QUICKSPIN I 2022 HONDA CRF450R
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So, would these mods make
it onto the '22 CRF450R? These
were the big questions we had
when we rode it for the first time.
We'll get right to the point:
yes, they did. And you could
feel them right away. The 2022
CRF450R is what the 2021
model should've been—a com-
plete package but with stouter
suspension and better throttling.
The updated ECU eliminates
any of that dreaded lag or gurgle
that the previous CRF450R
suffered and now offers a
consistently smooth delivery
on every part of the track. Last
year, our test riders said riding
the '21 CRF450R was like riding
a carbureted motorcycle with a
clogged jet, but not anymore.
Like it did last year, the
Honda's motor has lots of power,
and the three power modes and
three levels of traction control
do an excellent job of helping to
harness it all. The rest is up to
your wrist.
On this day, on what we con-
sidered to be a supercross-style
layout that was much tighter than
your typical motocross circuit,
the map that we liked best (map
two) was just "mellow" enough
that we could hammer the
throttle without experiencing the
harsher hits we felt with the oth-
er two maps. Those maps would
be better-suited for faster tracks
with loamier and more power-
robbing soil. In other words, of
the three maps, you should find
The 2022 Honda
CRF450R got
some much-
needed fine-
tuning from the
factory.
