versatile six-speed transmis-
sion, the X's motor is extremely
easy to control; it's unintimidat-
ing yet has plenty of get-up-and-
go. After all, it's a 450. Matched
with its cushy suspension and
lovely ergonomics, the X is a
joy to ride. At low-to-mid rpm,
the X loves to bop around and
play; best of all, flameouts are
rare on the X. At higher rpm, the
X doesn't disappoint, either. It
makes excellent and respect
-
able power overall. You won't
miss not having power modes;
you simply don't need them with
this sweetheart of a motor.
Perhaps the most impressive
thing about the X is how well it
runs and performs right off the
showroom floor, even though it's
a California green-sticker dirt bike.
There are no throttle stops to sur
-
gically remove, no mystery wires
to cut, and no baffles to bash out.
You just get on it, push the button
and go! And it goes nicely.
The X handles exceptionally
well, and its long wheelbase and
kicked-out front end (compared
to the RX) make it very stable
at speed and over whoops. No
wonder why it's a hit in Baja and
on the open deserts. If you like
to ride fast and hard all the time,
you'll find the X's suspension to
be a little on the soft side, but
for "normal" riding and aver
-
age rider weight, Honda nailed
it. Suspension setting is damn
near perfect for trail riding, even
at a spirited pace.
There are many things to like
about the X, like its strong and
predictable two-piston Nissin
front brake. The clutch has a
good feel, and the pull is accept
-
ably light for a 450. The easy-
to-read meter is a nice addition,
and our knuckles appreciated
the stock plastic hand guards,
but we would rather have them
attached solidly to the handle
-
bars than the hand-lever mounts.
When you adjust the levers, the
hand guards rotate with them.
It's reassuring knowing there
is a solid skid plate protecting
the lower frame rails and engine
cases, and we are fans of head
-
lights on trail bikes (though we
wish the X's was LED instead of
halogen).
COMPARISON I 2023 HONDA CRF450X & CRF450RX
P90
The X can still be
somewhat of a
handful on rocky
and technical terrain
but it is certainly
doable thanks to its
super user-friendly
demeanor. It is,
however, very stable
at speed.
