Honda CRF450RX 2017 Review

Gennady Zyrin, podium finisher in Russian Motorcycle Federation enduro championships, podium finisher in the «Buynye Est?» race and in the Red Wings cross-country cup.

It turned out that the day of the shoot was frosty, and the ground was slippery and icy in places. The motorcycle had stock summer tires. But despite the awkward conditions, I can say right away that my impressions of the motorcycle were positive.

Engine

On a slippery surface, the first thing I started trying on the motorcycle was the engine modes; there are three (1 standard, 2 soft, 3 aggressive), and the difference in how the engine runs in different modes is very noticeable. After all, this isn't just two ignition timing positions like on the carbureted two-stroke KTMs I've ridden in recent years. The CRF450RX is fuel-injected, so the modes affect both fuel maps and ignition, which ultimately gives a big difference in engine behavior. In the end I settled on mode 2 (soft), which let me ride quite comfortably on summer tires on winter ground and easily control rear wheel spin.

Yes, after many years of riding carburetors you start to appreciate these modern technologies! The engine's power didn't feel excessive at all, although that's usually the case with 450 cc motorcycles. Power delivery is smooth, linear and easy to control.

Gearbox

Four-stroke motorcycles (compared to two-strokes) can't lug along at idle under load, which is often needed in enduro. In such conditions four-strokes tend to stall constantly. The «Rex» has a motocross gearbox: the first gears aren't lowered, as is usual on enduro-class motorcycles, so even in first gear the motorcycle goes too fast for «stop-and-go» obstacles such as logs, rocks and tires. But this problem is easily solved by fitting a 12-tooth front sprocket instead of the stock 13. The sprocket has been bought and is waiting for its moment. I've long been used to deciding before each competition which sprocket to run, since for several years I've been riding a motocross bike in both enduro and motocross.

Suspension

The suspension on this motorcycle is softer than on the motocross version, and I was a little worried about that, since I ride motocross tracks a lot. I was reassured by the thought that the suspension design is exactly the same as on the R version, which means the stiffness and behavior can always be brought to motocross spec. But a pleasant surprise awaited me: I didn't feel any excessive softness at all, although the test was on the jump track at Red Wings; I cleared «tables» and landed on a vertical face, and the suspension never bottomed out. On the motocross track I liked the suspension even more than on my previous pure motocross KTM 250SX.

I got the impression that for amateur motocross competitions this slightly softer suspension is even better. And in enduro it's a 100% advantage.

Starter

A starter is a very important thing in enduro and cross-country. How many times I stalled on off-camber climbs on a motocross bike, and while I was trying to find a balance point to kick the kickstarter, riders I had passed with such difficulty in the previous section easily rode away from me by pressing the magic button... Now I have that magic button too ☺ Honda didn't reinvent the wheel and repeated a time-tested electric start layout, making it similar to KTM's. The only difference in operation is the clutch lever safety switch, which I mentioned in the video. The starter turned out solid, confidently starting the engine both in neutral and in gear.

The only «but» is the battery: as usual, it's small, and if it's low, starting won't be confident. However, if you need to start twice per race, that's no problem. But if you're training on an oval and stopping at the coach every half minute to hear advice, you may have to kick it a few times per session.

Weight and dimensions

The side stand probably added 2 kg to the motorcycle's weight. Those fighting to keep their iron horse light can remove it. But I think I'll keep it: it turned out solid and strong; you can safely sit or stand on the motorcycle or kick-start it while it's on the stand. A good, handy thing, practically indispensable in enduro. I used to fit a side stand to my motocross bikes as a tuning part; there is one model of a beautiful, elegant side stand (Pro Moto Billet). It's light and, as a result, fragile; you couldn't start the motorcycle on it. Now I have a margin of strength and reliability.

The motorcycle's weight compared to the motocross version is quite high: 112 kg with all fluids except fuel. Springs in the fork, the side stand, and having both a kickstarter and an electric starter (and therefore wiring, electrics and a battery) all take their toll. But as I said in the video, this weight isn't felt at all on the move: Honda's tricks with a light cylinder head, a modernized exhaust and a lowered rear shock mount have paid off. The motorcycle's center of mass is low and compact. The only place where the weight could be a problem is on tough enduro tracks, where you can fall on a slope with the handlebar pointing downhill. We'll see in long-term use how much of a problem that is.

Wheels

The wheels on this motorcycle are interchangeable with previous years. You can fit the front wheel from any CRF250R / 450R, with the only caveat that until 2015 the brake disc was 240 mm in diameter (now 260 mm), but the discs have the same mounting holes. The same goes for the rear wheel: you can fit one from any year, but until 2013 the hub was narrower, and the sprocket has to be fitted via an adapter. In short, spare wheels for the 2017 Honda are no problem. I always try to have two sets of wheels. For example, in winter one pair of wheels on non-studded «Petroshina» tires and another pair on studded tires, so you can quickly change the motorcycle's shoes for the weather and conditions.

Controls and ergonomics

The brakes have become powerful, precise and pleasant. They can definitely compete with KTM brakes, which used to be considered the benchmark in the class. There is one drawback here, related to my personal preferences: I like to set the levers for two fingers, that is, move the clamps toward the center of the handlebar so that two fingers press the end of the lever, not the middle and certainly not the base. With the clutch it worked out. The brake master cylinder hit the handlebar crossbar, so I couldn't set the front brake lever up for myself. I'll probably have to buy a thick crossbar-free handlebar at the Stuntexshop store.

The clutch is still cable-operated; the pull is stiffer than on the KTM 250 2T but softer than is usual on a 450. How comfortable the pull is will be shown by long-term use on difficult enduro tracks. In motocross it's never a problem.

Since four-stroke motocross bikes became fuel-injected and economical long ago, their fuel tanks were made smaller. So for cross-country and enduro a standard motocross tank isn't enough. This motorcycle's big tank is undoubtedly an advantage. I really liked that bunches of hoses don't hang out of this motorcycle. On carbureted motorcycles about four hoses come down from this unit alone, generously spraying fuel over the suspension linkage and everything around when you pull the motorcycle onto the rear wheel and at steep angles on climbs and descents. Even the crankcase breather doesn't hang outside, as it often does on competitors' bikes, but is routed into the air filter housing. So the hose won't suck dirt, dust or, say, water into the engine when crossing fords.

Overall I was happy with the ergonomics, except for one point, which is most likely related to my personal build. I'm 1.9 m tall, and when moving from sitting to standing, I caught the bulges on the side plastics with the knees of my long legs. Maybe I'm just not used to it, or maybe I'll have to modify something here for my height. Time will tell. All manufacturers always make a straight line on the side plastics for the knees to slide along, but here for some reason they departed from the classic. The video and article drew a lot of parallels with a motocross bike.

I'll also compare it with hard enduro motorcycles. When someone buys, for example, a new hard enduro KTM, they then have to spend several hours «uncorking» the motorcycle, otherwise it doesn't perform in race mode. This is done on enduros to pass strict environmental and other road vehicle standards. The RX, on the other hand, is ready for battle right away: nothing needs uncorking; you immediately get a race exhaust, an aggressive ECU setup and no restrictors in the air filter or throttle. In my opinion, that's a plus. This motorcycle also doesn't have a «ton» of unnecessary parts like turn signals, a brake light, a license plate holder, mirrors, a speedometer and so on. All this adds extra, unnecessary kilograms to a race bike and tends to break off in crashes. So racers usually remove all these extra parts right away. Here it's all already done for you. There is also a serious drawback: the motorcycle has two exhaust pipes, which means you'll have to buy a second muffler plug for washing the motorcycle! Just kidding :)

Seriously, I'll end where I started. My overall impressions of the motorcycle are positive; I'd even say I'm thrilled! I love different motorsport disciplines, such as motocross, enduro-cross, cross-country, classic enduro and others. And this motorcycle will be much more convenient for my purposes than a motocross bike. Pure enduro motorcycles definitely don't suit me, because about 60–70% of my riding is classic motocross. To the Rex I say a definite «YES!»

Alexander Luzhin, master of sport in motorcycle enduro, XSR cup cross-country champion, Romaniacs participant and competitor in other international events, co-founder of the EnduroProAcademy riding school.

This weekend I managed to ride the Honda CRF450RX, which, as the manufacturer itself says, is the cross-country version. Before that, in summer, I rode the same motorcycle in the R version, a pure motocross model. I really liked the motorcycle because it feels like it handles like a lighter 250 cc bike. The motorcycle's ergonomics are very well thought out and comfortable both standing and when seated in a corner.

But the main thing I liked about it is the engine. On the old models with a 450 cc engine, it was very hard for an unprepared rider, since the engine was very jerky and angry; this was especially stressful on a rough track and when you were tired. Now it's a different story: you work the throttle calmly without fear that the motorcycle will shoot out from under you. If you need to accelerate, the motorcycle simply accelerates hard without trying to slide or wheelie. The engine turned out very friendly while still powerful enough.

The main difference, in my opinion, between the R and RX models is the suspension setup: on the latter it's softer, which is even better for an amateur. In my opinion, it doesn't even need re-tuning.

I think Honda has finally managed to make a good, comfortable motorcycle that is perfectly suited to the format of our local competitions. And at last the Japanese have fitted an electric starter as standard, and it works flawlessly.