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6/1/2019
Location
Falkville, AL
US
Just curious if anyone has tried out both sets of engine hangers and front hangers and if you could tell a difference between the two? Works chassis has the better price but if I’m spending that much on some hangers then I only want to do it once. It’s for a 2019 Crf450r.
Thanks for any input
Thanks for any input
I’m biased and friends with Michael so I trust his testing and thoughts put into the product. Now with all his work on the Hondas, with the FXR/Chap Team, he’s got a lot of R&D.
I know his partner is the one who was originally making the factory team mounts.
Hope that info helps.
The Shop
I have a 2018 CRF450r and would have bought these from WCL, but they don't seem to be in stock. I did a refresh to the linkage and swingarm pivot this past weekend and the swingarm pivot was binding in the engine pass-thru and I had to knock it out with a hammer. When I went to reassemble, the engine pass through was so tight that I had to untorque the motor mounts to get the engine loose enough. The mounts were way too tight and the motor settled back in once I untorqued and then put the swingarm pivot back in. I think there's something to all the talk about this bike in particular having some weird binding and stiffness coming from the motor mounts.
Do they make the bike feel different, yes. Do they make the bike better? That's up to you and how you want the bike to feel. Just like one person's suspension could be great for them but feel like shit to you. Luckily there are reviews on the products to help you decide if they can change the bike characteristics in your favor or not.
They do and I felt it.
Pit Row
So I bought these a few months ago and finally got them mounted to my bike (Soft hangers, medium mounts on a 2018 CRF450r, stock suspension, Vet B rider) so I can give a little bit of a review for the skeptics. I paid full price on the WCL website and wasn’t asked to provide any reviews.
The pros: overall the bike is easier to ride in nearly every aspect. It tips over into turns and stays planted in ruts with less effort and it’s much less harsh in the rough. I rode a track that had a J-day offroad the weekend before and wasn’t prepped, and the bike ate up breaking bumps with ease. Rough lines were actually enjoyable. Often times on the bike in stock configuration I would see a square edge I was about to smash and would brace for impact, but these mounts made those hits much more tolerable. I was able to ride for longer with less fatigue and did not feel hammered at the end of the day. I did not have anyone timing me but I think I picked up some speed just by being more comfortable and less distracted, and I found myself shifting up a gear in a few spots. That said, I didn’t really feel faster, which leads to some of the cons—
Cons: The bike is much less exciting and a little more dull overall. The engine felt less punchy and less connected to the ground through the rear wheel. A little of the tracking sensation was lost, too. In turns the bike felt more solid overall, but lost that sharp edge that Honda has been known for over the past few years. It may have been mental, but I got the sensation that I just wasn’t getting as much power to the ground. The flipside was that I could twist more throttle and stay well in control of the bike.
Overall, I’d highly recommend these. The cons I think were worth sacrificing, and for me the bike was just way too high strung in stock configuration. The new mounts made the bike easier to ride, easier to go fast (I think, as said I did not time motos) and much easier to settle in turns, both flat and rutted. For me, the change in the bike’s character was differnt from but as dramatic as a revalve at about half the price. If you have a bike that feels like it’s trying to kick your ass anytime the conditions are even a little rough (looking at you, Honda), I think you’ll really enjoy these.
Other notes: Mounting these was more complicated than I imagined because i had to drop the headpipe. I have an akra full system with the resonance chamber in the way. It may be easier if your bike has tool access to the mount bolts. Also, these plates are a little thicker than stock top and bottom and the stock bolts are a little short. The nuts will catch all threads and it didn’t seem to be a problem, but I was a little uneasy when I mounted them up. Lastly, use a quality, calibrated torque wrench and the recommended specs from the shop manual.
This was written on a phone, so please forgive any mistakes or awkward sentences.
So I opened my wallet and bought oem and immediately felt the bike softer and less harsh.
I was a C grade squid and I could feel this difference.
I’d be interested in these if it softens the frame up a bit. My 2020 Yamaha 250f is on the stiff side even with softer valving.
FCP’s mounts look great in their Instagram. Just can’t get onto their website to read more about them
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