Nice video and nice CRf450L you have. Wow, a 50-mile commute to work each workday. Must be a very good job. 🙂 I bought my 2021 CRF450RL used, too, with 614 miles on it and for a price low enough to do a double-take. It practically didn't have a scratch, so I think the original owner used it on the street only. I also think an aftermarket ECU is well worth the money. I got a Vortex one and ten seconds riding the bike with the Vortex ECU proved to me that just putting up with the stock ECU mapping (like I originally planned to do) just doesn't compare. To me, the bike feels best off-road going fast over rough terrain, at least 3rd gear or higher. Not surprising since the CRF450L/RL is simply a street legal CRF450X, and the CRF450X is one of the Kings of Baja. Sure, I also ride it down trails through the woods, but opening it up a bit on faster terrain always feels great and the bike excels at it.
I agree. Since getting a dirtbike plated is pretty easy to do in Texas, I would have gladly taken either the 450L or 450X whenever I got the L. Now that I’ve used the L to haul the bags and all that on a multi-day dual sport ride, I’m glad no X was available when I made the purchase. I love the beefy subframe. To me, the L is a 450X made street legal from the factory.
I got the 450x spark arrestor in mine, and currently working on a modified Africa Twin spark arrestor that ALMOST bolts right in. The AT arrestor is a bit loud, but the 450x has a SLIGHTLY deeper tone and a lot of flow. Would recommend that swap. Zeta radiator guards installed on mine as well as the handguards. Would also recommend those, will need to trim side panels though.
Nice review. 450 is a great high performance dual sport with excellent suspension and Honda reliability; however, oil change interval and high-octane fuel requirements are a significant downside. BDRs, TAT, and most trail riding can be done on a CRF300L (low octane fuel and 8,000 mile oil changes)....The CRF300L has a great cockpit feel and reach. Great seatheight. CRF300l can do 70mph all day, but if you are regularly hitting 80's, you would need to sprocket down...
I previously had a KLX300, roughly equivalent to the CRF300L in most respects. When those two bikes came out, I got the one that became available locally first, the Kawi. My buddy had more patience and was an avowed Honda man, and several months later, he got the 300L. And he threw the whole catalogue it that bike! Every performance upgrade you can think of. He got a whole new shock and had the forks rebuilt, all set up for his weight. We swapped bikes a couple times. The Honda was nicer than the Kawi, and was the better bike most of the time. I thought the Kawasaki was a bit better in tight single track. The Kawi crashed better. His Honda had a tendency to end up with bent brake and shift levers and broken plastics. I replaced my KLX with a dedicated dirt bike since I was using it for single track 90+% of the time. When I started missing having a capable dual sport, I did consider both the 300L or another KLX. But in the end I wanted something more on the dirt bike end of the spectrum. The 300 class dual sport bikes are road bikes which can be taken off road. I wanted the converse, a dirt bike that could be taken on the road. The additional maintenance and premium fuel, to me and my use, is well worth it for the significant upgrade in performance and capability, on road and off.
In every way the 450L is streets ahead of the 300L, way better suspension, wayyyyy lighter, way better componentry, about 20 more HP, better lights, will do 70+ mph all day, more fun to ride, safer on the road as easier to overtake. Now you can't have all of that and 8000 mile service intervals, and frankly who realistically needs that - could do the Idaho BDR and then probably the Washington one as well without changing the oil - doing 1500 miles is fine, the manual 600 miles is overly conservative, there's absolutely no need to change oil that regularly unless you are racing the bike. The real beauty of the 450L is it really is a unicorn, you could do an enduro, you can do BDRs, you could do the Baja on it, you could ad a few bits, as you would with any bike, and do an actual rally and be competitive - you ain't seriously gonna do that on a 300L!
@@mikefletcher6595 All true! I love my 450L, wouldn't trade it for anything. I live in the oregon desert and change my oil around 1000-1200 mile range unless I do something real dusty. Amazing bike, amazing power, super fun!
I have a tail tidy and i dont have a rack and i run tusk bags.I put brackets from Giant Loop on and used the bolts from the old bracket for the tag so you dont need a rack just sayin. Nice bike by the way got my 2021 RL used with 400 miles on it
Nice video and nice CRf450L you have.
Wow, a 50-mile commute to work each workday.
Must be a very good job. 🙂
I bought my 2021 CRF450RL used, too, with 614 miles on it and for a price low enough to do a double-take.
It practically didn't have a scratch, so I think the original owner used it on the street only.
I also think an aftermarket ECU is well worth the money.
I got a Vortex one and ten seconds riding the bike with the Vortex ECU proved to me that just putting up with the stock ECU mapping (like I originally planned to do) just doesn't compare.
To me, the bike feels best off-road going fast over rough terrain, at least 3rd gear or higher.
Not surprising since the CRF450L/RL is simply a street legal CRF450X, and the CRF450X is one of the Kings of Baja.
Sure, I also ride it down trails through the woods, but opening it up a bit on faster terrain always feels great and the bike excels at it.
I agree. Since getting a dirtbike plated is pretty easy to do in Texas, I would have gladly taken either the 450L or 450X whenever I got the L. Now that I’ve used the L to haul the bags and all that on a multi-day dual sport ride, I’m glad no X was available when I made the purchase. I love the beefy subframe. To me, the L is a 450X made street legal from the factory.
I got the 450x spark arrestor in mine, and currently working on a modified Africa Twin spark arrestor that ALMOST bolts right in. The AT arrestor is a bit loud, but the 450x has a SLIGHTLY deeper tone and a lot of flow. Would recommend that swap. Zeta radiator guards installed on mine as well as the handguards. Would also recommend those, will need to trim side panels though.
Nice review. 450 is a great high performance dual sport with excellent suspension and Honda reliability; however, oil change interval and high-octane fuel requirements are a significant downside. BDRs, TAT, and most trail riding can be done on a CRF300L (low octane fuel and 8,000 mile oil changes)....The CRF300L has a great cockpit feel and reach. Great seatheight. CRF300l can do 70mph all day, but if you are regularly hitting 80's, you would need to sprocket down...
I previously had a KLX300, roughly equivalent to the CRF300L in most respects. When those two bikes came out, I got the one that became available locally first, the Kawi. My buddy had more patience and was an avowed Honda man, and several months later, he got the 300L. And he threw the whole catalogue it that bike! Every performance upgrade you can think of. He got a whole new shock and had the forks rebuilt, all set up for his weight. We swapped bikes a couple times. The Honda was nicer than the Kawi, and was the better bike most of the time. I thought the Kawasaki was a bit better in tight single track. The Kawi crashed better. His Honda had a tendency to end up with bent brake and shift levers and broken plastics. I replaced my KLX with a dedicated dirt bike since I was using it for single track 90+% of the time. When I started missing having a capable dual sport, I did consider both the 300L or another KLX. But in the end I wanted something more on the dirt bike end of the spectrum. The 300 class dual sport bikes are road bikes which can be taken off road. I wanted the converse, a dirt bike that could be taken on the road. The additional maintenance and premium fuel, to me and my use, is well worth it for the significant upgrade in performance and capability, on road and off.
In every way the 450L is streets ahead of the 300L, way better suspension, wayyyyy lighter, way better componentry, about 20 more HP, better lights, will do 70+ mph all day, more fun to ride, safer on the road as easier to overtake. Now you can't have all of that and 8000 mile service intervals, and frankly who realistically needs that - could do the Idaho BDR and then probably the Washington one as well without changing the oil - doing 1500 miles is fine, the manual 600 miles is overly conservative, there's absolutely no need to change oil that regularly unless you are racing the bike. The real beauty of the 450L is it really is a unicorn, you could do an enduro, you can do BDRs, you could do the Baja on it, you could ad a few bits, as you would with any bike, and do an actual rally and be competitive - you ain't seriously gonna do that on a 300L!
@@mikefletcher6595 All true! I love my 450L, wouldn't trade it for anything. I live in the oregon desert and change my oil around 1000-1200 mile range unless I do something real dusty. Amazing bike, amazing power, super fun!
I have a tail tidy and i dont have a rack and i run tusk bags.I put brackets from Giant Loop on and used the bolts from the old bracket for the tag so you dont need a rack just sayin. Nice bike by the way got my 2021 RL used with 400 miles on it
Good to know.
Yada, Yada, Yada. Out of breath standing still?
Really nice bike man