While the 2009 Honda CRF450R still had that new-bike smell, we hit the track with every pipe that was readily available. So here are brief riding impressions with each unit. If you want more information go www.dirtrider.com for the whole story.
Honda
See your Honda dealer
Stock system: $977.47
Muffler: $797.56
Header: $179.91
Sound: 99.4 db
Weight: Header: 2.4 lb
Muffler: 4.5 lb
System: 6.9 lb
This pipe is light but built to last. It has good pull, some excitement (decent snap) on the bottom and smooth-yet-aggressive pull to the top. Overrev isn't impressive compared to others in this test. You can hit the rev-limiter but there is sign-off to warn you.
Pro Circuit
www.procircuit.com
Ti4R race system
$999.99
Sound: 97.0 db
Weight: Header: 1.3 lb
Muffler: 4.6 lb
System: 6.0 lb
This pipe put out a very smooth, easy-to-ride, lengthy spread and boosted power all the way through the curve, all while being quiet to the meter and quiet on the track. It pulls for what seems like forever and makes plenty on top! That pull up top is so good it is very hard to get into the rev-limiter. It gives the bike great throttle-to-rear-wheel control and worked well on all surfaces.
Yoshimura R&D
www.yoshimura-rd.com
Stainless steel/aluminum slip-on RS4 $395
Sound: 101.3 db
Weight: Muffler: 5.2 lb
This pipe felt like it made more power everywhere, was smooth like stock with better bottom and top. It sound tested a little loud and was similar sounding to the stock system on the track and to the rider while having top-notch looks.
Full Ti/CF RS4 System
$895
Sound: 99.0 db
Weight: Header: 1.3 lb
Muffler: 3.9 lb
System: 5.3 lb
Easily the most "factory-looking," this system was also the most aggressive we tested. It has more everywhere, and it needs to be ridden a gear high if the track is slippery. It allows the bike to rev out much quicker in a lower gear or pull a gear high with plenty of authority. It made the bike feel crisper everywhere and a lot faster everywhere, if you can control it in the lower gears.
Ti header kit
$429.95
Sound: 98.0 db
Weight: Header: 1.3 lb
This full titanium header slips onto the stock muffler and had all of our test riders feeling better throttle response with similar power on the bottom but from the mid on up it felt more powerful than the all-stock system. For those who thought the full-system or slip-on was too much, this was just right.
Jardine
www.jardineproducts.com
RT99 stainless steel/aluminum full system
$560
Sound: 100 db
Weight: Header: 1.8 lb
Muffler: 4.8 lb
System: 6.7 lb
This system was very similar to the stock Honda in power and pull with our testers feeling the bike gained in the upper midrange.
RT94 stainless steel/aluminum full system
$610
Sound: 92.0 db
Weight: Header: 1.8 lb
Muffler: 5.9 lb
System: 7.8 lb
This was by far the quietest system we tried, and it felt very plugged up. The power is tamed quite a bit from stock, especially on the bottom where the bike loses almost all of its snap. The pull is smooth and it makes plenty of power if you use rpm as your friend, but it always feels down on power compared to stock. If you ride where noise is an issue, this is a system to consider, and likely we'll all be riding with mufflers this quiet in the future, so we better start getting used to it. Riders could also feel the weight of this muffler's mechanical sound-damping system.
FMF
www.fmfracing.com
Ti PowerCore 4 slip-on
$349.99
Sound: 99.4 db
Weight: Muffler: 4.3 lb
The PowerCore slips right on and gives the CRF a noticeable boost in chug and torque on the bottom and more meat in the mid, which made it easier to pull higher gears in turns. It felt a little flat on top compared to the boost on the bottom.