Honda CRF450R Dirt Bike Review (Top Speed, Specs, and Features)

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Honda CRF450R Dirt Bike Review (Top Speed, Specs, and Features)

The joy of dirt biking is, without a doubt, unparalleled. That feeling of speeding through the muddy tracks while dirt flies up all around you is pure bliss. Watching other people having fun on their dirt bikes while they are displayed on your phone or TV screen is entertaining. However, have you ever attempted it on your own first? I promise you it’s worthwhile. But to get the best experience, you would need to try it on a top-tier bike.

Honda has made a fantastic motorbike that is sure to deliver the most satisfying rush of adrenaline. There is no doubt that we are discussing the Honda CRF450R. Honda—one of the most renowned motorcycle manufacturers in the world—produced a true masterpiece in the form of this incredible bike, which excels in capacity, weight, and performance.

This bike’s engine, which is liquid-cooled, four-stroke, and has a capacity of 449cc, allows it to compete on any dirt track. It moves at an outstanding rate. When combined with Showa forks, the bike makes jumping extremely simple. This dirt bike is one of the best you can buy, and it’s not just because it has excellent genomics; it also has great balance, and its frame is incredibly lightweight.

In this article—Honda CRF450R Dirt Bike Top Speed, Specs, and Review—we will take a more in-depth look at this exciting bike that Honda has manufactured. We will also talk about the benefits and drawbacks of riding this bike. In addition to that, there will be methods developed to make this process pretty easy. Okay, let’s get started.

Contents

Honda CRF450R Overview

The Honda CRF450R was first presented to the public in the year 2002. Production of the first generation of the CRF450R lasted for two years, coming to an end in the year 2004. When compared to the prior generation, the CRF450R featured several significant upgrades, including an aluminum frame, an upgraded camshaft, and an upgraded exhaust. In addition, the width of the handlebars was increased by 22 mm compared to those found on the first bike.

2005 saw the debut of the second generation of the CRF450R, which remained in production until 2008. It featured the latest Honda Progressive Steering Damper. As a result, the geometry was noticeably more aggressive. Honda introduced fuel injection in the third generation (2009-2012). In the fourth generation of the Honda CRF450R (2013-2016), Honda included a new twin exhaust system.

A few significant adjustments were made to the Honda CRF450R in its 5th generation, produced from 2017 to 2020. In addition, the bike featured an unusual visual beginning and a redesigned engine. Showa forks were installed on the bikes. Notwithstanding, Honda continued to push the boundaries of innovation even further and, in 2021, introduced the sixth generation of the CRF450R. The new generation of bikes has an even lower profile and is designed entirely out of plastic.

Honda CRF450R Specifications and Features

  1. Innovative Engine Design:

The Honda CRF450R is powered by a Honda-designed 449cc engine. It is a hybrid of a single overhead cam and a double overhead cam design. The unicam engine is compact, which makes it lightweight. In addition, its power cannot be altered because of its instantaneous strength, which would leave anyone in the dust during a race. The compact engine’s camshaft is also unique because it is positioned lower. As a result, it has a lower center of gravity.

  1. Top-grade Suspension:

The front and rear suspensions have a positive element to them. This Honda bike has been fitted with Showa suspensions with a 49mm travel distance. There is no doubt that the handling and damping will be on an entirely new level for you to experience. In addition, an axle-holding fixture can be found attached to each fork leg. This means you will have improved steering precision and increased rigidity.

  1. Standard Handling:

What makes this bike famous is its maneuverability. And much of the credit should go to its impeccable frame. An important point to note is that the weight of this frame is quite low. The Honda CRF450R has always been famous for having this particular characteristic. Despite this, the 2022 model is even lighter than its predecessor, coming in at a weight that is 1.2 pounds less than the earlier model. Even though the chassis is exceptionally lightweight, it has been tweaked to ensure that the body will not suffer any damage. As a result, you will be able to round corners significantly more quickly than before.

  1. Standard Hydraulic Clutch:

The Honda CRF450R is the first Honda product to come standard with a hydraulic clutch that Honda does not manufacture. Nissin is the company that made the clutch for the vehicle. This clutch has a better performance than the majority of the others on the market. You will experience a peak clutch pull that is 10% lighter than usual. Because of this, you can disregard the necessity of adjusting the clutch cable. The system will leave you with significantly improved performance while requiring little effort to maintain.

  1. Advanced Launch Control:

To further discuss the launch, one of the features that come standard on this bike is sophisticated launch control. Simply pressing a button grants you access to the ECU program. Press the button that controls the selection, the throttle, and the clutch will cause it to become active. Try it out on the trail, and judge how well it works. You will feel content with the feature.

  1. Efficient Ratio:

This bike’s compression ratio is incredible, yet another remarkable feature. Its ratio is 13.5 to 1, which is relatively high. This is made feasible through the development of an improved combustion form. This compression ratio can be attained by including the squish area. Because of this, the bike has significantly increased power and efficiency. This change will allow the bike to move faster, jump higher, and consume less power.

Honda CRF450R Max Speed

The Honda CRF450R can reach speeds of up to 87 miles per hour thanks to its 449cc engine. In metric terms, that equates to 140 kilometers traveled per house. Indeed, that is a rapid speed! There is no question as to why so many off-road cyclists consider this bike to be among the quickest dirt motorcycles available anywhere in the globe.

This bike will get you to your destination in record time thanks to its faultless front and back suspension and its lightweight frame. Due to its low center of gravity, riding this bike quickly through turns does not present too much of a challenge, despite the bike’s speed. Regardless of how quickly you travel, you’ll remain grounded.

In addition to the Honda CRF450R, the Honda CRF450RWE was also available. The WE in the name denotes that it is a Works Edition. It has additional performance features, allowing it to go even faster. You will be able to slice through the air at the maximum speed, regardless of your pick.

How to Improve the Honda CRF450R’s Top Speed

The Honda CRF450R is, without a doubt, one of the quickest dirt bikes you’ll find anywhere in the globe. This bike can reach speeds of up to 87 miles per hour, making it significantly quicker than many commuter bikes now available on the market. That said, I do not believe there would be any difficulty in obtaining an even more capable Honda CRF450R.

More speed, more power, better acceleration, and less jerking are some of the things we’re talking about here. Doesn’t that seem intriguing to you? Consequently, some of these adjustments will be covered in the following sections. These modifications have the potential to take your Honda CRF450R, which has already been tuned, to the next level.

Piston Mod:

Changing the piston is the first modification you can make to your Honda CRF450R. Although the factory pistons are solid, our focus here is on enhancing the performance of the Honda CRF450R. So you can remove the pistons that came with the engine and replace them with JE Pistons Pro Series 14:1 pistons.

Exhaust Mod:

This is the modification for the power in the mid-range. To get the best overall performance, I advise that you invest in the 4.1 RCT Single Exhaust System offered by FMF Factory. This upgrade kit, which many users have validated, will close all loopholes in your Honda CRF450R. You won’t have any trouble maintaining full power as you navigate all of those corners if you have this with you. This will significantly improve the sound, creating a warmer tone and getting rid of the harsh noises that the stock exhaust produces.

Clutch Mod:

The clutch is one area where the Honda CRF450R has historically struggled with.  I don’t see why Honda is still ignoring this sector of the market. Nevertheless, the fact that Honda is ignoring something does not indicate that you should do the same thing! So, invest in a better clutch. The Rekluse TorqDrive clutch pack comes highly recommended by my team.

This is pretty straightforward; it’s the crowd favorite; it’s the obvious victor. When you install this clutch, it will immediately eliminate all of the judders that are caused by the spring clutch that comes stock on the Honda CRF450R. Additional fiber absorbers and steel plates are included in the Rekluse TorqDrive clutch pack as standard equipment. Because of these additions, the excessive heat is effectively absorbed, and at significant amount which reduces the jerking.

In addition, the Tusk Competition Clutch Kit is yet another clutch pack that comes highly recommended. It is essential to take this into consideration! This package offers you an advantage over other riders when pushing yourself to your limits on the trails, especially when competing. This kit also comes with friction material that is comprised of Aramid fibers. This material is very resistant to heat and lasts a very long time. In addition, the high-quality steel plates included in this package protect against warping and distortion caused by heat.

Sprocket Upgrade:

Just switch out the sprocket to get more power for little or no cost. The standard equipment sprocket on the Honda CRF450R has a total of 48 teeth. If you replace that sprocket with one with 50 teeth, you will notice a significant difference in the power it produces. The additional tooth will improve the bike’s acceleration, resulting in increased top speed for you.

Honda CRF450R Review – Pros and Cons

Pros

  • High speed
  • Improved durability
  • Amazing build quality
  • Slender structure
  • Well balanced.

Cons

  • Disruptive side panels: They look good, but if your pants get caught on one of these, you will be in a lot of trouble because they are quite pointed. You should keep in mind that the side panels are sharp.
  • Wide foot pegs: Most of the parts on this bike are narrow. However, the footpegs are wide, and I don’t know why. With those wider footpegs sticking out like that, a bike with a much slimmer body looks strange.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the 2022 CRF450R weigh?

244 lb. That is how much the 2022 Honda CRF450R weighs. This is the same as a little more than 110 kilograms. When you think about how strong this bike is, this weight is crazy. The bike was able to be so light because it had a thin frame and small lightweight parts. This looks and feels a lot like the Honda CR250R, which is another great dirt bike with much less power.

Is the CRF450R a 4 stroke?

The Honda CRF450R has a 449cc four-stroke engine. This bike’s engine is cooled by liquid. This bike comes after the Honda CR250R, which is a two-stroke bike. Each of the four steps in a four-stroke engine is called an intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust.

How big is a CRF450R?

The Honda CRF450R is a thin bike with a low profile. Even though it has a powerful engine, it feels surprisingly light. In terms of measurements, this bike is 86.3 inches long. The width and height are 32.6 inches and 50 inches, respectively. Also, the seat is 37.8 inches off the ground. The seat height can also be adjusted.

How much horsepower does the CRF450R have?

The CRF450R 2022 has 53.8 horsepower. That makes it the third-best bike in this category in terms of performance. Even so, the bike is in no way slow or less powerful. It still feels like the fastest bike you can have on the track. Because of its powerful engine, the bike can last longer than any other bike, even those with more horsepower.

Conclusion

Due to the incredible speed and power of the Honda CRF450R, you can be certain that you will have a higher head position than any other rider competing on the course. This lightweight dirt bike is equipped with a remarkable four-stroke engine, which will enable it to perform all of its required magic.

This is one of the most enjoyable bikes to ride that is currently available on the market. This bike is unrivaled when it comes to having a good time and dominating any competition. Although the frame of this bike has a relatively low profile, several of the other components of the bike have a more robust profile. Nevertheless, you won’t even be aware that there are problems, to begin with.

Published by Regan