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RIDE REVIEW I 2021 HONDA CRF450RWE
We often break the "Factory
Edition" tests into two questions:
Are the extras worth the extra
money? And do they make a real
difference out on the track? We
calculated the Works Edition's
$2800 price hike to include a
$1200 exhaust system, a $200
set of graphics and seat cover,
and let's call it at least $800 for
the wheels and clutch system.
That's $2200 right there. Then
factor in the suspension coatings,
shock shaft and engine porting.
We'd say that's more than $600
from your favorite shop. To bite
the bullet one time at an extra
$2800 seems worth it in that
regard. But how about out on
the track? We took to the rolling
hills of Cahuilla Creek to put the
Works Edition to work.
The first thing that stands out
is the chassis and suspension's
overall smoothness, working in
conjunction to virtually eliminate
every bump on the track. We
thought cornering the stan-
dard '21 CRF450R was one
of the easiest in the class, but
the Works Edition sets a new
standard. Perhaps it's the larger
shock shaft or the fact that our
test 450 has passed the 20-hour
mark, but the bike's rear end
was noticeably more comfort-
able while entering and exiting
corners. The shock sat up in the
stroke, holding its position until
the exact moment when I wanted
it to squat in the rut. From there,
it needed little to no coercion
to carry momentum through the
middle and exit of the corner.
Mindreader technology? Showa
techs, you heard the idea here
first.
Before jumping on the bike,
our Honda factory tuners for
the day suggested lowering the
forks five millimeters to offer
some extra stability at the notori-
ously fast-paced Cahuilla Creek.
However, this day, the layout
was a bit tighter than usual, with
some new 90- and 180-degree
turns. The added stability was
welcomed at first, especially on
some of the faster downhill sec-
tions. However, in those tighter
If you price out all of the upgrades to the CRF450RWE "Works Edition,"
the extra $2800 in the MSRP seems quite the bargain.
