Ride Engineering 2013 Honda CRF450R

When I got the call from VitalMX to try out a modified 2013 Honda CRF450R, my ears definitely perked up. Although my own bikes are a 2013 KX250F and a 2012 KX450F, I have been able to ride the new Honda on a few occasions. While I think the latest CRF450R is a really strong bike overall, I still feel that it could use some improvements in suspension, handling, and power. It’s a good thing that Adrian Ciomo from Ride Engineering had the same thoughts, because that’s exactly what he focused on with his 2013 Honda.

Suspension Improvements

There seems to be a lot of debate about the new PSF forks, but in my book they work quite well. However, on the stock forks I do have a qualm with the setup required to maintain a plush feel. In order to achieve that plushness, the PSF need to be set at a low pressure. The downside of this is that they tend to dive too much under heavy braking and when landing into corners. Higher air pressure can help remedy the issue, but the side effect is harsh action in the initial stroke on smaller chop and chatter. Shock Therapy's changes helped the forks remain higher in the stroke with lower PSI. In other words, the forks no longer dive under heavy braking yet remain plush through small bumps…it’s the best of both worlds.

In stock form, the shock feels fairly stiff with a harsh mid-stroke and is a bit over-sprung for my weight. However, Shock Therapy’s modifications made some great improvements in the overall action that pushed the shock in the right direction. The valving and spring rate changes left it with a very plush initial feel and a more forgiving mid-stroke while still maintaining strong bottoming resistance. After riding a moto on the bike, Adrian then swapped out the stock linkage for the new Ride Engineering linkage and the result was a pleasant surprise.

In the past, I have opted out of riding any 2009 through 2012 CRF450R, unless the bike has some type of lowering plates or an aftermarket linkage to settle the rear end. The stock 2013 CRF450R has a much more balanced feel than the "stinkbug" feel of the past models, but it still could use some improvements. The Ride Engineering linkage system let the rear end settle more in corners without sacrificing shock action. The change only seemed to enhance Shock Therapy’s tuning, providing both smooth and progressive initial and mid-strokes. The result is a CRF450R that is much easier to steer with the rear end of the bike and is more settled and free in the mid-stroke to keep the rear tracking under power.

Although Adrian threw on some Ride Eng. triple clamps, he kept the stock offset. However, according to both of our testers, Andrew Silverstein and Mike Lindsay, the new Ride Eng. linkage system was a big improvement over stock.

Braking

The Ride Engineering caliper, braided steel cable and Galfer oversized rotor are a big improvement over the stock setup. The combination offers a progressive feel, building power smoothly through the lever's travel. When I was ready to get on the front brake hard, it was accomplished with usable power without any sudden grabbing of the rotor. If you have never used an oversized rotor kit, they are a radical improvement over a stock rotor if you are someone who favors the front brake. Add in Ride Eng.’s new billet brake caliper, which not only looks cool, but also improves braking even further, and you have some serious stopping power.

Not only do the oversized rotor and Ride Engineering front brake caliper look trick, they provide excellent stopping ability as well.

Power

The single sided FMF 4.1 RCT system was a great add on, helping to open up the CRF450R power. The stock, dual-exhaust seems to limit the Honda’s power as it climbs into the top end. Conversely, FMF’s single exhaust configuration provides similar power from low to mid, but then allows the power to continue building in the upper RPM ranges. Complementing FMF’s system is Tokyo Mods’ mapping, which gave the bike a clean and crisp response at the initial crack of the throttle and also further encouraged the top-end power gained from the single-sided exhaust.

VitalMX member and test rider, Mike Lindsay, was a big fan of the suspension and power mods on the Ride Engineering CRF450R.

After all was said and done, I was a fan of the Ride Engineering’s 2013 CRF450R. From the suspension changes to the subtle but significant power alterations, this machine was, without question, an improvement over a stock CRF450R. Although items like the Ride Eng. triple clamps and kill switch or the TCR laced black Excel rims were mostly cosmetic, looks are important too and this is one great looking machine.

For more information, visit:

www.ride-engineering.com

www.fmfracing.com

www.shocktherapyracing.net

www.dt1filters.com

www.renthal.com

www.galferusa.com

-Mike Lindsay

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