The latest edition of Classic Steel is up for your reading pleassure on Honda's 2002 CRF450R

tblazier
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tblazier
Edited Date/Time 1/22/2016 5:27pm
GP's Classic Steel #112 2002 Honda CRF450R



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Firefly47
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Firefly47 1/21/2016 11:12am
1/21/2016 11:12am
Wouldn't that be....classic Aluminum?
tp4
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tp4 1/21/2016 11:20am
1/21/2016 11:20am
thats my current ride..love passing dudes on their expensive rides..big smile every ride
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Idp57
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Idp57 1/21/2016 11:25am
1/21/2016 11:25am Edited Date/Time 1/21/2016 11:27am
tp4 wrote:
thats my current ride..love passing dudes on their expensive rides..big smile every ride
.
Krazyk2774
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Krazyk2774 1/21/2016 1:27pm
1/21/2016 1:27pm
I look forward to reading these, they are always interesting! Keep up the good work.

The Shop

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Stuntman949
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Stuntman949 1/21/2016 1:53pm
1/21/2016 1:53pm
As always, another great write up!
SmoothOperator 1/21/2016 7:03pm
1/21/2016 7:03pm Edited Date/Time 1/21/2016 7:05pm
Classic!?
I still ride the piss out of mine. It has been relegated to dune duty though.
newmann
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newmann 1/21/2016 7:17pm
1/21/2016 7:17pm
2002 CRF450, they all sucked the valves up into the head leading Honda to issue the statement that "valve replacement should be considered routine maintenance". Of course most everyone put Kibblewhite stainless valves in and lived happily ever after.
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kevin204
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kevin204 1/21/2016 11:04pm
1/21/2016 11:04pm
Crazy to see a "Classic Steel" for a bike I remember reading about in the magazines before its release.. I'm getting old! Tongue
Uncle Tony
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Uncle Tony 1/22/2016 4:45am
1/22/2016 4:45am
Thanks, but I must say that was one of the worst bikes I have ever owned in my 45 years of moto, i sold that bike after 3 short rides. Worst handling bike I ever rode, but I guess it is special as I still remember it
Ramrod
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Ramrod 1/22/2016 5:06am
1/22/2016 5:06am
newmann wrote:
2002 CRF450, they all sucked the valves up into the head leading Honda to issue the statement that "valve replacement should be considered routine maintenance". Of...
2002 CRF450, they all sucked the valves up into the head leading Honda to issue the statement that "valve replacement should be considered routine maintenance". Of course most everyone put Kibblewhite stainless valves in and lived happily ever after.
This is true. Yamaha at least had them beat in the valve durability category at first.
reded
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reded 1/22/2016 5:08am
1/22/2016 5:08am
Uncle Tony wrote:
Thanks, but I must say that was one of the worst bikes I have ever owned in my 45 years of moto, i sold that bike...
Thanks, but I must say that was one of the worst bikes I have ever owned in my 45 years of moto, i sold that bike after 3 short rides. Worst handling bike I ever rode, but I guess it is special as I still remember it
I felt the same way. A local rich kid brought one to the track when they first came out and let everyone ride it. The power made it easy to ride but It felt clumsy and didn't turn very well.

My CR250 felt like a bicycle after climbing off of that hulk.
Uncle Tony
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Uncle Tony 1/22/2016 5:15am
1/22/2016 5:15am
reded wrote:
I felt the same way. A local rich kid brought one to the track when they first came out and let everyone ride it. The power...
I felt the same way. A local rich kid brought one to the track when they first came out and let everyone ride it. The power made it easy to ride but It felt clumsy and didn't turn very well.

My CR250 felt like a bicycle after climbing off of that hulk.
I worked as a mechanic in a Honda shop and got the first one delivered, I was so excited unfortunately I purchased it before MXA came out, I sold it after a week and just lost my tax money on it, I felt so guilty about offing the bike then read MXA and didn't feel so bad, went and got a KTM 520sx
nascarnate326
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nascarnate326 1/22/2016 5:42am
1/22/2016 5:42am
I waited a few years and got an 05 CRf450. Don't see the 2002's around very often anymore. Ten years ago they were everywhere.
Big Lenny
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Big Lenny 1/22/2016 10:02am
1/22/2016 10:02am
The thing I remember about those is that they were heavy as hell...
SmoothOperator 1/22/2016 10:28am
1/22/2016 10:28am
Uncle Tony wrote:
Thanks, but I must say that was one of the worst bikes I have ever owned in my 45 years of moto, i sold that bike...
Thanks, but I must say that was one of the worst bikes I have ever owned in my 45 years of moto, i sold that bike after 3 short rides. Worst handling bike I ever rode, but I guess it is special as I still remember it
I thought it was fantastic handling, but I was coming off a 2000 VOR 400...
It is a pretty lazy handling bike. Stable, but hates turning.
Ted722
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Ted722 1/22/2016 10:46am
1/22/2016 10:46am
In '02, my buddy and I were riding 2001 KX250's, so it was an easy transition. (chassis characteristics and weight).

Put a stiffer spring on the rear of that '02 CRF (I think 5.2 to a 5.5) and that was it. It was a great bike.

Next bikes he got an '05 CRF and I got an '06 RMZ.
Dan-The-Man 1/22/2016 10:57am
1/22/2016 10:57am
Uncle Tony wrote:
Thanks, but I must say that was one of the worst bikes I have ever owned in my 45 years of moto, i sold that bike...
Thanks, but I must say that was one of the worst bikes I have ever owned in my 45 years of moto, i sold that bike after 3 short rides. Worst handling bike I ever rode, but I guess it is special as I still remember it
I got a 2003 in the crate. We raced the piss out of that bike. It had well over 200 hours on the motor. Probably closer to 300. It never grenaded. I finally tore it down and still have the bike. It was a great bike for that time.
tblazier
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tblazier 1/22/2016 4:14pm
1/22/2016 4:14pm
reded wrote:
I felt the same way. A local rich kid brought one to the track when they first came out and let everyone ride it. The power...
I felt the same way. A local rich kid brought one to the track when they first came out and let everyone ride it. The power made it easy to ride but It felt clumsy and didn't turn very well.

My CR250 felt like a bicycle after climbing off of that hulk.
Uncle Tony wrote:
I worked as a mechanic in a Honda shop and got the first one delivered, I was so excited unfortunately I purchased it before MXA came...
I worked as a mechanic in a Honda shop and got the first one delivered, I was so excited unfortunately I purchased it before MXA came out, I sold it after a week and just lost my tax money on it, I felt so guilty about offing the bike then read MXA and didn't feel so bad, went and got a KTM 520sx
Interesting, I owned a YZ400F and was coming off a 2001 YZ250F when I got the first 2002 CRF450 to hit our dealer. It did not turn as tight as either of the Yamaha's, but I thought it was a good handling bike and certainly better than the KTM520SX I bought a few years later. To each their own I guess.

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kevin204
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kevin204 1/22/2016 5:27pm
1/22/2016 5:27pm
Ted722 wrote:
In '02, my buddy and I were riding 2001 KX250's, so it was an easy transition. (chassis characteristics and weight). Put a stiffer spring on the...
In '02, my buddy and I were riding 2001 KX250's, so it was an easy transition. (chassis characteristics and weight).

Put a stiffer spring on the rear of that '02 CRF (I think 5.2 to a 5.5) and that was it. It was a great bike.

Next bikes he got an '05 CRF and I got an '06 RMZ.
Funny, I also went from an '01 KX250 to an '02 CRF450 and felt the same about how similar they felt.
mikeneph218
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mikeneph218 1/4/2021 9:22pm
1/4/2021 9:22pm
Got my 2002 and it’s still as fast as everything at the track that day or if not faster !! I don’t think I’ll ever sell it . The only 450 that started the 4 stroke revolution!!!
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