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It's Official, The 2021 Honda CRF300L And CRF300 Rally Are On Their Way To PEI: Release Date, Specs, Images, Video

Jan. 6 2021 News By Centennial Auto-Sport & Tire

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Move over, 250. The 2021 Honda CRF300L and 2021 Honda CRF300 Rally are moving in. 

In the booming dual-sport motorcycle category, the arrival of a new bike from Honda is a very big deal – these CRF300s are destined to become the best-selling on-road bikes in Prince Edward Island in 2021. Dual-sport bikes offer the best of both worlds. They're capable on-road bikes that can tackle any kind of dirt road PEI throws at you, but then you can veer onto the path less travelled by using a dual-sport as a trail bike, too. 

Honda's history with dual-sports stretches back as far as the late 1970s and the XL250S. Fast forward to 2012 and the CRF250L quickly became a global success story for Honda, already the largest motorcycle producer in the world. The lightweight CRF250L and adventure-oriented CRF250 Rally were always in high demand, but these CRF300L and CRF300 Rally bikes are about to take Honda's affordable dual-sport to another level. 

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2021 HONDA CRF300L

  • 15% more displacement, revised air intake, inlet cam timing, exhaust
  • Result: more power from a bigger engine
  • Gearing is altered for shorter ratios (better acceleration, easier to tap into power in the city and on trail) along with a taller sixth gear for better high-speed cruising
  • New slipper clutch creates smoother shifts and avoids rear wheel lock up when downshifting
  • New swingarm, increased ground clearance (up 1.2 inches to 11.2 inches), more suspension travel
  • Overall weight is down by 11 pounds even with the larger, more powerful engine
  • Power-to-weight ratio improves by 13%
  • Narrower dimensions around knee and thigh placement for superior control
  • Handlebars are
  • ABS is now available
  • New styling inspired by CRF450R Works Edition

Honda didn't shy away from digging right down into the nitty gritty details. There's a new machined rear sprocket that uses M8 bolts (rather than M10) along with a hollow rear axle. These two changes combine to save 400 grams. The fuel tank is 190 grams lighter, too, and even the license plate bracket received attention: it's 300 grams lighter than before. Every little bit counts in an effort to cut weight by 5 kilograms and make the CRF300L more nimble and flickable than before. CRF300L pricing starts at $6,499 ($6,699 with ABS) and will begin arriving at Centennial Auto-Sport And Tire in the spring of 2021.

2021 HONDA CRF300 RALLY

In most aspects, the Honda CRF300 Rally is a CRF300L. That means you're gaining the same benefits of the L model: more power, slipper clutch, altered gearing, better ground clearance, etc. Weight in the CRF300 Rally, similarly, was reduced by 11 pounds, creating that same 13% improvement in power-to-weight ratio. So what are the differences when switching from the CRF300L to the CRF300 Rally?

  • The Rally's fuel tank is 12.8 litres – that's an additional 5 litres of fuel compared to the CRF300L and it's 2.7 litres more than the CRF250 Rally
  • Seat height is 34.84 inches – that's about two-tenths of an inch higher than the CRF300L but nearly half an inch lower than the CRF250 Rally
  • The Rally also includes hand guards and reshaped front bodywork: the upper and lower fairing along with the side shrouds are designed to provide more protection, plus there's a windshield
  • ABS is standard equipment on the CRF300 Rally. As on the L, you can turn off rear ABS "for more dynamic off-road riding"
  • The seat is 20mm wider than the CRF300L's with more all-day riding in mind
  • The Rally includes internal handlebar weights to reduce vibration
  • The Rally also includes a skid plate to protect the 300's underside
  • CRF300 Rally ground clearance grows to 10.8 inches

Pricing for the 2021 Honda CRF300 Rally – officially designated as the CRF300LRA – starts at $7,499. Both the Rally and L models are available with rear carrier bracket and mounts and a 38-litre top box. The 2021 Honda CRF300 Rally is also destined to arrive at Centennial Auto-Sport And Tire in the spring of 2021. 

And don't forget, Honda's 2021 dirt bike lineup also includes hot new 450s. Honda has also unveiled the new Rebel 1100. And Honda's SxS lineup is growing to include the 2021 Pioneer 520.