Honda announces CRF450L

[J-Boat]

I remember the first time I rode my old 89 RM 250 on pavement and goosed the throttle and went immediately skyward!!!

Thankfully I recovered a lot better than this poor dude...

Honda is gonna sell shitgobs of this bike...

 

[ScottRNelson]

Honda is gonna sell [lots] of this bike...

I've been wanting such a bike for years, but I'm not going to run out and buy one. For what you have to put up with to own and ride the thing, I may as well get a KTM 500 EXC. We've already listed the drawbacks - limited fuel range, maintenance way too often, and price already pretty close to the KTM. I was hoping for something a bit closer to my XR650L that can be abused and mostly ignored as long as you change the oil every 2000 miles or so and keep the oil topped off. Plus I can ride 180 miles on a tank of gas. It's just too heavy and has remained unchanged since 1993.

Okay, I still might consider getting a CRF450L, but it's not the obvious decision I had hoped it would be.

 

[russ69]

So it turns out its quite more powerful than we thought ...

It looked like small bike syndrome to me. You never grab a handful of gas on a strong bike unless you know where you are heading. Too much gas, rear brake not covered, not ready to pull clutch.

 

[ScottRNelson]

It looked like small bike syndrome to me. You never grab a handful of gas on a strong bike unless you know where you are heading. Too much gas, rear brake not covered, not ready to pull clutch.

The thing that bugs me the most about that video is that he names some off-road Baja racer whose name I've already forgotten and says that if you don't know who he is you probably don't belong on a motorcycle. Then he pulls that stunt of wheelying into the crowd like a total noob. What a dork.

 

[usedtobefast]

And ... could he have done it on purpose? Greatly increase his video views. People have been concerned these bikes are too choked off, and one of the first guys to ride one can't make it 100 feet through a parking lot without flipping it ... so wow what power!

So I'm thinking he did it on purpose!!

 

[GilesD]

And ... could he have done it on purpose? Greatly increase his video views. People have been concerned these bikes are too choked off, and one of the first guys to ride one can't make it 100 feet through a parking lot without flipping it ... so wow what power!

So I'm thinking he did it on purpose!!

No I really do not think so. I have an interest in homesteading [the main subject of his channel] so I have been aware of him for many years now. I feel comfortable giving him more credit than that.

 

[OaklandF4i]

So as expected (and I guessed earlier in this thread), the CRF450L is going to have longer major maintenance intervals. According to the Canadian owners manual (I havent seen a US one yet to confirm), oil changes at 30hrs (no biggy) and valves and piston at 32k KM, or just under 20k miles. I cant for any reason believe the US spec one will be any different. Thats a huge difference from the ready to race bikes and exactly what I thought Honda would be bringing to market.

Manual is shown and referenced 1/2 way through this very short video.

[youtube]nY6TMyP5-gg[/youtube]

For the average dual sport rider looking for a fun bike that doesnt like to wrench as much, this will be right up there alley.

 

[Karbon]

so the initial ride reports on youtube say this thing is legit.

 

[HadesOmega]

It's pretty spendy though ain't it? Around $10k? Would be nice if they made a CRF450L Rally edition like the 250. For that kinda change you could get one dem fancy KTMs, an Alta is not far off also.

 

[banshee01]

Possible that guy is reading 3200km as 32000km? I can't zoom in to see as the video is only 240p

 

[Surj]

So as expected (and I guessed earlier in this thread), the CRF450L is going to have longer major maintenance intervals. According to the Canadian owners manual (I havent seen a US one yet to confirm), oil changes at 30hrs (no biggy) and valves and piston at 32k KM, or just under 20k miles. I cant for any reason believe the US spec one will be any different. Thats a huge difference from the ready to race bikes and exactly what I thought Honda would be bringing to market.

Manual is shown and referenced 1/2 way through this very short video.

For the average dual sport rider looking for a fun bike that doesnt like to wrench as much, this will be right up there alley.

Just to be clear, we're jumping from oil change to "valves and piston"—not check/adjust valves. As noted when I wrote about the 450L back in May, Honda told me directly that oil / filter change and air filter service interval is just 600 miles, and valve inspection is 1,800 miles.

That 1,800 mile valve check thing is kind of a bummer, even though it won't be a big deal for a lot of riders—but it really throws a wrench in the works for someone who'd want to ride this as a day-to-day street/dirt bike like a 250L and all the other dual-sports than serve as commuters for a lot of people.

 

[thedub]

According to the Canadian owners manual (I havent seen a US one yet to confirm), oil changes at 30hrs (no biggy) and valves and piston at 32k KM, or just under 20k miles.

Is that metric hours?

 

[Cabrito]

Just to be clear, we're jumping from oil change to "valves and piston"—not check/adjust valves. As noted when I wrote about the 450L back in May, Honda told me directly that oil / filter change and air filter service interval is just 600 miles, and valve inspection is 1,800 miles.

That 1,800 mile valve check thing is kind of a bummer, even though it won't be a big deal for a lot of riders—but it really throws a wrench in the works for someone who'd want to ride this as a day-to-day street/dirt bike like a 250L and all the other dual-sports than serve as commuters for a lot of people.

Yeah, the 600 mile or 621 if you base it off the 1000 kilometer interval is tough.. I can't do a 1000 mile Baja week without an oil change? I mean, I guess I could, but do I want to on my $10k bike?

 

[OaklandF4i]

Just to be clear, we're jumping from oil change to "valves and piston"—not check/adjust valves. As noted when I wrote about the 450L back in May, Honda told me directly that oil / filter change and air filter service interval is just 600 miles, and valve inspection is 1,800 miles.

That 1,800 mile valve check thing is kind of a bummer, even though it won't be a big deal for a lot of riders—but it really throws a wrench in the works for someone who'd want to ride this as a day-to-day street/dirt bike like a 250L and all the other dual-sports than serve as commuters for a lot of people.

Absolutey, agree Surj We are jumping over valve check to piston replacement. This post isnt about refuting anything you shared. But perhaps clarifying some misconceptions (myself included) that along with 1800 mile valve inspections, top ends would be frequent too. Just like the ready to race plated bikes.

No, its not a CRF250L. Thankfully it pushes the performance envelope a bit more. But its also not Husqvarna/KTM/Beta/Gas Gas etc etc with short top end replacement intervals either. And thats really the point.

Based on Honda's maintenance specs that I am aware of thus far, its looks like a lighter, more powerful, and better performing DRZ400s. And yes I am aware after the initial check they recommend the DRZ's next one at 16K miles. From personal experience and as a previous owner of a 2004 DRZ400S, thats fantasy IMO. They need to be checked more often.

Time will tell!

 

[Surj]

Absolutey, agree Surj We are jumping over valve check to piston replacement. This post isnt about refuting anything you shared. But perhaps clarifying some misconceptions (myself included) that along with 1800 valve inspections, top ends would be frequent too. Just like the ready to race plated bikes...

I totally agree with everything you said. Just adding in the valve check interval. I should have said "like the 250L, DRZ, KLR and so on..." because a lot of those serve as general purpose daily riders. There's definitely a very obvious performance difference between any of those and the 450L, and the bike isn't intended to be a day-to-day beater... but it's a little bit of a bummer it can't be that, too.

Although, in real life, I bet it'll go way longer than those intervals with no issues, like so many other Hondas, at least if not being ridden in hardcore off-road scenarios.

 

[OaklandF4i]

Is that metric hours?

I'm pretty sure it was Swedish hours, but I could be wrong.

Yeah, the 600 mile or 621 if you base it off the 1000 kilometer interval is tough.. I can't do a 1000 mile Baja week without an oil change? I mean, I guess I could, but do I want to on my $10k bike?

Cough.... ummmm Michael, have you read your XR400R manual recently?

How many folks have you seen change their oil on any of the Baja trips you have joined us on regardless of brands?

 

[Cabrito]

I'm pretty sure it was Swedish hours, but I could be wrong.



Cough.... ummmm Michael, have you read your XR400R manual recently?

How many folks have you seen change their oil on any of the Baja trips you have joined us on regardless of brands?

back at you.. Why do you always have to be such a dick?

You're absolutely right. I just double checked and it's 600 miles on the old XR too. I guess I've been negligent and mis-read my owners manual ( I had been going off the KM spec)

And, yeah I've seen people change oil, drain gas, ect in Baja. and not dispose of it properly either

 

[RightCoastBias]

And here's the rally.

https://adventuremotorcycle.com/news/crf450l-rally-concept

 

[aminalmutha]

Bonertown.

 

[Z3n]

My god that is terrible. The one thing that’d actually make me look at this thing over the significantly better KTM and they make something that looks like it was designed by an intern. Why is there no fairing joining the tower to the sides like every other rally bike? Like, for example, this thing they made:

Also, all KTM maintenance schedules are assuming hard riding, more casual dual sport work means it’s definitey possible to match these sort of numbers on any of the new or previous model LC4s. My 2017 EXCF sees oil changes roughly every 10-15 hours, which for street use means about every 600 miles, and valves haven’t moved since the bike was new, with about 50 hours on it now.