HONDA CRF450L MEGA THREAD

tres bon

Post up your owners experience up in here, its what we're all here for. Wasn't the old thread about speculation and complaining anyways? Which was what everybody was posting about at least. This thread is for owners impressions. Do you have anything to add or are you just bashing?

Feel free to ask me the same question in the owners' thread.




Sean

seems the other thread is for imaginary owners and this one for real.

Seems I've ridden a 450L. Have you?




Sean

My wife has an elle

So Kicknback, tell it to me straight: is it a whoop eating monster?

I just got home, but will tell ya what I put her through and how she did more when I get some rest . But yes it will eat whoops as long as you want.
I couldn’t believe the power it has seeing Honda has her corked up to an art form with all the EPA crap. I have the suspension set at nominal that’s the standard in the middle setting and the sag set pretty close might go with a bit heavier spring but hard to tell just yet.
I was running these whoops faster and faster to get the feel of the bike then 3rd and 4th gear at about 45-55 mph just skipping off the tops or playing the throttle and doubling them in lower gears. Pics never really show how they really look or I just suck at taking pics. This was in a wash and they just went forever. The bike did get hot and the fan ran a lot but with the sand and not even 100 miles on it yet it’s to be expected but no boil over or warning lights.

Be careful where you mount the gps on the bars, the front brake line will catch it. It’s kind of a floppy line and when you carry speed and hit whoops it will catch it and pull it over or off completely. I threw it on this morning this has been my spot on many bikes but the lines have always been stiffer either I will rub viagra on the line to stiffen it or will have to find a better place

That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. I know I've said it in a few threads now, the #1 thing I missed when going from a plated 450r to a 690r was the ability to skim over the tops of whoops at any speed the bike was capable of.

I've ridden my share of Beta/Husky/KTM dualsports, and most brands/models of offroad/mx bikes (up until about 3 years ago), and none of them gave me the same confidence that I got on a Japanese mx bike (really, just the Honda's and Yamaha's) for high speed desert use. Honda's 3rd gen and newer perimeter framed bikes seem to fit my body shape as if they were designed just for me, which adds to the appeal greatly.

I'm still just in the day-dreaming phase until my health is straightened out, but I have high hopes for the coming year! The CRF450L is #1 on my list when the time comes. I'm trying to talk one of my best buds into buying a 450L, he currently has a plated XR400 which is his go-to these days, along with a TE630 that is likely going on the chopping block soon. He's pretty adamant about getting another XR650R, but maybe some more positive ride reports from 450L owner's who ride desert (and have a dirtbike/racing background) will persuade him!

55 mph on those whoops is impressive, especially on a 300 lb bike. Perhaps the suspension is that bike's killer app? Perhaps you're an awesome rider? Maybe a bit of both?

Looks like you're really bonding with your machine, and that is the whole point

Kicknbak is really Ken Roczen

55mph over whoops is at the SX level of impressiveness.

What can one expect to pay out the door in Ca for these red ones.
I know every deal is different.

Thanks

hh
wwm

Hey no SX rider here anymore just experience and lots of it. I didn’t do it for long at those speeds I’m freakin gettin older and riding like that wears me out fast. I just glanced at the speedo when I could most of the time the world was a blur I was happiest at about 15-20 in lower gears. It’s all about the journey these days not how fast I get to the destination.

It looks like Honda have the bike priced at around $10.6 before taxes.
CRF450L

Dirt Rider CRF450L Review sort of.

I am assuming the 49mm forks are open chamber? So, older school and pretty conventional.

500EXC-F for a 2018 are on sale at around $11K before taxes.

I found a review at Dirt Rider for the 2019 KTM, but it was more of a press release.

I imagine we'll get better reviews here. Dirt Dider reported 44 mpg on the dash computer for their intro ride.

90 miles or so until you're pushing it back to the truck.

For my style of riding, forest roads and two track with gear for month-long travel I'd bet the bike would weigh in about a hundred pounds over the dry weight. Maybe a little more/less after handguards, bashplate, racks, bags and such.

I want to see service intervals and such.

Let’s talk about the weight or lack of. Coming off the WR250R with phenomenal after market suspension it feels like it’s half the weight.
I know the specs say it’s a few pounds lighter but it’s either down low or they are hiding it totally because it feels like a dirt bike not a dual sport. Could it be the power to weight making it feel that way? it’s got the torque where the KTM and WR didn’t they wanted to be ridden like 2 strokes high up in the rpms.
Also with the welcomed torque it has engine braking something I have missed with my others.
I did find a oval track that someone made that crossed a dirt road that was elevated and dropped down about 8 ft on both sides and had berms on both corners or ends I played on that for awhile jumping it across the road but that’s where I felt the weight trying to do a tail whip or I am just weaker than I use to be hahaha

The MSRP is $10,399 dealers here in Ca. the stealers are putting on 700-1500 markup plus setup,shipping,doc fees,tax,license and shipping but it will settle down it just the new kid on the block so they are gouging people to have the latest and greatest. My display said I was getting 46mpg but it’s still breaking in I was in sand, hills, whoops single track, no track bush whacking making my own trail flogging the bike and pushing the bike the best I could without breaking it. I rode part of the LA Barstow To Vegas route long sandy roads and cruising at 65mph the bike loved it and I felt in total control.

The service intervals have already been posted and discussed ad nauseam. 600 mile oil and filter changes, 1800 mile valve checks; shim and bucket with titanium valves. Pretty comparable to other contemporary plated dirt bikes.

Not at all comparable to cheap and nasty dualsports like Honda's LRP CRF250elle

If it speaks to you, go get one

I just want to throw this out there before I run to my daughters soccer game.
I was skeptical was this going to be just a bigger motor red in color version of the WR250R and I can say NO! It’s not, it’s a plated dirt bike that’s corked up with a small tank and giant mirrors and miles of smiles and really the maintenance is a non issue when your happy with what you ride like I complained about with my KTM 350exc-f it’s not that it a maintenance whore as much as working on something all the time that just didn’t perform the way that made me happy. But really in real world small adventure bike you can probably stretch those numbers maybe to 2500 valves and I would still do oil at 600 because it’s a small amount and oil is cheap compared to the price of an engine. I change oil often anyway gives me a chance to do a good prep at the same time instead of the quick preps in between rides. Air filter after every dirt ride, if only on road when it starts to look dirty. Just my opinion and how I roll