Hi. I am considering to purchase a new 2021 KLX300. Initially I was considering a WR250R or a 2021 CRF300L. However after doing some research I am quite impressed with the KLX300.
Quite a lot of history with the model. I can see the roots going back to the 1997 KLX300R. The attractive part of the KLX is how good the suspension appears to be in stock form compared to the CRF and the lower height (and cost $) to the WR for daily use. I am 5'10" and use to riding enduro bikes so the bike being a bit tall is not an issue. However a lower seat height makes it a bit more user friendly for commuting on the road. For the price, the KLX seems to be well balanced in performance for both on road and off road riding.

The main question I have is in regards to the engine vibration and the road handling and how it compares to the CRF and WR when riding on the road? As this is a dual sport it will see significant time on the road.
I know the 300s are new. So wondering if anyone has compared the KLX250 vs the CRF250L and WR250R when riding on the road. And if there was much of a noticeable difference in engine vibration / handling between the three? If there was a noticeable difference of vibration felt at the bars? Faster speed stability? The CRF and WR are newer engines with potentially more on road design queues (CRF from the CBR road engine and WR is a one off design) where as the KLX came from the 1997 KLX300 enduro design. I have read through many KLX reviews and all indications point to a comfortable ride. However since this is a KLX forum I thought I would try to ask for direct feedback. I have owned and ridden 2 stroke and four stroke off road bikes from 125cc to 500cc in the last 30 years. And the reason I am interested in a dual sport is for a comfortable (low vibration) on road ride with enough performance for light off road recreational riding.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

I've ridden both the KLX300 and the WR250R. My 300 is an '06 KLX250S with an OEM, factory 300 top end. I cannot tell the difference between the Yamaha or the KLX as far as vibrations goes. I even rode a friend's WR250R with a big bore kit...280-something cc's...just last week. I notice no undue vibration from it. I think some of the issue of vibration on any bike is somewhat subjective when it comes to these modern 250 single dual sports. I have not ridder the Honda 250 or 300 for comparison. The counter-balancers in these bikes do a pretty good job...even after a bigger bore is installed. I wouldn't make my decision on these three bikes based on vibration.

Edit to add: I wasn't sure, so I thought I'd ask...you know that the KLX300R suspension isn't the same as the KLX300S suspension, right? The "R" is a longer travel setup, and probably has slightly different damping. But I wasn't sure if you were comparing the 300S suspension to the "R" model or just the Yamaha and Honda.

 

Thanks for your reply. Yes I am only wanting to compare the dual sport models and not the KLX300R.

That is good to hear in regards to your comparisons. Yes I agree vibration should not be the only criteria. Probably my number one requirement would be rideability, in stock form, in the dirt. So how the bikes handles, weight, power, and reliability. Followed by maintenance schedules and on road handling (this is where vibration can be an issue). I have owned a racy dual sport that had excessive vibration even though it was a 2011 model. A couple of hours on the road with that was very hard on the hands and arms.

I think the KLX's KYB suspension are a good starting point where the Honda's CRF250L seem to be quite basic. Not sure how the new CRF300L will be but my guess of course there will be an improvement, however the suspension will be basic and similar in adjustability to the previous model. The WR on the other hand has very good suspension and a strong motor. Maybe the KLX is a little underrated. However recently researching the KLX and reading some reviews has perked my interest in its versatility and potential fun factor. The bike has aged quite well and the 300 engine sounds like a good combination.

 

The Honda CRF-250/300 is slightly smoother than my KLX-250S but, not enough to be a factor to almost anyone IMHO. The Yamaha WR-250R is apparently out of production so, it isn't a factor today if we are talking about new motorcycles.

Most of the current offerings have some sort of rudimentary counter-balancer so, they aren't anywhere close to the offroad options I have been around.

If you are running wide-open on the interstate, they are all going to be buzzy and shorter-lived. My KLX-250S was ridden on I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix for the IMS show once but, I wouldn't do that again. In the back of a pickup to a motel parking lot is a much better idea IMHO.

On my KLX-250S, I did about 1,000 miles a month at ~45MPH and loved every minute of it. Whether getting groceries, running down some two-lane watching nature or, anything else was a huge amount of fun and stress relief whether it was a workday or weekend!

 

The 300R is the dual sport, the 300SM is a super moto style. If your going to do mostly highway the 300sm would be smoother, but not really made for 'off road'.

 

Thanks for the replies. I am quite torn on my decision between the KLX300 and the CRF300L. I was leaning towards the CRF but prefer the better stock suspension of the KLX. May need to wait for the CRF to arrive to test and read reviews. If anyone else has any suggestions or feedback why the KLX is better please let me know.
I looked at the KLX wheels at the dealer which were Excel rims. I also read the spokes were thickened in 2009 on the model refresh. Wondering if the wheel set on the KLX is better than the CRF? These seemingly little details can definitely influence my decision..
Do i go with the trusted old KLX platform that has been around since the late 90s released in 2006 (as the 250s) with minor changes. Or go for the CRF which came out 10 years ago with some major new improvements and changes for 2022.

 

In addition to what you noted, the KLX suspension is better than the CRF. The KLX suspension is adjustable while the CRF isn't.

Also, note that the KLX has a slight displacement advantage too.

 

New KLX 300 owner here. While I can't answer your question about the comparison with the WR or CRF I will say that my 300 is very smooth and haven't noticed or felt any bad vibrations. Hope this helps a little with your decision.

 

Since the OP mentions dirt use, I would stay away from the Honda as the suspension is lacking for anything other than very gentle off-road use. Why adjust compression damping in the forks with new springs when you tweak the clicker on the fork of the KLX?

Even on the street, a soft front end that helps sell the motorcycles on the showroom floor to novices is a disaster on the street. On my KLX, firm, not hard, braking on the front on the street would send the front end down transferring more weight to the forks further taking them down with more weight transfer. For me, it was almost a comical stoppie every time if I was trying to keep up with traffic. Shoving my *** as far back as possible didn't help much either.

New fork springs made a world of difference! Front braking on asphalt was now much stronger and safer. Off-road, no bottoming out on the front forks either! Compression clickers would have been much easier and safer for a novice as taking the forks apart on a new motorcycle isn't going to happen with most new owners.

 

Thanks for your feedback !