Would you all be interested in it or think it would be a hot item in the D.S. market? I'm talking a CRF450X w/only the BAREST essentials to make it get by (like the EXC's). Any feedback?
If Honda Made a CRF450L???????
Started by
DelTronXR
, Sep 28 2007 06:35 PM
38 replies to this topic
Posted 28 September 2007 - 06:47 PM
Just about everyone would like it if Honda and the rest of the Japanese companies would step up and make their enduro models street legal. I don't see it happening though, look what Yamaha did to the WR250 to make it street legal.
Posted 28 September 2007 - 06:58 PM
huskyfatman said:
Just about everyone would like it if Honda and the rest of the Japanese companies would step up and make their enduro models street legal. I don't see it happening though, look what Yamaha did to the WR250 to make it street legal.
Yeah and I don't understand how the CRF230L is gonna cut it. I donno....I'm confused on this stuff. What is holding the Japanese manufacturers back here?
Posted 28 September 2007 - 11:28 PM
What I need to know is this.....what mods would need to be done to the 450 motor to make it 90% dirt / 10% street. Would the valves really need to be swapped out? Lower compression to 10.5? Or would a 6th gear with a couple cooling fans be good enough?
Posted 29 September 2007 - 07:06 AM
husky is very smart to get their TE line street legal....i've got an RMX250 that i would never sell if i could put a street plate on it......but i'm in one of those states that doenst have a lax Dmv..........having a street plate just opens up so many more riding opportunities......ktm has some pretty good sales #'s.....i think the big four would as well if they offered a real trail bike that was 50 state street legal like the husky and now the ktm....
Posted 29 September 2007 - 07:36 AM
yanni always the quickest to show his X off 
its okay, its one nice bike
its okay, its one nice bike
Posted 29 September 2007 - 09:01 AM
rmxtgh said:
husky is very smart to get their TE line street legal....i've got an RMX250 that i would never sell if i could put a street plate on it......but i'm in one of those states that doenst have a lax Dmv..........having a street plate just opens up so many more riding opportunities......ktm has some pretty good sales #'s.....i think the big four would as well if they offered a real trail bike that was 50 state street legal like the husky and now the ktm....
YES.....This is what I'm trying to figure out. Why aren't the big 4 competitors doing it? I think they would do VERY well.
Posted 29 September 2007 - 09:35 AM
For me, I wouldn't buy a CRF450L. Both the X and R versions require insane maintenance to keep them going. I've got my YZ250 plated here (which ain't easy) and it's the ultimate woods bike that can go on the street.
Would I commute with my YZ? No way. Very hard to hold a putt idle on a racing two stroke. It does superbly well on tight single track but the constant speed/rpm needed for road riding just ain't there. I suspect Honda's 450L might have similar issues if it were ever made. Also, I poached many public roads on an XR650R and really liked that. Unfortunately, the race inspired engine was lucky to get 25mpg which sort of defeats the purpose of a commuter dual sport unfortunately.
I think they should just finally re-do the XR650L more along the lines of the R versions chassis and then take the XR400R and make it an L too. For me, the racing breed of four stroke would take an awful lot of maintenance to put 5-10K miles on per year.
Would I commute with my YZ? No way. Very hard to hold a putt idle on a racing two stroke. It does superbly well on tight single track but the constant speed/rpm needed for road riding just ain't there. I suspect Honda's 450L might have similar issues if it were ever made. Also, I poached many public roads on an XR650R and really liked that. Unfortunately, the race inspired engine was lucky to get 25mpg which sort of defeats the purpose of a commuter dual sport unfortunately.
I think they should just finally re-do the XR650L more along the lines of the R versions chassis and then take the XR400R and make it an L too. For me, the racing breed of four stroke would take an awful lot of maintenance to put 5-10K miles on per year.
Posted 29 September 2007 - 12:39 PM
shrubitup said:
For me, I wouldn't buy a CRF450L. Both the X and R versions require insane maintenance to keep them going. .
+1 when youre on the road and far from home reliability is a premium!
Posted 29 September 2007 - 01:58 PM
I am there already! Got 75 miles on my newly converted KLX450R, and love the awesome power. Went up on the gear ratios to lower street riding RPM's but it still has plenty of low end. Second gear will sky the front wheel with just a flick of the throttle. Just what I wanted without sacrificing power from the 400's currently in production and none of the weight of the 650's.
Posted 29 September 2007 - 08:30 PM
So if we could could get the bike with factory stainless valves and that 6th gear we would be set? You think maybe 12,000 miles before anything serious on the 450 base? This is one HARDCORE research project I got going here! Thanks everyone for your help so far!
Posted 30 September 2007 - 08:18 AM
DelTronXR said:
Would you all be interested in it or think it would be a hot item in the D.S. market? I'm talking a CRF450X w/only the BAREST essentials to make it get by (like the EXC's). Any feedback?
YES!! I'd send my XR400R/L down the road so I could get a CRF450L.
I don't know about 'BAREST' essentials though probably more along the lines of KLX450R's HOT new ride. The laws are getting tighter and harder to pass a dirt bike off as a dual sport. The Big 4 can lighten what is needed to make it legal though. Light weight tunable exhaust, 6 speed tranny, an e-start with a kicker for back-up wouldn't be a bad thing either, LED turn signals and tail lights, light and strong aluminum rear rack it's all doable. The companies have to see what most of us have done to our as sold 'dirt only' bikes to make them legal, reliable and daily functional.
Posted 30 September 2007 - 11:13 AM
2008 Yamaha WR250X or R. R being the off-road and X being the Super Motard. They're also fuel injected. Won't be long and they'll add the 450 engine too. Even Yanni23 agrees the WR is a more reliable motor. It's coming and Honda won't be the first!
Posted 30 September 2007 - 12:15 PM
Have you looked at the weight on that new WR250R? A dry weight of 276 pounds is not exactly a plated dirt bike. And Japanese bikes always seem to gain a few pounds between the marketing info and the dealership.
So I am having trouble believing in that bike as the machine that heralds Yamaha's return to decent DS bikes. If you are going to push that kind of load around you might as well ride something with enough power to justify the weight.
Another 15 pounds puts you on a DRZ400S.
So I am having trouble believing in that bike as the machine that heralds Yamaha's return to decent DS bikes. If you are going to push that kind of load around you might as well ride something with enough power to justify the weight.
Another 15 pounds puts you on a DRZ400S.
Posted 30 September 2007 - 03:48 PM
grreatdog said:
Have you looked at the weight on that new WR250R? A dry weight of 276 pounds is not exactly a plated dirt bike. And Japanese bikes always seem to gain a few pounds between the marketing info and the dealership.
So I am having trouble believing in that bike as the machine that heralds Yamaha's return to decent DS bikes. If you are going to push that kind of load around you might as well ride something with enough power to justify the weight.
Another 15 pounds puts you on a DRZ400S.
So I am having trouble believing in that bike as the machine that heralds Yamaha's return to decent DS bikes. If you are going to push that kind of load around you might as well ride something with enough power to justify the weight.
Another 15 pounds puts you on a DRZ400S.
Posted 30 September 2007 - 04:20 PM
Which pains me to say after 25 years of Yamahas. What happened to the company that brought us the orginal DT's?
Posted 30 September 2007 - 05:42 PM
I haven't owned a Kawasaki since 1979. But that KLX sold as street legal from the factory would have me trying to shove my 190 pounds into the green jerseys I wore as a skinny teenager.
But you know that whenever Japanese companies put turn signals on dirt bikes they always "re-tune" the engines, "recalibrate" the suspension and then make up for the lost horsepower and suspension travel by adding more weight.
So I suspect the world is spared from the spectacle described above.
But you know that whenever Japanese companies put turn signals on dirt bikes they always "re-tune" the engines, "recalibrate" the suspension and then make up for the lost horsepower and suspension travel by adding more weight.
So I suspect the world is spared from the spectacle described above.
Posted 30 September 2007 - 06:12 PM
yanni23 said:
I sure do agree with that (the Yamaha is more reliable). It's common knowledge. I love the 450X but Honda needs to get their stuff together. The '08 450X just released this month STILL has the same valves as '05...what a joke. Just know that if you choose to buy one it's only a matter of time before the valves zero out. It could be sooner or later and this includes the 250X as well. This type of thing is unheard of with the WR's, and the new KLX450R should be good to go. Just search the KX450F forum for valve-related troubles, you won't find any red flags (valve-related) for anything newer than the 2005's.
I have never felt at home on the WR's so that's why I Ride Red. For $400 I fixed the valve problem on my X by swapping in Stainless Steel valves and now I get awesome reliability. This shouldn't be required to make ANY bike run, but if you own a CRF it's inevitable. I'm not partial to any brand, even though I've ridden Honda and Kawasaki forever.
If a manufacturer has a problem they should fix it, not just keep pumping out bikes that are going to fail in some way or another. Honda is quickly losing it's fan-base because of this and I'm one of them. I LOVE what TT'er ''KLX450R'' has done to his DS'd Kawi and next season I will have a strong look at one. It might be time for me to Ride Green once again!
I have never felt at home on the WR's so that's why I Ride Red. For $400 I fixed the valve problem on my X by swapping in Stainless Steel valves and now I get awesome reliability. This shouldn't be required to make ANY bike run, but if you own a CRF it's inevitable. I'm not partial to any brand, even though I've ridden Honda and Kawasaki forever.
If a manufacturer has a problem they should fix it, not just keep pumping out bikes that are going to fail in some way or another. Honda is quickly losing it's fan-base because of this and I'm one of them. I LOVE what TT'er ''KLX450R'' has done to his DS'd Kawi and next season I will have a strong look at one. It might be time for me to Ride Green once again!
i dont get honda, ud think they'd address problems if at all, but there valves have been going since there conception and thats ridiculous.. i like your trx450 valve solution, thats one smart idea.. and it holds up to your ride (ive read this post from u a thousand times) "from tight single track to going down the twisties with full knobbies" haha im pretty sure once i turn 17 ill be getting a DS if i cant afford a car so maybe the big 4 will come around by then
grreatdog said:
I haven't owned a Kawasaki since 1979. But that KLX sold as street legal from the factory would have me trying to shove my 190 pounds into the green jerseys I wore as a skinny teenager.
But you know that whenever Japanese companies put turn signals on dirt bikes they always "re-tune" the engines, "recalibrate" the suspension and then make up for the lost horsepower and suspension travel by adding more weight.
So I suspect the world is spared from the spectacle described above.
But you know that whenever Japanese companies put turn signals on dirt bikes they always "re-tune" the engines, "recalibrate" the suspension and then make up for the lost horsepower and suspension travel by adding more weight.
So I suspect the world is spared from the spectacle described above.
i dont get this either
there DS's are detuned enduros which are (sometimes) detuned MXers. if they actually took the time to build a GOOD ds from the ground up, itd be one hell of a bike but we all know that wont happen
Posted 30 September 2007 - 10:39 PM
Hey KLX450R,
That is a slick conversion on your Kawi- did you buy a kit or assemble the parts yourself? I'm asking because I'm picking up a used 05 CRF450X in a few days and I would like to do the same thing. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
That is a slick conversion on your Kawi- did you buy a kit or assemble the parts yourself? I'm asking because I'm picking up a used 05 CRF450X in a few days and I would like to do the same thing. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
Posted 01 October 2007 - 02:09 PM
DelTronXR said:
Would you all be interested in it or think it would be a hot item in the D.S. market? I'm talking a CRF450X w/only the BAREST essentials to make it get by (like the EXC's). Any feedback?
problem is those engines are not meant for that. they need to continuously be O/H..
