VOL. 54 ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 28, 2017 P83
cal or slippery conditions. When
it comes to this type of riding
both machines are slightly differ-
ent. The Yamaha's first gear is a
bit low for anything but a crawl-
ing pace and the gap to second
is a bit much, requiring constant
clutch work to put power down
smoothly. For that reason the
Honda is slightly easier to ride
on a tight and technical trail.
We did experience more of a
tendency for the RX engine to
pop-stall when compared to
the YZ450FX, a trait consistent
with 450 motocross bikes at low
engine rpms under load, but
nothing we couldn't combat with
good clutch control. The clutch
pull and modulation is a bit
smoother on the YZ450FX.
As the terrain allows higher
speeds, the more spaced out
transmission on the YZ450FX
shines. This is where the Ya-
maha clearly has the advantage
when it comes to riders who
want to convert it into a desert-
speed weapon. The Honda will
go fast as well, it just requires
a more radical gearing change
than the Yamaha, since the only
change from the CRF450R is
one tooth bigger on the rear
sprocket.
Flat out raw power is very
close, although it's not an exact
scientific comparison due to
the radically different transmis-
sion ratios; in drag races and hill
climbs they are crazy close. The
YZ450FX engine revs up quicker
than the CRF450RX, making
throttle control more important
when traction is sparse.
We never had an issue with
EFI settings or experienced any
problems with response, even
going from sea level to 7000
feet. The YZ450FX power is
easily tuned using the GYTR
Power Tuner ($300) and the
Honda has three easily changed
maps via the handlebar-mounted
map switch. We gravitated to the
stock setting on the CRF450RX
most of the time. Remember,
these are converted motocross
bikes; they thrive in more open
riding where the power of the
engines can be fully used and
appreciated.
Both bikes come stock with
open exhaust, so a spark arrestor
is required to ride on public land.
The dual exhaust on the Honda
will make that more expensive,
and somehow, despite the dual
exhaust, the Honda is incredibly
loud, significantly louder than the
Yamaha YZ450FX.
ON THE MX TRACK
If you are looking for an all-
around bike, the RX and FX
are great options from full-on
motocross bikes. In stock form,
the Honda is very capable on
a motocross track. The slightly
softer suspension compared to
the R version is actually prob-
ably better for most riders. The
same can be said for the engine,
as the mellower map makes the
bike a little easier to ride, but still
plenty fast.
The stock suspension settings
on the Yamaha YZ450FX are
