Just spent the last few months building a Honda CB 550 in my garage.....whilst listening to the five dirty bikers and laughing out loud! Great video, love the no BS honest review of a real dirt bike! Ps you were great in that Dazed and Confused film 🤣🤣🤣
I agree I think I’m gonna end up getting the L just cause I own a goldwing and a red and white motor cross helmet lol I really do appreciate your time thank you so much for all the useful information I appreciate your time I will keep you posted
Great video! I have a 2020 450L as well. I want to try the tubeless wheels, next mod maybe. I am waiting on delivery (finally) of my 14T front/48T rear sprockets. The stock gearing is just too low on the street. I agree the Vortex ecu/ Yosh (for me) exhaust was the best mod, except for maybe my seat concepts xl. IMS 3 gallon tank was another great mod when riding all day. Rear rack, rear bag, sae plug, bark busters, graphics kit, and phone mount round out my mods so far. Keep the 450L videos coming!
I just did a 48T on the rear, and plan on doing a video for it. Kept the 13T up front to have some torque left over for dirt. Waaaay better cruising speeds from 50-65, with way less vibration. Thank you for the comment!
Yes, yes you can!!! Depending on what your used to riding, it has way more than enough power. If you strictly rode single track, a 250 would be lighter and easier to handle. For a street legal bike, the power, weight, and sheer usefulness of this bike is awesome!!!
Depending on elevation and what region you live in it may differ. I had mine set at 455 on map 6 i think. I liked the “Enduro” map, as it seemed to give the best performance for my type of riding in the area in which i live.
I’d love to have one of those!!! Got a harley but i really like riding the dirty back roads of the Smokey Mountains. It may be over kill for what i would do with it, but i began my 52 years of riding on a Honda dirt bike.
Right on John! As long as I keep from turning the boom tube, she’s as tame as they come! If I still lived in Maryville, I’d definitely be riding the back roads as much as possible!!!
Bahaha, I have an issue with leaving the blinker on in my crf450l too. I don't know why. I'm at 2500 miles on my bike and couldn't be happier. It's basically been my dream bike. The only negative I would have to say are the maintenance intervals but the extra wrenching has only brought me closer to the bike. I've been running mobil 4t 10w-40 fullsyn and pushed my oilchange interval from 600 miles to 1000-1200.
That’s awesome that you have found an oil that works for you! My CRF450L is probably the most fun bike I’ve ever owned in my life. It’s a give and take situation with the CRF, but I still like it more than any other bike in its class....
Just bought A 2022 crf 450 RL 12-7-22 , already changed the pipe Yoshimura, back license plate bracket low mirrors Supper cross tires ,waiting for my ECU. To come in !!! This bike was spinning the rear tire in Second gear on pavement after I put the new pip on !! And that was normal riding only about half throttel couldn't believe it !! My CR500 has more horse power but doesn't do that!! Becouse the 450 is loaded with instant low end torque!!
I would have definitely gone with the CRF450L, but there are none where I live and won't be for several months. I've decided to go with the Husqvarna FE501s since there's one here. It's not as street friendly, but it's much lighter and just a little more expensive.
Sweet bike! I’m hoping to get my 450l for next spring. Been looking at this bike for like 2 years. Lol. I’ll probably do most of the same mods that you did. What made you go with the fmf vs the yoshi? Do you know what the hp gains to the rear wheel is with the vortex/full muffler system? Can’t seem to find any videos of the 450l on the dyno with vortex/pipe system.
I like the tone of the FMF setup basically. From what the gentleman @ Tokyomods explained to me, the Yosh pipe does make more power, but he was only talking 1-2hp at best. Ive removed the QC insert, and the pipe has a very good growl with WOT, but is still quiet when partial throttle is held. The Q4 is definitely my favorite pipe!!!
Do you like the Q4? A lot of people go Yoshi. I want a little more sound when I’m hard on it , but don’t want to bring attention when I’m riding it like a hooligan in the street. I’m at 800 miles now and love mine. All stock except seat concepts standard element , zeta hand guards, flatland racing tail rack , flatland tail tidy and g2 throttle tamer .
manofrock07 I absolutely love my Q4. The Yosh system may have 1-2 more hp, but the sound of the system is what matters to me. The Q4 is muffler body is longer, but it has to be to reduce the db. I’m like yourself in regards to not wanting to be crazy loud, but I wanted to have a more free flowing system with a good reduction in weight. The Q4 has a deeper exhaust note, and if so desired, you can remove the insert for more sound. If you’re upgrading your exhaust, make sure you have some extra fuel, or you will have a very lean condition. If you plan on buying a Power Commander or something along those lines, hit me up on IG, I have one sitting on the shelf I used for a couple of weeks I can make you a very very good deal on!!😁
Thoughts on just Vortex ECU with stock exhaust and header. I have owned mine for two years, and it really is a must the only frustrations I have with the bike is flame out and on/off throttle response.
So here’s my thoughts... I raised my idle to 1900rpms, and that did help the flame out somewhat. I found that after I installed the Vortex ECU, any and all issues suddenly disappeared. The only downside to the Vortex, is that my fuel mileage decreased from 57-60mpg to somewhere between 44-50mpg depending on how I’m riding. That being said, the bike is a completely different beast!! I’ve found that if I keep my bike under 50-55mph, or when trail riding, I get waaay better gas mileage. The Vortex ECU is the single best modification you can do to a CRF450L to increase overall riding enjoyment...period. It’s was expensive, but it WILL make a positive and noticeable improvement.
Mario Caraballo I have my Vortex on Map 6, trims are 4,4,4. I live in Topeka, Kansas and about 900 feet above sea level. With my gearing of 13-48, trail riding I get between 49-53 mpg.
Would you say the full FMF system is worth it? How are the noise levels on it? Heard the Yoshi gets a bit annoying at higher speeds. Can you still do the Vortex with the stock exhaust and remove the leanness? Keeping the exhaust stock is nice because it’s quiet but losing 10 lbs is also a benefit 🤷♂️
I’m totally sold on the FMF header and pipe. So glad that I made the purchase. You can use the Vortex with the stock exhaust, but the moment to free up that exhaust, it COMPLETELY changes the bike. The Q4 on the bike as it sits right now doesn’t even have the “Quiet Insert” in and still is very very supressed. Unless I have it at full pin, it’s way quieter than you would imagine. The FMF systems have a deeper growl to me than the Yosh offerings. Even at highway speeds, I love the sound that comes from the FMF!!! I generally prefer quiet exhaust systems, and this setup is the best I’ve heard IMO.
Hi Mike great vid i got the same pipe and ecu but put a bigger tank on it got full knobbys on mine i got a Garmin zimo XT but the maps are not as good as the rino Great on Single track Jeep roads anywhere Hi from Australia
Dang Mike, the sound and volume levels are PURRfect!, great, great video. I hope this goes all-viral, very well done vid! Bike is looking amazing! Also, what mount are you using for your phone? Looks great!
The phone mount is a RamMount stem mount combined with a Tackform phone mount with a 1” ball. Short extension between the two. Video is from my Hero8, Media Mod, and Giant Squid Microphone. Thank you for your comment!
What about all the hype on people having to rebuild top ends on those engines are there any valve lash issues or anything like that I’m seriously looking to buy one but I’m use to street bikes don’t want to have to wrench on it very often
Mauricio Rodriguez Check out John T. Young on YT. He just did his 10k review. He checked his valves at 9k and it was still in spec. My guess is that it will probably be 20-25k cylinder swap. As far as the service manual states, most everything is an inspection. I purchased mine in May, and have over 3k miles on mine already. Cost will vary of course on the maintenance, but a simple overhaul on my CRF450L will be less than a KTM, Husky, etc.. My riding buddy has a DRZ, he loves that bike, but it’s not on the same level as a CRF. What Makes and models have you been checking out?
Nothing in the 500cc line. I have however had a chance to ride a KTM 690. Seeing as most of my experience is gravel and minimum maintenance, the 20lbs wouldn’t really make much of a difference for myself. Ride-ability on the street is super impressive on my CRF, and 20lbs would be the difference of taking a poop before or after a ride! 😁
You’re gonna absolutely love it! The mount is a Rammount stem mount , with a short ball to ball extension, and the actual phone holder is the Tackform holder with a 1” ball on back. By far the best mount I’ve ever used! Hell I’ve jumped with my phone in the mount, and it DOES NOT MOVE...
What is your weight with gear? I have noticed a lot of talk about the "220 lb weight limit" for this bike, which seems crazy low (especially for fat boys like myself)
Michael McLaughlin with all my normal riding gear, I tip the scales at about 185-190. I think the weight limit is a little low and should be taken with a grain of salt. After breaking in the suspension, you may have to buy springs, but I think the frame and rear subframe are more than adequate to carry haul more. How much more? I have no idea. Big guys have been riding these things for years, but depending on weight, another option may be a KTM 690 or Husq 701. To me the CRF450L has plenty of power to carry most down the road in a quick fashion!!
I have a RAM mout in the steering stem, with a small extension, and my phone is held by a Tackform aluminum mount w/ a 1” ball. Best mount I have ever used hands down. Stays in place when riding trails and jumping as well.
Mauricio Rodriguez are you wanting to buy something that is already street legal or are you just wanting to do the enduro conversion yourself? With both of the models mentioned, the CRF450L is the only factory street legal one off the showroom floor. If your wanting something close to the models you mentioned, why not just get a CRF450X? Less money than the L, but easily made street legal...
Mauricio Rodriguez Compared to a normal “street” enduro, the recommended oil change is every 600 miles. After my initial break-in, I change my filter every other change. The engine only holds 1.2 qts of oil, so I see why it has shortened service intervals. Other than that, it’s basically like any other motorcycle. It takes me less than 10 mins to change my oil, and if I’m changing my filter, it’s another 5 or so. Considering the performance on and off-road, it’s well worth 10-15 minutes of my time. It’s a solid performer, and a very solid choice..
The handlebars I absolutely love, the seat on the other hand, is a love hate relationship. The bend and height of the bars are great, I do wish that it didn’t have the crossbar. The seat is hard as hell, it may get broke in at some point, but that will be way later. I would buy a Seat Concepts seat if it didn’t take away from the looks of the bike. Thank you for your questions!
Geek And Son the brand is PowerMadd. They sell a universal style that also fits their hand guards. I made the simple bracket that comes off the triples that keeps them out of the way and doesn’t interfere with my IMS tank. Vision isn’t the greatest since they are a spot mirror, but I can see cars and fellow riders behind me. Thank you for your question!!
Mauricio Rodriguez I completely understand and agree. One of the first things I did was install a set of Kenda Trackmaster II tires. The bike is 100% capable of street riding and dirt, and with more substantial protection, hard enduro riding right off the sales floor. Yes there are some quirks, but for it to be 50 state legal, something has to give. If you happen to get a 450L let me know, I have a PowerCommander I will make you an awesome deal on! It has a week of use, and has been sitting on my shelf ever since. The Vortex ECU is a much better option, but it’s waaaay more money. I bring that up due to my mention of quirks. The Kawi, Yamaha, or even the 450x doesn’t have to meet emissions, so therefore there would be less quirks with those models. The 450L is more capable than most ride, and when upgraded, can literally handle whatever you throw at it. That’s why I chose to purchase the bike I did. There are so many options that it will make your head spin, but it all comes down to does it have to be road legal when purchased, and what color plastics do you wish to have. You really can’t go wrong with any of the bikes we have discussed.
I wish for once someone would make a real HONEST review. The bike is terrible to ride. The front end has all kinds of rattling, the throttle response is jerky to the point where you get worn out just tryjng to control it. For the money, it's a terrible bike. Honda tried to make a dual sport that had motocross power and capabilities, and they FAILED. Terrible bike. There's an honest review. I own a 2022 crf450rl. Hate it.
