CPR Fabrications CRF450X Baja Racer - Dream Ride

I've seen some pretty trick bikes, most of them factory race machines. They go the one or two steps past just being trick to the level of being sano and downright purposeful. Most Dream Rides err in excess, and that is where this CPR CRF gets it all right. An extremely high-end fabricator/welder, Chris Parker is also very obsessive about racing in Baja and meticulous about his bike build and prep. He really wanted me to ride his CRF450X, which is sort of strange, giving a perfectly prepped bike to me for a quick impression and some photos, but it was part of Parker's passion that made him do it. He really wanted to know if his bike has what it takes to win Baja and how it stacked up against the factory bikes I've been lucky enough to sample.

This CRF has some stuff that is tricker and even more thought-out than the factory bikes. For instance, his wiring harness and his frame-mount light system make getting the subframe and the headlights on and off a simple affair when it comes to the wires with aircraft-grade, single-junction connectors. Then there is the way the lights' frame literally channels and clicks into place. He takes extreme measures in the teardown and prep of his motors, and he is always looking for better power and delivery. And he has tuned his suspension to exactly what he wants over the course of a lot of Baja racing.

Right from the first stroke of the motor this is an obnoxiously loud racer for a place where there are no sound regulations; it hurts your ears. As you let out the clutch you realize that this bike is geared to go fast, and you would cook the clutch trying to ride a technical trail. But for blasting down dirt roads, the bike is set up right. The spread between gears is wide, but not so much that the motor can't pull it, even though I felt that the bike, largely because of the open exhaust, was very flat and had a midrange-focused motor. And right after Parker got this information out of me he was on a mission to get a longer and smoother (especially up on top) power delivery that I had mentioned was typical of the factory Honda CRF450 Baja bikes. Trust me, he'll find it or go crazy trying.

What was impressive about this bike was the suspension setup. It was very plush and kept the machine working in the stroke, not bottoming or bouncing on the rebound. It absorbed and got as much traction as it could, even handling the midrange punch of the motor. The bike was very stable; thanks, Scotts steering stabilizer. Even with the dual, power-of-the-sun headlights, the Honda wasn't heavy feeling or slow steering. Then the rest of the CRF all falls into place as a well-protected package without any unnecessary fluff. Mounts for the required GPS tracker, the radio hookups and the overall layout of the bar, levers and all controls make perfect sense, and I was fitting right in. I could ride on this team without touching this machine. This is definitely a bike to drool over and stare at in awe at some of the little things than make a lot of sense.