Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/547248
2016 HONDA CRF450R FIRST RIDE P66 that might be a concern. We like launch control but it isn't a deal- breaker for us. Of the current crop of air forks on production 450s from Japan (Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki) so far, we like the CRF's KYB PSF fork the best, though we haven't ridden the new 2016 KX450F yet (but we will in a couple of weeks). Right out of the crate, the Hon- da's spring-less forks come set up almost right on the money and are fairly easy to dial-in compared to the current KX450 and RM- Z450's three-chamber forks. The Honda's two-chamber fork is fairly easy to adjust and once you find a setting (air pressure) you like for your weight and riding style, you can pretty much leave it there for- ever and then just make "clicker" changes as you go, just like you would with a conventional spring fork, but you do have to monitor air pressure all the time, pretty much before every ride. But that's the story with all air forks. Overall, the Honda's suspen- sion feels plush (but not soft) and inspires confidence. The new CRF450 does feel slightly more balanced than last year's, but the Honda already felt pretty good to us. Even though the front end stands just a tad taller, the CRF450 still turns well. It feels agile and pre- dictable. Up until the 2015 KTM 450 SX-F Factory Edition came along the Honda was the light- est in the class. Honda claims the 2016 CRF450R weighs 243 pounds, our 2014 test bike tipped our scale at…243 pounds! The Honda still feels very light on the track and is very ma- neuverable, and the bike is just plain comfortable in the seat. Its plush suspension, comfy layout, stable handling and user-friendly powerband makes the Honda ex- tremely fun to ride. It's also one of the easiest to ride, especially on rough tracks, where it really shines. What don't we like about the CRF450R? Pretty much the same things we didn't like last year: we're not completely sold on the dual-muffler design, the clutch lever is somewhat hard to pull, and the front brake could be a little stronger—it's still good overall but the bar has been raised lately in this department by some of the improved front brakes on the other 450s (KTM, Husky, Kawa- saki and Yamaha quickly come to mind) out there. The "bulgey" side number plates also make it a pain to install number-plate backers (and that's times two because of the twin mufflers). Just like last year (2015 model), we were a big fan of the CRF450R. It might not be the bike for everyone (especially those who like massive hard- hitting horsepower) but it will still appeal to a wide range of riders without question. It's an easy bike to ride and is simple to get used to. Even after just a lap or two, you'll feel right at home on the Honda, even if you've never ridden one before. CN ENGINE TYPE: .....................Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single VALVE TRAIN: ................. Unicam, 4-valve, 36mm intake (titanium); 31mm exhaust (steel) valves BORE X STROKE: .......96.0mm x 62.1mm COMPRESSION RATIO: ..................... 12.5:1 INDUCTION: . Dual-Timing PGM-FI, 46mm throttle body IGNITION: .....Full transistor w/electronic advance TRANSMISSION: .......Close-ratio, 5-speed FINAL DRIVE: ..........#520 chain; 13T/48T FRONT SUSPENSION: ...... 48mm inverted KYB PSF (Pneumatic Spring Fork) w/ air-adjustable spring rate, and rebound and compression-damping adjustability REAR SUSPENSION: ...........Pro-Link, KYB single shock w/adjustable spring preload, rebound damping adjustability, and compression damping adjustment separated into low-speed and high-speed FRONT WHEEL TRAVEL: ..................12.2 in. REAR WHEEL TRAVEL: ....................12.4 in. FRONT BRAKE: .................. Single 260mm wave-style disc w/twin-piston caliper REAR BRAKE: .....................Single 240mm wave-style disc FRONT TIRE: ...Dunlop MX52 80/100-21 in. REAR TIRE: ..Dunlop MX52 120/80-19 in. WHEELBASE: ..................................58.8 in. RAKE: ...............................................27 º /15' TRAIL: ............................................... 4.6 in. SEAT HEIGHT: ................................ 37.6 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: .....................13.1 in. FUEL CAPACITY: ............................. 1.7 gal. CURB WEIGHT: .............................. 243 lbs. S P E C I F I C A T I O N S