Honda CRF450X
The Gladiator
Tasked with appealing to the masses, meeting a quirky balance of durability, emission and performance standards and carrying the CRF badge high and mighty, Honda's off-road 450 has a heavy burden to bear. In trying to meet all those goals it makes some riders happy while angering others. Welcome to Big Red country.
The Facts
* The CRF-X is very close to the last generation ('05-'08) CRF-R in so many ways, yet so far away in others. The good things it carries with that chassis layout are universally well-liked handling and an aggressive nature that screams race while truthfully being trail subtle.
* The best part about the Honda is that you can just buy it and ride it; it needs no monkey business with jets, wires or restrictors. Don't even think of messing with the muffler; it is quiet and decently light. If the backfiring bothers you, plug up the air injection system.
* The worst thing about the CRF motor is that it's tuned pretty snappy to be as powerful as it needs to be. We find by making it smoother, it is easier to ride and faster, too-think traction. We had our best luck by installing a Hinson steel clutch basket, an Adige slipper clutch (which reduces lever effort by a perceived 70 percent), and an NCYS needle in the third position. The result: the same power level but now buttery smooth, more like a KTM, really.
* Honda gets a big thumbs-up for going a little more aggressive on the suspension settings. Being stiffer lets the bike pull a more rounded duty sheet, even the MX track. But at the same time it can be a little rough on the true sit-down trail rider. The steering feel is a bit on the heavy side when compared to the others but can be tuned effectively with the stock steering damper. We had ours modded by Pro Circuit for even better control.
* Gas range is as much of a sore spot as the new tank is loved for being thin. Don't plan on much more than 40 miles before going dry. And there isn't a solution in the aftermarket that's still thin. We got an '07 tank and shrouds to get us back up to 55-plus miles. We also replaced the thin stock skid plate with a beefy Acerbis one. Good call!
* The stock brakes are really good, but since this off-roader is a little heavier than its similarly equipped MX brothers, we put a Braking oversize kit on the front for even more stopping power and better control. It really worked.
* Durability on this bike is proven, especially with a diet of fresh oil and clean air filters. We put 215 hours on our 2005 CRF and it was still tight.
The Verdict
The CRF450X is basically unchanged and remains a solid player in this stacked field. Honda loyalists still love it, others are attracted to it and everyone who rode ours ranked it highly. It does little wrong and has that amazing Honda polish that makes it very attractive.