Honda CRF230L Scooter Reviews on Cycle Insider (5)
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I have been riding big V-twin Cruisers for 14 years and recently decided to leave the cruiser scene. I first spotted the CRF230L on the showroom floor back in 2008, and I finally found a good, clean, 1 owner 2008 model just a couple months ago, June of 2012. I am brand new to off road riding, and I have to say that this little 230 is a kick-in-the-pants! I am absolutely loving it as a commuter and on trails and logging roads. And you just can't go wrong with Honda's quality and reliability. If you want to travel down the hiway at 55+ mph., you better get a bigger bike because this little jewel is not really designed for that. However, I am very satisfied with my work commute at 40-45 mph. which nets me 96 mpg. As for off-roading, I do not know the full potential of this bike because as I mentioned earlier, I am brand new to trail riding, but so far the bike has served me well. I get 74 mpg. off road. And if I do a fairly even split of on road/off road riding, I get 84 mpg. The only complaint I have is with the terribly uncomfortable seat, but that can be changed easy enough. Overall, I love this little bike and only wish I had bought it sooner!

Now that I've put about 600 miles on my CRF230L since buying it in May, I can say that it is a great bike. But what I have found out is that it's not really meant to be a highway bike. If you plan on riding on rural-type roads at speeds between 35-50 mph, the bike is a lot of fun. It has razor sharp handling due to its relatively short rake and trail, but at speeds above 50 mph, it does get squirrely--especially when it's windy. It's not a highway cruiser due to its light weight (267 lbs.) and high center of gravity. Gusty winds will push it around on the highway, so be prepared. But--it is what it is---and that's a great off-road bike and a great bike to learn on and commute with. I'm averaging around 86-88 miles per gallon, which is amazing. The motor is rock-solid and never misses a beat--typical Honda. I would recommend the bike to anyone, but I will be moving up to a larger bike next year for more highway use.

My son and I enjoyed some road riding last summer, but his passion became motocross. The bike served its purpose well; ie, figuring out what type of riding to which he was going to gravitate. At 17 he far surpassed the bike's limitations for real off road riding. He now has a CRF 450R, which he had no problems handling. The 230L was naturally unable to do the things he needed to keep up with friends due to fork travel, torque and DOT tires. He had become too fast for the machine off road, to the point where it was dangerous. The front tire would wash out while cornering in sand. The bike was very dependable and sold and I give it 5 stars. He ran the machine hard and a professional motorcycle dealer friend bought it for himself. My son now has his motorcycle license and can turn to road riding and be considered an experienced rider and therefore lower insurance. I will write an update on 2008 CRF 450R (new at purchase) later.

I owned one of these from 2008-09 and had lots of fun on it. It was light enough for just me to pick up since I rode by myself a lot. The seat is kind of hard and takes a little getting used to. I knocked down the comfort a star or two for that. There's also a little vibration when you get up to speed especially if you're getting above 50 mph. I'm not sure if this is normal or if maybe my forks got a little twisted when I dumped my bike in the sand. Still, this bike was like my own personal work horse. I rode on the street, dirt trails, railbeds, mud, gravel and sand. This bike ate it up! A word to the wise, don't ride above 60 mph. The engine really whines and the back end will start to wiggle. I mean you do what you want, but I'm keeping it under 65 mph. Sorry I sold this bike, but looking forward to owning one again some day.

I love it. This is my bike- not my kids- mine ! I've ridden it on trails, through mud, up hills, down hills, and it's light and has plenty of pulling power. I may pull the mirrors next time I ride off road so I can push it even harder. I've also ridden it to town and had no problems keeping up with traffic on the North Shore Expressway. The mileage is fantastic. But I do have to be honest about something - the seat. It may be good for a 20-year-old but I wish it had more padding. That is one thing I definately have to look into - an aftermarket seat upgrade.