FEATURE
2016 HONDA CRF450X PROJECT BIKE
P86
aftermarket choices to improve
performance, so when it came
time for us to build a bike for the
JBC 10 Hour and 24 Hour endur-
ance races at Glen Helen, we
didn't shy away from the 2016
CRF450X. Not at all. It is easy
to make lighter and to improve
power, and when it comes to
the 450X, we weren't at all
concerned about reliability. The
450X is bulletproof.
Overall, for the 10 Hour, we
were most concerned about just
making the bike comfortable
and easy to ride, and getting
a good base for the upcoming
granddaddy race, the 24 Hours
of Glen Helen, after which we
will have a follow up story on our
project CRF450X.
MODIFYING STOCK
To keep life simple and to make
the bike throttle a little cleaner,
we changed out the stock nee-
dle for a NCYS needle with the
clip set in the third position. It is
a CRF450R needle, so if you go
to your local dealer, make sure
they look in the right place. We
also removed the upper airbox
snorkel and cut an extra open-
ing in the airbox door to improve
airflow.
We then installed an FMF
exhaust system, not only to im-
prove breathing, thus power, but
to also drop weight. The FMF
pipe is substantially lighter than
the stock exhaust. The 450X
isn't known for being a feather,
so any weight loss is welcome.
With the temperature hovering
above 100 degrees all day at the
10 Hour, the stock pilot jet and
main jet worked okay, but for the
24 Hour race—which takes place
in cooler October—we will be
going a little richer on the main.
Due to the smog equipment
still on the bike for this race, we
experienced a little bit of pop on
decel, but nothing horrible. For
the 24 Hour race, however, we
will block off the emission equip-
ment since it is now a closed-
course race bike anyway (as
soon as we modified the airbox),
eliminating the decel pop.
The Honda
CRF450X is a
sweetheart of a
bike for long-
distance races
and for less-
than-ideal riding
conditions.
