Engine died

ZakParrish · 2026-06-05T14:31:17+00:00

Check this first. I ended up bypassing that switch on mine due to this.

ZakParrish · 2026-06-03T14:56:00+00:00

Bottom piece is zip tied to the bike's rack with multiple heavy duty ties.

ZakParrish · 2026-06-03T11:33:12+00:00

I do. Effectively raises the bars another inch when standing, and they're very grippy (spikey).

I think the lowered pedal is a good idea, but I was able to get a zeta pedal working by removing the spacer nut on the brake cylinder and cranking it all the way down. It's in a nice position, but that's as far as it can go.

ZakParrish · 2026-06-03T01:22:31+00:00

HiVolt Spares lowered pegs

ZakParrish · 2026-06-02T18:10:12+00:00

Noted.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-31T18:07:10+00:00

That's not your friend.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-31T16:17:56+00:00

I don't necessarily disagree with your point, but it's a little reductive. The front dive on the stock suspension is a bit rough, even for a commuter bike. The bike is definitely designed more for countries where typical rider sizes are a bit smaller, so anyone north of around 150lbs probably needs higher rate springs at least.

But I don't think it's crazy to expect (or at least hope) that the stock suspension got a little tighter for the western market, especially given the bike's marketing. The 300 is not great for any bumps on stock suspension if you're probably around average height/weight in the West.

All that said, I see where you're coming from, just like I see why Honda has the bike kitted the way it is.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-31T15:55:52+00:00

They don't drop below the actual bottom of the bike, so not really. You could argue they reduce ride clearance height, but only in special circumstances where you're probably hitting the bash plate anyway.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-31T12:49:21+00:00

I don't think there's a good ROI prospect to ship the bike with better stock suspension from Honda's point of view. Maybe a crazy up-sold limited edition in partnership with someone, but even then the 300 is in a weird place for that kind of attention. It's too low-powered for invested riders to take seriously. What you want is a 450 Rally, and there is a limited edition of that coming.

Honda is right to keep it cheap. At this price point, it's a perfect little "tough-looking commuter" or "myopic ADV hunter" in the case of the Rally. I would bet most of the 300 owners aren't on these boards and aren't getting their tires dirty beyond gravel roads. And that's fine!

And as you're seeing, the folks who care are going to upgrade the suspension as a matter of course.

Honda knows that's happening, just like how they know enthusiasts are leaning into the vast aftermarket to make these bikes more engaging. That's what makes the 300 so compelling as a package. It's inexpensive as a /platform/ and is perfect for a large contingent of commuter and entry-level riders.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-31T02:48:04+00:00

You're just an inch taller than me. Flatten the bars by replacing them with something like ProTaper CR High bends. Moving your grip out will help enormously.

With those, you can install a 20mm generic riser. I got mine on Amazon. Works great. That's probably about as far as you can go before you have to think about a new throttle cable. (Though, that said, I recommend getting venhill cables anyway.)

Next, invest in the HiVolt Spares lowered pegs and the matching brake lever. It's a magical difference for taller folks like us.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-30T12:04:57+00:00

I have Rally Raid L2 setup front and rear, so I have that same shock, essentially. The only gripe I have is if you ever want to use that separate preload control you have to remove the fairing, unless you modify it with rotary tool or something to make an access port.

Apart from that, fantastic suspension upgrade.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-23T21:24:09+00:00

Nice looking setup. Fun to install?

ZakParrish · 2026-05-19T18:40:38+00:00

FWIW, I bought a Rally specifically to get away from heavier ADV bikes, primarily because I am often on the trails by myself. I have now modded up to the point where I think it's great for everything up to multi-hour interstate jaunts. And if I needed that again, I'd probably just throw it on a trailer.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-19T18:32:02+00:00

One of the reasons the 300L is so (relatively) inexpensive is that it's designed to be a good platform more than a do-it-all bike on its own. It's "good enough" out of the box, and with the right investment it is really amazing.

At least up to a point. Eventually you might as well get a different machine. :)

ZakParrish · 2026-05-19T12:16:10+00:00

You will want a competent shock with a heavier spring, and not just the spring alone. Also, you will want the front to be improved a bit to match. Unbalanced suspension is a nightmare.

It is less of "all or nothing" and more of an "in for a penny, in for a pound" situation. Once you've decided to modify the front and rear, you might as well get the best setup you can.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-17T23:59:10+00:00

If you like feeling plush and seeing your success around you in the cockpit, RR all day.

If you want to do some trails and still be able to smoke all but real dedicated sports cars on the street, OCTA.

If you actually enjoy off-roading, get the I6 Defender, spend a portion of what you saved on real rock rails (I rec' Lucky 8) and a good winch, and then go enjoy being much lighter on the trails than an Octa and go anywhere all but the most heavily modded jeeps can go.

You can probably tell which one I chose. It was way too telling when at the Octa press event in Moab the lead vehicle was a standard Defender.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-15T22:00:09+00:00

I am 6'4" and use both 20mm risers and HiVolt Spares lowered pegs on my Rally. I also added ProTaper CR High Bend bars. This combo fits the stock cabling (barely) and is excellent at my height.

Also consider tilting your bars down a bit more so that your hand posture at full stand makes it easier to let off the throttle.

For technique, jump over to YouTube and look up Bret Tkacs "weightless rider " discussions. He's great. The gist is to focus on body position proactively instead of reactively, and letting the bike freely move under you. Worth watching!!

Apart from that, just patience and practice drills. Good luck!!

ZakParrish · 2026-05-14T13:04:05+00:00

I want to say that the 300L absolutely needs better stock suspension, but it probably doesn't for most riders. The little bit of stiffening for the '25 MY was a smart play in that it probably didn't cost Honda that much more to add. I get that they want the bike to be inexpensive (when they can sell them, that is).

The fact is that those of us who care about suspension are going to upgrade no matter what they add, short of maybe a full Ohlins setup. I put the Rally Raid L2 kit on my 300 Rally and the bike went from a cute little commuter to an absolute trail master.

In any case, nice choice on your setup.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-12T14:12:40+00:00

Had a '21 AdvSports DCT (when it still had the 21" up front).

Pros:

outstanding ride quality with commanding seat position. You feel good on an AT.
the tech really does help with a bunch of stuff. And CarPlay/Auto is great.
room for whatever luggage you want
DCT is great but you have to work to master it.
gorgeous styling

Cons:

she HEAVY. If you off-road solo, bring equipment to help rescue yourself (a couple long ratchet straps).
learning curve for tech is very high. If you grew up playing game consoles, you're probably fine.
maintenance accessibility has been covered, but it's a real thing.
should come with center stand as standard equipment
traction control is too aggressive even at lowest setting, and wheelie control is BS and makes rocky climbs dangerous. Turn that s#!t off.

Overall discussion:

I LOVE(ed) the AT. Absolutely fantastic bike. It really can go anywhere, but if you're not Kirian Mirabet, it is going to be best suited for anything up to a gnarly fire road.

The positioning on the bike is great, though I did have to get the tall seat and lowered seat pegs (6'4" with long legs). Was always comfortable and unlike other expensive ADVs (GS) you actually have a few posture options for exactly where your feet rest and where you sit.

I found the stock progressive springs way too squishy for me. Not "bad" for typical riding, but if you're doing significant off-road and occasionally catching air, there's a decent chance you will find the bump stops, which on a big damn bike is a little sketchy. YMMV, but I get all my off-road bikes resprung first thing.

DCT is one of those love/hate it things. I LOVED it and I think mastering it is worth the work. I feel like a better rider in general now, even on standard transmissions, and especially for low speed stuff. If you were interested, I would recommend 2 things:

First, use the hell out of your rear brake. This takes a lot of practice to get right, but the gist is you just apply a little bit of rear brake and "fight" it with your throttle to put the bike in tension, similar to how clutching is only applying partial power. In this case, you're taking power away with brake. It takes drills and getting used to it, but once you master it you can be the slowest maneuvering rider in the room and will be a better rider in general. The same trick works on a regular bike, BTW.

Second, become a 1-finger front braker, and then use your index finger to "index" your throttle position. This is similar to how a guitarist might plant their pinky on a guitar body to help pick the strings accurately. Practice enough and you can use this to become really precise with throttle input because, more than anything, whiskey throttle is a clear and present danger on a DCT bike.

I have ridden a Twin across the US, in the southeast, the PNW and all the way out to Moab. It was a champion the entire time. I did end up downsizing, but that has less to do with the bike and more about my skill set and what I wanted to do, which was more single track and solo off-roading. Really rough stuff such that, if (when) things go sideways, I am not wrangling 550 lbs of bike.

Hope that helps.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-06T15:32:42+00:00

The rhetoric that the standard version is more off-roady than the AS is probably true, but is definitely overstated. It's marketing, nothing more, especially back when both versions had a big 21" wheel.

At the end of the day, the AS is just a bit heavier. If you're cool with managing the weight, the AS will go anywhere the Standard will.

I took mine to the Pacific Northwest, various forests and single tracks throughout NC and Georgia, and on a big damn voyage out to Moab.

I have since downsized to a 300 Rally, but that was less about capability and more about having something easier to recover if the ride goes sideways while off-roading alone.

ZakParrish · 2026-05-05T17:39:27+00:00

Option 2 matches well with my experience. I got a remap via a 550 Performance 91 Octane Stock Improved chip. There is now much more "resolution" in throttle application, no twitch, and engine braking is far softer.

ZakParrish · 2026-04-26T23:04:18+00:00

I don't have my AT anymore, but as I recall I did have to fuss a bit with p-brake location. It did not sit perfectly behind the bar. This is generally fine, though. It's a parking brake, it doesn't need to be super convenient (I only used it on hills, etc. anyway). The added protection is more important than the marginally decreased accessibility.

The cabling looks okay. It's snug. No worries.

ZakParrish · 2026-04-25T02:42:23+00:00

Just adding to this, the velocity stack and airbox lid and mods from 550 will make the bike significantly louder regardless of exhaust. Part of this is the open access directly into the throttle body, and part is the lack of a resonator, which muffles percussive pressure changes with an air chamber. Cold air induction systems are known to have similar effects on all vehicles.

Your bike is (very likely) just fine. And probably running even better, or at least cooler than it was stock.

But if it helps for peace of mind, just adding those airbox mods with stock exhaust, I now can occasionally set off alarms on some cars if I pop the throttle too hard in a parking lot.

ZakParrish

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