double cradle frame, aluminium swingarm and bottom yoke are major contributors to a 4kg overall weight loss and feature revised rigidity balance – with more lateral flex – for increased feedback and feel. Steering geometry has been adjusted in detail to match, alongside longer travel suspension (10mm front/20mm rear for the CRF300L and 10mm front for the CRF300 RALLY) and increased ground clearance.

The CRF300L’s fresh, sharp-edged bodywork features a slimmer 7.8L fuel tank and seat, and new, easy-to-read positive LCD instrument display. The riding position, too, has been improved to encourage light-steering manoeuvrability – the handlebars are pulled back slightly, the foot pegs lowered and moved rearwards. Seat height grows 5mm to 880mm.

At 885mm the CRF300 RALLY’s broader, rubber-mounted seat is now 10mm lower; the fuel tank grows 2.7L to 12.8L. Its handlebars feature internal weights to minimise vibration and the foot pegs are topped with rubber inserts, while LED indicators are now flexibly mounted for durability.

Altogether, the CRF300L and CRF300 RALLY remain supremely useful, do-it-all, dual-purpose motorcycles as per the original formula. And, with all of their 2021 improvements, they are more ready than ever to tackle any challenge – from around the block to around the world.

2021 Honda CRF300L Totalmotorcycle.com Features and Benefits

Engine

• Larger capacity 286cc engine puts out an extra 1.9kW and 4Nm
• Revised gearbox ratios for both acceleration and cruising
• Assist/slipper clutch with 20% lighter lever load

An extra 14% cubic capacity for the single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine – from 250cc to 286cc – is acquired by a 63mm stroke, as opposed to 55mm. Bore remains 76mm, as does compression ratio of 10.7:1. Peak power of 20.1kW arrives @ 8,500rpm, peak torque of 26.6Nm @ 6,500rpm (up from 18.2kW @ 8.500rpm/22.6Nm @ 6,750rpm). The full dyno graph curves tells the full story beyond the peak power and torque uplift: the new engine is considerably stronger, everywhere, from 2,000rpm up.

To match the engine’s heavier punch and to smarten pick-up and acceleration, gear ratios 1-5 are shorter, while 6th gear is taller for more relaxed highway cruising. Addition of an assist/slipper clutch reduces lever load by 20% and manages rear wheel ‘hop’ on rapid downshifts – great for control, on or off-road. On the highway, top speed goes from 129km/h to 132km/h.

Revised timing of the intake cam specifically boosts low- to mid-range response – the rpm range most used around town or off-road – and works with redesigned air filter, exhaust downpipe (660g lighter than the previous design), muffler and ignition timing. An iridium spark plug, along with precise metering of fuel from the PGM-FI injection system, further enhances combustion efficiency and improves environmental credentials.

The engine uses an offset cylinder, reducing internal frictional losses, while the piston itself incorporates a special surface material, plus molybdenum coating. The oil pump features an internal relief structure that prevents aeration of relieved oil. The crank journal employs a half-split, press-fit metal bearing while the crank bearing uses a cast-iron bush. A primary balance shaft further reduces vibration.

The cooling system uses a 12.7kW heat-release radiator, sited on the left of the bike, protected with a polypropylene grill baffled to improve airflow. A thin guide-ring cooling fan is used to maintain even temperatures at low speeds, either in congested traffic or tricky off-road situations.

The CRF300L engine is fully EURO5 compliant.

Chassis

• Handling and agility improved on any terrain from wide-ranging updates
• Significant weight saving from a new frame and swingarm
• Revised rigidity balance for both, with increased ground clearance
• Longer travel front and rear suspension

A total of 4kg has been saved overall from the CRF300L’s chassis, with wet weight of 142kg. The steel semi-double cradle frame is completely new and contributes 2.15kg to the weight loss. Just as importantly, to promote handling feel and connection to front/rear traction, its flexibility balance has been tuned with 25% less lateral rigidity.

This has been achieved with decreased width (-30mm) for the main down tube and smaller, 25.4mm diameter lower down tubes (from 28.6mm) plus a 20mm decrease in width across the central bracing tube.

To match, the one-piece cast aluminium swingarm is not only 550g lighter, it features a 23% reduction in lateral rigidity. It’s also 15mm narrower just behind the pivot point and smooth, cross-sectional shaping is used to create uniform deflection. Extruded aluminium is used for the chain adjustment collar. The steel bottom yoke of the previous design has been changed for aluminium; this shaves 730g from an area high relative to the centre of gravity for faster steering response.

The 43mm Showa inverted fork gains 10mm of stroke to 260mm, with spring weight and damping settings revised for precise control over a wide range of terrain and speeds. Pro-Link rear suspension now features a 260mm axle stroke, from 240mm; the Showa shock absorber is a single tube design.

Ground clearance has been increased, from 255 to 285mm and the frame and engine sit 20mm higher, thanks to revisions to the lower frame, engine crankcases and oil drain plug. Rake and trail are now set at 27.5°/109mm (from 27.6°/113mm) with 10mm longer wheelbase of 1455mm. Turning radius is 2.3m.

The front brake uses a single 256mm disc gripped by a two-piston caliper, the rear a 220mm disc and single-piston caliper; in common with the CRF competition machines the rear master cylinder is now a lightweight, integrated design. The discs feature a wave design – also taken directly from the CRF250R/CRF450R – with exceptional self-cleaning abilities in adverse conditions. 2-channel ABS is standard.

Lightweight aluminium rims further reduce unsprung mass; for 2021 the Alumite surface has been polished to a gloss finish. Block pattern enduro-style tyres (front, 80/100-21 51P and rear 120/80-18 62P) provide traction in a wide range of riding situations.

The 21-inch front wheel and 18-inch rear increase stability on rough terrain and allow the fitment of more off-road specific tyres if required. Application of a machined rear sprocket and M8 bolts (instead of M10) plus hollow rear axle saves 240g and 160g respectively.

Styling & equipment

• Lighter, slimmer bodywork inspired by competition CRF machines
• Revised riding position promotes natural control
• Positive LCD display even easier to read

Drawing yet more inspiration from the racing CRFs, the CRF300L wears a crisp set of new bodywork and graphics. The 7.8L fuel tank is 190g lighter and slimmer than before to aid movement forward, and matched by a narrower forward seat section. The rear number plate bracket is also much reduced, for a 300g saving, while the aggressively shaped front mudguard is also lighter.

To foster easy, light control, the riding position has been subtly altered: the handlebars are have been pulled back slightly, while the foot rests have been lowered and also moved back, to make gear changes in heavy off-road boots easier. Seat height is increased 5mm, to 880mm, for a naturally upright ‘rider triangle’. The side stand, too has been redesigned with a 10% larger area for its (new) folding footplate.

A redesigned, 70g lighter LCD display features large black digits on a crisp white display, for instant readability. The speedo numbers are also 6mm larger, at 23mm. Information includes gear position indicator, fuel mileage and consumption, average speed, stopwatch and rev-counter.

Accessories

Tailor-made accessories for the CRF300L include 38L top box, rear carrier bracket and mounts and protective sump guard for the engine.

2021 Honda CRF300L – Totalmotorcycle.com USA Specifications/Technical Details
US MSRP Price: $ USD
Canada MSRP Price: $  CDN
Europe/UK MSRP Price: £  GBP (On The Road inc 20% Vat)

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2021 Honda CRF300L – Totalmotorcycle.com Canada Specifications/Technical Details

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2021 Honda CRF300L – Totalmotorcycle.com European Specifications/Technical Details

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