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Honda Forza 300cc Review | The Trading Travelers
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Honda Forza Review

With over 5000 kilometers and two counties traveled (Thailand & Laos), the 2013 Honda Forza 300CC has been put through its paces. Before purchasing this motorcycle in Thailand, I combed through the internet for reviews and information in an effort to dissuade myself from buying it. Before making any major purchase, I always look for a reason not to buy something. If my thorough search for negatives turns up few and far between, then I know the product is worthwhile, or too new for criticisms. This seems to be the case for the 2013 Honda Forza. Here is my comprehensive review of my experience with the Forza.

UPDATE February 2014: Honda Forza Flashing ABS Light

honda forza review

 Comfort

The selling point for us on the Forza was the seat/storage. The Honda Forza comes equipped with a massive seat which gives way to huge under seat storage.  Two critical things to consider when traveling long distances on two wheels are first and foremost comfort, and secondly, how will I get all of my junk to my destination with me. The Forza kills two birds with one stone with the seat/storage setup. I have traveled extensively throughout Thailand on five different “big bikes,” and the Honda Forza is, in terms of comfort, leaps and bounds ahead of the Honda Phantom, CBR, PCX, Kawasaki Ninja, and KLX250. The under-seat storage is big enough to fit two full-face helmets or two laptops (in a backpack), chargers, and two pairs of tennis-shoes.

honda forza review

Price of the Honda Forza

Next, and as some would consider the most important factor to me in life, is price. The Honda Forza boasting 300CC of power is priced perfectly at 160,000baht, or roughly $5,200USD. We did however; find that prices vary greatly (to the extent of 10,000+baht) between dealers and cities. The best price we found was 160,000 baht in Khon Kaen and included no surcharge for credit card usage. Cha-Ching, I can smell the sweet scent of skymiles now!

Compared to its counterparts, the KLX250 priced at 160,000baht, the CBR250 at 135,000baht, the PCX125 priced at 85,000baht, Honda Phantom no longer in production but previously priced at 80,000baht, the Honda Forza is priced competitively especially considering the additional 50CC of engine power gained compared to its closest power competitor.

honda forza review

Power

Power is the only category that deserves questioning when purchasing this motorcycle. Sure, the Forza comes equipped with 300CCs of Honda power, but the issue lies in the automatic transmission. In an uphill battle a manual motorcycle will leave the Forza in the dust all day, every day. This is a consideration to make if you plan to race through the mountains with your buddies running around on KLX, CRF, CBR, etc. On the flipside, when you reach a town, especially in Southeast Asia, and it comes to weaving through traffic, the automatic transmission will dominate the manuals every time. The only time you will notice a lag is in an extreme incline. Throughout Southeast Asia these are few and far between. I have had my Honda Forza up Doi Inthanon (the highest point in Thailand) as well as through the highest points in Laos, and I was able to keep up with every other big bike (including 650CC) that I was riding with. Although the Forza may lose speed in hill-climbing, that speed is more than made up in cornering due to the much lower center of gravity compared to a traditional motorcycle. I tend to cruise at 90kmh, which gives me the best fuel economy and a little juice in the throttle for passing.

Fuel Economy

Riding up, down, and sideways with two passengers and way more gear than we need, I average about 28km/l or about 60 MPG. This makes for an extremely economical mode of transportation. The Forza has an 11.5litre tank. I can usually cruise 300Kilos comfortably before worrying about the red zone E reading on the fuel gauge. Riding solo, with no gear, I will push upwards of 32km/l.

Changes I would/have made:

Storage-Have made

You always think you have enough room, up until the point you try to cram two laptops, bathroom accoutrements, rain gear, and weeks worth of clothes into your storage compartments. I don’t care how much storage room you have, you will always find a way to fill it. Keeping with this line of thinking, more is always better. The easiest and most practical solution for the Honda Forza is a top box. The largest available in Thailand is 45L. The debate between Shad vs Givi will be ongoing, as these are two of the top quality competitors. Either brand will be sufficient and durable. I went with Shad because it was what was available to me at the time, and with the mount cost 7,400baht.

honda forza review

Suspension-Have not yet made

Suspension was never an issue until I crossed the boarder into Laos. Laos’s roads resemble Swiss cheese more so than asphalt. I don’t care how good of a rider you are, if you ride throughout Southeast Asia, you’re going to run smack-dab into a pothole. Wham! Damnit, I wish I had stiffer shocks. That was my thoughts while riding through Laos. Additionally the road that contain “whoopties” especially on the route to Nong Khiaw, Laos, will almost launch you’re back passenger off the seat. I had many of fingers lunged into my spine due to riding through the whoopties too fast, and the upward jolt of the shocks just about launching my ol’ lady into outer space. She wasn’t happy. All kidding aside, if you plan to ride long distances with two passengers, I suggest upgrading the shocks. In Thailand, the best option is the YSS TG362-400 which allows for manual dampening adjustments. The TG362-400 runs about 15,000baht in Thailand, and the cheaper version missing the manual dampening adjustments are about 7,000baht. Ohlins shocks are also available, but are significantly more expensive, and I am told in Thailand the “Ohlins” shocks are manufactured in Taiwan which are nowhere near the quality grade of the Swedish manufactured product.

honda forza review

 Kick-Start-Not possible

I am one to always prepare for the worst and hope for the best. In the case of a manual motorcycle, a dead battery is rarely a concern, as push starting (dumping the clutch) is always an option. On a classic Southeast Asia automatic scooter this is negated with the presence of a kick-start. The Honda Forza, being fully automatic, and lacking a kickstart can cause worries, especially in the remote villages of Southeast Asia. If would be nice to have a backup plan in the event of a dead battery.

These are my only three complaints on the bike. In my opinion, if these are the only three complaints I can come up with, then the bike as I have mentioned, is SOLID. More importantly, the Forza is more than worth it considering the price tag.

Side notes:

Rear Kickstand (the one you put it on in tight spots, or in order to do maintenance)

Do NOT push down slightly and pull backwards to engage the kickstand. Why on earth would you do that? Simply because every other motorbike functions this way! The kickstand has been beautifully crafted to use downward force, and NOT backward force, to engage. This is an extremely valid point to make, as I struggled for weeks and looked-a-fool many a-time as a “bigger guy” in Thailand shown up by Thais one-third my size.

Flat Tires

The Honda Forza uses a tubeless tire. This is another HUGE difference compared to the zillion of other motorbikes on the road in Southeast Asia. In the event you get a flat tire on a Honda Forza, do not bother going to your local corner bike-repair shop. They will stare at you and point you down the road….not like I know from experience in the middle of nowhere Thailand….

Because the Forza uses a tubeless tire this leaves you with two options: Patch the tire or replace the tire; the former being much cheaper, but also much more challenging. In Thailand anyways, they do not patch tubeless motorcycle tires. Why? Turns out, it actually makes somewhat of sense (contradictory to my cussing and screaming when trying to figure this out). Tire shops (for passenger cars) do not have the tools to take the tire off a motorcycle, and on the flipside, motorcycle shops do not have patch kits. Do I smell a possible business opportunity for those more business-oriented individuals???? Maybe.

The only way I found a way to patch a perfectly new tire is to go to a Honda dealer and ask them to take the rear tire off. This will cost you roughly 100 baht, and countless strange looks. Take the tire from the Honda dealer and walk/hitchhike to a passenger car tire repair shop. The passenger car repair shop will do a spot-on patching job in less than 15 minutes and cost about 200 baht. Proceed to walk back to the Honda dealer and have them mount the tire. Way more hassle than it should be, but saves you a lot of money, and in my case, time, because chances are the Honda dealer will not have a Forza tire in stock.

Oil Change

Somewhere in my never-ending search to debunk the reasons for buying the Honda Forza, I stumbled upon a forum in which raised caution in regards to oils changes. In typical Thai-style, changing an oil-filter is seen as a waste. Why on earth would you change a perfectly new oil filter at 1,000 kilometers? Aside from the fact that this is precisely what the owner’s manual calls for, the first 1,000 kilos is the most likely time for metal shavings to be introduced into your engine. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that metal on metal friction is NOT a good thing. Thus, changing your oil filer and getting those metal shavings removed from the engine is paramount. The problem lies in when you take the motorbike into the shop for an oil change and tell them to change the oil filter. Much like the issue with a flat tire, chances are, the Honda dealer/shop will not have the oil filter in stock. This will leave you settling for no oil filter changed and risking seriously damaging your newly purchased motorcycle. honda forza review

How to prevent this issue: Because I knew that obtaining an oil filter was going to be an issue, I went into the Honda dealer 200 kilometers before needing an oil change. After every staff member in the shop explained to me that I was not due for an oil change for 200 kilometers, I was able to convey to them, I simply wanted them to order the filter so it would be at the shop when I was due for an oil change. Strange logic, I know.  This is likely the only way to ensure the Honda shop has an oil filter in stock when bringing the bike in for an oil change, at least for a year or so until the bike becomes much more popular. Lastly, and most importantly, make sure you physically view the new oil filter. There are multiple reasons for this; first and foremost, to make sure that they actually have the oil filter in stock. You would be surprised how many times I had to ask to actually get this ordered… Secondly, to make sure that the oil filter is the correct filter. The correct part number is seen above. If you want to be super anal, much like myself, try to take a look at the oil that was drained out from the first oil change, just to see if any metal shavings are visible. I didn’t not notice any shavings present in my first oil change; therefore, I think the Forza is a pretty battle-proof engine.

Conclusion:

The Honda Forza 300CC is the perfect price/power/comfort combination available on the market in Thailand according to us, The Trading Travelers. I am more than happy with the machine, and it has not had a hiccup yet, knock on wood. Although I don’t recommend driving this machine in an off-road situation, the Forza will in fact get you through just about anything you can throw at it. Check out the videos below to see just how rough the terrain was in Laos, and how the Forza performed.

Safe Riding!

Video Review and Tour of the Honda Forza

Here is what the bike can handle:


The importance of your first oil change:


UPDATE February 2014: Flashing ABS Light Honda Forza

We just completed a 2000 kilo trip through Central and Northern Thailand and on the last day of riding the ABS light began flashing randomly. The flashing would last for different lengths of time, and was triggered at random speeds/times. There was no consistency with ABS Flashing Light. I decided to push through and make the additional 150 kilo drive, to come home and read the owners manual (of course the manual in the bike is all in Thai). Here’s what the English Honda Forza owners manual had to say.

Honda Forza ABS Flashing Light

This sent me into panic-mode as the manual gives no information other than get the bike to the shop ASAP. So, that is what I did and this is where the problems arise. Finding a competent Honda Forza Mechanic in Thailand is every bit a challenge. I first took the bike to Honda Big Wing in Chiang Mai. Immediately, I could the mechanics were completely delusional when it came to Forza maintenance, especially with this issue. I tried my best to remain confident in them and let the techs do their job. I was told to come back 4 hours later, but rather I stuck around to see what the issue was.

honda chiang mai

honda chiang mai

 Surprisingly, the techs did have a code scanner in the shop, and hooked the bike up to the computer. The pictures above will show you where the connection for a code scanner is. As you can see, the tech had manuals opened up trying to diagnose the issue. Four hours later, I was told the issue was a dirty fuse, and the issue was taken care of. Something told me the issue ran deeper than a dirty fuse…

Sure enough, while on the drive home, the ABS light triggered again. This time, the engine was revving up randomly. RPMs were bouncing around between 800-1400 RPM while sitting still, something I had never seen before on my Forza. I should also mention, that while the ABS light was rapidly flashing and the turn signal was engaged, the turn signal would flash rapidly as well. Again, both symptoms intermittent.

Rather than going back to Honda Big Wing, I decided to go somewhere else, hopefully somewhere with competent techs. It just so happened my uncle was at another Honda dealership with his PCX getting a new battery. He claimed the techs spoke English, so off I went. I arrived to Nat Motor Honda, and immediately it was a different vibe. The owner was on site, and no one was sitting around. Techs were flying around, the place was running like a well-oiled machine. I showed the tech the issue, and immediately he took off on my bike to assess the situation. I was given a ticket and told to come back in 2 hours. I decided to mull around BSing with my uncle.

The Honda Forza Flashing ABS light resolved! The best I could understand between the tech and owner of the shop is that the terminal connection between the ABS/Battery was faulty. They replaced/cleaned the terminals and completely disassembled the ABS system to reveal this. This diagnosis makes sense considering the RPM variations. Nonetheless, if the ABS light is flashing on your Honda Forza, it could likely be a loose/faulty connection within the ABS system. If you are in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I suggest Nat Motor on Huaykaew Rd. These guys actually know what they are doing.

About the Author Charlie and Brittany

We are Brittany and Charlie - we traded the 9 to 5 and the so-called "American dream" to live our own dream and see the world. We sold all of our belongings and left the US in August 2013. For 5 years, we lived primarily in Thailand and built our online business and location independent lifestyle while we traveled to over 30 countries. We’ve had house sitting gigs on 3 different continents and we’ve even appeared on HGTV’s House Hunters International.

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Leave a Comment:

29 comments
Chiang Rai in Twenty Four Hours | thetradingtravelers.com says February 14, 2014

[…] and you have to work with what you’ve got! We were making our way back to Khon Kaen on our Honda Forza and had to make a quick stop in Chiang Rai for a visit to the immigration office. Fun stuff! We […]

Reply
Ian Stevenson says March 21, 2014

Hi guy’s, great review I am glad I read it before buying mine as I would’nt have had a clue about the oil filter. Thanks a lot. Ian. Si Chiang Mai.

Reply
    Trading Traveler says March 21, 2014

    Hey Ian, glad you found the information useful. In Chiang Mai, I have found most Honda dealerships/service centers have the filters in stock. I know a lot of people use Honda Big Wing in the old city, but I had a bad experience with them. I suggest using the NAT Motor Honda Dealer on Huaykaew Rd. Their customer service is fantastic.

    Reply
      ian stevenson says March 21, 2014

      Thanks a lot. All well noted. Ian

      Reply
    ian stevenson says June 11, 2014

    Hi guy’s, had my FORZA a bit just to let you know, when I ordered it the shop said 10 day’s the next day I went to pay 160,000 for it and it was already there. 20 odd km on the clock. I think it was at a showroom somewhere as a test bike I payed the full amount and the old guy said I will give 4 services free. So as far as I as a European or foreigner have scored and them. One little gripe only to you is be careful of the thais they never tell the truth. Bon Continuation. In thailand. Kind regards,Ian

    Reply
      Charlie and Brittany says June 19, 2014

      Thanks for the heads up, Ian! Hope you are enjoying your Forza!

      Reply
      Manfred says July 29, 2015

      I am German living and working in Thailand since 18 years I totally disagree with “Thais never tell the truth”. No country / culture needs people like you with their “general” statements. Maybe YOU are attracting the “wrong” people (everywhere ?). Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are….. Anyway I like your reports. They are very informative and nice to read (except….). Good luck for your future trips.

      Reply
Martin says May 22, 2014

Hi Charlie, I enjoyed your review of the forza. It was the best I could find on the web. I am seriously thinking of trading my old Beemer airhead for one of these, but I am a bit scared that a 300 would be a bit underpowered even though I am no revhead. Appreciate your thoughts. Enjoy your travels and ride safe. Thanks again

Reply
    Trading Traveler says May 29, 2014

    Hey Martin,

    Thanks for the kind words!

    Well, the Honda Forza is definitely no Beemer, but it does the job for us. I don’t consider myself an aggressive driver, although Brittany may disagree with that, and I think the Forza has plenty of power. When we go on a trip we have over 400 lbs of persons/luggage/crap piled on and it pulls through the mountains relatively easy. Having said that, because it is an automatic, you’ll never be able to keep up with a manual bike going through the mountains. The inability to gear down prevents this. If you plan on doing a lot of city riding or relatively flat riding, there is no reason this can’t handle whatever you throw at it. Even if you do a decent amount of mountain riding, it will handle it, just maybe at a little slower pace compared to a manual beemer. But here’s the kicker…. The Forza is surely cheaper than any BMW and sure as hell a lot cheaper to maintain. I just replaced the break pads, oil change, oil filter, and had the clutch cleaned out and it cost me $45USD.

    If you have any other specific questions let me know. Otherwise…. Dive in, join the Forza World.

    Take Care & Ride Safe,

    Charlie

    Reply
      ananth says July 13, 2014

      Can you sir,
      please explain to me on how how the odometer works…?

      i am referring tot eh average fuel usage meter. it has trip a and trip b reading.

      i am not sure how to do setting there to fit my riding style.

      the honda book does not explain this in deatil.

      please do provide detail explaination on it for me if you know sir.

      thank you.

      sincerely,
      ananth

      Reply
      Joe says November 13, 2014

      My newly bought Honda Forza has rear probs. Brakes with only 4,500Kms are worn in the rear to the metal. Rotor scored now. With research on the net I’ve found there is a recall for the rear tire assembly for this bike. That’s Rotor, Tire, whole rear wheel really, bearings, shaft assembly. There is a fuel motor recall for some models too but they were made in Thailand and sold in the US and Italy. I’m pretty choked as I’ve just bought this bike and was really enjoying it up till now……have to wait and see what HOnda will do….

      Reply
        Charlie and Brittany says November 17, 2014

        Hey Joe – sorry to hear about the problems you are having. I hadn’t heard of that problem with the brakes and haven’t encountered any myself yet (so far anyways!). Hope they get it worked out for you. That’s a bummer after only putting 4500 kms on it. Good luck and thanks for the heads up!

        Reply
Suzi Banks says September 21, 2014

I was wondering how much the registration fee and plates were for your new bike is it expensive.?

Thanks so much

Sincerely,
Suzi

Reply
    Charlie and Brittany says September 24, 2014

    Hi Suzi – thanks for the comment. We bought this bike new so all of that was included in the price which is how it usually works. However, we are going back next month and will need to renew everything so we will keep you posted!

    Reply
Peter says December 29, 2014

I want this bike .. Could you tell me where your dealer is in Chiang Mai please?

Reply
Jose Luis Hernandez says January 4, 2015

hey thanks a lot for the info I’m thinking to get this HONDA model instead of the BMW C 650 GT for the price an durability

Reply
    Charlie and Brittany says January 6, 2015

    No problem! Thanks for stopping by!

    Reply
David says March 22, 2015

Thanks for taking the time to do that review. I will be purchasing one with 6K KM on it from an expat in Issan. Receipts indicate all maint. being done on time, I think there shoud be no problem. I will be stepping up to a big bike later, but on this next visit we need reliable transportation and a way to get our things from the market to our room. This will suit us perfectly. I think the seller and the buyer both did well on the sale, and I am looking forward to many happy motoring miles (kilos…lol).

Reply
    Charlie and Brittany says March 23, 2015

    That’s awesome – congrats! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. And yes…kilometers. Not kilos. Bad habit! Lol

    Reply
Jacob says May 14, 2015

Hi. I¨m planning to buy a Forza with 2 month or so. I rented one when I was in Thailand last time. The weather is always around 30 and normaly I have shorts and a t-shirt and it feels like putting on more cloth is crazy. I have been living and driving on Koh Samui and the fraffic on the island makes it impossible to ever ride over 70 km/h and mostly around 40 km/h. When I buy one I will also ride on the mainland later on, and I need tips on what to wear. I always wear a helmet but there has been days when a t-shirt is to mutch….

Reply
Nick Ngcreator says May 18, 2015

I am just having the same issues with my newly owned Forza (just few km before the km counter shows 2000 km), the problems were started few days ago (10 days) and today the situation was getting worst and worst, my engine stopped on the highway several times indicating a major problem with the electric contacts.. (i guess…).
I have an appointment with a local authorized service center over here, so in case I’ll have any news I would like to share with you.

It looks to me like a design problem (or is a problem with some batches in the production…)

Reply
    Charlie and Brittany says May 19, 2015

    Damn that doesn’t sound right being so new. Definitely hope you get it sorted out! Keep us posted.

    Reply
Paula says October 7, 2015

Hi is there a lowering kit for the Honda 2015 Forza?

Reply
Ian says September 30, 2017

Great review, just what I was looking for. I live just outside Chiang Mai and rent a PCX150 which I like. Intend to move north to Chiang Rai province next year so looking at options of bikes to buy. I’m a very experienced driver, but not on bikes. Looking for something comfortable (I’m 6ft 2in) with enough power to handle the mountains, but not too much to kill myself. The Forza 300 looks ideal and that seat looks ideal for my poor old back.

Reply
    Charlie and Brittany says October 1, 2017

    Thanks, Ian! It really is very comfortable and it got two of us up plenty of mountains in Thailand and Laos with no problems. What really sold us is all of that storage space under the seat too. Good luck!

    Reply
Stanley says October 10, 2017

Hi, my bike can only run to the 80speed level, what can I do to increase the speed level

Reply
William says October 17, 2017

Hi all Forza owners need some assistance PLEASE. Recently purchased a second hand Forza 300 which was going good however the battery was on the way out so replaced it. Guess what the engine will turn over but will not fire up. We live in Phuket and Honda Big wing when asked just shrugged their heads as did the local mech. Getting the Forza around considering it does not run is a BIG problem so if possible would like to fix the bike myself if possible. HELP

Reply
Gary Childs says December 3, 2017

HI I have just read your review of the Forza 300 I am looking t buy one 2013 8500K on the clock priced at 65K is there anything I should be looking for in particular

Reply
    Jim Baylis says January 25, 2018

    Hi Gary, i am UK based but have a 2013 Forza 300. now done 16K Miles (thats 25k Kilometers) it has never missed a beat.
    regular oil changes (standard services) and everything has run fine. The only thing i would check that has been done as a service is a belt change (not expensive) but that is due at 10K as you are on 8.5K i would get it done in advance, mine went in transit, and it wasnt so easy to replace (messy) – easier if done beforehand. Mine needs head bearings checked – you can do that yourself – put bike on centre stand, get someone to sit on rear of seat so front wheel in air – check by turning left and right holding the wheel, feel for any slight notch or tight spot – but at that mileage would think its fine. Check any suspension play/wheel play – again by hand… Hope that helps – they are great bikes. Jim

    Reply
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