Honda CRF 450 L

[Mudder]

Just ran across what Honda has added, CRF 450L dual sport. Wish they had it when I got my CRF 250L, next size then was 650. The 450 sounds nice, but its MSRP is twice the price of my 2014 250L, (wish I didn’t sell it). Dual sports were nice as you can ride on the road looking for offroad trails.

 

[idahoron]

I heard that the valve adjustment was about every other tank.

 

[Jerryg]

Just ran across what Honda has added, CRF 450L dual sport. Wish they had it when I got my CRF 250L, next size then was 650. The 450 sounds nice, but its MSRP is twice the price of my 2014 250L, (wish I didn’t sell it). Dual sports were nice as you can ride on the road looking for offroad trails.
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Ditto, my XL650R was just a little too big to throw around. A 450 would have been perfect.

 

[idahoron]

Ditto, my XL650R was just a little too big to throw around. A 450 would have been perfect.

I was really wanting one but the maintenance schedule was just too much for me at the time I was looking at them.

 

[HondaTech]

I was really wanting one but the maintenance schedule was just too much for me at the time I was looking at them.

There just what everybody b****ed about wanting for years.

A 450R with a headlight and turn signals.

 

[nctrailboss]

But,,,it isn't a 450r with lights.It's a corked up ,heavy, 450.

 

[HondaTech]

But,,,it isn't a 450r with lights.It's a corked up ,heavy, 450.

Its pretty much a 450r with lights.

Its temperamental, has hell maintenance intervals and vibrates terribly at speed.

People wanted a soft mannered, smooth bike with 4-5k mile oil changes that has 450r power. You cant have that.

The Africa Twin is the same way. People wanted the mainstream verison of an ADV (BMW GS, Multistrada). Bikes that half the riders who own 1 never take it off road ever. Honda built a true ADV, great offroad with the ability to ride the blacktop to get there.

People think they want something and then Honda builds it and they realize its not great where they want it to be, but its awesome where it should be.

The Talon is somewhat in that boat as well.
Ive got customers who buy the Talon and b**** because it doesnt have stuff they could've gotten in the Pioneer. But because the Pioneer "only" has 72hp its noy enough. Nevermind the fact they dont get above 5mph cruising the campground, or 15mph on the trails. Never hit a bump big enough to use the Pioneers suspension travel, let alone the Talon and have a box in the bed full of s*** they'll never see again because it'll never get used.

 

[TOGR]

A 450X is (at least used to be) the closest thing to "a 450R with lights." They were also detuned and heavier. As I recall, one tooth on the timing, smaller headpipe, heavier muffler, bigger radiators, carburetor, gearing, wheels, suspension settings and I can not remember too much else. The X was delayed quite a while because Honda did NOT want it to be a 450R with lights. There are many, many parts that do not interchange between the R and X, and Honda spent a lot of time and effort before they released what was for the most part a completely new motorcycle--the X.

If the new 450L is indeed a 450R with lights then Honda has completely changed its approach to these machines and it would be a great surprise to me--and I was pretty close to Team Honda and their off-road development team, at least in those years.

 

[C2Corvette1]

I built and bought a bunch of dual sport bikes over the years, and my favorite was a Honda XR350R. It pretty much did everything I wanted although I did put aftermarket rear shocks and tuned CR250 front forks on it. My wife and I have been married over 45 years now, and the week after she rode 2 up on a 120 mile dual sport ride on the back of my heavily modified XR (before the 350) I knew she was a keeper! (my wife not the XR even though I did keep it for a while too).