2021 Honda CRF450R First Ride Impression

The most anticipated motocross bike of the year is finally here and I actually get to speak openly about it! Hallelujah! The 2021 CRF450R looks nothing like last year’s model and on the track it’s quite a bit different as well. Instead of going over all the change points in this article, you can do yourself a favor and just click here to see what Honda changed on the 2021 model: https://powersports.honda.com/off-road/competition/crf450r. Basically the only parts you will be able to reuse from the 2020 is the front wheel, footpegs, handlebars and grips. Everything else has been massaged or completely revamped. Here is the meat and potatoes of what you can expect to feel from the 2021 Honda CRF450R out on the track. 

Engine: The problem with last year’s CRF450R was that it had too much power in low speed areas of the track. It came on too hard and was tough to manage unless you were riding deep sand all the time. The 2021 CRF450R’s engine character comes on smoother and lasts longer than the 2020 version. I am able to use second gear without the herky/jerky feel coming through area 2 (middle) of corners. When I roll my throttle on there is less reaction to the chassis which is a welcomed attribute for 2021. I have to retrain my brain that the 2021 Honda’s second gear is much more usable than a Yamaha or Kawasaki. Pulling power in each gear is similar to a KTM 450 SX-F in where it’s very precise putting the power to the ground, but still has enough torque to get you over an obstacle immediately out of corners. It has a sneaky fast engine character, similar to a KTM 450 SX-F. 

If you were looking for a more controlled Honda engine without as much excitement down low, this is your year! The 2021 Honda CRF450R pleases less skilled riders more because of how non-violent its hit is in Map One. Boom, there it is! That’s right I said it, in map one! Map one is controlled, long and linear, but map three is more peppy with more rpm response. I used map three a lot at Glen Helen because although it did hit harder, it actually didn’t upset the chassis as much as I thought it would through corners. I was able to use third gear in a couple corners in map three, that I wasn’t able to manage in map one. Map two, although much smoother down low through tighter corners, was super connected to the rear wheel, but gave the CRF450R a heavier side to side feeling. 

On my test bike, the ECU setting on map one was a little rich/dirty feeling in a certain area of the RPM (5000-6000RPM). This upset my rear wheel connection some in certain corners, but not all riders or media outlets felt that once I asked around. However, it’s something to look for when breaking in your new CRF450R.

Chassis: To me this is the most important area Honda needed to get better in for 2021. The 2020 Honda was stiff and rigid to ride when the track got harder or rougher. Honda’s 2021 slogan is “razor sharp cornering”, but I don’t know if that was a great marketing slogan for Honda in 2021. I mean we already know the Honda corners great, do we really need a better cornering Honda? The good news is although it does corner better, it actually goes in a straight line better as well! No, the chassis isn’t as compliant as a Kawasaki, but it is a much better/softer feel around the track than in previous years I can remember. When the track gets square edgy and hard, the 2021 CRF450R now allows the rider to ride through some of those bumps rather than weave around them. Losing 4-5 pounds on a 450 is a big deal, don’t let anyone tell you different. Where do you feel the weight loss of the new Honda? In corners! There’s that slogan again… “Razor Sharp Cornering”. Leaning into a corner is much easier than the 2020 and cornering stability is also up from last year. Where the Honda can still use some help would be through longer corners with ruts. The balance of the bike can still be front end heavy so oversteer is apparent in those longer corners of any track. In order to balance that out you can drop the fork down to 2mm in the clamp and that will help bring cornering stability up more without sacrificing lean in feel. 

Suspension: Plain and simple the Showa fork and shock have better action and plushness in 2021, but to me is still on the soft side for a 170 pound fast rider. You will have to increase fork compression dampening a few clicks as well as open up the rebound dampening one click. Doing this helps keep the CRF450R from pitching on de-cel and keep the balance of the bike happy. Shock sag is set to a normal 105mm and also stiffening the low speed compression does help the Honda’s chassis happy on throttle coming out of corners. Once these clickers are set, I feel like the Honda is the happiest it has ever been. The 49mm Showa fork has good lean angle, on throttle, front end feel and less harshness in the mid stroke than 2020. Again, dropping the fork down from 5mm (stock) to 2-3mm in the clamp helps increase stability. Although not as finicky as the 2020 (track toughness), the Honda does like to be up in the stroke a little higher. I do feel like most aggressive or heavier riders could benefit from going up one spring rate on the fork/shock. 

Track Toughness: This is what you guys want to know! Is the 2021 CRF450R have more track toughness than the 2020? A resounding YES! When the track changed for the worse (on our test day), our morning settings on the 2021 CRF450R didn’t go to shit. This is great news for Honda buyers! Now does that mean its track toughness is better than others? That is something I will find out in the coming weeks as I ride this at more tracks with other machines. 

Same/Same But Different: The 2021 CRF450R’s ergonomics feel as good if not better than last year as the flatter seat profile puts you on top of the bike more rather than in it, like the 2020. The Honda’s one exhaust note is now much quieter and pleasant to the ears when Barcia’ing your way around the track. The brakes on the Honda are the best in the Japanese category as well as the new hydraulic clutch. The new Honda Nissin hydraulic system has a longer/more linear engagement than the Kawasaki and will not fade under heavy abuse. The new clutch feel as well as durability alone is worth a lot to me. I couldn’t stand the slipping that I would get with the 2020, but the 2021 has more positivity to the rear wheel with no dragging. 

So What Do I Really Think? With the Honda weighing in at 244 pounds full of fuel it feels like it’s almost as light as a KTM 450 SX-F in areas of the track. The connective feel that I get from the rear wheel (once passed that dirty feeling down low) allows me to roll the throttle on harder and be more aggressive which I couldn’t do last year. The 2020 CRF450R gave me glimpses of hope and fun around the track, with disappointment mixed in. The 2021 Honda CRF450R gives me more fun around the track without the disappointment. Yes, it’s a better Honda CRF450R in almost every way! 

2020 Honda CRF450R First Impression

Going with the theme of “refinements” like a lot of manufactures are doing for 2020, Honda introduced the new CR450R at Fox Raceway in Pala, California last week. Minimal changes were made to Honda’s flagship motorcycle, but we had a chance to put those refinements to the test over the course of a few days and here is what are initial impressions were of the latest CR450R. We will be getting you guys some recommended base settings along with more tips and tricks in a couple weeks as we put more time on the red machine. If you want to learn more about the 2020 Honda CRF450R, listen to the RMATVMC Keefer Tested Podcast and actually hear my thoughts, instead of just reading them. 

New For 2020: 

The battery position is lowered by 28mm to move the center of gravity downward in order to try and improve chassis balance/handing. 

All new Honda Selectable Torque Control with three levels of intervention; three mode HSTV monitors rpm spikes and responds by temporarily reducing torque to aid rear traction; a separate switch accesses revised mapping for riding modes for simple tuning depending on rider preference or course conditions. 

Revised internal fork and shock settings to help with chassis balance while trying to combat pitching (off-throttle). 

New rear brake pad material for improved performance, increased durability; elimination of lower rear brake rotor guard improves heat dissipation reducing unsprung weight. 

On Track Feeling:

The engine on the 2020 CRF450R rolls on slightly smoother than the 2019 in map one, but still has plenty of excitement coming out of corners. The 2020 still could use a more linear pull down low for novice type riders though. If you lack technique through corners, do yourself a favor and ride the Honda CRF450R in map 2. Trust me, you will be much happier. You will find a noticeable difference in the CRF450R’s mid to top end power pulling power (with the 2020 mapping). It is slightly longer than 2019 and can let you become a little lazier with your shifts. The 2020 CRF450R can be left in second and third gears longer than the 2019, but just know that second gear is strong and can tire you out quicker. The benefit of having all that bottom end power is you’ll be able to ride the CRF450R in third gear through corners, which can lighten up the workload a little in longer motos. If you’re a heavier or gnarly dude head on over to map 3 and enjoy the harder hit than you had in map 1. Last year’s engine character was snappy and fun, but lacked some control down low, but for 2020 the red bike has a little more control which helps the chassis balance. Don’t worry, on paper, it’s the fastest bike (peak horsepower) in class.  

The 2019 CRF450R chassis still needed some help because of its aggressive and stiff nature. The 2020 ECU mapping has calmed down the CRF450R’s chassis slightly, which is great thing for you future buyers! You can have the fastest engine in the world, but it isn’t going to mean anything if the bike or rider can’t handle it right? The rigidity balance on the track hasn't changed much for 2020, but the slightly smoother engine character doesn't bind up the chassis as much under heavy throttle. The 2019 felt harsh when the track got hard packed and choppy, but the 2020 frame feels like it flexes slightly better because the engine delivery is chilled down a bit. With these ECU changes Honda made in 2020 the chassis feels like it sticks to the ground a little better on throttle while accelerating down the straights. 28mm doesn't seem like a lot, but with the battery box lower this does translate on the track while entering corners. All three riders that we had testing the 2020 bike against the 2019 noticed the “tip in” was easier on the 2020. Your initial lean doesn't feel as heavy on the new Honda and the bike falls into corners even better than the 2019 did. The CRF450R is already one of the best cornering bikes and with this change for 2020, it helps this even more. 

The CRF450R’s suspension holds up higher in the stroke for 2020 and gives the rider decent comfort on the small chop, but don't expect it to be better than the KYB suspension that comes on the Yamaha. All three riders that tested this bike (165, 170, 175 pounds) went stiffer on the fork to help the Honda from diving under heavy braking. Even with the fork changes Showa made for 2020 we still wanted some more hold up. If we rode the CRF450R around at 80%, the fork had enough comfort and hold up, but when pushing the bike hard the fork needed some added performance. Once going a little stiffer (compression) and slower (rebound) the front end felt calmer and allowed for a more aggressive riding style. The shock has a ton of comfort initially, especially coming out of rough/choppy corners, but on heavy g-outs or steep jump faces the end of the stroke is empty (soft) feeling. Going stiffer on high speed compression a quarter turn will help hold up and prevent you from going to the chiropractor later that afternoon. We ended up going with a 105mm of sag as that pleased all three riders and left them with the best balance on and off throttle.  

Does The Honda Selectable Torque Control Work? Yes, that’s right you have another three modes to play with on the Renthal Fatbars now! These three modes actually can come in handy in slippery conditions and can even further customize the engine delivery for less experienced riders. Mode one is for track conditions that still have some moisture and traction, but can get slippery on exits of corners, mode two is for conditions that are slippery in most areas of the track, and mode three is for a track that is hard packed or very slippery in all areas. We messed around with all three modes and a couple of our riders came away pleasantly surprised. The track we were riding wasn't extremely slick at the end of the day, but having the ECU in map one along with the HSTC on in mode one; the CRF450R felt more stable and planted to the ground than it did at the beginning of the day, when the track was semi fresh. Two out of the three test riders thought it was an advantage and our fast pro moto guy (Colton Aeck) didn't think it did much for him. This is something that we will test more and will get back to you with in a future RMATVMC Keefer Tested Podcast. 

Something about hopping on a Honda and feeling comfortable right away is almost always unanimous with every rider that gets on one. I even overheard other media outlet testers saying that the Honda has the best cockpit (rider triangle) out of any other bike available today. Honda did a great job with the seat to peg to handlebar measurements. Other manufacturers take note please. 

As usual I will be completely honest… I didn't notice any performance enhancements in rear braking or the “unsprung weight” Honda tells us they saved weight with the removal of the rear plastic disc cover. Plastic cover be damned! We no longer need you! Boom! Marketing team unite! Unsprung weight!  

I get a lot of emails asking these two questions so I will save myself a few of them by answering them right here… -KK

Is it worth getting a 2020 Honda CRF450R (compared to a 2019)? If it is a matter of saving you a couple thousand dollars? No, get yourself a fresh 2019 and use that money you saved to get your ECU re-mapped or better yet get a Vortex ignition done up by Chad at XPR Motorsports and thank me later. If it’s a matter of a thousand dollars or less than get the 2020 because the mapping alone is worth that much.  

Keefer…Is the 2020 CRF450RWE worth the extra money compared to the 2020 CRF450R? I don’t know yet… Give me another month, so I can ride the “WE”. Chill down… 

Come on back to keeferinctesting.com and pulpmx.com in a few weeks for a full breakdown of settings, tips, and tricks to make this 2020 Honda CRF450R even better. 

The 2019 Honda CRF450R "Track Toughness" Project (Part One)

There are a lot of you 2019 Honda CRF450R owners out there and most of you food my email inbox with set up questions. If there is one machine that makes me want to ride on pure looks alone, it would be this 2019 Honda CR450R. But… Sometimes looks can be deceiving and although it’s beautiful to look at, the Honda is a handful to ride fast on a rough track. The set up window for this bike is very narrow and you must absolutely “nail it” to get that comfort most of you are looking for on this machine. Trust me, I get it and understand how finicky this CRF450R can be as I have had more time on this machine than any other in my testing fleet. The phrase “Track Toughness” is used a lot in the world of production testing. What is “Track Toughness”?Track Toughness is a phrase that means how well a machine can adapt to any type of track and or track condition. The Honda lacks some “Track Toughness”.

So in order to seek out that comfort we all want out of this sucker and widen that “Track Toughness” window, I have been working diligently on key modifications/settings to pass along to you all out there that will actually help this bike’s Track Toughness. This is not a fluff build, but more for serious die hard red riders/racers that want the most out of their bikes. I will be doing this build in phases, so look for added parts to this article coming soon. Don’t freak out if you don’t see your special mod in this article. Chances are we will get to it in part two… In the meantime here are a few things for you Honda owners out there can try in order to keep that big smile intact from the time you load up your truck, until the time you leave the track.

Swingarm Pivot Bolt Torque Spec: This costs zero dollars and should be done as soon as you get your 2019 Honda CRF450R. Stock swingarm pivot bolt torque spec is 65 ft.lbs., but try to re-torque to 60 ft.lbs. What does this simple adjustment do? It helps the stiff/bound up feel underneath your butt/rear of machine when accelerating and also gives the Honda more rear wheel traction. The Honda chassis has a stiff natured character to begin with so loosening up the swingarm pivot bolt a little helps free it up. Trust me, it helps! 

Vortex ECU (Mapped By XPR Motorsports): I have done a few projects with Chad at XPR Motorsports and he continues to impress me with his meticulous ways. The Honda doesn't need more horsepower, in fact it wouldn't hurt if it had a slightly more mellower delivery. So why install a Vortex ECU? The XPR mapped Vortex ECU will give you more horsepower, but will spread out that newfound horsepower with a longer and smoother delivery than the stock ECU can. The stock ECU still has that herky/jerky roll on power through corners and that really upsets the chassis and my corner speed. That pisses me off! If your corner speed is off than you’re going to have a bad day at the track. Just ask my wife, Heather! 

Chad has several maps that smooths out that low end feel just enough to where you can roll your corners easier and have a broader pulling power down the straight. The over-rev that this Honda gets with this XPR Vortex ECU/mapping alone is worth the price of admission because it allows me to use second gear longer than our 2019 KTM 450SX-F test bike (with a Vortex ECU). It also allows you third gear riders to use that gear more and be lazier, if that’s how you like to ride. Chad has the mapping down and can get you a cleaner, smoother, broader, more exciting power with this simple mod. Did I mention that it helps the stiff chassis feel? Well it does because you can now ride the CRF450R in the lower RPM range (thanks to more torque) and that frees up the frame on chop, square edge, and braking bumps. Yes, sometimes improvements to the engine can directly affect chassis feel. 

Yoshimura RS-9 Full Muffler System: If there is one company that knows Honda’s, it’s Yoshimura! The Yosh muffler makes broader horsepower, keeps the strong bottom end pull intact, and gives the Honda a deeper more throaty sound. Just bolting on this Yoshimura system (without the ECU change) will help the Honda’s on/off feel from 0-15% throttle opening. This is where the Honda needs help and the Yoshimura muffler helps smooth the CRF450R in this area. You will also lose just over a pound with this system. 

14/51 Gearing: This gearing will only work best if you have the above three modifications done. I stumbled across this gearing on a test day and found out that I really liked it. The 14/51 gearing allows you to run your axle farther back (which the Honda needs) and gives the engine a longer 2nd and 3rd gear pull. This gearing also helps the rear of the Honda relax under load and will give the rider extra rear wheel traction. Try this gearing if you have done the above three mods.

Rekluse Torque Drive Clutch Pack: How’s that lever pull doing for you on your CRF450R? Not that great right? I hated going from a light clutch lever pull (on other machines) to the hard feel of the Honda CRF450R. The CRF450R needs some longer clutch life (because I am a clutch dragger), so installing the Rekluse Torque Drive Clutch Pack has increased my life and gives me less fade in longer motos. This kit leaves your stock internals intact, but increases your clutch plate count buy using the “Torque Drive” technology. This mod also gives you a better clutch pull at the lever as it’s not as stiff because the Rekluse Torque Drive Pack allows more disks in your OEM’s footprint.  

Custom Clutch Arm: The Honda’s clutch engagement point is very narrow and although the Rekluse Torque Drive Clutch Pack helps the life/pull, the engagement is still too on/off for me. Chad at XPR Motorsports makes a custom clutch arm that really helps get an increased linear feel out of your clutch engagement. Not only is my engagement point wider, but it also delivers the power to the ground smoother, which in turn gave me more throttle to rear wheel feel. What does that mean? More consistent starts and better mid-exit corner rear wheel connection. This is a modification that you would never know was on the factory bikes when walking the pits at a Supercross because it’s difficult to see from the naked eye. For the right price I am sure Chad at XPR Motorsports could make you one. Thank me later! 

Race Tech Suspension: The most important piece to this puzzle would be the Honda’s Showa suspension. The stock Honda suspension is a little soft for my 170 pound frame and when Honda’s R&D team developed this stock suspension setting for the 2019 Honda CRF450R they needed to get comfort form the suspension to offset the stiffer nature of the Honda chassis. Race Tech took my stock Showa suspension and my A-Kit set and went to work. We ended up going to a .52 fork spring and a .58 rear shock spring to balance the bike out for me. The fork has better hold up and more control than the stock fork and gives me a more planted feeling on initial lean coming into corners. The overall firmer feel of the Race Tech fork doesn't have that harsh nature you would expect from heavier valving, but instead has a better damping feel that still has enough comfort to keep me happy. I tested several fork heights and for me flush-3mm was the best. On faster/rougher types of tracks I went flush on the fork, but on tighter tracks, I stuck with a 3mm height. Getting the correct fork height is still crucial for this chassis. 

I decided to run the stock link and cut the shock 1mm to try and lower the rear enough to where  I don’t get a stink bug feel on de-cel/braking bumps. I played with a ton of sag settings and came up with a 109mm of sag, which gave me the balance to where the CRF450R didn't move much when on/off throttle heavy. Running a little lower sag setting also helped when the dirt was deep or sandy, so that there wasn't too much weight pushed towards the front of the machine causing me to have over-steer. I like that I can hit stuff harder at speed with the Race Tech re-valved shock and also having increased traction on choppy corner exits. The Race Tech Gold Valves keep evolving so if you haven't gave them a try, this might be the perfect machine to give it a whirl. I didn't have the best of luck with Race Tech a few years ago, but Rob and the gang over there have really stepped it up and have their settings down for this model. 

2019 Honda CRF450R Optional Suspension/Chassis Settings

If there is one bike that is sensitive to setting changes it is the Honda CRF450R. The 2019 version does have slightly more comfort in the chassis and have a little wider window (for setting changes) to work with than the 2017-2018 CRF450R. However, there is a couple very small things that can drastically improve the handling of your 2019 CRF450R (that will not cost you an arm and a leg). Try some of the following settings if you need a good baseline to start from on your 2019 CRF450R and CRF450RRWE. 

*Rear Wheel Placement (Chain Adjustment)*:

Before we get into optional suspension settings I wanted to talk about rear wheel placement/adjustment. In stock form the rear wheel adjustment comes pushed in too far forward on the CRF450R. It may not look/sound like much, but I quickly found out that a few millimeters drastically improved the Honda’s chassis character. The Honda is already a quick turning machine, so if you're experiencing some stability or deflection problems in your front end try running your wheel farther back. You will have to get a new chain and cut it to the desired length, but try placing your wheel towards the last two-three markings on your chain adjuster blocks. By doing this, it allows you to keep your fork height at 5mm and prevents some harsh/deflection feeling in your fork. Most riders will drop their fork height flush or to 2.5mm when experiencing oversteer or stability problems, but that just hurts the Honda’s “turn in” ability and doesn't get you that much added straight line stability. Dropping the fork can make the Honda cornering seem somewhat heavy. Running your rear wheel farther back helps traction, increases stability and actually helps fork comfort on de-cel. When I come off of other bikes and get back on the Honda CRF450R it almost feels like the front wheel is tucked too far underneath me. I get some oversteer through corners and front wheel traction is inconsistent at times. Running the rear wheel back gives the Honda CRF450R increased cornering stability and helps some harsh feel I get from the forks on de-cel (braking bumps). Something as small as moving your rear wheel back on the red machine helps “planted feel” tremendously. The suspension settings below are settings that were made with the rear wheel placed farther back (than stock). 

Food for thought….There is a reason why KTM gave the customer more room to run the rear wheel back on their SX-F’s in 2019.    

Suspension Settings (170-195 pounds): 

Fork:

Spring Rate: 0.50 

Compression: 9-10 clicks out

Rebound: 11 clicks out

Fork Height: 4-5mm (With rear wheel placement modification)

Shock:

Spring Rate: 5.6 

Race Sag: 107mm

Hi Speed Compression: 3-3 1/4 turns out 

Low-Speed Compression: 9 clicks out

Rebound: 6 clicks out

Suspension Settings (195 Pounds And Up): 

Fork:

Spring Rate: 0.51 

Compression: 12 clicks out

Rebound: 10 clicks out

Fork Height: 4-5mm (with rear wheel placement modification)

Shock:

Spring Rate: 5.8 

Race Sag: 108mm

Hi Speed Compression: 3-3 1/2 turns out

Low Speed Compression: 12-13 clicks out

Rebound: 10-11 clicks out

Chassis Notes: With the frame, swingarm, and linkage changes Honda made to the CRF450R in 2019 you don’t have to rip bolts out or loosen torque specs. I am currently testing engine hangers to see if it hurts or helps this new generation chassis, so stay tuned for that update in a future Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Keefer Tested Podcast.

Clutch: The clutch is still weak in the Honda so removing the judder spring and adding a clutch fiber can help the life of your plates by 6-8 engine hours. Just know that adding a clutch fiber will make the clutch pull slightly harder to pull in! 

2019 Honda CRF450R First Impression

As the 2019 bike roll-outs continue, we ventured back to Chaney Ranch to swing our leg over the 2019 Honda CRF450R and all new CRF450RWE (Works Edition).  From prior experience, the Chaney Ranch facility proved to not be the best testing grounds to form great opinions/settings on new bikes, but rather a place that would allow us to get comfortable on a bike and become more excited to take it elsewhere.  So my first impression of the 450R is just that - a way for me to communicate my initial thoughts based on one day of riding (and trust me when I say I can’t wait to ride this bike again).  

2019 Honda CRF450R 

First and foremost, let me start by stating that I was not a fan of either the 2017 or 2018 Honda 450R.  I’m a relatively small dude - 5’7”, 145lbs, so harnessing the prowess of a big bore can be daunting at times.  I personally felt that the 17’ & 18’ 450’s where very rigid, and I struggled to find settings that would make me comfortable in stock trim on rougher tracks.  Mostly, I felt these bikes were quick to react and deflect off of any small bumps/chop on track, making it hard for me to hold onto (skinny guy problems). Honda brought out an 18’ for us to ride and I was able to confirm these opinions before riding the new bikes. Without a doubt, within minutes I could feel the difference of the updates that Honda made for 2019. The CRF450R’s Next-Gen twin spar aluminum frame positions the rear shock’s mounting point lower, opening up the airbox area and contributing to a lower center of gravity. Honda also took some rigidity out of the sub-frame to help with rear wheel traction and comfort. The new swingarm design is lighter and provides appropriate rigidity communication to the rest of the bike, resulting in a much more compliant feel. The bike feels more stable, more predictable, and way more confident when riding at speed. It allows you to ride the bike more aggressively and with more confidence in rough conditions.  Keep in mind, the overall frame geometry is exactly the same as the prior years, so the 19’ definitely will not feel foreign to someone who has become familiar with the last few generations.  Further enhancements to the chassis for the new model year include revised suspension settings, which further improve the overall feel and performance of the 450R.  They are somewhere in the mix between the 17’ (which was soft) and the 18’ (which was stiffer). I made very minute adjustments to improve comfort, which included a sag setting around the 109-110mm mark, and softening the forks and low speed compression on the shock. These small adjustments transmitted into noticeable differences and I started liking the bike even more as the day progressed.  Finally, I was smiling while riding red again!

Moving into the power plant, 2019 sees a revised cylinder head with a focus on the exhaust port and a new header pipe.  The header pipe diameter has been increased as well as overall length to the muffler, all resulting in more power across the rpm range.  Honda also updated the selectable EFI map selections (standard-1/smooth-2/aggressive-3) for better use of power delivery in specific conditions, as well as selectable HRC launch control modes.  I did not really dive into the launch control modes on the 450R, but have been told that they help offer a great advantage for riders looking to rip that #absoluteholeshot. My impressions of this 2019 motor were great, as I felt the power delivery was very linear (something that I like). It was not as barky/aggressive on the low-end as previous generations have been, so I did enjoy “Map 3” the most, which woke the bike up a bit, allowing it to regain some snap and playfulness without losing the linear power curve. Over-rev seemed plenty sufficient as well, as the bike did pull well in high rpms, but the only thing that really didn’t stand out was the mid-range. I felt the “meat in the middle” was a little lack-luster, making me want to twist the throttle more to keep the bike alive. All in all, the motor and chassis combination seemed to work well with one another.

To round out some other important improvements to this year’s 450R, the bike now sees a Renthal Fatbar attached to a new top triple clamp (offers 4 different handlebar mount positions), updated front brake caliper, and last but not least… BLACK WHEELS!  Yes… this is very important, because holy hell the bike looks so damn sexy with them! And speaking of holy hell and sexy, how about the all new 450R Works Edition?! The bike is drool worthy and I swear to you, it will cause a double-take to anyone at first glance who might confuse it with a factory race bike. I spent some time on this bike as well during the intro, but it was not my focus - my partner, Colton Aeck, will provide you with the details in his own impressions right here on KeeferIncTesting.com. I will say this - the Works Edition is one bad machine, and I applaud Honda for actually making it a better package for the money when comparing it to the orange/white competition. It is not just about aesthetics with the 450RWE, its about performance as well, and I’m hoping to ride it again in the near future to form better opinions on how much better it can be or should be, versus the standard “R” model. 

I personally feel that the 2019 new bike season is shaping up to be great. Japanese manufacturers have stepped up across the board, providing machines that look, feel and perform better than they have in the last few years. Honda has proven this so far with their 450R, which is noticeably improved form the 2018. The updated chassis is the obvious stand-out here, providing a more compliant and predictable ride than the previous generations. What was also cool to experience first hand was being surrounded with professional privateers during this intro (albeit current red riders) that could attest to the changes that the new bike experienced. Everyone seemed to agree on specific traits, and what stood out when they had their turn to spin laps (and let me explain that they all agreed that they want the 2019 bikes to race on next season). As mentioned earlier, riding in the location we did for this intro was just the beginning… I am now more eager than ever to ride in different conditions to really get a true depiction of the 19’ model.  As always, please stay tuned to KeeferIncTesting.com to read/listen/learn as we continue to have some fun testing the 2019 offerings across the board. Thank you for reading! -Dominic Cimino

Dominic Cimino ripping the CRF450RWE. 

Justin Brayton's Smartop/MCR/Bullfrog Spas Honda CRF450R Photo Gallery

She's A Beaut Clark! 

A D.I.D. DirtStar ST-X rim is laced up to a Dubya Talon Ultralight rear hub. 

The front hub is a stock unit that is polished. Brayton likes the way the stock hub feels for cornering. 

Stock foot peg placement, a set of titanium Pro Pegs and a Ride Engineering brake clevis.

This is the same Yoshimura RS-9 system that anyone can purchase. No special spec here. 

Factory Showa shock with an 18mm shock shaft. 

X-Trig 22mm offset clamps, PDHS bar mounts with a 5mm spacer, and 996 Twinwalls. The Showa factory forks are spring forks with caps that may look like they're air assist, but don't let that fool you. 

A factory front Nissin brake caliper stops the Honda on a dime. However, it isn't a grabby front brake, but has more of a progressive feel to it and that invites you to go in deeper into bowl corners. 

JB10 opts for the feel of the titanium front engine hanger. Although the shape is the same as the stock piece, the stiffer feel of the titanium up front helps the side to side movement of the CRF450R feel quicker/lighter. 

A GUTS ribbed seat cover keeps Justin from coming of the back while eating corners. Underneath the seat you will be able to find a Vortex ignition that is mapped to the XPR tuned engine. Yes, it's fast!  

You would think the whole package would make Brayton's bike feel rigid, but it actually has a ton of comfort for how stiff his suspension set up is. The team incorporates all stock hardware (no titanium) to help flex character.  

Chad Braun at XPR has this engine tuned beautifully. It has a free-revving feel with hardly no engine braking and is not only very fast, but very controlled as well. The traction to the rear wheel is amazing for how fast this machine is. Brayton's first and second gears pull so long, it feels like third gear in normal production standards. Now I know how Brayton gets such great starts! WOW! 

The confidence you get coming into whoops with factory suspension underneath you is nothing like you ever felt. 

2018 Honda CRF450R First Ride

Keefer Inc. Testing First Ride Impression

2018 Honda CRF450R 

The 2018 Honda CRF450R may look like a 2017, but it sure doesn't act like one. 

For those of you that didn't listen to the 2018 Honda CRF450R podcast I did, here is a written First Ride Impression version. Remember if you prefer to listen to your tests instead of read them, we are here for you! You can subscribe to “Keefer Tested“ on iTunes, go to pulpmx.com or get it on the Stitcher app…. Choose wisely…. 

Honda came out with a brand spankin new CRF450R in 2017, so the updates the 2018 have are minimal, but that doesn't mean they cant be felt on the track. Honda went ahead and stiffened up the suspension by increasing the spring rates on both ends of the bike, the engine hangers have been swapped out for a softer CRF450RX style hanger, a mapping change was made to the standard map that was developed to smooth out roll on power down low and increase mid to top end pull and last but not least an electric start with a lightweight lithium ion battery (straight from the HRC race department). On paper it doesn't sound like much, so I took the 2017 and 2018 bikes out to dissect them both (for a little comparison) and this is what I came away with. 

A Mapping change to the number 1 map (on the mapswitch) make the 2018 CR450R easier to ride.

Engine: 

The 2017 engine character is super exciting and fun to ride, but can be a handful when trying to roll through ruts and corners. The 2018 (in map 1) comes on smoother and is much more friendly to ride than the 2017. This doesn't mean it lost its luster down on low RPM, it just means that it is more controllable than ever before. The rear wheel is more connected on the 2018 than last year and I can really feel the Honda getting more traction when the dirt gets harder. Mid to top end pull feels like it has also slightly increased over last year with the new mapping. The new bike can pull second and third gear slightly longer. You will however still need to downshift to second in corners, but will be able to shift a little earlier on the 2018. Over-rev is as good on the 2018 as last year’s model, but still not quite as good as a KTM 450SX-F. With the 2017 I felt like it was easy to stall on tighter corners and didn't have that chugability (yes, that’s right chugability) that I like so much from a bike like the Yamaha YZ450F. With the 2018 CR450R mapping change I felt like the Honda is a little more “chuggy” feeling down on low RPM and doesn't have the tendency to stall as easy. Map two and three are unchanged and to me I preferred map 1 on every track I rode besides very deep sand tracks. Map two is too mellow for my throttle hand and map 3 is very fun feeling, but when I get tired I prefer calming down a little bit! Don’t be threatened by a smoother power feeling on a 450 because chances are you will be faster with that type of engine character. Honda has picked up on this and gives the rider a smoother yet broader engine character in 2018.  

The new Honda still has a fun power character and is flickable around the track. 

Suspension:  

2018. Firmer? Yes. Harsher? No. The 2018 Honda has a firmer feel to it and holds up in the stroke better than the 2017. At 170 pounds this is a better feeling for me on every track I rode at. Last year’s bike was a little “pitchy” feeling and gave me some oversteer (knifing) in corners. This year I was able to keep the fork height at 5mm up in the clamp and not get that oversteer I dreaded from last year’s machine. Going from on gas to off gas on the 2018 CRF450R gives the rider less movement and keeps front end traction high through corners. The fork has a firmer feel, but doesn't get harsh through the mid stroke and keeps a good damping feel all the way to the end of its stroke. Last year’s fork setting was a little empty feeling at the end part of the stroke and I bottomed the 49mm Showa spring fork going up faces of jumps. I experimented with shock sag and always came back to a 105-106mm setting. This was a happy place to keep the 2018 CRF450R balanced on braking bumps and acceleration chop. The shock soaks up square edge well and doesn't have that wallow feel on rollers like last year’s steed. I did get some bottoming on steep jump transitions so an 1/8-1/4 turn stiffer on high speed really helps this get better. If you feel like that both ends are harsh (on braking bumps and acceleration chop) try softening the fork two clicks, slowing the rebound down one click. On the shock go softer two clicks on low speed compression and stiffen rebound down one click. 

The 49mm Showa spring fork holds up more on de-cel and the bike doesn't have that "pitchy" feel to it.

Chassis:  The softer engine hangers really help the 2018 Honda CRF450R settle into the corners better than the 2017. I originally did this mod to my 2017 and noticed a big difference in the bike’s attitude when the track was hard and choppy. The 2018 doesn't deflect as much off of bumps and is slightly more planted around the track.The softer hangers help the flex of the chassis and give the rider more of a contact patch feel from both tires. The added weight (five extra pounds in 2018) of the electric start doesn't correlate on the track and it was tough for me to feel any real weight disadvantage while pushing it on the track. If anything I can feel a slightly heavier feel on tip in, coming into corners, but it is barely noticeable (I am picky so I can feel that stuff). The CG feeling of the Honda is still superb and feels flickable around jumpier style tracks. The 2018 CRF450R corners better than the 2017 due to the chassis and suspension changes Honda made.  

The updated hangers are a welcome change to the 2018 CRF450R, even though most of you 2017 Honda riders most likely already did this to your machine.

Verdict:  

It was tough for me to ride the 2017 Honda CR450R at rough tracks, but the same tracks I hit with the 2017 didn't feel as gnarly to me when I rode the 2018 model. The more forgiving chassis, stiffer suspension, and an engine character that is easier to ride makes it less of a handful to push your limits. I like that I can be smoother on this bike and it will reward me. Did I mention the electric start kicks ass?! It starts easy and makes life a lot easier for me when I have a spill or need to stop to yell at my son for doing something sketchy out on the track. I am looking forward to riding the 2018 Honda CR450R against all of the other 450’s soon in the upcoming first annual Keefer Inc. Testing 450 MX Shootout. Stay tuned! 

Legend. 

If you have any questions about this test please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com.  

For spec info you all can go click over to powersports.honda.com.