The RX launch also coincided
with a special event, Johnny
Campbell's 30th anniversary with
the brand. Campbell is a certified
off-road legend, and he's also
among the nicest guys in the
pits. He started off as a privateer
racing the SCORE series on a
CR250R and ended up beating
some of the factory Honda rid
-
ers. Over time he gained support
from
the Red Riders and claimed
an untouchable 11 Baja 1000
wins. Campbell's also developed
bikes like the XR650R and, more
recently, the RX lineup. This kind
of hands-on approach from both
parties gives a good insight into
the evolution of the RXs.
Campbell and the Honda crew
laid out a 15-minute loop for us
media folk to ride through the
rolling hillsides of Chocolate
Mountain Ranch. With a light mix
of the motocross track, single-
track and even a little turn-track
action, the
course was similar
to the conditions in the western
U.S. off-road scene.
First up, the CRF450RX. This
year's 450RX gets all the same
updates as the R model. That
means better-balanced suspen
-
sion settings and, more impor-
tantly, a smoother engine char-
acter. This is key for an off-road
specific
bike. Last year's Honda
450cc engine was ultra-fast and
almost light-switchy at times.
We applauded the updated '23
R motor for its rideable person
-
ality, and the RX fits in just the
same.
The more linear response
is especially useful in the tight
singletrack when little bits of
throttle go a long way.
Three maps (and three ver-
sions of traction control) are also
available
on the RX. You have
standard, smooth and aggres-
sive. These options are more
useful
on the off-road bike than
the moto bike. For instance,
the twisty singletrack was the
perfect setting for the smooth
map. But if you were to race this
bike in a wide-open desert race
or grands-prix with fifth-gear
straightaways, the aggressive
map would be handy. Throttle re
-
sponse can be so quick to react
these days that
different person-
alities can be helpful in different
scenarios.
The softer suspension of the
QUICKSPIN I 2023 Honda CRF250 RX / CRF450 RX
P74
