Subscribe to Ross RidesInstall app
30-Year Arcs / Mid Adventure / Honda CRF Light Adventure
Honda Japan

Honda CRF300L Rally. The cheapest rally-styled bike — A2-friendly Africa Twin lookalike.

Honda's 2021 CRF300L Rally is the rally-fairing variant of the CRF300L dual-sport. 286cc single, 27bhp, 153kg wet, 21" front, 24-litre fuel tank, A2-friendly. UK + US + globally.

1996
XR250 era · 1996
2006
CRF250L predecessor · 2006
2016
CRF250L Rally launch (2017)
2026
CRF300L Rally · 5 yrs
Continual audits are underway to verify local pricing for every bike in every market. Apologies for any gaps you see while this is in progress.
1996 XR250 era

Honda XR250 (1996)

Honda's 250 dual-sport in 1996 was the XR250
No rally fairing, simpler off-road bike

249cc air-cooled single (carbs)
20bhp
20
116
890
£3,795
£7,800
£3.5-5k
2006 XR250 still
2006 Honda XR250 Tornado

Honda XR250 Tornado (2006)

XR250 lineage continued
Still no rally-styled small bike from Honda

249cc air-cooled single (FI)
21bhp
21
119
890
£4,295
£7,200
£1.8-2.8k
2016 CRF250L Rally launch (2017)
2016 Honda CRF250L Rally

Honda CRF250L Rally (2017-2020)

First proper Honda rally-styled small bike
Africa Twin styling cues, 250cc engine, A2-friendly

250cc liquid-cooled single (FI)
24bhp
22
157
895
ABS stdFuel injectionTraction controlRide modesAnalogue + LCD21" front wheelA2-friendly
Known issues
  • Reg/rec failure — all years
  • Otherwise robust
£5,499
£6,800
£3-4.5k
2026 CRF300L Rally · 5 yrs in production
2026 Honda CRF300L Rally

Honda CRF300L Rally (2026)

286cc single (bumped from 250), 27bhp
Same rally fairing, larger fuel tank, A2-friendly

286cc liquid-cooled single (FI)
27bhp
27
153
885
ABS (switchable rear)Fuel injectionTraction controlRide modesLCD dash21" front wheelA2-friendly
Known issues
  • Reg/rec carry-over — all years
  • Otherwise mature 286cc platform
£6,499
YES
£3.5-5k
// 30-Year Delta

What actually changed.

Honda small-cubed adv-rally · 1996-2026
CRF250L → CRF300L +3bhp · same brief 2021 update bumped engine from 250cc/24bhp to 286cc/27bhp. Lighter chassis (153kg vs 157kg), switchable rear ABS, larger fuel tank (12.8L). Modest evolution but meaningful.
vs KTM 390 Adventure Different price, different rider 390 Adv (£6,799, 399cc 44bhp, 158kg): more power, more electronics. CRF300L Rally (£6,499, 286cc 27bhp, 153kg): less power, simpler, lighter. Honda is for the casual rider; KTM for the more aggressive A2 rider.
vs Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 Same money, different rider Himalayan 450 (£5,599, 452cc single 40bhp, 196kg): more cubes, heavier, more capable on big trails. CRF300L Rally (£6,499, 27bhp, 153kg): lighter, more nimble, less capable on heavy off-road. Different riders.
vs Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX Direct rival V-Strom 250 SX (£4,749, 249cc single 26bhp, 167kg): cheaper, similar power. CRF300L Rally (£6,499): more brand, rally fairing, lighter. Pick by aesthetic — Suzuki is the value play, Honda the heritage play.
Cheapest way in £3,000 (used CRF250L Rally) A clean 2017-2019 CRF250L Rally is the cheapest entry to rally-styled riding. £3-4.5k for a tidy one. Watch reg/rec, otherwise the platform is mature.
Rider aids count 1 → 1 (modest) ABS with switchable rear. No traction control, no ride modes — appropriate for price point.
// You might also like

Other bikes worth a look

390adv
Adv Mid
390adv
 cb500x
Adv Mid
cb500x
 cfmoto450mt
Adv Mid
cfmoto450mt
 cfmoto700mt
Adv Mid
cfmoto700mt
 cfmoto800mt
Adv Mid
cfmoto800mt
 desertx
Adv Mid
desertx
 fgs
Adv Mid
fgs
 himalayan
Adv Mid
himalayan
// Sources

Where these numbers come from

Every figure on this page is from a published manufacturer spec sheet or a reputable review publication. No press junkets, no opinions in the spec data. Inflation calculated using Bank of England's CPI tool.

1996 Honda XR250 Honda archive · MCN
2017+ Honda CRF250L Rally Honda press release · MCN
2021+ Honda CRF300L Rally Honda 2026 spec sheet · MCN