AND... the 2017 Honda CRF450R is official! Along with the new CRF450RX...

ML512
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ML512
http://www.vitalmx.com/photos/features/First-Look-2017-Honda-CRF450R-an…

Due to some technical problems, I'm still adding to this feature. Here's the initial info, but if you keep checking back you'll notice I'm updating it with more observations and info. If you have any questions that I don't answer in the feature, please, post them here and I'll answer them to the best of my knowledge. I spent a lot of time chatting with all the different segments of Honda staff on hand today, and I seem to have a decent memory of all my questions... TongueLaughing
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kiwifan
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kiwifan 8/11/2016 12:17am
8/11/2016 12:17am
Nice one ML, I bet you cant wait to ride it ...got to be happy with those forks eh?
EmDub425
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EmDub425 8/11/2016 12:18am
8/11/2016 12:18am
Same wet weight as last year 243 lbs.
ML512
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ML512 8/11/2016 12:22am
8/11/2016 12:22am
kiwifan wrote:
Nice one ML, I bet you cant wait to ride it ...got to be happy with those forks eh?
We're going to ride it at one of the best tracks in the world... So I'm a wee bit excited...
kiwifan
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kiwifan 8/11/2016 12:25am
8/11/2016 12:25am
kiwifan wrote:
Nice one ML, I bet you cant wait to ride it ...got to be happy with those forks eh?
ML512 wrote:
We're going to ride it at one of the best tracks in the world... So I'm a wee bit excited...
I bet you are!!!! Smile

The Shop

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KirkChandler
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KirkChandler 8/11/2016 12:28am
8/11/2016 12:28am
kiwifan wrote:
Nice one ML, I bet you cant wait to ride it ...got to be happy with those forks eh?
ML512 wrote:
We're going to ride it at one of the best tracks in the world... So I'm a wee bit excited...
Elsinore? SillyLaughingLaughing
ML512
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ML512 8/11/2016 12:31am
8/11/2016 12:31am
KirkChandler wrote:
Elsinore? SillyLaughingLaughing
Somewhere with real dirt... Really, really amazing dirt... I'm drooling just thinking about it...
KirkChandler
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KirkChandler 8/11/2016 12:37am
8/11/2016 12:37am
KirkChandler wrote:
Elsinore? SillyLaughingLaughing
ML512 wrote:
Somewhere with real dirt... Really, really amazing dirt... I'm drooling just thinking about it...
So heading east. Redbud?
ML512
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ML512 8/11/2016 12:42am
8/11/2016 12:42am
KirkChandler wrote:
So heading east. Redbud?
Closer... It's about that point East, but farther South.
JB 19
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JB 19 8/11/2016 12:49am
8/11/2016 12:49am
Monster Mountain?
ML512
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ML512 8/11/2016 12:50am
8/11/2016 12:50am
JB 19 wrote:
Monster Mountain?
DING, DING, DING! We have a winner!
xr70
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xr70 8/11/2016 12:54am
8/11/2016 12:54am
How long before hits the dealers ?
kiwifan
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kiwifan 8/11/2016 1:07am
8/11/2016 1:07am
JB 19 wrote:
Monster Mountain?
ML512 wrote:
DING, DING, DING! We have a winner!
I am insanely jealous lol....have fun and enjoy the track and the new bike, I hope it is all it looks to be
kiwifan
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kiwifan 8/11/2016 1:08am
8/11/2016 1:08am
xr70 wrote:
How long before hits the dealers ?
October I believe, given the massive amount of change they made plus the earthquake affecting the factory its no surprise
JB 19
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JB 19 8/11/2016 1:29am
8/11/2016 1:29am
Big Red ain't fkn around.
kiwifan
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kiwifan 8/11/2016 2:06am
8/11/2016 2:06am
JB 19 wrote:
Big Red ain't fkn around.
Rumour is there are big changes in 2018 and 2019....so yeah they getting serious again
Jrewing
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Jrewing 8/11/2016 2:37am
8/11/2016 2:37am
Don't like the shared oils now. Can't run type F in the the box anymore

I approve of the rest

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mark1960
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mark1960 8/11/2016 2:43am
8/11/2016 2:43am
Front forks sound awsome, maybe a game changer in shootouts.
RIP air forks.
nascarnate326 8/11/2016 2:49am
8/11/2016 2:49am
Wow, no Trey in the video at all. Guess his days on red really are numbered.
Sheriff245 8/11/2016 2:56am
8/11/2016 2:56am
Here's a first question: apart from tube/shaft/piston diameter, what makes the forks "a-kit"?
Justin345
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Justin345 8/11/2016 4:59am
8/11/2016 4:59am
Sheriff245 wrote:
Here's a first question: apart from tube/shaft/piston diameter, what makes the forks "a-kit"?
They aren't A kit forks, but are a close production version utilizing the same size tubes, dampening rod, piston diameter, etc. I would assume the production version uses cast or plastics parts vice A kit using CNC'd parts with much tighter tolerances and coatings on everything (kashima, DLC or titanium nitrate, etc). Very similar to how close the production Showa SFF TAC forks are to their A kit variant.
kb-450
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kb-450 8/11/2016 5:21am
8/11/2016 5:21am
New Hondas look great and I think the suspension should be awesome. Only odd thing is the article mentioned that the tank was made of titanium for weigh savings, but aluminum is lighter than titanium. I wonder if they needed the extra strength for some reason?
Dtat720
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Dtat720 8/11/2016 5:29am
8/11/2016 5:29am
kb-450 wrote:
New Hondas look great and I think the suspension should be awesome. Only odd thing is the article mentioned that the tank was made of titanium...
New Hondas look great and I think the suspension should be awesome. Only odd thing is the article mentioned that the tank was made of titanium for weigh savings, but aluminum is lighter than titanium. I wonder if they needed the extra strength for some reason?
With Ti they can use a thinner gauge sheet to form the tanks versus aluminum. That gives weight savings. And a stronger tank
BobPA
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BobPA 8/11/2016 5:34am
8/11/2016 5:34am
kb-450 wrote:
New Hondas look great and I think the suspension should be awesome. Only odd thing is the article mentioned that the tank was made of titanium...
New Hondas look great and I think the suspension should be awesome. Only odd thing is the article mentioned that the tank was made of titanium for weigh savings, but aluminum is lighter than titanium. I wonder if they needed the extra strength for some reason?
I assume they were able to make the titanium thinner, therefore lighter, than an aluminum unit.

Bike looks awesome, the whole e-start thing is a game changer
newmann
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newmann 8/11/2016 5:38am
8/11/2016 5:38am Edited Date/Time 8/11/2016 5:39am
Need Burn's opinion of the front fender before I can proceed...lol.Laughing

First impression. Backwards leaning graphics are backwards leaning and KTM hating Honda lovers are going to have a hard time with the shroud and plate design.Tongue

Glad to see they included TIRES in the curb weight.

Other than that, it appears as if the R&D department went and brought a few of the engineers out of cryo chambers to iron out some details. Lots of neat stuff going on. Lots of new stuff going on. Will it all work? Did someone say Monster Mountain?
newmann
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newmann 8/11/2016 5:42am
8/11/2016 5:42am
kb-450 wrote:
New Hondas look great and I think the suspension should be awesome. Only odd thing is the article mentioned that the tank was made of titanium...
New Hondas look great and I think the suspension should be awesome. Only odd thing is the article mentioned that the tank was made of titanium for weigh savings, but aluminum is lighter than titanium. I wonder if they needed the extra strength for some reason?
BobPA wrote:
I assume they were able to make the titanium thinner, therefore lighter, than an aluminum unit. Bike looks awesome, the whole e-start thing is a game...
I assume they were able to make the titanium thinner, therefore lighter, than an aluminum unit.

Bike looks awesome, the whole e-start thing is a game changer
By the time you add the e-start and a lightweight battery that will add another $850.00 to the cost. Have the dealer install, probably right at $1000.00 parts and labor. Of course not everyone sees e-start as a plus on a MX bike. Not to mention that would put the bike up to 250 pounds curb weight. With tires...Laughing
resetjet
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resetjet 8/11/2016 5:48am
8/11/2016 5:48am
Looks great. Too bad they didnt lose dual exhaust and some
Pounds....some very cool stuff in it.

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