When I heard rumors that Honda was going to release a street legal motard to the US market, I wasn't sure what to expect. I could only hope for the FMX650 or what any motard rider would dream of the CRF450.

Months later, I happened to stumble across the Honda website to find out it was the CRF230?? That sounded like another dangling carrot attempt into the US street legal motard market to me. I thought the specifications were a little bland and the price tag of $5399 a little stiff, but I was willing to put aside my doubts and give one a try.

The day came when I was supposed to pick-up the bike and I was pretty excited.  I couldn't wait to see what kind of trouble I would get into with thing. As the bike was being rolled out from the shop, I was pleasantly surprised by how trick it looked with its black rimmed 17" wheels against the grey and black fairings. I looked at every detail from the neatly tucked wiring and cables to the pea shooter exhaust and mini toolkit tucked under the fairing. The build quality was quite impressive but I would expect nothing less from Honda.

The bike is perfect for those who desire a comfortable upright riding position while being able to plant both feet on the ground thanks to the 31.7 inch seat height. The mirrors were especially useful and the controls seemed to have been placed near perfect for my reach while the gauge cluster was easy to read and clearly visible. This bike seemed to be perfect for beginner riders fresh out of MSF as well as seasoned veterans looking for a small, fun, gas-saver.

The CRF230M looked fun to ride, especially in the hectic streets of Los Angeles County, so away I went to see how fun it really was!

After taking off from the Honda facility, I can honestly say this bike is not built for freeway use at all; a Toyota Corolla could blow you off the road if it passed you. Understanding that, I decided to take the most difficult and longest way back home to downtown Los Angeles (about 26 miles in traffic). Keep in mind this was on a Friday afternoon, around 4PM and you all know how infamous LA traffic is.

I started to get acquainted with the bike with all the stopping and going, weaving in and out of traffic, and red lights. It took some time getting used of the relative lack of stopping power the bike has to offer with its 240mm front and 220mm rear discs. I underestimated my braking distance at the first light simply because I was expecting the little 4 piston grippers to be a little bit more aggressive. Nonetheless, it did stop when I needed it to without scaring the crap out of me (too much). Keep in mind that it isn't a racebike with top-of-the-line radial brakes and you'll be fine.