Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128389
pressure and ultimately alleviates stress on the seal. The new impeller also fits the '05 CRF450R. Moving the engine locates the carburetor about 7.5mm farther fOIWard than before, so the entire subfrarne has also moved fOIWard 7.5mm. It was altered mainly to maintain the existing airbox and the handlebar/seat/footpeg relationship. Other chassis changes include a front hub that is now lighter and stronger (similar to last year's rear hub). Honda will no longer offer the 20-inch front wheel for the 450. Honda says that whatever advantages the 20-inch wheel had on the previous 450s are now made up for with the changes made to the '06 CR chassis. The previous fork was elongated to accommodate the 20-inch wheel, so, in the interest of saving weight, the new fork is 7mm shorter and cannot be lowered in the triple clamps anymore. SPECIFICATIONS 2006 Honda CRF4S0R At first glance, the improved Honda appears unchanged. ON THE GO We'll cut right to the chase: If you liked last year's CRF450R, then you'll like the new one. It still has that incredible power delivery, great handling and just plain good feeling of last year's CR. But did the repositioning of the motor help the bike turn any better? Yes, but only the most sensitive of riders will notice. While some of our testers felt a difference, others admitted they did not. Those that did said that the new Honda felt a little more planted in the turns and had the tendency to keep itself in the ruts a little better, but even they said that the difference was minute, since the Honda was already a pretty darn good turning machine. So, we predict that some of you will notice the turning difference, and some of you will not. We didn't detect any difference in the overall stability of the machine. The CR is as confident-inspiring as ever down the rough straights and over the whoops. Our testers did agree, however, that the CR's suspension, which took on some valving changes, did feel a little softer than last year's. Most of our testers liked that - even our Expert-class tester, who has yet to make any clicker changes to the suspension. He, however, has the dimensions better suited for a 125, so we expect that heavier Expert-level riders will want to stiffen things up a bit at both ends. Still, for the average rider, the CRF's suspension comes set up from out of the crate about right. OtheIWise, the '06 CRF450F is just like last year's CRF450R: It is really good and will again be the bike by which all others in its class will be judged. And will it ever be judged! With the redesigned Yamaha YZ450F and the new Kawasaki KX450F coming out later this year, judgment day is certainly going to be an interesting one. eN A repositioning of the ent::ehelps to make the bike tum even r than last year. The change, hawever, did not affect the power charocteristics. ENGINE TYPE: ..449cc liquid-cooled Single-cylinder four-stroke BORE x STROKE: ....96mm x 62.1 mm COMPRESSION RATIO: 12.0: I VALVE TRAIN: .... Unicam; four-valve CARBURETION: .. Keihin 40mm flatslide IGNITION: .... CD w/eleetronic advance TRANSMISSION: C1ose-ratio five-speed FINAL DRIVE: ....#520 chain; 13T/48T FRONT SUSPENSION: .47mm inverted Showa cartridge fork with 16-position rebound and 16-position compression damping adjustability; I2.4 inches travel REAR SUSPENSION: Pro-Link Showa Single shock with spring preload, 17-position rebound damping adjustability, and compression damping adjustment separated into lowspeed (13 positions) and high-speed (3.5 turns); 12.5 inches travel FRONT BRAKES: Single 240mm disc with twin-piston caliper REAR SUSPENSION: Single 240mm disc FRONT TIRES: BO/100-21 REAR TIRES: 110/90-19 58. 7 in. WHEELBASE: RAKE/TRAIL: 26.79·/4.3 in. SEAT HEIGHT: 37.6 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: 13.4 in. DRY WEIGHT: 218.5Ibs. FUEL CAPACITY: 1.9 gal. MSRP: $6899 The exhaust is now mounted on the subframe. The fork has 7mm shaved oR. It helps save weight, although 20-inch front wheels are no longer an option. CYCLE NEWS • AUGUST 3,2005 63