More than a decade ago, we began looking for a hardcore dual sport built around a Japanese manufacturer’s 450cc motocross weapon. Honda just introduced one … the 2019 Honda CRF450L. The “target price” is $10, 399, and it is expected to be available in September of this year in U.S. dealers.
No, this is not a namby-pamby, overweight dual sport. It has an Unicam single-cylinder 449cc engine not that far removed from Honda’s motocross bike, and it is extremely light weight for a street legal motorcycle of such displacement, i.e., a claimed 289 pounds with all fluids (including a full tank of gas). Have a look below at Honda’s description of this new model:
This is the bike so many have been waiting for. The one serious riders have dreamed about. A true street-legal dirtbike that offers the reliability, refinement and quality of a Honda, along with the light weight, handling, and power of our best off-road machines. Introducing the new 2019 CRF450L. Sure, you’ve seen dual-sport bikes before, but this is something much, much more: a true trail-to-trail machine. Developed in tandem with our all-new 2019 CRF450X, it features a powerful 449cc Unicam engine, twin-spar aluminum CRF chassis, six-speed transmission, and premium suspension. Electric start? Naturally. All-LED lighting package? Of course. Until now, you’ve always had to choose between performance and reliability. No longer—with the CRF450L, you get the best of both worlds. And “best” is a word you’re going to hear a lot when you’re talking about this bike.
Features
Engineering
Fully Street Legal
The CRF450L is equipped with a catalytic converter and is fully street legal in all 50 states. That means you can ride it wherever it’s legal to operate a motor vehicle—in state and national parks, on the road, on public lands. Plus, you don’t need to haul your bike to the trailhead in a truck or on a trailer. Best of all, it makes finding gas a breeze.
Electric Start
An electric start system ensures trouble-free starting in all conditions. The electric starter also drives the clutch side of the crankshaft to provide superior lubrication to starter gears while producing a narrow engine with a short, strong crank.
Six-Speed Transmission
Like our CRF450X, the CRF450L rocks a six-speed gearbox. That gives you a low gear perfect for tight, slow situations, and a top gear that’s tall enough for highway riding to the next gas stop or trailhead.
Lithium-Ion Battery
Light, compact, and offering excellent performance—just like the CRF450L itself! Conventional batteries are heavy, but not this premium piece. It’s all part of why your new CRF450L performs as well as it does.
Inertia-Tuned Crank
We redesigned the CRF450L’s crank to have 13 percent more inertia than the CRF450X. Why? To smooth out power delivery and make the engine more user-friendly in tight, technical situations.
Dual Radiators
The CRF450L’s dual radiators feature a refined core area for superior heat dissipation compared with conventional dual-radiator designs. A coolant recovery tank is located in front of the engine between the frame downtubes for improved center of mass, and the tank is protected by a plastic skid plate.
Final-Drive Sprocket Damper
Designed to keep your bike quieter while not adding any weight, these unique drive sprockets are just another example of the CRF450L’s innovative engineering.
Electric Fan
The CRF450L is a “ride anywhere” type of bike, and because conditions vary so widely, we’ve equipped it with a light electric fan for the radiator. Rock crawling or riding on a hot Arizona single-track, it helps keep your engine running cool.
Titanium Fuel Tank
Holding 2.01 gallons, the CRF450L’s premium titanium tank is light and tough.
Skid Plate
The CRF450L’s factory skid plate is light, yet also offers the engine and lower-frame protection serious riders demand on a machine like this.
LED Headlight
The CRF450L features an all-LED lighting package, including the headlight. That’s a big deal, because it takes a lot of weight off the front end. And the lighting pattern is also specially designed for both on- and off-road situations.
LED Taillight
The LED taillight is integrated into the rear fender. It’s light, compact and rigid.
Performance
449cc Unicam Engine
Honda’s Unicam cylinder heads combine the best of single- and double-overhead-cam designs. The configuration contributes to a compact engine that saves weight over a comparable dual-overhead-camshaft motor and also permits a narrow included valve angle. This flattens the combustion chamber to facilitate ignition flame propagation, allowing a high compression ratio. Since less space is taken up in the cylinder head, the camshaft sits lower in the head for a more compact engine and a lower center of gravity.
Titanium Intake Valves
Lightweight titanium intake valves permit use of smaller valve springs, reducing overall engine height.
Fuel Injection
The CRF450L features our proven fuel-injection system. It’s part of the reason the CRF450L offers such excellent torque and spot-on metering and response, especially in the critical low-rpm range. It also automatically compensates for elevation and weather changes.
Handling
Twin-Spar Chassis
This is the same design as our all-new CRF450X uses, and that’s a really big deal. It means the CRF450L is a true off-road bike, and not some compromise. The twin-spar aluminum frame is both light and stiff, and provides the basis for the CRF450L’s excellent handling. The chassis geometry is specially selected for responsiveness, and also is wider than the standard MX frame to accommodate the six-speed transmission.
IRC GP Tires
The CRF450L’s tires give you good off-road traction and on-road life. Tires are always a critical part of any on/off-road bike, and we’ve hooked you up with some great ones here.
Low Center of Gravity
The compact Unicam engine and Honda’s famous concentration on center-of-mass engineering help keep the CRF450L’s center of gravity low. That means the bike feels lighter, and it helps handling too.
Works-Style Front Brake
Compact twin-piston front brake caliper, anodized-aluminum brake pistons and lightweight 260mm front disc offer great stopping power while minimizing unsprung weight for improved turning and handling.
Works-Style Rear Brake
HRC works-type rear brake system uses a 240mm brake rotor combined with an integrated rear master-cylinder and fluid reservoir, a set-up that eliminates the separate reservoir and hose.
18-Inch Rear Wheel
The CRF450L’s 18-inch rear wheel gives you an excellent choice of on/off-road tires.
Comfort
Gear-Driven Counterbalancer
The Gear-Driven Counterbalancer reduces vibration and drives the water pump. Eight clutch plates provide the surface area necessary to handle the engine’s massive torque, while carefully matched clutch springs provide a light feel at the lever.
Renthal Fatbar
Aluminum Renthal Fatbar is rubber-mounted to help reduce rider fatigue and improve comfort.
Works MX Styling
Having a hard time spotting the differences between our factory MX bikes and the new CRF450L? You’re excused. The “L” looks like our MX bikes because it’s derived from them—the smooth bodywork makes it easy to move around, and the in-mold graphics not only look cool but are durable, too.
Black Rims
They may not help you go faster, but the sweet black DID rims sure look good.
Superior Ergonomics
Placing the rider’s legs at the narrowest part of the frame helps improve comfort and handling.
Sidestand
Hey, a sidestand may seem like no big thing, but take a look at the one the CRF450L uses. Tucked up high and out of the way, this forged alloy piece is just another example of how the CRF450L gets it right.
2019 CRF450L – Specifications
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ENGINE
Engine Type
449cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke
Bore And Stroke
96mm x 62.1mm
Compression Ratio
12.0:1
Valve Train
Unicam OHC, four-valve
Induction
Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI), 46mm downdraft throttle body
Ignition
Fully transistorized with electronic advance
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DRIVE TRAIN
Transmission
Close-ratio six-speed
Final Drive
#520 Chain
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CHASSIS / SUSPENSION / BRAKES
Front Suspension
49mm leading-axle inverted telescopic Showa coil-spring fork with rebound and compression damping adjustability
Rear Suspension
Pro-Link Showa single shock with adjustable spring preload, rebound and compression damping adjustability
Front Brake
Single 260mm disc with twin-piston caliper
Rear Brake
Single 240mm disc
Front Tire
IRC GP21 80/100-21 w/tube
Rear Tire
IRC GP22 120/80-18 w/tube
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DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase
58.9 inches
Rake (Caster Angle)
28° 20′
Trail
4.6 inches
Seat Height
37.1 inches
Ground Clearance
12.4 inches
Fuel Capacity
2.01 gallons
Curb Weight
289 pounds (Includes all standard equipment, required fluids and full tank of fuel—ready to ride.)
Miles Per Gallon
TBD
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OTHER
Available Colors
Red
Model ID
CRF450L
See more of MD’s great photography:
If I choose to go dual sport I have to pony up $10.399 for this (admittedly nice bike)or stay on the street and get a Yamaha MT-09 triple with 100hp for $8999. I realize they are different types of bikes but, just from a manufacturing standpoint, wouldn’t the Yamaha be more expensive to produce? I know other brands of dual-sports are even more expensive, so are they trying to make the DP bikes a prestige segment or what?
This class of dual sport is to the cheaper dual sports what a Tuono is to the MT-09. Some dual sports can be had for $5K if the additional performance isn’t of any value to the rider. Just like a fine MT-09 can be had if the Tuono is overkill.
Lighter, faster, the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound over and over again without breaking to pieces, and the control to dash at breakneck speed through a narrow, twisty, hilly, tree-lined corridor with unpredictable terrain is the goal that performance-oriented dual sport enthusiasts seek. It just cost money, especially at the relatively low volumes produced compared to something like an MT-09 or even the more economical CRF250L.
It’s just the cost of a state of the art enduro bike. This bike and others in the segment are the R1-M and S1000R of the offroad/ dual sport world. Top of the line components throughout, no expense spared.
Suspension is usually the first part of the bike where corners are cut and money is made. This 450L and others have really complex and sophisticated suspension. That’s a big part of the extra cost.
The MT-09 is a great bike, but clearly Yamaha didn’t spec the bike with the latest and greatest of everything, otherwise its cost would be about the same as the R1.
I’m glad we are getting more & more choices !
I’m in the make an E-start XR650R camp. I went to off instead of reserve on the petcock the other day and was surprised at how awkward I felt kicking the beast over when it ran out of gas.
I haven’t ridden the thing a whole lot since I repatriated. It stayed behind for the five years that I lived in Europe, and rode a Multistrada.
Your turn, Suzuki.
The DRZ400 is suddenly starting to feel old and boring. But knowing Suzuki; it might take a while.
I’m betting on 2 years.
Oh and Yamaha may also want to ‘update’ its WR250R.
I just feel happy when a manufacturer steps-ups the game and ignites the competition.
Remember Honda CBR250R?! Thanks to that little CBR; now we have over half a dozen lightweight sports bikes!
Win/win, eh?
Appears to be near-perfect compared to my previous dual-sport mounts, (DR 400 and 650) My only concern rests with the aftermarket (Acerbis, primarily) in providing at least a 3 gallon tank. The factory 2.1 would be suicide for serious Baja work.
Going to be a bunch of those 2 gallon Titanium tanks sitting in garages collecting dust. Thanks, but my Husky FE501 is going to stay in the stable for a while longer.
I applaud Honda for stepping into the ring, even if they are always late to the party. Being so late to the party, I’d have thought they would be a little more weight-aware given the other competitors occupying this price point, but I guess the pretty heavy, long-in-tooth 450X is probably the starting point for this machine. That bike was about 270 wet if I remember correctly, so an extra 20 lbs for street legal bolt-ons seems about right.
Or maybe the extra weight comes from beefed up internals and subframe? That is something many people would pay a weight penalty for.
In any case, I bet it is a fine bike that will perform better than it’s specs would imply. The availability of a Japanese option in this market is enough to sell more than a few.
And I have to say this… The 2 gallon titanium gas tank is ridiculous and gimmicky. So many people replace the fuel tanks for more range. What was the rationale here? Seems like a pretty high-dollar item just to save a couple of pounds on a bike that isn’t competitive with regards to the scale anyway even for customers who won’t replace the tank. At least it might make for some cool motorcycle decor in the living room.
Anyone who can’t handle a 289-pound two wheeler with an engine and disc brakes should switch to, perhaps, mountain bikes.
They are much lighter, and after a few months of exercise on one you just might have enough muscle and guts to ride the motorcycle again…this time without being the whiney nut behind the handlebars. Then you can work up to those monstrous 320-pounders.
They can all handle a 289 lb bike. However, for practically the same money from the Euro bikes, they don’t have to. That is the point of the criticism, and it is perfectly valid. Anyone who worksout knows than manhandling 10% to 15% extra weight for four or five hours can take it’s toll.
That said, I wouldn’t dismiss this bike just from the spec sheet. My experience with Honda motorcycles is that they are more than the sum of their specs. Everything seems to just work. The bike might handle just as light as it’s competition in use, even if it isn’t.
Defeats the whole purpose of using a higher maintenance engine by letting the weight get so high. I’d rather have an XR650 with upside down forks and a revalved shock.
If I was gonna drop 10,000+ on a brand new dual sport, it better be a legit dirtbike with lights. The Euro dual sports ARE dirtbikes with lights. This Honda is an overweight dirtbike with lights. Not worth the maintenance schedule IMO.
If you’ve ever ridden in the dirt, you’d know the difference between a 260 pound bike and a 290 pound bike are huge. It has nothing to do with “being able to handle” the weight. 10 out of 10 people would be faster on the 260 pound bike.
That is what I hoped the author would have discussed – the maintenance schedule of this bike vs. the offroad only version. The intensive maintenance required on the 450X is too much for me to bother with. I would hope that this 450L would (somehow) only require maintenance like the 250L (that I used to have).
Maintenance will be much more frequent than the 250L. The 250L motor is based off of the CBR250. This new 450L is based off of the “uni-cam” CRF450R motor which is pretty maintenance intensive.
Wonder when the discussion on “will the motocrosser cylinder head fit” and likes will start
LOL, a classic.
I remember a veeeery old issue of sport rider where a GS500 with a GS1000 head without the outer cylinders and another myriad of custom work made the GS put around 50… 60? HP.
It was obliterated when the SV650 saw the light.
On the other hand… I will do a project like that if I had enough spare money, space and time to go over it.
Put the Rally package on it and it will get my attention.
+1 on the XR650R based dual sport. This crf is a nice bike but leans too far to the dirt for me and costs too much. That space is occupied now. If that’s what I wanted I’d already have a plated ex/c. Wish they had updated the XR-L.
Honda was doing market research on this bike literally 8 years ago at a race I was doing. No wonder they are always behind the more nimble smaller companies.
At 277 pounds dry, it might as well be an XR. I’d rather pay $1000.00 more for a Husky FE450 that’s 20 pounds lighter.
Congrats on them finally making one, but it’s gonna be a hard sell being so much heavier than the KTM and Husky and costing about the same.
Is the Husky FE450 street legal?
I was hoping they’d make the XR650R street legal.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/333970128596700375/
http://www.cycleworld.com/honda-announces-2019-off-road-models?con=TrueAnthem&dom=fb&lnk=TA&src=SOC&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_content=5b07c3b504d3012198126608&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook
That twin spar frame sure looks like a streettard conversion invitation to me………….. In the dirt, my (lack of) chops are better served by a 250. Or perhaps better yet, a mountain bike…
Finally, oh finally. So many threads on so many forums asking for this–for the last ten years! I cannot wait to get one.
I don’t like it. The color, tires, mirrors, and gas tank.
Kidding… Seriously, kudos for Honda building this bike. Looks like they nailed it. I currently have a CRF250F of that generation and it is the most ridiculously reliable and one of the best performing dirt bikes I’ve ever owned.
Nice job Honda. However, the following would make it better…..a larger tank. Look we ride to the trail then into the bush, the mountains, wherever it is there isn’t any gas. We gotta carry that in. Secondly.
There needs to be a provision to add a small tail rack. Dualsport riders want/need to bring spares and tools. A backpack is a drag if it is too full. So tools and spare tube etc on the rack is a good option.
And finally, don’t make us pull off a brand new seat. A motocross seat is intended to be ridden in a race for a limited time. Dual sport riders are on their bike practically ALL day long. So skinny up front and wider and flat in the mid to rear section of the seat.
Oh one more……those turn signals will snap off on the first ride, make them either more protected or smaller.
This is a game changer….for those who want a factory light weight DS that’s not orange.
I say well done and thanks!!!
I am going to go out on a limb, and suggest that the turn signal stocks won’t be a problem breaking. I’ve seen these before on other brands of bikes (SSR Razkull and others), and they are rubber and very flexible. They’ll just flex in and pop back out. I can’t imagine these will be any different.
I have owned 5 450 Honda MXers from 1985 to 2006. They are not trail bikes but you can’t beat them for hill climbers. They are like two wheeled grand prix cars with expensive race spec parts through out. They retain their value for quite a while and are simple to work on and maintenance is not a big chore. I used to enjoy working on my dirt bikes and making sure everything was just so. It’s phsycological, look good feel good. This bike will do that for you.
I was too tired when I wrote that but I meant I had owned 4 CR 500’s and one CR 450F. I spelled psychological wrong too. Not only was I too tired but also too old. 80 now.
A titanium fuel tank holding 2-gals of fuel. How Honda comes up with decisions like this is beyond me.
It’s Honda, offering the most complicated engineering solutions to problems nobody asked about.
It’s bigger than that; 2.01 gallons. You can’t forget that important 0.01 gallon of gas they filled up into the fuel cap.
I’ve seen the 25 HP number in multiple reports. That’s odd given my G310R has 34 HP with a bit less torque. That does not seem right.
The current DR-Z400S retails for $6700 in the USA. If SUZUKI would add fuel injection, a 6th gear and a 3 gallon tank without pricing it out of this world they could offer a bike that would outsell this new HONDA 10 to 1. There doesn’t seem to be any rocket science involved in this equation but it seems to be like pulling teeth to get any manufacturer to build a decent 400-450cc dual-sport like the imaginary SUZUKI mentioned above without charging race bike prices. Most riders I know don’t need or want a race bike for the kind of riding they do, nor do they want the increased maintenance of a race motor. Who knows, maybe this new HONDA will get the other manufacturers thinking and offer a dual-sport that MOST riders want.
I agree, only once you add the 6 speed and the FI to the 400S you would end up with a heavier, slower bike a with a mediocre suspension compared to the Honda. This would bump the price up to around the 8 grand range and would probably be a hard sell.
I think Honda is trying to get a slice of the KTM pie with this bike.
It will interesting to see how well they sell.
The ole DRZ isn’t even close to this new Honda. Tarting it up amounts to lipstick on a pig.
Perhaps lipstick is just the thing that the “old pig” needs.
The problem here Grover is the word “if”. Honda HAS the bike you want..just go buy it and quit complaining about what other manufacture’s should do.
No Honda does not have the bike Grover (or I) want. We don’t want a MX bike with lights. We want a 450cc dual sport with normal road bike maintenance schedules. Oil changes at 6,000 miles not 600.
I want to ride gravel forest roads AND be able to commute to work without servicing the bike every 2 weeks.
I want a 450cc version of the CRF250L or Rally. Nobody makes that bike.
Yes Jason there is still a market niche that the manufacturers still haven’t addressed. Using a motox engine with very short service intervals is certainly NOT what I want. Again I go back to the 10000km / 6000mile service interval on my 2013 KTM690.
Honda is just trying to catch up to Husqvarna and KTM. Too late Mr. Honda
This bike has lots of potential but the very small fuel tank and short valve servicing intervals is not ideal. For those citing KTM maintenance intervals perhaps a little research is in order – my 2013 KTM 690 Supermotard has manufacturer service intervals on engine and valves of 10,000km but hasn’t moved in the valve clearances at 18,000km, burns ZERO oil and is reliable in the extreme. We’ll see how quickly the aftermarket crew fill the void on the small fuel tank – in short this latest offering with a few small upgrades may prove to be a real adventure bike and not an adventure “barge”.
No matter what is built, it is never quite what folks on this site will buy.
Amen to that.
Folks near this site are mature, discriminating ,and thoughtful, it is the manufacturers who ALWAYS drop the ball in the common sense and quality assurance, of their products. Where are the modern 450 to 500 thumper street bikes for adults ? AKA R. V. B.
Good to see this. Too expensive and overkill for my taste. I do want a 350-450 engine, but in something a bit more comfy and low to the ground.
Good news, that is just like what every japanese factory has been churning out for the last 50 years.
FWIW, had this bike been available 3 years ago, I would have seriously considered buying this instead of the XR650L I did buy. At the end of the day, no riding areas (like zero) in my region and an increasingly failing 60 year old body (more due to mileage then years really) I would have probably still picked the XR. Traded my 6th gen Interceptor for the pleasant “pootling” around on the XR. The legendary XR fart whistle was first to hit the garage floor and steady flows of cash into things like near 6 gallon tanks and truck loads of farkles leave me happy that Honda has finally pulled the trigger and sad that I can’t take advantage of it. If it does what you want it to do and you’re a fan of the color red, nearly $11k is a bargain for that type of endorphin rush! If you preferring spending half of the money for a Rebel 300 for your hard core dual sport ride, I suspect you’re more into the practical aspects of riding and proclamations of such price comparisons are pissing in others’ punch bowls. If you find some areas to ride in south east Florida, I’ll ride behind your Rebel on my XR dinosaur, ready to call the Trauma-Hawk when the time comes. Better yet, you can save tons of money by buying something made of buttery flavored metal produced by a county where QC is the prefix of a sub-machine gun.
Enjoy Honda’s boldness, they seem to have the most risk tolerance of the other Japanese manufacturers.
For all you guys who think the price is outrageous;
Suzuki still makes the DRZ400 and the DR650 for much less.
Of course there’s much less technology and much less high end components also.
I don’t buy bikes with carbs.
I had a WR250R for a while. It lacks torque for my Clydesdale self, even though top end power is almost adequate. This CRF450L looks more like it.
Re. valve service interval: pending confirmation from a friend who built Doug Henry’s AMA WR450 Supermotard, I would ignore the OEM spec. Check valve lash clearance if you notice:
Excess top end noise (excess clearance)
Hard starting (less than minimum clearance)
Coughing/spitting upon deceleration/throttle closed (less than minimum clearance)
If none of the above appear, you get to 5k miles, and you can’t sleep because of worry, go ahead and check it. Five dollar bill to donuts all clearances are within spec. Crap, modern Japanese bikes aren’t built like a unit pre-war British motor in molds ten years past their freshness date! How long does it take to perform the valve service on this CRF450L, an hour if you’re half drunk?
For reasons I can’t recall, the above advice is fail for Desmodromic actuated valves.
If it is like the mx bike, keep the air filter clean and sealed and if you check the valves and they are tight, replace the valves.
Interesting….did we ever really find out what the heck caused the much higher than average ratio of failed early CRF450 heads?
How long does it take, and what is the parts cost to replace a tight valve? Why replace instead of just increasing the lash clearance?
Where I typed “WR450” above I meant YZ400 or YZ426.
Thanks!
Poor air filter care results in the titanium valves dishing, which tightens up the clearance. Valves were about $70 each on the last one I did and replace springs, etc. Seats usually clean up with a few cuts. Yamaha seems to tolerate more abuse. Folks seem to think that because it’s a Honda, it will run forever with no care.
OMFG, were do I sign!
Yeah, I kinda thought that too. My eyes quickly darted back and forth several time between the image and reading the title till I believed it’s street legal, like the Japanese had decided there’s no such thing as an open class D/S.
well, sirs, i perked up. i had just about given up riding due to health, but this 450 looked like an alternative for my slightly reduced skills. gulp…then i see 1800 mi valve checks. among the five bikes i owned in 20 years, three included hydraulic valves; despite whatever drawbacks accompany the design, i was grateful for zippity doo dah adjustments, mostly becuz i am not a wrench. sure, i won’t be riding 11k miles/yr as before, ne’ertheless…..
and the 37″ seat height? gimmee a break.i sold my 2015 v-strom 650 due to a 32.9″ seat, becoming too tall for my dilapidating frame…LOL, put off getting old as long as possible.
There are plenty of suspension guys our there that are lowering CR 450’s for flat track. Based on a race bike, going to need some care and not hard to work on.
Those seat heights are real when there’s no one sitting on the bike, climb on and they naturally go down, usually much more on soft suspensions like the MX/DS kind. The seat format can also help or hinder, the usually narrow format of dirt oriented bikes helps too. Don’t discard it before sitting on it…
This is awesome, but not what I was looking for. I was really hoping some day they would update the big dual sports. The KLR, DR, and XR 650 are ancient technology. Make them lighter, with more power, and more off-road capable. But they have to have a large fuel tank, long maintenance intervals, and the ability to carry some camping gear.
I get the slim profile thing, but like everybody says – how do you ride it to the trail without running out of gas? Small fuel tanks are for motocrossers. Unless you only ride on closed courses, you need enough fuel to explore, get lost, and still get back to the truck. And that’s for a normal dirt bike, not one that is expected to be able to get itself home. And then to add to the insanity, they made the tank out of titanium, which probably added a significant amount to the sale price. I don’t get it.
Eggg…zactly. I don’t know who does their market research. If you could build a 650 water-cooled with fuel injection that was 20 lbs less than a DR, I would think you could sell those all day long, if it was at least a couple thousand less than a KTM 690. I would pay a decent premium over the current DR or KLR price for a bike like that. And I agree that my weight/price ratio is a fantasy, before anyone bothers to reply and tell me that. 🙂
Just add fuel injection to the KLR, charge an extra $500 or $1000, and you’d have a winner. I love my KLR, even as underpowered as it is, and I ride it a lot more often than my 160 hp BMW, but I do wish it was fuel injected and had maybe 15 or 20 more horses. It wouldn’t be too difficult to accomplish that, Kawasaki. The KTM 690 Enduro R has nearly 70 horses. I suppose the downside is you couldn’t get the fuel injection worked on in remote places, but I’d be willing to take my chances.
Your KLR would probably feel no different with fuel injection. The carb on that bike is really dialed in. What sort of benefits do you think you get with fuel injection?
I don’t know what the price difference would be but could they offer a race engine and an engine for less accomplished. It might leave people wishing they got a v8 instead of a clamoto but clamtoo is good enough for some of us.
Can a motorcycle such as this be TOO light? At what point would that be the case?
Weight is always public enemy #1 on dirt/mud. On pavement, it’s not such a huge issue, but it (more weight) makes suspension setup more crucial.
These bikes actually have to be very sturdy to handle the jumps and impacts they routinely and repeatedly endure. So, as light as possible without breaking is where you want it.
I ride off-road almost exclusively now, and there are two things I’ve never said about my bikes: 1) “Gee, I wish this bike were heavier,” and 2) “Man, why can’t the seat height be taller?”
Yes. In crosswinds out west.
Everyone is complaining about the price, I have to agree, even though it’s inline with it’s MX cousin, it’s still getting very high across the board, as is the MX version, as is KTM, as are MX bikes in general. You seemingly get more with KTM as they are ahead of the game in this category with weight, performance, etc IMO. I don’t know if it’s just economics or if “Dirt Bikes” are simply over priced now. I don’t see the MX world supporting this though. As someone mentioned a Family of four would need to spend 35 grand to outfit the family.
If we have a economic genius in the room, does this fall in line with inflation and market price increase for what 4 top line bikes would have cost 20 years ago ?? I have no idea.
Regardless, I’m glad to see competition, New bikes, new models, lighter, etc.. Hope to see the Tenere 700. Really like the 17 Vstrom 650. Just pick one and ride..
Do remember that emissions (noise and exhaust) regs add unknown cost to new bikes v. earlier models; the older the bike the greater the cost penalty.
I certainly don’t have an accurate number what the emissions regs adds to this lovely new CRF450L, but estimate $500. Certification alone is a certain ratio of the total, and it’s required for each governing body.
So family of four would need four new 450 mx’ers? Seriously? That’s quite a family. Personally I have never seen a woman and rarely seen an underaged kid ride a 450.
Most people would be content with lower performance bikes or used. One consequence of higher new-bike prices has been higher quality. These bikes last a lot longer than in the 90’s.
I’ve just noticed this bike is listed at 25bhp. Is this a mistake? If so it’s not remotely comparable to the 500exc.
Yes mistake, over twice that.
For those that are complaing about price need to get over themselves. It’s obvious this bike is not for you. This is a dirtbike with lights. My KTM EXC-F 250 cost almost 10K. 500’s are going for around 13K OTD here in CA.
+1
To everyone who is freaking out over the price tag keep this in mind: to do EVERYTHING to my CRF250L cost $11,200 in total, including bike. I did do it over time so there was no sting, but I kept the receipts and added them up (to my horror!). I LOVE my bike, but it’s half the bike the CRF450L is. $10,399? Excellent value!! If it’s too much for you stop your belly-aching and buy an XR650L!
+1
Watch how fast Yamakawasuzi get a 450 to market now that Honda has made the leap.
Yamaha would be the most desirable.. Solid reputation of engine durability.
And Honda has a less then stellar reputation for reliability?
Generally, Honda obviously has their s*** together Re. reliability. My 84 Sabre 700S had 97k miles and looked and ran almost like new (well, the suspension was dog meat, as you’d expect).
But Re. the CRF450 motors in particular…my friend built Doug Henry’s AMA YZ426 Supermotord bike. I briefly owned a mid-late 00s CRF450. We talked in the late 00s. He said head problems were legion in early CRF450s, and to that date no one figured out the exact source of the problem, and it was still more common than head problems on the Yamaha, which was bullet proof (his street legal YZ426 had 14-1 CR and did not pre-ignite on Pemex fuel).
That said, I’d be more than shocked if Honda had not fixed the head before releasing this new D/S 9-10 years later, especially considering that riders are likely to put more miles on it, and be less rigorous Re. service than hard core dirt racers.
I just noticed Fraser’s reply below, which I obviously echo, till further evidence is known.
One issue is that these are basically 1 cylinder Formula 1 engines, tuned to a very high power output. Ridden at lower trail/road stress levels, I expect that these things will last a great deal longer between servicing.
My experience has been that the Yamaha YZ450 is way more durable than the Honda.
Doesn’t really hit the target for me. This is a dirt bike with lights
This bike already exists with KTM EXC500 or BETA RS500 or 430.
I want something with more adventure capability, (bigger tank, longer intervals, bullet proof with some road concessions (lower seat?) but still off road capable but not super high off road performance.
Modern day DR650….
Wait until next year when they will introduce the Rally version for an extra $1k…
…with a .5 gallon bigger fuel tank.
I guess Honda thinks all Americans are tall and rich.
Honda is a global company. They don’t make products just for Americans.
It’s price is in line with that of any brand’s 450cc MX racer, which this is derived from.
>$10k ?????
What the heck are they smoking? That is insane.
On the one hand it’s very likely a great off road bike, which is what a lot of people want in their dual sport. On the other hand it’s not cheap, and that 2 gallon tank would need to go immediately. If you truck it to a small OHV area (and why truck it if you have a dual sport) you might get 70 miles before you’re looking for gas, which could be a full day’s riding. But using it as a dual sport, it’s impractical. Hopefully Clarke or one of the other manufacturer’s makes something in the 3.5 to 4 gallon range. Someone here posted 1,800 mile valve inspections, that would eliminate it for me. An awesome bike to ride though I’m sure. Maybe not own.
Honda’s insistence on small capacity gas tanks has now reached the point that it is a fetish.
While titanium is cool it’s hard to figure the cost benefit advantage for a non race bike. I guess it’s part of the small gas tank thing wherein cutting the weight of the gas tank area is now the #1 design consideration for Honda bikes. Who’d of thunk it?
At first I felt – about time ! ! ! Now – this is a motocross bike, completely impractical and maybe unsafe for the most dangerous surface of all, the public roads. Have you ever tried an emergency stop on 21 inch semi knobies ? Where are the 450 – 500 cc single cylinder STREET bikes, light weight, affordable, and looking like a Matchless, or a Norton or a BSA ? One CAN have big fun on a STREET thumper ! ! ! Oh yea big enough to fit a grown man 6-2 and 210 lbs .
Love that name BTW Reggie….
“…Have you ever tried an emergency stop on 21 inch semi knobies?…”
No. That said, on the Marin Sunday Morning Ride, specifically the first leg from Mill Valley to the Stinson Beach lookout (for “cigarette” break), where speed rarely exceeds 45mph except for the Muir Beach stretch, dual sports with such tire/wheel combo have flown by road race replicas like they dropped anchor.
Contact patch area is also related to wheel diameter, BTW.
Craig McClean is the son of then-owner of long ago closed Motorcycles Unltd in Corte Madera CA. Craig used to race a Ducati Super Mono, and may still own the amateur singles records @ Sears Point. Craig once appeared for the SMR on a scooter, and creamed most of the group to Stinson Beach.
There are always exceptional riders, and yes I have, smoked the front tire, literally. An emergency stop is not slowing hard for a corner, and I agree that a good dual purpose on street tires can handle very well. As to who wins in a race, there are always exceptional riders.
Price of over $10k is ridiculous for a machine like this. Most mortals don’t need/care for the ti bits nor at that price, can they afford to. Such parts cause even more ‘pain’when the bike is dropped in the woods. Acerbis plastic tank instead anyone?
+1
Good Lord am I getting old, 11 grand seems like way too much money but I guess it’s in line with other bikes like it. A titanium fuel tank seems ridiculous to me. My KLX300R had a plastic tank and it was fine for me while the bike was also quite a bit lighter than this.
Will this be manufactured in Japan? I know the CRF250L is made in Thailand. At $10,000K i am guessing Japan but wonder if anyone can confirm?
Also available in Thailand?
This thing better have the reliability of a sundial because it’s a pig compared to the Euro bikes, and not much cheaper.
Really? What’s the wet weight of the “Euro bikes”?
According to Dirtbike magazine, the 2017 KTM 500EXC weighs 244 pounds without fuel. 256 pounds with 2 gallons of gas in the tank. So the new Honda is 24 pounds heavier than the KTM according to Honda’s figures.
https://dirtbikemagazine.com/ktm-500exc-dual-sport-full-test-2/
*edit*
The KTM is actually 33 pounds lighter. Yikes!
When they report dry weight, they mean DRY. No gas, no oil, no coolant and even no grease on bearings. That adds considerable weight. Add 20-25 pounds to dry weight, and you’re in the ball park of what is curb weight.
” For that matter, the bike isn’t much heavier than the MX bike at 244 pounds without fuel and mirrors.”
“That 244 pound figure is for real, and you don’t even need the stunningly accurate DirtBike super-scale to prove it. It’s only a few pounds heavier than a Yamaha YZ450F motocross bike despite having an electric starter, a kickstand, and all that street legal stuff.”
Do some research, KTM off-road bikes are significantly lighter than Japanese models nowadays. Honda and the rest of the Japanese manufacturers added considerable weight to their models when they added electric start and fuel injection. KTM, and their sister company Hisqvarna did not.
KTM’s four strokes have had electric starting since hector was a pup. They have also always been comparatively light. 289 pounds? Where I am used to riding, that would make for a relatively short and frustrating day in the woods. I think Honda has long since given up on competing head-to-head with KTM when it comes to hard core off-road bikes. That said, I think there is still an untapped piece of the market out there when it comes to dual sport bikes. It looks like Honda is going after it.
1800 mile valve checks, i’m pretty sure that’s not great compared with orange
KTM goes by hours, so you mileage may vary.
Right on HONDA! Looks great!
Another bike made useless by a dinky fuel tank. Way to go Honda. For the HD haters, Harley did this with the stupid ’72. That model lasted what…a couple of years?
The Africa Twin made it one year before Honda introduced what should have been standard, a “special edition” with a much larger gas tank. 2.01 gallons is ridiculous. Based on a motocrosser, this bike will probably deliver poor mpg. Couple that with the commodious 2.01 gallon tank and you’ll wish you’d thought it over. Buyer’s remorse is coming for some kiddies.
Oh yeah, so some of you say 5 gallons is “too heavy”. If you’re that weak, put less in.
FTN Honda.
im sure they already make aftermarket tanks with more volume…
Kiddies? Really Shart?
Also, I see zero people saying 5 gallons is too heavy. and if we do, it’s because we are too weak. Man o man.
Shart, at what point do you stop writing in such a condescending, arrogant, antagonistic, prickish manner? You might even have something to contribute if you could get the 2×4 removed from your nether regions.
Bravo, Mark, on calling him out on his BS.
If he had any experience or talent riding off-road, he would understand that the tank is small for the same reason it is on most performance-oriented off-road bikes: To make for a tank/seat combination that doesn’t impede rider position and mobility on the bike.
Wow, the weather is getting pretty nasty in some sections of this thread.
Wow MacHale. You really are a tough one, LOL!! It looks like other adults here are also complaining about the pathetic little gas tank. You manlets can go on riding for 30 miles and call it a day, the rest of us want an Enduro for riding further than a gas station and back.
Pathetic. Same with your analamprey, Fred M. If Fred M. had a brain he’d realize that a bike needs to be able to be used for more than butt jewelry. Freddie, you’re so talented a typist. Another imitation of life typist/”rider”.
People in the real world want to ride their motorcycles further than the corner and back, ace. Perhaps you have a variation on agoraphobia? Seek professional, not brofessional, help both of you whiners.
“Shart”, how clever of you Miss MacHale.
Wow, the weather is getting pretty nasty in some sections of this thread.
Will the fairly short major service intervals be same as the MotoX? 15 hours between piston/rings valve adjust, 30 hours piston pin, etc…http://powersports.honda.com/experience/articles/090111c080b5b04e.aspx
Yeah Larry, I was wondering the same thing. Will have to wait and see if they made the piston skirt bigger than a postage stamp for dual sport use, and stuff like that. Piston and pin swaps are a deal-killer for most dual sport riders. If it gonna weight more than a KTM, the metal needs to be in the right places to add “Honda durability.”
I’m gonna keep my ancient plated XR600R, the baja bike that will not break!
If you race pro motocross, sure. Mortals, including A class motocrossers? You can add _a_lot_ to those intervals. Even factory racers practice 450s don’t get rebuild every 15 hours.
Please do a comparison with the Beta430
Cool and way past due. The 290+# hurts, but it’s still a very good step in the right direction. Looking forward to the details…and they better be really good to contend w/the KTM/Husky offerings and to overcome the weight differences.
I stopped reading at “$10,399.”
Simply absurd.
Titanium gas tank. Still cheaper than a KTM 350 EXC-F.
I rather have a 3.5 gallon plastic tank than a 2 gallon titanium tank. Its a dual-sport and it’s usually the first thing we change out.
The off-road-only CRF450X bike is $9,799. This is only $600 more. How is an extra $600 “absurd” for all of the equipment needed to make the bike street legal?
This thing costs more than twice as much as one of Honda’s CBR300s or Rebel 300s, and nearly twice as much as one of their CBR500s. It also costs more than twice as much as a CRF250L, and nearly twice as much as a CRF250L Rally or an XR650L.
Why? There’s nothing to it. It’s a tiny single-cylinder motor, a frame, suspension, a tiny gas tank, a tiny single brake up front, another out back, a set of bare-bones instruments and lights, a cheap plank of a seat, and a few bits of cheap plastic.
One could buy two CB1100s for the price of this thing, and none of the above-mentioned bikes require a full engine tear-down practically every other week, the way this thing does.
This is madness.
Let’s look at the competitors to this bike:
A KTM 500 EXC-F has an MSRP of $10,999
A KTM 350 EXC-F has an MSRP of $10,599
A Beta 500 RR-S has an MSRP of $9,999
A Husqvarna FE 450 has an MSRP of $10,599 (2017)
So, no, it’s not madness. It’s not cheap to produce a high performance dual sport bike.
Your comparisons make no sense. A few attempted laps of a motocross track at the speeds this bike can maintain would leave the bikes you named in pieces with their riders likely hospitalized.
Your lack of understanding of off-road motorcycle engineering is breathtaking. It’s expensive to produce a reliable, high-performance, 450cc single cylinder engine that is “tiny” and lightweight. Do you think Honda put a two gallon titanium gas tank on the bike to save money? Do you think used small brakes to cut costs, rather than to minimize unsprung mass? The suspension and frame on this bike cost a fortune compared to low-end street bikes you named. The seat on this bike is neither cheap nor a “plank.” It’s a proper off-road motorcycle seat designed so that the rider can move around on the bike to extract the maximum performance.
Leave comments on performance off-road bikes to those of us with real experience.
“Why?”
Because it’s a low volume, high performance, premium motorcycle, which are always expensive, regardless of category. The bikes you are comparing to are either specifically designed to be as cheap as possible, or price deflated due to lack of demand (CB1100, which had a sticker price of ~$12k).
Another pointed out that it’s $600 more than a CRF450r MX bike. Similar KTM’s cost the same. Considering they’ll probably sell far fewer of these than the MXer’s, I’d say they came out Ok on price.
VLJ, you’re not an experienced rider of performance-oriented off-road bikes. That’s obvious. The price of this bike is in line with other high-end dual-sports from KTM, Husqvarna, and Beta (it’s cheaper than most, in fact). If you don’t understand why, or think it’s “madness,” then do some studying until you do.
The thing weighs nearly 300 lbs, so it’s not particularly serious as a committed dirtbike. It’s certainly not a motocrosser now. It has tires that will have to be swapped for purpose-built tires before it can do serious dirt work, and those tires won’t work on the street. That pricey Ti tank is going to get swapped out within a month of purchase for a much larger, cheap plastic Acerbis tank, and the seat is still a cheap piece regardless of whether it allows a rider to stand on the pegs.
Function doesn’t necessarily equate to cost. Just because a seat is small and the brakes are small, this doesn’t make them more expensive to produce.
Comparing the cost of this bike to higher-performing, much smaller-production niche bikes from the Euro manufacturers is simply disingenuous, and you know it.
Or, rather, you would know it, if you’d spent over a decade selling Honda dirt bikes, as I have.
So, please do can it with the self-righteous condescension. I don’t stand corrected. This price is madness, which will be borne out the following riding season, when Mr. Happy with his $12K dirt bike tries to trade it in on next year’s model with a fresh motor, only to learn that his semi-disposable $12k dirt bike will only fetch him $4500 twelve months later.
Yeah, have fun with that concept. From a dealer’s standpoint, it’s always such a blast, having to be the one to inform you that your pricey, twelve-month-old toy is already nearly worthless.
This thing costs more than a Triumph Street Triple. It costs about the same as a Kawasaki Z900RS. The ink will barely be dry on the paperwork, and this thing will already be a very pricey doorstop.
But, hey, at least you’ll get to tear down the motor and rebuild it within two months of purchasing it brand-new. That’s always fun, too.
No one suggested it was a motocrosser. It’s a dirt-oriented dual sport — pretty close to an enduro bike with lights. And, no, many people won’t swap out the tank because they don’t want their legs spread apart like a drunk girl at a frat party while they ride off-road.
You wrote: “Comparing the cost of this bike to higher-performing, much smaller-production niche bikes from the Euro manufacturers is simply disingenuous, and you know it.”
Dirt Bike magazine wrote “The CRF450L is said to be a hard-core off-road bike in the same vein as the KTM EXC line.” So I was comparing it to the proper bikes.
You wrote: “Just because a seat is small and the brakes are small, this doesn’t make them more expensive to produce.”
Not my point. You suggested that they used small brakes and a narrow seat to cut costs, rather than to minimize unsprung mass and tailor the ergonomics to the intended usage.
“Or, rather, you would know it, if you’d spent over a decade selling Honda dirt bikes, as I have. So, please do can it with the self-righteous condescension.”
So it’s okay when you are self-righteous and condescending because you sold Hondas for a decade? Got it. You obviously know much more than the people in Honda’s marketing department that green-lighted this bike. And I’ve only been riding and wrenching on off-road motorcycles since the 1970s.
You wrote: “This thing costs more than a Triumph Street Triple. It costs about the same as a Kawasaki Z900RS.”
Great job at finding comparable bikes; much better than my comparisons to dual sports from KTM, Husqvarna, and Beta.
Then they didn’t make this bike for you. If you aren’t interested in buying one, then why take the time to piss all over the comment section? It’s basically a 450X that’s street legal.
He’s trying to convince us that he’s smarter than the marketing departments at Honda, KTM, Husqvarna, and Beta, all of which sell bikes in this class at very similar price points. He’s compared the price of this to Rebel 300s, Triumph Street Triples, and CBR300s, so it’s pretty clear this isn’t a market segment he’s got much expertise in.
I’m inclined to leave comments on performance off-road bikes to those of you with real experience, LOL.
What is interesting to me, is that something I always thought I wanted, isn’t what I really wanted once it became available and I am forced to understand the compromises involved (thanks to all here for helping me with that). For me and the type of dual-sport riding I would do in the real world, the Africa Twin or new 700cc Yamaha would be much more practical (biased toward on-road, with some non-technical dirt trails thrown in occasionally). Although a nice fantasy while it lasted, this new Honda would likely be a major disappointment for me personally. But that surely doesn’t make it a bad bike, or a bad choice for someone who does technical motocross riding but doesn’t want to trailer a bike to the dirt.
“Dual sport” is a motorcycle category that is all about compromise. It would be a fun read if Dirck compared this bike to a GS1200, riding both in the dirt and on the slab. For kicks, he could throw in a CBR and Gold Wing, and ride the group from Chicago to LA via Moab, and then do laps at Laguna, and further highlight the differences in Engineering intent between them (if the testers lived through it). The question becomes, “Which machine scores the highest in the environment it is most likely to be ridden?” And that varies greatly by rider. So, thank you Honda, and my apologies for not understanding what I wanted before I asked for it.
I like the idea of a street-legal dual-sport in the 450cc range, but $10k is to rich for my blood. Hopefully it is the right price for those who have wanted one for a long time.
290 LBS ??? I will stick to the Austrian brand. Solid dealer network and better performance.
Says the man who owns a KTM Dealership.
You actually trust manufacturer claims on bike weight?
I think Honda’s dealer network is quite a bit more extensive than KTM’s. I live in northern Virginia and there is one KTM dealer within 25 miles of my home (and it’s north of Baltimore, MD.) There are six Honda motorcycle dealers within 25 miles.
As to performance, I’ve not seen tests on this bike so I can’t comment. Mind you, I am a fan of KTM and seriously considered their bikes with which this will compete. But let’s not jump to conclusions.
NoVa to Baltimore is more like 50 miles. Surprised KTM doesn’t have a dealer in that area, it’s the wealthiest market in the US. Lot’s of toy money.
This could be the unicorn. Hope there’s room for a bigger gas tank in there. Gearing could be what makes or breaks it. Wonder weight what the subframe will take. SO. MANY. QUESTIONS!
Thank you Honda. About time…..i (and many others) have been waiting 10 years for this bike. Glad you did not skimp on a steel frame. Are they coming to Thailand? I am ready to buy.
Seat Height = 37.1″ To tall for most of us not currently playing in the NBA.
Yep!
Agree, I will be staying with my CRF250L.
That figure doesn’t account for suspension sag. Legions of jockey-sized mx’ers get along fine with their bikes and there’s certain to be lowering links and other mods readily available for those who don’t need quite so much ground clearance.
Everyone take a step back and consider what this bike’s release means. It is a super-high performance off-road bike, with lights, from the biggest brand in the world, being offered for the US. To me, this is a sign that motorcycling is recovering as a popular american past time. IT’s not for me, but I’ll go ahead and be excited for everything that’s coming.
I have been waiting 15 years for this.Go Honda!
Looks promising.
Also:
About time!
I don’t understand the 2 gal gas tank. One is not going very far.
I was thinking the same thing. Probably 100-120 miles max? I’m sure the aftermarket will be all over this.
I’d wager no more than 90 to 100 miles before it’s sucking fumes. State of tune and gearing won’t be conducive to good fuel mileage.
It’s about time. There have been limited choices for too long KTM & DRZ) in the 400/450 class. I have a DRZ, which is a nice bike, but not a great one. Punching a DRZ out to something near 450cc creates a time bomb. The KTM’s are great to ride…not so great to own. I look forward to Honda reliability in a dual-sport/super-moto.