First Look: 2018 Honda CRF450R comes with electric start standard

kiwifan
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kiwifan 5/9/2017 12:57pm
5/9/2017 12:57pm
Sixeightone wrote:
248 pounds. HOLY SHIT. Talk about heavy....
lol for a moment there I thought you were serious....
kiwifan
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kiwifan 5/9/2017 12:59pm
5/9/2017 12:59pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for...
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for jumper cables or a tow truck.

Electronics can fail and leave you stranded. I love the idea of an electric start but would still like to have a kick starter as well. There will be someone who gets stranded in the middle of nowhere because their E-start failed them and they didn't have the option of kicking the bike over. I could think about my rides in Baja where we do deep river crossings or similar, and someone's bike gets dumped over and flooded. E-start won't work for whatever reason, and can't kick the bitch....can't jump start it either because of the terrain. Stranded......
well you cant win, KTMs/Huskys don't have kickstarts do you see complaints about that?????
Johnny Ringo
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Johnny Ringo 5/9/2017 1:01pm
5/9/2017 1:01pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for...
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for jumper cables or a tow truck.

Electronics can fail and leave you stranded. I love the idea of an electric start but would still like to have a kick starter as well. There will be someone who gets stranded in the middle of nowhere because their E-start failed them and they didn't have the option of kicking the bike over. I could think about my rides in Baja where we do deep river crossings or similar, and someone's bike gets dumped over and flooded. E-start won't work for whatever reason, and can't kick the bitch....can't jump start it either because of the terrain. Stranded......
kiwifan wrote:
well you cant win, KTMs/Huskys don't have kickstarts do you see complaints about that?????
No but I see guys show up to the track and jump start their bikes with their vehicle....on more than one occasion.
kiwifan
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kiwifan 5/9/2017 1:02pm
5/9/2017 1:02pm
Sixeightone wrote:
248 pounds. HOLY SHIT. Talk about heavy....
SweetDaddy wrote:
This Honda will sell lots of KTMs
lmao really?? These bikes are still darn light for a 450 (even the heaviest one - which isnt a Honda) ... no pleasing anyone eh?

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kiwifan
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kiwifan 5/9/2017 1:03pm
5/9/2017 1:03pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for...
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for jumper cables or a tow truck.

Electronics can fail and leave you stranded. I love the idea of an electric start but would still like to have a kick starter as well. There will be someone who gets stranded in the middle of nowhere because their E-start failed them and they didn't have the option of kicking the bike over. I could think about my rides in Baja where we do deep river crossings or similar, and someone's bike gets dumped over and flooded. E-start won't work for whatever reason, and can't kick the bitch....can't jump start it either because of the terrain. Stranded......
kiwifan wrote:
well you cant win, KTMs/Huskys don't have kickstarts do you see complaints about that?????
Johnny Ringo wrote:
No but I see guys show up to the track and jump start their bikes with their vehicle....on more than one occasion.
good grief....well don't buy a KTM, Husky or Honda then ...
Johnny Ringo
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Johnny Ringo 5/9/2017 1:04pm
5/9/2017 1:04pm
kiwifan wrote:
well you cant win, KTMs/Huskys don't have kickstarts do you see complaints about that?????
Johnny Ringo wrote:
No but I see guys show up to the track and jump start their bikes with their vehicle....on more than one occasion.
kiwifan wrote:
good grief....well don't buy a KTM, Husky or Honda then ...
I ride yamaha's. That's what my dealer wants me on.
kiwifan
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kiwifan 5/9/2017 1:11pm
5/9/2017 1:11pm
Johnny Ringo wrote:
No but I see guys show up to the track and jump start their bikes with their vehicle....on more than one occasion.
kiwifan wrote:
good grief....well don't buy a KTM, Husky or Honda then ...
Johnny Ringo wrote:
I ride yamaha's. That's what my dealer wants me on.
lol touche

well dont buy one of them either, apparently they are coming out with EC as well...
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Brent 5/9/2017 1:12pm
5/9/2017 1:12pm
Sixeightone wrote:
248 pounds. HOLY SHIT. Talk about heavy....
SweetDaddy wrote:
This Honda will sell lots of KTMs
Same price as a KTM basically now...

...only a lot heavier. So I guess if you you are buying by the pound, Honda is a better deal?Tongue
kiwifan
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kiwifan 5/9/2017 1:19pm
5/9/2017 1:19pm Edited Date/Time 5/9/2017 1:20pm
Funny comments in here...lets see.....people hate air forks, so Honda provided spring forks which do have a weight disadvantage...people complaining more weight tsk tsk tsk .... people want EC, so Honda provide it now as standard which comes with a weight disadvantage...people complaining more weight and cost tsk tsk tsk

no matter what they do, you cant win on Vital....seriously guys just enjoy the bikes you ride instead of moaning about ones that you wouldn't buy anyway
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bents 5/9/2017 1:20pm
5/9/2017 1:20pm
Too heavy man.
Permeance_Flux 5/9/2017 1:40pm
5/9/2017 1:40pm
kiwifan wrote:
lmao really?? These bikes are still darn light for a 450 (even the heaviest one - which isnt a Honda) ... no pleasing anyone eh?
which one is the heaviest one if it isn't the Honda?
it matches the heaviest 450 of 2017 which was the YZ-F at 248 lbs. We don't have the weight of the new Yamaha but currently the Honda is heaviest curb weight
HenryA
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HenryA 5/9/2017 1:46pm
5/9/2017 1:46pm
Never expected that Honda would have the heaviest 450 on the market. Huh
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 5/9/2017 1:54pm
5/9/2017 1:54pm
Go get a '17RX if you can find one...
tesstickle 5/9/2017 1:58pm
5/9/2017 1:58pm Edited Date/Time 5/9/2017 2:02pm
Sixeightone wrote:
248 pounds. HOLY SHIT. Talk about heavy....
Lightest feeling bike still imo.
Lastander
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Lastander 5/9/2017 2:05pm
5/9/2017 2:05pm
Its not about the raw weight of the bike, just ask any Zook rider.
My -17 crf feels waaaaay lighter than my -16 sxf, the ktm is a PIG in comparison, i even feel that the Yamaha is easier to handle than the ktm, and im not even a big guy at 5.11' and 145 pounds
kiwifan
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kiwifan 5/9/2017 2:07pm
5/9/2017 2:07pm
Permeance_Flux wrote:
which one is the heaviest one if it isn't the Honda? it matches the heaviest 450 of 2017 which was the YZ-F at 248 lbs. We...
which one is the heaviest one if it isn't the Honda?
it matches the heaviest 450 of 2017 which was the YZ-F at 248 lbs. We don't have the weight of the new Yamaha but currently the Honda is heaviest curb weight
Yamaha is coming out with EC in 2018...plus we don't know the new RMZ weight either...(which is coming with spring forks apparently) ....so perhaps we should make judgements when all info about the 2018 bikes is made available...
Plugga
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Plugga 5/9/2017 2:17pm
5/9/2017 2:17pm
Johnny Ringo wrote:
No but I see guys show up to the track and jump start their bikes with their vehicle....on more than one occasion.
kiwifan wrote:
good grief....well don't buy a KTM, Husky or Honda then ...
Johnny Ringo wrote:
I ride yamaha's. That's what my dealer wants me on.
Laughing Laughing
Permeance_Flux 5/9/2017 2:20pm
5/9/2017 2:20pm
kiwifan wrote:
Yamaha is coming out with EC in 2018...plus we don't know the new RMZ weight either...(which is coming with spring forks apparently) ....so perhaps we should...
Yamaha is coming out with EC in 2018...plus we don't know the new RMZ weight either...(which is coming with spring forks apparently) ....so perhaps we should make judgements when all info about the 2018 bikes is made available...
I take Stefan Evert's word for it when he says this year's RM-Z is lighter than the previous, you can see it has thinner frame spars and the aluminum tank has been scrapped for a lighter plastic one. So that just leaves either Yamaha or Honda crowned as heaviest 450.

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fullysicmate 5/9/2017 3:03pm
5/9/2017 3:03pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
I hope you can add a kickstarter easily?
mx317 wrote:
Do you have a crank start on your car or truck?
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for...
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for jumper cables or a tow truck.

Electronics can fail and leave you stranded. I love the idea of an electric start but would still like to have a kick starter as well. There will be someone who gets stranded in the middle of nowhere because their E-start failed them and they didn't have the option of kicking the bike over. I could think about my rides in Baja where we do deep river crossings or similar, and someone's bike gets dumped over and flooded. E-start won't work for whatever reason, and can't kick the bitch....can't jump start it either because of the terrain. Stranded......
The chance of the terrain being so rugged that you cant jump start is so unlikely that there is nearly no chance of it happening. If it did there are other way to get it going e.g. backing it up to another running bike to spin the rear wheel.

Electric start has been on motorcycles since the 80's. It is not new technology, and it is proven. It is amazing that it has taken this long to get to mx bikes.
tmauto769 5/9/2017 3:08pm
5/9/2017 3:08pm
kiwifan wrote:
Yamaha is coming out with EC in 2018...plus we don't know the new RMZ weight either...(which is coming with spring forks apparently) ....so perhaps we should...
Yamaha is coming out with EC in 2018...plus we don't know the new RMZ weight either...(which is coming with spring forks apparently) ....so perhaps we should make judgements when all info about the 2018 bikes is made available...
gotta ask, why do you keep calling electric start "EC"?
Underground 5/9/2017 3:31pm
5/9/2017 3:31pm
kiwifan wrote:
Yamaha is coming out with EC in 2018...plus we don't know the new RMZ weight either...(which is coming with spring forks apparently) ....so perhaps we should...
Yamaha is coming out with EC in 2018...plus we don't know the new RMZ weight either...(which is coming with spring forks apparently) ....so perhaps we should make judgements when all info about the 2018 bikes is made available...
tmauto769 wrote:
gotta ask, why do you keep calling electric start "EC"?
extra crap?
Matt Fisher 5/9/2017 3:32pm
5/9/2017 3:32pm
DFWracefan wrote:
"Back when I was a kid, we had to have 2 people hold the bike up and make sure we were at the top of the...
"Back when I was a kid, we had to have 2 people hold the bike up and make sure we were at the top of the compression stroke. That way when you kicked it over, it didn't try to throw you over the handlebars."
The irony- on Sunday at the track I was parked between three different guys with 17 CRF450's. My ride- 1990 CR500. Yes, their bikes were much easier to start than mine. Wink
Underground 5/9/2017 3:32pm
5/9/2017 3:32pm
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
I hope you can add a kickstarter easily?
mx317 wrote:
Do you have a crank start on your car or truck?
Black Diesel Bomber wrote:
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for...
Haha, I wish for every time I had alternator or battery issues in my life I could have used the kick start instead of looking for jumper cables or a tow truck.

Electronics can fail and leave you stranded. I love the idea of an electric start but would still like to have a kick starter as well. There will be someone who gets stranded in the middle of nowhere because their E-start failed them and they didn't have the option of kicking the bike over. I could think about my rides in Baja where we do deep river crossings or similar, and someone's bike gets dumped over and flooded. E-start won't work for whatever reason, and can't kick the bitch....can't jump start it either because of the terrain. Stranded......
Last time I checked, it was a motocross bike, not a trail bike
rider41
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rider41 5/9/2017 3:33pm
5/9/2017 3:33pm
Most of you guys saying the bike is too heavy cant or dont ride a bike up to its speed potential anyway. Like it would matter if it was heavier or lighter that the KTM. The 17 crf 450 rides like a lightweight bike. These are the same guys that get bikes and slap on a new exhaust for more power when they cant use stock power to begin with. I love the c-d riders claiming the 15/16 Honda 450 was slow. Cracks me up. Then a 20 something year old passes them on a clapped out 125 while they are throwing down their 3-4 lap "Motos". Cant please them all, right?
Underground 5/9/2017 3:49pm
5/9/2017 3:49pm
rider41 wrote:
Most of you guys saying the bike is too heavy cant or dont ride a bike up to its speed potential anyway. Like it would matter...
Most of you guys saying the bike is too heavy cant or dont ride a bike up to its speed potential anyway. Like it would matter if it was heavier or lighter that the KTM. The 17 crf 450 rides like a lightweight bike. These are the same guys that get bikes and slap on a new exhaust for more power when they cant use stock power to begin with. I love the c-d riders claiming the 15/16 Honda 450 was slow. Cracks me up. Then a 20 something year old passes them on a clapped out 125 while they are throwing down their 3-4 lap "Motos". Cant please them all, right?
and the same guys that will complain about having to continually monitor and adjust fork pressures or have the bike parked up for months while they wait for new gears. If I just want to ride a rock solid bike, I know which one I'm choosing
Myke
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Myke 5/9/2017 3:50pm
5/9/2017 3:50pm
All I care about is how hard it is to lift back up on a stand after my 3 lap moto......
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1HRCrider 5/9/2017 3:52pm
5/9/2017 3:52pm
kiwifan wrote:
Funny comments in here...lets see.....people hate air forks, so Honda provided spring forks which do have a weight disadvantage...people complaining more weight tsk tsk tsk...
Funny comments in here...lets see.....people hate air forks, so Honda provided spring forks which do have a weight disadvantage...people complaining more weight tsk tsk tsk .... people want EC, so Honda provide it now as standard which comes with a weight disadvantage...people complaining more weight and cost tsk tsk tsk

no matter what they do, you cant win on Vital....seriously guys just enjoy the bikes you ride instead of moaning about ones that you wouldn't buy anyway
Amen
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mxbrian15 5/9/2017 3:55pm
5/9/2017 3:55pm
Bruce372 wrote:
Same as the rmz450, and it's heavy!
Permeance_Flux wrote:
Na RM-Z is 2 lbs lighter and the 2018 RM-Z is surely lighter than that. Honda just became the heaviest 450 depending on if the YZ-F...
Na RM-Z is 2 lbs lighter and the 2018 RM-Z is surely lighter than that. Honda just became the heaviest 450 depending on if the YZ-F gained any weight


I find it useless to weigh bikes with a full tank of gas. That can significantly change the weight of the bike (6lbs or so for every gallon). Weigh the bikes with no fuel. That is more accurate. If one tank is only 1.5 gallons, and the other is 2.5 gallons, that's a 6lbs difference!
BobPA
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BobPA 5/9/2017 4:02pm
5/9/2017 4:02pm
Lastander wrote:
Its not about the raw weight of the bike, just ask any Zook rider. My -17 crf feels waaaaay lighter than my -16 sxf, the ktm...
Its not about the raw weight of the bike, just ask any Zook rider.
My -17 crf feels waaaaay lighter than my -16 sxf, the ktm is a PIG in comparison, i even feel that the Yamaha is easier to handle than the ktm, and im not even a big guy at 5.11' and 145 pounds
The moment you said a YZ450 is easier to handle than a modern KTM made me laugh histerically. Get a grip, if you want to shit talk brands, hell yeah...Just don't flat out lie bro
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hippie 5/9/2017 4:06pm
5/9/2017 4:06pm
Was considering the CRF in 18, but the weight difference is just too significant. Price was the only thing it has going for it, and even still not far off from the KTM's or Husky's now. Still an incredible bike, just a heavy one.

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