On Test: Honda CRF450R & CRF450RX
By Martin Craven on 14th Dec 16
Believe it or not, 2017 marks the 15th year of the awesome Honda CRF450R which first saw light of day back in 2002.
Of course, after years of annual tweaks and updates the 2016 model had little in common with the ground breaking original.
And the big news is that the 2017 model is a big one for Honda. The 2017 CRF450R is effectively a whole new model.
Sure, you get the instantly recognisable aluminium twin-spar chassis and the unique Unicam engine.
But do not be fooled, this isnt just a quick cosmetic blow-over it is effectively a brand-new machine.
To start with the five-speed engine has had a complete redesign.
The patented Unicam head is all new with the inlet tract now dead straight for max airflow and the exhaust valves increased in diameter by 2mm to 38mm.
The inlet valves are also operated by a new finger rocker arm which increases valve lift and keeps the head compact. Compression is upped considerably from 12.5:1 to 13.5:1.
Theres a new airbox to feed that new straight intake, one-plate less in the clutch for a lighter, narrower motor and the same oil now lubes engine and gearbox, needing less slippery stuff and less weight.
The end result of all this engine work is quite simply much more power all through the range.
With more torque right from the bottom this builds steadily and strongly through the mid-range until it is giving a full 10 per cent more go at the top end.
From an already strong engine this is mighty impressive.
On to the ally chassis which, in seventh generation guise, has also received a full overhaul to work in conjunction with major suspension revision.
Gone are this years KYB air-forks and back comes good old metal springing courtesy of all-new Showa forks developed in the Japanese Championship.
This isnt just a return to what went before but a new step forward.
At the back a matching Showa shock is mounted lower in the chassis and controls the rear wheel via a lighter, slightly shorter, swinging arm.
With the all-new titanium fuel tank which itself saves over half a kilo in weight - mounted lower in the chassis Honda continues with its centre of mass mantra.
Stir in slimmer, lighter bodywork with the now obligatory moulded in graphics and you ought to have a machine capable of turning in some serious laps of any circuit.
FatCat boss Martin Craven got first gallop on Hondas latest MX weapon and is happy to tell you exactly how it is...
Says Martin: Its finally here the 2017 Honda CRF450R. I say finally as the all-new 450R was a bit held-up due to the earthquake that hit Japan back in April, which we understand delayed the production process of the bike.
I have been chomping at the bit to swing a leg over this new 2017 450R as it is one of the most anticipated motocross machines in quite some time.
It was certainly worth the wait as Honda flew a very lucky few of us to Sardinia, in the good old Med, to let us rip up some sticky clay and give the absolute holeshot pitched machine a try.
To say Im happy that Honda went back to a coil spring fork would be an understatement.
The new Showa 49mm front fork had a nice soft-like feel to it around the jumpy hardpack track but wasnt too soft on bigger hits.
The front fork moves in the stroke freely and still has a great damping feeling through the mid-stroke. I stiffened the compression up only two clicks and this helped brilliantly.
Be careful as each fork click makes a big difference.
I also slowed the rebound damping one click to help the front end hold up a little more when coming hard into corners. The great news is that there is plenty of front wheel traction and comfort with Hondas new front end.
The rear of the bike feels similar to the front as it has great squatting ability coming out of corners but was on the soft side on hard high-speed hits. Again I stiffened the high speed compression a quarter turn and this helped hold the rear up in the stroke coming into jumps.
Both ends of the machine worked well with each other and felt really balanced out on the track. To me, the suspension was one of the most noticeable improvements on the Honda.
Straight-line stability has improved dramatically as the new CRF450R is not as twitchy coming into corners now. The whole feel of the bike is very solid but remains stuck to the ground much better than previous Hondas.
In corners it still has that same front end turning sensation and lays into corners as good as anything.
The 2017 CRF450R gets you into corners cleaner without pushing you out of ruts, there is very little side to side movement which makes the 2017 Honda very flickable.
On the 2017 450 I feel like I am riding more on top of the machine than inside it. Being a tall guy the transition from sitting to standing takes less effort and movement than on previous models.
The shroud area can take a little getting used to as the shrouds are longer but will not hang up on your boots as you dive into deep ruts like the 16 can.
Renthal is still Hondas choice of bars and I felt super comfortable with the new bend giving me confidence on cornering.
After riding the 2017 Honda CRF450R I noticed one thing is for certain. There is nothing similar between this years Honda model and next years.
The 2017 Honda has more torque and throttle response out of corners.
This years model lacked the pulling power to match up with some of the other 450s but the 2017 Honda has that excitement, down low and pulling power that is better than this years model.
Mid-range the Honda pulls extremely well and is a very third-gear friendly machine. Top end is lengthened from last years model and over-rev is stretched out as well.
The 2017 450R is as fast as any 450 on the track right now, from corner to corner the 2017 CRF450R pulls each gear really well. The Honda also runs super clean, The FI tuning is crisper with zero pop.
I couldnt get the Honda to stall once out on the track and starting wasnt a problem, on the first kick every time but obviously the UK models will be coming with that magic little button.
Electric start. Imagine that!
The overall feel of the engine is that it has more pulling power and an exciting free feeling character, better RPM response, and minimal engine braking.
At the end of the test the smile on my face said it all. Without a doubt the all new 450R Honda is one of the fastest, best handling and easy to ride bikes of the year...
CRF450RX
Since Honda announced that its 2017 off-road line-up included an enduro model I have been anxiously waiting to get my hands on the all-new 2017 CRF450RX which is, of course, based on the all-new CRF450R model.
For 2017 Honda decided to enter the enduro market with what is basically a motocross-based model that has specific off-road parts incorporated designed to make it more capable out in the woods.
After spending a bit of time on the full race and mightily impressive 2017 Honda CRF450R I actually didnt notice a massive change in engine performance when I switched to the RX.
Thats because the 2017 Honda CRF450RX has such incredible throttle response that it had me feeling like it was almost better than the R model when on the CRF450RXs standard map.
A torquey low end kept the rear wheel from spinning too much in the drier sections in Sardinia but gave me that exciting feeling all way around the tight yet flowing track.
The mid-range pull is great in second and third gear tight trails.
Moving into the top end the CRF450RX pulls incredibly long considering it incorporates a 13/50 gearing ratio unlike the 13/49 gearing ratio the R comes with.
The engine would stay in the meat of the power without much feathering of the clutch especially in third gear and I didnt feel under pressure to knock the gear lever in to second at anytime.
The beauty of the CRF450RXs engine character is its rideability.
In a straight line the CRF450RX is very predictable and didnt do anything out of the ordinary.
Obviously being an MXer at heart the faster the trails the better the Honda reacted. This is down to having a lot of DNA from the R model and gave me confidence entering corners from a fast section.
The RX was equal to the 450Rs cornering ability and even though it comes in a few kg heavier than the R you can still flick it around the corners similar to its MX brother.
Where berms are more predominant, the Honda gives you a superb leaning feeling and can float all the way around without much effort.
Yes, the 450RX feels bulkier than the R in the shroud tank area when sitting but this isnt obvious when cornering through the woods.
The front fork moves in the stroke freely and still has a great damping feeling through the mid stroke.
End stroke is soft but doesnt ever bottom badly.
Its rear shock feels very similar to the R, offering a great progressive feel with zero bottoming and a lovely feel over the tree roots making the RX a very well-balanced machine through the woods.
The loop in Sardinia was amazing I could have just ridden it all day while the river sections were a joy to ride with the Honda tackling everything the terrain threw at it.
Even on the slippery streams it didnt feel bulky or clumsy and second gear took control of all the steps. I came away with the feeling that the 2017 Honda CRF450RX is a very fun, fast, manageable machine that is capable of taking you to the motocross track and forest all in the same day.
