NEW CRF300F Review: Is Honda Going The WRONG Direction?

What Is The Honda CRF300F?

Are you considering buying the new Honda CRF300F trail dirt bike but not sure if it's the right size or type of bike for you?

In this review, you'll learn what type of dirt bike the CRF 300F is, how to know if it's the right size bike based on your height and weight, as well as what to expect when riding and owning one.

What Is The Honda CRF300F?

The CRF300F is a 294cc air-cooled four-stroke trail bike. It's made for beginner or casual trail riders who want a low-maintenance dirt bike that's easy to ride.

Honda discontinued the CRF250F and introduced the CRF 300F as the newer model for 2026. I'll cover the differences later in this article.

CRF300F vs CRF300L (Totally Different Bikes!)

The CRF300L is a street-legal dual-sport bike from Honda, while the CRF300F is an off-road-only trail bike.
The 300L has a liquid-cooled and the 300F has an air-cooled engine.

Is Honda Going The WRONG Direction??

CRF300F Engine Characteristics

Do you want "smooth" power? If you want "enough" but not "too much", this 300 may be just the ticket!
The difference between this engine and a "race bike" engine is that this air-cooled engine has good power right off of idle and steadily pulls all the way until it peaks. As opposed to a race engine that is very weak off idle, slowly builds in the midrange, and then seems to surge with an excessive amount of power on the top-end.

Upgrading from 250cc to 300cc, the CRF 300F should have noticeably more power at every RPM, especially if Honda updated the head/porting/etc to match the upgrade in displacement size.

From 5-speed to 6-speed transmission

Most riders won't tell a difference, but it's definitely a change from the previous CRF250F, which had 5 gears.

The 6-speed tranny on the new CRF 300F should be a nice upgrade to ride tight trails at low speed while still being able to cruise down gravel roads at a higher speed without winding the engine out.

Horsepower

A stock CRF250F makes about 20 HP at the rear wheel, so I'm guessing the CRF300F will be around 22 horsepower (which would be about 25-26 HP at the crank).

CRF300F Weight

The biggest drawback of the CRF300F, besides the suspension, is the weight. The XR200 was fairly lightweight, but the next-gen CRF230F got heavier (mainly due to the electric start), and then the CRF250F gained even more weight (about 16 lbs.). 

At 273 pounds, the CRF300F is still not super noticeable for casual trail riding because the center of gravity is much lower than taller enduro bikes. But you’ll notice the weight if you need to pick it up off the ground.

Seat height - is it the right size for you?

The CRF300F seat height is 35.0 inches, which is about 3 inches lower than a typical enduro bike. This gives newer or shorter riders more confidence because you can touch the ground more easily.

Even though it's heavier than most race bikes, the CRF300F is still a great beginner bike if you’re over 5'6" tall and want a full-size bike (21/18" wheels). If you’re a short beginner rider, you might want to consider something like the KLX140L, CRF125F, or TTR125.

Honda CRF300F Specs & Dimensions

These are the specifications according to Honda:

	CRF300F
Years Made	2026 - Current
Manufacturer	Honda
Engine	294cc air-cooled 4 stroke 4-valve
Transmission	6-speed manual-clutch
Seat Height	35.0” (88.9cm)
Weight (wet/curb)	273lbs.
Horsepower/Torque	25 HP/18 ft. lb. (Estimated)
Cost (New)	$4,999 MSRP

Is the CRF300F street legal?

No, the CRF 300F does not come street legal from the factory. It doesn’t have any lights, horn, DOT tires, or other equipment needed to be legal to ride on the road.

With that said, some states may allow you to register it for road riding with the proper modifications to make it legal.

*Is the CRF300F good for dual sport riding?

From the factory, it's not a great motorcycle for dual sport riding because it has off-road only tires, no lights/street equipment, and the gearing is too low.

It's also underpowered for longterm highway riding, and it’s not the most comfortable to sit on for hours at a time. The CRF250L/300L would be a much better dual sport bike.

CRF300F Price - new or used?

Keeping the same price as the 250cc predecessor, the new CRF300F price (MSRP) is $4,999 in the United States.
With that said, the "OTD price" varies depending on your local dealer and the fees they may or may not charge.

Is a CRF300F a good beginner bike?

The CRF 300F is a great beginner bike if you're an adult or teen who is the right size for this bike. The biggest drawback is the weight of this 300cc trail bike. It can be hard to handle if you're a small or not very strong.

With that said, it's very easy to ride because the power is smooth and predictable, and the suspension is plush and comfortable for riding at low speeds under 20 mph.

CRF300F Pros:

• Very easy to ride for teens & adults
• Super reliable
• Good handling at low speeds & in the woods - weight isn't that noticeable
• Electric start & fuel injection reduce a lot of frustration
• Has potential if you're willing to upgrade the suspension
• Power is not a problem - especially if you seek out the right mods
• Affordable compared to enduro bikes
• Simple & easy to maintain

CRF300F Cons:

• It's a little bit heavy when you drop it
• The suspension is not adjustable, which is lacking for a hardcore/experienced trail rider

FREE Size Chart - Still Unsure?

If you're still not sure what size dirt bike is best based on your height and weight, I made a free size chart that you can grab here for free!