Honda CRF450R - First Ride

In the past 10 years or so, motorcycle manufactures have made incredible strides in the quality of dirt bikes and the technology that goes into making them. But it doesn't always require a huge improvement in one area to make bikes noticeably better; sometimes, a few key changes in just the right places make a huge difference. Case in point: The 2015 Honda CRF450R, which benefits from a new cylinder head and exhaust, plus Honda's Engine Mode Select Button, a new KYB PSF pneumatic fork, and a new shock damping adjuster. In addition to fitting the CRF450R motocrosser with a larger front brake rotor and reworked clutch cable routing, Honda has changed the color of the bike's radiator, caliper, and rear disk guard to black from white.

Last year’s Honda CRF450R felt down on power compared to other 450s. To address this and boost overall power, Honda changed the head design to one with the exhaust on the right side of the engine, a shorter system that works with a larger diameter head pipe and mufflers with increased core size.

The engine changes, along with revised ignition map settings, result in noticeable gains in overall power, especially through the mid range and into the top end. Off idle, the engine is very snappy and free revving, and when exiting corners the red machine is noticeably more aggressive but remains rideable thanks to smooth delivery.

When the throttle is held wide open down long straights or up hills, the 2015 CRF450R pulls much stronger and farther in the mid to top end than the 2014 model, which signed off earlier. Also, the addition of Honda’s new Engine Mode Select button gives the rider the ability to change the power delivery on the fly with the push of a button. When the bike is at idle, you can quickly press the button and wait to see one, two, or three consecutive flashes. To change modes, you simply press the button for one to two seconds and the blue LED button will flash consecutively representing the mode that has been selected.

In Mode one, standard mapping, the power is very strong, and the Honda pulls evenly through the rpm range. Mode two is softer all the way through the rpm range, and off-idle throttle snap is decreased, which can be helpful on a track with less than perfect conditions (or if more linear power is desired in an off-road-type situation). Mode three, the most aggressive mapping, is characterized by a very strong bottom-end pull that yanks through the midrange all the way to the rev limiter.

The all new KYB PSF pneumatic fork on the CRF450R is unique. Both the compression and rebound feature low- and high-speed adjustability. You can still adjust the air pressure to suit your needs, just like last year. Both legs hold air, which is different than the new Showa air fork, which uses air pressure in only one fork leg. The KYB PSF fork on the 2015 Honda CRF450R is a separate-function fork because the compression damping is controlled in one leg and rebound damping in the other. Also, all the clickers have been moved to the top caps of the forks, which means no more crawling under the front end to adjust rebound damping. While this is a nice feature, the clickers can be hard to adjust as they are directly below the handlebar and access with a screw driver is quite limited.

The new KYB fork is a big improvement, replacing last year’s springy feel with a more plush experience throughout the stroke. When entering and exiting corners with choppy braking bumps, the fork doesn’t spike anywhere in the stroke and has a smooth feel. The bottoming resistance is superb and doesn’t give a metal to metal feel no matter how hard the landing. With so many available adjustments, tuning the forks can take some time.

Out back, the KYB shock now has the rebound, high-speed compression (adjustable via clicks now), and-low speed compression adjusters on the top of the shock body, which, as with the fork, gives you the ability to adjust all of your shock settings in the same place. With proper sag set to 105mm, the 2015 Honda CRF450R feels well balanced and planted on the track. In choppy bumps, the rear of the Honda stays straight; it doesn’t hop from side to side or buck up. Although the suspension action on the Honda feels good, no matter the adjustment, the bike had some twitchiness in the front end. In a straight line and entering fast corners, the front end can feel a bit nervous. A few clicks stiffer on the steering damper helps this nervousness but doesn’t completely remedy the issue.

In cornering, the Honda has always been a class leader. For 2015, the bike is still near the top but the front end feels a bit vague unless you’re in a rut. Part of this issue is likely a mix of the sandy track conditions and the new Dunlop MX52 tires. While there’s nothing wrong with the MX52, the MX32 is a better choice for loamy and soft track conditions. As for the brakes, the new 260mm front rotor is 20mm larger and gives the Honda more stopping power without having an all or nothing feel. While Renthal makes a great handlebar, it is unclear why Honda still chooses to use a 7/8-in. bar when the industry norm is 1 1/8.

No matter how long it has been since you’ve ridden in the dirt, you can always hop on a Honda and quickly feel comfortable. And with the 2015 CRF450R, that’s still true. But with its host of improvements, the 2015 CRF450R has moved a little closer to the top of the class.