The only place the bike didn't overly impress compared to last year was in the suspension. Box-stock it's way soft up front, even for the occasional medium-size whoop or rolling bump. Adding oil to the legs took care of the bottoming but the front continued to transmit too many bumps to my hands. I'm sure this is a clicker setting away from ideal. The shock wasn't as bad, but dialing in a little front and rear will keep you happier longer. And that's what riding is all about. It's another great year to ride off-road. The advanced CRF450X is proof of that.-Jesse Ziegler/5'10"/175 lb/B rider
When I rode the new CRF450, I was very impressed with the stable feel right off the bat. Rocks and roots were easily ridden over or around with minimal effort once we'd tuned the suspension settings from stock. The balance from front to rear was really good. When I decided to adjust the steering stabilizer from the max compression setting back to (stock) seven clicks out, I had a totally different bike under me. Still a good bike but not as stable, now busy feeling up front. The motor is powerful-lots of fun to ride on most trails, but when the trail gets really tight and technical it has too much hit off idle. The smooth clutch release isn't enough to keep the front wheel on the ground or the rear wheel from sliding off a goat trail. But again this is only in extreme conditions. I would be happy with one of these Hondas in my arsenal. -Dave "Rig" Donatoni/5'8"/155 lb/A Rider
Hondas feel amazing to me on a track, but the brand's CRF450X has never felt as great as the CRF450R. Now the X does feel as slim and precise as the R, but it also has the same size tank as the motocross bike. A serious off-road bike with a tank under two gallons? The '08 is a decidedly different animal that is slimmer overall with very agreeable suspension. It has a lighter feel as well, but I want more fuel capacity, and that will add weight up high. I'm bumfuzzled with the riding position. It doesn't bother me a bit on the track, but I feel cramped on the trail. I know that I can personalize the ergos, and for the first time the bike is so good it would motivate me to do the work.-Karel Kramer/6'1"/210 lb/B rider