You may not have experienced this yourself, but motocross bike manufacturers have been known to take a step back at times. I can recall more than one motocross bike that was excellent one year, but got worse the next. With two-strokes, in particular, manufacturers would frequently change porting and power valve designs in an effort to increase or improve power delivery, but the new model would actually be worse than the bike it replaced.
After riding our 2004 CRF450R test bike for several months, we fell in love. We can flatly state this machine was the most versatile and complete off-road bike we have ever tested. It did everything well – from motocross to trail riding. With supermoto tires attached, it became an effective weapon on the pavement. Was the 2004 CRF450R the best dirt bike in history? In our opinion, it was.
So imagine our concern when we heard that Honda was making significant changes to the 2005 CRF450R. I had to think about the prior instances when manufacturers had taken an excellent bike and, instead of improving it, screwed it up by making unnecessary changes. The only way to find out, of course, was to ride the 2005 model. I have ridden the bike extensively, and our pro tester Russ Somers has also turned plenty of laps on it.
The 2005 CRF450R is not only a better bike than the 2004 model, in many respects it is significantly better. We won’t bore you, yet again, with all of the technical specifications and changes. Take a look at our article on June 1, 2004 for that information. Let’s talk about riding the new CRF.
The new generation aluminum frame is significantly slimmer than the 2004 frame. The 2005 model has lost a claimed 3.5 pounds, but the smaller frame, and the way the weight is carried, makes the 2005 model feel at least 10 pounds lighter.
The most dramatic difference for 2005 involves handling. With a slightly steeper rake, and an effective reduction in fork offset of 2mm, the 2005 CRF450R corners better than any big four-stroke we have ever ridden. In fact, it isn’t even close. This bike carves corners like a much smaller machine. The front end bites better than prior models (without changing the offset of the stock triple clamps) and the slimmer, lighter-feeling chassis makes it far easier to dip the bike in corners.
The 2005 bike also tracks very well in a straight line. We have experienced no headshake or instability issues. Part of this has to do with the quality of the suspension, which is even better than last year’s outstanding stock suspension.
It did not surprise us that the 2005 CRF450R has a plush and controlled fork (like last year’s model), but the performance of the shock on the 2005 model is really impressive. This bike tracks and hooks up with the rear wheel better than any bike we have tested previously.
While breaking in the fork, we did notice a minor amount of harshness, but this disappeared after a few hours on the bike.
The engine is also changed for 2005. If you look at the specifications, it would not seem so, but riding the bike you notice two distinct changes versus the 2004 model. First of all, the power comes on much more aggressively down low, just above idle. This would be a big plus on a supercross track or a tight motocross track, but can actually wear out the rider more quickly than the mellower delivery of the 2004 model. Basically, the 2005 bike absolutely rips off the bottom.
The other thing you notice about the engine for 2005 is that the bike revs quicker – almost as if it has a lighter flywheel effect. Again, the power just comes on more aggressively for 2005. Our pro tester, Russ Somers, rode the 2004 and 2005 CRFs back-to-back and came away convinced that the 2005 model has much more bottom-end and midrange power, and slightly more power on top. Granted, our 2004 model was a bit tired at the time (running the original piston and rings), but Russ felt the 2005 CRF450R was the fastest-accelerating motocross bike he had ridden since the 500cc two-stroke era ended. This bike hauls!
After raving about the handling and the motor on the 2005 CRF450R, you must be wondering if we have any complaints. The only thing we can say that could be construed as a negative would be that a bone-stock 2005 CRF450R is probably less versatile than the 2004 model. The power delivery is perhaps a bit too aggressive for woods riding or tight single-track, where the 2004 model’s mellower low-end was more manageable under these conditions. On a motocross track with good traction, the 2005 is the better bike hands down, and would be a better enduro/trail bike as well, with a heavier flywheel, enduro muffler/spark arrester, or other modifications designed to mellow out the power delivery.
So, you have our initial impression of the 2005 CRF450R. A highly favorable one, to say the least. Stay tuned for more reports on this bike.
You can find all the specifications and details concerning the 2005 CRF450R on Honda’s web site. US MSRP is $6,699.
