Why you should NOT buy the CRF450RL
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
- When the CRF450L was announced, it was a dream come true for many of us riders. With the current Dual Sport lineup looking pretty dry and boring at least in the Japanese market, the 450L was the answer all of us were looking for. A reliable, powerful dirt bike that was street legal from the factory. So after a year of saving up I finally got my hands on one and here is my story on why you should NOT buy the CRF450L / CRF450RL..
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#Honda #CRF450L #CRF450RL - Zábava
Always love the insight you give in these videos. Just started following after I found you once I bought my CRF300L. Now I’ve watched almost all your vids in a weeks time lol!! Lobe he channel!
Thank you for the support Matt! Hope you are enjoying the 300.
Take it from an old guy 65yrs old riding and racing since I was 13. No such thing as a bike you are not gonna spend money on. No such thing as 1 bike does it all. I have 12 bikes. My best dirt bike ktm450exc. My favorite street bike ducati m900. My favorite sport touring 1984 honda vf1000f interceptor. And I spend on all of them all the time. Oh by the way no wife no kids nobody telling me what I can and cant do. I think I will take my italian therapist for a ride. See ya
What are your thoughts on the 300L? I am considering getting it, for me to play with but also for my wife to learn on.
@@holmes1956O
Same age bracket, 300xc-w & VF1100S, riding since 11, guessing fifteen bikes total, wife of 40 years, kids, grandkids we're teaching to ride.
me too
Howling at the fly swatter to the face 😂😭
i die when i see it... The best thing today!!! Thx Man!
I just ducked like fuk there’s a big ass bee in my bedroom… 🤣
best part of whole video
I about spit my coffee out! He just went nuts w/ the fly swatter that he pulled out of nowhere! 😂😂🤣
Bruh looked down just in time n saw that as it happened 😂😂 good shit
I have the crf 300l and it is awesome at 60 years old. Bigger back sprocket for lower gearing. No stopping this bike.
Ditch the stock gearing for starters , it's relatively inexpensive but makes a big difference.
Exactly! 13-50 is perfect for a dualsport & off-road 250, 350 & 450. I’ve had all of them!
My thoughts exactly this whole video. Might have fixed his prob w just that. A really short 1st gear, shirt 2nd gear too for the slow technical riding and tall 5th and especially tall 6th gears for general high speed and 3rd and 4th tailored to your liking AFTER beong 100% sure on 1st amd 6th gear set up.👍 👍
What's your opinion on this possible approach?
@@seekdiscomfort4746changing gearing via sprockets changes the gearing for every gear. So if you gear down, all the gears get shorter. There may be people the change gears in the actual transmission but I've never heard of doing that and it would not be a cheap way as described. You would need to pull engine and split the cases which is not an easy job for beginners plus the paying for machining the parts if no one makes them
Fly swatter'd his own face like a savage...
You got a subscriber for that one... Don't know why but the fact you didn't edit it out makes you my new best friend I think...
That did it for me too! Slapped his face with a fly swatter, not minding if he had fly guts all over his face ! 😅😂😭 Subscribed !👍🏼
I thought that was ace also
😂🤣😂
I traded my 2015 Yamaha Raider and my 2020 CRF250L for my 2021 CRF450RL. Got the Vortex and FMF, and she's a spicy meatball. Absolutely love the bike. She ain't for everyone, but she's perfect for me! Great content bro, keep em coming! 🇺🇸💪🏻
If all you do is local the 1000km oil change is fine. It's only extended trips where that becomes a hassle.
It's the perfect bike for me too.. I zip up and down country roads and through trails right back on to country roads.. then even some highways to get to the next set of trails. Love my red dragon.
Came here expecting a fairly jaded, one sided tirade. Watched the whole thing, and you gave a very balanced, fair, objective and well argued stance on the bike. Nicely done sir!
Thank you Fred!
I was debating this, ended up with the Husqvarna 501. Being my first bike I was clueless. 60 hours in I am so glad I did. I've never ridden anything else, couldn't imagine less power, or more weight. Now I'm a moto addict.
I just clicked on your video because of the title, start watching, and see the stickers I print, and the axle sliders I designed and machined, on your Grom. I'm stoked so see my parts on your bike! Stickers I print on your swingarm too :) Now I am back to watching the rest of the clip
12:07, "The best option is to own multiple bike....
My wife overheard this, she gave me that pissed off look.
Great review. And I agree with most all of it.
I went the route of buying all the extras to dial it in. ECU, exhaust , skid plate, IMS tank, seat concepts, bigger rear sprocket, and I love this bike for single track and technical trail, and blaze to the store for a gallon of milk…
If you throw the recites away before your wife finds them and don’t balance your checkbook it’s easy to spend your hard earned money with impunity.
I remember watching your early videos on the 250L and this is the first time I watch a video of yours since that. Man your channel has blown up, and you're really good at narrating and telling a story. Nice work!
Good points. I almost bought the CRF450L but decided on the CRF300L for similar reasons. Glad to hear you feel the same way. Subscribed!
Dude - You left us hanging with the "Street Bike" incident hints! Looking forward to that story/video sometime! Thanks for sharing your 450L experiences.
Great video hitting all the main points after having a DRZ400s, a Honda 450 R, and two GPX 250s, I finally gave in and bought a 2020 XC300 KTM, best bike ever for the trails and hare scrambles. If I ride the street ,I got a 2015 750 GSXS And the two wheel universe is finally at peace.
OMG! Thanks for saving me from a huge financial mistake! I wanted the 450 for exactly the same trail reasons you did.
I have a crf450r and it is perfect, he is just a bad rider. If your a good rider you can ride almost any bike.
I'm just gonna buy a 450L with 5k on mods and 3000 miles on the clock for $9k. There's a few out there in the marketplace now that they're 5 years old!
Actually have the 450rl and did the yosh/vortex on mine and it really did completely change the bike. I know and understand why Honda had to choke it down so bad and opening all that back up has allowed it to be the bike it always should have been. Flameouts are gone, it literally will immediately start first try and never shuts off on its own and has definitely increased the power as well. I know it sucks having to spend the extra money but Id do it again in a heartbeat for what it’s worth though I also don’t do any slow technical riding either, if you get the itch to try again, get one add the yosh and vortex and do a sprocket change 12/52 or 54 sprocket set.
No, it absolutely is NOT worth it. No proper dual sport should cost that much with additional mods required. Even KTM isn't exempt from these problems. Fuck the EPA, fuck Euro5, and fuck all the asshat politicians that put these in effect.
That said, Beta is where it's at. They are a smaller company and can get away with toeing the regulatory lines. Their 430/500RR-S bikes are good to go from the showroom floor. No ECU flashing, no aftermarket pipes, nothing.
For only $1000 more than the stock Honda and way less than an EXC500, the Betas are a no brainer considering they are gtg out of the box.
@@FuzedBox it’s a Honda. You’re paying for reliability. They are practically bullet proof
@@EmazingGuitar Cookie cutter fanboy talking point. I grew up riding Hondas. It was true then. The problem is Euro 4 and the EPA; Honda did not do enough R&D to mitigate their perfirmance-killing demands in this case.
A 12-tooth counter-shaft sprocket ? No, No, No... That's WAAYYY too small!
@@FuzedBox I agree with everything you said Except you blamed the politicians, you have to remember they are just puppets of the people that put them in office. The real problem are the people that vote for them and pay their way into office.
“Slow bike fast” is the reason I just downsized from a z900 to a Cb300r, having a lot more fun in it so far for a number of reasons. Also, I think the video where you and your folks bought the four Groms was one of the first ones I watched.
And you may be surprised how many bikers miss the fun to ride a Small 300 to its full potential instead to 900 were many times you cant give full gas. All because of a man’s ego “ I need a Big Bike to feel that I’m a Man” but people who live in US i dont blame them, you have such beautiful big open roads were I in EU and a small country a 900 feels like overkill, still some feel that a 250 or 125 are ridiculus so a 900 is a must.
Thank you very much for the honest review. I wish we had more of these review where guys would point out what are the issues they have with their machine instead of listing out the pamphlet features.
Why do I love this guy! He is absolutely right about the price and how expensive it is…I liked and subscribed bc hes very relatable.. 💯💪🏽🔥
More great content and real unbiased opinions. All comes down to personal riding style. I wanted a 450l when I heard about them but after learning I have changed my mind to a 300l or possibly 250l for the right price!
Dumb can't be bias
That's why i've loved my DRz for so long, like me it's "mediocre at everything", but always ready for a good time.
Another DRZ rider ! Nice to see
When I worked at honda I rode a 450 and it was gutless
That's why I love the DRZ plenty of guts for a.bit if fun
Weighs the same as a 450L anyway, for the cheap price by comparison it's definitely the way to go.
I've always heard great things about that bike. I have a modded-to-my-taste XR400 and have given up on ever wanting to be a hot rodder anymore. Mine is perfect for me but would love an e start sometimes. Party on!
Glad I kept mine after my husky experience. Ol faithful.
I have to agree with your comments. I have three bikes, they all do very different things. One for high speed road, one dual sport, and a Honda PCX150 which is perfect for zooming around town. I like them all, and all are quite different. Enjoyed the video.
First time seeing one of your videos. I like the production, editing, and most of all .. the honesty. Well done.
If you bought a $6000 bike and fitted the vortex and pipe, you would love it! It’s a whole different bike with those parts. I would never sell mine because it is the ultimate dirt bike for multiple uses. I don’t think you gave the original bike a long enough shot. You seem more concerned with the cost and that ,I think, put you off this bike. Mine is an absolute blast to ride in “opened up”spec, but as you said, it depends on what you’re going to do with it.
Ya he never have it a chance. It sounded like it was running lean. New fuel map lower gearing for the riding he wants to do and a recluse clutch to help keep him from stalling it out and he probably would have kept it
Thinking about getting one to throw a timber sled on.. think it would be a good setup for that with the parts you mention?
@@zachhogg641 this bike will not disappoint, a few mods and this is a 20k mile bike without any issues and this bike will out perform most. Tank is small though so you'll want to bump up and if you are tall you'll bump up the rear spring to a 6.0. This is one negative opinion among an ocean of positive.
I felt the same way when I bought my 450l and had all the same issues. But, realizing there is not a perfect answer I hung in there with the bike. I agree with you about the money part as well. That being said mine is still bone stock outside of a seat concepts seat and a G2 throttle tamer. I have grown to love it. The bike is my favorite I had ever owned. I live in an area where I have to connect trails via blacktop to be able to ride any decent trails with it I can do that. I have ridden mx it allows me to do that and I go camping, adventure ride with it and slow single track. The flameouts stopped for me even in slow technical. I don’t know if it is that I have grown accustomed to the way it operates or the ECU has learned over time etc. etc. but like you said it will not be the best at any but I can do it all so it is the bike for me and I would recommend it to anyone that has my riding style. I did expect too much but like I said I wouldn’t trade it for anything after a few thousand miles but it had a large learning curve. Love the channel I watch all the bike rides especially the ones in the park. I love that type riding! Keep em coming
Throw a rekluse semi auto on it and i bet youll like it even more. I hate them for mx but for a 450L they should come with them imo
Flame outs stopped because you learned to ride the bike. The dude who made this video needs to learn to ride and not sell a bike because he stales it. This video is millennial BS. It’s the bikes fault!
@@zanyblakespeed8314 agreed
@@schelling53 Man, I loved it for MX. Off the gate in second or third, no shifting til the first corner and consistently getting those hole shots.
@@motarded4214 bro you arent pulling mx holeshots on a 450L
I bought a 21 r.l. 47k out the door used. It already had the five gallon tank and Tusk panniers and soft bags. I felt like it was a really great deal. I wrote it stock on fast-flowing dirt roads felt fine but it would flame out at low speeds. So I purchased and Athena ECU and a full Yoshimura exhaust system. I also replace the tires with kenda's Trackmaster. So now I've got ten Grand in the bike, and it's the best dirt bike I have ever owned. It handles superbly. And has more power than I want to use on the dirt. I also own a 2022 KLR, so this bike feels like a featherweight to me. Personally I love it
Thanks, Nice to hear a knowledgeable review of the 450L
Probably the best owner review breakdown I've seen in a while. Yes and up here in Canada tach on another two K plus, without mods. Can't see the bike lasting much longer on the market. Will be interested in the three hundred review. Good stuff. Cheers.
I appreciate the feedback! Loving the 300 so far, is it the best performing bike? No but for the money it does everything I need it to and more.
Cant see it lasting much longer? They're still selling out quick so not sure what you're on about..
I went thru the same exact thing bro. I loved my 450L but it was a little annoying dropping serious cash on parts and maintenance. I sold it for 10,500 because I needed the money. I'm good with my FZ07 for the next while. I'll buy another dual sport in the future 🤟
Appreciate the honesty and insight, good content
Great video.. I had my eye on one with dreams of riding to the moto track and doing some laps on it then ridding home. The fly swatter to the face was the best thing on youtube.
Dude your videos have always been on point, the content led me to my first dual sport buy (crf250l). I had the same experience with the 450 and ended leaving the dealership with a 500exc. Needless to say, I am way happier with my Ktm. Love team red but man orange has this category figured out.
Very interesting. Once I feel its time to upgrade my DRZ, I’m going to look closely at the EXC lineup!
Bruv, I have owned 12 bikes and my 500exc is by far my favorite. Sucks with highways but that’s ok.
It’s the best dual sport lineup ever. I got 2017 250 exc f. Perfect for me. For those that want more go to the 690 enduro which should just be the next excf bike after the 500. And then u want even more go 790 adventure. KTM has something for everyone
Love orange bikes and Orange Man.
Vortex ignitions are a huge step up. It’s like removing the governor. A pipe would help as well. I’m wondering if a TwinAir Powerflow Kit would help the flame out. I ride motocross, but same overall concepts should apply. Cool bike, best of luck!!
Im not about it. It looks good to the eyes its bad on the wallet. You start throwing all these aftermarket parts on i cant afford that man
saw this video right after I got my brand new 22 rl and had second thoughts. Two years later and 8500 miles and I love this bike and would not want to replace it with anything. Graves/vortex. 48t rear makes it perfect for commuting highway and sprint enduro races.
how often are you rebuilding and changing oil? cheers!
Nice review! Your reaction to the fly just cracked me up. Slapping yourself with that flycatcher.😁Great you kept it in there as part of the video.
I have a Husky FC450 Rockstar Edition. Putting a Rekluse Auto Clutch is an absolute game changer. Bike will never stall (unless cold) And can still take the abuse of riding track and trail, and its my first 450 I've owned after 3 250F's and by far my favorite bike so far. A worthy investment imo.
Yes, seems like the rekluse is the answer
The WR250R is in a pretty good spot amongst dual sports, it’s a shame you never got it. Fingers crossed the WR300R comes out soon.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences, this help us a lot on making decisions !!
Excellent story, excellent review! Thoroughly enjoyed and very engaging! Thank you!
Thank you Rob!! I appreciate you watching.
2019 G310GS Stage 2 Rally Raid with knobbys does the trick for the most part, a narrower front tire would be nice though.
Pretty heavy bike though for a 313cc
You should talk about the maintenance too, what deterred me from order a 450 over the 250, wasn't price but the amount of oil change and other maintenance involved when compared to the 250s insane intervals.
Awesome video, I was really interested in this bike and you covered all my questions perfectly. I have a 2015 suzuki dr650se and it's awesome, so far I've only replaced the sprockets and chain (14t/42t 520), the stock silencer for a dg v2, and put Dunlop 606 on front and rear. In total I have about $5750 into it between purchase price used and parts I decided to put on. the title says its weight is 345lbs. and there's times I can feel the weight when going through certain terrain. It also just reached 12k on the odometer and it feels like it could last forever. It's a really great dual sport bike that seems to do it all and I grew up also doing a lot of trail and pit riding as a kid and later on had a couple street bikes a 250 and a 600. My cousin has the xr650l and we've switched out a couple times to test the differences and I love how the xr feels when sitting on it and the positioning with some pro taper bars and the gearing of the 5 speed seemed perfect at 15/45 for that bike in my opinion. Right now I'm trying to decide whether or not to try and trade my dr for the xr but it's solely due to the feel of the bike when sitting on it. Everything else to me between the bikes are super similar in the regard that they could probably run forever on their stock parts and that they can crawl through anything and be fast enough everywhere else with really their weight being the only slight downside. I think I'll stick with my 650s now after watching your video, thanks
The old Xr400 does it all bit heavy sometimes but you get around that over time . Great video all up!
Bought a 450L and rode it for about a thousand miles, installed vortex ecu and Yoshi exhaust which totally transformed the bike and mAde it feel like a real 450, still didn’t change the fact that thing was 300 pounds and was not fun to wrestle around on the trails. Much more happy with my Ktm 450 that’s a bout 60 pounds light and way faster
The ktm costs 30% more .
@@monte129 the Ktm was about 1000 bucks more and worth every penny. Ktm is by far the easiest bike to work on as well.
@@mohamadkenaiou7647 nah there def harder and more expensive
I have a 2019 450L. Maintenance sucks, but I’ll deal with it. I bought it used for $8300, absolute steal. I also bought an emissions delete kit, thermostat delete, vortex tuner, yoshi exhaust. It is now an MX bike with a plate. Super happy with it!
Doesn't the yosh exhaust already come with an emissions delete header pipe?
@@beefquiche no. Emissions delete means that you delete the charcoal canister and stuff like that
@@ShadleBuilt thanks man, I need to try and translate this to a Thai mechanic, all the advice helps 👍
Why delete thermostat? Makes no sense to me. Helps engine warm up faster and stay at right water temp.
Really enjoyed the post Thanks a lot for sharing. I can really relate because your goals and background for enduro riding are spot on with mine. My situation is that I have to do it all with one bike. I outgrew a WR250R and went with the 2016 Huskey 501. Great bike all-around, but my experience with the low RPM stalling is similar is some situations. I'm looking for mods to help solve the problem but don't want change the gearing to a lower end. Right now I find myself just riding the tight stuff faster and enjoy ripping it on flat-outs on the 501. The best I have ridden is my buddy's tagged 2020 WR250F. It is about the best setup for tight enduro riding that I have experienced. But he has 8 motorcycles.
man, you speak to me from the soul. I also had the 450L and planned to do the same as you did. But the engine is so tight, it's really no fun. To get the bike run properly the Vertex and exaust is a must have. I wasn't ready to invest the money and with this modification its illegal in Europe. I sold my CRF 450L after 5 month.
First one to do a cbr300 engine swap into a crf250l and also with upgraded suspension, pipe and the usual mods to make it more dirt worthy...went to a TE630 for some adventure rides and then changed to a WR250R with re-valved suspension and a Rekluse clutch. Best bike I have ever owned. It's my unicorn and every single time I ride it I think about how good it is, whether its on a twisty mountain road or in the trails and I have zero desire for a crf300l or any other bike.
Buying a 450 ***L*** model for technical trail use is pretty stupid....then you buy a skid plate and protection gear for a bike you cant trail ride with...then start looking for an aftermarket exhaust like that would have ANY effect on your issue. 🤦You could have bought a front sprocket -1 or -2 teeth for $20 and fixed all your problems. This is 100% rider error, and a good example of why you should educate yourself before purchasing ANYTHING...especially a brand new motorcycle.
2:55 had me cracking up so loud. That was hilarious with the fly.
You're on point with the bike and it's weakness. 👍
Spot on review. I too thought the new Honda was the dual sport I needed. Probably saw and read the same reviews you did. And, it was a Honda after all. Rode a few... but went to My local dealer who I knew during covid who had the Honda 450L test rode it and a husky FE501
I'll stick with my XR650R.
I bought it new in 2001.
I did the uncorking and added a street kit to it.
I've riden the hell out of that bike and still runs like new.
Taken it on some wicked single trails with no problem.
Big Red Pig all the way. Went to a Honda dealer to see if I should get a 450, I was stunned when I got the specs so I ditched that. I now have a 2003 low milage XR650R and I love it!
Too heavy
@@Stealth164 I have a xr650l. Its the best for me for dual sport. My crf450x is my dirt bike go to. Plated so can hop from trail to trail on asphalt. Combined they cost less than the crf450tl
my xr650l does it all, granted tight trails can be a little hairy where its so tall but it never stalls at slow speeds.
Came here to say this. Lol
Those XR650L go forever.
I swear they get 100 mpg.
@@motokev2727 lol yeah i got the ims 4 gallon tank and i get between 147-157 miles to a tank. its also desnorkled, xr only super trapp exhaust, dynojet needle and spring, jetted and a uni filter. basic mods lol
@Clay Studtman have had a built crf230f I used to trail ride quite abit. The 650l weight doesn’t bother me at all. I’m not a fan of the newer 250r-450r bikes either. Constant maintenance on those newer bikes is a headache. I got 20k miles on my 650l with just 2 valve adjustments and oil and oil filter changes every 1.5-2k miles
Love the videos man and don’t forget, with some warp 9’s and a gearing change that 300 2-stroke would be lots of fun on the street haha
Best bike I ever had that could be ridden from my house to the trails was a plated XR600. Yup I did mod it with a FCR carb, spring upgrades, stator/lights and few other things, but it worked so well on all but the gnarliest single track. Because it was a Honda, got ALL my money back out of it (including the mods).
I had this flame out issue on my FI quads. A full trail machine that sucks on the trail. Super lean and constant flameouts on a bone stock bike. Add a fuel controller and exhaust and its rideable. Its BS that they come this way from the manufacturer. Thanks for the insights on this bike, I've gone back and forth over getting one for a while. I think I'll go with a DRZ.
Raptor 700?
Like you mentioned it’s good at a lot of things, so that’s just how it works
The more you optimize it for one or more tasks the less it will be able to perform others as well as it does now
Great vid, honest take. Love the fly interaction.
Dude i stumbled upon this channel. Like it a lot
Got a used 2019 450L with 500 miles and $5k in parts on it. I've put 4k miles on it in a year and it's been so much fun. I hardly ever ride my cbr600 now. I'm a trail rider and it does alright on the trails but it is a lot better on the race track. I've done a few Enduro races and it's a handful sometimes but most of the time it's my riding skills stopping me. But I like the 450L because it's a fun street legal bike. Hard to even compare it to a 300 2 stroke that isn't street legal. Having multiple bikes is definitely best. I'm looking at getting a 250-300 2 stroke just for the races.
$5000 in parts?
@@stephenmitchum5864 easy to put $5k in parts on a bike. Exhaust + ecu is $1500. Rekluse clutch is $1100. Tires + tubliss are $350. Suspension rework is $800. Adds up quick.
@@keshmo12 where are you. The vortex is $750, spider clutch is $800 are you not in the USA. Did almost everything you can do to an L and it was around $2500
@@stephenmitchum5864 USA. vortex is $750 and full exhaust is $800=$1500. My handguards are $170. The regular rekluse clutch is $800, auto is $1100. Luggage rack and bags are $500. Large 3G gas tank is $300. Seat concept seat is $300. Tubliss is $200. Tires $200-300. Skid plate is $150-200. Fender eliminator kit is $100. Has the $100 uniflow air filter performance kit. Front springs and rear springs are $300+$500 revalve. Radiator guards are $150. Emissions delete is like $60. Had $100 graphics kit on it. $300 baja light. Zeta chain guards. Flexible levers and foot controls. G2 throttle tamer. Don't need it all but probably $4000-5000 all said and done.
@@keshmo12 I see, as a past Motorcycle dealer there are a lot of thinsg that I take for granted that people do, so I understand. I consider all tires chains, clutch tubes and a few others to be ware parts and would never consider them part of a build or only the difference. There are other things in your build I would never consider either because OEM is better or they can be done for free or for much less. Although I do see where you are coming up with your total now, thanks
2021 Honda CRF 450 RL is OUTSTANDING!! the best bike I have had for overall off road adventure riding in over 50 years of motorcycling. It does not have the slow single track maneuverability difficulties you mentioned you had which has been well documented along with the simple fixes. Its perfect, Light, tons of power and well geared for all kinds of short steep, long rough, gravely , shale, river beds, baby heads, muddy banks, river crossings, etc. etc. etc. AWESOME bike! Get one!
Light?? The bike is 291lbs. You need to go ride the European dual sports. Far lighter, more power, and much easier to ride with hydraulic clutch and better brakes. I love Honda and have their bikes and a lot of their motors, but for dual sport they are far behind especially if you are riding 1st gear blacks on cliff edges.
Hello great help in choosing. Looking fir the same thing. Going to look at your vids fir team orange stuff and see what you came up with. Thank you for posting!!
I'm a pretty big guy at 6-1 and 270# and 58 years old. I used to ride a lot when I was a kid, into my mid 20's. I got a new HD Softail 100th anniversary in 2003, but sold it after a year because the seating /riding position was like being in a recliner and hurt the hell out of my lower back. Now, ANOTHER 20 years later, I'm getting the itch again; trying to convince myself I'm not too old. Great videos, lots of pertinent info. I might try a supermoto, but need to find something that can move this big guy without a struggle. That or the new Kawasaki Z900 RS retro. Thanks for the info.
Do you think a rekluse clutch would fix most of the slow speed issues you were having, since it seems like the stalling aggravated you the most with this bike? Or was it more to do with fueling? Seems from some of the forums some folks have started talking about the accelerator pump linkage etc
Great video! I have a 300l and it’s a tad heavy, but awesome. Had wanted a 450l before I knew what terrain I’d be riding and so glad I picked the 300!! Of course the 300l feels light compared to my Africa Twin 😂
Once you get used to the weight of the Africa twin. You almost end up throwing the 300L when you go to move it.
@@chrishart8548 yeah, I described the 300l as “a big mountain bike” after riding my ATAS!
@@chrishart8548 I felt that when I got my KLR 650. I was riding on a KLR 250. I haven't had the chance to ride the KLX 300s or Hondas. But the KLR 250 is close to a do all dual sport. It can get up to 86 mph. I just wouldn't push a 249cc single cylinder bike like that for too long. It can do 70 no problem. Low speed no problem. The 650, as much as I like it. The weight comes in and I realize something the KLR650 does better and the KLR250 does better than the KLR650. I'm trying to find the right in between 250 and 650 bike. From what I gather from video I'll enjoy the power but low speed technical stuff I like to do so the CRF450L is off the table. Maybe a CRF300L if I get the opportunity?
Really nice and good comments I was thinking to buy a 450 but I been thinking a lot into the Honda CRF300-L for anything, cause I ride my CRF250-L for trails, off road and roads and hwys and is very versatile bike to be honest and really needs only a little more power cause surprise most of the time going up hills and on the gear i have it sometimes need more power and sometimes not so is kind of Powerful on some hills, that's why am interested in the Honda CRF300-L
All I needed to hear, thanks!
Yes, I agree, having multiple bikes is the way to go. Never been a big fan of 4 stroke singles, but my KLR 650 is a pretty good do it all bike. For other riding, I have a KTM 300exc. And a few road bikes. Nice video 👍
Wish I still had my 380. Had two different ones. Freaking loved those bikes. The 300 is pretty damn close though. Great bike as well.
PITA to lube the chain due to the plastic on the rear sprocket. Most uncomfortable seat ever fit on a motorcycle. Not enough fly wheel and lean fueling. I think a lot of people blame the fueling, which needs work, for some of the drivability problems that are actually due to the excessively light flywheel. The biggest problem for me was the excessive engine vibration. I have been riding dirt bikes since 1976, but this thing just felt like it was tearing itself up. I was SO glad to be able to trade it in. Seems like I have been continuously disappointed in the new Hondas I have bought. I bought a WR250R to replace the CRF450L and am much happier with it - granted lower power, less sophisticated suspension, but the overall feel of quality, smoothness, and comfort is on a completely different level than the Honda.
Excellent review .
Great advice , I was thinking about the crf450L but now I may stick with team orange
Thanks for the honest review. I was also considering the 450RL as the most practical option (price, parts, papers) with limited choice here in Thailand. But will definitely go for a KTM/Husky 300 or 350 now.
I don't know if it's just a honda thing or what but I've noticed some fueling issues in my recent FI honda bikes. The first one was a cb650r. The bike had a massive dead spot in mid range revs and would come back to life around 7000 rpm. I would say from 4000 to 7000 it just felt weak, as if it just fell flat after a strong initial pull. I sold that bike and bought a brand new 2019 africa twin. With the AT only having 2 cylinders the fueling problems were much more noticeable. Sometimes, shortly after startup, the bike will miss a few times. I primarily notice it on cold starts or if the bike has been sitting in the parking lot all day after a cool morning and a very hot afternoon. This only happens for about 30 seconds after starting and it's only every once in a while. Once on the road that familiar dead spot I felt on the cb650r is prevalent on the AT from about 3000 to 5000 rpm. Only after riding for about 10 minutes does my AT seem to correct the fueling issue and all is well (and yes I always let my bikes warm up before riding). The AT will also "flame out" if you make consecutive short snappy throttle movements at very slow speed. I think this is all a part of emissions standards. Honda makes these bikes run so lean! My xr650l, which has Dave's mod on the carb, runs quite a bit more smoothly than my modern honda FI bikes! A quick look on the AT forums tells me that I'm not alone but Honda states that this is "normal". I love my AT but our relationship is like dating that dream girl with an unbearable laugh.
Liked for the fly hope he made it! Good content!
Thank you for taking the time to do this video. I just started looking at the RL because I'll be retiring in a few years and have purchased some land in central Florida where we want to spend Winters. If you get bored some time and look at my channel you'll see that most of the riding I do in Maine is in tight, rough trails. When I got looking at the terrain in Florida, especially around the Bronson area, it's almost all flat, sand and sand mixed with clay dirt roads. Apparently most of the legal off road riding would need to be done with a license plate. I can see from your experience that the RL would likely suck for what I do in Maine but I was wondering how you think it would do on pavement and flat dirt roads. We recently purchased a used class A diesel pusher motor home to live in down there. I'm going to tow my pickup truck from Maine to FL behind it. I'd like to have something like a CRF450RL in the back of the truck to use when we get down there. My truck is a gas hog so I'd like something fun to zip around on the park roads with and shoot to the store for small items. I've ridden a DRZ before and was disappointed with the power and the weight. Will I be disappointed with a CRF450RL considering the Bronson, Florida riding conditions?
KTM 300 XCW TPI
Street Legal
Can do It all
Team Orange is the way to go
The only real unicorn currently.
Just a random guy’s .02 cents… I bought a 2019 CRF450L for $8600 out the door at the end of 2019. $750 for the Vortex ECU/map switch, about $250 on good quality DOT dirt tires, $180 on a Seat Concepts “comfort” seat cover and foam, $315 on a 3 gallon IMS tank, and $75 on a pair of Acerbis Rally-pro bark-busters. That’s $10,170 for a nicely set up 450L. Well worth it. Strictly for skill reference value, I raced B Vet class hare scrambles on the east coast and finished in the top 5 of my class for two years. That’s nothing to brag about but I figure it’s a good reference in regard to riding level. This was on a 300cc 2 stroke Husky. Would I have raced on the 450L? No way. I would do an enduro and have done some challenging dual sport rides that included enduro a-loops. Tough on a big 450 but doable.
Glad it was worth it to you! I'd like to get another one someday and give it a second chance.
I gave up on dual sports and just convert dirt bikes. It's all about the power to weight ratio and suspension. 2019 WR450F! Just got my plate this week!
You’re 100% correct in your conclusion on this topic. I’ve always had two bikes. One for the dirt. One for The road. I e seen guys with dual sports trying to make them work at both and. It just doesn’t. Not if you really want the true road or dirt experience. Just too much compromise in one machine trying to do too much. Ends up doing nothing well.
That said. I well at some point get a dual sport or …. Should say Adventure bike …for a nice long motorcycle camping trip down the back roads.
Good luck with everything
Had the '19 version and had the exact same issues. Flameouts, stalling and the dang weight. Holy cow its heavy. I too wanted a do everything bike, it just didnt want to be a single track bike. Great on double track where speed is generally faster, any sort of technical stuff and it struggled. So added Vortec ECU, Pro Circuit exhaust, rear fender delete, rekluse, pillow top grips, seat concepts, all of which made it run better and easier to ride, but did nothing really to lose any significant weight. So, it just didnt work for me, sold it and bought a KTM 350 EXC-F. Its somewhere around 40 lbs lighter and plenty of power. Love it. Now team orange.
Love my 350 exc too. Yes, it needed performance mods too. But now it's a go anywhere dual sport. Just keep it under 60 on the pavement. I'm done riding heavy dual sports in the dirt!
I spent 6k on my dr650 with tons of aftermaket mods. It's unreal, amazing singletrack bike.
I’ve been down this road with my WR250R. By the time I’d rebuild it with new suspension, exhaust, tune it spent more that the Ktm is originally wanted. Now I have my Ktm exc 500 and love it.
Great video, but I think you would have been more satisfied with the bike if you had bit the bullet and just brought the mods. They really enhance the performance of the bike and brings it closer to the 450r race bike and the vortex ECU fixes the flame out problem . And gives you different maps to enhance performance to your riding style.
Fair statement but at the end of the day ECU's, MAPS and mufflers have nothing to do with the fact that the bike is 40lbs heavier than it should be.
The bike is still a pig. An expensive one at that.
If you are spending that kind of money the best dual sports are the KTM's. You get the 350 and it is far lighter and much faster revving. This is better on the slow stuff.
If you want more speed get the 500. They did have the 450 in a street legal variation but that is too fast for slow riding.
I love reliable bikes with good suspension. Yamaha had that nailed. Problem is the performance is so far from the KTM's and a large part of that is the weight. On tight trails that weight is killer, especially over long rides. If you want one bike to do everything it is going to come from Austria.
I bought the 2019 CRF450L new, nice bike but everything you said is 100% true. I traded mine for a Triumph Tiger Explorer and bought a WR450F that was already street legal. The WR450F is everything I wished the 450L was....much better all around, even on the street with one less gear, just drop a tooth on the rear sprocket and it's better than the 6 speed 450L at highway speeds.
I am knee deep in the Dual Sport unicorn search, and I keep thinking the WR450F is the answer. In Texas it's a pretty easy surgery to get street legal. But if it starts approaching the price of a 500 EXC-F, I think that's an easy choice. So hoping to find a great older WR450, but they are not that abundant. Glad to hear someone else is diggin' it... I also thought about the YZ450FX, but just seems to be a little too snatchy for technical stuff.
Reminds me of back in the 80's. Bought an RM125 and tried hard using it as a trials bike. It's high speed transmission in slower speeds made for tricky riding.
You are right, no perfect bike for multi conditions.
Just sold mine..2020 crf450. YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE MONEY with your review. I'm back to the 250cc slow technical trail riding....can't beat it. No need for Ricky Carmichael bike.... and yes..they flame out but, you anticipate that and just work the throttle..still does happen and it sucks...
It's all preference, I am glad I went for a 650L. They are light compared to other dual sports, but heavy when compared to dirt bikes. The 650L sits in the middle which means overall you have more capability than pretty much anything else out on the market. If you have an itch for something specific, the 650L isn't going to have that purpose in mind. Too heavy to handle technical stuff easy, to uncomfortable for all day street riding, suspension isn't set up for using it as a jumping bike... but the magic in the 650L is it can do what every other bike cannot, so it can do jumps, it can do technical terrain, it can do street, it can do hill climbs, it's just not going to shine in any of those categories, it's mediocre at everything which sounds bad, but it is actually the coolest part about that bike because you are not finding that in anything else especially when you add the fact that the bike is bare bones simple and reliable.
❤
Are you talking about the 350lbs 650L ? Hows that light
@@jayhopkins1337 huh? maybe you missed what I wrote. It's a dual sport so that makes it one of the lightest out there in comparison which makes it much better at dirt compared to the other dual sports, but it is heavy compared to a "dirt bike".
@@jayhopkins1337 it's pretty light.. for a 650. hell it's really close to the CRF250L
"Big Red Money Pit!" Love it. I've been saying the exact same things about the KTM 350 EXC-F. $12k, then you basically have to spend another $2k getting it ride ready- ridiculous. If the bikes now being sold by some discount overseas manufacturers would up their quality even by ~30% (e.g., add name brand suspension, better stock tires, exhaust and tighter QC), the big manufacturers would have some very serious competition on their hands. They are just not there quite yet. They could even go from selling bikes for $2k, to charging $5k or $6k for quality machines provided they come stock with upgraded components. People would buy them. $12k is just too much to then have to upgrade. For that premium it better come ready to go.
I'm glad you made this video, because it expresses my feelings completely. Have multiple bikes, small bikes are usually better for slow technical riding - and more fun there, where the 450 might get it done too, but it will not be as much fun. And, last the price. I know Honda needs to make money to survive, and needs to pass emissions ... but, when I hear my friend buying a KTM500 with upgrades for about 20k out the door, I just wonder what the world has come to. I'll take my old DR-350 which is light, super fun to ride, street legal/plated, and fast enough. I have lots of bikes though to pick from. But, fun factor, the TTR125 (also plated) and the TW200 have their place for trail riding, and usually will get you there with less work and less stress ... fun!
I learned something! thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
You really have to go with the Vortex ECU and exhaust to get the most out of the bike, in stock form they are definitely restricted and you'll get a lot of flame outs. I liked mine a lot but I had nearly $10K in aftermarket on it when I sold it and if I had to do it all over again I'd likely go with a KTM500 or the Husky 501. Hydraulic clutches have their own set of issues, the Brembo and Magura's found on the Euro bikes have always been known to leak. Hell even the 890 ADV R doesn't come with a hydraulic clutch, they simply aren't needed but to each their own.
Like the 2016 KTM 500 EXC. I see one for $8,000 with 4,000 miles. Do you think that is a good price for an Arizona bike?
I have hydraulic clutches on both street and dirt bikes and never had an issue with them working, even the Magura's I had. The consistent pull is awesome and light which is great especially on technical rides.
The downside though is you can't quite adjust it to fully disengage on a half pull.
If both were available for the same price I would take the hydraulic every time.
@@NONO-hz4vo for sure, more so regarding the magura on husky’s. My new 2023 KTM 500 EXC has a Brembo and it’s great
This makes me feel better about my 300l that I’m riding the snot out of. The suspension sucks, but I weigh 135lbs and make the most of it. It runs great on the low speed stuff and with all the protection on it, I’m able to beat it like a red headed step child.
Lmao
No way. The 300l is underpowered unless you are a smaller person.
Like you dirt bikes were always my fav's, sport bikes are one dimensional in many ways compared to them, in the late 80's I had a KDX420 that I roadworthy'ed and it was ok, did break it eventually though, fast forward 25 years and that desire was fulfilled with a 2013 KTM300 on the road. I loved that bike, it was a weapon in tight trails, so light and controllable, it only downside was it's (lack of) ability to do longer pavement stints and eventually landed up swapping it for a 450exc of the same vintage and am still enjoying the bike. It's FCR 39mm carby does not cause flame outs and it runs like there is no tomorrow, only now its due for a top end refurb - how I wish it was a 2 stroker now though. Anyway, thank you for posting this, our bike genes are very similar and I witnessed with a lot of your sentiments.
I agree 100 percent about the L.
Your hilarious by the way. Finally someone with a sense of humor
The 450 looks like a decent bike but they start at $13,000 where I live. It's nice but I think my DR650 is probably a more capable bike as it'll go literally anywhere I want it to and it's only had a few minor cosmetic improvements.
The DR650 is not even close to an enduro bike. It is basically a road bike that can hit some trails
Got mine for $9100 OTD. Immediately bought Vortex for $700 total. Took off about 30 pounds of unneeded emissions and junk for free. Only mod I did was the spark arrestor. Cut off the huge stock one and put a 6 dollar universal one in it. Bike is night and day better for less than $10K. The best OTD price for a orange or white comparable bike was just over $13K. Those bikes would need a little money right away also. Not that I couldn't afford one of those I just thought the Honda would be better 5 years down the road as far as condition. So far so good. Slow A harescramble rider, and this bike I would NEVER race but up in Michigan on some premium single track it still rock and rolls. Out in Rabbit valley and Moab its even better. I also put a highway set of sprockets on it from time to time and can easily cruise 65 MPH at the same rpm it runs at stock at 45, so I can do some back road dual sporting. All in all I like it. The suspension is so much better than orange stock also.
I like how you said, there’s no one machine that can do it all well. You are exactly right, there are some that can do it all, but they will suck at some more than others. If you have the budget, definitely better to have two different bikes.
Yep I agree with everything you said, I’m a Honda guy but when I saw the price tag I said NO if I’m doing that I’m getting a KTM. However I did get a 19 450R it was a flame out king, they either need a rekluse clutch or a fly wheel weight maybe. You can buy a his and hers 300L for the same cash👍🏻
From a daily rider since 1975 (Kawasaki KD80) I continually upgraded in size, price and performance. After Kawasaki, Bultaco, Suzuki I ended up a life-long Honda disciple. No bike is more reliable! I also went from a CRF250L to a CRF450L and haven't regretted it once. Coming from a daily rider who doesn't spend his time on Facebook (losers) or posting CZcams videos trashing bikes (lame) I ride and so far the Honda has conquered everything I have thrown at it with amazing suspension and power with only aftermarket part an FMF exhaust. You're killing it in the creek because you are "stroking" the throttle . . stay consistent brother!! I never rereferred to it as "Flame-out" I call it bad throttle control, finesse and flow with it like a good woman in bed.
Yeah plus why is he not feathering the clutch? Doesn't this bike have a wet clutch and can take the abuse of feathering?
If he were feathering the clutch the bike wouldn't stall.
Btw I got a KLX300 for my son and I'm thinking about getting one of these Honda 450s for me. We both want dual sport bikes. Hoping if I pull the trigger I don't have any regrets with it.