P84
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 HONDA CRF300F
Twisting
The Throttle
If you've ridden the CRF250F
before, you'll quickly notice
the 300's increase in power.
It's not a huge leap, about
four horsepower, but you
can feel it. Torque has also
improved significantly, which
is beneficial when riding on
tight, twisty trails and tech
-
nical, slow-moving terrain.
Additionally, with the extra
gear, the bike responds more
quickly and predictably at
lower speeds and delivers
increased revs on wider-open
fire roads. The bike simply
feels more responsive and
livelier than the 250, without
sacrificing overall control.
A beginner or novice won't
have any trouble handling the
300, even with its increased
displacement and power, and
an experienced rider will enjoy
the extra ponies, as long as
they keep in mind that it's not
a race bike, which is some
-
times hard to do.
Another noticeable differ-
ence is suspension settings.
The 41mm Showa fork and
single Showa shock now hold
up much better, but they are
approaching the stiff side.
However, I'd rather have it that
way than the other way around,
as Honda noted some owners
expressed concern with the
250. The firmer suspension al
-
lows you to ride the 300 a little
harder and more aggressively
without fear of harsh bottom
-
ing on seemingly harmless
bumps. You'll also appreciate
the added front-wheel travel
the 300 has over the 250, ap
-
proximately an inch. The rear
remains the same at 9.1 inch-
es. Unfortunately, suspension
is still nonadjustable except for
rear preload, but Honda did a
good job of providing a neutral
setting that I think most will be
happy with.
Experienced
riders who enjoy
tackling technical
terrain but aren't
interested in
racing and want
an affordable and
simple bike to own
should consider
the CRF300F.
(Below) Compared to the previous
CRF250F engine, the CRF300F
engine is 44cc larger, 294cc versus
250cc. Its bore is 6mm wider, but
the stroke remains unchanged.
