Ride Engineering Billet Kill/Engine Starter Button

 By: Matt Sirevaag

Modern day dirt bikes are getting more complex with electronics, buttons, switches, and other high tech gadgets. This seems to leave less room on the bars for handguards, GPS mounts or any accessory that the consumer may want to install on the bars. I am not like Kris however, because “I love hand guards”,  so I was a little sad when there wasn’t much room on our 2019 FC350 handlebars to mount any. Since I was bummed, Kris suggested that I test out Ride Engineering’s Billet Engine Kill/Starter Button. Ride Engineering designed the button in hopes to clean up some of the clutter as well as gain a little room for anything that you may want to mount.

New Way…

As the heading states you can use the Ride Engineering button for a kill switch or a starter button. The new button/switch mounts on most current bikes via the clutch or brake lever mount and to me seems like a smart idea as you kill two birds with one stone. You already have real estate on your handlebars for a brake or clutch so why not mount your kill/starter button to one of those and free up some room right? However just not that installation on any Husqvarna and KTM will only allow the Ride Engineering button to be mounted to throttle tube housing. Installation is fairly easy as I unbolted the throttle tube housing on our 2019 Husqvarna FC350, used the supplied bolts (that are longer than stock), and mounted up the new switch as my starter button. There are a couple of ways to wire this switch after cutting the old one out, but I suggest soldering the wires and using shrink tubing. This will make sure you have a good corrosion and water resistant connection. 

Old Way…

The Ride Engineering starter/kill button does exactly what it was designed to. It leaves you more room on the handlebars as well as give your cockpit a cleaner appearance. I have had zero issues (while riding) using the Ride Engineering button and it hasn't missed a beat, even after riding in freak Southern California rain storms (as well as with bike washes). The only squabble I had is that the button position is at the mercy of your throttle tube housing and or lever angle. I would like to have my starter button facing upwards in case I stall the bike and need to push the button in a hurry. This is nothing more than a personal preference, but something I wanted to mention. The Ride Engineering starter/kill button comes in polished aluminum or anodized black and retails for $54.95. You can find all Ride Engineering products over at ride-engineering.com.

Ride Engineering One Piece Oversize Bar Mount

The Ride Engineering One Piece Oversize Bar Mount has a one-piece top that is designed to resist bending much better than the stock bar mount. Precision machined from aircraft quality aluminum, there is also a 6mm difference between the forward and back mounting positions. Ride Engineering also machines their own stainless steel posts that prevent over tightening, unlike some other competing brands that DO NOT use quality posts. 

We stuck the Ride Engineering one piece bar mount on our 2019 Honda CRF450R and ran it with the stock triple clamps and Ride Engineering’s Works Edition Red Triple Clamps as well. I hate realigning bent, twisted and misaligned front ends, especially during a race. I rarely bend handlebars, but I do have some screwed up twisting going on after some wash outs/tip-overs. Usually, the standard rubber-mounted bar mounts get tweaked and I've even bent the bar-mount stem a time or two while the handlebar somehow stays straight. One of the best products I've found to keep me pointing in the right direction is the Ride Engineering One Piece Bar Mount, in which I tested on our 2019 CRF450R. This $104.95 all aluminum bar mount is sturdy enough to take some crashes, but doesn't cause any added rigidity problems. I would know because I am super sensitive to any added rigidity in my front end. The flex I got on the track (from the Ride mount) is as good as the stock flex and Ride Engineering’s rubber cones are also as flexible as stock. Ride does offer a variation of different elastomers/rubber cone compounds for a custom desired flex, just in case you need a stiffer or softer feel. The Ride Engineering Fourth Generation One Piece Mount has been refined over the years to weigh as little as possible, yet stay strong. The final product is a little heavier than stock, but for the added strength that I am getting, it’s worth its “weight” in gold. 

Installation is simple as the Ride Engineering One Piece Mount easily goes on with the stock Honda rubber cones or you can choose to get Ride’s rubbers (like I mentioned above) as well. The top mount is a one piece design held on with eight 8mm head bolts and when placed over a Pro Taper EVO bar, the machined guidance holes (in the mount) lined up perfectly, making it easy for me to set my bar at the right angle. Once tightened up, I forgot about this mount and didn't stress on the average tip over or any normal sized spill I may take. So, if you're like me and your bike hits the ground on occasion, this mount is money well spent. Head over to ride-engineering.com to check them out or get yours. If you do decide you need this piece, use the code Keefer-20 to see some dough. 

Ride Engineering's 2019 Honda CRF450RWE Triple Clamp

Matt Sirevaag is your average dirt bike fanatic. He works overtime just so he can purchase extra “goodies” for his 2019 Honda CRF450R. He is only “allowed” (you married guys out there know what I am saying) to buy stuff for his bike if he makes extra cash. Matt works side jobs and puts in OT just so he can get his bike just the way he likes it. To me this is a real world test because of the test rider that has written it. -KK

I am just the average nine to fiver and weekend warrior. I get up at 4AM, go to work, and think about dirt bikes (probably like most other riders out there). I walk through the race pits, drool over the factory machines, and wish I could just have one piece of eye candy that graces the factory riders machines. This is where Ride Engineering decided to give their CRF450R clamp that factory Honda like touch. They took their CRF450R clamp, moved the logos, and anodized them cherry red just like Ken Roczen’s factory machine. The Ride Engineering factory 450RWE triple clamp retains the stock 22mm offset that comes on 17-19 CRF450’s and can be used in conjunction with the stock bar mounts or Ride Engineering’s one piece bar mount.

Ride Engineering worked to try and make this Honda triple clamp retain the stock clamp characteristics (flex/rigidity balance). They also used 2024 aluminum, which is the same alloy aluminum that a lot of the factory teams use for their clamps. Just to add to the factory flare we put the new clamp on the scale and it weighed in at 7.9oz. lighter than the OEM clamp! The 450WE clamp fits both the previous 48mm and the new 49mm Showa forks. It also fits 2013-2019 Honda CRF450R, 2017-2019 CRF450RX, 2014-2019 CRF250R and let’s not forget the 2019 CRF450RWE. This is not Ride Engineering’s first rodeo as they have been building triple clamps with different offsets to help change the character of motocross machines for years. 

Installation was a breeze as any novice mechanic can handle this job with a little time in the garage. I would suggest using the owner’s manual as torque specs are always crucial when it comes to suspension components. The torque spec on Keefer’s 2019 CRF450R test bike is: (upper pinch bolt 16 lb-ft, lower pinch bolts 15 lb-ft, and steering stem nut 80 lb-ft). As I hit Sunrise MX on my usual Saturday track day, I was not only excited to ride after a long work week, but I was hoping one of my favorite aspects of the new Honda (front end feel) was not gone. To my delight it was really hard to pick apart any huge differences between the two clamps on the track. As I put down my 30+2 lap moto (Thank you Kris Keefer! Yes, that is sarcasm) the Honda retained that front end feel that I loved with the stock clamp, but I did notice two small differences after I put more time on them. The Ride Engineering clamp does make the front end “turn in” slightly easier and also gives me a little firmer front end feel on hard pack square edge. This wasn't a drastic difference, but it is something I noticed after a few hours on the clamps. I am a heavier guy at over 200 pounds so a little firmer feel wasn't a deal breaker for me. I am the type of rider that is very sensitive to vibration or any unwanted feed back through the bars so I was pleased that I didn't get any increased vibration. Ride-Engineering utilizes the stock rubber’s for their bar mounts and this helps retain that OEM comfort while adding cushion over some other solid mounted bar mounts I tried last time. If you’re a vet rider and are looking for more comfort, make sure your bar mounts are rubber mounted! The Honda’s cornering manners were kept in tact, but with just a little more positive lean in, I did notice that the bar position was slightly more comfortable which I discovered most on deeply tilled up tracks/soil. The Ride Engineering clamp only has one location to mount the bars, but I did notice that the bar position was slightly more comfortable. The mounting position on the Ride Engineering clamps locates the bars three millimeters forward over the OEM mounting location. If you don’t like this bar location you can always turn around the stock bar mounts to pull the bars back.


As you can tell the Ride Engineering CRF450RWE triple clamp is more of a factory look than a clamp that gives more performance. Having said that Ride Engineering does offer different offset triple clamps for the Honda CRF450R that come in 20mm, 21mm, and stock 22mm offsets. They also come in a black or red colorway. These other offset sizes are not the “450RWE” clamps and will have a Ride Engineering logo on the side. On a side note; try to keep the Ride Engineering colored triple clamps covered up from the bright sun. Too much sun (like sitting in the pits for an extended period of time) will fade the color a little. I simply put a towel over my bars to help shade the triple clamps as much as I can. The CRF450RWE clamp includes the top clamp, bottom clamp, pressed in stem, and lower bearing and it retails for $549.90. You can check out all of Ride’s accessories over at Ride-Engineering.com and take a look at what they have to offer for your trusty steed.

Matthew Sirevaag 205lb Novice

Full Time Electrician/Husband/Father/Dirt Bike Fanatic

Ride Engineering Billet Front Brake Caliper

I feel one aspect of a bike’s performance that is often over looked is the brake system. Most of us including myself have over looked this area more times than not. Some of us typically will go buy a new or used bike, drop money on an exhaust, wheels, graphics and maybe even race fuel. After all when you spend almost ten grand on a new bike you think the brakes are top notch off the showroom floor right? Or in my case, feel that you are not fast enough to notice the benefits of an aftermarket brake system. When Ride Engineering sent us there Billet Front Brake Caliper and steel braided brake line I was excited to give it a go. I was anxious as I felt this was my chance to see if this would be money well spent, even for the average blue collar, nine to fiver like myself. Keefer was nice enough to let me test this part and I gave it a go to see if this is something I would want to spend my own hard earned money on. Maybe more importantly, would I even notice a difference? 

 The Ride Engineering Billet Front Brake Caliper is born from billet aluminum. Being made from billet aluminum instead of cast as most stock/production calipers are made, gives the Ride Engineering unit a stronger, less flexible body. This helps with a more precise feel at the lever while riding. It also has larger pistons than the Nissin units (that comes stock on most Japanese bikes). The Ride Engineering Billet Front Brake Caliper also incorporates large fins to help dissipate heat and aid in cooling when hard on the brakes. It comes in black or a polished aluminum finish, utilizes the stock brake pads and hardware for your bike. Ride Engineering offers this caliper for most bikes that use Nissin units like Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Suzuki. 

We tested the Ride Engineering billet front caliper on our 2018 Honda CRF450R test bike, which just so happens to be the same bike I own as well. Booya!!!!! When it arrived I was so excited that even after a long day at work, I rushed home and went right to the garage to install. Yes, I still get excited about new parts for my dirt bike even in my mid thirties. The Ride Engineering Caliper takes a little time to install as you need to attach your old brake line or you can purchase a steel braided line from Ride Engineering like we did. Bleeding is not as much of a hassle if you own a vacuum bleeder, but in my case, I don't have one, it’s a little more difficult because I have to call on the wife or kids to help me bleed, old school style.

 My first test with the Ride Engineering Caliper and Steel Braided Brake Line was at a local moto track that I am very comfortable with. When hitting the track it took a couple laps to get the hang of the new found feeling at the lever. Upon my first on track assessment I honestly thought I had a slight mushy feel at the lever, but as I started to pick up the pace I was mistaken. The feel at the lever was not mushy or soft but a far more progressive feel. This made it a lot easier to modulate the braking power coming into corners. The stock set up has a very firm feel and at times the braking can feel very grabby. This always made me feel uneasy, scared to cover the front brake (while in a corner) and especially in any sort of deep rut. I felt like I would almost lock up the front brake if there were any rocks, bumps or any inconsistency within the rut. The Billet Front Brake Caliper and its progressive feel at the lever gave me much more confidence everywhere on the track. Now I was able to modulate the braking as well as keep my finger on the lever throughout the whole corner without it being to grabby. This helped keep the Honda’s front tire from lifting out of ruts, which happens often with me. Don’t for one second think that there is not a lot of stopping power to go along with this progressive feel. I never felt as if I was lacking braking power or wanted more front brake. The harder you pull in the lever the quicker you stop and you are able to tell that you have more braking power available over the stock caliper within a lap or two. I also noticed a more consistent lever pressure no matter how long my moto was. I had some fading with my stock front brake, but fading wasn't as apparent with the Ride unit. 

As you can see even the everyday nine to fiver can benefit from some better braking. I was quite surprised at what I have learned in testing this product. This is definitely at the top of my “to buy” list behind hand guards (Sorry Keefer) when I save up my pennies to buy my next bike, which is soon! Shhhhhhhh. Don’t tell the wife! The Ride Engineering Billet Caliper retails for $399.95 and the steel braided brake line is $69.95. Add that up and that is less than an aftermarket exhaust, but yet actually lowered my lap times, increased my corner speed and added that cool factory look to my bike. It was a Win.Win. -Matthew Sirevaag, 200 lbs. Moto Novice, Full Time Electrician And Full Time Dirt Bike Lover