I have a 2023 CRF450RL with the IMS 3.0 tank, Seat Concepts seat and G2 throttle tamer. Stock fueling definitely needs improvement though the throttle tamer helped mitigate some of the low speed surging. I have not had any flameout issues but I know others do, but an ECU upgrade is probably in my future😕. Interested in your observations - I too come from KTM/Husky dualsports.
Yes, totally interested in a 460RL in-depth review and comparison. Especially interested to hear if or how you might turn it into a light adv bike and how it compares to similar builds with DR650, DR-Z, or KLR, even CRF300L
Yes, totally interested to see and hear how you might prepare this bike for light adv riding and how it would compare to the KLR, DR-Z, Dr650 modified into an adv bike.
The fuelling issues with this bike can be solved for under $50 and a little of your time, no aftermarket ECU required. Get a tach to set your idle properly, a 560 ohm resistor soldered on the coolant temp sensor with a bypass switch and thermostatic switch in the coolant line to turn your fan on and off. The resistor makes the ecu think it's too cold and it disables the 100% fuel cut on decel. Works great on my 2019 North American model factory ECU. Credit for this fix goes to RU-vidr Rainforest Riders Au
Hey RZ! Love your stuff. I’m a RPM with ya. Got any spare Zilla cash or change for a needy soul. Just looking to feed my 450. Anything would be appreciated. God bless! 😂🤣😂jk Except for the GOD bless part. 🙏🏽
I went the other direction, from a 2019 450L to a 2023 500 EXC-F. The Honda is no doubt smoother, the vibes out of the 500/501 are certainly noticeable. I agree that the maintenance is about the same and I extend my OCI's on both bikes. The biggest difference outside of the weight is where they make their power. The 500 is a torque monster, grunt machine that makes great power down low right out of the gate all the way through the mid-range. I find this much more usable and desirable for dual sport and BDR use, especially when in technical terrain. The Honda on the other hand likes to rip up top and that makes for a much more fun bike in the open at higher speeds which is somewhere I don't spend much time these days. At the end of the day they are the two best dual sport/enduro's out there and you can't go wrong either way.
@@verlinswarey507 Throttle control on the 500 is much better. Vortex ECU and exhaust on the 450L did wonders to improve that and the flame out issue. The only things I miss about the Honda are the lower price and the smoother/less vibey engine.
Then there's the price... Upon release I was disappointed the Honda wasn't all that much less than the KTM. But the KTM keeps zooming up every year, and Honda has held relatively steady until now the Honda the $2500 cheaper.
I added an ECU, larger tank, flywheel, seat, etc., and as a trail bike, it is amazing. It slowly grunts and lugs through tight trails, never dies, never flames out, and always has power in reserve, through anything. I LOVE mine, but I didn't at first. If I only changed four items, I would change the seat, ECU, tires, and larger tank, and then you have a great bike.
The CRF450L is an incredible bike. I have a 2019 and I've never owned a bike this long. Once you get an ECU, bigger tank and all the other farkles it becomes a beast. My buddy on his KTM 500 couldnt wait to get off his thing on our last 5 day ride. I just wanted to keep going. Says a lot for the Honda because I'm a wuss haha.
@@MattPerry I have the '19 450L with Vortex and full Yoshi and it's around 46-48 hp. My map is a couple years old, I hear the new SX1 from Taco Moto gets you a bit more. I wouldn't need that extra, this bike is a serious handful when on the throttle! :D
Just search starter clutch problem crf450 and that should make you re think getting the honda, im on my 3rd starter motor Honda keep selling this same design....
@@mindfulmunchkin1215damn sorry. Never had an issue almost 10,000 in on my 21 450RL. Read and watch all the other videos on RL and talk yourself back into it good people. She’s a gem! 🏍️💨
Coming up on 14k miles on my '22 450RL. I've ridden MX with it stripped down as well as commuting and also long day trips on highways. I think it's crazy that you can do all that with the same bike comfortably in both settings. I thought your first impression video was fair and accurate.
I went the same direction, Had the Husky FE350 and just bought the 24 Crf450rl and I absolutely love it like I love my 06 Drz400s. I did the Get ECU and Yoshi from Taco Moto Co, Seat Concepts Seat, just did Heavy Duty Tubes and rim locks. I Love it!! I’m a ride in the low end type of rider and Taco Moto nailed it on the Tune. I’m excited that you are having a positive reaction to the bike. Looking forward to the next video.
I’ve built a 22 model CRF450RL into a killer ultralight ADV bike. The GET SX1 with Taco maps and Graves exhaust totally transforms the Honda. I like it better than the euros for the reasons you’ve already mentioned. And yes, Honda reliability is a thing. I’ve got over 20,000 miles on mine!
I have a 450RL as well and I hated it when I brought it home. After adding an ECU, decent tires, a SC Seat and a small rally windscreen it's my favorite bike out of the four I own. It's a shame you have to spend more money to make the bike what it should be from the factory, but I get that Honda has to please the emissions folks.
What are your 4 other bikes? Own a 701 and love it but would love it more if it were 50 lbs lighter with a better, longer travel, suspension. Can change the suspension but can not remove 50 lbs so dont want to throw money at it.
Yes please conduct a series of tests, build and long term review of this Honda 450 RL. I have a 2023 and have installed a Vortex ecu, throttle tamer, AXP skid plate but also want a larger fuel tank without having to remove it for adjusting ecu or anything else. Thinking about a tail rack and a rotopax. Also installed a radiator guard. Thanks for all your efforts. I always watch your channel.
I installed Work’s Connection rad guards. A little pushing and pulling to get them on, but they are strong because I’ve dropped the bike twice off road and no issues.
I’ve done a lot of stuff to my 19 L, but the best mods to do off the bat is the seat, throttle tamer and the correct size tires (90/90-21 and 120/90-18). The rpm’s drop a little on the highway, that helps tame the jerk and the throttle tamer will do the rest. I went with 14/50 gearing (+10%) and gained a bit of mpg, think my last highway run was 56mpg. The stock cam limits the power output. You can modify the RX cam and install the RX intake springs and followers and run an aftermarket ECU for the cam and regain the lost 12 HP. It’s fantastic to have full power with the 6 speed. I’m working on some Honda parts wizardry with mine. I’m planning on a write up and maybe a video once some medical issues get resolved here at some point.
Love my 2020 CRF450L, it has all the must have mods plus plenty others, its an awesome bike! The secret to getting the front end to work is keep on dialling out the compression and rebound till its compliant, I'm 180lbs and have both compression and rebound at 18 clicks. I did swap the rear shock spring for a 5.8, BTW you don't need a hammer and punch to adjust the preload, just grab and turn the spring, it will take the adjust around as well if the thread is clean.
I just found a crf250l with low miles and it really seems smooth and peppier than I thought it would be. Honda really comes through with refinement and durability. The way it shifts, everything.
I own a 300 Rally, and jumped on a tricked up CRF 450 - loved the power, suspension, the lower revving engine. I'd happy own one- if it wasn't for those painfully short oil changes 😩😩. Honda are soooo close to the perfect light weight adv bike. Having said all that, I'd would own one and just put up with the regular oil changes. 👍
I bought this bike last month and rode it 150 miles back to my town from the dealer. I showed up with a windshield that i stuck on at the shop and thank god i did lol. anyway 2.5 hrs of 75 mph speed limits was agonizing on this thing. but as soon as i got it home on dirt trails and twisty roads it was freaking awesome. seat concepts seat first mod and now its way more comfortable for highway.
I own a 23 CRF450RL… I don’t think I will ever get rid of it. If my adventure is more offroad it’s the 450… if my adventure is mostly road then the AT 1100. But I like the Honda reliability and quality! All other bikes are just Hondas competitors :) Thanks for the review!
I put some Taco sauce in my 2023 450RL from Taco Moto. Went with the GET SX1 ecu and Yoshi full exhaust. Transformed it. Slow speed maneuvers in woods tune is great. Race tune is a ripper. It’s the compliment to my 1250 GSA.
So happy to see ya on it. I love my 21 450RL. Taco Moto SXI GET ECU changed it the most of course but I didn’t change the ECU until I already had 7,000 plus miles. Now almost 9,000 and am about to go tear up my local mountain dirt roads before work. Thanks Ian! Very pumped for this 450RL content as who better to compare it to all the other badass bikes than you. One day I will add 501 from Taco Moto like you’ve done. You nail the main issue at 11:45. Twitchy! Take care and stay safe! 🏍️💨 Edit- oh yeah that seat! Wow does it suck. I’m still using 300L seat but the 450 had to go. My dealer had already ordered a black and red Corbin seat and it’s reeeeal nice. 😁 My thoughts match yours at 20:50. 🙏🏽 appreciate ya Ian. You do great work. Not just the subjects you’re covering BUT it’s the easy going, insightful, nice guy personality that makes it easy to support you. Carry on my friend!
Theres a guy "Slaugo" on here with 35,000 miles on his '19 450L with no engine maintenance. Thats insane. People whine about the weight, but its cuz the subframe....meant to carry stuff like a proper dual sport. Honda nailed it building this no matter what the keyboard warriors say.
Great review! I have a 2021 that was hard to like until I installed the Vortex, full Yoshi, Seat Concepts seat, real skid plate, and dirt tires, and a bigger fuel tank. Once you’ve spent enough money it turns into a great overlanding bike!
Ian Fantastic first review! My Honda 450 CRF450 is perfect for me. It's not high strung but is, like you said, refined feeling and super stable. Th one thing I know is it will outlive anything I throw at it. It's also my Mannequins favorite offroad bike! Ride SAFE and BE safe Sir!! 👍👍
I would love to see you do a review on the 450rl. I have a 2021 with a Yoshi full exhaust, vortex ecu, IMS 3 gallon tank, and a ton of other aftermarket parts. It’s a fantastic dual sport that can do everything from light adventure to tight singletrack. Best of all is a Honda, so it’s reliable. I do my oil changes at 1000-1200 miles with no issues.
I added weights to my bars. removed almost all of the buzz. The throttle you need to be committed, it takes a while to get used to the response. With flywheel weight and bigger rear sprocket, it gets much better. But it will still flameout when going slow. But comparing my Husqvarna 250 enduro 1st gear is much slower on idle. But I don't do slow hard offroad with my Honda. I dual sport it travel around, gravel riding and such.
I'm on season 2 with my RL. All of the needed mods are done, and now I'm just enjoying it. Counting the purchase price and adding in the cost of all of the mods, I'm still several thousand under the price of the Husky/KTM. And in my opinion the Honda is a better bike. And that's coming from someone who drank the orange kool-aid years ago. If you buy one to build it you will have a ton of fun.
@@billingsfmx Throttle tamer, AIM ECU, Graves exhaust, and Racetech springs. Those completely changed the way the bike runs and rides. Plus the normal minor farkles. Seat, skidplate, hand guards, mirrors, etc.
I can get rid of some vibration off the Husky a lot easier than I can shed 40 lbs of extra weight from the Honda. One thing I have done to all my sport bikes is to remove the bar end weights, which don’t really address vibration transfer all that well, and pump silicone into the bars. And, Husky does offer rubber-mounted bar clamps to also help quell vibration. Extra weight can be just as fatiguing as vibration, if not more so.
I’ve owned both and agree completely. The 450L is so smooth and feels solid as a rock. The shifter feel is amazing and it can flick up and down gears without the clutch effortlessly. The husky however is much more raucous and wild. It is lighter and easier to maneuver, and I would say makes more power. Long distance rides with more pavement than single track, go for the Honda. Or if you want to convert to a sumo, go Honda. If you ride a lot of single track and really need the lightest most agile bike, get the husky.
Curious if you have ridden a 690/701 and can comment if the 30lbs lighter crf450rl is noticeable or comment on any other things between the two. Have ridden the 690 and like it a lot. But, would prefer a lighter bike for adventure/dual sport but more road focused for getting to off road than the 500/501.
@@ridemfast7625 Yes I have. The 690/701 is very noticeably heavier than the 450RL. The 690/701 are not good single track bikes. They can do it but it is so much work. The 450RL is less work, and the fe501 is a piece of cake. I felt like I could go for many many road miles on the 450RL, as long as you get a better seat. The only way I would get the 690 is if I was doing like 30% off-road and 70% on road… and had to covered a lot of freeway or interstate miles. Otherwise the 450RL is more than adequate for the road.
I've got a 2021 CRF-450RL and share your observations, so far the only mods have been a Seat Concepts seat (a must!), a Tusk luggage rack, and a throttle tamer. Plan on adding a flywheel weight next time I change the oil. 3 gallon tank too. Getting past break-in helps with the low-speed jitters. I'm not sure I need the ECU mod, I have other bikes to ride if I'm doing really tight single track. For the money I'd almost rather do a Rekluse clutch than the ECU.
Hey Ian, I have a 2022 450RL with all the proper mods (RS4 full exhaust/Vortex ECU, 3 gallon IMS tank, seat concepts, full knobby tires, XL foot pegs, etc). I also live in your area in SoCal. I’d love for you to ride mine and maybe you could ride both yours stock and mine modded back to back to see what the exhaust/ECU/seat can do. Also, it would be super cool to spend a day riding with Big Rock Moto. Either way, excited for your review! The bike is a beast!
After test riding a fully sorted 450L I decided to go with another DRZ. 450 is almost the perfect bike but the things that it excels over the DRZ are mostly wasted on me The DRZ has longer service intervals bigger tank available and larger selection of extras. That’s a list not wasted on me
True dat! In the meantime what would you buy; 1. 300l rally with rally raid level 2 sus. 1. Ktm 350 exc with ecu reflash, springs, headlight. 450 rl same mods as 350. Rider; 50 yr old, tall, with 36” inseam, solo rider b level rider. Trails quad width or wider trail 5/10 or easier, haul 30-50 lbs of gear 10 days a year. Rest of time day trip with 10lbs of gear. And pavement connectors, once in a while interstate. Think BDR, divide trail, TAT maybe Ridaho…
@@mfranquemont1884 I live in Europe, would probably go for the CRF 300 Rally with a susp upgrade, if youre not a high level offroad rider, then 300 rally is more allround IMO. @BigRockMoto knows better.
I went to Honda's website and looked at the specs. Was surprised it only has a 2.0 gallon fuel tank. Like the wet weight and the suspension travel, but the price is pretty up there, over $10K. Think I'll be happy enough with the 2024 KLX300 I bought last fall for $4K less. It too only has a 2.0 gallon fuel tank, but it's been getting ~70 mpg on the back roads, so range isn't too bad.
I got one. It's a modern day DRZ400 as far as I'm concerned. Has the fuel injection, six gear, and a little less weight that everyone wants from the drz. It's also been tuned down quite a bit to 40hp from the 450R's 50. Got a beefier stator for headlights, and the stock tires are fine road tires but absolutely not for any kind of loose terrain.
I lack the seat time in the last two decades for a full out off-road bike, but I also got used to not having to mix fuel for a 2 stroke or doing engine maintenance at short intervals just to be able to ride next weekend. Life and lazy. So I kinda wish there was a middle point between the 300L and 450L, but I guess that isn't a priority to Honda or even other makers. A torque-centric reasonable weight 350L, with suspension that doesn't need swapping on day 1 for single-track.
Oddly, because of Ian's FE501S series and this video, I learned that KTM has a FE350S and how it is pretty good weight. I might need to check it out. Yes, it requires the maintenance I wish I could avoid, but darn, the weight and the chromoly frame really draws me in. There is a demo '23 for a good price ... here we go again
Drop the Husky and start the build on that red beauty right away...20ltr Safari tank, GET ecu and a wide Seat Concepts seat. You will have the perfect ultra light adventure bike. The cush drive and smooth running motor will be way better on long rides than that 501.
Honestly the way ALL of these modern 4 stroke EFI bikes have the herky jerky throttle tip in/tip out is just inexcusable. It's time for them to start giving us electronic throttle bodies. That would provide the end user so much tunability for throttle feel right out of the box if the manufacturer gave us access to it in that way. Imagine if you could program in how much engine brake you had and make your 4 stroke engine brake like a 2 stroke if you wanted to? Imagine having some anti-stall functionality where the computer automatically gives you a little throttle if the revs drop below idle? Imagine having programmable throttle curves? Imagine being able to adjust the throttle stop on the twist grip to make it a quick turn or a bunch of turn and then just do a throttle calibration so the computer could learn the new range from idle to full throttle? All this and the EPA could still keep their aggressive fuel cut on tip out.
Geez it must of been fantastic to take the honda out on those dirt roads compared to the ADV,s you have been testing. I gotta admit watching you getting thrown around by quarter of a ton of bike on some of your trails has been a hard watch. Full credit to you and your though testing. But being an old dirt biker and road biker. I like to keep my bikes where they belong. Some of those ADV bikes just look like a nightmare off the tarmac. You do bloody well to provide a lot of in depth footage. Great job Mate. Keep the smaller bikes coming..... They are the real deal! cheers.Lance NZ
I'm ready for a full build series on these bikes. I've stayed away from them. I've had a KTM690, 500 and Husky 501. I found the 500's unbearable on road stretches while light dual sporting. The KTM690 was just too darn heavy.
Team RED Baby. The best motorcycle is the one that’s running! I love Honda content, your vids are great, the info is useful and concise. I personally appreciate the classical music selections. Do what you love. Stay safe. Thanks
I'm glad you addressed the bad vibration of the KTM/Husky bikes, key reason I don't own one. The Honda wasn't available when I bought my Beta 500 RR-S, but if it had been available at the time I would have considered the Honda very seriously and possibly ended up with it, not sure. A long term test would be good but if you don't change the ECU (or some sort of hack work around) it's not gonna be satisfactory.
The throttle is horrible, I have been riding mine for almost a year on the exact terrain you are on right now and there is no slow going with that throttle. Awesome video as always!
I owned a fully build 2021 KTM 500EXCF until a few months ago and did most of my riding in California’s Los Padres NF on single track solo and I liked the gnarly stuff like Snowy Trail if anyone is familiar. I bought it because KTM fan boy at the time and I already had Gen 3 SuperDuke and later bought also 22 Super adventure S. Bike was great in every way, but I absolutely hated vibrations. I was on a trip last year to Durango, Colorado area with my old Ducati friends from Texas and I tried riding my buddie’s 450RL (there was like 3-4 RLs in our group) and holy shit I loved it, smooth and with 6th gear. Yes, I never tried going through real double diamond nasty stuff on it, but even without that I would say it would have been a much better choice for me personally. All that extra weight is in the right places and for good reason. I sold my 500 and next time I am shopping for a dual sport this 450RL is at the top of the list. PS I wouldn’t even bother riding a mile on any of the dual sports without ECU. Agree with everything you said in this excellent video
Been looking forward to this one. I had a CRF450L previously (you almost bought it, we spoke on the phone but I'm all the way up in Redding) and there was a lot I liked about it but I just couldn't get past the throttle. Mine had a Vortex and a G2 throttle tamer and I still found it very aggravating.
Excellent introduction/review. Your really good at this... In my 46 years of riding motorcycles, Honda certainly has stood out amongst the rest reliability wise. Not that thers anything wrong with many other brands, its just that Honda has been superior in that sense. There truly is a reason why people say it. Thank you for your take on this one. I would like to see more of it.
@@rony3646 today, I would definitely agree with that. But In the 70’s and 80’s, when they were building a reputation, not so much. And we still have a division between Japanese engineering, and everything else, when it comes to motorcycles, which is mostly what I was referring to... All Japanese motorcycles have been superior to the competition. But even the competitors have come along way. Honda just has the longest running history for reliability and innovation with motorcycles and ATVs.
Great review as usual, Ian! There's one thing that would keep me from owning this bike, oil change interval. 600 miles is a week of riding during the season, and that doesn't include any longer trips. I wanna ride, not be wrenching all the time. With 2-3 bikes in the stable at any one time, the garage time adds up. I recognize that maintenance intervals are inversely related to performance, but I'm willing to give up a little of that for ease of maintenance and long-term reliability.
Gotta control your clutch more on that terrain. You can't just control it with the throttle. If it keeps stalling it is usually because idle RPM is low, at least if you're sure you're giving enough throttle
Rode the NEBDR with a guy on a 450RL. He did have crankshaft seal leakage by the end of the route, might be something to keep an eye on as you get more mileage on it.
Do the 450RL build 💪. I own a 2019 450L, did a stage 2 kit, revalved the suspension and got proper springs for my weight. It's a sweet bike, but in the tight stuff you just learn to ride the clutch and the possibilities are endless, such a good bike!
I found a low mileage, used, stock 2019 CRF450L as an upgrade from the KLX300 a couple years ago. I previously tried the KTM 500 and was immediately put off by the vibration. I wanted off in 15 minutes. I got the Honda without ever being able to test ride it, but I had read of all the things Honda did to alleviate vibration and noise. That's where that extra weight comes from. To me, it's worth it. I use my 450L as a dual sport and light ADV bike. I will take it in tight single track, but it's not as good for that as the Beta XTrainer I have. At the same time, it's not bad. I just find that for that sort of riding, I have to use the clutch an awful lot and find that I get worn out quicker on the Honda. I am considering getting a Rekluse auto clutch just for that. For the jerky throttle, I cured that with the AIM ECU with a switch for full power and enduro/single track mode. I don't hardly ever stall with the switch set in enduro mode. If I forget to put the switch in enduro mode, I quickly realize it when I do stall. So far, all I've done is get the ECU, a Seat Concepts seat to replace the log splitter that came stock, and springs so the bike can handle my fat ass. I like the relative silence (and I'm sure my neighbors do too), so I won't be replacing the exhaust. I'll ride the wheels off before I get rid of this bike. Of all I've owned, it's my favorite overall, and the one I'm most proud to own. Two years and 3000 miles and my license plate is still there!
There is nothing wrong with sitting down,Ian on a trail if the piece of the trail is fairly smooth,it conserves energy and relaxes the muscles.Difficult or sketchy pieces obviously standing up.Nice video i will try one of these,i own a 300l and a ktm 525 both are good😀
I have a 2019. I wasn't keen on it at first coming from riding trails on 300 2T, but it's really grown on me. The stalling is really a problem - it definitely likes being up in the revs but if you're steady on the throttle it has a lot of grunt down low, you really have to just work the clutch. I have putted up some really steep stuff with no issues. I think the longer wheel base and the extra weight are what make it stable at high speed (even on roll-y gravel, it's really planted). It's really not a single track bike though. I have done plenty of really long days on it and never felt beat up. Other than the stalling, the big issue for me is the horrible gas mileage. 17-20 km/L depending on the temperature and humidity. The Acerbis 3 gallon (11ishL) tank gets me about 200km in the summer if I'm steady on the throttle. I have never felt like I need more power for anything. Getting the front up for logs and hopping cross ditches just takes a bounce and a blip - clutch drop not required. 6th gear passing on the highway is snappy. So, the trade of is mileage for power I guess. The solid full length sub frame (also part of the extra weight) is great for piling on extra gear for over-nighters.
Im sure others will chime in. I owned one. First thing you should do is a Vortex ECU. A good friend of mine bought a 2020 after I got my 2019. It flamed out on him around a corner and he woke up with a smashed helmet and scuffed up arms and legs. Fortunately he was just putting around his neighborhood. I really enjoyed the bike and it’s a great wheelie machine. Funny tho, it cost more than my new Transalp!
Thanks for the video Ian! I look forward to the next. I thought about one of these but the maintenance schedule is shorter than the riding I generally do. If it were not my only bike and truck ridden to ride spots maybe I’d get one. But maybe your next vid will change my mine.
