Living in Los Angeles has its definitive advantages for a motorcyclist. With
the help of the beautiful Southern California climate, motorcyclists
can enjoy
the freedom of being able to ride almost year-round, which
serves as a reason to
get outside and search for a way to explore our
own senses of adventure.
Requiring only a short ride, Los Angeles
offers many things to do, from hanging
around the snowy slopes of Big
Bear Lake in the winter, to swimming at one of
Malibu’s beaches in the
summer.
With all of the choices available to Honda,
the company decided to
unveil its new two-trick pony, the  CRF230L dual-purpose
motorcycle at
the Silver Saddle Ranch in California City, California. (Click image to enlarge)
An
oasis in the middle of the Mojave Desert, the Silver Saddle Ranch
Resort and Spa
is located about 100 miles north of Los Angeles,
offering visitors many
activities to partake in—from miniature golf to
trap and skeet shooting—though
most travelers visit the Silver Saddle
Ranch to explore and roost through the
hundreds of square miles of
desert around the resort.
The CRF230L and the
off-road-only CRF230F share the same air-cooled
single piston, 223cc four-stroke
engine, but the bikes are more like
cousins than brothers. Unlike the 230F,
which serves its function
strictly on the dirt, the 50-state street-legal 230L’s
appeal can be
attributed to the fact that the bike is perfectly suited for the
part-time off-roader, the commuter, and beginners looking to hone their
riding
skills.
Possessing a below-average seat height just shy of 32 inches, the
230L allowed me to plant both feet firmly on asphalt or dirt while at a
stop.
Due to my lack of elevation, I can not begin to explain the
frustration of
having to balance tall bikes on my tip-toes. With the
230L’s low saddle height
and front and rear disc brakes, every stop was
welcomed.
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