QUICKSPIN I 2021 Honda CRF450RL
P106
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY JESSE ZIEGLER
T
he dual-sport Honda CRF450RL off-road
machine is, in one word, capable. Loved
by many for its smooth and powerful engine
character inside a stable chassis, the 450RL is what
a lot of dual-sporters look for in a do-it-all dirt bike.
We've dropped significant miles on this bike since
its introduction in 2019 as the CRF450L. We've
tested it solo; we've put it head-to-head against
Europe's highest-performing dirt bikes with blinkers;
we've even modified it to be what we feel it should
be—a "lightweight" adventure machine capable of
small trails and technical duty, but really at home on
more open tracks and dirt roads.
In our time together, we've harped about a few
450L things that irk us. Mainly, our complaints go
like so: it's relatively heavy, has zero hand protec-
tion, has limited fuel range, and exhibits a consistent
fueling hiccup on the bottom end. That's just the
way it's been with this bike.
BIG MILES.
LOWER
PRICE
