Honda CRF230L 2008 <-- Bikeintro Motorcycles

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Honda CRF230L 2008

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A helmet, scratched and chipped to hell, can be the best indicator of a great ride - but one that’s crushed? The chinguard, virtually sheared off, serves as a token reminder of the fascinating time we had chasing ghosts through the Mojave Desert. We rode from California City, CA all the way to the living ghost town of Randsburg and back on Honda’s newest on/off-road family member, the 2008 CRF230L.

For its intro of this one-of-a-kind dual-sport, Honda mapped out nearly 40 miles of whooped out desert trails, hot pavement and open dirt roads. Coming in, we were basically expecting a simple street-legal version of the CRF230F, which introduced our female tester and author to the sport several years ago. In a lot of respects, that basically is what the 230L amounts to, but there’s more to it than a simple set of blinkers and a license plate. The L model (MSRP: $4499) is really in a class of its own, reviving the classic appeal of a versatile one-size-fits-all motorcycle.

We began our test by scavenging for course markers, but darting in and out of the unmarked single track nearby was irresistible, and totally worth discovering even if it meant getting somewhat lost. Thanks to MotoUSA Off-Road Editor, JC Hilderbrand’s innate sense of direction, we had to be chased down and led back to the yellow brick road more than once.

This being our guest tester’s first experience riding in the desert she couldn’t pass up bombing through the endless intertwined tracks, weaving in and out of the notoriously dry shrubbery and weeds. Ant Hill served as a rocky, moguled-out playground, and the only noteworthy elevation change within reach (though how noteworthy can it be with a name like that?). Though hardly worth extending the aluminum swingarm or mounting a studded paddle tire, the series of small inclines and descents were only a few miles out of the gate, and gave us our first feel for the all-terrain aspects of the 230L. It was then that we started to be captivated by what this little firecracker has to offer. Its surprising agility and comfort makes off-road riding as beginner-friendly as we expected, but much more exciting.

Other than a shared bore and stroke (65.5mm x 66.2mm) the F and L models are pleasantly different. Like most off-road CRF machines, the bike starts up in a flash with one push of the button. The powerful electric starter easily churns the piston against a 9.0:1 compression ratio. There is no kickstart, though, so make sure you turn the key off when stopping for any length of time.

The L model, though friendly, still produces a little brawn when needed. The double valve, 223cc air-cooled engine makes favorable power for the target audience of beginners and low-key riders. A wide ratio six-speed gearbox allows for some extra thump through the trails, and smooth acceleration on the highway. Thanks to the larger 30mm CV carburetor, the powerband is wider than its 26mm piston valve-equipped 230F cousin, though overall power is far from the kind that gets away from you.

The amicable motor allowed us to comfortably hit speeds around 50mph on the dirt roads. The speedometer goes to 80mph, but kicking it into top gear and pinning the throttle for over two miles of tarmac only grazed the 70 mph mark. So, freeway speeds are out, but this camping steed was never intended to lane-split the 405. The bike taps out with ease and we never experienced exceptional vibration or headshake, even with the compact 52.8-inch wheelbase and 26.8-degree/4-inch rake and trail (compared to 27.3 deg/4.4 inches on the F model).

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