Honda announces new dual sports for US market
Two new dual sports models have been announced by Honda Powersports in the US with the XR150L and CRF300LS arriving there in 2023.
Honda has announced two new dual sport motorcycles for its 2023 roster, although both are new additions only to the US.
Honda’s CRF300L has become a solid entry-level off-roader since its launch in-place of the old CRF250L, and its presence has been felt in the majority of major markets.
2023 Honda CRF300LS
Honda’s latest update to the CRF300L, though, is seemingly exclusive to the US. The 2023 Honda CRF300LS is essentially the ‘low seat height’ version of the CRF300L, allowing greater accessibility for shorter riders who would otherwise be struggling to reach the floor without a suspension lowering kit.
The result of the lowering is a reduction of 50mm in the seat height, from the 880mm of the standard CRF300L we get in the UK and Europe to 830mm for the CRF300LS.
Aside from the lowered seat height, the CRF300LS is the same motorcycle as the 2023 Honda CRF300L that was announced for the UK and Europe last December. Even the new paint, “Swift Grey” is the same as the European version, and is the only colour option for the LS.
2023 Honda XR150L
Secondly, Honda has announced the XR150L will be arriving to the US this year, having previously found success in Asian markets, as well as in Australia and New Zealand where it is used as a ‘farm bike’.
The bike does not use the same engine as the CRF150R motocross bike, although it is still a single-cylinder four-stroke and the XR150L’s motor is only one cubic centimetre smaller in displacement at 149cc. XR150L also uses air cooling, a 57.3mm x 57.8mm bore and stroke, and a 22mm piston-valve carburettor.
For the suspension, Honda uses 31mm front forks with 180mm of wheel travel, while Pro-Link provides a preload-adjustable single rear shock offering 149mm of wheel travel. The wheels themselves are 19 inches and 17 inches in diameter for the front and rear, respectively.
A single 240mm brake disc is used at the front, while at the rear there is a 110mm drum.
The seat height is set at 833mm, so 3mm higher than the aforementioned CRF300LS, while the bike tips the scales at 127.9kg, with a ground clearance of 243.8mm.
For the US market, Honda is retailing the XR150L at $2,971 with a $200 freight surcharge. The base retail price equates to just under £2,500 at time of writing (March 2023).
For the CRF300LS, Honda has set the price at $5,699 (around £4,750 at time of writing) with a $400 destination surcharge and $200 freight surcharge.
