terrain, sand, or loose surfaces
will want dedicated knobby
tires. The rim locks proved es
-
sential insurance against valve
stem damage from spinning the
tires on the rims.
Refined Operation
Every cockpit modification deliv-
ered meaningful improvements.
The ODI aluminum handlebars
resist bending in tip-overs, while
the oversized Rogue grips provide
excellent vibration damping.
Doubletake mirrors live up to their
reputation—truly indestructible
and quickly foldable for tight trail
work. The IMS footpegs initially
appeared too big but proved their
full width useful while riding.
COMFORT AND
PRACTICALITY>
The Seat Concepts upgrade re-
minded us how much difference
a quality seat makes on any dual
sport machine—you don't realize
how poor stock seats are until
you experience a proper alter-
native. The SP Connect mount
worked flawlessly and allowed
for use of our favorite onX app for
navigation, while Giant Loop's Mo
-
jave Saddlebag provided ample
day-trip storage with its character-
istic secure mounting system.
sags significantly, so the modi-
fied suspension adds an effective
seat height closer to the actual
35 inches, and the bike leans a bit
more on the stock kickstand with
the modified suspension.
Dirt Performance
Revolution
The IRC GX20 tires unlocked the
Honda's true off-road potential.
While riders focused on highway
touring and light dirt exploration
might appreciate the stock rub
-
ber, anyone tackling technical
(Left) The Rally's biggest
performance flaw is its
rear shock. The first
thing we did was toss it
out (there's no fixing it)
and replace it with an
aftermarket shock, like
the Nitron NRT R1 shock.
(Right) Front suspension
needs help, too. We made
it sing with an Andreani
Rally cartridge fork kit.
FEATURE I HONDA CRF300L RALLY PROJECT
P102
(Below)
The stock
handlebar
is flimsy, so
we traded it out
for an ODI 7/8th
handlebar. While we
were at it, we installed
large-diameter ODI
Rogue MX V2 Lock-On
grips, the latest-generation
Doubletake Dual Sport
mirrors, and an SP Connect
phone mount with an
anti-vibration module.
