Just hit 1000 miles ....1600 km on mine up here in Alberta. She used a little oil on first change, none on second. Installing vortex soon as shes off warranty. Flames out wayyyy too much at stop signs. Great video man. Rock on ride safe.
From what I understand at least in the US the only thing you can do that will void the warranty aside from not get it serviced by Honda is to put a big bore kit on it.
I have a 19 and I have no idea what everyone's talking about flameout , I've had the bike for a year or two and it idles perfect.. I've only stalled two times and I feel like that was because my own user error not the bikes fault... besides that I can ride it around in and gear low 1st and 2nd or whatever and it's fine no matter what 😅
This is one of the best... video out there as far as going through the whole bike, "great mods choice" made up my mind this is what I'm getting thanks 👍
I have my heart set on the 450RL. Videos like this one give me a boost in confidence that I am going to be making the right choice. I can't wait for the adventurers to come!
@@mobileempire5522 No sir, who said that? Mods are different than needed replacement parts. Mods don’t have to be done and who said they were expensive? ✌🏽
@@qb7384they had to of because I have a street legal 19 450 and I've put almost 8k miles on it and I have no idea why everyone says it's got a flameout problem... I've stalled it maybe 2 times and I know it was because my own user error lol not the bikes fault 😅
I know this video is three years old, I’ve been away from motorcycling for about eight years, but I rode a generation two Hayabusa from 2008 to about 2015 and I want to get a smaller super Moto and I know there’s the DRZ but I’m 6 foot four and over 230 pounds And I love the way this bike sits so tall. Used to work for Honda automotive for 15 years and I remember the old slogan, “follow the leader, he’s on a Honda!”
Nice video. I have a 2019 450L and love the bike. Just installed the vortex (kept the OEM exhaust for now). Unfortunately the twitchy throttle issue was not fixed with the vortex. Its better than with the OEM ECU, but not as good as I had hoped. Perhaps the improvement wasn't that great because I kept the OEM exhaust? I am running the fuel at 6, 5, 5, and using the map 6 on the vortex. I ride mostly off road, slow rocky stuff and the touchy throttle is fatiguing. going to install the G2 throttle tamer next. Thanks for the video.
NICE REVIEW BROTHER! I also have the 2021 CRF450RL and I'm looking to do the same mods as yours (as far as the Yoshi full exhaust and Vortex ECU). Did you also have to order the exhaust for a 450X because they don't yet list àny aftermarket exhaust for the 450RL?
This video is a year old. Just curious how you are liking it? I commute 45 minutes to work each day and looking at selling my r6 for a dual sport. Most people don’t like theirs but I really want tho Honda and want to like it
11k all up for a dual sport hurts my feelings but I’m gonna do it. I’m not sure if I want the 450 or a 690 r. I already have a crf250 which is phenomenal on any trail but getting to the trail is rough.
Do you think its a good idea to run straight motocross tires on a dual sport if you will be off road more than on road? Or are the D.O.T tires good off road as well?
I would definitely recommend running DOT knobbies if you’re gonna be on the road at all. The best cheapest option are the tusk tires I have on my bike but if you want some really good tires I’d look into the Dunlop D606 rear tire and the MT21 front.
Other then head light , tail light , turn signals and plate holder what's the difference between a Crf450r and your Cr450L? I'm seriously thinking about buying one.
I was originally going with a CRF300L After some research I went with the CRF450RL so glad I did. Well worth the extra money. I also went day 2 with Yoshi, Vortex, Tires.
Only major differences between the two are the engine- the 450ls engine has a slightly de tuned engine for street reliability. But don’t get me wrong the sucker still rips. There are some other things like the suspension being valved softer, swing arm being shorter and urethane filled for road vibration dampening. I highly recommend this bike. I absolutely love mine
I have a 2019 I had the vortex ECU and Yoshi on before I had 100miles. I recently got my warp9 sumo set up put on I went with a 47t rear it will still come.up in 3rd but have to pull up on it. I would recommend a 48 if you are considering sumo set up. I loved the factory ratio. I really need that seat tho.
Any longevity concern with the thermostat delete? It seems to me that it would take the engine longer to come up to temp and cause some amount of extra wear that way, but I don't know how much of a difference that makes in the real world.
I would assume you can take off the radiator fans as well to save some more weight since your bike will never know if its overheating and they will never kick on even if it is.
Thanks for posting- does water / muck drain out behind the plastic case covers or does anything that gets between the case and the plastic cover just ferments...lol
@@Forsott I do indeed. I added GET ECU from taco Moto for 450RL and it made it 100 times better. 300L has some changes too and the easiest bike there is to enjoy. Any questions I could answer?
@@DIDDLYWAYNE well, for now, we just have the absurd CRF 450 L with same HP as the old CRF 250 L but stupid high price of a proper high end enduro and also stupid low maintenance intervals More than 10k € 1000 KMs maintenance intervals 25 HP 🤢
@@DIDDLYWAYNE CRF 450 RL looks like what the CRF 450 L should have been in the first place .. but not (yet) available here in Europe (the « RL » is not.. the dumb « L » has been discontinued.. )
I would say at the bare minimum the vortex and a pipe is a must. I have supermoto stuff for this bike and a video of it too if you’re interested in seeing it. The seat concepts seat is also nice especially if you’re just riding on the street. I put 7k miles on my bike on the supermoto trim and it was an absolute dream!
Just curious, why this over a wr450f? I can see for someone like you who commutes on the street this makes a little more sense. Any other reasons? Thanks.
I went with the Honda because it’s the only Japanese street legal high performance dual sport out of the factory. And Honda’s reliability makes it a good candidate for a reliable bike to ride on the street as a source of transportation. I love yamaha bikes but unfortunately their WR450 is not street legal out of the factory. I probably would have gone with the WR if it was
The Yammies are not street legal thats why. The real question is why don't they make a 450 dual sport? Maybe they were planning on it but covid really killed their existing sales so I doubt we'll see anything soon from them.
Any experience with the Yamaha WR450 and how the two compare after your mods? I realize the WR isn’t street legal, but that can be resolved in most states.
My only worry about commuting the CRF450RL is the maintenance intervals. Oil change every 600 miles. I feel like I’d be changing the oil more then enjoying the bike
The maintenance intervals are *very* conservative, with the assumption that you're going to flog it like an MX bike all the time (because some owners are). If you're like me and commuting with some trail rides on the weekends, it's really no problem to stretch it to 1000 or potentially longer (especially with full synthetic). A number of owners have verified this with professional oil analysis. An oil change on this bike is like a 10-minute job, and it only takes 1.2qt (with filter) so they aren't crazy expensive either. Sure, I'd _rather_ have longer intervals, but that's just the price of having a light, high-performance machine. Oil is heavy and so are larger sumps. If you compare it to other premium race-derived dual sports, they're all about the same.
@@hibob841 I agree with you that you could stretch the interval out longer and being that it is a high performance machine I do understand the reasoning behind there short interval. Being that it’s a Honda it should last forever as long as it’s not raced or best on
@@austinroberts5255 Absolutely! There's a guy on one of the forums who, last I saw, had over 30k miles (48k km) on his 450L. Not easy miles, either-according to him, most of that was spent in the dunes! He 'should' have rebuilt the top end 10k miles ago according to the schedule, but all he's done is fluids and valve checks...and the valves have only been out of spec a couple times.
I believe so. I haven’t put one on yet as I don’t do much technical riding on this bike. Although it is in snow bike trim at the moment, the flywheel might help carry momentum to push the track and reduce stalling
@@DIDDLYWAYNE Since I posted this I found out people are adding a flywheel weight and they say it does help stop stalling but isn't a huge difference. Making this a putt putt bike for the slow hard stuff is the main thing holding me back from buying one right now.
What size tires do you have on the front and back? I know you said that the back was a 130/80/18 in another reply, but i can't find the tire size only a 130/90/18. Thanks
I’m in the process of selling my 2018 CRF 250L Rally and buying a CRF 450RL. I love all the mods you’ve done to your bike so far. Would you be able to share all the mods with names of the products and possibly links where you purchased them? I’m sure a lot of other guys here would appreciate it as well. Keep up the great videos 👍
Sweet man! And yes I can do that. I’ll add links to the description of the video later. Make sure you check out the next video I have posted with the off-road riding mods installed on the bike! Cheers and ride red🤙
Unfortunately no, there are no current companies that offer this service. But I have heard rumors that some are working on it. Right now the vortex ECU is the best option
@@DIDDLYWAYNE Yo, if you are still in the 757, have you seen one of these rl's painted desert tan riding around? I have only run into like 2 guys around here rockin the rl.
I doubt many get this bike to top speed factory or otherwise. I wanted to but changed my mind around 85 mph. The bike is so light it feels like the front end starts to float at high speeds probably because there is no where to hide from the wind. Perhaps a rally type wind shield would help?
I love the Yoshi exhaust on my 2008 CRF450R. When I see the Yoshi exhaust on the RL I puke then shit, sometimes both . The head pipe is a fucking travesty it looks worse than Nancy pelosys roast beef clam. Absolutely fucking terrible...... I guess I'll have to look at the fmf or pro circuit..... FUCK.........
Depends on how you plan to ride. If you want to do mainly street yeetin I’d go with the DRZ. If you want to do both off-road and street the crf is a fine choice. Of course I’m going to be bias and say the crf is more fun to ride (more power and fuel injected) but also almost x2 the price. Both excellent choices
To give you an idea- I can power wheelie in 3rd gear no problem while my buddy has to clutch up past 2nd gear to get the front wheel up. Crf has 6 gears compared to 5 on the DRZ and also... a whopping 50ccs
@@DIDDLYWAYNE Awesome! Yeah I'm most likely going to go with the CRF, I'll probably get a super moto wheel setup as well though for some street yeeting haha
You took your thermostat out and you are telling people it will not harm an engine to do that. What are your mechanical or engineering qualifications to state that? Some facts: 1/ A thermostat makes an engine warm up as fast as possible for better fuel burning and less internal wear and tear. 2/ Thermostat causes a degree of back pressure against the water pump which aids in reducing air bubbles forming. Air bubbles cause pitting in the metal which deteriorates or thins walls which in the past has caused water leaks into cylinders in some vehicles.. 3/ The fuel system on any engine is designed to work best at correct operating temperature. Not achieving that temperature and maintaining it could cause extra fuel to be introduced into the cylinder {a rich mixture like with choke operating or extra fuel quantity injected for cold engine running} and mix with engine oil longer than that which would occur with a correct working thermostat. 4/ if the manufacturer could save a few dollars by not putting one in because it is "not necessary" they would have. When a professional builds an engine with a different purpose in mind like drags they might instead put in a restrictor {for back pressure against water pump} but that is not for an engine built with long term use in mind. There are lots of things you can do and get away with; or might do short term because something is broken or faulty. That does not mean doing those things is wise for long term operation or does not have possible consequences not immediately obvious to the untrained. I am not trying to pick on you but making statements which go against certain known facts may require something more than "I have rode this bike just fine" when it only has 700 odd miles on it. Will your bike suffer long term damage? Maybe; maybe not in a way that you might become aware of in however long you may own it. That does not make your idea smarter than engineers; mechanics or the manufacturer all who agree on installing a thermostat.
Sure, I hear ya bud. I’ve installed this part for the sake of performance. First of all- If I was concerned about engine reliability I wouldn’t have installed an aftermarket ECU and performance exhaust/intake. Secondly- Honda manufacturers bikes like the 450r and rx which are VERY similar to the L models. These particular bikes in fact do not come with thermostats installed and are designed to be pushed much harder on standard tracks. Dual sport motorcycles are designed to be operated in places of all climates - that’s why Honda put a thermostat on this model. The thermostat I deemed unnecessary for my operating conditions, so I do not use it. There is nothing wrong with having no thermostat on this bike. Thirdly- “my engineering qualifications” are I purchased this bike with my own money and I can do whatever I want to it. If someone feels uncomfortable installing this part on their motorcycle then they don’t have to.
@@DIDDLYWAYNE : When correctly installed and engine tuned to match aftermarket ECU and exhaust system will not harm another persons bike. Second I did mention professionals do not always install a thermostat but they normally do something to cause the back pressure against the water pump. The 450r and rx you mentioned are as you said designed for track use. 3rd/ Had you had one of those bikes you would not be talking about having removed the thermostat if they do not have one fitted from factory.{ I have not disassembled engines on those bikes.} 4th and importantly at 8:45 in your video you begin talking about fitting a part which made it so you do not have a thermostat but you raised the fact that you were giving information relating to questions people have put to you so in answering questions like that you are making it relevant to any person watching the video who might replicate what you have done; without you having offer a caution that that it is not for every day normal riding bikes. *You opened it up to other people*in answering questions previously put to you but gave no qualifiers relating to conditions of use. That specifically is what caused me to bother to reply as people who view your channel should be aware of the facts I raised before making changes. Lastly while not a qualification for anything you are correct. It is your bike and you can do anything you like with it and I am happy you can do that. You took the time to make a video that may help anyone who watches it with an interest to copy what you have done and I think you did it well. Don't be upset that I raised the points which I thought were important information for your viewers to know which I would have loved for you yourself to have brought to their attention rather than me. I just do not like uninformed people to get mislead by accident or omission. {They may apply your information to a different bike thinking your statement is a blanket coverage on thermostats to any engine.}
I have this bike with most of the same mods. If you don’t want to spend money on the mods I wouldn’t buy this bike unless you plan to stay on the road mostly. The on off throttle make technical riding very difficult. With the mods bike is top notch. Btw I’m pretty sure you are supposed to change the oil after the first 100 miles according to the manual, then 600 miles after that.
If you are unsure it needs the oil changed, realize that it only holds about 1 qt. The oil spends a lot of time in the gears and bearings and not near as much time in the sump. If you run a three quart bike 3000 miles, this needs changed every 1000 miles.
It is unfortunate, but in all fairness with todays modern environmental controlled emissions requirements, Honda was forced to make a machine to fit the bill to be street legal in all 50 states. That’s why all these “problems” have to be fixed to get the bike we all really want.
@@DIDDLYWAYNE nice one though, I’m picking one up tomorrow in Thailand, been waiting for about a decade for a street legal 450, saw it on the website today and went straight to the dealer!
@@LB-yv3wq hell yeah man glad to hear it. You’ll love it I’m sure. I’ve got 6k miles on mine in the supermoto trim now. I beat the shit out of it and it doesn’t quit
@@DIDDLYWAYNE Picked it up the other day, on the ride home was like is this really a 450? Seems like a 250. So slow. Did some more research found that it’s the euro version with restricted intake hose etc. so ordered all the bits to make it how it should be.
Hunk of junk! Engine blew up in mine before the first oil change! Got another one out of the deal same thing with it but it lasted 3 oil changes! To much maintenance and frequent oil changes required on this piece of junk
The biggest question I take from this video isn't what I'll do to my bike first, its why you have "PENIS" written in bold print on your tool box? (@ 2:21)
