For you who are reading the comments: I had a couple questions about my450L like 6 months ago and this man replied to my comment within a day. I just scrolled through all 645 comments on this video and he has replied to everyone... that says something! To you John: awesome video, awesome channel! Thanks for all the help!!!!!!!
Thank you Chandler. I feel that if someone has taken the time and effort to contact me, I should make every effort to reply. And it's comments like this one that make it all worth while.
I read the maintenance intervals are short like ktm but piston and valves last longer and are not to be changed till 20k miles. That is truly impressive.
Wow, these are superb images! I will have to look into the BDR. Some of the figures you quoted seem very small for me. 2 gallons tank? Oil change at 600 miles? Surprising. You change the filter every 600 as well? (Yes I am ridding big ADV bikes).
Thanks Nic. Like I said, if you’re a dirt bike guy, the maintenance isn’t a thing. If you’re not, it is. Yes, I usually change the filter with the oil. It’s tiny. And no one rides with a 2 gallon tank. Everyone switches to a 3 or 5 right away.
Only thing that stopped me from buying this bike is the small fuel tank. Just couldn't live with an 80-100mi tank. Seems to be a problem with a lot of bikes like this.
What do you think chinese dirtbike as adventure traveler???????.honda 250L manuel said 8k miles to change oil.i think too much.u know about amsoil really help for this engi e,etc life????.I read about missionary from south America who rode old triumph maybe 400cc run 400 k miles.unbelievable.im heavyweight beginner.am I too much for shock compression weight ????
I don't know all that much about the Chinese bikes other than there are more of them out there on the road than any other brand. Anything that's reliable and can carry your gear should work fine. Since I don't know how much you weigh or which bike you are referring to I can't say. I do know there are some 250 plus pound people riding the CRF450L just fine.
@@JohnTYoung don’t feel bad I dropped mine twice in the very first day. I’m a shorter rider so twice I went to put my foot on the ground flat and it wasn’t there
I didn't thumbs down, but I bought a KTM 790 adventure, and kind of wish I went with one of these. I'm 5'10, and the 790 is a little heavy and awkward for hard off road riding.. but it is a treat on the road, in a perfect world I would have a bike for the road, and one for offroad. But I cant! lol
@@fuckfuckfoo Yes! And a Hard Enduro / Trail bike too. I looked at the 790 as well, but I have two friends who own them and they're both in the shop way too often.
@@JohnTYoung I've been lucky, 8k Km's without needing a trip to the shop, but if my luck ends up changing, like I see a lot of the horror stories, I probably will take the hit on a trade in for a CRF. Riding season is too short for warranty work! lol
This is honestly one of the better review videos I've seen. Thanks for putting the time in to make it. Your candor, humor and experience are very much appreciated. While it's clear that you are very happy with your setup, your review was very thorough. Didn't feel like I was watching a super biased fanboy video (of which there are more than a few here on RU-vid), just someone who is genuinely pleased with the performance and reliability of his machine. Subscribed. 🤘🏼
How tall are you? was thinking of picking up a 500 as a second bike once I get some more experience because the height seems pretty unfriendly to beginners.
I have 3000km on my 2019 450L, but it's used almost entirely as a trail-to-trail bike and mostly for single track riding. So far the worst thing I've done is crush the rad and destroy the fan enclosure and blades. Easy fix, but I should get braces. The only mods are full wrap around hand guards and a seat concepts seat. I probably won't de-smog, get vortex or get the pipe, as the people who ride with me say the bike makes almost no noise and smells like nothing, when riding behind me. I feel like that's a feature now. Stalling hasn't been an issue since the first oil change, and I've never found the throttle snatchy. Still not sure if it's the bike or me that's changed. The stock tank is fine for the 40-50km of slower, technical single track that I'll do in a day. I run AC-10 tires, and I'm on my second set. I doubt there's any DOT tire better in the dirt, but with how fast they wear, I don't think they're good for what you do. I'm totally happy with the bike.
So glad I'm not the only one who has done the same thing to his radiator and fan on the 450l 😅😅😅 emperor racing radiator guards and braces are definitely also on my list. Mostly gets used for single track as well. Very similar experience as yours with 4500km on mine
Have owned and ridden my 500exc since 2015. Also a trouble free bike that has been rallied, weekend warriored, single tracked, taken on multi-day trips etc all trouble free. No mods, less ripping the screen off the muffler. 1 adjustment to the valves in 17,000 km. Lots of good options out there IMO and as pointed out it comes down to maintenance. Keep the oil and air clean and most anything will run reliably for a long time.
Surely this must be THE Unicorn bike every one keeps searching for. Can't think of another bike that ticks all the right boxes for making the perfect adventure bike. Can you?
did you have to do alot of modification to make it ready for adventure ? I own old tenere at the moment and prefer offroad routes also, it's heavy and we fight alot but really a capable and reliant machine, the only bike worth upgrading in my opinion was the new tenere 700, but this seems to be even better because of the weight which is crucial sometimes
Nice video! I envy yoo! I have a Polaris Sportsman 800, 2005, with 2500 miles on it, and other motorcycles and ATVs, with almost no miles on them... But with my job, (I work as a medical doctor) I can buy those machines, but working close to 90 hours a week, hard to put miles on them....... Thanks for your nice video!! At least, I can appreciate what they are made for....
Great stuff! My bike is at 800 miles and I love it more each time I ride it. I'm at high elevation as well, which setting of the Vortex ECU have you found to be the best for you?
Congrats! Very useful and practical review. You could also considering the AJP PR7 as an option to the T7 (11:32). I have the previous T7 model the 2010 XT660Z Tenere and if i decide to swap it i'll go for the PR7. Thanks.
@@JohnTYoung Thanks you but I never believe in tempering anything (specially a motorcycle) that came out after decades of research carried out by engineers, scientists and pro riders. You enjoy riding tall guy. :D
@@JohnTYoung Besides you are experienced rider, I did not see You making major engineering changes that may lead to accidents. Changing lights or mirrors or adding windscreen is not counted as tempering.
Great and encouraging video. I’ve had my L for 7 months and put 3700 miles on it. New to dirt bikes but street rider of big bikes since 1982. The L seems light compared and I’ve pushed myself on it . Had probably my best bike ride ever on the Wa BDR last weekend ending it going off the standard route and onto I winding single track into the dark and rain. Mission ridge and devils gulch. Anyway Bike is wonderful and I use you videos to supplement my knowledge as I continue to upgrade the bike..
good review. only thing i wish in general with ""thismany"" mile reviews is that there would be more 50.000 or 60.000 etc mile reviews. because if we are honest, lets face it. doing 10.000miles on a motorbike and not having any major issues with it is kindof what you would expect from any single bike to be able to do right? its like people doing a 3000 mile trip in a car and saying it never missed a beat.. well i F'in hope it didnt miss a beat because that would be absolutely ridiculous XD right? :P if a service interval of a particular bike to change oils filters and check valve clearance is lets say 10.000km like on a ktm 690 then i dont really expect any weird shit to happen when it only has 20.000kms on the clock (sorry i switched to km but that is our units haha), i mean 20.000kms is alot of kms for alot of people owning motorbikes, which is also why they devalue so much with total mileage going up. but if you really think about it. 20.000kms is only 2 services later after purchasing. its nothing. i would think that with this honda CRF450L you should be able to get 100.000kms before having to do anything major like a piston or cilinder. (ofcourse taking care of it along the way and assuming you use it for leasure/travel riding not racing) and taking into account the shorter service intervals because it just is a bit more high strung and has less oil capacity etc.
I am trying to rack up more miles as quick as I can. And as for "of course nothing bad is going to happen", I've known many many bikes that have issues at 1000 miles. Or 50 hours. What the manufacturer says should happen, and what actually happens on the road and in the dirt are often two different things. It's nice that someone goes out and tells you if Honda is being honest or not. Thanks for the insights!
@@JohnTYoung oh yes i agree. Unfortunately it happens although That would be ridiculous if it isnt fixed in warranty or something similar. My whole response was def not a remark towards you ofcourse :) im glad people are doing reviews! Have fun with the bike :D
I'll have to see how it's performing at that point. If it needs a rebuild - video time! If not, let's see how far it gets till it does. Thanks so much for watching.
Great video John, good to see someone working on their bike to a level where you obviously know what you’re talking about. I’ve not considered the bike for myself before this as many reviews just focused on the negative aspects in the spec sheets or maintenance schedules, but you’ve proven this to not true and I would definitely consider buying one now.
John, thanks for a fantastic review. I'm just trying out the T700, but we were considering adding some 300L's to the rental pool. Looks like we might have to add a 450L also.
My ADV Bike is a 2003 XR650R ! For 17 yrs I rode an 02 650R and logged about 70,000 miles on it. The 03 650R only has about 3 ,000 mi , so it's like Brand New. Set up with a PMB Rack, Mosko 40 L Bags with Beaver Tail, GL Tank Bag, Scotts Steering Dampner sub mount/ Pro Taper Fat Bars/ BRP Triple Clamp, Cycra Hand Guards. I'm 71 now so I'll prolly be riding this 03 for the remainder of my Riding Life!
The Original Light Weight (sorta) Adventure bike. I hope they update the R and bring it back with fuel injection someday, but in the meantime, it sounds like you got yours dialed in.
great review John. Was recommended to your channel since I am planning on getting a CRF450L as soon as they become in stock in Colorado. I have a 701, but think I am more of a take your truck camper out and just ride around there and have enough room for techy single track if I run into it. feel like the 701 is kind of not needed for my needs. based on what you have been saying, seems it has been super reliable. Glad you mentioned that the RL model fixed that twitchy thing like you said. thanks!
The 701 was for sure on my list of bikes. But it was a bit big and not Red. LOL. Yes, so far my Honda has acted like a Honda and just kept going. If I were going to JUST truck my bike to rides and almost never ride the road I would consider a WR250F too. Thanks for the comment RideWithWill.
Funnily enough, I bought the bush pig DR650 new in 2019, my 2nd DR. And 4th 650 dual sport. I've become a bit of an Amateur mechanic along the way and I don't think the maintenance intervals on the 450 are that off-putting at all. Considering if I do a really difficult off-road ride; I tend to do maintenance anyway.
I've always been intrigued by the CRF 450 both L and X My wife and I both ride Africa Twin's for long hauls and also ride DRZ400 E's "converted to dual sports" for lighter dual sporting trips which we enjoy! The DRZ's are stone reliable but are heavy and lack that nirvana 6th speed tall gear for the occasional pavement cruising! It's awesome the Honda builds such great bikes! It might be our next upgrade when we decide to have that one all around adventure ride. Great video will watch more!!
Yes, thank you John. I ride a GS, am getting older. I’m thinking about a lighter bike but still want to do BDRs and forest roads; Colorado, Arizona and Utah are my main playgrounds. 290 pounds sounds very good to me. My GS weighs in at 500 and yes it can be a bit much to pick up. My GS is a very forgiving machine and has carried me to places I shouldn’t have gone more time than I can count. Thank you got the no nonsense review. I’ll look into the Honda!!
I keep waiting to hear what tire you like. Since my 2020 CRF450L came home your channel has been my go to for real information and believe I’ve watched about all your videos. Thank you for sharing. 👍🏻 Time to go find the tire video that I must of missed....
Wow man, great review, great video, great bike! This might be a silly question but how comfortable is the stock seat for long days in the saddle? (I can't recall if you mentioned if you're still using the stock seat...) I'm looking (at some point) to get back on a motorcycle again after having been off one for quite a few years. Dualsports had been the bikes I have the most experience with before "transitioning" to mountain (pedal) bikes, which I've been actively riding for over 20 years now. Looking now at the current crop of dual sports and ADV oriented motorcycles has me salivating. I've narrowed it down to a toss-up between the CRF450L and the new Tenere700. I like the light weight of the Honda (and the better agility that goes along with that), but that 600 mile oil change interval is a bit of a hard pill to swallow considering that I'm interested in doing big miles and also considering that the T7 has 6K intervals! It also appears that I'd have to spend quite a bit more $$$ on the CRF in the end to bring it up to proper long distance ADV worthiness than the T7, despite both of them having the same base price. It's a bit of a tough decision. Would love to hear your take. Cheers
If you just want to ride, and ride gravel roads and maybe some easier double track without thinking too much about it, the T7 is great. If the expert sections BDRs and the occasional single track or Moab trip are on your list of must rides, the CRF ( with a few mods) is the ticket. I love my bike, so I am a little biased.
John, Thank you for your diligent work to provide honest reviews. I’ve enjoyed the evolution of your bike. I rode my KX 500 during the 90’s and it has sat in my garage for most of the 2000’s. I’ve wanted to start riding an adventure bike and have been struggling to make the purchase between the simplicity of a DR 650 and the light weight modern CRF 450L. Keep up the great work. Sam
I just bought a used 2019 450L, to use as a trailie/small ADVer. I'm not planning to do much right now, other than suspension(i'm a big guy) and steg pegz. I also have a Tenere 700 and DRZ400, but wanted something lighter than the big bike & gutsier than the small one. Only done some backroads bombing around so far, but I'm enjoying it. I'll be going through your back catalogue, for sure. Thanks for the info!
ktm 450 with 9 liters is about 250 pounds! With 52+ horsepower! But, you would not get that mileage without adjusting the valves. Which isn't very hard really.
10,000 miles and 16 oil changes required per owner's manual. I'd love to like this bike but can't get past the crazy short maintenance intervals. In comparison, the CRF300 doesn't require an oil change until 8,000 miles.
Hey John, great videos! Quick question I wondered if you could help with, I have a uk 450L if I was to do the vortex ecu does this unlock the full power as the “power up” kit would? Thanks in advance.
I don't know what the power up kit is so I can't really say. I do know that the UK bikes had their carb boots literally closed off, so while a vortex can help any bike have more power, the bike still needs some help breathing.
I’m thinking of buying a crf450l when I’m 17, will it be okay for me to use it. Im really light do you think it will have too much power. When I was 15 I used to ride a Yamaha xt350 but I have i left it at the farm
Hi Matts. Thanks for asking my opinion. I am flattered. There are so many factors that go into “what bike should I buy “ that there’s no way I can say yes or no. Watch the video, take one for a test ride, and go from there. It’s a great bike, but it is TALL and it can be a handful.
why do i always watch these types of videos, we don't have dirt bikes in our country even if we have here, there's no way i'll be able to afford it, i always watched dirt bikes, off roads bikes videos, man i wish i was born in America ya'll are so lucky, jut living inside america is a privillege itself, here in our country where you earn less than 3 dollars a day doing heavy works for 10-12 hours a day, barely surviving, i'm just so obsessed with these types of bikes, videos. i always watch and make myself miserable, lol, man i wish i was born in america, there'sno way i'll be able to ride my dreams even if i live for 1000 yrs ...... if one day i ever visit of live in america i will just join them military and serve the greatest nation till my days are over proudly, that is always my dream since i was a kid, but after realizing our situation here in our country , it is just impossible, please enjoy every sec of it....
hello John, i recently became a fan of this bike and i am watching vedios of this bike. could you please tell me which country is this bike made in ? Japan or Thailand? and is it written any where on the chassis or in the engine ?? anyone please respond
600 mile oil change is deal breaker. you wouldnt accept that for a car and it is unacceptable for a bike. specially for someone who uses for commute. i will likely get the new crf300 or klx 300SM
I don't understand the question. Are you asking why we are able, if we're allowed, the products are designed in such a way, or what. I can say that since dawn of time when man invented the club to whack things with he's been tinkering with the design non-stop.
Yeah I'm going to decide on a bike because I want to get over a rock? I would prefer something like the 450 but a little heavier for the road. Why spend all that money for that size bike when you can just get a wR? I would prefer more power and a bit more weight for the road.
This review was boring... in a good way! Hard use and 100% reliable. Not many KTMs could say the same. I was surprised that the horsepower wasn't higher. My G310GS has only 4-6 fewer HP. I was also surprised the service intervals are so short, but that's probably very conservative Honda engineers. My oil changes are at 6000 miles and the valves are checked at 12,000 miles.
I am 5' 9". Everything else you can find here: powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/dual-sport/crf450rl?cid=main_reprise/google/Brand_Motorcycle_Adventure_BMM/CRF+450L/%2Bhonda%20%2Bcrf450l&gclid=39f35996d9a71b6d95d73adec9e82556&gclsrc=3p.ds&
Love your videos man! I just bought a crf250l rally yesterday. I'm looking forward to riding it to camping spots. It'll be interesting to see how it does compared to the 450 model!
I've heard nothing but good things about them so I'm sure you'll be happy. Unless you put an extra 100 of gear on them and then try to drag race.... Not so much.
