The Best Green Lane Bikes: Top Picks, Real Specs and How to Choose

For most UK riders, on most green lanes, the Honda CRF300L is the best green lane bike you can buy. Here’s the quick answer, then the facts, a side-by-side comparison and the detail on every pick.

The best green laning bikes at a glance

Prices are UK list prices at the time of writing and change often. The Green Lane Score is Holloway's Bike Finder rating for how well each bike suits UK lanes, worked out from weight, suspension, clearance and power, not from who paid for an advert. The enduro weights marked ~ are the makers' figures plus a full tank.

1. Best overall: Honda CRF300L

Image via Wikimedia Commons

Ask a room of UK trail riders what they ride and you'll hear "CRF" more than anything else. Honda's 250 and 300 trail bikes topped a 2023 survey of nearly 2,500 UK trail riders, and once you've ridden one it's easy to see why. At 140kg it's one of the lightest road-legal bikes you can buy new, the 286cc single pulls smoothly from tickover so it rarely stalls or spins up on slippery ground, and it's so simple that most riders can service it themselves.

Why it's top:

• Light enough to pick up on your own, which matters more than any spec on the brochure.
• Calm, predictable power that suits slippery chalk, clay and wet roots.
• Honda reliability, cheap parts, a big dealer network and strong resale values.
• Huge aftermarket, so suspension, guards, seats and luggage are easy to find.
• Comfortable enough for short road links between lanes.

Watch out for: the stock suspension is soft and wallowy once you push on, which is a big part of why we chose a Voge 300 Rally as our own lane-grading bike. Budget for a spring or valving upgrade if you'll ride hard. The 7.8 litre tank is small too, so plan fuel stops on longer days, or look at the CRF300 Rally below.

Close relations worth knowing: the CRF300 Rally (£6,499, 153kg) adds a 12.8 litre tank, a screen and more comfort for longer days. The older CRF250L and CRF250 Rally are the same idea and one of the best used buys around.

2. Best value: Voge 300 Rally

Image via Wikimedia Commons

This is the bike we ride at Holloway. Crash bars, a sump guard and a tall screen come as standard, along with ABS and a warranty, for less than many used CRFs. It's a little heavier and taller than the Honda, but its suspension copes better with being thrown around all day. We've covered 8,000 miles on ours grading lanes, and the long-term Voge 300 Rally review covers what has and hasn't held up.

3. Best for road miles and lanes: CFMOTO 450MT

If your lanes are an hour's ride away, a 300 can feel buzzy on the A-roads in between. The 450MT fixes that with 42hp, a 17.5 litre tank and proper KYB suspension usually found on bikes costing twice as much, while its 21 and 18 inch wheels still work off-road. The 800mm seat is one of the lowest here, a big plus for shorter riders. At 175kg it's heavier than a pure trail bike, so it's happier on gravel and moderate lanes than deep ruts.

4. Best for technical lanes: Kove 450 Rally

Image via Wikimedia Commons

A road-legal rally bike with 310mm of ground clearance, fully adjustable suspension and enough fuel capacity for very long days. It's light for what it is at 155kg, and it's top of our founder's wishlist. It isn't a bike to learn on: the 910mm seat, 51hp and full A licence requirement all say so. For an experienced rider who has outgrown a trail bike, it's hard to beat.

Also strong on technical ground: the Suzuki DR-Z4S (151kg, 38hp, 300mm clearance) is the modern version of a long-time trail favourite, with a long service interval and real punch.

5. Best lightweight enduro: KTM 350 EXC-F

For experienced riders, a road-registered enduro is the lightest, most capable thing you can ride on a lane. The KTM 350 EXC-F (and its twin, the Husqvarna FE 350) weighs around 108kg dry, has top-end suspension and pulls cleanly up steep, muddy climbs that leave trail bikes struggling. It's a favourite with experienced UK lane riders for good reason.

Watch out for: enduros are built to race, so servicing is counted in engine hours, not thousands of miles, and running costs are much higher than a trail bike's. The 963mm seat is very tall, and they're uncomfortable on long road links. Buy one that's genuinely road registered, and check your licence covers its registered power.

6. Best light two-stroke: Beta Xtrainer 300

The Beta Xtrainer 300 is the friendliest enduro bike you can buy. At around 99kg dry it's the lightest bike here, the seat is lower than a full enduro's, and the soft, torquey two-stroke makes slippery roots and rocky steps feel easy. Unlike most two-strokes it has oil injection, so you don't have to mix oil into the petrol, which many lists still get wrong.

Watch out for: two-strokes need more frequent top-end servicing than a four-stroke trail bike, and it's not happy at speed on main roads, so it suits riders whose lanes are close to home.

7. Best for distance and the TET: KTM 690 Enduro R

If your riding means long road links between lanes, or a Trans Euro Trail trip, the KTM 690 Enduro R and its twin the Husqvarna 701 Enduro make sense. A 79hp single in a 162kg bike gives easy motorway pace and real off-road ability, with about 160 miles from the tank. On tight, muddy lanes the power and 935mm seat make them hard work for a beginner, so they're best for experienced riders on open, faster lanes.

8. The other A2 trail bikes worth a test ride

• Kawasaki KLX300 (£6,000, 137kg). The CRF300L's closest rival, even lighter, with a revvier engine. Worth riding both before you decide.
• KTM 390 Enduro R (£5,499, 159kg, 44hp). The sporty option, more power than a 300 and better suspension than the Honda, with a less relaxed character.
• Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 (£5,799, 196kg). Comfortable, with an 825mm seat and good value, but heavy for muddy lanes. Best for gravel, touring and easy byways.

9. Best big adventure bike: Yamaha Ténéré 700

Image via Wikimedia Commons

If you want one bike for touring and lanes and you hold a full licence, the Ténéré 700 is the benchmark: a tractable twin, real off-road wheel sizes and simple electronics. At 208kg it's hard work in deep mud and you'll want to choose your lanes, but on gravel, chalk and firm byways it's brilliant. The Kove 800X Rally is the lighter, more hardcore alternative for experienced riders.

10. Best used buys

Light, simple, older bikes are some of the best green laners ever made, and they cost a fraction of a new one. Budget for a service and a proper once-over before your first full day out.

• Honda CRF250L. The easiest used recommendation: reliable, plentiful, cheap to fix.
• Yamaha WR250R. Fuel injected, properly suspended and light. Rare in the UK now, so expect £2,500 to £5,500.
• Yamaha XT225 Serow. A cult bike among UK green laners. Not fast, but light and nimble in a way that makes technical lanes feel easier.
• Yamaha TT-R250 and Suzuki DR-Z400S. Unfussy, tough and well supported by owners' clubs and parts suppliers.

How to choose: a 30-second guide

• New to green laning? Honda CRF300L or Kawasaki KLX300.
• Tight budget? Voge 300 Rally new, or a used CRF250L.
• Long ride to your lanes? CFMOTO 450MT, or a Ténéré 700 with a full licence.
• Shorter legs? CFMOTO 450MT (800mm) or Himalayan 450 (825mm).
• Experienced and want technical ground? Kove 450 Rally, Suzuki DR-Z4S or an enduro.
• On a CBT? A road-legal 125 trail bike, see below.

Compare them at a glance

Three things decide how a bike feels on a lane: how much it weighs, how tall it is, and how technical a lane it can handle. Here they are side by side.

"I get asked what bike to buy more than almost anything else, and the honest answer is usually the cheapest one that's actually reliable, not the newest one. I've seen a tired old Serow outlast three shinier bikes because nobody was precious about dropping it."

Mat Stuckey, founder of Holloway

Before you buy: six things to know

Enduro, trail or adventure bike?

Enduro bikes are popular with experienced lane riders and appear high on most rankings, but their service schedules are often measured in engine hours rather than miles, and they're uncomfortable on long road links. The Beta Xtrainer 300 is the friendliest of them, with a lower seat and oil injection so you don't have to mix fuel. If you're new, start on a trail bike and move to an enduro once you know you want one.

Bikes other lists include that we don't

• Off-road-only bikes like the Honda CRF125F or Kawasaki KLX110R. They aren't road legal, so they can't go on a green lane.
• Big adventure bikes like the BMW R1250GS. Brilliant tourers, but around 250kg is a lot to pick up in a muddy byway, and their size does more damage to soft lanes.

The cheapest way in: an old 125

A road-legal 125 with decent tyres is genuinely good fun on a lane and a sensible way to start before you spend big. You can ride one on a CBT with L plates. The honest catch is the road between lanes: a small bike can feel like hard work on fast roads if your local lanes are spread out.

Buying used: what to check

• Paperwork: the V5C matches the frame and engine numbers, and the MOT history (free on GOV.UK) shows steady mileage and no surprises.
• It's actually road legal: registered for the road, with lights, mirrors, horn and number plate, not an off-road bike with a plate bolted on.
• Signs of hard use: bent subframe or bars, cracked radiators, worn chain and sprockets, notchy steering or linkage bearings, leaking fork seals.
• Exhaust: a standard or road-legal silencer. A loud race can is a red flag for how the bike was used.
• Service history: regular oil changes matter more than low mileage, especially on enduro bikes.

The first upgrades worth making

• Trail tyres suited to your local ground. See the Tyre Finder for scores across road, gravel and mud.
• A sump guard and hand guards. Both save expensive repairs after a tip-over.
• Folding or flexible levers, which bend instead of snapping.
• Suspension set up for your weight, the single biggest improvement on a CRF300L.

Common questions

Is green laning legal in the UK?

Yes, on lanes where motor vehicles have a legal right of way: mainly byways open to all traffic (BOATs) and some unclassified county roads. Footpaths, bridleways and restricted byways are not open to motorbikes. Your bike must be road legal, taxed, insured and MOT’d, and councils can close lanes with traffic orders, so check signs and current orders before you ride.

Are two-strokes or four-strokes better for enduro?

Two-strokes are lighter, simpler and punchier, which makes them brilliant in tight, technical going, but they need top-end servicing more often. Four-strokes are smoother and grip better on slippery ground, with longer service intervals, but weigh more. For green lanes, most riders are happiest on a four-stroke trail bike; the Beta Xtrainer 300 is the friendliest two-stroke.

What is the best motorbike for both road and off-road riding?

For mostly lanes with some road, the Honda CRF300L or CRF300 Rally. For more road miles, the CFMOTO 450MT on an A2 licence or the Yamaha Ténéré 700 on a full licence. For long days and the Trans Euro Trail, the KTM 690 Enduro R.

Can you green lane on a dirt bike?

Only if it’s road legal: registered, taxed, insured, MOT’d if it’s over three years old, with lights, mirrors, a horn and a number plate. Road-registered enduro bikes are fine. Motocross bikes and pit bikes aren’t road legal, so they can’t be ridden on a green lane.

Can I ride a 125 on green lanes?

Yes, as long as the bike is road legal, taxed, insured and MOT'd if needed. On a CBT you'll need L plates and can't carry a pillion.

What licence do I need?

A CBT covers a 125 on L plates. An A2 licence covers bikes up to 35kW (47hp), which includes almost every bike in this guide. A full A licence covers everything, including the Kove 450 Rally and the Ténéré 700.

Can I ride an electric dirt bike like a Sur-Ron on a green lane?

Only if it's registered and road legal. Most aren't. See can you ride a Sur-Ron on a green lane for the details.

Is a big adventure bike OK on green lanes?

On firm, easy byways, yes. On muddy or rutted lanes, a heavy bike is hard work and easy to drop. Choose lanes that suit the bike, and read why smaller is often better.

How heavy is too heavy?

If you can't pick it up on your own, on a slope, in mud, it's too heavy for technical lanes. For most riders that line sits somewhere around 160kg to 180kg.

Tyres and skills matter as much as the bike

Most of the bikes here will cope with far more than you'd expect once the right tyres are fitted. We run our Voge 300 Rally on a Kenda K760 Trakmaster II for mud and loose ground, and a Michelin Anakee Wild as the better road-and-lane all-rounder. Time in the seat makes the biggest difference of all, see the skills that matter more than horsepower and what's worth practising.

Match the bike to the lane

Whatever you buy, riding lanes that suit it matters more than the badge on the tank. Full specs, ground clearance, suspension travel and a Green Lane Score for every bike here and dozens more live in the Bike Finder. Holloway's map shows the legal lanes near you, with closures marked, so you can check where to ride before you set off. Holloway Premium, £20 a year, adds each lane's difficulty and surface, route planning, GPX export and offline maps for the day you want to link a few lanes together.