Total Motorcycle: Honda CRF450R Motocross

Honda CRF450R Motocross

Posted by Groove Tuesday, May 22, 2012

The Honda CRF450R has been at the head of the class pretty much every year since its introduction in 2002. As great as those bikes were, they were not without fault. Year by year handling, engine and suspension issues were gradually ironed out. Then in 2009 Honda took a huge leap, introducing fuel injection and a revised engine, frame and suspension. We’re talking about a total rework here. KYB replaced Showa as suspension supplier, frame geometry was changed, the swingarm was lengthened and the plastic was updated. As such, nobody expected the 2010 model to have much more than bold new graphics, which it does have by the way.

Pretty much everyone is familiar with the 450 Honda. The four-valve, uni-cam engine is relatively simple and has grown to be more reliable with each passing year. The transmission and engine oil are separate, allowing optimum lubes for each application and no chance of dirty transmission oil circulating through the engine. At a claimed 234.8 pounds, the bike’s weight is right in there with the rest of the 450 class. Going to fuel injection last year cured some of the 450’s bad habits, but not completely. You never forget you’re on a big, serious motocross bike.

Honda CRF450R Motocross

The fuelie 450 starts reasonably well for a big thumper, but not great. Once running it pulls too…boy does it ever pull! Instant throttle response and raw grunt from bottom to top make this a brutally effective motocross engine, mated to a slick shifting tranny and a smooth clutch. Fuel injection hasn’t eliminated all of the classic big four-stroke nastiness; the CRF450R will ‘cough and die’ at inopportune times at low rpm for no apparent reason.

When it pulls that unfriendly little stunt the 450 still requires a bunch of very hefty boots and navy curses to relight. That tendency, along with a light flywheel and tall first gear, conspire to make this a very difficult bike to ride anywhere but on a motocross track or wide, fast trails. If you are an East Coast off-road guy expect to spend some money re-mapping the fuel injection system, which is now easier to access without removing the fuel tank, and perhaps adding a flywheel weight. Let’s just say on the track the CRF has a completely different face than the one it wears when forced into playbike mode.

The CRF is a tidy handler that rewards a precise rider. That big, powerful engine is the biggest part of the handling package. At times it is very easy to get in over your head by giving the throttle an overzealous twist.