2017 CRF450R Ride Review's

deltadestroyer11
I'm getting mine this weekend and I would love to hear some honest reviews on the bike..Problem ereas...strong points...everything! Thanks.
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crc245
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crc245 3/2/2017 8:37am
3/2/2017 8:37am
Congrats on the new scoot! Before chiming in with opinions, what's your height/weight/skill level/intended use/etcetera? These factors play a big role in setup and which direction to go...
Derek Harris 3/2/2017 8:46am
3/2/2017 8:46am
I rode one for the first time this past weekend.

i say watch the clutch.. and suspension was a little soft if you are above 165 and above c rider level.


Otherwise it seemed really good. good balance, good motor
deltadestroyer11 3/2/2017 8:49am
3/2/2017 8:49am
crc245 wrote:
Congrats on the new scoot! Before chiming in with opinions, what's your height/weight/skill level/intended use/etcetera? These factors play a big role in setup and which direction...
Congrats on the new scoot! Before chiming in with opinions, what's your height/weight/skill level/intended use/etcetera? These factors play a big role in setup and which direction to go...
5'10. 200lbs. 44 yr old vet/motocross..
gpracer36
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gpracer36 3/2/2017 9:15am
3/2/2017 9:15am
clutch for me, so flame outs in tight stuff, rough at low rpms.

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gsxr6
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gsxr6 3/2/2017 10:31am
3/2/2017 10:31am Edited Date/Time 3/2/2017 10:31am
I like the idle so high there is hardly any compression braking probably about 2300 rpm ( have to lower to change maps.) Love it. Turns like a cr250. Feels smaller than a 250f. Great midrange . Hardly flames out with the idle way up. Masks the initial chug feeling off the bottom too.
kiwifan
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kiwifan 3/2/2017 1:00pm
3/2/2017 1:00pm
Decent re-mapping will address the 'rough' bottom end and occasional flameouts

deltadestroyer11 3/3/2017 9:14am
3/3/2017 9:14am
Thanks for the replies but i figured there'd be more comments on this new bike.. Anyone else....set up tips? anything??
gpracer36
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gpracer36 3/3/2017 10:26am
3/3/2017 10:26am
just tried to order a 3.0 Core Rekluse for mine. They are out of stock and cant keep them on the shelf. What does that tell you? I found one on RM.
Lastander
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Lastander 3/3/2017 10:34am
3/3/2017 10:34am
Yeah same as they say, turn up the idle, i dont abuse my clutch so thats fine for me.
Still havent ridden it on a really chopped out track but so far the suspension is great, i weigh 140 pounds, 5'11 tall, great power but it lacks that over-rev power (as a 450 should), but coming from a ktm 450 thats a thing.
Got my yoshimura home today, will try it on sunday
crc245
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crc245 3/3/2017 11:18am
3/3/2017 11:18am
deltadestroyer11 wrote:
Thanks for the replies but i figured there'd be more comments on this new bike.. Anyone else....set up tips? anything??
As far as setup goes with your size/weight, you will more than likely need stiffer springs, front and rear. Before a revalve, I'd go with spring/oil height changes/fork height adjustments first. With that being said, I've ridden the stock setup back to back with revalved units, and there is quite an improvement available over stock valving.

With regard to the erratic low-end/flame out issues, turing the idle up helps (as it does on most modern EFI equipped bikes), but the ultimate fix is a Vortex box. They're already available for the 17's and can wake them up even more. The only exhaust I've heard reports back on is the Yosh, and it's quite an improvement as well. The cheaper Al/Steel combo performs identical to the high end Ti/carbon units which makes it an easy choice, in my opinion. Still waiting on aftermarket Co's to drop a single can version, but we'll see what happens.

If you're a clutch abuser, Hinson has the fix. Not bad in stock form, but worthless compared to KTM/Husky units (if that's what you're basing your opinion on from previous bike).


Overall, it's a great first year effort and a good platform for Honda to improve upon in the coming years. Fit and finish is typical Honda quality and it just 'feels' right when you ride it. Opinion coming from a SoCal based, 30+ slow A-rider, 6', 190lbs., who's currently wringing his 3rd 2008 CRF450R out every given weekend after a few EFI Kawi years in between Smile
Lastander
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Lastander 3/4/2017 5:07am
3/4/2017 5:07am Edited Date/Time 3/4/2017 5:25am
Quick update, rode it today, 3hrs in total, clutch starting to give way, will try to fit some harder clutchsprings

Edit: i ride more than i think, 6hrs total
jtiger12
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jtiger12 3/4/2017 5:52am
3/4/2017 5:52am
crc245 wrote:
As far as setup goes with your size/weight, you will more than likely need stiffer springs, front and rear. Before a revalve, I'd go with spring/oil...
As far as setup goes with your size/weight, you will more than likely need stiffer springs, front and rear. Before a revalve, I'd go with spring/oil height changes/fork height adjustments first. With that being said, I've ridden the stock setup back to back with revalved units, and there is quite an improvement available over stock valving.

With regard to the erratic low-end/flame out issues, turing the idle up helps (as it does on most modern EFI equipped bikes), but the ultimate fix is a Vortex box. They're already available for the 17's and can wake them up even more. The only exhaust I've heard reports back on is the Yosh, and it's quite an improvement as well. The cheaper Al/Steel combo performs identical to the high end Ti/carbon units which makes it an easy choice, in my opinion. Still waiting on aftermarket Co's to drop a single can version, but we'll see what happens.

If you're a clutch abuser, Hinson has the fix. Not bad in stock form, but worthless compared to KTM/Husky units (if that's what you're basing your opinion on from previous bike).


Overall, it's a great first year effort and a good platform for Honda to improve upon in the coming years. Fit and finish is typical Honda quality and it just 'feels' right when you ride it. Opinion coming from a SoCal based, 30+ slow A-rider, 6', 190lbs., who's currently wringing his 3rd 2008 CRF450R out every given weekend after a few EFI Kawi years in between Smile
Nice report. Thanks.
Presley155
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Presley155 3/4/2017 6:09am
3/4/2017 6:09am
I was very impressed with the bike in stock trim. With stock pipes I would go up a tooth on the rear sprocket. The Yosh pipes are a great improvement and really wake the bike up in the middle and top. I rode a stock bike and one with Yosh pipes back to back so the difference was very noticeable. Check the sag. Out of the box it seems to ride high in the rear. Getting the sag set right also helps it corner and the front wheel track. It vibrates more than previous years. The stock one I rode with stock 7/8's bars the vibration was not that bad. The other one I rode had fatbars on it and the vibration was very noticeable in your hands. So much so that we switched to Odi bars with the damper in the crossbar and that helped but still had more vibration in your hands than other 450's I've ridden. (I've ridden them all) I did not have trouble with the clutch, but I'm not hard on clutches. Overall it's a great bike, I love it. Throw a set of pipes on it, have it mapped if you're having flame out issues, run the stock bars, and you're good to go.
Liebs138
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Liebs138 3/4/2017 8:40am
3/4/2017 8:40am
I rode mine for the first time yesterday. Though it was awesome. No flameouts, didnt really seem too abrupt or erratic on the low end. Great motor. Great handling. Suspension felt good. I started with 108 mm of sag and thought it worked well. Softened the rebound on forks it seemed to pack. Helped in the chop. Overall amazing bike. Didnt find it hard to start either.
dirtaddict 3/4/2017 1:56pm
3/4/2017 1:56pm
47 yo vet 165 forks ride low in the stroke , shock seems spikey and harsh. feels lighter than a ktm 450 but isnt . midrange top end is very usable , puts it to the ground really well , turns great and feels planted . ide have some high speed damping taken out of the shock and get the front riding higher to balance it out .
Best 450 for me hands down .
aedwards07
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aedwards07 3/4/2017 2:50pm
3/4/2017 2:50pm
My stock clutch went out right around 4 hours. I put a Hinson plate and spring kit in. Removed the jitter spring and the springs are much longer than the ones I pulled out. Have another 4 hours on it and it's still holding up.
deltadestroyer11 3/4/2017 5:10pm
3/4/2017 5:10pm
Awesone...got mine home now.. greasing it up tonight and breaking it in tomorow. ..then set-up begins! Can't wait!
neysbo
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neysbo 3/4/2017 5:14pm
3/4/2017 5:14pm
kiwifan wrote:
Decent re-mapping will address the 'rough' bottom end and occasional flameouts

Is tokyo mods good for a remap
NeedMoto
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NeedMoto 3/4/2017 10:28pm
3/4/2017 10:28pm
deltadestroyer11 wrote:
Awesone...got mine home now.. greasing it up tonight and breaking it in tomorow. ..then set-up begins! Can't wait!
Congrats and have fun! You'll really like it. Don't make any major decisions about mods until you break it in for a few hours.

Mine started feeling really good, at about the 4 hour mark.

Starts 1-2 kicks, hot or cold. Zero flame outs. Smooth fantastic motor.

I thought my modded 13 Honda was excellent, until I got my 17.

Enjoy...Smile

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