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I've had the Honda Grom for 13 months and 6,400 km. It's been a great little bike, but it's time to upgrade. I want to travel and go camping, so I need something that can actually do highway speeds and carry a bit of weight. The Grom just isn't cut out for that.
So I purchased a new bike today!
Fingers crossed, it'll get delivered tomorrow. 
Then I'll reveal what I got. 
Unfortunately, the delivery of my new motorcycle has been delayed until next week.
But that's OK, here's what I've ordered: a Honda CRF300 Rally!
https://motorcycles.honda.com.au/models/onroad/adventuretouring/crf300-rally
Can't wait for it to get here.
First impressions on the Honda CRF300 Rally:
* Sure vibrates a lot more than the Grom. I'll add some Grip Puppies.
* Seat height isn't as much of a challenge as I expected. I wouldn't want to start out on this bike, but it's very approachable after 1 yr of riding experience.
* Power is amazing compared to the Grom. No trouble doing 100 km/hr, even uphill.
* Gets blown around a lot more than the Grom did at 80+ km/hr.
1/2
@dHeinemann@fosstodon.orgFirst impressions on the Honda CRF300 Rally:
* Suspension is great on the road. Roads that make the Grom chatter like crazy feel like nothing in the CRF. Potholes just feel like a minor bump. Riding up curbs is easy.
* It's top-heavy for 150 kg. Need to be careful moving it around.
* Feels very stable at low speeds, perhaps due to the large tyres and heavier weight.
Overall, very happy so far. Looking forward to doing a small trip soon.
2/2
I've now had the Honda CRF300 Rally for 7 days and 400 km, and I'm absolutely stoked. I definitely picked the right bike for me.
I've gotten used to the vibes now. I like the way it sounds, rattles, and shakes. It has character.
The seat is decent. I've gone on 100 km street rides without discomfort.
The soft suspension is amazing on the road for my weight. This bike can ride over ANYTHING. I don't ever want to go back to short travel suspension again.
One of the surprising things about the CRF300 Rally is how good it feels to be seated so high. The Grom wasn't low, but the visibility on the Rally is so much better. I can almost see over lifted 4WDs, and I feel like motorists can see me much better. It's a great riding position.
I can also safely lane filter now. The Grom just didn't have enough torque to out-accelerate a car, but the Rally has plenty. My work commute is now a few minutes shorter. 
My next step is to get some proper MX boots and take the Rally off-road. There's a good adventure riding community here that I can join.
I also want to get back into camping. I've got some panniers on the way. I think my old camping gear should fit. It'll be nice to get outdoors from time to time. 
Finally dropped the Honda CRF300 Rally - onto rough concrete when I came to a stop without straightening the bars. 
* Broke the tip off the brake lever.
* Bent the brake pedal (easily bent back into place).
* Scuffed the right fairing, hand guard, and mirror.
* Knocked the right bar end into the handlebar, at a lopsided angle.
Nothing serious. I think it's time I got some Bark Busters though. Maybe an engine guard too. 
I removed the OEM handguards from my Honda CRF300 Rally and installed a set of adjustable Zeta levers (model ZE44-5011). They're looking great, but I can't shake the feeling I should've got them in red.
The brake lever is now *much* easier to reach and more comfortable to use. I can't adjust the clutch lever as much as I'd like without causing disengagement issues, but it's still an improvement.
Don't mind the damaged sticker; the dealership did that. 
I've now had my Honda CRF300 Rally for three months and 4,600 km. Time for an update.
This bike is without a doubt the best possible bike I could have chosen for my needs. I'm still absolutely stoked by it!
Like an addict, I'm constantly looking at other bikes for prospective upgrades, but I've not found anything that I wish I had bought instead or would be better overall. Zero regrets.
1/9
Why is the Rally so good for me?
It has a damn-near perfect amount of power. I weigh about 70 kg without gear, and the Rally easily does 110 km/hr, loaded with camping gear, with a little throttle to spare.
The soft suspension, tall clearance, and massive wheels are great on the road. I barely bother avoiding ruts and small potholes on the streets anymore because they're barely noticeable on the Rally.
The wheels and longish wheelbase also make it very stable at slow speeds.
2/9
The light weight (~150 kg) makes it easy to push around, and lift up after a drop. Granted, it took me a lot of practice to be able to reliably pick it up myself.
It's pretty damn durable. I've lost track of how many times I've dropped it on the street and dirt. 6 or 8? The plastics are beat to shit, and the handlebars and coolant reservoir bracket are bent, but the frame and engine are solid. This is exactly what I need to get comfortable on a bigger bike and learn to ride in the dirt.
3/9
The Rally's height makes it so easy to see when riding on the street. The visibility is so good that I have reservations about going back to a lower bike. It also makes me significantly more visible to motorists.
In the dirt, the Rally is very easy to ride. Apparently the stock tyres are awful off-road, but they give me a lot of confidence. I can't wait to find out what "good" dual sport tyres are like.
4/9
So how have my initial impressions changed?
I initially found the Rally really vibey compared to the Grom, but it's no longer an issue. Getting better gloves helped a lot, and either the engine broke in or I've gotten used to the vibes.
I also found the seat a bit uncomfortable at first, but it's all good now. I've ridden up to 480 km in a day, including over 100 km of gravel trails. The seat is perfectly adequate and I don't feel any need to change it.
5/9
The foot position still gets a little fatiguing on long rides, but the tall ground clearance means I can easily stretch them in any direction without worrying about clipping the road.
Sometimes I scoot my butt all the way to the back of the seat and stretch my legs out front as if I'm riding on a cruiser.
I can also easily stand on the pegs to stretch that way.
6/9
What don't I like about the Rally? Not much.
It could be better out of the box, like including a radiator guard that actually protects the radiator.
It could also have just a little more power - but so could most bikes.
I really wish it had electronic cruise control. I'd find it convenient, but it's an unrealistic desire for a dual sport.
My engine sometimes cuts out, but I'm not sure why yet. Could be my own fault.
That's about it. Everything else has been great.
7/9
What's next?
I think I'll eventually sell the Grom and get a street bike to complement the Rally. Maybe a Triumph T120, since it ticks a lot of boxes; I really want a <90 HP bike with cruise control for highway touring.
Bigger adv bikes like the Tenere 700 are tempting, but even if they have cruise control, I can't imagine wanting to take them on the gravel when they weigh so much and have so much more power than the Rally.
8/9
Overall, the Rally is going great. So good that since buying it, the only times I've ridden the Grom have been when the Rally was too damaged to ride. The Grom is great, but it doesn't have anything to offer me anymore.
I'm looking forward to taking the Rally on another road trip over Christmas, and getting more dirt practice too.
In the long term, I want to take it to Cape York (via the development road), and Birdsville. It'll be perfect for the corrugated gravel roads.
Excellent bike.
9/9
It's been almost 2,000 km since my CRF300 Rally's engine last cut out and refused to start.
I'm still not sure what causes it, but I tried a couple of suggestions I received and read online:
* I stopped using discount petrol. The theory here is that big brand petrol has better additives and is less likely to have water and dirt contamination.
* I fixed the excessive clutch lever free play.
Hopefully it's fixed for good.
@dHeinemann Nice choice.
Durable and reliable - and cheap/easy to repair if you have an oopsie. 
Cool. I have a DR650, which is fantastic on outback trips, but I'm always interested in lighter options. I'm probably more interested in the unfaired version (almost all my bikes over the years have been unfaired), but with the bigger tank. Was there anything that tipped you to the Rally over the base model?
@thefathippy I like the look of the L a little more than the Rally, but all of the extra features that the Rally has are features that I want:
* Windshield
* Bigger fuel tank
* Rally tower (I like a high-mount speedo so I can see it easily, and it allows me to mount my phone right above it)
* Wider/comfier seat
* Skid plate (plastic is adequate for now)
* Bigger brake disc
I did the math and it was a lot cheaper for me to just buy the Rally than to upgrade an L. Your mileage may vary.
@thefathippy Overall I'm extremely happy with the Rally. But I'm a new rider and I don't have any off-roading experience.
If you're coming from a DR650, you might find the CRF300 lacking in power, and soft in suspension. Give it a try if you get a chance, and see what you think.
Personally, I like the soft suspension. It's amazing for riding around town.
Excellent, thanks for replying 
You'll love it.
@dHeinemann Don't over look the middle ground on boots. I picked up some Forma Adventure Lows and they are a pretty good compromise. They also make full height ones that I think are just called Forma Adventure. They have many of the features of an off-road only boot, but with some nods to street use and long distance comfort.
True MX/off-road boots are very stiff and not great for getting to the off-road stuff, or walking around.
@mikey_in_sd I'm inclined to get some proper MX boots to be on the safe side. I'm completely new to off-roading and will probably drop the bike on myself at some point, or come off at a bad angle.
Earlier this year, my partner broke her ankle with a mere misstep out the door, and I *do not* want to go through that experience lol. 0/10, do not recommend.
I need to try on some Sidi Crossfire 3s. Expensive and stiff, but they should be reasonably walkable with the ankle hinge.
@dHeinemann Nooooooo! Shit
@Valheru All good. I knew it was going to happen eventually.
The silver lining is, now I don't need to worry about dropping it anymore.
@dHeinemann point taken!
@dHeinemann engine guards good! Matters more with finned air cooled bikes though. I’ve broken the fins by dropping on two bikes. But the engines can crack at the mounts with enough pressure on them so…, engine guards good
@triumph Yeah, sounds like a good investment. I want to do some off-roading, so more drops are inevitable.
@dHeinemann it's not a matter of "if", but "when". Good to hear it was ok. Handlers and controls are easily replaceable, body parts are harder 
@SpeedStar All good - it's basically an oversized dual sport, and made to take a beating. I plan to go on some adventure rides, so this drop will be the first of many.
Gah. It was bound to happen. 
Barkbusters have saved me numerous times, as have my case savers (B&B). I dropped my DR off the sidestand just days after fitting the case savers - they have a huge gearshifter gouge, I have saved cases. 
Well worth it.
My son has Oggy knobs on his road bike - dunno if there are chookie versions, or if they're worth it if they exist.
@thefathippy I'm definitely going to get some Barkbusters.
Still a little torn on the crash bars though. SRC makes a solid set, but between the $600 price and 7 kg weight, I'm tempted to forego them. I could replace a lot of the plastics on the Rally multiple times over for the same price.
The Rally has a plastic skid plate, which will be good enough for my purposes for now.
@dHeinemann I have the same thought about the colour of the touring mirrors for my bike. Black instead of chrome 
@dHeinemann This is an underestimated advantage to many rally/dual-sport/ADV bikes. Even what we used to call "standard" bikes had pretty good visibility, but nothing beats being up a little more. When I switched from a KLR650 to a Continental GT650, that reduced look ahead was something that took getting used to.
@dHeinemann How tall are you?
@coyotebroad I'm 5' 10". The suspension is soft, but I'm about 155 lbs, so it doesn't sag very much.
@dHeinemann Another bike I won't be able to ride (I'm 5' 4" barely). But it's such a fantastic looking bike, and I love what Itchy Boots does with it. I have a feeling it will ber my husband's next bike if his vintage Africa Twin ever poops out (which, being a Honda, it may never do). I'll stick with my KLR for now....
@coyotebroad It's definitely a tall bike. I can *just* swing a leg over it without standing on the pegs, and I can comfortably come to a stop on the ball of one foot - but if I bring both feet down, I'll be balancing on my toes.
That said, it might be worth checking one out in-person if you can find one at a dealership. Lowering links and lower seats are available, and it's considerably lighter than the KLR. I actually find the combined weight and height of the KLR more intimidating.
@dHeinemann "an unrealistic desire for a dual sport."
IDK, BMW does that on their bikes. Not on the 300s (I believe that would be the equivalent of your bike) though, just from F7500 up.
@artwaw I'd consider that an adventure bike rather than a dual sport - a lot of bigger adventure bikes do have cruise control (but not the Tenere 700 or Transalp, sadly.)
That said, the F800GS might be a good alternative to the Triumph T120. It has cruise control (with an optional package), is only 87 HP and isn't terribly heavy. It's also like 20% cheaper than a Triumph T120. They're different bikes, but it ticks a lot of the same boxes and has the tall ride height that I've come enjoy. 
@dHeinemann if that's any help - I own F750 and been riding F850 (they're very similar with same engine, F750 is just downtuned). Very smooth ride, that 850cc DELIVERS even downtuned. For me - perfect middle sized bike. Book a test ride if you can.
@artwaw Awesome, that sounds like the kind of bike I might be looking for. The speed limits here in Australia aren't very high, and I don't have a lot of desire for a 100+ HP bike. Unfortunately, there aren't many <100 HP bikes with cruise control readily available here.
Don't rule out aftermarket mechanical cruise controls. Some seem to work reliably and safely. I had a cheap and nasty one that was safe, but wouldn't hold my speed for long, and it eventually snapped. I kept thinking that with better build quality it would have worked. 
I think it was a cheap version of this:
https://www.adventuremotorcycle.com.au/omni-cruise-motorcycle-cruise-control
I might try:
https://rockycreekdesigns.com.au/products/atlas-throttle-lock
@thefathippy I have an Atlas throttle lock, but haven't been very impressed with it. The rubber pad that helps it hold the throttle open wore away on a 400 km ride. They're replaceable, but I don't want to replace them *that* often.
It's also heavy, and changes the feel of the throttle even when it's not engaged.
I'd really like electronic cruise control, so that I don't have to keep any fiddly bits on my handlebars.
400km? Yeah, I'd have expected thousands.
Digital is really nice. I hired a big GS while OS, and really took advantage of the cruise control on duller or heavily policed roads. It was wonderful to be able to rest my wrist, and have the bike just keep on chugging along at the speed I set.
I'd agree. BMW doesn't do dualsport, but they do good bikes. For me, all their adv bikes are too big for adving - including the 175kg 310, much heavier than it should be.
However, BMW make some of the best XC bikes ever. I'd jump on any bigger GS and ride across Oz tomorrow, but if I was going the dirt route, my KTM, your CRF, or my old DR would suit me better. I had a ball riding the Pyrenees on a 1200 (including some easy Spanish desert).
@dHeinemann Itchy Boots' CRF300 seems to do okay with whatever fuel she puts in around the globe... But if it's somehow fixed now, even better!
@dHeinemann I've heard that before. And finally people only wish for a 400cc model or something similar... For that little bit of extra oompf.