Imagine going through the dirt tracks while all the mud is spreading around you. Dirt biking sure is a mess, but the fun it serves is incomparable. We know it’s fun to see people having fun with their dirt bikes on your phone screen. But have you ever tried it by yourself?
To give you the best adrenaline rush, Honda produces an excellent bike. Yes, we are speaking about the Honda CRF450R. This super full, extremely light, and superb performing bike is a true masterpiece from one of the best motorcycle makers in the world.
Thanks to its liquid-cooled, four-stroke 449cc engine, this motorcycle can turn any dirt track into a race track. It really is that fast. The bike, coupled with Showa forks, makes jumping so easy! Aside from its excellent genomics, superb balance, and incredible lightweight frame, this is one of the best dirt bikes you can purchase.
Here in Honda CRF450R Top Speed, Specs, and Review, we will be taking a closer look at this exciting motorcycle made by Honda. We will discuss the pros and cons of the bike as well. Furthermore, there will be ways to make this even faster too. Okay, let’s get started.
About Honda CRF450R
It was in 2002 when Holda unveiled the CRF450R. The first generation of the CRF450R was produced for two years, finishing in 2004. Compared with the previous generation, the CRF450R had an aluminum frame, upgraded camshaft, and upgraded exhaust. Moreover, the handlebars were wider than those on the initial bike, measuring 22mm.
The second-generation CRF450R was released in 2005 and lasted till 2008. These bikes had the new Honda Progressive Steering Damper. Hence, the geometry was comparatively more aggressive. The third generation (2009-2012) had fuel injection. Honda introduced a new twin exhaust to the fourth generation (2013-1016) Honda CRF450R.
The 5th generation of Honda CRF450R, which lasted from 2017 till 2020, had a few major changes. The bike also had an eclectic optical start with a new engine design. The bikes now had Showa forks. However, Honda went even further with its innovation and released the sixth generation of the CRF450R in 2021. This new generation bike has an even slimmer profile and a plastic design.
Honda CRF450R Specs and Features:
1. Unique Engine Design
The Honda CRF450R comes with an exclusively designed 449cc engine from Honda. It combines a single overhead cam design with a double overhead cam design. This Unicam engine is compact, therefore, lightweight. Moreover, the power it offers is uncompromising, as its instantaneous strength will leave anyone in the dust. A second unique design feature is the compact engine’s camshaft, which is positioned lower. Consequently, it has a lower center of gravity.
2. Top-Notch Suspension
There is a touch of premiumness in both the suspensions, the front, and rear. The 49mm Showa suspensions are installed on this Honda bike. There is no doubt that you will experience handling and damping at a whole new level. In addition, each fork leg is equipped with an axle holding fixture. This means you will have better steering precision as well as more rigidity.
Similarly, the rear suspension is unique too. The frame design plays a role here. In order to fit the frame, the rear suspension was designed accordingly. An interesting fact of this suspension is it features a special spring made of steel. As a result of this spring, the bike is lighter while retaining a top-notch performance.
3. Finest Handling
This bike is famous for one thing, its handling. And the credit goes to its perfect frame. One thing to mention, this frame is really light. This is a feature that Honda CRF450R has always been known for. Nevertheless, the 2022 version is even more lightweight and weighs 1.2 pounds less than its predecessor. Although the chassis is light, it is tuned to maintain the integrity of the body. You will therefore be able to take corners faster than ever before.
4. First Hydraulic Clutch
The Honda CRF450R is a first in class. Wondering why? The Honda CRF450R comes with the first hydraulic clutch that Honda does not make. The manufacturer of the clutch is Nissin. Compared to other clutches, this clutch outperforms most others. In fact, you will get a 10% lighter clutch pull at its peak. Also, with this, forget the need for clutch-cable adjustment. The system leaves you with much better performance with very easy maintenance.
5. Advanced Launch Control
Speaking of launch, this bike comes with an advanced launch control feature. The ECU program of this can be accessed with just a push of a button. Just by pressing the button to select, throttle, and engage the clutch, it is activated. What’s the benefit? Now you’re riding a beast. Take it out on the trail and see for yourself. This won’t fail to satisfy you.
6. Efficient Ratio
Another impressive fact of this bike is its compression ratio which is quite spectacular. It has a ratio of 13.5:1. Having a refined combustion shape makes this possible. With the addition of squish area, such a ratio is achieved. Due to this, the bike is much more powerful and efficient. The bike will run faster, jump higher, and use less power.
Honda CRF450R Top Speed
With its 449cc engine, the Honda CRF450R will go 87 miles per hour. In terms of kilometers, that is 140 kilometers per house. Indeed, really fast! No doubt why many dirt bikers commonly mention this bike as one of the quickest dirt bikes in the world.
Featuring a lightweight frame and flawless front and back suspension, this bike will take you places real quick! Despite the speed, taking corners is not that tough with this bike, just because of its low center of gravity. Regardless of how fast you go, you’ll remain grounded. Honda made sure you are not flying a plane here!
Along with the Honda CRF450R, Honda also released the Honda CRF450RWE. The additional WE stand for Works Edition. Featuring other performance features, it can go even faster. Whichever one you choose, you’ll be cutting through the air at the fastest possible speed.
How to Increase the Honda CRF450R’s Top Speed?
With no doubt is that the Honda CRF450R is one of the fastest dirt bikes in the world. Faster than many commuter bikes on the market, this bike reaches speeds of up to 87 mph. Having said that, we don’t think it would be a problem to have an even better Honda CRF450R.
We are talking about more speed, higher power, better acceleration, and less jerking. Sounds interesting, right? As a result, in the below sections, you will learn some of the modifications. These mods can take your already perfected Honda CRF450R to the next level.
1. Piston Mod:
The first mod you can do to your Honda CRF450R is to change the piston. The stock pistons are good, but we are talking about making the Honda CRF450R better. So, let go of the stock pistons and install JE Pistons Pro Series 14:1 pistons.
These high compression pistons will give your Honda CRF450R more power in the low to the mid department. If you can’t find the piston we have just mentioned, you can try with the Wiseco Pro-Lite 4-Stroke Piston – Stock Bore 12:1 Compression. This is also a great piston kit that can make your Honda CRF450R even better.
2. Clutch Mod:
Clutch is something Honda CRF450R always had problems with. Not sure why Honda is still neglecting this area. However, just because Honda is neglecting doesn’t mean you are going to do the same! Therefore, get a better clutch. We recommend the Rekluse TorqDrive clutch pack.
This is a no-brainer; the fan-favorite; the easy winner. Installing this clutch will right away remove all the judder from the spring clutch the Honda CRF450R comes with. The Rekluse TorqDrive clutch pack comes with extra steel plates along with fiber absorbers. Due to these additions, the excessive heat is well absorbed, as well as the jerking is greatly reduced.
Additionally, another clutch pack we can recommend is the Tusk Competition Clutch Kit. Definitely worth considering! This kit is meant to give you that extra edge when you are hitting those trails really hard, mostly during competitions. Also included in this kit is friction material made of Aramid fibers. This material is highly heat resistant and highly durable. Additionally, this kit’s high-quality steel plates prevent heat from distorting and warping.
3. Exhaust Mod:
Here is the mod for the mid-range power. Want a boast? Get the FMF Factory’s 4.1 RCT Single Exhaust System. Approved by many users, this kit upgrade will fill all the gaps you have in your Honda CRF450R. With this, you won’t have any problem going through all those corners with full power. Besides, do you hate those raspy sounds that the stock exhaust makes? This will dramatically change the sound to a nicer tone!
4. Sprocket Upgrade:
Want to have higher power but at a low cost? Just simply change the sprocket. The stock sprocket that comes with Honda CRF450R has 48 teeth. If you simply change that sprocket with 50 teeth one, you will see a drastic change in the power. The other tooth will help the bike accelerate better, so you will have a higher speed.
Honda CRF450R – Pros and Cons:
Pros
- High Speed: The best part of the Honda CRF450R is how fast it can go! 87 miles per hour. Yes, this bike is really fast. If your skills are beginner-level, you better not hop on this bike and hit the trail. We warn you!
- Extremely Reliable: Another great fact about this bike is how reliable it is with its performance. No matter how hard you ride, how long you ride, you are sure to get the same speed the next time. Regardless of how much this bike is beaten, the bike will not compromise its power or speed.
- Superb Build Quality: Honda is known for its excellent build quality. The integrity of the frame is something really surprising, despite it being really slender and light. This bike can handle all kinds of hard rides and rushes no matter how challenging they may be!
- Extremely Slender: This goes without saying how slender this bike is. This bike has a similar weight and looks as the CRF250R, which is a 200cc less bike. What makes this bike truly mesmerizing is how Honda managed to pack in all this power in this body!
- Well Balanced: Even though this bike is really light and slim, it is well-balanced. Therefore, you will not be having issues with off-balancing while hitting those high jumps. Besides, the bike has a low center gravity which helps it to stick to the group more.
Cons
- Inconvenient Side Panels: If you look at the side panels of this bike, you will notice they are indeed quite pointed. No doubt, they look good, but if your pant ever gets stuck to any of these, you will be indeed in trouble. Keeping the pointy side panels in mind is something you highly advise.
- Wider Foot Pegs: Almost everything on this bike is narrow. We said almost because the footpegs are wide, and we don’t have any idea why. A bike with a much slimmer body looks quite odd with those wider footpegs sticking out like that.
FAQs:
Is a CRF450R a 4 stroke?
Yes, the Honda CRF450R has a four-stroke 449cc engine. The engine of this bike is liquid-cooled. This bike is a successor of a two-stroke bike which is the Honda CR250R. In four-stroke engines, the term for each of those strokes is intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust.
What does a 2022 CRF450R weigh?
The 2022 Honda CRF450R weighs 244 lbs. This is equal to just over 110 kilograms. When you consider how powerful this bike is, this weight is staggering. The slender body and lightweight compartments of the bike made it possible for the bike to be so light. This looks and feels very similar to the Honda CR250R which is another great dirt bike with much less power.
How much horsepower does the CRF450R have?
Honda’s CRF450R 2022 produces 53.8 horsepower. That makes it the third best-performing bike in this category. Despite this, the bike isn’t slow or less powerful in any way. As a matter of fact, it still feels like the fastest bike you can have on the track. Due to its aggressive engine, the bike can outlast any other bike, even those with higher hp.
How big is a CRF450R?
The Honda CRF450R is a slender and slim-profile bike. It feels surprisingly light despite its powerful engine. When it comes to dimension, the length of this bike is 86.3 inches. The measurements for the width and height are 32.6 inches and 50 inches, respectively. In addition, the seat height is 37.8 inches. Moreover, the seat height can be adjusted.
Conclusion
Legend says, “Keep your bike high and your head higher.” With the sheer speed and power of the Honda CRF450R, you can be sure that your head will be higher than any other rider on the track. Thanks to its outstanding four-stroke engine, the lightweight dirt bike will do all the magic it needs to do.
This is one of the best bikes to ride on the market. This bike is unbeatable for having fun or winning any competition. Yes, some part of this bike is not that slim, unlike its frame but that’s compromisable. In fact, you won’t even notice the issues even exist.
We covered all the important information in Honda CRF450R Top Speed, Specs, and Review. If you’re thinking about getting a Honda CRF450R, we can assure you that you are not making a mistake. If you really want the true fun of dirt biking, this is one of the best choices that is available for you.
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