Sit back and allow me to confidently evaluate CFMoto’s 450MT as a travel bike, based solely on online imagery, claimed data and other people’s opinions and vids. Turning Ch-Chinese? I really think so.
Update: there was a global media launch for the 450MT in the Philippines last month March and a few reviews have appeared. Plus there’s more (of the same) info on the CFMoto EU site here. There’s a review at motorcycle.com and here’s probably the best launch video review from Ozzie. As the guy says at the end: “after riding the 450MT, we have little doubt other manufacturers will jump into this capacity. Don’t be surprised to see a T4 somewhere down the line…”
The vid below is a bit gushy by comparison, but gives some good information and close-ups. My text below has been refined following these vids.
Didn’t I say ten years ago that had my 1st-gen CB500X Rally Raider had a 270° crank I might have kept it a bit longer and enjoyed riding it a bit more? Just like I did with my later XScrambleR 700, NC750X, Africa Twin as well test rides on an Enfield Interceptor, MT07, KTM 890 and the like. Along with the forthcoming 450MT, all 270s, and all the better for it.
Compact CFMoto 450 P-twin
In case you don’t know, a parallel twin motor with ‘offset’ 270-° crank timing feelsand sounds like a torquey V-twin. One piston always moving when the other is changing direction may have some ‘bearing’, but whatever the reason, I have yet to encounter a dislikable 270° P-twin. Now, almost every P-twin made is a ‘cross plane’ 270, Honda’s 500s are an unfortunate exception; Kawasaki’s 300 is another.
At 270 you get all the distinctive throb of a wide-angle V-twin like a Ducati or a V-Strom, but without their complexity and space (wheelbase) issues. And all the while you dodge the blandness of a typical ‘Japanese’ 180°, or the converse bone shaking vibration of a 360 (old Brit twins). But featuring 270° timing in a small, 450 P-twin is an inspired move. KTM have collaborated with CFMoto since 2011 and CFMoto build their smaller bikes and bigger engines. It’s speculated that the 450MT might even be a version of the much anticipated ‘490’ which KTM recently cancelled.
in 2015 I wrote a prescient article: the Chinese Bikes Are Coming. Well, they’re well and truly here, but even back then CFMoto – around since 1989 – was one of the bigger and better established players. In the UK they’ve been marketed as WK including the short-lived WK400 proto-Himalayan (see link above).
Not bad looking as Chinese bikes go
But while the MT is a new model, the 450 motor is out there already in CFMoto’s 2023 450NK and 450SS (and now a 450CL-C) road bikes (going for £5000 and £5600 respectively) and which seem to get the thumbs up. The MT gets detuned by ~10% to 44hp producing more torque at lower rpm. They’ve thought through what’s wanted in a travel bike and it’s not a five-figure red line. So, I’m potentially sold on the motor; let’s list what I feel are some of the 450MT’s other highlights.
Tubeless ;-)
Why do so many reviewers (but not more engaged commenters) have a blind spot for the no-brainer benefits of tubeless wheels? Few mention it in their critiques, but must understand the real-world benefits in quickly repairing flats in the middle of nowhere.
Low ;-) Maybe even too low?
Low seat height. It does look low and the reviewers above say so too. The claim is 800-820mm adjustment stock or 32.3″/31.5″ in old money. So around the same as my old Him whose low saddle I still recall fondly. They’re be an 870 mil bench seat option, too.
Big ;-)
17.5 litre tank (4.6 USg). Combine that with a, let’s say, 29kpl (82 UK mpg) potential and that’s over 500km range. Nice.
Unlike a lot of over-designed Chinese Adv bikes – and some KTMs for that matter – the MT looks good, doesn’t it? Kiska, who work with KTM had a hand in it, and have done a much less eye-straining job. The pipe is not some hideous cannon, like Honda’s CT500, the lines flow and… I’d better stop before I get out of my moto design depth. A mini T7 without the nose bleeds. It’s a 44-horse unicorn.
AdjustmentRings
Eight inches or 200mm of fully adjustable KYB suspension travel. To me 200 mil is a ballpark figure for a bike this size. And did I hear talk of a remote adjustment device (HPA) on the back? On the bike in the Philippine video there’s a dial but I think it’s for damping. The old-school crenelated rings on the right from a Greek vid tell the true story. Oh well.
Juiced up, they estimate the 175-kilo claimed dry weight rising to nearly 195kg in the real wet world. That’s about the same as my old CB500X before I started adding protection, racks, better suspension, tubeless 19-er front wheels and so on. We’ll know for sure on the day, but the 450MT appears to have much of this kit out of the crate.
Adjustable one handed on the move ;-)
A screen that’s adjustable. In a world where people’s height varies, what good is a screen that’s not adjustable? The range may be minimal but it all helps to reduce buffeting and fatigue for various rider sizes. I see a nice, easy-to-use knurled knob on both sides. That’s the way to do it.
Dash
No OTT twin front discs. But as long as the four-piston front caliper delivers a good, modulated bite on the 320-mm rotor, that ought to be all you need on a sub 200 kilo, 44-hp bike. My similar CB500X was fine; now they come with twin fronts and a bold new colour schemes because ‘more must be better’. The vids suggest the front brake is OK.
Hand guards, tail rack, and a small adjustable screen all seem to be stock, though the OEM bashplate is plastic with an alloy option. The usual crash bar and hard cases also shown as accessories.
Other stuff
facebook.com/StreetMoto01
Colour TFT screen looks well laid out
Bluetooth connectivity. Whatever
The pegs are wide, the radiator appears tucked in, the subframe is detachable; so are the pillion pegs
Shame the bars are 7/8ths but easily adapted with risers to stronger fatbars, though I notice the stock riser is already pretty tall – extended off the road bike headstock?
LED lighting. OK then
Traction control at 44hp? With the necessary switchable ABS I suppose it’s easily incorporated
CF Moto’s 450MT is a significant bike, the first to fill the ‘450’ gap by narrowing the ‘getting there / being there’ [fast on highway / manageable on dirt] paradigm, thanks to its lowish weight and seat height, combined with adequate power and great range. The good looks and 270° soundtrack you get for free. You’ll easily find an official YT video of a bloke tearing up the desert on his MT. It looks like summer 2024 for availability in the UK and, compared to the other CFMoto 450 prices, you’d looking at £5700. While a 1290 with ten inches of travel and 160hp will appeal to some, the longed-for and practical 450s Advs are coming – and about time too.
Wheel sizes. Do they matter? People blindly praise the 18/21 ‘dirt bike’ wheel combo on the MT) as if it magically transforms a bike. A bit like spoke wheels are a must-have for Advs in any size (don’t start me on that). True, on a 120-kilo MX-er, a front 21 cuts through mud and sand, but can feel less secure on roads where most road-legal dual sports ride. That’s why I prefer do-it-all front 19s for gravel roading, as on my 300L. On the dirt I barely notice the Honda’s 19 front as I’m plodding along; on the road the CRF corners much more securely, road surface, road surface and tyre design limits notwithstanding. A 310GS definitely rides better on its 17/19 combo and is OK on the dirt. But on the back a 17-inch rear opens up lots more tyre choices, especially in tubeless, and ought to lower the seat height. Eighteen-inch tyres typically have tall side walls for more off-road squidge as well as longer footprints once substantially aired down, though the 140/70-18 CST on the back of the 450MT looks fairly low profile/road oriented. And 17/18 on the road – dynamically could anyone detect a difference?
After a year of logging routes in southern Morocco – most intensely with several visits since last October (including occasionally renting 4x4s) – just a mile from completing my final piste on Jebel Ougnat I came across a pipe trench dug across the track that had yet to be filled in. They were improving this entire route but oddly, there was no way round this one. To one side, a local on a 125 had slithered down the steep bank and up the other side. I scrambled down to see if it would be rideable, and as I did so, a guy on a moped turned up, took one look and turned back (below).
Hmm. Would those planks take the weight of a jury-rigged launch ramp?
I cleared a few stones and figured I could do it, getting off and pushing if I had to. It’s always easier than it looks and anyway, I was one sodding mile away from finishing months of research. I wasn’t going to turn back now and mess up my final hard-won GPS tracklog! I managed it with ease, but it was the anticipation of tackling such rare obstacles – not least an exhausting riverbed in the Anti Atlas a few months earlier – which validated my choice of getting the 300L for this big Morocco guidebook update. Whatever its other shortcomings, the CRF was as light and lowered as practicably possible, while having enough power, range and protection, plus more than enough suspension and clearance to complete the task.
Full-frame greenery near Meknes. Quite a shock on the eye after a month down south
Another late revelation came on the ride back across Spain which I was dreading, principally at the thought of enduring saddle soreness while wanting to get the miles in with a ferry to catch. I gave myself spare days just in case, but came the day that agony never materialised. I got another agony instead.
I’d had an amazingly good run this winter, often achieving more than I planned, but the turbulent springtime weather had broken in Morocco, with a violent overnight dust storm sweeping through Tinejdad. That meant I had to abandon a final high-altitude recce on Jebel Ayachi so, lacking the time to sit it out and wait, I may as well head home. I started with a 400-km day from the desert up to Meknes, covered it with ease and getting in just as a hail storm rolled off the hills and hammered at the hotel room windows. Next day, neither of the forecast heavy downpours (one said morning, the other, afternoon) materialised, so I whizzed past the Hotel Sahara in Asilah to Tan Med and caught the next ferry to southern Spain, ending in wind and rain to Alcala.
I’d underestimated the Honda and my ability to cover distance, so decided to put it all on red and next day went for 600km along the familiar and effortless A66 ‘Ruta de la Plata’ to Salamanca – effectively a deserted motorway. It was a gamble made easier by knowing fuel and leche bars were frequent, as well booking a couple of days at a roadside hotel in Mozarbez, while in a holding pattern for the Santander ferry. Unfortunately I didn’t anticipate single-figure temps and a numbing southwesterly. I was cold for the entire 9-hour ride to Mozarbez which ended in sleet at around 3°C. I arrived seriously frozen, but comfort-wise, had magically acclimatised to the CRF’s seat with the help of the Moto Skiveez.
Putting it all on red
I was grossly under-dressed for all this, recalling teenage biking sufferings when I knew no better. Increasingly desperate stops for fuel and hot food were needed. On-bike exercises – a new ploy – eased the long distances in the bitter cold and occasional showers, which saw me edging towards hypothermia. I rarely exceeded a true 100kph, but had the weather been what I’d hoped for in March, that 600-km ride might have been stretched to 700 or around 440 miles. A pretty amazing distance on a 286cc donkey. All you need to do is try not to ride for more than two hours at a time. That said, even with the strong southwesterly pushing me, fuel consumption was down to 70mpg/25kpl; an all-time low. Imagine what a CB500X would return holding a true 100kph in the same conditions? My guess is a lot more – or a much faster transit if riding at whatever 70mpg is – probably 120kph. This is the often overlooked payback with small motos. The only benefit is lightness, but of course that matters a whole lot when roaming around alone on the dirt. Sadly, you don’t gain good economy at highway cruising speeds as well. I was the slowest private vehicle on the Plata, inching past trucks while cars raced up to my mirrors, but the Honda did a lot better than I expected. Was I wrong about the 300L being a compromised travel bike?
Stepping back a bit The bike I rode home was a little modified to what I’d ridden out from Malaga in October. By now both tubeless wheels had been properly sealed with a continuous band of Puraflex 40 by the mechanic at Loc in Marrakech. I’m a bit slack on checking; turns out the tyres still lose a bit of air, just as I’ve found with proprietary sealing systems like BARTubless. But on typically stiff TL tyres, it has to get really low – 1 bar or less – for you to notice. It might be leaking from the bead/rim face and it might settle down. DIY TL sealing needs to be checked regularly, just like tubed tyres. Or fit TPMS.
Pic: Matt W
By now the stock-sized AX41s had worn out and I was running over-fatMitas E07s as that’s all they had in Marrakech. These bigger tyres – 130 80 17 and 110 80 19 – improved cornering confidence on the road and were fine on the dirt for what they are. The front did slip a bit more on the loose stuff than the knoblier AX41, but felt more reassuring on wet or dry asphalt. By the time both fat Mitaii had been fitted, the NiceCNC ‘Schmouba’ link didn’t lower the bike that much, but better that than stock height+. And the Skiveez ended up the best all round solution to saddle woes. That and trying to stand more which is actually quite enjoyable until my insteps start to ache. Refitting rubber inserts into the pegs didn’t solve this; it must be my TCX boots or I need massively wider pegs.
The Rally Raid suspension hasn’t sagged that I can tell. The fork seals have held up amazingly, and the DID chain has been adjusted once in 10,000 miles with hand cleaning and lubing as often as practicable. The lame front brake holds me back from going full WFO supermoto in the canyons – well, that and a lack of nerve and skill. There’s still loads left, but I’ve ordered some EBC pads even though I may not reap the full benefit before the bike gets serviced and sold. I tried swapping the grips in a bid to reduce vibration at the bars, but fell for some ‘duo-foam’ marketing with no improvement. Perhaps fatter, Moto Gloveez are a better idea.
Sothe answer is no, I wasn’t wrong about the 300L as a travel bike. It’s still a 28-hp ‘300’, bought for on-trail lightness, not it’s ability to generate motorcycling joy as you pull away or power out of a bend. It’s about where you can take it with confidence. Thanks to the low first gear (resorted on fitting the same-tyre-ø-as-OE Mitas) the power is absolutely adequate on the sort of dirt I ride and loads I carry. But I bet most 300L owners have another bigger ride or two in the garage. Satisfaction may be found with something with a bit more poke, machine #66 I think it’ll be. As I won’t be off-road exploring so much and my skills in recognising what’s doable will have improved over the last year, the expected added weight of <200kg juiced up will have to be manageable, providing the seat height isn’t in the clouds. And ideally, unlike the Honda, it won’t need masses of added kit and mods to turn it into a good traveller for road and trail. Want the Honda around May time? Email me.
Close-fitting, coarse woven, somewhat rubbery fabric not particularly pleasant against the skin and can snag
Supplied free by Adventure Spec for review
What They Say The Linesman Pant is a lightweight CE AA certified over the boot adventure motorcycle pant / trouser designed for trail, adventure and dualsport riding. It features Bi-Stretch Panama fabric that combines extreme comfort with high abrasion resistance. Toned down styling makes the Linesman Pant a perfect choice for those looking for a more subtle adventure rider look. Designed to work with the Linesman Jacket. Removable Forcefield Level 2 hip and knee armour included. Weight (size 38 Reg) 1700g / 59 oz.
REVIEW Preferring a plainer look, for seven years I wore loose-fitting Klim Outrider heavy-duty jeans without the armour (and with modifications), until they literally started to feel a drag to wear. It’s more me and my age than the 1090-g Klims when worn OTB (Over the Boot), but I wondered might a stretchy pair of riding trousers drag less on the knees when standing/sitting or more particularly, swinging the leg over a tall saddle when getting on and off? Buying a pair of very light and stretchy Mammut hiking pants for walks and an MTB ride got me thinking this way. A more practical alternative to Ron Hills, they roll up to next to nothing and are now also my off-bike trousers for moto travelling.
I considered Mosko’s Woodsman (right) with my kind of pockets and non-black earthy colours. But I’m not convinced by the idea of partial waterproof knee and seat panels. Either do it or don’t, as with their less-pocket optimised Surveyor pants. I also assumed the sort of stretchy, softshell fabric, presumably as used on my Mosko Moto Surveyor jacket, wouldn’t be suited for off-road riding protection unless armour is fixed to the body (Mosko’s recommendation), not integrated in the clothing – as others do. Actually, I now think the body fabric is less material to the general build, fit, features and optional armour.
Meanwhile, Adventure Spec recently brought out a thick, basket weave Panama fabric for their Linesman: ‘a hiking pant built for adventure riders, that’s CE AA certified‘. (Fyi, I was prepared to buy these, but ASpec kindly supplied a pair for review, as they’ve done with gear previously). I was a big fan of the original green Linesman jacket they brought out years ago and wish I’d kept it. Imo, the jacket’s current colours don’t look as good.
James in Linesman; me with AD1
Just before my Linesmans got sent out, I spent a fortnight in Morocco with James in his own pair. (See his Second Opinion, bottom of the page.) They did the job, as trousers do, and he was never cold for long in the mornings or up at 10,000′ – a sign of things to come. Expecting it to be much colder, I was wearing my underused, grey Aerostitch AD1 Gore-Tex overtrousers (left) which also proved surprisingly comfortable in what was globally recorded as the warmest February ever.
Out of the box The coarse-woven Linesmans feel heavy but pliable, like a damp towel. Without the armour they weigh 1250g. The supplied Forcefield armour adds another 450g. Pockets are like regular jeans – two at the front, two at the back, with no zip closures. The ‘hiking trousers built for adventure riding‘ idea is a bit… stretched. Walking and MTB-ing are much more kinetic than even moto off-roading where protection is more of an issue and which the Linesmans address well. It’s hard to see where the weight is; lifted to the light, you can see through the fabric which ought to mean good breathability.
“Integrated [waist] buckle allows for an easy cinching tight if you lose weight on long RTW trips…” Easy was not what I found. The waist belt has two ends, each sewn to the waistband with unnecessarily complicated buckles to take up slack. This was the first annoyance. Adjusting the belt at the closure to accommodate the ebb and flow of my generous abdominal span would have required two actions to remove slack. In the end I just left the slack loop (left), despite being an entrapment hazard, to borrow a term from kayaking. The left side excess could be cut, unneeded buckle removed and then be adjusted normally at the cinch clip, but the right side buckle catches in the belt loop when doing up. I may have missed the point here, but just give me a normal belt. No need to over-complicate things or reinvent the belt; just focus on day-to-day function. Inside the waistband are bonded strips of grippy, ASpec-branded silicone – nice touch to hold up the weight, although the slightly rubbery texture of the relatively coarse body fabric is a little grippy too.
Silicone brandingStash my wad
Yellow L2 Forcefield included
There are armour pockets on the hips and of course the knees. Here the lower edge hangs loose so you can slip them into full-height boots to stay in place. Another nice touch. I wear short boots and removed the Forcefields before fitting some 5mm neoprene pads (left) I had going spare. I never wore the Linesmans with the supplied armour. Instead, I used the armour sleeves for stashing cash and can confirm you can stuff 30,000 Moroccan dirhams into a hip armour pocket, and at least another couple of grand of £ and € in the knees. Providing you’re wearing your trousers you never need worry where your bulky stash is. If you’ve lost your trousers, the missing cash is the least of your worries.
As I’ve said before, knee, hip or elbow, armour pads won’t stop broken bones, though these joints often take the impact of minor prangs. Unless you ride hard, armour has more real-world value for racers or on the road where crashes are faster and abrasive. But of course it’s a personal choice which depends how you ride or feel about ATGATT – or ‘clobber’ as I call it. I avoid riding technical stuff, plod along like a lonesome donkey and fall off once in a blue moon.
Toyota body torsion test. In my pants!
… In my Pants! Out the box I spent a day wearing the Linesmans at the desk where they felt a bit clammy which did not bode well for March in Morocco. I then forced myself to wear them for a week in the desert in an a/c 4×4, and then another month on the bike through Morocco, across freezing Spain and back to the UK. All up, about 4000km riding from mid-30s to 3°C rain and sleet over the Tichka pass and in northern Spain.
First thing I noticed on James’ Linesmans in February was the untidy strap at the ankle. Linesmans are designed as close-fitting OTB trousers, with a zip down the calf covered by a small velcro tab at the ankle. Is a strap also needed and, if yes, could not a way be found to reliably tuck away the loose end like Kriega manage on their packs? I tried wrapping the loose strand around the belt loop (above) but of course it worked its way loose. I thought these straps might be redundant before I got mine and, having now worn them, I think they are. Again, I might have missed some ingenious application but am unsure of their purpose? To stop the pants riding up? To add tension to keep knee armour in place? To hold the weight of the trouser and armour off the knee? To stop the wind or fording water going up your leg? To cover the forward-facing velcro tab from otherwise getting snagged open? To reinvent the zipped trouser leg closure where just velcro might seem a bit cheap?
Who knows. I tried days clipped and unclipped. No tangible difference; just another flapping thing to do up and undo at each end of the day. The velcro does the job – and if not, use a larger, ‘contourable’ patch of velcro, like my AD1s. But most annoyingly, these ankle straps can’t be removed if you also take against them. Same as the waist belt, each end is sewn to the hem. A one-piece strap could have easily ran through the hem’s fold like a normal belt, to be pulled out and perhaps reinstalled if you changed your mind on its usefulness. A simple and solution to please everyone without resorting to Occam’s Razor. ASpec say you can ‘remove’ it, especially to wear the Linesmans ITB. But you don’t pay 300 quid from riding pants to chop bits off, when a non-destructive option could be offered. And I know I’m not one to talk design elegance but aesthetically, these flapping buckles also spoil the slimline Linesman’s line.
I also found the coarse-woven but close-fitting fabric didn’t lay against the skin that comfortably at times, and annoyingly, one evening the leg caught a protruding nailhead in a cheap chair and pulled out a loop of thread. You’d think this will also happen in brambles and so on, and soon make them look like a grotty old jumper (as James may have found, below).
‘These pants will feel comfortable in relatively dry temperatures between 10 C and 21 C / 50 F and 70 F.’
‘These pants will feel comfortable in relatively dry temperatures between 10 C and 21 C / 50 F and 70 F.’ That is actually a narrow temperature range but in practice sounds about right, so can’t say I wasn’t warned. Legs don’t really feel the cold like the body core, and riding with a group in light rain and some settled snow over the 2200-m Tichka Pass, I was ruddy freezing in my wholly inadequate clothing. But I knew it would warm up once over the other side. On that day the Linesmans never got sodden or uncomfortable and quickly dried off.
Hot day. Getting some wind up ’em
Morocco’s desert-sea-mountain location with its radical elevation and temperature changes make choosing bike clothing especially tricky, but in March temperatures rise steeply and by the time it got to the mid-30s°C down south, the Linesmans were just too hot, even on the move, same with the Klim ITBs years ago. Meanwhile the baggier Klim Outriders have proved tolerable in similar heat. I tried undoing the calf zip with little effect. I then tried resting my legs on my Lomo bags (above) to get some wind up them, but that only works on road and is probably not what they teach you at CBT school. At least when you stop for a break you can pull them up to air off a bit (below).
Airing off
In the heat the tight fitting fabric clung to the skin, minimising any stretching benefits and, come the end of the day, I couldn’t wait to peel them off. I wondered how my AD1s would have managed? Their bulky cut may not be so flattering, but would have kept the fabric off the legs, creating an air gap. And with the ankles velcroed down snuggly, I could have unzipped the sides from either end to got some venting on, or air-off fully at a stop. This looseness won’t help keep integrated armour in place, but I do believe if you’re serious about armour, it’s better attached close to the body, not in external clothing. After a month with a lot of dust and mucky, tuna can lunches, the Linesmans didn’t look too grubby – I do notice that non-black shows the dust less. I hand-washed them once in my Ortlieb tailpack in a hotel shower and they dried off overnight in the room. Back home after a proper machine wash they came out as good as new, bar some snagging.
As you can tell, I didn’t gel with the Linesmans for my sort of riding. But not for the first time my PoV is out on a limb; on the ASpec website comments are broadly positive. Sure, the ankle straps could be snipped off for good, but as expected, once I saw them I suspected they’re be too hot for Morocco. This is why the lairier designed off-road pants like ITBs, have venting zips and mesh panels. It’s also just occurred to me that any trousers – particularly heavy ones laden with armour – worn OTB will hang and drag on the knees, including these Linesman’s and even with the ankle closures. ITB trousers support some of the weight when they’re tucked in. Therefore, Linesman’s worn ITB (ankle buckle cut off) may be more comfortable. And while it’s nice not to be black (now available, left), I have to say, the bland blue colourwith brown/grey knee patches didn’t do it for me. I hate to admit it, but the new black version looks loads better. Bring us some tan or olive shades, or even dark grey. For UK TETery they’d be fine; shrugging off the odd puddle or shower, but flattering though the skinny-jean look might be, my clothing prefs are more ‘boxer’ than ‘Y-front’. The Linesmans became too much like putting on a wetsuit each morning, rather than slipping into something all-day comfortable. I presume ASpec sell mostly in the UK, but perhaps they should consider a lighter, airier Desert Linesman for the US market. I’m sure I’d have something to say about that that, too! Queueing up for passport control at Portsmouth, a bloke on a Gas Gas 700 recognised my Adventure Spec pants. ‘Any good?’ he asked. ‘No for me’ I said.
That reminds me: I rode every day with Moto Skiveez because the CRF would have been agony without them, and despite close fitting ‘cycling shorts’ not being to my taste either. But getting dressed, many mornings I’d forget to pull on my irksome but essential padded nappies – those days being far behind me, but maybe not so far ahead. The thought of then having to de-boot and remove the trousers to put on the Skiveez became… annoying.
I can’t be the only one who feels like this about uncomfortably narrow saddles on light trail bikes which are otherwise well suited to all-terrain travels – ‘adventure bikes’ if you will. So I think integrating Skivee-like pads into riding trousers would be a practical idea. Ideally, they’d slip into armour-like pockets, maybe even with varying densities of foam for heavier riders/harder saddles? I mentioned this to ASpec (and Mosko) but I’m not sure either felt the same way. Me, I’m already booked in to pitch my Butt-R-Kupz™ on the next season of Dragon’s Den. For what I do I’ve never been a fan of synthetic fabrics, not least with membranes, but next trip out there, I’ll wear my AD1s again and see if their day-to-day comfort, utility and easily modified temperature span are as good as I think they might be.
In my pants
Second Opinion: James S Over a year I’ve worn my Linesman Pants whilst off-road training in Scotland, riding the Kielder 500 rally and around the High Atlas and desert of Morocco in January. And by the time you read this I’ll be out in Morocco riding the Sandraiders rally on my 3AJ. I even wore them with the armour on the Ryanair flight. I surprised UK airport security whilst they frisked me down, but the Moroccan Security agent had obviously come across knee armour before. The blue/black pattern help them look like regular hiking pants.
I found them quite comfortable on the plane and evening time, was in no hurry to take them off apres-piste. I replaced the supplied Forcefield armour with my Acerbis kneepads but copped an injury on the unprotected side of my knee when I crashed my T7 at 30mph. But the knee and hip protection served their purpose as I rolled down the track. I wear mine outside my MX boots as I’ve not brought myself to cut the straps off, but the fabric along the inner calf has started to snag, so I will. AS should extend the hypalon or add some knee fabric to this area.
Coming out of Anergui in the High Atlas, I wore the Linesmans at 2°C one morning, but my legs didn’t get any colder than my upper body. I’ve not experienced prolonged rain, as I wear waterproof over-trousers, but the occasional shower is no problem. They dry off fast. I also wear Bull-it jeans which have abrasion resistant Covec for when riding on the road, but prefer the stretch flexibility of the Linesman Pant for off-road. Buying them was a significant expense, but other than the inside snags, I’ve not disappointed. For a bit of fun, I also asked Chat GPT4 for their opinion. See below.
Chat GPT4 Review The Adventure Spec Linesman Pant is designed for trail, adventure, and dual-sport riding, incorporating several features that aim to enhance the rider’s experience in different terrains and conditions. Here’s a comprehensive review of its pros and cons based on information from various sources: Pros: Lightweight and Comfortable: The Linesman Pant is lightweight and made from Bi-Stretch Panama fabric, which offers extreme comfort and high abrasion resistance, making it ideal for long rides【5†source】 Protection: It includes removable Forcefield Level 2 hip and knee armor, providing good protection from abrasion and impact injuries without feeling like typical bulky motorcycle safety pants【5†source】. Versatile Design: Designed to fit comfortably over adventure boots, the pant features a large lower leg zip for easy on/off and a tough buckle to secure the pants. It also has floating pockets for knee armor, allowing for adjustability and compatibility with knee braces【5†source】. Temperature Range: According to users on Adventure Rider, the Linesman Pant feels comfortable in relatively dry temperatures between 10°C and 21°C (50°F and 70°F), making it suitable for mild to warm weather conditions【7†source】. Durability and Design: Users have praised the construction and fit of the Linesman Pant, mentioning that it feels substantial yet roomy. The design allows for easy layering underneath or on top as needed【6†source】. Cons: Temperature Limitations: While the pants are comfortable within a specified temperature range, they might not be the best choice for extremely hot or cold climates without additional layering【7†source】. Price: With a price point of $355.00, the Linesman Pant is an investment, which might be a consideration for some riders looking for budget-friendly options【5†source】. Splash Resistance vs. Waterproofing: The pants are splash resistant and fast-drying but not waterproof. Riders will need a waterproof shell for continuous wet conditions, which could be a downside for those looking for an all-in-one solution【5†source】. In summary, the Adventure Spec Linesman Pant offers a blend of comfort, protection, and versatility for adventure riders, with a particular emphasis on a more subtle, toned-down style. However, considerations regarding temperature suitability and the need for additional waterproofing should be taken into account, especially given the higher price point. For riders who prioritize lightweight, protective gear that can handle a range of conditions with the right layering, the Linesman Pant could be a worthy addition to their riding wardrobe.
Writing up my 9000-km review over Christmas, I realised how much the Honda’s 35.2″/894mmseat height was bugging me. And it wasn’t just me. In 2023 Honda introduced a 2-inch-lower CRF300LS model, achieved by slightly shorter suspension components. An appealing non-red colour scheme apart, it’s otherwise identical, though currently not sold in the UK.
According to the guy above, no seat foam was harmed in producing the LS: ‘Honda shortened the suspension…’. But he then goes on to say ’rear travel is reduced by 1.2”’. Does he actually mean shock length is reduced by 1.2”’ (to make 2” less vertical travel)? Probably. Riding the trails, my suspension travel is way more than I ever need – an LS would have done me nicely – though once compressed the height’s rarely an issue unless I tackle technical terrain. Very occasionally the back bottoms out as it should; the front not yet. With me it’s more the getting on and off, which I do a lot of and gets more tiresome as the years pile on. Along with comfort, these two things hold back my enjoyment on the L. Fitting the 17/19 wheel combo didn’t lower the bike significantly.
So I bought one of those suspension lowering links which I’ve read about for years. I recall my KLX had a clever adjustable link. US-made Kouba Link is the well known brand, but costs nearly £200 in the UK. I settled on a similar looking ‘Schmooba Link‘ off ebay for just £42 with the same needle bearings and grease nipple. NICECNC may be made in China but have a decent-looking website and a huge range of parts. They say these links can mess up the carefully mapped factory linkage ratios working on the shock spring. That may be an urban myth or something that only applies to performance-sensitive racers. The link swap took just 10 minutes with a helping hand of Larbi in Marrakech.
My Schmooba claims to lower the bike by 1.75″ (44mm; identical to Kouba) which is a bit more than I need, but tbh it didn’t look that much lower. Once fitted, I jacked the Tractive shock preload up a turn and a bit. What a faff that is. The shock is clearly made for an HPA and not manual adjustments. The job is made harder with the need to loosen a grub screw locking the preload collar in place. The supplied multi-bit tool has a 2-3mm bit to get in there (left); you then need a 5mm spanner to turn it, as long as the screw is in an accessible location.
There is no crenelated preload ring to hook with a c-spanner, but a series of holes in the collar, like on a wagon wheel hub (above). The multi-bit tool is too short and bulky; a 5mm rod or screwdriver works better, you inch the ring round; it’s easier on the RHS, and I found it best with a 5mm L-shaped Allen key and an additional extension/lever. Give it all a squirt of WD40 too. It takes about 12-15 micro-adjustments to get a full turn of the collar. I kept going until the annoying grub was accessible again and hope that’s enough.
Of course the forks need sliding up the triple clamps to match the rear drop – easily done. But without risers, the stock height bars limit the drop to about 25mm. So 25mm it will have to be; I hoped the jacked-up shock would compensate for the now moderately raked out fork.
RRP <20mm
If you’re lowering your 300 you’ll need a shorter side stand. RRP do 20mm shortie for £88. Or so I thought. With forks raised and link fitted it actually didn’t lean too bad. It turned out a new oversized Mitas E07 tyre on the back raised the bike back up an ~inch. Then, offering up the RR short stand, it turned out to identical. Have I been on a short side stand all this time or did they send the wrong one? Oh well, one less job to do.
Fatter Mitas 130/80 17 TL E07; actually a good idea.
Is an OEM stand for the 300LS on Partzilla US shorter? Two are two stands listed but which was which? Knowing that the 300LS model code is probably CRF300LDAABS is helpful.
Lowered 300LS CRF300LDA ABS side stand: 50530-K1T-J70
My bike 300L ABS side stand: 50530-K1T-E50
In fact a -J70 shortie is bent; the normal height -E50 is straight. And if you look up 300LS reviews online you’ll see they have a bent side stand, unlike a normal 300L, even though the Honda parts fiche shows a straight stand for both parts. Hence my fiche confusion.
300LS stand is bentBut appears straight on the fiche
A J70 is discounted to $35 on Partzilla US. In the benighted UK an E50 is £48 but I actually got offered a bent J70, which was actually what I was looking for. Fascinating a?! But wait, there’s more! A bent J70 is shorter. The reason it was bent because a straight stand on the lowered LS might drag on full suspension compression. So it seems Honda bent and shortened a stock 50530-K1T-E50 to make 50530-K1T-J70 for the 300LS, but online fiche images appear identical.
Now, about an inch lower, I can afford to take some of it back with some neoprene seat padding, as before. But first I tried a pair of Moto Skivvies (review) – padded undershorts made for motos not cycling. I’ve known the name for years but the 300L has pushed me over the edge and into their shopping cart.
Loadsa legbend
Riding the lowered bike By the time I’d jacked up the rear preload a bit and had a 130/80 17 Mitas E07 fitted, the bike didn’t feel a whole lot lower. Measured, it’s now33.5″/851mm with the forks raised up in the clamps all the way, so almost exactly the 1.75″ claimed. For the next 4000km over a month, the bike rode the same on the dirt; maybe a bit better all round with a fatter Mitas all round (now properly sealed for TL by the mechanic).
Getting on and off still wasn’t a whole lot easier. I use the footrest where possible, but having the tail pack on the side would ease a leg swing. Thing is, a tailpack is so darned easy; on/off in 4-5 seconds with a pair of Rok Straps. No other actions required and no side-panel scuffing.
The suspension still works great, just like it always did. I think the taller tyre may have touched the mudguard on one or two bottoming outs. I have to take a little more care when stopping and putting the stand down, but all in all, an easy, inexpensive and recommended mod if your stock L is giving you nosebleeds.
WHERE TESTED About 5000km road and dirt in Morocco/Spain, on a CRF300L with a standard seat wearing Aerostitch AD-1 and AdvSpec Linesman trousers.
COST £62 from Adventure Bike Shop.
At the end of the day I am pretty sure they reduced the agony
Work bike to bike; no need for new seats, pads, etc
Didn’t feel too sweaty or uncomfortable
Not too tight. unlike bicycle shorts
No fly makes a quick slash on a cold day a bit of a grope
What They Say The Moto-Skiveez® pad for the ADVENTURE style is the most complex of all Moto-Skiveez designs. It is comprised of a base malinga cloth, three different types of foam and a silver ion infused covering. This pad is engineered to provide comfort and functionality for a multitude of riding styles. This pad is designed for the rider to move from seating to standing and shift from forward to rearward on the seat. The padding in the seating area of this design has multiple densities formed with both concave and convex elliptical curves. This feature provides added comfort as the rider moves forward and back. One of its primary functions is to provide comfort for long hours adventure-touring, testing the abilities of the modern dual sport motorcycle to corner at high lean angles as well as ride off road. Additionally this design features two padded extensions, positioned on the inner thigh of each leg. These extensions have vertical padded ribs with ventilation openings. This is to counteract friction and chafing from repeated standing and seating experienced by aggressive off road riding.
REVIEW No one was less surprised than me when my CRF300L project bike turned out to be uncomfortable over long miles. It’s been the same on small trail bikes since I started riding them 45 years ago. Their design and perceived use usually demands a narrow saddle on which one can easily stand, but which is half the width of an average adult butt which it supports 99% of the time. My back was crippled for months after my 2017 WR250R trip sat on a similarly narrow saddle. My 300L started off worse than most as the seat had been lowered which simply meant less padding. Adding an exterior neoprene pad improved things, but raised the seat height which made getting on/off a pain. So I got a stock height saddle which didn’t need padding, but really the solution is a greater surface area on which to park the bum. Loads of other bikes manage to have wider seats with narrowed fronts for standing, but this is what we have on the CRF, short of importing a Seat Concepts saddle at around 400 quid.
Seat Concepts. More width.
Taking Mohamed to the mountain by wearing cycling shorts is a well-known dodge that works OK, but they’re designed to reduce rubbing from rotating legs as well as supporting your weight. I find the foam padding too soft. Moto Skiveez (US slang for underwear) have been around for years and I finally connected the dots and got myself a pair. The true test was the long, unbroken road ride back to Europe in the spring and they worked there too, but after weeks bashing about in the High Atlas and Saghro, I have to say they do make a difference. I don’t tend to stand up which makes things worse, but I didn’t end the days butt-sore as I’ve done these last few months.
I wore mine under a pair of Aerostitch AD-1 GTX trousers (photo left) and over my underpants (photo on request), neither of which added discomfort or sweatiness (most days started close to freezing and rose up to 20°C). I even detected the breaking-in or softening up period they mention in the first few days. Where possible, it still helped to stand up and relieve the pressure where possible, or just get off the bike for a bit, but the Skiveez could be as good a solution you’ll get to narrow saddle woes. Later I wore then under Adventure Spec Lineman trousers in warmer conditions. They were OK but why need them at all: I had an idea. Why not integrate Skivee-type pads into the backside of such riding trousers, either permanently or with sleeves into which you slip the pads when needed, like body armour? It would sure make a trackside slash less of a grope while also being one less layer to wear and one less thing to put on each morning.
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook 