Since 2005 Honda has been satisfied with making very few changes to the 450X. Last year, the 250X got some updates and this year is the 450X's turn. The big news is, of course, the addition of the steering damper and the resultant changes that come with it. In an effort to improve the comparatively heavy steering feel of the bike, the front wheel is pulled back 4mm via a combination of a new fork lower (2mm) and a 2mm-reduction in triple-clamp offset. The headlight changed to adapt for the damper and the odometer was relocated. There was a small alteration to the frame downtube's rigidity to allow the bike to flex differently as well.
Although the rest of the refinements may not seem stellar, they're significant and addressed areas riders had made noise over. The fuel tank gets narrower (and loses capacity, down to 1.9 gallons) as well as gets a new internal coating so that fuel vapors cannot permeate through the plastic. The muffler no longer has a removable tip, a good move to prevent riders from making more noise and less power with the spin of a screw. Carburetion is changed, now slightly richer in main jet and needle, and the mechanism for the pump squirt in the carb is upgraded to the same system the CRF-Rs are running. New brake rotors are lighter and the front tire is now the Dunlop 742 FA, one less thing you'll be looking to switch right away. Tucked away inside the engine, the decompression system is lighter.
Although the CRF-X looks and feels meaty next to a CRF-R, anyone familiar with the older version will notice the seat and tank being slimmer right away. It's very motocross in size and shape, though the frame rails are in exactly the same place. The bike seems jetted just a little richer and isn't as cold-blooded. It has a very familiar CRF sound at idle with really good throttle response. And right away you notice all the stuff they did to the front end. The bike has a much lighter and looser feel through the bar. You can believe the hype associated with the damper; it has allowed Honda to get more aggressive with the steering, on this bike a whole 4mm more, which is a huge change. All this stuff hit us right away. Then we started racking up the hours on the 450X.
The motor is pretty aggressive for an off-road bike, especially an emissions-compliant bike. The CRF-X has plenty of snap and a strong tug right from the first crack of the throttle. For aggressive riding out in the open or on faster tracks there's never a concern. The power keeps building and it pulls long and hard with just a little sign-off in power near the top. About the only reason we even notice this is from riding full-on MX 450s that just don't taper. And unless you're riding in the desert or on dirt roads, you won't be using this part of the powerband much.
Conversely, if you get the CRF in extremely technical terrain, especially places where traction is limited, this initial snap can be a bit much. It has plenty to spin the tire and often needs clutch input to tone it down and get the bike going forward as opposed to spinning. It's a tradeoff Honda seemed willing to make as a lot of riders prefer this assertive nature in a bike. It's the kind of power that easily lifts the front wheel when the traction is good and yanks on your arms to let you feel how much power your bike has. Getting that snap to jump bumps, hop over logs and shoot roost is easy and a clutchless affair, with 78 decent traction. When you have to use the clutch, the CRF is extremely consistent, resists fading as well as anything with cable actuation and has an average pull.