he Honda CRF450RL is a dual-sport bike that’s truly versatile, on-road and off. When it comes to offering a stellar performance without compromise, it all starts with a six-speed transmission and excellent chassis geometry. The CRF450RL is also impressively light and nimble for such a strong performer.
Features may include:
Engine & DrivetrainWith a heavier crankshaft than used in the full-race CRF450R, you'll enjoy 13% more inertia from the Unicam engine, which means an even stronger feeling of torque when you twist the throttle.
The CRF450RL uses the CRF450R motocrosser as a starting point, then adds everything required to make it fully road-worthy. From the CRF450R base, the frame was made slightly wider to allow for the 6-speed transmission, the engine was tuned for smoother power delivery, and the suspension and brakes were modified to make the bike more user friendly on tight trails and on the road.
The CRF450RL’s Unicam engine shares the same bore and stroke as the CRF450R, but durability is improved thanks to the piston using three rings instead of one.
The CRF450RL rocks a wide-ratio six-speed gearbox. That gives you a low gear perfect for tight, slow situations, and a top gear that’s tall enough to ride the highway to the next trailhead.
You’ll find Honda build quality in every component of the CRF450RL’s engine, which translates into a real-world service schedule of 32,000 km between major engine maintenance, and air filter and oil filter change required only every 1,000 km.
Chassis & SuspensionThe 49 mm Showa fork features a conventional spring design that helps increase the CRF450RL’s front-suspension precision, handling and feel. The spring rate provides better bottoming resistance and improved handling.
The twin-spar aluminum frame is both light and stiff, and provides the basis for the CRF450RL’s excellent handling, making it a true off-road bike. Chassis geometry is specially engineered for responsiveness on even tight trails.