SHOOTOUT
P34
2014 450-CLASS MOTOCROSS SHOOTOUT
>>QUICK REVIEW
Honda left pretty much well
enough alone with its CRF450R.
They made minor changes to the
exhaust system, fueling, cylinder head and front suspension.
A "splitter" was added at the entrance of the dual exhaust to improve flow, and the cylinder has reshaped intake and exhaust ports.
It also features new "dual timing"
injectors for more efficient fueling.
Up front, the CR rolls off the
showroom floor with a touch more
air pressure in the forks (33 psi to
35 psi), which also get updated
valving and a new one-piece piston.
You'll notice these changes on
the track but they're not dramatic.
The most noticeable is the fork.
It has a stiffer feel right out of the
crate, giving the Honda a slightly
more secure feel especially over
braking bumps and when settling
in for the turns, but the overall ride
is still a little on the soft side. In
fact, the overall feel of the Honda
is just plain plush. The motor is
quite docile for a 450 – but is still
plenty powerful - and the chassis
and suspension combine to offer
a very cushy ride.
Some of our faster test riders,
however, wished for more power
overall from the CR, but, on the
flip side, admitted that the tamer
motor did make the Honda very
easy and less tiring to ride than
the other 450s. The Honda makes
good, useable bottom-end over a
wide powerband but peters out a
bit at high rpm.
2014 HONDA CRF450R
STANDOUT FEATURES
•Twin-muffler exhaust system
•KYB pneumatic (air) forks
•Honda Progressive Steering
Damper (HPSD)
•Twin-spar aluminum frame
•Renthal aluminum crossbar
handlebars
WEIGHT: (Full Fuel) 244 lbs.
MSRP: $8699
WHAT'S NEW
•Updated cylinder head
•Updated exhaust system
•Dual timing injector
•Updated forks
